Heart of the Phoenix
by Shaddowind
Summary: What if death wasn't the end for a certain mercenary's soulmate? Warning: Lots of game spoilers. If you haven't finished the game, please proceed carefully! I don't want to ruin the fun for you! Slight AU
1. Default Chapter

* * *

Heart of the Phoenix 

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: You know the story of the game, but what if death wasn't the end for a certain mercenary's soulmate? PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings - I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter One

Iselia was coming to life once again, with the scattered patches of wildflowers bursting into their palette of color and announcing their presence in the wooded town. People were warming along with the world, a sense of excitement almost tangible. They were more cheerful, more hopeful… and generally more sure than they had been in at least a generation that things would only get better.

Liane gathered the gels she had purchased from the shopkeeper into her satchel, with a grateful smile to the shopkeeper. Raine said that they would be needed for the afternoon's lessons, and Liane was more than grateful for the chance to learn to teach under the elven woman. She wasn't much older than Liane herself, but Liane looked up to her… especially as she had been raised alongside her brother, Genis. It still felt strange to be in a position of pseudo-authority over her friends… Genis, Lloyd, Colette… but the priests had secluded her and filled her head with as much teaching as they could manage. _You must assume your age, girl,_ one had told her. She was only three years older, but when she grew up with the others, reinforcing the age difference pushed her. Liane didn't want to be the enemy – an adult – to her friends….

_But you are, girl. You took the job… now you're the adult in the bunch_, she thought with a dejected sigh as she stepped out into the bright sunlight, smoothing her plaincloth dress with her free hand as she set off down the road back to the school house.

"Liane! Liane Dale! Wait!"

Liane cringed at the call, taking a moment to compose herself before turning to confront one of the largest sources of frustration in her life to date – Michael Foley. The comely-yet-dim boy was her age, true… and a successful merchant-trader between the continents, true… but he had made the mistake of deciding that she – at the ripe old age of twenty- needed a suitor.

Coincidentally, he nominated himself for the job.

"Liane! There you are!" the dark haired boy fairly cheered as he caught up to her, catching her hand in his and lightly kissing the back of it before she could gather the wits to snatch it away. "Come – you have to see the site I chose to build… uh… my house!"

She wanted to run screaming, taking careful note of his hesitation in choice of descriptors for his house. Fortunately, her polite side kicked in and forced a smile at Michael.

"Michael… I'm working," she held up her bag for him to see, shaking it a bit for emphasis.

"Raine will understand!" he decreed with a hint of the irritating whine she knew so well. "Besides, your mother said that it would be good to take you to the site."

_Mother._ Liane sighed and leaned her forehead into her hand to disguise an eye-roll.

"Michael, I've told you – you're nice, but I'm not settling down for a long time… and when I do, it will be where my job takes me – Palmacosta or maybe even Luin. Please find someone that deserves to be spoiled…"

… _smothered…_

"… more than I do," she tried to phrase the rejection carefully. After all, she'd had plenty of practice with this poor fool.

"But Liane!"

A sudden blinding flash of light disorientated them for the briefest of instants as Liane turned to the North.

"The Temple… the Day of Prophecy."

"Michael, I have to go," she hurried away from him and began to run toward the schoolhouse.

_Colette…._

She vaguely heard a commotion behind her before she was tackled into a bank of shrubbery. Michael landed fully on top of her, knocking the breath from her body, then, to make things worse, he clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Shh…" he hissed at her, motioning with a quick head-jerk behind them to the road. Her anger simmered until she spotted the formation of armored men proceeding through the town. Her eyes grew wide and her fury evaporated in the space of a heartbeat.

"Desians…" she breathed under his hand. Michael nodded, and the pair continued to watch the troop until they reached the turn in the road heading for the north gate of the town.

It was as if time had frozen in Iselia, as the silence became deafening.

Finally, the hiding spot lost its appeal and Liane shoved Michael from her.

"Get off!" she grunted as she climbed from the bushes, brushing leaves and dirt from her skirts.

"But Liane –"

She turned on him in a flash, her patience fully worn out.

"Look, thank you for keeping me out of their way, thank you for the invitation, and please stop plotting with my mother to marry me off. Now, I have to get to the school…."

She rounded the last corner before the schoolhouse in full sprint, barely remembering to hold on to her satchel.

_The schoolhouse is beside the north gate… oh, Goddess…._

Relief washed over her as she immediately spotted Lloyd, Genis, and the Chosen One, Colette, standing outside the school, looking around at the deserted town.

"Where did everybody go?" she heard Genis commenting more than asking.

"Why are you out here? Get back into the school!" Liane called to the three, trying and – as usual – failing to sound like any kind of an authority figure even in her own ears.

"Colette!"

Frank Brunel came around the far corner of the road and ran towards his daughter.

"Father!"

"Frank!" Genis chimed in, Liane couldn't help but sigh. Genis had to have his voice heard in the conversation, as usual.

"Thank goodness you're safe," Frank sighed in relief.

Liane strode to stand beside Lloyd. "Where's Raine?"

Lloyd shrugged helplessly.

"She said she was going to the Temple."

Liane cocked a suspicious eyebrow at the boy.

"Uh-huh. And where are you supposed to be?"

As expected, Lloyd dropped his eyes guiltily to the ground.

"Studying?"

"Where?"

He sighed.

"Inside."

"Thought so," she smiled with a shake of her head. _Predictable as ever, Lloyd._

"Frank, what happened to everyone in the village?" Genis continued to speak with Colette's father over Lloyd and Liane's conversation.

"They're all hiding… the Desians invaded the village just a short while ago. Thankfully, no one was hurt. They passed through the village and headed for the Temple," Frank related.

Genis shook his head. "Why? Iselia has a non-aggression treaty with the Desians!"

Lloyd seemed to take interest in the conversation at the mention of the Desians. "You mean the agreement where they don't attack the village as long as we leave the human ranch alone?"

Colette nodded brightly. "Yes. Grandmother said it's to protect me. Oh – where is grandmother?"

Colette's shoulders dropped in relief as Frank explained that Phaidra was safe at the Temple with the priests of Martel.

"Okay… everyone's fine, then. Let's get back inside," Liane sighed, putting her hand on Lloyd's shoulder.

"I have to go to the Temple," Colette announced.

"Colette…" her father began hesitantly.

"I know, father. I promise to fulfill my duty as the Chosen."

Lloyd stepped away from Liane with his hand resting on the hilt of his twin wooden swords.

"Genis and I will go with her – to keep her safe."

Liane opened her mouth to object just after Frank had begun his own disagreement.

"It's dangerous. You boys should head home."

"Lloyd… come on," Liane tried to pull the boy back toward the schoolhouse.

"No! You heard him – it's dangerous! She can't go alone…" Lloyd defiantly shook his head, stepping to face Frank. "Please, Frank… we can help her!"

Frank looked at them doubtfully for a moment. Liane saw Lloyd's shoulders sag for an instant… and she sighed.

"Frank, I'll go with them," Liane offered. "Surely, one more will make things safer for everyone."

"But… all right. Thank you," Frank nodded a cautious approval. "I'll wait at the house. Come back immediately if anything happens." With that, Frank Brunel turned and wandered back down the road, leaving the younger three to cheer their victory and Liane to shake her head in confusion.

_If it were my child heading up to the Temple, I'd like to think I'd have the guts to accompany them…_ she thought with a sigh, her opinion of Colette's father slipping with his every retreating footstep.

She turned back to find her three friends all watching her impatiently.

"Let's go, Liane!" Lloyd bubbled. She had to smile… it was probably his first chance to actually have any kind of an adventure.

_I wonder how many monsters it will take for him to grow tired of adventuring…._

"Hold on… I've got to grab my bag from the school. With a sigh, she walked into the entry room of the school and knelt before her bag. She pulled out a tunic and breeches, and, with a second thought, put them back.

_There's no way they'll let me have long enough to change clothes… _she thought wistfully as she shoved the clothes back into the bag and removed a blue ribbon from a pocket on the inside of the bag. She untied a smaller blue silk bag from the outside of the bag and removed the pair of simple daggers, tucking them into the belt of her dress. Finally, she grabbed the ribbon and quickly wove her just-past-shoulder length chestnut hair into a braid. Rejoining the group outside, she sighed reluctantly.

"Okay… let's get this over with."

Lloyd, Colette, and Genis started down the path discussing their battle plan long before they even saw their first monster. Liane wasn't afraid… she had seen her share of monsters in her travels training with the Temple. She was no where near gifted enough to be considered for the service of the Goddess, but she could hold her own with a few basic spells from a distance and she knew that she could hold her own with her daggers up close. No, she wasn't scared.

_But there's something different. Maybe it's just the coming of the Oracle…._

Liane crammed her reservations down into the pit of her stomach. She had to watch the others. She was their friend, their teacher, and now, their guardian. And every single one of those titles, she took extremely seriously.

"Come on, Liane!" Lloyd called cheerfully...

… even as Liane saw the zombie lurch out of the bushes at him.

"Lloyd! Behind you!"

Lloyd spun, his swords already unsheathed as he faced the zombie. Liane pulled her daggers and ran to help, and, between the four of them, the zombie was dispatched before any of them knew exactly what had happened.

"Wow! That was easy!" Lloyd laughed, sheathing his swords.

"We're a great team!" Colette joined in her friends' jubilation. Even Genis – even-tempered Genis – seemed to be ecstatic over their victory. Liane smiled, tucking her daggers back into her belt.

"Come on," she offered, walking past them to lead up the path, "Let's get Colette to the Temple."

"Hey, Liane… are you going to be all stuffy through the whole trip?"

She spun to mockingly glare at Lloyd, who was awaiting her response with a cheesy grin.

"I am NOT stuffy," she declared.

"Are too."

Liane sighed. "I am not going to do this with you, Lloyd. We're out here for a reason. It's a pretty important one, in case you've forgotten."

Colette and Genis stood back and tried not to smile, but watching their friends bicker had long been one of the group's favorite sports.

And Lloyd was undisputedly the best at starting the matches.

Liane drew an exaggerated breath and walked back to where the puffed-up seventeen-year-old stood in the middle of the path, his fists balled and resting on his hips.

"You're the one that's forgotten… how to not be a stick in the mud," Lloyd goaded.

Without another word, Liane stood nose-to-nose with the boy that may as well been her brother for all the time they spent together growing up.

"You know what you've forgotten?" she asked sweetly.

"Lloyd…." Genis warned from the sidelines, but, predictably, Lloyd ignored the gesture.

"What?" His eyes narrowed, daring her to prove to him that he was wrong about her.

"That I've trained far more than you have for situations…."

She dropped into a neat leg-sweep, knocking Lloyd off his feet and flat on his back.

"… just like…"

Liane reached down over his incapacitated form and plucked one of his swords from his sword belt.

"… this."

Lloyd caught his breath enough to sit up, his cheeks enflamed as Liane turned on her heel, his sword resting tauntingly over her shoulder. Genis and Colette were having a hard time breathing for their own reasons… mainly laughing at the outcome they both knew was coming as soon as Lloyd started picking on her.

"Hey!" Lloyd complained. "I need that sword! I can't fight with just one!"

"Then you'd best hurry up, Lloyd." With her back to her friends, Liane allowed herself her own cheesy grin. She almost felt sorry for him.

She giggled.

_Almost._

Lloyd sulked for a few moments, requiring the coaxing of his friends before he approached Liane to walk beside her.

"Can I have my sword back, now?"

"Are you going to call me a stick in the mud again?"

Lloyd was silent for a few steps before she realized where his mind was wandering.

"Or anything like it?"

"No…" Lloyd huffed.

Liane chuckled as she handed him the missing twin to his remaining blade.

"You know, we really need to find real swords for you," she mused.

"Dad can make me a pair if I want…." He sighed, sheathing the blade.

* * *

He sighed with annoyance. He hadn't expected anyone else at the temple – other than the normal fixtures, the priests. Oh, and one special addition was due at any minute – the Chosen. 

_Now this rabble shows up._

Crouching in the shadows of the temple, he tensed his grip on the handle of his sword. He would wait to show his hand and see how the drama played out. All he had was time – it was a perk of his job. Infinite time to achieve his goal.

And for now, that goal would be to get the Chosen One to hers.

He watched as a Pastor of the Temple took a blade to the gut –

and he _winced_….

_What the hell?_

He had seen more than his share of fighting – nothing fazed him anymore, or so he thought. His reaction to the plight of the priest puzzled him. Watching the pastor summon the last of his strength and descend the stairs, his brow furrowed. Or was it even the priest?

_There's something different. It's not just the coming of the Oracle…._

Drawing a deep breath to vanquish the disturbing anxious knot gnawing at his stomach, he sat back as the Pastor disappeared over the hill.

_Hmm… this may prove to be an interesting day after all._

* * *

Lloyd charged around the last turn in the path before the temple and froze in his tracks. 

"Whoa, that light really is coming from the temple!"

Liane, Genis, and Colette approached him – all of their eyes fixed skyward in awe of the sight.

"Then an oracle is going to be conveyed," Genis muttered. "Colette's going to be the Chosen of Regeneration."

Liane watched the others and the light. It was an amazing sight – one that reminded her of her humble place in the world as the light spiraled up into the bright blue sky. There were powers in the world far greater than she could imagine.

_I'm fortunate to even see this…._

"It's really, really bright!"

Lloyd, Genis and Liane were all shaken from their individual musings to stare at the Chosen, all of them caught off guard by the blatantly obvious statement on the part of this girl that was actually tied to the event.

"Say, Colette… when the oracle is conveyed, you'll become the Chosen who will save the world, right? You're going to be like the hero, Mithos! So maybe you should act a little more… you know, Chosen-like…" Lloyd offered.

While his words echoed similar thoughts in her own mind, Liane still choked at his bluntness.

"Lloyd…" she shook her head in chastisement.

Colette blushed a bit, but shook her head.

"No, Liane. He's right. Yeah, Lloyd. No problem," the girl answered, although Liane would have sworn that a slight hint of disheartenment escaped as the girl muttered a second," … no problem."

Genis jabbed Lloyd in the ribs, eliciting a pained gasp from the older boy, before his attention was drawn up the hill.

"Hey, there's a lot of commotion at the temple."

The distinct ringing of blades could be heard as Lloyd nodded in agreement.

"You're right!"

Liane gasped as a figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

With the appearance of the bloodied pastor, the innocence of the adventure was irrevocably shattered.

"Chosen One!"

The old man staggered and stumbled down the stone stairs towards them, his hands clenched across what Liane realized could only be a mortal wound.

"Pastor!" Colette ran up a few steps to meet the wounded man and Lloyd stepped to his other side to ease him to the ground.

"Hey, are you all right!" Lloyd questioned, obviously missing the seriousness of the of the pastor's situation.

_Idiot_, she chided herself. _He's never seen someone dying like this before._

"The Desians broke the non-aggression treaty and attacked the temple… Chosen One… quickly… the Oracle…."

"I know," Colette whispered in calm acceptance, her head bowed reverently to the elder.

"Liane? You know spells! Can't you heal him?" Genis offered excitedly.

Liane dropped to her knees beside the dying man with a sad shake of her head.

"I'm sorry, Genis… healing isn't one of my talents… and gels won't work fast enough…" she answered as disappointment settled in the silver-haired boy's eyes.

"Please… be careful… I regret that I will not be able to pro…tect…the …Cho…sen."

The old man's eyes fixed on the sky and a deep sigh escaped his prone form. Liane clenched her eyes shut to hold back helpless tears. She willed herself to claim the calm that was forced on her being the oldest of the group and reached a hesitant hand to gently close his unseeing eyes.

"Rest with Martel, Pastor," she whispered.

_Forgive me, Pastor. We should have been faster._

"Pastor, hang on!" Colette called desperately even as Lloyd stood, shaking his head sadly.

"It's no good. He's gone," the older boy quietly muttered.

Genis stared at the body, his hands balled into fists and visibly shaking.

"No! the elven boy cried.

Liane's heart ached for them and this cruel introduction to the specter known as death.

"I'm going."

Colette's voice broke the sacred moment of mourning the pastor's passing. Liane looked at the girl and found herself surprised by the girl's – no, the Chosen's – strength. Her eyes were set and her brow creased almost unnoticeably with determination.

"Colette! There are Desians up there," Genis pointed out, his voice betraying a nervous waver.

"Yes," Colette nodded, "but I have to go. I'm the Chosen. My job is to accept the oracle on the Day of Prophecy. You guys wait here, ok?"

"You can't go alone, Colette," Liane spoke, drawing her daggers. "Lloyd, Genis – go tell Frank-"

"Lloyd, are you going to let them go by themselves!" Genis exclaimed.

Lloyd nodded his head decisively. "I'm going, too."

Colette looked gratefully to Lloyd and Liane as they joined her on the steps.

"Are you sure? It's dangerous," the blonde girl offered, as if having to know that she has warned them.

Liane smiled and kept walking past the Chosen. "You really think we're going to turn around now?"

Lloyd grinned. "Dwarven vow #1: Let's all work together for a peaceful world," he drew his twin wooden blades. "Let's go."

The three made it up exactly two more steps before a frustrated growl came from behind them. They turned to find Genis stomping up the steps, his delicate features set in grim determination.

"Wait. I'm going, too. I'm worried about Raine."

_Raine…_ Liane turned to look back up to the Temple. _I hope she made it in okay…_

"Let's go," Liane sighed. She knew the folly of the endeavor – three teenagers – _one with wooden swords for Goddess' sake_ – and one stuck between them and the demands of being the adult in the group, no healing skills between them and a frightening lack of substantial gels.

_This should be interesting… maybe the Desians are gone…_ Liane sighed as they topped the last flight of steps, only to be greeted by a panicked cry from Colette's grandmother.

"Run, Colette!"

Three armored men and one in some sort of armor-robes turned at the call.

"Lord Botta! There she is!"

Colette froze on the steps, the previous determination in her eyes replaced by fear.

"Chosen One, your life is mine!" the robed man declared triumphantly.

Dropping her satchel by the steps, Liane tightened her grip on her daggers even as Lloyd threw himself in front of Colette.

"I won't let you Desians get away with anything!"

An awkward moment of silence passed before one of the armored men released a cruel chuckle.

"Desians?"

"What's so funny?" an emboldened – and obviously adrenalized – Genis stepped beside his best friend, his kendama grasped tightly in his small hands.

The laughing warrior drew his very real sword.

"Well then, die at the hands of the Desians you so hate," he turned to his cohorts. "Get them!"

The soldiers lunged at the four, causing Genis to fall back and Colette to take a step away so that she could loose her chakram. Lloyd and Liane dropped in as close as they could to one of the guards, barely dodging his wildly-swinging blade.

"Genis – Colette – work on the others!" Liane called as she ducked under the soldier's blade and drove one of her daggers deep into the man's shoulder. The soldier howled in pain, dropping his sword and giving Lloyd the opportunity to bring the pommel of his wooded blade down on the back of his head. The soldier collapsed immediately. Lloyd shared a quick nod to each other before Lloyd launched himself at the next closest soldier, narrowly dodging a barrage of Genis's fireballs. Liane cringed at his reckless attack, but knew that he probably had as good a chance of success as she did.

_Listen to me, barking orders… like I've seen that many more battles than they have,_ she mentally groaned as she fell back to the soldier that Colette was holding at bay by the alternating us of her chakram.

_Good girl, _Liane smiled as she ducked under a retreating chakram to plunge her dagger into the back of the soldier's thigh, _fight so that you are always armed._ She knew she was no veteran, but she had studied enough of battle theory to put all three of her companions to sleep for at least a year.

Another howl of pain heralded the loss of one more enemy as the girls' soldier fell beneath another flash of Colette's weapon. They turned their attention back to the remaining soldier, already beginning to wobble under the assault of Lloyd and Genis. Momentarily, Liane considered trying to cast the one spell she knew would do some damage – Wind Blade – but she discarded the thought for the knowledge that Genis could cast faster than she could… and Lloyd needed backup. Colette loosed her chakram and its impact rang against the soldier's helm with a decidedly metal _CLANG!_ that echoed off the ancient stone of the Temple. The soldier dropped his blade, swayed slightly, and crumbled to the ground.

The four regrouped near Liane's discarded satchel, winded, but victorious.

"That… was… easy," Lloyd tried to laugh between weary breaths. Liane dropped to her bag and tossed each of the boys one of their preciously small supply of apple gels.

"Thanks, Liane…" Genis wheezed as he bit into the gel, its healing properties obvious almost immediately as the boy straightened from his former weary hunch.

"Vidarr! Finish this!"

Botta's command snapped all of their attention back to him as Liane bit down nervously on her lip.

_Oh, Goddess… we're not ready for another…._

Heavy footsteps shook the ground as the Chosen's party looked up in horror at the beast trudging from the temple. The armored brute swung his morning star menacingly off to his side.

"I'll crush you…" the thing growled.

"Colette, stay back…" Liane sighed as she took her place to Lloyd's left as he and Genis squared off to the hulk lumbering toward them.

Vidarr's first attach revealed a surprising speed, leaving the group to scatter to avoid catching any part of a blow.

Genis circled back as Colette's chakram whistled by, striking the giant in the upper arm and eliciting an almost feral howl of pain. Liane and Lloyd seized the opportunity and dove forward, almost frantic to hit anything that would hurt the beast. The edge of Liane's dagger sliced the back of Vidarr's arm near where Colette had hit, making him drop the morning star, even as Lloyd pummeled at the unprotected side of the warrior with his blades.

_If we live through this, I swear the first chance I get, I'm buying him real swords,_ Liane thought as she dodged a blind swing by rolling back even as Genis unleashed another volley of fire balls. Liane picked herself up and readied another lunge for Vidarr.

_We might live after all,_ Liane thought with a huff –

but that was before Vidarr snagged Lloyd and secured him in a crushing embrace.

"_Lloyd!"_ Genis screamed, dropping his spell and charging up to the warrior.

Liane watched the whole scene in horror as her instinct took over her judgement and she threw her right dagger at the brute, as far from Lloyd as she could manage.

_No!_ her mind howled as she saw the dagger's path – and how Vidarr was savagely shaking Lloyd –

_It's going to hit Lloyd…._

But the dagger had other intentions as it cleanly lodged itself exactly where it had been thrown – just below his right shoulder plate.

Vidarr recoiled at the injury, hurling Lloyd back into Liane, Genis, and Colette, sending them all sprawling to the ground.

"Lloyd… Genis… Colette," Liane wheezed, "… are you okay?"

"This guy's strong!" Genis commented in place of his answer to her concern.

Lloyd struggled to one knee, gasping for breath.

"Man, this guys is really tough!"

"What about you?" Colette asked. Liane knew that the girl was trying to be strong, but her voice crackled slightly… the fear of the giant's next attack beginning to show.

_Something's… different…._

"I… I'm…" Liane started to answer, but a splitting pain in her head… in her mind… halted anything but a bitten-off groan from escaping her clenched jaw.

"Liane?" She heard Lloyd's voice through the pain… and through other voices… whispers… cries of despair… laughs of joy?… all muted by something….

"Liane, please…" Colette begged, whimpering slightly from behind her. But it was the push that Liane needed. From somewhere unknown, Liane pulled herself out of the mental assault with a strength she didn't know she possessed.

_No… the Chosen will not die_.

"I'm… fine…" Liane grunted, desperately wanting to clamp her hands around her head, but knowing that her only option was to try to ignore the pain… the life of the Chosen was in all of their hands.

She saw Lloyd and Genis struggle to their feet and followed their example, despite complaining muscles and the headache. Vidarr stalked over to his morning star and rearmed himself. He drew his weapon up high over his head to strike at them again….

… but there was suddenly someone standing between them. Someone with a sword strong enough to deflect Vidarr's blow, sending him staggering back from the group.

Liane watched Vidarr gather himself and again advance on the group. Lloyd, Genis, and Colette stared in awe at the man that had defended them from the blow… and then she followed their gaze.

Tall and thin, she could only see the back of their auburn-haired savior, but something wouldn't allow her to move.

_Something about him._

"Who are you?" Lloyd asked, stepping out from behind the indigo-clad swordsman, his sword in hand awaiting Vidarr's impending next challenge.

"Get out of the way," the man grumbled as he rushed the giant. He seemed to ignite a flame of strength in the young fighters, as all of them charged forward with them, leaving Liane a step behind all of them.

The swordsman stepped forward, striking Vidarr twice before the brute could even growl at them and plucked Liane's dagger from his shoulder.

"Here!" the swordsman called. She was sure that he never even looked at her, but she reacted, catching the dagger. "Don't lose track of your weapons…."

_What in all the hells…? And he's lecturing me?_

Knowing that there was no time to throw a fit over the stranger's treatment of her, Liane crossed her daggers before her and charged in, finding herself between Lloyd and the stranger. Genis was already chanting for another spell and Colette was as far back as she knew that she could hit from… they all worked as a team. Then the swordsman was gone from her peripheral vision. Liane spun to dodge another blow, catching sight of the newcomer enclosed in his own rune circle… just before Lloyd began to glow a subtle green.

"First Aid!"

_He's a Healer?_

The thought was just enough to distract her, as Vidarr caught her with a particularly vicious backhand, sending her flying back from him…

… and crashing into the swordsman.

The pair fell backwards, the swordsman taking the brunt of the impact from one of the decorative railings around the terrace with a grunt.

"Be careful!" he growled as Liane groaned, immediately trying to gather her wits to crawl from her landing place across him. She planted her hands on the ground to push herself up, shaking her bangs from her face…

… and her hazel eyes met his warm brown eyes.

It was just a fleeting instant… just a blink in the continuous parade of time… but in that instant…

… recognition flashed between them.

Lloyd's surprised yelp as he narrowly dodged Vidarr again shattered the moment and the swordsman drew a hasty breath and shoved Liane aside, crawling to his feet and immediately chanting another healing incantation. Liane could only stare as the voices again swam in her mind… but this time, the pain they brought was considerably less than the confusion they spawned. She crawled to her feet and moved away from him, knowing that she had to finish the fight… for the sake of the Regeneration… but she certainly couldn't be close to him. Liane shoved the encounter with the swordsman as far to the back of her mind as possible and stepped back, closing her eyes and concentrating on her teachings. Within moments she could feel the power beginning to spiral around her. She knew that she would never be any kind of a sorceress, but she knew enough to lend a hand….

"Wind Blade!" she cried, releasing the power she had scraped together in the form of a howling gale of sharp wind that hit Vidarr and pushed him backwards, staggering him just enough to allow the others to each deliver a final blow, knocking him unconscious and bleeding to the ground.

Lloyd propped himself on his sword and managed a dry chuckle. "It just wasn't your day."

Liane's shoulders sagged, the spell draining her limited mana. She turned and trudged back to her bag… she heard the others… weary, but relieved by their victory.

So enthused that all of them forgot about Botta.

"I never thought _you'd_ show up."

They all spun, each ready and dreading yet another encounter. Liane fell to her knees beside her bag as she blindly reached in for a gel.

"Damn… retreat for now."

Botta and his remaining men drug their fallen comrades from the temple terrace and passed by without resistance.

Colette watched the procession with wide eyes. "Amazing!"

Genis, on the other hand, was entranced by their new ally. "This guy's incredibly strong!"

Lloyd walked over to where Liane still sat, letting the apple gel revive her. "Y.. yeah. I.. I suppose so."

Their mysterious savior sheathed his sword and surveyed the younger warriors.

"Is everyone all right? Hmm… no one seems to be hurt."

_That voice…._

"Hey, can you heal Liane? I think she needs some help…."

Liane heard Lloyd's concerned request and panicked, somehow finding the strength to climb to her feet and dust off her ripped dress. She shook her head and prepared the most sincere fake smile she could manage, waving the boy away.

"No… no, I'm fine… I just need to catch my breath…" she sighed, keeping her eyes to the ground so as not to accidentally see _him._

"Is that an exsphere?"

She wanted to laugh as Lloyd's legendary attention span once again kicked in.

_Calm down… relax… breathe… it's the stress of the regeneration._

They were all talking around her… monsters… the fallen priests… protecting the Chosen…. Their words filtered into her mind but didn't register… or didn't matter, she wasn't sure. Her mind simply wasn't about to settle back into the conversation.

_What happened back there?_ she clenched her eyes shut and drew a deep breath. _His eyes… voice… so familiar… but… I've never met him… surely I'd remember him…._

"Your name is Lloyd?" his words rang through the fog in her mind.

"Yeah. Who are you to ask my name?" came Lloyd's cocky reply.

"I am…"

One word crashed through everything in Liane's mind, sending any kind thought processes that she had managed to reconstruct spiraling back into the abyss.

… _Kratos_, her mind whispered to her even as he spoke the same in answer to Lloyd's challenge.

"… a mercenary. For a price, I will take on the job of guarding the Chosen."


	2. Chapter 2

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Confusion abounds as the Chosen prepares to leave on her journey of World Regeneration….PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings - I just bend them to my will in this story.

A/N: To those of you that have taken the time to review, I thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 2

_What did she do to me?_

He strode into the temple with the Chosen in tow. _At least that went as planned._

Somewhere further back, the boy and his elven friend tagged along. _Yet another complication._ It had to all be a coincidence.

_It has to be._

This… Lloyd… was rash, stubborn, mouthy, and largely untrained with the … _wooden?_… blades. His presence was… an irritation. Yes. An irritation.

_That's all it can be. Get the Chosen to the oracle chamber, and all will be righted._

But then, bringing up the rear of the party… _she_ was there. The girl that had shaken him with a glance. The girl that had avoided even looking at him ever since. Liane, they had called her. She had insisted upon coming along, spouting something about a promise to keep the children safe. She refused his healing in favor of the weak gels that she had stashed in her bag. She was plain, yet fair to look upon, he had to admit. But it was hardly what had caught his attention. She fought well and with fire, with little regard for herself, evidenced by her beaten appearance. But beneath the scratched-up and ripped façade, there was something. There almost had to be for it to have gotten under his skin with a simple look.

_Perhaps it was just a trick of my mind… perhaps I'm so glad to be within sight of the end of this…_

… _glad?_

He sighed and shook his head slightly.

_It has to be in my mind. I haven't been glad for anything in fourteen years…. _

Kratos shrugged the thought from his mind, centering his thoughts on the trek to the top of the Temple. But not before one last word slid tauntingly through his mind.

One word. One name.

_Anna…._

* * *

Liane followed the party through the Temple, fighting the urge to turn and run back to the town. She was an adult. She had responsibility of the safety of Lloyd and Genis… especially now that Kratos had been officially hired to take responsibility for Colette. 

_Kratos…._

She knew him. She didn't know why she did, but she did. Liane trudged in silence, calming her mind by distracting it… namely, by counting her steps. It was idiotic, it was childish, but it was mind-numbing. She didn't have to listen to the sporadic conversations around her. She simply had to center her mind in the moment.

_Stop thinking about it._

The voices that had materialized in her head in the battle were, at most, whispers now. And better, whispers that she could ignore. Perhaps it was just the day… the anticipation of the Oracle and this impromptu adventure that Lloyd, Colette, and Genis had dragged her into. She was tired… even the gels couldn't change that fact. The pain was gone, too… the pain that felt like her head had been cleaved in two.

_Maybe I'm getting sick… maybe I'll stay in bed tomorrow._

She nodded, willing herself to start to actually listen to the conversations around her.

Until one unavoidable fact reasserted itself over her newfound calm.

_But I know him._

She stopped the thought before it got beyond that simple fact, cramming it away into a corner of her mind through the sheer power of denial. She followed the group through the maze of the temple, aiding the front lines against the monsters that they encountered, and stood witness to the oracle that confronted Colette at the altar. She, like the others, gaped in awe at the magnificence of the other-worldly winged being.

But somehow, it didn't impress her as much she felt as it should have. She even felt like she resented the younger members of the party… for their undisguised wonder at the vision before them.

_Why am I so jaded…?_ she wondered, her brow furrowed as she watched the angel begin to ascend back into the light. _Maybe the priests taught me too much of the lore…_.

She sighed, her eyes traveling back to the ground. _Maybe I'm just not worthy of such a vision anymore…._

Then, she noticed something… she averted her eyes as quickly as she realized that she had actually looked at _him_… his attention was on the angel… but his stance - his crossed arms, his bored stature - it all spoke of reaction to this miraculous event that mirrored her own.

Her eyes were drawn back to the angel as he referred to Colette as his daughter. _His daughter? But the doctor has always spoken of the Chosen's very real birth… he'll tell anyone who will give him half a second about the child born with the Cruxis crystal._ _Is it even possible that…?_ Liane cut off the thoughts of the fidelity of Colette's mother, who had paid the price for bringing the Chosen into the world with her life. She sighed.

_Even for the attention of one so… divine?… How could you betray the love of the one you were promised to before the Goddess?_

She snorted slightly at her romantic notions… one thing that she did hope that she would someday finally grow out of. They had already proven costly… Liane almost chuckled as she remembered back to just after her ninth birthday. She, Lloyd, and Colette were playing in the treehouse at the edge of town. She was climbing up the rope after them and she had slipped – she vividly remembered seeing the rope casually sway out of her reach. She would swear that she could still even hear the horrified cries of her playmates as she fell. But what she remembered with crystal clarity was closing her eyes and not even trying to catch the rope again. The knowledge that her angel would save her so solid in her mind that it took impact with the leaf pile at the base of the tree and the sickening snap of her forearm to prove to her that no angel was coming for her. There would be no winged savior for her. Her parents had punished her for her choice to play in such a place… 'what if you had gotten hurt again?' they had asked through tears that she could still see plainly in her memory of that day. 'You might not wake up this time,' they had ranted and cried. But she cried for days. Not for the pain in her arm, but for the knowledge that her angel hadn't saved her.

No, no angel would come for her.

But this one had come for Colette.

Kratos sighed heavily and Liane was certain that she was the only one who had caught onto his boredom. "You've received the oracle. Then let use leave now, Chosen."

Colette, still staring to the glassed dome in wonder, babbled distractedly, "Oh… yes."

"We're going on ahead," Kratos nodded in satisfaction, stepping onto the warp ring. Liane looked away, unwilling to catch even a fleeting look from the mercenary as he was whisked away from the ancient technology.

Colette shrugged uncomfortably, left alone with her three closest friends. Three friends that were, for all intents, now strangers on a different path. "Uh, thank you… please stop by my house later."

With a self-conscious giggle, Colette followed Kratos through the warp ring.

"She left…"

Liane looked to Lloyd, who stood looking forlornly at the warp ring. He was already realizing that his friend was slipping away from him. She felt sorry for him… and Genis… and even herself. Colette was a friend to all of them.

Genis was the first to break the thoughtful silence. "The rumor was true…"

"What rumor?"

Liane smiled at Lloyd's obliviousness. She knew exactly what Genis was referring to, as she had heard the murmurs about the town as long as she could rememeber.

"That Colette is the daughter of an angel and is not really related to her current father," Genis sighed.

Lloyd's expression hardened. "Even if you're not related by blood, family is family. At least, that's what I think."

Genis shrunk back slightly. "I'm sorry."

Hey, don't worry about it," Lloyd smiled, clapping his friend on the back.

"Well, we should probably be following their example, in any case… after you, boys…" Liane interjected, motioning to the warp ring.

Lloyd grinned, the sensitive moment now but a memory. "Ladies first?"

Liane shook her head. "Nope. I have to make sure you both get out of here in one piece, otherwise Dirk and Raine will have my head. Thank you, but I insist…."

"Hey, I tried," Lloyd shrugged, stepping onto the ring and disappearing.

Genis stopped short of the ring and looked at her.

"Do you think I hurt his feelings?"

Liane smiled. "No… as a matter of fact, I'd bet gald he's already forgotten it. Don't worry."

Genis sighed, nodding in agreement as he stepped onto the warp ring, leaving her alone in the altar chamber. She stepped onto the warp ring and let it sweep her back to the entry chamber where the boys awaited her.

Then she saw why they were so careful to not leave without her.

_Raine_.

"Ha… you guys are _so_ in trouble," she chuckled as she strode past them and down the stairs.

"Yeah, you brought us here," Lloyd grumbled as he and Genis fell in step behind her.

Raine turned at their voices, her hands on her hips and Liane couldn't help but cringe.

_Oh, boy…._

* * *

Liane followed Genis and Lloyd back to town, watching their limp with a shake of her head. 

_She told you to stay and study…._

Raine's scolding glance at her hadn't been nearly the punishment that she had meted out to the boys, but Liane knew that the Professor didn't agree with her assistant's judgement. And maybe she was right… but it still seemed a better option than to let them go alone. Still, her mentor's disapproval was almost as bad as a blow.

The three traveled in silence… noticably lacking the excitement of the trip earlier in the day. Even the monsters left them alone.

They entered the village and Lloyd led his friends to Colette's house. It was mid-afternoon, and the day was still bright and full of promise to the citizens of Iselia.

As they approached the door, they could hear voices from inside.

"… the protection of the Chosen to Kratos and Raine."

Liane winced at the voice of the Mayor.

Lloyd began to gently push the door open, apparently trying to respect the conversation already in progress.

"I have no objections."

At the mercenary's voice, Liane stopped short, every fiber of her shouting at her to turn away… if not simply run. Unfortunately, Genis had been behind her, and he had firmly planted his hands on the small of her back and forced her into the room. They stood respectfully near the door, all of them well aware that they weren't part of the conversation.

Liane's mind was hardly on being respectful… it was much more centered on remaining unnoticed by the mercenary.

_I… I can't handle that again…._

Liane stayed close to the door, careful to stay behind the mercenary's field of vision.

"Thank you so much for your help earlier!" Colette smiled, waiting for a pause in the discussions so that she could welcome her friends, her cheery demeanor brightening the already cozy cottage.

Phaidra seemed to notice their visitors for the first time. "Oh, you're back! Thank you for your assistance earlier!"

Lloyd stepped eagerly to the table. "Say, were you talking about the world regeneration journey just now?"

"Yes," Phaidra answered simply. Liane could only guess that she was trying to avoid encouraging him in anyway that she could without lying to him.

"Wow! I want to go, too! I wanna see Colette regenerate the world!" Lloyd cheered, enthusiasm exuding from every pore.

"If Raine is going, I want to go, too." Genis added, puffing up his chest and stepping up to the table beside his friend.

"No. You'll get in the way," the mercenary's voice cut into the enthusiastic boys' declarations. She glared at the back of his head… but still couldn't bring herself to vocalize an objection.

"Wh..what?"

_Articulate as ever, Lloyd,_ Liane sighed, gritting her teeth. She wanted to defend the boys… she truly did. Truth be told, she wanted to go as well… but she knew that the children of the village still needed guidance… and without Raine, the mantle would fall to her until Raine's return. But she also knew that the world was currently very dangerous… it was bad enough that Colette had to go, but she couldn't watch the boys go, either….

Kratos sighed heavily and pushed his chair back to stand from the table. "The battles at the chapel were nothing compared to the journey that awaits us. Children need to stay home."

Liane saw Lloyd bristle, his fists shaking in anger at this stranger that was getting ready to take one of his best friends from his life.

The Mayor snorted. "Kratos is absolutely right. Now then, we still have things to discuss. You should head home."

Liane stifled her instinctive response to the village official, her distaste growing for him with every day that she aged. He had watched them all as they grew, his intolerance for anything but absolute obedience from everyone in the village – especially the children – following them into every aspect of their lives. In fact, he was the only voice in opposition to her being appointed as Raine's assistant when she returned from her training. She didn't understand where his hatred of all of them had come from.

And, quite frankly, at that point, she really didn't care to know anymore. But, she did have the sense to keep quiet when she knew she couldn't win against him – especially as she knew that he was right.

_He's right… Colette is in the best hands with Raine and Kratos. Damn…._

"Come on," she put a hand on each of the boys' shoulders and guided them back to the door, pushing a bit more than she liked… she hated feeling like she was enforcing the Mayor's decree.

"It's not fair…" Lloyd grumbled as he walked under the trellis of the Brunel home and stubbornly kicked at the dirt of the road.

"I know… but someone has to keep things in order here… for when she comes back," Liane offered, hoping to soothe the anger somehow.

"Wait…"

The door to the house cracked open and Colette slipped out onto the porch. Liane smiled, and took it as her cue to depart.

"I'm going to go home for a while," she nodded to her companions. "Let me know when you decide what will happen in the morning." Colette nodded, stepping quickly over to hug the girl who played the role of her big sister. Liane hugged her back, with a feeling of dread eating at the edge of her mind. Then she turned and waved to the trio, heading back past the schoolhouse to the far edge of town where her family's home awaited her return.

Liane let the kitchen door close behind her and dropped her satchel to the floor. With a groan, she leaned back against the door and allowed herself to slide to the floor, grasping her knees to her chest.

_It's over… finally._

"Liane?"

Her mother's voice instantly put her on edge, but she was far too tired to react.

"Liane! There you are! Oh – you're hurt! Ben! Liane's here…!"

Liane pushed herself from the floor and gathered her mother into a hug.

"I'm fine, mother. I'm just tired."

The gray-haired woman looked at her suspiciously. "I heard you went to the Temple. Honestly, Liane…"

Nodding, Liane stooped to grab her satchel. "No one else seemed willing to go… I really had no choice."

"You could have let the men take care of it. That was no place for women and children," she heard her father interject from the doorway to the common room. Liane was tired. Too tired for this conversation, and far too tired to mince words.

"All that were willing to go were 'women and children,' father," she sighed. "I suppose you'd rather I had sent Michael the Mighty in my stead? Or… even better yet, Frank Brunel!" she chirped in a brainless lilt.

She saw her father bristle, but he had more control of himself at the moment than she did.

"Those kids will get you into trouble, Liane… they always have…." Ben Dale growled slightly.

"Those _kids_ are my friends, father. And I wasn't going to let them go alone."

"Dear… Michael was by a while ago… he said that you wouldn't go with him this afternoon…" her mother innocently inserted into the conversation.

_Do we really have to do all of this now? _Liane groaned.

"That's right, mother. I had no interest in going to his chosen homesite."

"Why? Michael is a fine lad… he's a proper age, he has a good income, and a good family…" Dora continued, either ignoring or simply not paying attention to her daughter's ire.

"_Then why don't you marry him?"_

Dora's mouth dropped in shock and her father grew red in the face as he visibly shook.

"You will _not_ speak to your mother like that!"

"Then you will _not_ tell me who to marry!"

Ben strode to face his daughter. Liane wearily pulled herself up to her full height to stare back into his eyes. She knew it was a test of her will… any weakness… any at all… and she would only be seen as the delicate, quivering woman that he and her mother always seemed content to see her as.

"He's a fine match, Liane. We've already met with his parents… you are perfect for each other. Tell me why he is so repulsive to you." Ben spoke evenly, his eyes drilling into her.

"Father, he's just not right for me. He's pushy, he's needy, he's complacent, he has no sense of adventure, he sees me as an object to be possessed, he's not imaginative, and he's not…"

…_Kratos…_ her mind slipped into her rant, only a fortunate twist of a lack of breath keeping her from blurting it out. Her eyes widened in horror, but she managed to find a weak, but suitable closing…

"… he's not for me, father."

Ben glared at her suspiciously for a moment longer before shaking his head in frustration and turning away.

"Do as you will."

The stocky man plodded back into the common room without another word. Liane stared after him, her heart pounding.

_Did I actually win?_

"We only want the best for you, dear," Dora sighed, placing her hand on the back of Liane's shoulder.

Liane hung her head, and reached to cover her mother's hand with her own.

"I know, mother," she sighed. "I… I'm tired… I'm going to go take a nap. Raine and Genis have invited me for dinner tonight and Genis will be over for me in a while. She felt like she was lying to her mother, but she knew that if she did end up being hungry, Raine would probably find something for her to eat.

Dora nodded and Liane started up the narrow stairs to her upstairs bedroom. There, she placed her satchel and daggers on a small table beside the bed, and untied the tattered blue ribbon and, with a sigh, discarding it in a bucket beside the door. Grabbing a towel and a bar of simple soap from a chest at the foot of bed, she slipped back down the stairs and into the small bathing room just off the kitchen, grateful that her parents had gone elsewhere.

Closing the door and opening the warm water valve to the tub, she discarded her ruined dress and slipped into the water, sitting on the edge until the water filled the tub. Turning off the valve, she sank into the welcome warmth, dragging her scrubbing cloth and soap into the depths with her. She scrubbed away the dirt she had accumulated from sliding across the terrace of the Temple, and winced as she cleaned out the scrapes and wounds that hadn't quite closed yet.

It was quiet. Everywhere. Even in her mind.

_Maybe it was a fluke… maybe…._

But his eyes haunted her. His voice rang in her ears. But it wasn't the words he had spoken in the temple… it was the non-articulated words that bounced inside her head. His voice was unmistakable.

But where did she know him from? And how could she ever have forgotten him?

She hauled herself out of the tub with a deep sigh. Hoping she could still manage to get even a blink of sleep, she wrapped herself into her towel and drained the tub.

Liane didn't even register the trip back to her room. She grabbed her pillow from the bed and tossed it on the floor in the corner. After dressing in a soft tan tunic and her favorite black breeches, she crawled into the corner and curled around the pillow. She knew that her sleeping habits were strange, but it was all she could do to be comfortable. Her training at the temples had been less than luxurious. Her eyes slid shut as she willed herself to relax… she really needed some sleep….

_And she opened her eyes to a starfield as far as she could see. _

'_I told you this was the most breathtaking place I had ever found.'_

_She nodded in blissful agreement, not even wanting to blink. She could feel a solid warmth against her back as she laid back against his chest. It felt strange, yet natural at the same time._

'_I can't believe that I never knew about this hill.'_

'_But if you had, then what would I have had to show you to impress you?'_

_She giggled. 'Just your eyes… I knew you from your eyes.'_

'_You knew me?'_

_She shrugged, unable to take her eyes from the speckled night sky. 'Don't sound so surprised. The heart knows.'_

"Liane… wake up!"

She awakened to find Genis standing over her with an exasperated pout on his face.

"Genis?"

"Man, I didn't know you could sleep that soundly… I didn't think I was going to be able to wake you up. Come on… we're all going to Dirk's."

She stretched and nodded.

_I was dreaming…? But that voice… it was his…._

* * *

Genis and Liane walked together to the house he shared with his sister. Liane couldn't shake the dream from her mind, but she also couldn't miss that her friend's mind was somewhere else as well. 

"Genis? Anything wrong?"

The boy shook his head thoughtfully.

"No… I'm just thinking. It's going to be sad to see Colette go."

"But it's for the best for everyone. She knows what she has to do."

"I know…" Genis sighed, not sounding convinced.

He pushed the door to his home open for her to go in, but even as the door swung open, she hesitated. Seated at the table beside Colette… was Kratos.

"There you are!" Raine sighed. "It's getting dark… if we're going to see Lloyd, we need to get started."

She realized she was staring at him at the last possible moment and glanced away as he turned to the door.

"Hmmm…" he commented, standing from his chair and strolling out the door almost knocking her over without even acknowledging her presence. "Let us go, Chosen."

Colette giggled, grabbing Liane by the arm and pulling her out the door.

"Let's go! We still have to get through the forest!" The excitement of her younger friend was almost enough to make her forget her anger towards the mercenary.

Before long, they were well into the forest. Colette and Genis had paired off and were babbling quietly at each other not too far ahead of her, and Raine hovered over them, practicing her protective guidance of the Chosen, Liane supposed.

_Poor Colette won't be able to breathe without Raine worrying over her…._

A heavy sigh singed the edges of her hearing.

She growled slightly and planted her feet on the trail.

_Just do it. Don't let him keep bothering you, _she mentally coached herself.

She spun and found herself, once again, face to face with the swordsman.

"Are we really that boring to you? We didn't ask you to come along, you know…."

Kratos stared down at her, his bangs halfway shadowing his face by the brightening moonlight.

_Those eyes… NO! Don't let him get to you…._

"I'm sorry…?"

The puzzlement in his tone emboldened her that she had taken him by surprise. Coupled by the lack of the mind-rending pain that she was dreading if she ever happened to meet his eyes again, she grinned.

"What's with the heavy sighs? If you have something to say, then say it!"

She knew full well that it could have been a trick of the shadows, but she swore she saw him smirk.

"All right… this little jaunt is pointless, and even if it were necessary to the Chosen's journey, you and the boy are not."

She stared blankly at him.

_I wasn't counting on that much honesty…._

"What… have you never had to watch someone you cared about leave you behind?" she blurted.

The mirth in his eyes was extinguished immediately.

_Oops. Hit a nerve…._

His countenance grew into a steely gaze as he started to stroll away.

"As a matter of fact, I have."

She exhaled deeply and fell into step behind him.

"I'm sorry…" she offered. Stranger, jerk, or ally, she really hadn't meant to hurt him.

"Are you going to tell me why you've avoided me all day until now?"

"I… I don't even know you…" she sputtered, knowing full well that it wasn't any kind of an answer to his question. But she also knew that he had held onto that particular advantage. He had to know how uncomfortable he had made her!

He sighed and continued to look straight ahead.

"I see. That's right. You don't."

His face remained an impassive mask as he turned from her and followed the others.

_What was that?_ _Why does he even care if I've avoided him?_

The rest of the journey through the wood was comparatively uneventful – a fact for which Liane was grateful. Part of her felt bad that she had hurt him… and the other part was still irate at how he had played her in return. She knew that it was wise for her to keep her mouth shut for a while. But at least, for that while, she didn't dwell on the implications of their meeting.

_Besides, he'll be gone after tomorrow._

They approached Dirk's cabin, they could hear raised voices floating through the woods.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Dirk's lower voice growled his response. "Don't get involved with the Desians. Your mother protected you and that exsphere with her life. Don't go throwing either away."

"I don't think I've ever heard Dirk raise his voice before," Colette whispered, staring wide-eyed at the cabin across the creek.

"Maybe we should leave them alone…" Genis suggested.

"Then Colette won't be able to see Lloyd…" Raine shook her head. "We'll just wait."

"So will you make me the Key Crest?"

"Lloyd!" Dirk exclaimed again, louder than before, "Have you been listening at all?"

"Who is that?"

Liane turned to find Kratos watching the cabin intently.

"Dirk… Lloyd's foster father," Liane answered calmly, surprising even herself. _Maybe it was just a matter of being tired after all…._

"Yeah, I heard you! But you can't expect me not to do anything now that I know!"

A hollow thump resounded from the wooden residence.

"You don't have to hit me!"

Lloyd emerged from the cabin, slamming the door behind him. He drew up short when he saw that he was hardly alone, even as the others all seemed content to act as if the creek was the most interesting thing they had ever seen. "Oh, let me guess… you heard that just now?"

Genis kicked at the dirt. "I'm sorry, because of me, you…."

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

Liane wondered if anyone else caught Lloyd's ever-so-quick response… it wasn't like him to cut Genis off like that. Excitable, yes. Rude to his closest friend?

_Rarely._

Raine cleared her throat. "Lloyd, you should go speak to Colette. We'll wait here."

"Okay," Lloyd nodded.

Colette smiled. "Lloyd, let's go up to the terrace.

Lloyd paused to speak with Genis and Colette went ahead, pausing at the bench near Noishe's pen to wait for Lloyd.

Liane mulled around the bridge near Raine. "So you're really leaving tomorrow?"

Raine nodded. "Colette and Kratos will need help."

"I almost wish I could join you… but someone will have to watch the school, I suppose."

"You're more than capable, Liane. Will you check in on Genis while I'm gone? I know he can take care of himself for a while… but I'll still worry about him."

"Of course… I… I'd be honored to watch over him."

She glanced around the yard of Dirk's house and saw Lloyd wandering down the path… to his mother. The one place that she refused to go in this place that was like a second home to her for so many years. Lloyd's mother's grave was something sacred… something she felt like she was profaning by even thinking of it. It still amazed her… but the further she got from her accident, the more she swore it affected her. Death had held her for two years. It took her memories… and then she escaped it. But she knew that she would fear it for the rest of her life.

Liane wandered to a small bench, not far from the path. As she sat down, she glanced around. And stopped. Lloyd wasn't alone at his mother's grave. The mercenary had somehow been there before him.

_No wonder he didn't go talk to Colette yet… I'd want to know what he was snooping there for, too_, Liane thought with a slight snort. _How rude…._

The two spoke quietly for a few minutes. Liane could only assume that the grave had caught Kratos' eye.

_I suppose it is a bit of a curiosity out here in the woods,_ she decided, giving Kratos the benefit of the doubt.

A few more seemingly awkward words were exchanged between the two and then Lloyd turned and went back into his house. Colette was waiting for him. The sweetness of the pair made her smile as she saw Kratos linger for a moment longer at the grave before shaking his head slightly and then striding back down the path to the creek to wait with the others. Liane sat on the bench, her back purposely to the path until she was sure that he was well past.

_I really should go there… I owe it to Lloyd. His mother would want to know that he has good friends_

Her heart beat harder in her chest, but she couldn't deny the pull… something was happening… something was going to change… and, for some reason, she knew that she had to make peace with this embodiment of death. She stood and turned back to the group milling about outside the door to Dirk's home and counted the silhouettes…

_Raine, Genis, Kratos… they're all there._

Drawing a deep breath, she let her feet carry her to the place she dreaded above all others. A place that represented the deepest loss that one of her dearest friends had ever sustained. A place that represented the deepest fear that lived her heart.

Before she even realized that she had walked the distance, she found herself on the cobbled patch before the stone. Anna's stone.

"Anna…" she whispered. "I… I'm Liane… I'm a friend of Lloyd's…." Her brow furrowed… what did she have to say to this woman? Liane stood in the silence of the night, the full moon overhead only lending its power to the sacred place. The quiet….

… _the quiet, _she realized with a start. _The whispers… they're gone…._ For the first time since the temple, her mind was calm. Everything was as it had been.

"I… I promise that I'll watch over him as I can. He has good friends, Anna… and a good heart. I think you'd be proud of him," she smiled. _It's all right… _Liane reassured herself with a deep breath and a slight smile. _Death is not here… but hope is…._

Then, she saw her long fingers reach to brush over the carved stone….

And her mind had only the briefest of instants to register the cool of the stone before her world once again shattered under the deafening howls of the voices and a blinding barrage of images.

* * *

"We should be going soon," Kratos commented coolly as he stood with the professor and the boy, Genis. 

"Lloyd and Colette need some time to talk," Raine shrugged. "They've always been close. Just a few minutes longer, Kratos."

_I could go on ahead… they can hold their own in the forest_, Kratos sighed to himself. _This is not a place I should be…._

A strangled whimper broke the serene creekside setting as the three of them spun in the direction of the grave.

"Where's Liane?" Genis asked as he sprinted down the path with Raine close on his heels.

Kratos turned just in time to see the girl collapse before the gravestone.

_What the…?_

The mercenary followed the others to find Liane curled into a small, shivering ball on the cobbles, sobbing hysterically.

"Liane?" Raine knelt and spoke quietly to the crying girl. When no response came, she shook her head with a sigh. "She's had a rough day."

Genis sat down beside his friend and grabbed her hand. "Liane… Liane… what's wrong?"

"Kratos…"

Kratos straightened at the girl's broken whisper. _Why would she call for me…? She wouldn't even look at me since the terrace of the temple._

Genis looked up to him. "Kratos… I think she's asking for you…."

He stood tall for a moment, not acknowledging the boy's comment.

Raine sighed. "Kratos, we'll get Colette… can you carry Liane back to the town? She's exhausted…."

"Fine. Get the Chosen," he motioned Genis to move aside so that he could crouch to pick the girl up. With a last glance down to his friend, Genis nodded and fell in behind his sister as they hurried back down the path to the front door of the cabin.

Kratos watched them for a moment longer before gathering the fallen girl into his arms. He groaned as he realized that the professor would probably never let him hear the end of it if he threw Liane over his shoulder for ease of travel back to the village.

Suddenly, he felt his cape tighten around his shoulders. He looked down to find Liane's fists balled into the fabric, her tear-soaked eyes open… but staring unseeing into the starry night.

"Kratos… please… kill me…."

He flinched, feeling as if someone had clubbed him over the back of the head as he almost dropped her back to the ground.

_No…._

Then her eyes slid shut again, allowing a single tear to slip from her eye as her head lolled against his chest.

A single tear… that threatened to rip all of its kin from him. He looked up to the stone guardian of Lloyd's mother's grave, with a confusion that he hadn't felt in years… until this day. Until this girl had disrupted everything. He had learned much this day. But it was all simply complications in his life now. At one time, it would have been hope… or at least closure. But now, there wasn't any of it that he wanted. He looked down at the girl in his arms, her breathing now peaceful as she slept.

_I have to get away from here._

He stood and collected himself before he started back to the bridge over the creek. He could see that the Chosen had already rejoined her friends and they were all awaiting his arrival.

"Is she okay?" Colette asked, concern oozing from her inquiry as she caught Liane's hand.

"She's asleep," Kratos answered. "We have to get her back to the village. Are you done here?"

Colette took one quick glance back up to the second story of the house before smiling sadly and nodding slightly. "Yes… we all need our rest."

Kratos took the lead without looking back.

_I will not see this place… again._

The moon was more than bright enough to guide them through the forest. Each was quiet, each bearing their own thoughts. Kratos was more than comfortable with that arrangement, as his burden was now physical as well as mental. This girl… this Liane… he didn't know what was happening to him when he was around her. But he did know that he had to get away from her. He couldn't be distracted like this. He had to be decisive… ready to do whatever it took to protect the Chosen and the Regeneration.

Even if it meant never knowing why the sleeping girl cradled in his arms reminded him so much of… _her_.

They entered the village of Iselia and took Colette to her home, agreeing to meet for breakfast the next morning and then parting ways with the Chosen.

Their next stop was Liane's home, as Genis and Raine decided that her parents would probably not well receive the mercenary on their doorstep carrying their unconscious daughter. He had to agree with their assessment of the situation. As eager as he was to get the journey underway, there was an order, things that had to be done to get to the end. It was as true for this day as it was for the rest of their impending travels.

Raine knocked quietly on the front door, seeing that there were still lamps burning in the common room. The door cracked open, and Dora Dale peered out into the darkness of the porch.

"Raine… what…" the woman's eyes searched past the teacher and her brother to where her daughter lay in the arms of a stranger. "Oh… Liane," a strangled gasp escaped the woman's lips as she clutched her bedrobes close around her.

"No… Dora… she's just asleep. We're just bringing her home. This is Kratos, the man that has been hired to accompany Colette."

Dora's shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh… oh, dear… yes… please… Mr. Kratos… Genis, can you show him to Liane's room?" Genis nodded and slipped into the house as Dora and Raine stood back to allow Kratos to pass, leaving the elder woman and the teacher to talk quietly. He followed Genis through the little house and turned sideways to carry the girl up a narrow stairwell to a small room. There, he laid her carefully on the quilt-covered bed. She never even stirred. Genis stood beside him as he straightened, his eyes still fixed on her. It was fairly bright in the room, with the light of the moon streaming through the half-opened window. If he let his mind wander slightly from the moment… wander from the time that his mind knew he was in… the darkness almost disguised her… her dark hair splayed out from under her on the white pillow, her eyes closed in peaceful slumber….

_No. It's not her._

"She's not going to like this."

He glanced down at the silver-haired boy, grateful for the distraction.

"Why not?"

Genis shrugged. "She never sleeps in her bed. Not since she got back from her training. She can't get comfortable. She sleeps on the floor…."

"Hmmm. I think she's asleep enough not to notice."

"Whatever," Genis commented, turning back to the stairs and starting downstairs.

Kratos watched the boy depart before turning back to her. Maybe the shadows shifted, or maybe reality had reasserted its grasp, but the girl that lay before him was not… not Anna. He sighed and reached to a light coverlet that lay folded at the foot of the bed, unfurling it and letting it drape over her.

"_Kratos… please…"_

He shook his head, unwilling to let his memory take him back to her words… or the plea that they mirrored from so long ago. That was another lifetime. He started to leave, but a stray thought stopped him. A moment's concentration brought familiar runes to life in the air around him…

"First Aid…" he whispered, and the girl glowed green for the briefest of moments.

He was gone before she could draw her next breath.


	3. Chapters 3 AND 4

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings I just bend them to my will in this story.

A/N: Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to review so far! It's a huge encouragement to me to know that someone is reading and (for the most part) enjoying the story at least a little bit. I wanted to reply to each of you, but some of you seem to have questions that should be answered by the story, so, not to sound too cliché, but hang around and I think things will start becoming a little more clear. So, to my reviewers:

LateNiteSlacker: I'm happy to see you here and thank you so much for your reviews! And I'm still so glad you like it… it probably wouldn't be here without your encouragement! I hope I can continue to keep you interested! (And I promise to throw in as much Kratos as possible! )

Heidi021: Glad to have you here, and glad you're enjoying! Hopefully, I'll stop confusing you soon! )

ReNeGaDe: Thanks for your review! And I'm glad that I'm not confusing you too badly… as far as why she remembers Kratos… I don't know that I'd necessarily call it "remembering" him at this point in the story. Hope to hear from you again! )

Eldameldor: Yay! I'm so happy that the Phoenix has another fan! Please stick around… if you liked it through Chapter 2, I think what's coming might just make you happy as well! )

Gijinka Renamon: I'll take "interesting"… that works. Yep! As a matter of fact, here's another chapter! )

FlameRaven: Hope you're still around…. Thanks for your review! And thanks for your comments! I hope to be able to keep your interest!

Eike: Hmm… doesn't sound like you're going to be around to read this, but I'll respond anyway… thanks for taking the time to review, and I appreciate your compliments on the writing. I think you have a few different definitions than I do (such as I believe that you really can grow up with around friends AND have parents) And I'm not sure where you got that they don't know her age, but ok… no problem. Different stroke for different folks, right? ) Maybe I'll catch your attention again sometime!

A/N (Part 2): I am so sorry for the lag in updates… I have been trying for about 3 weeks to post 3 and for some reason, won't let it go… so, if I can get it to work this time, I hope to keep you all happy by combining 3 and 4… it's not the way I wanted to do it, but I guess you've got to do what you've got to do, right? Enjoy!

Summary: …. And in the hours before the departure of the Chosen from Iselia…

Chapter 3

The teacher and her brother had gone home hours ago.

_Home…._

He growled and his fist clenched angrily.

_What right does she have to do this to me?_

He had wandered the town since his companions had left him. Sleep wouldn't be an issue once the journey began, but here – in this quiet time in the village, it made him conspicuous.

Or maybe it was simply that he had lost count of how many times he had paced around the village.

He sighed with a weariness more spiritual than tangible, and for just a moment, he allowed himself to drop his guard, seating himself on a quaint set of wooden steps almost obscured by the flower beds on either side. Kratos leaned forward to rest his forehead in his hands.

_Why? Why now? This has to be some great cosmic joke…._

Something to twist the dagger that had become a part of his soul.

_The boy… as if he wasn't enough._

'_Kratos… please… kill me…._

He clenched his eyes shut against the words that had hardened him. Words that forced him to make a choice... a choice that was his surrender from the madness that allowed him to believe that it was ever a life he could have. A validation of everything his mind had screamed at him while he had listened to his heart.

'_Kratos… please….' _His teeth clenched in reaction to the memory.

_Ah. That's better._

Now the words began to fire his anger. It was much more comfortable than the self-pity.

_How dare she…._

He sighed, the anger unraveling – much to his dismay – once again.

_How did she know?_

"Kratos?"

The gentle inquiry made him jump, though he had been mired in his thoughts far too deeply for his instincts to make him draw his sword. But even before he recognized her form in the shadows of a nearby tree, he knew who it was.

And he knew that the sword was unnecessary.

"What do you want? You should be asleep," he spoke quietly, deciding to remain seated, but turning away from her.

_Leave me alone, _he thought sullenly.

"I would think that you should be as well…" Liane replied with sleepy amusement in her hushed tone, "… instead of sitting on our yard stoop in the middle of the night."

His head spun in alarm, but only to see that she was right. Somehow, he had made his way back to her home without even noticing. She began to come down the steps, her bare feet making no sound on the smoothed wood as her blanket-wrapped form settled on the step beside him. Another person… perhaps even two… could have found space to sit comfortably between them, but it was still almost too close.

He sighed, resisting the urge to get up and leave.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, annoyingly intrigued by her presence.

"I guess… I don't remember much – well, anything – since Dirk's, actually. All I know is someone put me in my bed, and now my back is killing me. That and there's this lump on my head…."

He turned his head slightly to watch her rubbing the left side of her head.

_Probably where her head hit the ground,_ he decided. He had thought that his healing would have helped that.

"You don't remember anything?" he asked, his hopes for some logical explanation to her behavior at Anna's grave evaporating before his eyes.

"No…" she sighed. "Except for why I've never gone to the grave before," she half-chuckled.

The comment tickled his curiosity.

"Never?" he watched her… searching for her reaction. She stared at the road before them, her bangs shadowing her face as she grasped a chunk of her slightly mussed hair and thoughtfully combing it with her fingers.

"No," she shook her head. "I've never liked being near there. It just doesn't feel right."

"Then why did you go?"

Liane squirmed slightly in her blanket.

"I… just thought she would want to know that her son has turned into a good person…" she whispered.

_She's avoiding something…._

"Did you know her?" Kratos pushed on with the conversation. It intrigued him that the apparent friendship between Liane and the boy would allow for that much discomfort in a place that would be sacred to him.

He watched her distractedly shake her head.

"No… she died before I…" she paused with a self-depreciating chuckle. "…never mind. But I've known Lloyd as long as I can remember."

Her avoidance caught his attention like a scream in the night.

"Before you…?"

She smiled slightly, sadly even.

"Woke up."

His brow furrowed in confusion, but he knew enough of decency to see that she was not comfortable with the conversation. He was, after all, a stranger….

"I'm sorry… it's none of my business…."

"No… it's fine," she answered thoughtfully. "I was in an accident when I was little. I… slept… for a long time. When I woke up, I met Lloyd. We've been friends ever since. They told me that I almost died, so I guess that's always stuck in my head."

"Ah… so the grave reminds you of a fear of death, then," he nodded.

_That could explain her collapse… but not her words…._

"Sure…" she agreed, still playing with her hair. But he couldn't shake the feeling that her mind was hardly in their conversation. She drew a nervous breath, apparently choosing her words carefully.

"Kratos… I'm sorry."

He snorted slightly. "For what?"

"For what I said."

_She does remember…? _All at once, he both dreaded and needed to hear her explanation for her apology.

"It was mean of me to accuse you of never losing someone. I've seen what the loss of Lloyd's mom did to him. He misses her everyday. I think everyone has lost someone. And I'm sorry if I…."

"It's fine," he grumbled, turning away from her. _Damn… she's talking about her fit in the woods._ He decided to push just a bit harder. He sat forward a bit… just enough to make out a little more of her face….

"I'm more interested in what you said after you collapsed…."

She turned to fully face him, her jaw slightly slack.

"What did I say? I don't remember anything after… talking to… her…" a sadness crept into her hushed voice.

But her confused expression spoke volumes to him.

_She doesn't remember._

"Never mind. You should go back to bed," he sighed, watching her pull back into herself

"But… what did I say?"

"Nothing."

"Oh…. All right." She pulled her blanket tighter around her.

_She's told me everything that I'm going to hear from her._ He stood, keeping his back purposely to her and slowly walked away.

_It's not her, _his mind grumbled to him. _It can't be her. There's no way. It's simply not possible._

_But it has to be_, another voice insinuated itself seductively around his pessimistic thoughts. _Just look at her…._

Suddenly, the slight night breeze carried a stifled sob to his ears. He turned just in time to see her slip back into the shadows of her parents' house.

He shook his head with a sigh and returned to his path away from her house. And from her.

_Whoever she is, she's not Anna. Anna's dead. And after tomorrow, it will all be settled - I will never see Liane again. _

* * *

Liane stood at her bedroom window and wiped her damp cheeks with a corner of her blanket. 

_Damn… why is this getting to me? He's just some egomaniacal ass…_

She sighed as she saw him pass under the branch that marked the end of her field of vision on the village road.

… _that I can't stop thinking about._

Cocooning herself in her blanket, she slid from the windowsill and down the wall, sitting on her pillow and allowing the wall to hold her in a semi-sitting position. Everything had changed when she had looked into his eyes. But at the same time, she didn't know what had changed. Here she was, the daughter of a small-town farmer, just as she had always been, but now… now there was more. Even her dreams were different. They were hardly linear, and what pieces they left in her memory, she found herself struggling to hold onto. Dreams like the one that she had been stargazing… granted she loved the stars, but she knew that she wasn't alone in the dream.

And for some reason, she knew that it was him that she had been resting against, even though she never saw his face.

_It's just a dream, Liane_, she tried to tell herself. But she _felt _the warmth of him behind her and of his arms wrapped around her. She would have blushed when she realized the smile on her face, but it simply was the memory of being in his arms. And it was that… a memory.

_It wasn't a dream._ He hadn't even come close to touching her since she had slammed into him on the terrace of the temple, but she still knew how it would feel to be there, under that tree… with him. Simple and innocent, nothing shameful. Except for maybe that she had no idea why she would think… no, _know_ of these things with him.

She had never been one for obsession before. Things happened, people came into her life and people left it, she saw new places and returned to old ones – but somehow this man… this mercenary seemed to apply to all of it. And in the categories of change that she accepted as part of her life, that made her painfully curious. Especially seeing as how she knew that she had only met him the previous afternoon. But somehow, her mind was placing him as one returning to her life.

_You're being stupid,_ she gritted her teeth and once again snagged the lock of hair that she had been worrying earlier. _He wants nothing to do with you. He's simply humoring you until he leaves._

_But then, I wasn't exactly honest with him, either,_ she admitted to herself with a sigh. Her last active memories were of going to Anna's grave. Then she remembered the dreams.

_Well… nightmares._

It had been a cacophony of light and sound… screams and cries… sorrow and very physical pain… and a sword, gleaming in the chaos. She heard words that she couldn't make out and felt a loss deeper than she thought she ever could fathom… and then it was over. The warmth had taken her back to a safe, numb place, from which she had awakened in her own bed to an urge to wake and go to the window.

_And there he was. Just sitting on the steps. What does this have to do with him?_

She had gone down to him in the hopes that he would explain something… anything to her. Instead, all he had for her were questions. And then a harsh dismissal – even after they had started to actually talk.

Part of her just wanted him to just go away and take all these questions with him back into the nothingness that he had stepped out of when he so dramatically entered her life.

A tear slipped down her cheek and she angrily wiped it away.

_But part of me doesn't._

She stared into her room, her eyes moist with tears that she refused to shed. Sleep would not be for her again, despite his dismissal. If she fell asleep, then she was sure that he would be there. Then slowly… ever so slowly… the first colors of the dawn began to paint the wooden walls of her room. As Iselia awakened outside her window, she realized that her life would soon go back to what it was. She forced a smile to her lips as she crawled out of her corner and opened her chest to find clothes for the day.

* * *

It seemed but a blink later that she was clearing her plates from the banquet tables that the Mayor had set out in celebration for the departure of the Chosen. Colette herself was mired in a mob of villagers, each with their own wishes of well-being for the girl. But in the few looks that she had caught from Colette, she could see a sadness in her excited eyes. 

"I'm going to miss her."

Liane turned at the small voice beside her to find Genis also watching their friend.

"Raine?"

Genis shook his head. "No. Both of them."

Liane patted his head fondly. The boy was her balance on the age range in their group… he the youngest while she the oldest. But somehow, she always felt that he was the maturity amongst them… his eyes held a wisdom that she couldn't understand. She always figured that it had to do with his elven blood, but this day, she didn't know.

"I assure you… the Chosen will be in good hands," came a voice from behind them.

Genis almost stumbled spinning to meet their companion, but Liane resisted. She already knew who it was.

"Kratos… you have to make sure she succeeds," Genis pleaded with the mercenary. Liane, on the other hand, chuckled humorlessly.

"He will," she spoke softly, slowly turning meeting his gaze with one equally even and cool while silently cursing her short ponytail that offered her no reprieve from his stare.

Kratos tilted his head in curiosity, but said nothing.

Genis looked from one to the other before slowly backing away. "I… I'm going to go find Lloyd. He should be here by now." The boy turned and trotted back into the crowd in an attempt to make his pretense of escape seem legitimate.

"You didn't sleep," Kratos observed.

"Oh, I was supposed to do that because you told me to. I forgot. Please forgive me, oh, mighty Lord Kratos," she retorted with sugared malice.

But even she was surprised when his eyes widened at her jab.

"I simply came… to wish you well," he stumbled through his words in distraction.

Liane stared back at him. _What did I say this time…?_

"Kratos…."

"No… I… I'm sorry to have kept you awake last night," he muttered as he walked around her. "Please excuse me. I must gather the Chosen and the Professor."

"But Lloyd's not here yet…."

He paused in mid-step and glanced over his shoulder at her. "That is of no consequence. He is not needed for our departure."

"But…."

"Goodbye, Liane."

He strode away from her without another backward glance. She could only watch him go, as her voice refused to work. She wanted to say… something. But the only thing she knew for certain was that she didn't want to say goodbye. This man seemed to have answers… answers to questions that were still coming to her. But when he left… there would be no answers.

_Perhaps, that's how it should be…_ she thought with a sigh.

Suddenly, a cheer split the late morning celebration and the crowd began to move towards the southern gates.

"Liane! I can't find him anywhere!" Genis ran to her side, panting.

"There's no time… they're leaving." They joined the jubilant gathering at the gates, pushing as far as they could to the front before Raine waived them over. Genis ran to his sister and they held each other for the briefest of moments, and Colette hugged her 'big sister' with wide eyes filled with a myriad of emotion.

"Take care of Lloyd," the blonde girl whispered. As Liane nodded, willing herself not to cry despite the situation, she spotted Kratos leaning against the gate arch with what looked to be what she was beginning to discover was his normal state of boredom.

"Chosen…" he called and Colette broke from Liane to hug Genis.

"Take care of the school, Liane. I'll be back as soon as I can," Raine nodded to Liane.

Liane smiled at her mentor. "I'll do the best I can. And don't worry about Genis."

Raine half-chuckled and then turned to join Kratos and Colette at the gate.

Calls of blessings and farewells filled the air as the teacher and the Chosen turned and strode from the town, each with what looked to be awkwardly large packs on their backs. Kratos pushed himself from the gate to follow them.

"Kratos…" she whispered, her voice lost in the crowd.

But still, for just a moment, he stopped and turned, sparing a fleeting glance back as if in answer to her quiet call. She gasped slightly as the space between them closed for the briefest of instants, and she saw him nod in cool acknowledgement.

And then the moment was gone, and the Chosen's party disappeared from the view of the town.

Liane sighed, turning to Genis.

"Go find Lloyd. He'll be disappointed that he missed her…."

* * *

_Chapter 4_

Liane entered the kitchen door of her home with a heavy heart. Two of her best friends had just walked away from her life. And she simply couldn't convince herself that she would ever see either of them ever again.

She smiled sadly for a moment before snagging a freshly-baked muffin from a picturesque platter on the family dining table.

_And now I just have to convince myself that I don't miss him, too._

Nibbling thoughtfully at the muffin, she shoved away thoughts of going to take a nap. Genis would be back soon with Lloyd… and then more fun would ensue. The boy was late – _again_ – and this time the consequence was that he might not see Colette again. There was no one to blame but himself.

_He won't take that well at all._

Drawing a deep breath and settling into a straight-backed chair, she let her eyes close. It was so quiet in the house… she had lost her parents in the crowd after the breakfast, but she knew that they would be back shortly. She had these precious few minutes to prepare her to slip back into the mundane life that she had grown into… that of a teacher in a small town… that of a farmer's daughter….

That thought made her twitch slightly, as she braced herself for the next thought that tumbled after it.

_Hells. I'm going to end up married to Michael, aren't I?_

She had even seen him talking to her father before the breakfast. Not even wanting to imagine that conversation, she stood from the table and walked back up to her bedroom, momentarily surrendering to a whim.

_I'm going. They need help… and I don't want to be here anymore._

Guilt ate at her as she chose her favorite tunics and breeches from her clothing chest and shoved them all in her bag.

_Mother and Father don't need me right now… and the mayor will certainly be happier if I weren't in charge of the school. He'll find someone he likes better to take over. And maybe Michael will fall for her instead of me…._ She had to admit, the last thought was much more of an encouragement than it really should have been.

Tucking her daggers into her belt, she turned away from her bedroom to start back down the stairs when something caught her eye. Propped beside her bedroom door was an old short sword. Her father told her that it had belonged to her grandfather and she had always treasured the well-worn weapon. She picked it up, examining it with a new interest. The blade was nicked and scratched, small spots of rust were even visible in some areas. Her feet carried her down the stairs of their own volition, as she couldn't bring herself to put the blade down.

But reality sunk back into her half-baked plan of leaving with three words.

_Genis and Lloyd._

She couldn't just leave them alone.

_No… I have responsibilities… here_, she sighed, dropping her bag and reverently placing the short sword against the wall beside the stairwell.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion outside. A smile started to form as she thought how much the town had been anticipating the Chosen going on her journey. For as long as she could remember, Colette had been the town's sweetheart… she was the embodiment of promise for an entire world. And she belonged to the small town of Iselia.

But when the kitchen door was flung open by her father shoving her mother through the door ahead of him, she knew the celebration was over.

"Liane!" he father cried out of relief as he slammed the door shut behind them. Her mother whimpered slightly as she crawled under the kitchen table. Liane helped her father to his feet as a strange orange glow began to filter through the kitchen window.

"Dad! What's…."

"It's the Desians… they're attacking the village again…." Ben shook his head.

Liane looked out the window again… she could now see flames beginning to lick at the wall around the window.

"Get Mom out of here," she grabbed her grandfather's short sword and started for the door. "If you can't get the fire out, just run."

"Liane… you can't hope to…"

She looked to her father with a steadiness that surprised even her.

"This has to stop…"

Ben Dale met his daughter's gaze and an understanding passed between them. He knew she was right.

"I'll help you as soon as I can."

Liane nodded and threw open the back door, her mind only vaguely registering that the flames were creeping down the porch towards the door. She was far more focused on the pair of Desian soldiers standing on the yard stood, congratulating each other as they watched her home begin to burn.

"That's my _home,_ you bastards!" she screamed as she hurled herself into one, knocking him out into the road. She rolled off of the momentarily downed solider as quickly as she could, finding her feet without a second thought and grasping the rusty sword tightly as she awaited the other soldier's first move.

"Human wench! You'll burn for daring to touch us!"

The upright soldier drew his own blade and advanced on her. For an instant, she remembered the condition of her weapon… but then remembered that it had served her grandfather… it would serve her as well. She blocked the soldier's first blow, his sword sliding easily from her blade. However, it only served to distract him for a moment, as he was already ready with a backswing for her. Barely rolling past the attack, she planted her hands and kicked his feet out from under him, knocking him onto his back, much as Lloyd had been the previous afternoon. But even as she grabbed his sword and stood over him, leveling his own weapon at his throat, she knew that the stakes were different. Vastly different.

"Never stood a chance…" she growled ferally at the fallen Desian, who suddenly displayed no ambition to move. As she caught her breath, her brow furrowed.

_Where did that come from?_ She sounded as cocky as Lloyd…. _Maybe I am spending too much time with him…._

"Liane!"

She turned at her father's warning, barely missing the lunge of the soldier she had knocked down at the start of her fight. Before she realized what was happening, her father had slammed the Desian across the back of the head with an old hoe that he kept in the yard for his wife's gardening. The soldier fell across his companion, leaving a heap of moaning armor in front of their yard stoop.

"Father… I…" she heaved, planting her hands on her knees as she gulped down air.

"There's no time. Your mother and the house are safe. But there are others that need our help…." Ben picked up his hoe once again and walked past his daughter. "Are you coming?" he called over his shoulder as she fell into his wake, still surprised that she wasn't getting the "not for women and children" lecture yet again. "And you really have to watch your back. I'm not always going to be there to help you."

As they rounded the road near the north entrance, Liane's eyes grew wide as she saw the schoolhouse. It wasn't burned badly, but it had taken a beating… the Desians had apparently lost interest in the unoccupied building.

"The south gate! They're at the south gate!" she heard someone shout in the distance.

Liane looked to her father.

"Go. I'm going to get your mother. We'll meet you."

With a quick nod, Liane hopped over the fence around the vineyard and charged through the item shop's yard, her grip tight on her grandfather's sword.

"What have you done? How many times have we told you to stay away from the Ranch?"

She slowed in disbelief at the sight before her. There were Desians there, yes, but somehow, the Mayor seemed content to be once again yelling at a familiar red-shirted teen standing before him with a bowed head.

"I'm sorry," came Lloyd's shamed response, notably without the traditional defiance he usually offered the Mayor.

_Oh, Lloyd, what have you done this time?_

"We've prepared an appropriate opponent for your crime," a teal-haired Desian mocked from the gate where his soldiers stood flanking him. Suddenly, a strange sound was heard tumbling through the bushes outside the gate. All the villagers took a step back as the thing came into view.

And Liane would have sworn that her blood froze in her veins at the sight of the beast.

"What is that thing?" Lloyd gaped at the hulking monstrosity that lurched at them under the gates, its hideously elongated arms dragging the ground behind it.

"Now. Receive your punishment!" the apparent leader of the Desian troop commanded, a sadistic smile on his face. In response, the thing raised its arm and hurled it at Lloyd. The boy fell back onto a knee, his hands thrown in front of his face in a feeble attempt to deflect the blow.

However, the blow that landed seemed to do very little damage, save to sever the bandage that Lloyd always wore over the back his left hand.

"Damn," her friend grumbled as he turned his hand over to see that the previously concealed stone was now revealed.

"Lloyd… I'll help, too…" Genis offered, stepping to stand beside his friend, his kendama at ready. Liane stepped out of the crowd to take Lloyd's other side.

"Like I'm going to let you two fight without me…." she grumbled as the _thing_ again lurched at them.

They fought together, just as they had at the Temple the day before, Lloyd and Liane attacked from close and kept Genis to the back… just as they had all been taught at one point or another. The thing attacked ferociously, landing hits on all of them, but eventually, it was the beast that was on the ground, leaving Lloyd, Genis, and Liane standing victorious.

"Lord Forcystus! Just as you thought, that boy has an exsphere!"

The soldier's exclamation sounded far away to Liane's ears, though, as she still couldn't take her eyes from their toppled adversary. Something about it made her stomach tie itself in knots.

"It must be the one from the Angelus Project that we've been searching for! Give it to me!" Forcystus demanded, a predatory gleam developing in his eyes.

_Angelus?_

"No! This is a memento of my mom's who you Desians murdered!" Lloyd retorted almost violently. For the first time, Liane allowed her eyes to be drawn to the bauble on the back of her friend's hand. It was no secret amongst his friends that he had it … she was even sure that she had seen it occasionally over the years, but it seemed that she had never really looked at it. Its pale blue shimmer was suddenly almost hypnotic….

Forcystus did a poor job of choking back a derogatory chuckle, "What are you talking about? Your mother was…"

"Run away… Genis… Lloyd…."

The oddly disembodied voice pulled her from her thoughts as the fallen monster lurched from the ground and locked itself around Forcystus.

"Wh… what was that voice? It sounded like… Marble?…" Genis shook his head, backpedaling from the beast that was now attacking its apparent master.

Lloyd shook his head in disbelief. "It can't be…"

"Get away… hurry! Genis... you were like a grandson to me… thank you… good bye…"

The boys continued to gape at the bizarre scene playing out before them. Suddenly, the thing erupted into a dazzling explosion of light, leaving Forcystus to fall broken to the ground.

"No! Protect Lord Forcystus!" one of the soldiers called as the rest of the troop gathered to their wounded leader.

Forcystus waved off his guards as he gasped for breath. "Lloyd, we will always come after you as long as you possess that exsphere. Always!"

Liane slid her sword through her belt and gripped her considerably better-honed daggers, bracing for another attack. But the Desians gathered their leader and retreated, leaving her to force herself to drop her stance. They would not be a danger to them any time soon.

Genis was on his knees, hunched over a small red orb that had fallen from the monster's attack on Forcystus. "Marble… Marble, No!"

"What have you done!" The mayor growled from somewhere behind them. Lloyd and Liane turned to him. "Look! Look what happened to our village! It's all your fault!"

"I'm sorry…" Lloyd muttered again, his attention more on his friend's grief than on yet another lecture from the Mayor.

The Mayor, however wasn't distracted by anything. "You think you can fix this by apologizing! The Desians marked you as their enemy! As long as you are here, this village will never be at peace. Do you understand?"

Genis looked up with a sniffle. "Wait a minute… you're going to exile him?"

"Yes," the mayor answered carefully, leaving no room for doubt that he would entertain any other punishment for the boy.

_You have got to be kidding me._

Liane watched the scene in awe. It was like every worst case scenario was lining up to play itself out in the space of two days… Michael, Kratos, her parents, Desians… now this….

Genis crawled to his feet, his fists balled in anger. "That's not fair! Lloyd didn't do anything wrong! He just saved Marble…."

"Any involvement with the ranch is forbidden. There are no exceptions," the mayor snorted.

Genis shook his head. "So it's okay to let people die at the human ranch as long as the village is safe?"

"The people at the ranch are just going to rot there anyway."

Liane turned to observe the village woman standing beside her, the woman's intolerance astounding her.

_Goddess… his paranoia is spreading to everyone…._

"Yes. Had you not done something so stupid, they'd have been the only ones that died."

Genis's azure eyes were now lit by a fury Liane never would have guessed at.

"You humans are all the same," the elven boy spat.

Lloyd put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "That's enough, Genis. This was my fault. I'll leave."

"Mayor, surely you don't have to be so strict on a child…."

_Finally, a voice of reason,_ Liane sighed, her relief being cut off by the words from yet another of the mob:

"What are you saying? Do you realize how many people died here because of him?"

"It's not Lloyd's fault!" Genis shouted, his pale face reddening by the syllable. "I'm the one that took him to the ranch, so it's my fault."

"But it's Lloyd the Desians are after. And besides, Lloyd isn't from this village to begin with. He's an outsider, raised by a Dwarf," the mayor spouted as if it was the most logical thing his tiny mind had ever come up with.

Liane's fist clenched shut, as she forced herself to remain silent.

_Goddess… they can't all be this ignorant…._

"Then I'm leaving, too. I'm just as guilty as he is."

Genis's words rang in her ears as Liane's shoulders sagged. _Everything is falling apart…._

"Genis…" Lloyd tried to object, but Genis planted himself firmly beside his friend.

"Fine then," the mayor growled, not allowing time for any more discussion on the matter. "By the rights vested in me as Mayor, I hereby announce the banishment of Lloyd and Genis from the village of Iselia. Get Out!"

Lloyd nodded, turning from the Mayor to the mob. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble…."

Her friend's broken tone tore at her heart, and Liane knew that she had to make her decision now. She closed her eyes, knowing what the right path for her would be, but praying that the Goddess could lend her the last bit of strength to bid farewell to this place that was her home.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that her parents had joined the edges of the assembly. Both of them watched her patiently….

… and then Ben Dale tossed her a familiar packed bag, with a sad, knowing smile.

Catching the bag, Liane turned back to the mayor, her grip tensing on the handle of her grandfather's sword. Instead of the understanding that she had always tried to find when dealing with the mayor, she found that her decision had freed her, and anger flowed easily into the void that her need for control had left.

"You are really so needy of a scapegoat that you'll turn two boys out of the village to save your own hide? Is that really so much easier than doing the right thing and _not_ turning a blind eye to what the Desians are doing?"

The mayor turned on her, anger turning his cheeks bright red.

"Liane, you overstep your bounds. You should go see to the school house…." He growled.

"Or what? You'll exile me, as well?"

She set her jaw and spared a quick glance back to her father, who nodded his understanding.

"I'll save you the effort. If you're throwing them out, I'm going with them."

"But… you're a teacher… you're supposed to be an example for the children…" the Mayor sputtered.

"And you're supposed to be an example for the village," she growled, turning on her heel. "Besides, the school is heavily damaged. You don't need me. You've made that abundantly clear in the past, so why should that be any different now?"

She spared a final seething glare at the Mayor before she turned and walked to her parents. They gathered their daughter to them in a crushing hug. Dora's tears soaked quickly into her tunic as Ben's hug tightened.

"Be safe," Ben whispered. "Come home someday."

Liane pulled away from them and wiped her tears away, forcing a smile for the sake of her parents.

_You can break down later. You still have to walk out of town, _she told herself. She turned, forbidding herself to look back. For anything.

Lloyd and Genis were speaking to Colette's grandmother beside the gates as she approached.

"If you feel that way, please catch up to the Chosen and protect her. If, in doing so, the world is saved, surely everyone will change their minds about you," Phaidra kindly offered as Liane joined the boys.

"For I'm sure Colette would want that as well," Frank added.

Lloyd nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I will atone for what I've done. I swear to protect Colette for the sake of those who have died because of me."

"I'll follow you, Lloyd. It's my fault that you were banished. So I promise to stick by you always," Genis declared, a sparkle of his optimism replacing the resentment that had burned in his tone just moments before.

"And someone has to make sure you don't get yourselves killed," Liane added with a smirk.

"Liane," Lloyd turned to her, his eyes bearing a beaten sadness she had never seen in him before, "you don't have to throw everything away for us."

Liane shrugged. "My future isn't here. You know that as well as I do." They had all talked as children and as children do about how their lives would change when they were old enough.

_Well, it's time for that change._

Lloyd nodded slowly, turning back to his friend as they started out the village gates. "Say Genis, why don't you use that exsphere? That's Marble's memento."

Genis nodded, thoughtfully pulling the shining orb from his pocket. "Okay."

"I'll explain to you how to use the key crest later," Lloyd offered, seeming to begin to shrug off the sting of his exile, even for just a moment. "After all, it looks like it's going to be a long journey."

Lloyd's green and white dog waited patiently beside the gates, his tail wagging slightly at his young master's approach.

"Don't throw your lives away," Phaidra called.

_Thanks for the vote of confidence_, Liane thought with a grimace, even as she mentally chided herself. She knew that the woman meant well, but Liane knew that they were all already wondering how the threesome would ever live long enough to find the Chosen's party.

_Colette, at least, has the benefit of Kratos's experience…_

Liane dropped the thought, knowing that doubt would be their greatest enemy as they traveled alone. And that doubt would fade only as the distance between them and Iselia grew.

"May the Goddess Martel protect you," Frank called to them as they left the groomed trail and started on the rough trade trail from the town.

_It might take more than Martel, Frank._

As the village fell behind them, Liane broke her promise to herself and turned back one last time. Her parents stood together at the gate, waving to their only daughter. She forced a smile and returned the wave.

_They've always known, too,_ she realized, allowing a peace to settle on her heart. _They've always known that this wasn't where I belonged._

Her attention returning to the trail before her and her somber friends beside her, she sighed.

_But where do I belong?_

For some reason, she knew that only one person could answer that question for her. And it wasn't her.

_Kratos…._

* * *

"So… Colette told you noon? But why...?" Liane's voice trailed off at a frantic gesture from Genis. 

"She didn't want me there," Lloyd sighed, his tone riddled with disappointment. "She didn't want to say goodbye to me."

Genis shrugged at Liane as Lloyd trudged ahead of them.

"So what do we do?" he whispered.

Liane shook her head. "Let him be. He'll work through it. He'll mope for a while and then he'll be fine."

With the exception of a few disappointing monsters that happened to cross their path, the day drew out quietly. As dusk fell over the land they happened upon a nomad's caravan that offered them a place to rest for the night, and the three accepted gratefully.

Liane curled into the blanket that the nomad Nova had given her and watched Lloyd patiently explaining the use of the exsphere to Genis. She smiled at the sight even as her eyes slid closed… Lloyd was about as high-strung a person as she was sure she had ever met when it came to the tedious points of living. But if it was something that mattered to him… or something that he was good at, he seemed to have an infinite well of patience to share with others. The boy had a good heart….

_Look… he doesn't want to crawl…._

_Heh… it's too slow for you, isn't it, Lloyd?_

_She watched as the toddler was swooped up into the air with the help of the strong arms that caught the boy around his chubby middle. Turning her eyes to follow his assisted arc into the air, the glare of the bright afternoon sun absorbed both the boy… and his assistant. The little boy squealed in delight, and she laughed… and he laughed…_

"Liane! What's so funny?"

Her eyes flew open, even as she could feel a smile fading from her lips. Lloyd and Genis both stood over her. Apparently, her dreams had made her their new entertainment.

"I take it Genis knows how to use his exsphere, now?" she yawned, ignoring their question. The boys chuckled at her again and made their way around the fire to where they had staked out their beds for the night.

_More dreams… damn,_ she thought as she rolled over onto her side to watch the fire crackle and dance.

_Lloyd was much older than that when I met him…._

_And that voice…._

She huffed and clenched her fist in the blanket.

_It has to be him… but why?_

* * *

They had thought that getting to the desert early would make the journey more comfortable. 

Unfortunately, their definition of "early" and that of the desert itself seemed to be drastically different as the sands held nothing but brutal heat for them even before they waded into the dunes.

"Isn't there any way around the desert? Do we have to go _through_ it?" Lloyd grumbled as he dispatched an unfortunate scorpion.

Liane unfolded the map she had confiscated from Lloyd the day before with a sad shake of her head.

"No… everyone we've spoken to that has seen Colette has said that they went _into_ the desert. If we're going to find them, we have to keep going. Apparently, the only logical place for a fire seal is in a desert," she sighed, trying not to encourage Lloyd's discontent any more. "But there is a town… Triet. We should be able to at least get some supplies there."

It was almost lunch time when Lloyd's group entered the gates of Triet. But before the excitement of being out of the desert could set in, a gruff voice could be heard in the swirling sandy winds ahead of them.

"His identification code is unknown. Form a cordon in all areas immediately."

The three friends ducked behind the Lloyd's large green and white dog.

_Yeah, _Liane huffed mentally. _The green and white will hide us perfectly… hopefully, they're idiots…._

Not that the barren entry walls of the town offered them many other options, but she still felt more conspicuous than hidden.

"What does this Lloyd look like?"

Liane heard both Genis and Lloyd groan slightly at the mention of Lloyd's name. She shook her head slightly… she knew Forcystus's warning wasn't empty… she was just hoping it could have waited just a little bit longer before coming to fruition.

The three all did their best to peek around Noishe… just for a quick look at the speakers. The glimpses they got through the sandy wind left no doubt that it was indeed the Desians… maroon, silver…

… _and plenty of hot air_, Liane huffed, easing herself back down behind Noishe.

"His likeness and description are on the wanted posters. We're counting on you," the apparent leader of the soldiers declared as the troop scattered back into the town.

Lloyd stood with a disheartened sigh, his eyes on the stone on the back of his hand. "Man… wanted posters and search parties. They're really serious."

"We need to hurry and find Colette," Genis stated as he hesitantly took a step farther into the town, watching as if he expected the soldiers to lunge at him.

Lloyd glared down at his friend, his hands clasping over his sword handles. "Hey, I thought we were looking for Colette to protect her…. This is more like we're looking for her to get help."

"Does it really matter why we're looking for her? You think too much when you don't have to!" Genis offered his hand to Liane to help her up from the ground. Liane smiled, knowing that she didn't really need it, but a gentlemanly offer from either of her companions really couldn't be ignored.

"Genis is right… let's get our supplies and get out of here. Those Desians could be anywhere…" Liane straightened her tunic and started into the town, cautiously watching around the blind-cornered entry into the town square. She could see that a row of merchants lined the road to her left, but it also seemed that the Desians would head that way first.

"Hey, let's take a look at that wanted poster," Genis ran past Liane and Lloyd, heading for a bulletin board near the town's inn.

Lloyd gagged slightly when Genis pointed out the Desian wanted poster. "Am I this ugly?"

Liane stifled a giggle at Lloyd's dismay.

Genis wisely seemed to ignore his friend's distress.

"It's good. They'll never find you with this… I think."

"Well, we know what they're looking for now… let's see if we can find some food. If I have to live on nothing but sandwiches for the rest of this trip, I'm going to go crazy," Liane sighed.

They carefully maneuvered their way around the corner of the inn and out of the town square, careful to stay out of sight of the merchant row, just in case. The town opened into a beautiful yet desolate landscape framing a small blue oasis with the rest of the town's merchants scattered around its banks.

Lloyd was the first to spot the grocer at the bend in the road, and soon, Liane's pouch of gald was considerably lighter, but the increased weight of their food pack eliminated any regrets.

Genis looked up as Lloyd helped Liane adjust her packs to carry the food.

"Hey! There's a fortune teller… maybe she can tell us where Colette is!"

Liane laughed. She didn't mean to be condescending to Genis's enthusiasm, but really….

… _a fortune teller?_

"Genis, I'm not sure that that will speed up our search all that much…" she offered, even as Lloyd pushed past her and started down the path to the tent Genis had indicated, leaving Liane and Genis to fall in step behind him.

"Yeah… we'll find them fast this way!" Lloyd threw up the tent flap. Genis grinned at her, stopping short of a vocal '_I told you so'_ as he followed his friend into the tent.

"Welcome to the House of Fortune," an older woman sitting behind a cloth-draped table smiled. "What would you like me to divine for you?"

Lloyd scratched his head. "Well, I'd like to know where Colette… where the Chosen is now."

The woman smiled knowingly. "Understood. That will be 100 Gald."

"That's expensive," Lloyd muttered, absently rolling his coin pouch in his hand.

_Good boy… now just walk away,_ Liane smiled slightly, her hope reviving in her friend's common sense.

The fortune teller looked up, an eyebrow arched suspiciously.

"Did you say something?"

"Ah…n…no."

Groaning as Lloyd dug into his belt pouch and tossed the money onto the table, Liane shook her head.

The fortune teller's eyes rolled dramatically into the back of her head. "Mmmm. I can see her. The Chosen is heading for the oasis that is said to have been destroyed when Efreet went out of control."

Genis watched the woman in fascination.

"Is that true?"

"The Chosen's companion said so, so there's no doubt," the woman replied with a definitive nod.

Liane sighed._ She didn't see anything… she just heard Raine or Kratos say something_.

"Now, I'll tell free friendship fortunes, if you are interested…?"

Liane turned to Lloyd and Genis, unable to keep a straight face through the charade any longer.

"You boys do what you want… I have to go back to the shops. I'll meet up with you at the city gates in a few minutes."

Lloyd and Genis nodded, enthralled with the fortune teller. Liane rolled her eyes slightly, hoping that the con-artist wouldn't rook them out of any more of their money.

"Well, I guess I'll give it a try," she heard Lloyd decide as she slipped out of the tent.

We have to keep moving… and there's something I have to do. I just hope I kept enough money…

* * *

Liane thanked the weaponsmith and turned back to the town center, tucking the pair of knight's sabers under her arm as she put what was left of her precious little gald back into her belt pouch. 

_Maybe this will increase our chances a bit. Lloyd's no child… he needs something more substantial than wooden swords._

The merchants were all very friendly, a fact she marveled at considering how the heat had seemed to make her nothing but more apprehensive of their visit to the town. Then again, the villager that told her of the Desian public executions in the town square did nothing to calm her nerves either.

There had been no Desians anywhere amongst the merchants, as she had feared. Although being by herself, she was far more confident in her ability to not draw attention to herself.

_But if they're not here… I wonder…._

She started back for the town entrance, hoping that she had given the boys the time they needed to escape from the fortune teller. She had bought gels, life bottles, and the swords for Lloyd. Wishing she had just a bit more savings to buy new weapons for herself and Genis, she huffed at her own impatience.

_We'll have more money when we come back. Goddess knows there's enough monsters and bandits around…._

Spotting the boys standing at the town entrance, she cringed as she realized how Lloyd's red shirt announced their presence boldly against the blowing sands of the desert town.

"Lloyd, don't let your guard down or you'll regret it," she heard Genis reprimanding his friend. His words puzzled her, though.

_What did I miss?_

As she drew closer, she could see three heaps that looked to be wearing Desian armor gathered near the boys. Liane clenched her teeth.

_And so it begins…._

Her step quickened

"I'm not letting my guard down. It's just that they were so pitiful… Whoa!"

It all played out before her eyes, just as she instinctively knew it would. Lloyd's cocky words almost always were the harbinger of some sort of disaster, and that held true as his lean form was engulfed in a flickering barrage of energy from behind them.

"Lloyd!"

Lloyd collapsed to the ground as his best friend called out in alarm and Liane did the only thing she could think to do… she threw herself against the rough sandblasted walls of the city and waited. She knew that there would be no chance if they all got captured.

"I'm scared! Please don't hurt me…. I'll be good!" Genis whimpered. She felt so bad for the boy – and she choked down the guilt for leaving him to face the soldiers that were gathering Lloyd. If they attacked him, she knew that she wouldn't be able to stand and watch….

_Wait…._

A grim smile slipped over her features as she watched Genis slip fully into the role of the scared child. He may not have been the bravest soul, but his whining was careful, a bit heart-wrenching, and…

… _completely fake._

Genis would fight for Lloyd - she knew he would. It was a characteristic that had rubbed off from Lloyd – a headstrong desire to take the right path - although Genis balanced it far better with common sense.

The elven boy was stalling.

And the quick glance he shot to her proved her theory true.

_Little devil,_ she thought with a smirk.

Whine…

Liane turned at the gentle noise to find Lloyd's pet hunkered beside her. She patted Noishe's head gently as she watched a pair of guards collect Lloyd and drag him from the town with Genis in tow.

"Come on, boy… we have to get them back…" she whispered, standing as the Desians and their captives exited the city walls. Liane carefully slid the sabers between her pack and her back, silently cursing that she didn't have the time to get them to Lloyd… or to properly wrap them for travel. She couldn't let them get out of sight…

… _or I might never see them again…._

* * *

The base rose from the desert sands like a metal monster, the unnaturalness of the structure in its surroundings screaming its presence for miles around. 

Fortunately, it was also large enough to create its own wind patterns in the desert sands, allowing Liane a perfect hiding place to watch as the guards approached the base gates.

_If they take them in, that's it… but at least I'll know where to find them, _she huffed, trying to make out the conversation between the guards.

_Then I'll just have to find Colette's group on my own… and hope we're not too late…._

"Thank you for freeing me! I'll never forget this. Goodbye, mister," Genis's cheerful voice rang into the late afternoon, as the boy ran from the gates of the base.

Liane couldn't help but laugh in relief. Genis's performance was flawless, even if she knew that he was simply pulling from what his instincts were telling him to do.

"Just get out of here!" one of the guards called.

Genis waved cordially one last time before diving behind the dune to sit beside Liane.

"I didn't think there was any way they'd let me go," he heaved. Liane dug in her pack and handed him her water flask, which he accepted without hesitation.

"Catch your breath… then we have to go," she nodded, absently scratching Noishe's back where he lay in the sand to her other side. Genis recapped the flask and handed it back to her, hauling himself back to his feet with a groan.

"I'm ready. Let's go save Lloyd."

* * *

Once again, Liane and Genis found themselves crouched behind yet another nondescript sand dune. Night had fallen swiftly over the Triet desert, and time was growing short for them to find Colette's group. Already, they had come across three camps… and fortunately escaped with only having to fight their way out of one. While they had won, it didn't do much for their weariness. 

The fire of the fourth camp of the night could be seen against the rock cliffs for miles, but the camp's occupants could not.

_Goddess… I don't need another fight tonight._

But the campsite had all the earmarks of good planning… nestled into a niche in the rock cliff, avenues of attack were greatly narrowed,

_Just how a mercenary would think,_ she hoped against hope. If they had to wait until morning to find them, the chances that they would miss them again would skyrocket, even as Lloyd's chances of getting out of the base alive plummeted.

"It has to be them," she heard Genis mutter beside her.

"Stay here… I'm going to see if I can get over to that dune," Liane whispered, pointing toward the camp. Genis's eyes clearly showed fatigued doubt by the pale firelight, but his head bobbed in agreement as his grip tensed on his kendama. She crouched low to the sand and tried to crawl just a bit higher on the dune. There were at least two lumps near the fire…

_Two… it could be them… there should be one on watch…._

She glanced back down to where Genis stood watching her uneasily. Nodding reassuringly to him, she edged back from the crest of the dune and crept along the backside to the next dune closer to the fire. Laying on her stomach, she could clearly make out the blanketed forms beside the fire, but no matter how hard she searched the area… as far back into the shadows as she could make out… she couldn't find the third person that _should _be there….

…_IF it's them…._

With a weary sigh, she slowly backed down the dune. She would go get Genis, find a place for him to hide, and then head into the camp. If she was right, they would have their help to rescue Lloyd. If she was wrong….

… _well, maybe Genis will have better luck finding them without me._

At the base of the dune, Liane stood and brushed the sand from her tunic.

"Hold."

Liane sucked in her breath as she felt the flat of cold steel against her throat, just enough tension in its angle that she had no doubt that with a flick of the sword-bearer's wrist, her journey would be over.

Oddly, though, the quiet command brought nothing but relief to her mind.

"Hello, Kratos…" she whispered, putting her hands up in careful surrender.

"Liane?"

"NO!" Genis threw himself around the small dune, "Kratos, no! It's us!"

She heard the mercenary's all-too-familiar sigh as the metal fell away from her throat. Turning to face him, she really wasn't surprised that, even though he was facing the light of the fire, his expression was still largely unreadable.

"What are you two doing here?" he grumbled, sheathing his sword. "And where's Lloyd?"

"The Desians captured him," Genis blurted, not even pausing to ponder the Kratos's assumption that Lloyd was with them.

Kratos shook his head with an exasperated sigh.

"Look, if you don't want to help us, we'll get him back ourselves," Liane huffed, deciding to play all of her cards at once – the day had been long, and anything to move towards a plan to rescue Lloyd was worth it. "But we can't go back to Iselia, and helping the Chosen is a better alternative to wandering in the woods for the rest of our lives.'

That time, she _knew_ that he glared at her.

"Why, pray tell, can't you go back to Iselia?" the mercenary asked as if he dreaded the answer.

"Lloyd and I got banished," Genis muttered, shame clear in his tired voice. "Liane wouldn't let us go alone."

There was a long pause between the three, as each seemed to be waiting for the next question.

"And why… were you banished?"

"They tried to help a prisoner at the Human Ranch," Liane explained. "Then the Desians attacked Iselia looking for Lloyd because they identified him."

"They only found him because he stopped to defend me," Genis interjected sullenly.

"I see," Kratos muttered, resolve already settling in his voice. "So they're after him because he broke the treaty?"

Liane nodded. "Yes. That, and his exsphere…."

Interest flickered in the mercenary's eyes so briefly that Liane almost doubted that she had actually seen it.

"The boy… he has the exsphere?"

Genis nodded. "Yeah. He used to keep it under a bandage on his hand."

"Hmm…."

But Liane heard more… he surely wasn't surprised that Lloyd had _an_ exsphere and his phrasing… '_the_ exsphere'? It would have been easier to dismiss without the specificity of his statement. One such as him might be expected to recognize the use of _an_ exsphere….

"Where are they holding him?"

"A base not far from here… to the northeast?" Liane answered, deciding to leave her observations unvoiced. Besides, she was sure that if she asked him, he would avoid answering her anyway.

Kratos shook his head. She could tell he wasn't happy, but also that he knew that he was stuck with them.

"Go sleep by the fire. Raine and the Chosen have been asleep for a while already. We'll start out at first light for the base."

"Thanks, Kratos," Genis yawned, removing his backpack and walking past them towards the fire. "'Night, Liane…."

Liane watched him go with a sad smile.

"I would think you would be tired after the day you have apparently had…."

She nodded absently. "Yeah. I was just thinking. I hope Lloyd will be okay. Genis played the guards to get away… he knew that he couldn't take on the guards on his own. But even with all of you, I just hope we're in time."

"Hmm… indeed," Kratos stepped to stand beside her as they watched Genis crawl into his blanket roll beside his sister.

"I'm sorry if this puts your plans off. I know how you thought we would hold you back," Liane offered.

"It can't be avoided now," Kratos stated and started to walk past her. "I know better than to tell you to go to sleep, but you will need your rest for tomorrow. Getting Lloyd out of the base won't be easy."

"I know…" Liane nodded.

She followed him for a few steps before spotting a place just outside the ring of firelight near the rock cliff. Falling out of his wake, she smoothed the sands in the spot, unrolling the blanket she had gotten from Nova. She spread the blanket carefully on the ground and crawled on top, laying on her back and pillowing her head on her arms.

_One good thing about the journey… maybe the stars will be out like this every night._

Just as she hoped, the constellations were all there… exactly where they should have been that night. The fact that they were a constant calmed her… especially after the past few days. Her eyes had been closed before, simply living her mediocre life in her small village. But now, she was a part of something bigger… even if it was just for a short while.

And the oddest thing about it was that it _felt right_.

She drew a deep breath of the cold desert night air. It was different from home, but oddly invigorating.

"Wouldn't you be warmer by the fire?"

The inquiry didn't really surprise her, but she still drew her eyes from her precious stars and fixed them on her companion. Kratos had approached in the shadows of the cliff and stood just a few feet away. She shrugged slightly.

"It's darker here... I'll sleep better. There's still plenty of time to sleep."

"Morning comes quickly in the desert. There's not as much time as you think," the mercenary commented.

"What about you? Sleep isn't a necessity to a mighty mercenary?"

"Other things are more important," he answered quietly, yet still a sharp bite of condescension edged its way through his tone.

"Ah, yes. The all-important world regeneration," Liane sighed. Silence slipped back between them again and she let her eyes slide closed, knowing that there was no guarantee of further conversation with him.

"Why are you so loyal to these children? You've given up your place in the village for them…"

His quiet question surprised her slightly. "I've always known them. And they're not children – they're my friends," she stated, putting a harsher tone on the retort than she had intended.

_Not after what they've been through the past couple of days…._

"Hmmm. But you are older… you're their teacher as well as Raine, correct?

"Well, thank you… you sure know how to charm a lady…" she huffed at him playfully.

The silence that met her response told her that levity might not be on the conversation menu for the evening.

"I'm three years older than Lloyd and four than Colette. We all grew up together, and we were all schooled together until I was sent to the Church for training," she sighed, hoping that her information surrender would pull him back into the conversation.

She heard him sigh again, and she knew that there had to be some reason he was there. He could easily avoid her, given where she had chosen to sleep. And that puzzled her. He seemed to be so forward with everything else….

"You're thinking that three years is still a good-sized gap to be schooled together, aren't you?"

"Actually…. Yes…."

She smiled. She hated the story, but he had allowed her to dance around it the night on her stoop… maybe if his curiosity was satisfied it would be behind them.

"I… I was in an accident when I was about four. I fell from a footbridge that used to cross a creek near my parents' home. I was walking with my father and I slipped. The doctor said that I hit my head on the bridge and then on the rocks on the bottom of the creek. I… slept for almost two years," she related, willing her voice not to betray the waver that always crept in at about that point in the tale. "I stayed at the doctor's cottage the whole time so that he and Healers from the temple could come and go, but none of their remedies helped. The doctor finally told my parents that all that was really left was for me to die."

Liane clenched her eyes closed even tighter.

_Damn… even after all this time…._

"You don't have to continue…." Kratos spoke quietly. She had been so drawn into her story that she hadn't realized that he had moved to crouch just an arm's reach from her blanket.

"No… it's fine. It gets happier…" she tried to smile. "Two days after the doctor had spoken to my parents, I remember hearing crying… sobbing. I woke up in the middle of the night. The doctor came in to find me hugging a small boy. I still remember how lost he sounded – it broke my heart. He had been brought to the doctor by the dwarf that lived on the other side of the forest. He had found the boy and his dying mother in the forest. When there was nothing more to be done for the mother, he brought the boy to the doctor to check his wounds. The doctor was keeping him for the night to watch him when I woke up."

"Lloyd…" Kratos whispered, comprehension saturating his hushed tone.

She nodded.

"We've been pretty much inseparable since then. He's like a brother to me."

Kratos remained quiet. She couldn't tell if he was waiting for her to continue or simply losing interest in the conversation, so she decided to tie it all up for him.

"Lloyd was my first memory… I don't remember anything before the accident. My memories only go back as far as waking up that night. I didn't even know my own parents or name. Physically, I was six years old, but I was barely older than Lloyd or Colette when my accident was added to the equation. I had missed my first years of schooling, but I did them with Lloyd and Colette, and then Genis joined us once he moved to Iselia with Raine. We were all outcasts of one sort or another… Lloyd raised by a dwarf, Colette being the Chosen of Mana, Genis being an elf and wiser than his age, and me…" she sighed. "… the damaged girl. We bonded because we all stuck out in some way."

She cleared her throat uneasily, hating how exposed that story made her feel. Hating how that one stupid childhood accident would haunt her – apparently for the rest of her life.

"So are you going to share a story with me?" she chuckled slightly, cramming away the awkwardness of talking about herself.

Kratos suddenly stood. "I travel. I fight. I get paid. There's not much to tell."

She half-sat up to watch him stalk back into the shadows without another word.

_Huh… guess that conversation is over,_ she thought, allowing herself to curl back onto her blanket.

_Doesn't really seem fair… now he knows how boring I am…._

* * *

Kratos removed himself to pace the outside of the dunes. But his mind was hardly on the patrol. 

_Damn. I could have done with out this. _

The night's additions to his party, not to mention the impending one that the morning might…

…_no, WILL bring… _

…made his head throb. It had been so nice and tidy… leave the boy behind… just as if he had never encountered him… he may as well have been dead to him again. Some small part of him gasped in horror at the coldness of the thought, but its voice was lost to the logic. It was how it had to be.

_And Liane…._

He groaned. It appeared that there would be no escape from either of them.

_Her story makes sense. She wasn't even conscious when Anna… died. _

Even after all this time, the word still grated painfully across his thoughts. But it didn't change that it was a fact.

There really had to be another explanation for her actions at the grave. He had been relieved to leave her and the questions in Iselia, but it appeared that the enigma that was Liane wasn't content to leave his life just yet. He had hoped that it would come out that she had, indeed known Anna… even for a few minutes… perhaps it could have all been the memory of a story told to her by a dying woman surfacing in the face of visiting the grave she dreaded so much. It would have been a story that he could have believed.

_But she never knew Anna. They never met._

And worse, there was no reason for her to lie. She had answered his questions with honesty that he somehow did not doubt, whether he had actually asked them or not. She obviously didn't find any comfort in the story.

_So it was all just a fluke… complete chance that of all the places for her to collapse, and for all the people for her to call out to… and for all the things for her to say…_

_No._

Kratos absently clenched his fist around the handle of his long sword as he turned his glare back to where she lay by herself in the shadows of the dying fire.

_It's all too much coincidence. There has to be more. And I will find out what it is._


	4. Chapter 5

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Chosen's group is reunited, but tension pushes a fragile bond towards the breaking point…

Rated Tfor slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 5

Morning came early, just as Kratos had promised. The desert sands seemed to amplify the first sparks of daylight… more than enough to pull Liane from her restless sleep. For a few moments, she lay still, allowing the clouds of sleep to fade from her vision. The murky colors of the dawn revealed little change in the camp since she had fallen asleep, save that the fire had been allowed to die, with its dying gasps of smoke still filtering from the blackened embers.

A smile crept across her face.

_No dreams… I didn't have any dreams…_

She sat up, the realization invigorating her as she pushed her blanket away and stretched her arms up over her head.

"Awake already?"

Liane glanced over her shoulder to find Kratos seated at the top of the dune closest to her that had a view of the rest of the camp. He wasn't watching her, but his voice was just loud enough for her to hear – he couldn't have been speaking to anyone else.

"When your father is a farmer, you have a different definition of morning," she yawned, laying back on her blanket. The sky was a dusky blue… still unspoiled by the signature colors of the dawn. She still felt vaguely self-conscious of their conversation the night before and her eyes wandered back to him. He was still little more than a darkened silhouette… the coloring of the sky seeming to be a faded watercolor of his clothing….

"That's good. I was afraid that you would be sleeping in like Lloyd did…."

She glared at him.

"Lloyd didn't 'sleep in.' Colette told him the wrong time to come," she defended her friend, the mercenary's assumption of his laziness irritating her. Not that she wouldn't have agreed with him on just about every other instance… but this time… it actually wasn't Lloyd's fault.

"Humph. Perhaps that should have been a sign to him."

Liane stood, her hands on her hips.

"Look, you don't want us along on this journey, do you? We might as well just get it out in the open."

He turned, his face still shadowed.

"The three of you are not necessary to this journey. More people make for more things that can go wrong," he shrugged, turning back to watch over the camp. "But there is no other place for you to be. It simply is how it is."

"I'm sorry we're such a burden to you," she grumbled, grabbing her blanket from the ground and shaking the sand from it.

She saw him stand and start down the dune, pointedly not responding to her sarcastic apology.

_Ignore me, then. That will help everything…_ she thought, folding the blanket.

* * *

It was mid-morning when the base once again rose before them, but the day's heat was already at its most brutal. 

"If we can avoid the patrols, we should be able to get in fairly easily," Kratos spoke thoughtfully beside Liane. He had been quiet all morning, bordering on flat-out avoidance of conversation with all of them, but it seemed to her that she was edging towards being the top priority in that particular quest.

Raine nodded in agreement, her hand closed over her chin in thought. "If we can stay undetected for even a few minutes, I would think we could be in and out quickly – it's really not that big of a complex."

Liane stared at Raine.

_Not that big? _

"I hope Lloyd is all right," Colette stared forlornly at the structure, whispering to no one in particular. And from Genis's nod of agreement, Liane knew that she was merely voicing their thoughts as well.

"If they sought him that actively, I doubt they'd do anything to him without having several levels of command there as witness to his capture," Kratos shrugged, starting toward the base. The rest of them fell in step behind his lead, approaching the facility with caution.

As the mercenary had theorized, getting in was surprisingly easy. They didn't see even a hint of a patrol.

_If it was going to be this easy, maybe Genis and I could have gotten him out yesterday…_ Liane thought as she stood with the others in the central chamber of the base.

But Kratos stood tense, his hand clenched cautiously on his sword handle.

"It's too easy. We should have run into at least some resistance. They're distracted," Kratos spoke evenly.

_Lloyd, _Liane realized as she felt a lump curl into the pit of her stomach.

Raine studied the control panel, her hand on her cheek in concentration.

"Raine… can you tell where Lloyd is?" Genis whispered as he crowded with her in front of the panel.

"Somewhere… in the administrative section, I think… it's where the soldiers are being routed."

"That's where the soldiers are?" Colette wrung her hands in worry. "We have to hurry!"

Kratos snorted slightly, and drew his sword. "If they're sending soldiers, then he's still a concern for them. He's alive… for now."

His tone sent a chill through Liane's spine. She drew her own comparatively shabby short sword.

"Then why are we waiting? Raine… which way?"

_Wow… again with the sounding like Lloyd…_ Liane chastised herself. But she knew that they had to get Lloyd out of the base… it just wasn't safe - for any of them.

Raine squinted at the screen a moment longer before pointing down the corridor to the group's left. "That way."

Liane started in the way that the Professor indicated, starting to push past Kratos, even as a hand grabbed and held her elbow.

"Professor, can you make sure that we have an escape route?" Kratos questioned, maintaining his grip on Liane's arm even as she glared at him.

Raine nodded, opening another panel on the display panel. "I think so… I just need a few minutes…"

"But Lloyd might not have a few minutes!" Liane choked.

_I can't believe we're going to stand around and discuss this!_

Kratos shook his head. "We'll get Lloyd. But if we're going to be able to get out of here, the Professor is going to need someone to watch for soldiers. We're not exactly in friendly territory here."

Liane's eyes went wide.

"So you want me to stay here? But… I can help!"

Even to her own ears her argument sounded incredibly lame.

Kratos sighed, as if he was about to lecture a child.

"Your fighting style makes you the best choice to defend the Professor, who is probably the only one of us that can make sure we can get out of the base after we get Lloyd. Genis's attacks mean that he needs space that he might not have if he is left as her sole defender, and the Chosen..." he paused, shaking his head slightly. "She's my responsibility. I'm not leaving her here."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Genis's shoulders sag. Kratos was right, and they all knew it.

"Fine," Liane grumbled, jerking her elbow from his grasp and walking back to stand beside Raine. "Just hurry."

Without another word, Kratos turned and strode down the hall with Genis and Colette falling in behind him, both of them with their weapons drawn.

"Don't worry, Liane," Raine muttered, her fingers dancing over the control panel, "… this shouldn't take long… we should be able to catch up to them."

Liane sighed, willing herself to calm down, drawing on her training from the Church.

_Center yourself… if the Desians do come, being angry isn't going to help you or Raine._

* * *

Liane followed Raine through the labyrinthine corridors of the base. The Professor amazed her as she ran ahead, navigating with confident familiarity as she guided Liane directly to the room she had pointed out to the younger woman on the display screen. 

"This should be it," Raine muttered, activating the door mechanism.

Raine and Liane entered the room just in time to see a familiar Desian throw his weapon to the ground in disgust.

"I underestimated your abilities," Botta growled as he slipped out of the room through a door on the far wall.

Raine stepped further into the room, her attention fixated on Botta's discarded weapon. "Isn't this a…"

Heaving a sigh of relief at the sight of all of them – _including Lloyd_ – winded, but healthy, Liane tucked her sword back into her belt.

Lloyd smiled when he noticed that the women had joined his rescue party. "Professor! Liane!"

"Ah. Lloyd. Genis told me what happened. I apologize for the trouble he's caused you," Raine muttered sparing an icy glare at her little brother.

"No, I'm the one that dragged Genis into it. I'm sorry," Lloyd shook his head, almost starting to sound like Colette.

Kratos groaned wearily and strode past the group toward the door they had all entered. "Save the chitchat for later. We shouldn't stay here long."

"You're right," Raine agreed. "I opened the escape route just now. Let's go."

The group escaped the facility, remarkably with no resistance. The main gates were blocked open, courtesy of Raine's handiwork, and they all paused to catch their breath before continuing into the desert. Lloyd's face lit up as he saw his green and white dog faithfully awaiting his emergence from the base, and the boy ran to wrestle the creature to the ground with a laugh.

Raine took advantage of the break to again study the weapon she had carried out of the base. "I have a question. This crystalline object attached to this weapon… is this one of the Exspheres that Genis spoke of?"

"It would seem so," Kratos agreed distractedly.

Lloyd's head snapped back to the mercenary. "Oh yeah. You use an exsphere, too."

Kratos smirked sarcastically at the boy. "So you noticed."

"Well, duh," Lloyd snorted. It was all Liane could do to not groan at the childish retort.

Ignoring her student's rather dim response to the mercenary, Raine continued to examine the gem-like object. "What are they exactly?"

Kratos glanced around the front of the base with a sigh. "It will take a while to explain. We can talk about it when we reach Triet."

"Oh! Lloyd…" Liane suddenly remembered her gift for her friend. She stopped and unrolled the blanket strapped to the bottom of her packs, revealing the knight's sabers that she had purchased for him.

"These are for you."

Lloyd picked up the swords, with a gleam in his eyes.

"Wow… Liane… these are great!" he cheered, slicing the metal through the air, trying them out.

Liane smiled. "Just think of the damage you can do now…!"

Lloyd removed his wooden blades from their sheathes and replaced them with the shining metal blades. He paused for a moment before carefully holding the wooden swords out to her.

"Will you take care of these for me? Dad made them…" he requested sheepishly. Liane nodded wordlessly, rolling the wooden blades back into the blanket and tying it back to her pack.

The group started off across the desert once again. They all walked in silence for a while before it seemed to finally start settling on them that they had succeeded in the full group's first mission: getting Lloyd back and getting out alive.

She suddenly heard Lloyd's voice and realized that he was hovering around the mercenary. "Are you going to tell me I got in the way?"

Kratos regarded the boy thoughtfully before returning his gaze ahead to his path. "You weren't bad. If looks like you've improved a little."

Lloyd froze in mid-step, the semi-compliment apparently not what he expected to hear. "What?"

Kratos stopped and turned to Lloyd as Raine and Genis passed the pair by, allowing them the space to continue their conversation. Liane and Colette, walking at the back of the pack, both slowed, not wanting to distract the mercenary and their friend by forcing them to hurry.

"You need to learn more about yourself and your opponent. If you understand your skills, you can fight the enemy more effectively. Sometimes you will fight enemies armed with poison – still other times you will find your abilities suppressed via magic. The difference between in knowing and not knowing those dangers and how to avoid them is immense. Merely swinging your sword is not enough. Don't forget that learning also leads to strength," Kratos explained with surprising patience.

"Kratos…"

Kratos glanced around, as if suddenly aware that there were others around to observe his momentary lapse in hostility toward the boy. "I've spent too much time talking. Let's get going. Don't dawdle."

Liane smiled as Kratos hurried to put a few steps' distance between himself and Lloyd and catch up to the rest of the group.

_So the big, tough mercenary actually can be encouraging after all, eh?_

Liane altered her path slightly to walk beside Lloyd as Colette fell into step on his other side with a happy giggle. He grinned sheepishly… an action that that told Liane that he missed them as well.

* * *

Once again, the walls of Triet rose from the desert before them in the late afternoon. The group trudged into the town wearily, all of them heading for the inn. It was far too late in the day to even consider going on to the fire seal… and they had already been through enough already for one day. 

They all made their way to their rooms to drop off their packs and then gathered in the room shared by Raine and Genis.

The Professor was speaking as Liane entered the room and quietly sat beside Lloyd on the edge of one of the room's two beds.

"… in other words, these Exspheres are amplifiers that awaken our dormant capabilities? I wonder if I could use one, too!" the Professor swooned, her eyes sparkling at the possibility.

"That would be difficult," Kratos spoke from where he stood against the far wall, his arms crossed in his usual boredom. "Exspheres are harmful to the body without a Key Crest."

"Um… can't we make a Key Crest?" Colette offered quietly.

Liane nodded. _It's a thought…._

Kratos sighed. "As I told you before, a Key Crest is made by processing inhibitor ore, then engraving it with a crest to control the Exsphere attached to its surface. It is said to be a secret art known only to the dwarves."

Liane looked at Lloyd.

_Or one raised by dwarves, perhaps?_

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, "I can engrave that charm… er, crest, but only my dad can process the ore."

Raine frowned for a moment before dumping a burlap bag on the floor of the room.

"Well, is there any inhibitor ore among these materials?"

The elven woman crouched protectively over her treasures as she pawed through them. Everyone gathered around her, marveling at the array of items spread before her.

"Raine! Did you bring these from our house!" Genis shook his head in wonder at the lack of his sister's logic in packing all of the items for the regeneration journey.

"Of course," Raine snorted, her eyes still fixed on the items. "They're valuable research materials." She continued to shuffle the items around, proudly reciting their individual origins as she went. Colette, Genis, Lloyd, and Liane all exchanged unsurprised looks, but resisted the urge to laugh at Raine's mania.

"What the… it's all junk!"

_Oh, this is gonna hurt_, Liane winced at Lloyd's comment as Colette and Genis could only stare at him… granted she knew that they were probably thinking the same thing, but sometimes Lloyd simply didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

Raine was on her feet in a heartbeat, staring down into Lloyd's eyes.

"What did you just say!"

While the impending beating that her friend was about to receive did interest her, she noticed Kratos suddenly walk to the pile on the floor, crouch, and then stand with a small glowing rock.

"Hmm…" Kratos began hesitantly. "This is…."

Raine spun at his words, her rage at her student forgotten for the sake of someone with interest in her treasures. "Ah. I picked that up in front of the human ranch. It was engraved with angelic language, so I took it home."

Lloyd stepped around the Professor to look at the object in Kratos's hand.

"Professor! This is a Key Crest!"

Kratos shook his head, handing the item to Lloyd. "The crest is half worn off. It's unusable like this."

"I can fix that," Lloyd smiled. "Don't worry, Professor. You'll be able to equip that Exsphere tomorrow."

As night fell over the desert town, the party lazed in the common room of the inn at Triet. Liane watched each of her companions in turn – Raine and Genis were at a table beside the stairs pouring a large tome of area history while Colette watched Lloyd work on the Key Crest he had gotten from the Professor. His face was lined in concentration as he carefully rescribed the runes into the worn Key Crest.

_Amazing how he can apply himself so thoroughly to something requiring such concentration_, she mused.

And then, there was Kratos. She hesitantly turned her head until she spotted him standing beside one of the inn's narrow windows staring intently into the darkening evening. They hadn't avoided each other _entirely_ since their discussion in the desert the previous night, but there was still something uncomfortable between them. While avoidance danced around the strangeness, something told her that it still simply wasn't right.

_I have to know what's going on._

Liane stood, trying not to do anything to draw attention. She didn't understand her need to go back into the town, but she was sure that trying to explain to the others would only make it worse.

"Liane?"

She cringed at Colette's voice, as the younger girl looked up from Lloyd's work.

"Where are you going?"

The innocent inquiry was almost enough to make her crawl back into her armchair. But instead, she smiled.

"For a walk. I thought it might relax me a bit before bed," Liane replied, forcing a half-yawn.

"Oh."

_Whew._

"Want company?"

Liane almost groaned, but managed to keep her disappointment in check.

_So close._

Then she realized that the conversation had stirred Kratos from his brooding. She could feel him watching… listening to their exchange.

"No… that's okay. Thank you, though. I won't be long," she smiled, making every effort not to look at the mercenary as she slipped out of the inn without further incident.

She traveled through the town, feeling more than a bit conspicuous. Apparently, Triet was a day-town, as she seemed to be the only soul wandering the streets. Liane knew her night's quest was probably folly, but she had to take the chance.

_It's not like anyone else is going to help me…._ She hated resorting to such hokey measures, but she felt desperate enough to grasp at that straw.

As she rounded the oasis, she paused to take in the beauty of the moon's reflection on the still pond. It was simply a beautiful, calm night, devoid even of the winds she had begun to think of as being synonymous with the town of Triet. Glancing at the tent that housed the fortune teller, she grimaced.

_I'm a fool. Why would I think that a side show act would be able to help me? If I can't figure out my own mind, how can I expect a complete stranger to explain it to me?_

Liane leaned on the railing of the small boardwalk of the oasis.

_I should just go back to the inn._

_But he'll be there. Glaring at me._

Liane glanced over to the tent, her attention momentarily fixed on the flickering torches at the entrance.

_I suppose it will at very least be a distraction before I have to go back and face him again._

She approached at the tent of the fortune teller just as the woman came out of the flap and began to secure the tent's stakes for the night.

"Madame, please… a moment of your time?"

The fortune teller started at the voice from behind her, but seemed to relax slightly when she recognized her visitor.

"I'm sorry… I am closing for the day… I will be available tomorrow…" the woman smiled kindly.

Liane shook her head. "We'll be gone tomorrow… please. I have something to ask you. You did friendship readings for my friends yesterday… will you… please… do one for me? And then I will leave you alone."

The fortune teller looked at her skeptically for a moment, as if preparing to once again decline the request.

Liane loosened her coin pouch from her belt.

"Please… I'll pay you…."

The woman sighed.

"Put your money away, child. I can see you're troubled. Come in."

The fortune teller held the flap up for Liane to enter the tent. Liane tucked her pouch back into her belt and entered the candlelit tent. The fortune teller followed behind her, seeming to float across the floor in her layered scarf-skirt as she spun to sit down across from Liane. The older woman smiled slightly and held her hand out on the table. Liane hesitated for an instant, the option of sprinting from the tent introducing itself to her… and then took the offered hand.

The fortune teller's eyes slid shut…

"All right… I…" the woman stuttered as her hand clutched over Liane's. "Oh… oh, my… child – you were in a terrible accident… no… two? Oh, child – I'm sorry… you are… broken…?"

Liane laughed lightly at the woman's concern. "It was a long time ago, Madame," she flexed her arm with a smile. "I assure you everything is fine now."

_Maybe she's not as big a fraud as I thought…._

But the sad concern did not leave the fortune teller's eyes. "I see. So that will be an issue for another time, then. I will say no more. As far as your question, think of the one you wish to know…."

Liane sighed and allowed an image of Kratos into her mind.

_Kratos… the irritating, arrogant, condescending…_

The fortune teller's breath caught.

"Madame?"

Liane saw the woman push a smile through a slightly confused expression.

"Are you making fun of me, child?"

* * *

Liane turned from the road to go to the inn when voices startled her from her thoughts. She looked around, bracing herself for yet more Desians. But then she saw the speakers… Lloyd and Kratos… standing beside the pen that they had secured for Noishe. 

_Oops_, she thought, hoping that she caught herself before she was noticed. She didn't want to disturb them… Goddess knew that Lloyd needed a mentor. And she could see Kratos being an excellent teacher to her friend. But they still needed the time to realize that they were on the same side. She slipped behind the bulletin board, knowing that going back up the road would probably only draw attention to her.

_I'll wait here… I doubt they'll talk for long…._

But she couldn't help but peek around the edge, a smile playing at her lips. She couldn't make out any words, but it seemed that they were at least talking, which was more than she expected after the resentment she knew that Lloyd harbored towards the mercenary since he had taken Colette away from his protection.

"Your swordsmanship is unrefined. You should focus a little more on eliminating your vulnerabilities. If you care about your life," she heard Kratos's voice rise slightly, almost in forced harshness. She sighed. Apparently, getting close to the mercenary wasn't going to be easy for her friend.

Liane watched Kratos stalk back down the road beside the inn, passing within an arm's reach of her as she carefully stayed in the shadows of the building behind the signboard.

"Grrr… Just because he's a little better than me, he has to talk like he knows everything! Well… a lot better than me. Damn!"

Lloyd finished his grumbling and patted Noishe on the head before retiring back into the inn. She waited to give him time to get to his room and then followed, her memory replaying the fortune teller's words.

'_Are you making fun of me? You two are total soulmates!"_

_Soulmates._

She didn't know how to feel about the claim, but she knew that it was more explanation than she had before.

_But what does being a soulmate to a mercenary mean? _she mused as she slipped from behind the sign board to go back into the inn. _Maybe it explains everything, though… I've always heard that even if the people don't know each other, their souls can still recognize each other…. I wonder if it will be any easier for him to trust me…_

And then, another thought made her blink in confusion.

_Should I tell him?_

But before she could draw another breath she found herself flung against the wall of the inn and pinned there by an indigo-clad forearm.

"Kr- Kratos?" she choked out, the pressure he was exerting across her chest just below her collarbone crushing the breath from her and pinning her shoulders just enough that she could only flail her forearms slightly – certainly not enough leverage to push him away. He had come from nowhere, materializing out of the shadows.

"Why were you spying on me?" His voice was low… dangerous. And for the first time, she found herself scared of the mercenary.

"I… I don't…" she gasped. She desperately sought a look at his face, but the shadows of the building and the fading moonlight showed her nothing but hints of a disturbingly malicious glint in his eyes. He leaned his weight further into her, compressing her lungs even further.

"_Don't_ lie to me. You were there the whole time that I was speaking to Lloyd. Now, tell me… who are you? Why are you here?"

"Kr…I… don…"

He plucked one of her own daggers from her belt with his free hand, never taking his cold gaze from her eyes.

"Don't think for a second that I will let you endanger… any… part of this journey," the mercenary growled, holding the dagger alongside her cheek.

The edges of her vision started to waver slightly.

_No…_

She drew in what little air she could muster and poured every last bit of her energy into one movement, as swift as she could manage… she drew her knee up….

And the mercenary staggered back to a knee with a muffled grunt.

Liane slid down the wall gulping for air, momentarily satisfied that he was no danger to her. Her hand brushed against the cool metal of her dagger and she slipped it back into her belt. She crawled on to her hands and knees before using the wall to steady her as she climbed back to her feet.

"What in all the hells…" Liane wheezed as tears formed in her eyes… "… is wrong with you? I was trying … to give you some privacy…I wasn't… spying on you… you bastard!" Before she realized what she was doing, she landed a solid kick to his ribs, making him gag in a ragged gasp of air. But it was enough for her. She staggered away from the wall, hating that she still had to lean on it to walk away from him.

"I'm such an _idiot_… stupid fortune teller," she muttered. "How could I _ever_ believe that you would be my soulmate… I'm so glad she didn't charge me for that…." Liane continued to grumble her way into the inn, not pausing for even an instant to look back at the man that she had left gasping on the ground.

* * *

"Heh…" Kratos choked as he heard the door to the inn close behind her. He pulled himself up to his knees and clenched his teeth. 

_Well… that was certainly stupid of me._

He left himself entirely open for her retaliation. He knew that he had the element of surprise on her… she had stood right there and watched him walk by. She hadn't been paying attention to the fact that he had simply waited in the shadows for her to move. But even worse than leaving her the opportunity… he had underestimated her.

_And what was she saying about the fortune teller? _The majority of her irate babbling had been unintelligible even to his hearing.

Kratos climbed to his feet, oddly grateful that no one had been around for that little display. Drawing in a deep breath, he forced himself to walk away from the inn.

"_Lloyd… the boy has thrown everything off… her explanation actually was plausible…"_ his mind grumbled at him as he walked away from the inn, silently cursing himself as unfamiliar pain bit at him from the sites of her retaliation. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt such a purely physical pain at the hands of a human.

Kratos found himself wandering down the oasis boardwalk. He didn't recall anything of the path from the inn to the oasis… it was simply where his feet had brought him. His distraction would have bothered him more, but for the first time in years he wouldn't let himself count, he allowed himself to forget his mission… just for a moment… the Chosen would be safe – especially knowing that the girl's roommate was still too enraged to be asleep.

_That should bother me in itself. I don't doubt her loyalty to the children…._

And, what was even worse, he knew that he couldn't justify his suspicious reaction to her at the inn. He could tell himself all night long that he was protecting his mission – but when he was honest with himself….

_She… shakes me…._

Liane knew things that were long dead and buried… but she seemed oblivious to everything that she did or said that forced him to think of …. Anna.

_She has this… power… over me. And she doesn't even realize it._

He clenched his fist… he would almost prefer to believe that she was a test of his loyalty to Cruxis. It was far easier than trying to comprehend any other alternative.

_There has to be a logical explanation,_ he thought, centering his thoughts on working through his confusion. _At the temple, all of them fought bravely despite their opponent – our reaction to each other could have simply been the heat of battle. At her house, she was hesitant to speak of a troubling accident that changed her life. Understandable – only a foolish being doesn't contemplate death's icy touch._

But that was where logic began to falter.

_A girl all but given up for dead awakens to comfort… Anna's son?_

He sighed, cursing his self-inflicted conditioning that made Lloyd sound illegitimate even in his own mind.

Then, like quicksand, he was drawn back to the memory of the grave… and this girl – a stranger to Kratos and Anna both – sobbing the words that still chilled the blood of the once-proud seraph.

"_Kratos… please…."_

"No," he growled, slamming his fist into the railing of the walk, willing the pain to bring him away from the thought that still made him weak.

He had seen many strange things in his life – so many that he usually knew when it was a waste of time to ponder them further.

But why… even if it could have been Anna's influence from the grave… with both he and Lloyd there – _together_… would she speak through this stranger?

_Why does she make me think of you, Anna?_

The sacrilege of the thought made him cringe, but he knew that the question begged to be asked. Physically, they shared superficial coloring – both dark haired and dark-eyed. But it was impossible for him to mistake Liane for Anna beyond that. Time hadn't addled his memory enough to even begin to see any more resemblance.

_And their eyes…._

Anna's were a warm chocolate brown, full of life and love. Liane's…

He snorted at the obscenity of the comparison. When she wasn't avoiding his gaze, Liane's eyes were muddled earthtones, lit by a seemingly endless supply of stubbornness and….

Kratos's eyes went wide at the memory of the last time he had actually seen her eyes…

… outside the inn…

_Fear._

Exquisite fear – of him. He had seen that part of the reaction in countless faces over the eons. But this look… pain and betrayal honed it finer than any sword ever forged. But it was that unmistakable mixture of emotion in the fear – he had seen the look only once before – in all his years.

_When Anna learned the truth._

He looked up and across the oasis to the darkened fortune teller's tent.

_What did you tell Liane, Madame?_

His thoughts settled, accepting that there would be no answers that night with a slight shake of his head.

_But soon…._

* * *

Liane opened the door to the room that she was to share with the Chosen, trying desperately to not disturb the girl. She could hear Colette's even breathing coming from a lump of blankets on the bed near the door. The girl had lit the bedside lamp before she had gone to sleep, a fact that brought a smile to Liane, despite how her evening had turned out. Colette always thought of everyone else first. 

_Unlike that suspicious bastard…_ she thought grabbing a pillow and a blanket from the bed on the other side of the lamp, Liane threw the pillow into the corner of the room and returned to extinguish the lamp.

Curled into the blanket on the floor beside the window, tears continued to slip from her eyes. What if the fortune teller was right? What if - for some hellish reason - she really was bound to Kratos? She had been ready to take a chance and trust him… but that was before….

_It must be some kind of punishment for something I did in another life,_ she thought miserably. _You're supposed to be with your soulmate, aren't you?_

She choked back her sobs as best she could as she struggled to keep quiet and not disturb Colette. But even crying hurt her chest, a reminder of his attack… and the cruelty in his eyes.

After what seemed like hours, she felt sleep start to beckon to her, even as the fortune teller's words again crept into her mind.

_She called me broken… strange, _she thought as a fitfully dreamless sleep claimed her for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Liane?" 

Colette's voice coaxed Liane into consciousness as her eyes opened to a sun-filled room.

Liane smiled at the girl as she yawned and sat up, leaning against the wall.

'I was worried when you didn't come back last night," Colette sighed. She had obviously been awake for a while, as she was already dressed and her packs rested against the wall beside the door.

"Everything's fine," Liane tried to smile, knowing how half-hearted it probably seemed as she remembered Kratos's attack.

"_Don't lie to me…."_

She pushed the memory away, knowing that soon enough, she would have to face him. But it simply wouldn't do to bring it up to everyone else… they had to trust him.

Liane, on the other had, wasn't sure she ever would again.

"Okay…" Colette nodded, concern clouding her normally bright-eyed smile. "I'm going to go downstairs… Kratos and Raine are already up."

"Oh, goody…" Liane grumbled, running her hands through her grimy-feeling hair.

_I should have stayed here and taken a bath last night for all the good my time at the fortune teller did._

Colette eyed Liane in confusion.

"I'll be down in a few minutes… just let me change my clothes,' Liane sighed, pushing her blanket off. Colette nodded, and quickly slipped out of the room, the door closing solidly behind her.

Liane quickly changed out of her clothes from the day before and shoved them into her bag, slipping into a clean undertunic and her emerald – and lighter of her two remaining – tunic before securing her belt and rearming herself with her daggers and sword.

_I really have to get a sheath for the sword one of these days… I'm really too much of a klutz to continue like this._

Securing her packs as she lifted them onto her back, she glanced around the room, begging the fates for anything that would give her an excuse to avoid _him_ for even an additional moment. But, once again, fate seemed to laugh at her as it didn't oblige her unspoken request and she exited the room, a feeling of dread settling over her as she saw the mercenary standing with the Professor, Colette, and a bleary-eyed Genis in the lobby of the inn.

"Let him rest for a little longer, Kratos," Colette was begging at the mercenary. "He was up late working on the key crest for the Professor…."

She heard Kratos groan slightly.

"I told him that he needed to rest… fine. Let's go outside and wait."

Liane paused at the base of the stairs, waiting for Kratos to start out of the lobby. But then, instead of walking away, he looked _at_ her, and their eyes met for the briefest of instants before he looked away and started out the door. She stared after him, the look in his eyes surprising her… the malice from the night before was no longer there… it had been replaced by something she couldn't name….

"Liane?" Genis questioned as he watched her approach. "Are you okay?"

Liane smiled with a quick nod of her head.

"Yeah… just trying to wake up," she answered her young friend.

_Not that much of a lie… waking up from that nightmare last night would be wonderful…._

Raine watched her assistant with an arched eyebrow for a moment before starting after Kratos, leaving Liane with Colette and Genis.

The three friends emerged into the bright morning, the sun warming them immediately after stepping from the shadows of the inn. They waited in the town square with Kratos and Raine, talking amongst themselves until a familiar red-clad boy wandered out of the inn with a yawn.

Kratos looked up. "We can finally head out to release the seal," the mercenary sighed, irritation coloring his voice.

Colette's smile brightened as Lloyd joined the group and stood beside her. "Yes. I'll do my best!"

"The seal Remiel spoke of is in the Triet Ruins southwest of here," Raine nodded, adjusting her packs.

"Cool! Let's go check out that seal!" Lloyd chuckled, apparently encouraged by Colette's cheerfulness.

Genis, on the other hand, groaned. "We'll see if that enthusiasm lasts."

Lloyd sighed at his friend and reached over to muss the smaller boy's hair. "I'll be fine! Just you watch!"

They started off to the west of Triet, the sands already beginning to burn around them. Liane made a point to walk at the back of the group, as she knew that _he_ would be near the front with Colette. Part of her wanted to tell someone… anyone… what had happened between them the night before. But the fact remained… Kratos was hired for his skills to defend the Chosen. His skills were for hire… not his loyalty.

_Especially to tag-alongs,_ she sighed. _He's under no obligation to keep us safe…._

"Hey, Kratos!"

Lloyd's call shook her from her thoughts for the briefest of instants.

"Hmm?"

"Are you limping?"

Liane had to cough to cover her choked giggle. No… it would be too much like gloating…. But the mercenary's grunt as he stomped ahead of the younger swordsman made it so much harder.

The desert's heat swiftly negated the petty amusement, replacing it with the simple need to get to the ruins. With Noishe's escape from the group heralding the arrival of a pair of fire elements as they approached the ruins, the group banished the creatures relatively quickly. But even as victory was theirs, Kratos paused, watching the group with what appeared to be weariness.

"This is going to be a nuisance," the mercenary huffed. Liane didn't even try to hide her glare at him.

"What is?" Lloyd asked, still adrenalized from the fight.

"Ah, nothing," Kratos shook his head. "Anyway, it would be a good idea for you to learn techniques to protect yourself."

_But you can't just come out and tell them all what a bother we are to you like you always tell me, eh? Chicken, _Liane almost snorted, turning her attention away from another round of self-righteous lecturing.

"Are you talking about self defense training?" Colette piped up.

Kratos shrugged. "Something like that. Techniques to raise your defense during battles. I'll show you how it's done. Once you grasp the theory, the rest should be easy."

Liane watched as Kratos worked his way around the group, starting with the Chosen. He had specific suggestions for each of their strengths, and she paid special attention when he reached Lloyd. Out of the party members, he was the closest to her fighting style.

_And I'll gnaw off my own foot before I let him help me…._

When Kratos was satisfied with Lloyd's grasp of the technique, he predictably turned to Liane.

"I'm fine, thanks," Liane spoke, trying to keep the growl from her tone.

Kratos's expression slid smoothly into a glare and she was keenly aware that they were suddenly the center the group's attention.

"If you don't have a way to defend yourself, you're a liability to this journey," he stated coolly, starting to walk toward her.

At his first step, she narrowed her eyes at him as she tapped into her mana pool and raised her forearm defensively before her, a faint green bubble forming around her just as he began to reach out to her.

"Guardian…" she growled, cocking her head slightly at him and never dropping her glare. Time seemed to slow as she did her best to make it a clear challenge for him to even try to touch her.

He regarded her without reaction for the space of a breath before nodding slightly in approval.

"Fine, then," he turned away from her and started up the steps to the ruined altar.

She felt everyone's eye on her as she dropped the barrier, staggering slightly as she silently cursed how inept she felt with any kind of mana usage.

"Hey… are you okay?" Lloyd questioned, pausing as he followed the others up to the altar, his eyes relaying his concern for his friend.

Liane nodded, but didn't even try to force the smile she would usually force to conceal such a foul mood.

_Lloyd knows me better than that anyway._

"Yeah, but we're getting left behind. Come on," she sighed and started toward the altar, leaving Lloyd to wonder exactly what he had missed.

Liane walked with Lloyd and Genis through the darkened halls of the fire temple. Kratos and Raine flanked Colette somewhere in the darkness ahead of them as the passages grew darker and hotter with every step.

"Man, it's _hot_…" Lloyd grumbled, swiping his sleeve over his forehead for emphasis.

"Lloyd!" Genis stopped, staring at his friend in exasperation. "It's a _fire_ seal… were you really expecting it to be chilly?"

Liane paused to watch the interaction with a slight chuckle. Although she had to admit, Lloyd's whining did only serve to draw attention to the miserable heat.

"No," Lloyd sighed, "but it just keeps getting hotter…."

Genis shook his head and started to continue down the hall.

"If you three would like, you can go back out and wait for us…"

Liane's glare snapped down the hallway to where Kratos stood in the dim, orange-tinted light, his arms crossed impatiently across his chest.

"No one asked you to wait for us," she growled, not even bothering to try to disguise her disdain for the mercenary.

"Hmmph."

She continued to glare at him even as he turned to herd Colette and Raine back into their path to the seal.

"Umm… Liane?"

Shaking herself from her bubble of hatred, she looked down at the silver haired boy.

"Are we missing something? Why are you so mad at Kratos?"

Lloyd snorted from beside her before she could even start to consider answering.

"Don't bother, Genis… it's a girl thing," Lloyd sighed, following the other half of the group down the hall. "She probably likes him or something."

Liane felt her cheeks flame.

"I DO NOT!" her voice echoed through the hall before she even realized that he had goaded the response from her.

The boys chuckled to themselves, ignoring her frustration as they left her alone to follow them further into the temple.

After a searing trip through the maze of paths in a lava filled-room, the group found themselves before what could only be the seal of fire. Raine was dazed with amazement at the chamber, her eyes glazed as she absorbed every detail that she could make out in the dim light.

While Liane had to admit that the room was fascinating, her attention was held by the sparkles that rose from the seal… sparkles that coalesced into three creatures that hardly looked pleased to see them.

"It's the Ktugach… take out its spawn first…" Kratos growled, dodging one of the Ktugachlings' first attacks.

Genis stood back, immediately beginning to chant, a pale blue rune-circle materializing around him.

_Good boy…_ Liane smiled, jabbing the Ktugachling that had attacked Kratos with one of her daggers. _Use the water spells…_

"Aqua Edge!" Genis cried as water cut at the creature as she pulled her dagger from it and rolled away. Liane shook her dampened ponytail from her face as she momentarily glanced to Lloyd and Colette… both attacking the other Ktugachling. Lloyd was guarding… just as Kratos taught him.

_All he really needs is someone to show him…._

Turning back to her own creature, she drew her short sword and again slashed at it, an ugly gash opening in the flesh as she pulled it free. The Ktugachling howled as it unleashed another fire attack at her.

"Guardian!" Liane called, bracing her weapon and pulling on her mana, as she had also - grudgingly -learned from the mercenary. The fire licked around the green bubble, but didn't so much as make her warm.

A solid thump drew her attention to Lloyd trying to get to his feet after his Ktugachling had hurled him against the wall.

"Lloyd!" Colette cried, slicing at the creature with her chakram.

Lloyd stood, wobbling slightly….

_And he's too far for me to toss him a gel…_ Liane realized in horror.

Then she glanced at Kratos, who had his sword braced in front of him and his head bowed in concentration, healing runes swirling around him….

_It's all happening too fast…._

The lumbering Ktugach approached Kratos, rearing up on its hindquarters, and drawing back its claws as it towered over the distracted mercenary…

_Kratos is trying to heal Lloyd…_

… even as the Ktugachling closed in on Lloyd, despite Colette's attempts to distract it.

"No!" Liane grunted as she launched herself between the claws and Kratos.

_He has to finish that spell… it's the only way to save Lloyd…_

One of the Ktugach's claws caught the skin just above the wrist of her left arm and began to rip towards her elbow as she threw her arms over her face in what she knew was a futile defense. The claw burned her as she cried out in pain, but even as she impacted the ground at Kratos's feet, she looked desperately to Lloyd… to see a familiar green glow engulf the boy's form.

"Move!"

Before she realized what was happening, she was scooped from the floor and she rolled against the mercenary's chest as they narrowly escaped another angry swipe of the Ktugach's claws.

"Hey! Over here!" Genis's voice rang through the chamber. The boy stood over the fallen form of his Ktugachling as he readied another water blast for the Ktugach.

"What were you thinking?"

Liane clutched her forearm to her chest as she sat up, finding herself caught in Kratos's questioning glare.

"Stay here…" he commanded, shaking his head in disbelief as he turned his back and stalked back into battle. Raine came by from the back corner of the chamber, pausing for just a moment to look at Liane with concern.

"Go… I'm fine," Liane tried to smile through clenched teeth. The Professor nodded, hurrying to help the others finish the guardian beasts.

_I have to hurry… they might need me again…._

Liane reached to her left shoulder and ripped off the sleeve of her undertunic, leaving the gash in her arm to bleed unrestricted. Ignoring the blooming burn of pain from the wound, she worked quickly to rip the dingy fabric into what vaguely resembled strips, and proceeded to tie the gash off.

Looking up to the battle, she saw that all of them were now concentrated on the Ktugach… and both of its spawn were collapsed to the ground. Liane crawled to her feet and started to walk towards the beast with her sword clenched tightly in her right hand, even as the ground once again erupted with water. The Ktugach screamed one last time before collapsing to the floor.

She joined the others at the altar as Colette stepped forward, her head bowed reverently as she began to pray. Liane watched intently, pointedly _not_ looking to the mercenary, even though she could feel his eyes on her. Predictably, Remiel once again materialized to the group. Raine's eyes glittered in wonder, while the others watched in mere anticipation of what the angel would do this time.

_He promised her the powers of the angels at this seal…_ Liane though, curious as to what the angel had alluded to at their last meeting. Her curiosity didn't have to wait for long as light began to swirl around her friend, lifting her into the air….

… _wings…._

Colette fluttered in the air for a moment longer before sinking back down to the ground, held aloft by translucent pastel wings of light….

… _wings of blue… shining even in the night…_

Reality reasserted its grip on her as the confusion set in… accompanied once again with the feeling of being watched. Liane turned to glare at Kratos, who was now making no attempt to disguise that he was watching her. As Genis ran to Colette in an uncharacteristic display of child-like wonder, the mercenary turned to Liane.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, motioning towards her arm.

She protectively covered her bandaged wound with her right hand.

"You were healing Lloyd. You were his only chance," she answered quietly.

"Here…" he sighed, starting to reach out to her, but Liane's eyes went wide as she backpedaled out of his reach.

"No! Don't touch me!"

She paused again, knowing that she had made a display of herself once again.

"I… I'll be outside," she sighed as she stepped onto the warp ring and away from the chamber.

_And away from him…._

* * *

Sitting on the steps of the fire seal, Liane could feel the afternoon beginning to wane. 

_It's going to be well into the night when we get back to Triet,_ she sighed, cradling her forearm in her right hand. The burning had started to go away, thankfully, but that only seemed to leave a throbbing that she wasn't entirely sure if she would trade to have the burn back.

_I should have just asked Raine to heal me…_ she sighed.

Turning as voices approached from inside the temple, she stood making herself stop coddling her wounded arm.

_I won't give him the satisfaction._

The others filed out of the temple and she met them at the base of the steps. She braced herself for yet another press across the desert, but when Colette collapsed into the sand, Liane felt guiltily relieved as they decided to set up camp for the night at the ruins.

Colette seemed to gradually reclaim her strength as the night fell around them. Lloyd was restless as ever, wandering around the camp and speaking to each of them. He lingered with Kratos for a few minutes before she heard her friend's voice rise in agitation.

"Why am I even talking to you about this?" Lloyd stormed away from the mercenary, and Liane couldn't help but shake her head.

_He'll alienate us one by one if he has to, it would seem,_ she thought. But it really was a shame. Lloyd could really use someone to look up to.

Liane watched Kratos cautiously as she ate the tofu curry that Genis had prepared for them. The mercenary seemed to be content to settle on the other side of the camp from where she was, leaving her an entire hillside to choose her sleeping spot.

"I'm going to go for a little walk," she heard Colette announce to her friends.

"Want me to come?" Lloyd offered, climbing to her feet.

Then Colette did the unthinkable. She turned, wearing her trademarked happy-beyond-words smile, and spoke….

"Thanks, but I'll be fine by myself."

Liane knew that she wasn't the only one left gaping as the blonde girl wandered from the fire. All of them knew of the crush Colette had on Lloyd… and that she would turn down _any_ time alone with him.

"Ha-ha! You got re-ject-ed!"

Liane choked off her laugh by clamping her hand over her mouth as Genis's taunt rang into the silent night. Lloyd, however, just glared at both of them.

"Hey, shut up Genis…"

"Well, I'm going to turn in," Liane yawned as she stood beside the fire and stretched. Looking around, she could see Colette standing by herself in the distance.

_She needs her space… this can't be easy._

"Good night, Liane," Genis yawned, digging in his pack for his blankets.

Spotting a smooth spot in the sand a few feet from the fire, she began to lay out her own blankets.

"Liane?"

Liane turned at the gentle hand on her shoulder to find Raine watching her with a look of concern.

"Look… I know something's wrong… and if you want to talk, I'm here…" the teacher smiled gently. "But I also know that you're still hurt from today. I can heal you…."

Liane smiled, shaking her head as she patted the bandage on her forearm. "It's just a scratch. You don't have to worry…."

"You know, it wasn't that long ago that you were my pupil… just like all of them," Raine motioned over her shoulder to Lloyd and the others. "I've seen you grow up, too… and I also know when you're just trying to be stubborn to make a point. Let me see the arm."

Liane rolled her eyes and sighed, holding her arm out to Raine. As the silver-haired woman gently unwrapped the bandage, Liane heard a pair of muffled chuckles coming from the fire and knew that once again, she had managed to entertain Lloyd and Genis. She looked over to glare at them….

… and saw that Kratos had gotten to his feet and was watching her interaction with Raine carefully.

"Raine… no… please…it's fine," she tried to pull her arm away from the Professor, but Raine's grip was too firm to slip from.

'Nonsense. It's still bleeding… this will just take a second… " Raine sighed. A comforting warmth spread over the gash in her forearm from the claw of the Ktugach. A final itch of pain before the oozing wound closed brought a momentary regret to her mind... that she let herself be wounded for _him._ She couldn't resist the urge to shoot a glare at the mercenary… even though she knew that the issue was bigger than just him. And it wasn't like it was a life-threatening wound.

"There," Raine nodded, rolling Liane's sleeve back down her arm. "Honestly, Liane… it's a simple healing spell… either Kratos or I could have easily fixed it long before now. You just can't give up the stubbornness for even a moment, can you?" The Professor was smiling at her fondly, and Liane knew that her lecture was a caring one.

"I know. I'm sorry…" Liane sighed, shaking her head. "It's just that there were others…."

Raine crouched closer to her assistant.

"… others that you didn't want to heal you?"

Liane turned to face the Professor, surprise taking away any response she could think of.

Raine smiled slightly, concern marring the expression and stood.

"If you need to talk… I'm here."

Without another word, the elven woman turned away and walked back to the fire, leaving Liane to wonder if she was truly being that transparent.

Liane curled into her blanket and closed her eyes.

_Wings… Colette has wings…_ They were so much different from Remiel's… not at all what she thought of when she thought of wings. Wings spoke of feathers… not light….

_But they are the wrong color…._ The thought troubled her. _Why?_

"Liane?"

She groaned. Not bothering to open her eyes.

"What do you want?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice down, but not bothering with the niceties.

"Your arm… Raine helped you?"

"For all it matters to you, yes."

Liane heard him shuffle in the sands as he turned to leave.

"Good. Thank you… for giving me the time to heal Lloyd."

Rolling over into her blanket, she decided to let the conversation drop. She knew she could have pointed out that she did it for Lloyd, but she really didn't feel like drawing out the conversation any more. His retreating footsteps told her that –hopefully – for the rest of the night, maybe she would be able to escape from him.

Once again, dawn found the Chosen's group making their way through the desert to the town of Triet. Their coin pouches were all suitably stuffed for restocking their supplies before they would set off out of the desert the next day, and they were all more than ready for a night in the protection of a town.

'Whoa! Who's there!" Lloyd's alarm rang through the inn. Colette and Liane dropped their packs and ran for the stairs, falling in line behind Genis and Raine. The mercenary bolted through the front door of the inn as they all ran across the lobby to the room that their friend shared with Kratos.

"What's wrong?" Kratos asked, throwing the room's door open.

Lloyd shook his head, visibly shaken.

"… some weird guy came in here."

"Are you hurt?" Colette asked, wringing her hands together.

"Nah, I'm fine," Lloyd tried to put on his brave face for them all.

"It may have been a Desian… everyone, be careful," Raine offered, her brow creased with worry.

Genis shook his head. "Seems like Lloyd's always got someone after him."

"What, so it's my fault? Seriously, though… we can't be too careful. I'll be fine, but Colette, Liane and the Professor… you guys be careful."

Colette and the Professor nodded in agreement and followed Genis and Kratos from the room. Liane looked questioningly at her friend one more time.

"Lloyd… do you really think it was a Desian?"

Lloyd shrugged. "I.. I don't know… it's starting to get dark in here… I was just setting my packs down as I came into the room and I saw something move in the shadows. I suppose it is possible… they seem to know a lot about me. One of them yesterday even said something about a resemblance…."

"Hmm… they could still be after you from the break-out yesterday. We really should get out of this desert…." Liane sighed. _Please, goddess… just one more night to be able to put walls between Kratos and me… let me be able to get away from him for just one more night…._

"Tomorrow… tomorrow we're heading for the coast," Lloyd smiled. "No more of this desert for me!"

"Okay," Liane smiled, consoled with his cheer, "I'm going to go take a bath and go to bed, then. If you need us…."

Lloyd grinned. "Oh, you'll know if I need you!"

As night once again fell over Triet, Liane had no complaints with crawling into her nest of blankets in the corner of the room she would again share with Colette. The warm dampness of the bath dulled her senses, and even helped soak some of the remaining ache from the bruise across her chest - even her arm didn't even hurt anymore. The others were all still in the common room downstairs, which was only more encouragement for her to give in to her weariness and turn in early.

_So, it's really going to happen. We're actually going on the journey._

* * *

"Your pardon, please…" 

The fortune teller looked up as Kratos stepped into the tent, letting the flap fall closed behind him.

"You read a fortune for a friend of mine two nights ago. I was wondering if you might tell me what you told her."

The fortune teller crossed her arms and set her jaw, thrusting her nose slightly into the air.

"I'm sorry… what I tell my clients is private…" the woman shook her head.

Kratos sighed, expecting her response, and tossed a small bag of gald onto the woman's table.

"There should be plenty there to assure that this one time breech of confidence will be worth your time."

The fortune teller eyed the bag suspiciously, opening it to let the gald spill out onto the table.

"There… there has to be three hundred gald here…" the woman gasped.

Kratos groaned impatiently.

"So will I be taking it back…?"

The woman studied him for the briefest of instants.

"You… ah. I see."

"You see what?" his hand itching to close on his sword in impatience of her response.

The woman smiled slightly, scooping the gald into a hidden drawer behind her table.

"You. It was you that the girl asked about."

Kratos nodded.

"And what did you tell her?"

"About you? Merely the mirror of what I would tell you if you came to me with the same question about her. You are soulmates. It is quite obvious," the fortune teller shrugged.

Kratos digested her words carefully, disbelief introducing itself as an obstacle to his thoughts. "But how is that even possible?" he muttered more to himself than to her.

"It is not for me to say or know. The soul simply knows… it calls to its match. Sometimes over great distances, even."

_Even death?_

"I should warn you, though…" the woman hesitated, choosing her words hesitantly. "What I have told you so far is what I told her. But there was something else… something that she wasn't ready to hear."

His eyes narrowed.

"How much more will this cost me?" Kratos asked suspiciously.

The fortune teller shook her head, her earrings jangling slightly with the sway. "No… I do this to spare her. She is… broken, for lack of a better word. I started to tell her, but she immediately thought I spoke of a mere physical wounding. It was better to leave it at that. Someday, she might be ready… but she will have to come to it on her own."

_Broken…._

"Madame fortune teller…." Kratos sighed as he flipped another bag of gald onto the table. "I am highly interested in your definition of 'broken'."

* * *

Kratos entered the once-again quiet inn. Everyone had apparently sought bed early in the night. 

_Just as well. Less to explain this way._

He stopped outside the door to the room shared by the Chosen and Liane, his hand hovering over the door handle. He knew that the blatant truth of the matter was that he should turn and go to his bed and pretend to sleep along with the others.

But he well knew that after what the fortune teller had told him, he needed to see her. Even just for a moment. What he had heard was impossible… and he knew that with every fiber of his being. But… it explained so much. All of his hunches, despite his skepticism, could easily be put together with just the impressions that the fortune teller had relayed to him.

Kratos eased the door open, mentally shaking his head that they didn't bother to lock the door. After entering, his eyes adjusted easily to the darkness. Colette was sleeping soundly….

_She won't be a problem_, he sighed softly as he approached the blanketed mass in the corner of the room. It had been almost a week since the full moon… and the last light of the dying moon filtered into the small window, falling softly on the girl he sought.

Liane was curled into her pillow, her hair carefully braided this night. He crouched over her, and, for the briefest of instants, Kratos had to resist the urge to reach out to push her rebellious bangs away from her face. The face he that he would have given his life to see one more time would never be there… and he knew that….

'_Someday… she might be ready… but she will have to come to it on her own.'_

A war raged within him… one side wanting to gather the girl into his arms one more time and sweep her away, run like _they_ never could before – and, most importantly, never let her go. The other side of him screamed in protest. It was another test of Yggdrasill… yet another trial of his loyalty. And if he failed again, surely an eternity of damnation would follow.

_No._

He stood before he could give into his urge to reach out to her. Liane slept… seemingly peacefully. He would not disturb her. But even as Kratos watched her sleep, he knew that she wasn't a trap and that Yggdrasill had nothing to do with her.

Even so, the girl's emergence in his life was deeply troublesome… begging emotions that he was sure were withered and dead from his soul. He would watch her… perhaps even guide her… and see if the fortune teller was right. She said the memories would come. _If _she was right, no one else would understand them… surely Liane would go mad as another set of memories tried to merge with her own. But he could help her.

_Even if it is only for a while_.

Liane had no idea what had happened to her… or the precious burden she bore.

_But it's all too much to be coincidence._

But there would be no grand declarations. No. That would draw attention to her. This time, he wouldn't be a factor that endangered her life. Even if it eventually meant losing her. At least she would live.

_This time._


	5. Chapter 6

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Chosen and her companions finally leave the Triet desert, but their trek to the sea proves to be anything but relaxing….

PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Author's Notes:

First of all, thanks to all of you that have taken the time to encourage this fic. It is appreciated more than you know to realize that you're enjoying it, too! )

LateNiteSlacker: You have been there since _before _the beginning for me on this… and I'm soooo glad that you're still liking it! Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement… and I still hope to be able to keep you guessing on this, too! Yeah, Liane got a little feisty with our favorite mercenary… but that's just her… it can't be easy, now can it? ) There's going to be strangeness for a while… I guarantee that… but hopefully, it'll be fun! )

Yamato795: Once again, I thank you as well for all your support and encouragement through all of the Phoenix's adventures. I really am glad that folks seem to like Liane… I think she's going to turn out to be not quite what everyone is expecting her to be/do… but as long as she can keep surprising folks (Kratos included? ) I think we're going to have lots of fun with her. And I would _love_ to see her in the game… I've tried very hard to make sure that she fits along with the story, so your praise for her being 'part of the group' really means a lot to me…. And yeah. Angst. What would Phoenix be without the angst? ) Thanks for everything, Yama… hope you continue to enjoy! )

Musing Miyu: Thanks for your kind words and for giving Liane a chance. I think she'll end up surprising folks a lot by the time this is said and done. And I'm really glad you like my Kratos… he's one character one just really doesn't want to mess up in the ToS world… ) Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint, and there are more where it comes from…! )

StarKitty: And I get to fill Kratos cravings too? Yay! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted, but I'm working a few chapters ahead and I wanted to make sure I did a proper thanks to everyone that had reviewed… so I hope I can be forgiven! ) Yeah, I don't think this will be a 'love at first sight' thing. It really can't be… but I think the ride is going to be fun anyway. And I really have to thank you for taking the time to try to see where Liane is coming from…she has a story, too… and I'm trying to make sure she fits with all the canon characters and the original story as best I can. But that story will unravel as she goes… have no fear… and the memories will be kicking in, have no fear. )

Okay, that's about it for reviews from the last update… so please keep them coming, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 6

"Liane."

The Chosen's voice floated into the blackness of her mind. She ignored it, vastly preferring the nothingness that kept her safely in its embrace through the entire night. It was probably the best night's sleep she had had since she had left Iselia.

"Liane, wake up…."

"Mmph," Liane replied, pulling the blanket over her head to help muffle Colette's incessant commands to wake. At that point, she was already on her way to waking, despite her attempts to remain in the numb darkness, but she was hardly ready to admit it.

"Liane… Kratos was here last night…."

Liane pushed the blanket down and stared at the blonde girl, trying to focus on her in the bright morning sun.

"Wha…? When?"

Colette sat back on the nearby bed with a shrug.

"It was late… I think he was checking on us."

Liane sat up, pushing the blanket back and crawling to her feet. "Did he hurt you?"

Colette shook her head, confusion in her eyes. "Nope… he walked right by me. He seemed to want to check on you. I think maybe he was making sure that you were alright after you got hurt at the ruins." Colette paused, watching Liane thoughtfully for a moment.

"Sure… look, I'll be down in a few minutes… just let me get dressed."

The Chosen nodded cheerfully and again grabbed her packs, slipping out of the room without another word.

_This can't continue… now he's sneaking in here while I sleep? He's probably trying to finish what he started the other night. I'm probably lucky he didn't try to smother me…._

She untied her frayed braid and shook her hair loose, allowing herself the briefest of moments to consider what options she had left.

_I can follow them through this… or I can grant his wish…._

* * *

Liane descended the stairs from her room, watching the Chosen babble happily at the Professor, who – equally happily – was ignoring the girl, but nodding absently to appease her. Genis was no where to be seen and neither was Lloyd. But then she spotted Kratos leaning against the far wall of the lobby, his arms crossed in barely-disguised annoyance. She averted her eyes as soon as she realized that - behind the flop of his unruly bangs - he was watching her.

_What was he doing in our room?_ The thought gave her strength to not only meet his measuring gaze, but to glare back at him. _What does he want from me?_

"Liane… Lloyd and Genis went to get supplies. Was there anything you needed before we go?" Raine looked up in gratitude for the distraction.

Liane smiled and nodded an unvoiced 'you're welcome' as she forced herself to ignore the mercenary's presence.

"Actually, I could probably use a new tunic…" Liane signed, holding up her shredded and bloodstained sleeve from where the Ktugach had ripped into her arm. "I don't think I could piece this back together even if I could get it clean."

An exasperated sigh issued from the mercenary as he stalked outside allowing the door to slam shut behind him.

_Serves you right…_ she gloated silently.

"Liane?"

Liane shook what she knew had to be an arrogant look from her face and turned back to her mentor. Colette and Raine both looked to Liane in nearly identical mixtures of amusement and confusion.

"Anything you want to tell us?" Raine asked, a single eyebrow arched in curious suspicion.

Smiling brightly, Liane answered them with a quick shake of her head.

"Nope! But I do think that reaction just made me realize that I probably really do need at least a couple of new tunics…" she chirped, feeling ridiculously like the ever-cheerful Chosen in her response as she wandered to the door and stepped into the bright morning sunlight.

_You want to play games, Mr. Mercenary? You really should watch who you choose for your opponent… _Liane thought smugly as she left the inn. A quick survey of the town square revealed no trace of Kratos.

_Pity. I might need help carrying everything…._

* * *

An hour, two tunics, one shabby-but-much-needed scabbard, and one disgruntled mercenary later, the party found themselves once again trudging through the burning sands of the Triet desert – this time to the east of the tiny town.

And for some reason, Liane just couldn't help but show off her new, lightweight, short-sleeved tunic. She always hated playing at being the girly-girl, but the reactions – or lack thereof, more appropriately – from Kratos and Lloyd made this one exception completely worth it.

"Honestly… if you're going to insist on those heavy, long sleeved things, what do you expect?"

As twin groans escaped the swordsmen at the front of the party, Liane found herself momentarily satisfied in the success of her torture of Kratos.

_Too bad Lloyd is caught in the middle_, she should with a slight grimace for her friend, _…but I'm sure I owe him for something…._

"_Don't bother, Genis… it's a girl thing. She probably likes him or something." _

The memory of Lloyd's taunt replaced her thoughts of pity for the boy with a comforting sense of justification.

"Liane -? You re being particularly vindictive today…" Raine half-chuckled as she and Colette fell in step to Liane's side.

"It really wasn't my original intent for the day," Liane shrugged, bracing herself for the 'be kind to others ' speech she heard bubbling in her mentor's tone.

"I think she's upset that I told her that Kratos was in our room last night," Colette offered from Raine's right.

"Hmm?" The Professor's head snapped in surprise to the Chosen. "Kratos was…."

Liane groaned and kept walking, trying to ignore Colette's interjection.

Raine was unnervingly quiet for a moment before turning back to Liane.

"Well… he is being paid to protect Colette. He was probably just being cautious – especially after Lloyd's visitor last evening."

Shrugging noncommittally, Liane stared straight ahead.

_That's a good enough excuse – you can believe whatever you like, Raine…._

"But he didn't come there for me, Professor… he hardly even looked at me…."

"_Colette!"_ Liane hissed, her glare snapping onto the Chosen. Colette met the glare with surprised innocence.

Raine looked from the older girl to the younger and back again.

"Colette," Raine began calmly, "why don't you go walk with the boys for a few minutes."

The blonde girl shrugged.

"Okay…."

Raine pressed a hand to Liane's forearm to signal her to slow down to let the Chosen get ahead of them.

"Does this have anything to do with why you were hesitant as to letting anyone heal you at the fire seal?" Raine asked in a hushed voice.

"Raine, it's not that big of an issue – really. I –"

"It is when it affects how the party functions, Liane. I've known you for a long time, but I've never seen you react like this to someone you barely know. You always give people the benefit of the doubt. I know that Kratos is a stranger, and he's being paid for this – I realize that doesn't necessarily foster trust. But that's why I'm here – and why the rest of you are here now, too. We're all here for the sake of Sylvarant."

"I know, Raine," Liane sighed. She had forgotten what a good lecture directed at her had felt like – and she really didn't like the refresher course.

_But he didn't try to choke you for no reason, Raine._

"So what do you have against Kratos then?"

_Oh, let me count – wait! Here's a big one –"_

"Nothing," the younger woman grumbled, beating down her sarcastic reply.

"Nothing?"

Liane shook her head, growing tired with the interrogation. "No, Raine. Nothing."

_I can't tell them – it's not like they could fire him – and it's not like he's tried to hurt any of them._

"Ah," Raine nodded in understanding. "So then Lloyd might have been right after all."

"What!"

Raine chuckled as Liane sputtered, unable to form a response to the teacher's assumption.

"Honestly, Liane. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Raine dropped her voice and walked a bit closer, a sly smile materializing on her face. "He is… handsome… a bit mysterious… it's natural for you –"

"He tried to _choke_ me, Raine," Liane stated as calmly as she could before the other woman could launch herself into her 'birds and bees' lecture.

All the color drained from Raine's face, along with the knowing smile.

"Last night? Liane… Colette didn't say…."

Liane stopped walking and met Raine's eyes evenly and seriously.

"No. The night before we went to the ruins. Raine… don't say anything to the others – please."

Raine's eyes had grown wide with worry.

"But Liane… if he attacked you…. Why? Why would he –"

Liane hung her head slightly, trying not to remember the hatred in his eyes.

"I don't know… but he is committed to getting Colette to her destination. I am sure of that. He must have thought that I was threatening that somehow."

Raine's breath caught.

"Start walking."

"What?"

Raine's eyes shifted toward the rest of the group. "He's watching…" she whispered, trying to move her mouth as slightly as possible.

Liane's head snapped back to the group to see that Kratos had, indeed stopped and was watching their interaction intently. She glared back at him and he turned, falling in behind Lloyd, Genis, and Colette.

"Come on," she motioned slightly with her hand to Raine to get them moving again.

"But Liane… it's not right that –" Raine sputtered quietly.

"It's fine… don't worry. I can take care of myself. I'm just getting the feeling that this might not have been the best idea for me," she sighed. "He's made it quite clear that I'm not needed."

Raine laughed uneasily, obviously trying to – for the moment – forget the knowledge that her assistant had grudgingly shared with her. "Nonsense. Can you really see yourself an anywhere but here right now? You, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis have always been inseparable. It's only right that you should all be together for this."

Liane could have sworn she heard a note of sadness in Raine's voice by the end of her statement, but she covered it with a quick sigh and a quick encouraging smile.

"Then… let's just enjoy being together for now. Please, Raine… don't say anything."

Raine nodded wordlessly, clearly not liking the prospect, but bringing herself to agree with Liane – even if the younger woman couldn't help but wonder for how long.

* * *

The afternoon brought with it their first view of the mountains that would take them up and out of the desert.

"We should eat before we start over the trail," Genis offered dropping his packs and digging for supplies for a quick meal. Lloyd and Liane heaved a sigh of relief at the suggestion, and even Raine smiled slightly as she dropped her packs and leaned against a smooth-barked tree. Colette mulled around the trail, wandering from one companion to the next and chatting happily about the weather or whatever other topic bounded through her mind.

Kratos sat down heavily on a log beside the trail in mock patience to the wishes of the group.

They ate quickly, encouraged by the promise of a cooler environment that mountain pass would soon offer. Before long, they were all repacked, refreshed and staring down the opening of the trail.

"Stop!"

The woman's cry split the tranquil splendor of the mouth of the mountain pass. Liane spun along with the others, her daggers already in hand. They all looked up to see a woman clad in a strange pale purple tunic calling down to them from a ledge above the pass. The dark haired woman leapt from the ledge without another word, her waist tied with what already appeared to be a deceptively feminine pink sash.

Lloyd jumped back slightly as the woman landed before them, nimble as a cat.

Cocking her head in curiosity at the woman, Liane saw Colette's brow creased slightly.

"Is she a friend of yours, Lloyd?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Lloyd shook his head, never taking his eyes from their new companion.

_Oh, by the Goddess, Colette… don't tell me you're choosing now to get jealous over Lloyd… _Liane wanted to shake her head in dismay and then shake her friend to her senses, but instead gripped her daggers tighter, knowing it to potentially be more productive of the two options if the situation degraded any more.

"Is the Chosen of Mana among you?" the peculiarly-clad woman called to the group.

Before anyone could speak, Colette stepped forward wearing a warm smile.

"Oh, that's me."

Kratos and the others edged closer to the Chosen, all of them painfully aware of the challenge Colette had obliviously answered from the stranger.

The woman produced something that looked like a card from the folds of her tunic and drew it back as if readying a weapon.

"Prepare to die…"

The woman didn't make a noise as she leveled her gaze at Colette and launched herself at the Chosen with speed the group didn't expect.

_No… not Colette!_

Liane saw Kratos move to intercept the apparent assassin, his sword already moving to block the attack when Colette backpedaled, stumbling and falling across something in the weeds beside the trail.

All of them stopped short as the ground suddenly opened beneath the woman, the ground swallowing her from their sight.

A unified "Uh-oh…" issued from the group – all except Kratos. The rest of them had experienced displays of the Chosen's supreme klutziness before… it was a conditioned response borne of years of acquaintance with the Chosen.

Colette dropped to her knees beside the gaping hole in the ground, staring in horror into the darkness.

"Oh, no! What should I do? I did it again…" the young blonde jabbered in distress.

Raine snorted slightly in contempt, shaking her head. "You don't need to worry about it. If she had not fallen in, you might have been killed."

Colette looked up to her teacher in distress as Lloyd and Genis gathered around her.

"But…."

Liane heard Lloyd chuckle slightly and turned to watch a sheepish smile creep over his face as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, I guess I do feel a bit sorry for her," the brown-haired boy shrugged, looking over Colette's shoulder down into the pit.

"I hope she's okay…" Colette continued to look down into the hole, panic still biting at her voice.

"Even assuming her weight to be 45 kg. and this hole to be 10 m deep, and calculating the gravity constant at 9.8, the impact shouldn't have been fatal," Genis closed in beside the Chosen, studying the abyss with a calculating eye.

"Gravity… constant?" Lloyd shook his head as if trying to clear a fog, "I don't understand what you just said, but she's alive, right?"

Genis rolled his eyes.

"Probably."

Lloyd chuckled. "Still, man, she's got some bad luck - standing right on top of a trapdoor and all."

"It's not a trap," Raine offered as she studied the mechanism that Colette had stumbled over. "It's a hidden maintenance passage for the mountain path."

"We should get moving," Kratos muttered from behind the assembly beside the pit.

Liane hated to admit it, but she actually agreed with the mercenary. Every minute they waited could have given the assassin the chance she needed to come back at them.

"Hey, shouldn't we try to find out who that woman was?" Lloyd looked questioningly to Kratos.

But Kratos's impatience had apparently reached its boiling point as he sheathed his sword and started up the pass on his own.

"She'll come after us again on her own," Kratos spoke as he trudged away, "This area is too confined and the footing is poor. It would be wise not to linger."

With a last long gaze into the pit, Colette stood and Liane tugged lightly on her shoulder to follow them.

"But, Liane… what if I hurt her?"

Liane looked back at her friend. The girl was so softhearted….

_How will she ever finish this journey…? She doesn't want to hurt anyone, but at this rate, I wonder how long until she realizes that she might not have a choice._

"She seemed strong, Colette," Liane shrugged. "Come on. We may yet see her again."

The pass was clear and warm, but blessedly cooler than the desert. But anxiety made it almost as unbearable as the heat as they all started at every noise. Fortunately, they were offered occasional opportunities to relieve some of the tension by the random monsters or rogues that decided to darken their path. While none of their opponents really slowed their progress over the pass, the day was beginning to stretch into the early evening by the time they reached the Izoold end of the trail. Their stride had slowed and they were all beginning to tire.

The collapse of a mine door at the base of the pass, however, rejuvenated them all immediately.

"Wow…" Lloyd smirked drawing his sabers as the assassin from earlier in the day stumbled from the darkened cave, "… she caught up with us."

Colette sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank goodness!"

Liane groaned at Colette's exclamation… and was sure that her exasperation was shared – even if not voiced - by every other member of the party.

The woman drew herself up at the sight of the group, again producing the card that she had apparently tried to fight with earlier in the day.

"D… don't move!" the assassin wheezed. Liane could only guess that the woman's misadventures over the span of the day had taken a toll on her.

"A wise decision," Raine spoke, calmly leveling her rod at the woman with an even nod.

"I won't be caught off guard this time!" the woman shook her head stubbornly, glaring directly at Colette, "Prepare to die!" Suddenly a skeletal creature appeared behind the assassin, a frame with a demonic-looking face attached to its back.

_Goddess, what is that?_ Liane stared at the thing as she grabbed for her sword.

Lloyd had already thrown himself between the woman and Colette, his swords crossed protectively before him even as the Chosen again stumbled and fell backwards. Kratos also seemed to be squaring off against the assassin, so, with a sigh of resignation, Liane closed on the woman's companion-beast.

_This thing is… disturbing…._

Genis threw a volley of fireballs at the beast, only barely knocking it back from her as Liane swept in close to their adversary, her sword drawn back. The thing swung at her with its sickle-like talons, but she met it with a solid overhead block from her sword…

… until the claw caught on the sword, jerking the weapon from Liane's hand and sending it flying through the air.

"Liane!" Genis called as she barely ducked under the claw.

"I'm fine…" Liane huffed, rolling back to her feet and pulling her daggers from her belt. As the beast floated away from them for a moment, she glanced around… only to see her sword stuck in the ground not far from where Kratos stood casting a healing spell.

She groaned… split between wishing the sword had actually hit him and that it could have landed near _anyone_ else….

She and Genis continued to dodge the thing's attacks even as the others wore down the assassin. When the strange woman collapsed, the others rallied around she and the elven boy. Between Kratos, Lloyd, and Liane working the beast from up close, and Genis and Colette from behind them, the thing was soon crumpled broken to the ground beside its apparent mistress.

The assassin stumbled to her feet, coughing for air.

"Just you wait! I swear I will kill you all next time!" she choked, hurling a small orb to the ground at her feet. A column of smoke immediately engulfed her battered form.

"Wait!" Lloyd yelled at the dissipating plume of smoke, "Why are people trying to kill us?"

But there would be no answers for the young swordsman, as it was quickly revealed that the inhabitant of the smoke was gone.

"There are always those that reject salvation," Kratos answered in lieu of the assassin, his tone flat, suggesting that elaboration on his cryptic comment would not be forthcoming.

Genis knelt beside the assassin's fallen ally, poking at it with his kendama.

"Maybe she's a Desian."

_That's a possibility,_ Liane though, the boy's theory sounding at least plausible. _Why else would she try to kill Colette?_

"Who knows?" Kratos huffed, "At any rate, we are in constant danger. That's all we have to know."

It was a sobering thought to all of them, as their theories faded into the oncoming quiet of the evening.

Liane suddenly heard the sound of metal being drug against earth and turned to watch Kratos pulling her sword from the ground. He stood straight, resting the blade against his palm as he ran his fingers lightly over its surface.

_Oh, no…._

"Liane…" Kratos began, closing the gap between them with a few quick strides. "This sword is yours?"

She took an involuntary step away, even as she set her jaw to answer him.

"Yes."

He sighed deeply and handed the sword back to her, handle first.

"It's dangerous to fight with a weapon in such poor shape."

She glared defiantly at him.

"This sword belonged to my Grandfather. It served him well."

Kratos met her glare.

"But it could easily get you, or any of us killed in the shape that it is in. Battle is no place for sentimentality."

Liane fumed as he turned on his heel and returned to the trail, leaving her alone with her thoughts of how unbearably pompous the mercenary could be.

"Those clothes…."

The party turned at Raine's distracted whispered.

"Professor… something wrong?" Lloyd asked as he tucked his swords back into their sheaths.

Raine looked up, shaken from her thoughts. "No. It's nothing. Let's go."

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded with a smirk, clearly humoring his teacher. "Anyway, let's go look for a place where we can get a ship."

Kratos shook his head as he glanced around the area where the trail opened to the coastal plain.

"It's getting late… we should make camp for the night and then start out early for the port."

Liane wanted to yell at him… to tell him to quit bossing them around. But even she had to admit that trooping across the plain with the night coming on so quickly really didn't sound like such a good idea.

Kratos motioned to a slight clearance against the rocks a short distance from the trail.

"Set camp there. I'll go gather some wood," the mercenary declared. Lloyd's head snapped up.

"Hey! I'll go with you… it'll go faster."

Genis and Colette set off to the clearing, leaving Raine and Liane to ponder their departing companions.

"Liane… I want you to stay close to me."

Liane turned to Raine with a slight shake of her head. "No… I'm not changing my habits for him. Don't worry. If I need help, I promise that you'll know. I highly doubt he'll try anything with all of you around."

* * *

The sun had fled to the desert side of the mountains, cooling the party to the point of being cold. But none of them seemed to be willing to complain much, other than the occasional audible shiver as a blanket was pulled tighter. Liane sat by the fire while everyone else finished the dinner that Genis had prepared for them. Obstinately staring at the blade of her short sword, the truth of the mercenary's words slowly began to materialize in her mind.

_Damn… he's right. This journey is no place for sentimentality._ While she liked the extra range that the sword afforded her, she knew that this particular sword needed more than was probably possible at this stage in its life.

_But it's not like weapons grow on trees,_ she sighed, standing and then grudgingly walking to the mercenary. She felt Raine's eyes on her as she crossed the camp to where he sat in the shadows of a tree.

"May I borrow your whetstone?" she asked curtly, yet trying to force as much politeness as she could muster into each word.

He casually turned to face her, his expression almost one of boredom.

He shrugged, watching her curiously as he removed a small pouch from his belt. He held it out to her. "Do you know how to use it?"

A growl she could no longer contain escaped her as she grabbed the pouch from his outstretched hand and stalked back across the camp to the edge of the firelight.

_Do I know how to use it… how stupid does he think I am?_

She untied the pouch and spread it open on the ground. The block of stone flickered slightly with the firelight as she opened the small vial of oil and carefully placed two drops on the stone. Spreading the oil over the stone with a light swipe of her sword, she paused in thought.

_Angle the blade… short strokes… work your way down the whole blade…_

Liane began to work the blade, slowly edging toward the tip. She knew that all the rust would never work out… but she could make it a little better.

"You're going to destroy what edge you have left if you try to sharpen it like that."

Her head snapped up from her work – she had never even heard his approach behind her.

"If you know so much better, then why don't you do it?" she muttered under her breath, going back to work on the blade.

He reached down over her shoulder and plucked the sword from her hand with a deep sigh. Liane gaped at him as he settled on a grassy patch beside her.

"Whetstone, please."

She handed him the stone with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"What are you doing?"

He shrugged as he drew the blade along the stone from hilt to tip.

"Salvaging what's left of this sword."

Liane fumed as he worked on her sword with long precise strokes that sang into the night. She tried to pay attention to anything but him… the conversations at the fireside, for instance. But Kratos was a distraction to her, no matter how much she didn't want him to be. She had to keep her guard up….

"Who taught you to sharpen blades?"

She drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, clenching her hands together around her legs, as she attempted civility.

"My teachers from the Church," she answered quietly.

He paused and she could feel him watching her.

"You learned weapon maintenance from priests…" he mumbled in amusement, setting the sword back to the stone.

Liane turned to glare at him. "I learned many things from the priests," she answered with slight indignance.

Kratos worked in pacifying silence for a few moments longer.

"Why were you sent to the church?" he finally asked, as if the amusement factor had finally worn off.

"You sure have a lot of questions for someone that you tried to kill three nights ago," she retorted quietly, conscious that the rest of the party was still relatively close.

He snorted slightly, not looking from his work.

"I don't _try_ to kill people," he responded, his quiet arrogance stunning her for a moment. "If I wanted you dead…."

She blatantly glared at him, a sarcastic smile playing at her lips.

"Oh… that. And the priests taught me a bit of self-defense, too."

He didn't respond to her jab, but she saw him roll his eyes slightly. It was enough for her.

"I was a good student, but the fact that I was older than my classmates didn't help. So my father arranged for me to go on a pilgrimage with the trainees of the church. I left when I was just a little younger than Lloyd is now. The priests finished my schooling and expanded it – and we traveled all over Sylvarant. I learned the legends and about the people – I've seen the priests settle bloody disputes and I've seen terrifying monsters," she spoke distractedly, watching the fire dance in the distance.

"So they taught you to fight as well?"

She nodded. "They taught me a little of everything they could. It takes far longer than the two and a half years I was gone to learn anything with any proficiency, as I'm sure you would agree."

He held the sword up to inspect it, seemingly oblivious to her prodding statement.

With a shrug, she pulled her blanket loose from her pack and unrolled it against the base of a nearby tree.

"So you were in the care of the Church of Martel for that long and they didn't test you for their service?"

She paused as she crawled onto her blanket, staring at him for a moment.

"Tested? Yes… but they didn't need me. I'm not nearly gifted enough to be in service to the Goddess," she chuckled self-depreciatingly. "But it would have saved my father all the money he had to donate to the church to get them to take me on if they had accepted me."

"You're fortunate. The Church has a way of exploiting its resources," he commented, setting to work on the other side of the blade.

"You sound bitter," she observed, rolling into half of the blanket.

"No. I'm simply stating a fact."

Liane quietly chewed over his words in her mind.

"But the Church is giving us the regeneration of our world…" she sighed in confusion, her eyes drifting to her friends seated around the fire – and Colette in particular.

"Indeed," he commented from the dark beside her. His now-familiar cool tone indicated that the topic would go no further.

She listened to the world around her – her friends quietly talking as they settled for bed, Kratos meticulously grinding on her sword – as she tried to decide to seize this momentary truce for the sake of understanding.

"Kratos?" she propped herself up on one arm to watch him.

"Hmm?"

She shook her head sadly, as he didn't even look up from the sword.

"Will you tell me why you…" she paused, knowing she had to choose her words carefully, "… attacked me the other night?"

It seemed like he never heard her question as he diligently kept working the blade across the whetstone, leaving her to almost wonder if she had actually voiced her question.

"I told you. I can't let anything – or anyone – endanger this mission.

"Huh," she shook her head sadly, lying back down to stare at the dark sky. "You don't trust anyone, do you? That's a shame. So, wouldn't it be easier to just let me get myself killed with my rusty old sword than to put all this effort into helping me fix it?" She almost cringed as she realized that there was no way that she could keep all signs of sarcasm from her voice.

The mercenary paused, testing the edge of the blade with his thumb.

"No… the Chosen would be distracted by your death. The party has to stay as it is, for her sake. We can slow down now."

Liane shrugged down into her blanket, disheartened by his cold answer.

_What did I expect – an apology? Not likely…._

* * *

The chatter from the group around the fire had long since died out when he again looked from his work. A rhythmic rise and fall of Liane's blanket made him fairly certain that she was asleep. He tested the edge of the blade, grudgingly deciding that there was no more that he could do for the antique sword. Slipping it back into the sheath she had purchased, he placed it near her pack and turned his pondering back to her.

_Damn, but the girl is stubborn. It's almost easier to have her hate me than to deal with some of her questions._

Although, while her association with the Church had been but a minor sidenote before, it bothered him now.

_She said she wasn't gifted enough for Service – but I saw her use magic – a low level wind spell, granted – but it was magic. I've never known the Church to turn away even a slight gift,_ he mused, his eyes resting on her sleeping form.

_They knew that there was something different about her._

The thought chilled him. But at the same time, it was reinforcement for what the fortune teller had told him.

_But she never said it was Anna,_ he told himself. It was so much easier to believe that it was someone else – or even that the fortune teller was wrong – than to surrender to the hope. But the one thing he couldn't deny was the connection.

_Now if only I can convince myself to believe in coincidence._

* * *

The night came and fled quickly, rousing the party for a quick breakfast of cabbage rolls before they set out for the last leg of their journey across their home continent

Liane followed Kratos and Lloyd as they picked their way across the open field.

"Regenerating the world… such foolish nonsense," she heard Kratos sigh.

Lloyd froze in mid-step, gaping at the mercenary.

"What's so foolish about it?" Lloyd complained, obviously taking the comment personally.

Kratos sighed heavily continuing to walk past the boy. "Let's say this regeneration is successful. But eventually the world will start to decline again like before. Then another Chosen will go on a dangerous journey. It does not end."

"That's…" Lloyd faltered, faced with the blatant truth of the mercenary's statement.

"What we are doing does not solve the basic problem. It only buys some time," Kratos continued, a despondent tone creeping into his voice. There was also something Liane couldn't quite name….

_Sadness…? No…._

Lloyd seemed oblivious to the mercenary, continuing to babble out loud. "I wonder why the world regeneration was created in the first place."

"Hm…" Kratos looked to his young companion, a look of pity on his face.

Lloyd's eyes went wide as he stared at Kratos, as if daring him to finish his thought. "Wh…what!"

"You're asking that question now?" Kratos groaned. "It doesn't matter. You now have doubts. If you do not stop your thought process, then maybe something will change."

"Kratos… you're pretty weird," Lloyd shook his head and walked beside the mercenary, his eyes straight ahead. Liane had to fight back a giggle at her friend's observation.

"Maybe I am," Kratos murmured absently. Liane saw him cast a sidelong glance at Lloyd and wondered if it was a truth that was only now being revealed to the mercenary.

As the group walked, they began to bunch, and what at one time may have been single file, gradually turned to two by two, and finally to a chattering conglomeration of friends, despite that Kratos still walked slightly away from the group.

Liane looked out over the grassy green plain, breathing in the clean air of the coastline as her companions chatted merrily around her. She had found the cool morning to be a relief as she slipped into her new heavy tunic to start the day, the weather wearing away the memory of the blazing temperatures of the desert. It never occurred to her as she lived in her tiny town of Iselia after her journey with the church, how much she truly missed these other lands, though.

"I know! I bet they're dwarven clothes!" Lloyd's cheerful epiphany crept into her quiet appreciation of the land. "The ones I'm wearing now were made by my father! Well? Don't they look similar?

Genis rolled his eyes, and Liane couldn't help but giggle.

"How can you call that similar?" the silver-haired boy groaned at his friend.

"Is this what happens when one is raised by a dwarf?" Kratos shook his head in dismay.

Lloyd gaped between his friend and the mercenary before his expression soured and he stalked away from the others, leaving almost all of them to try desperately to not laugh out loud.

* * *

At the outskirts of Izoold, Liane caught her first sight of the tiny village in almost two years. She had traveled along the coast of the western continent for the better part of a month during her training with the Church. And, while the tutelage had pushed her, she remembered her time along the coast as a happy time. The sea was always constant, yet always changing at the same time. It calmed her almost as much as her stars… and the nights she spent on the coast were some of the most peaceful she could ever remember.

"We need to find a ship," she heard Lloyd muttering as he looked around the town.

"The wise thing would be to secure lodging for the night," Raine corrected him. "Then we can find a ship in the morning."

Liane heard Genis giggle slightly, right before a swift smack to the back of his head from his sister kept the giggle in check.

"But Raine… I want to go down to the docks… we need supplies… and I just want to see…" Genis started to whine slightly.

Raine started to object, but Liane stepped to Genis's side.

"Raine… I'll go with him. We'll look around a bit… get some supplies. Then we can all settle in for the night at the inn and get an early start tomorrow."

After a few moments more of what Liane knew were half-hearted protests, she relented and Liane found herself walking the merchant row with Genis by her side.

"Thanks, Liane… I just really wanted to come down here for a few minutes… it's just so different here from Iselia…."

Liane smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "You've only started to see 'different', Genis. Trust me."

* * *

The fire in the tiny inn crackled as the sun sank beneath the western mountains, turning the oceanside town into a study of pastels mimicking the sky.

But instead of finding the colors filtering through the windows calming, Liane started fidgeting.

_I'm going to go crazy just sitting here. We could have been across the sea tonight…_ she thought dismally, twirling a piece of her ponytail absently around her finger.

"Liane? Is everything okay?"

She turned at Lloyd's inquiry, ready with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm just excited to get moving. Maybe I'll go take a walk…."

Liane stood from the chair and walked to the door, the others all watching her with various levels of interest.

_Glad I can entertain everyone_, she thought as she exited the inn and stepped out into the brisk evening air. As she walked along the dockside area, the merchants were all busy closing up for the night, the bustle of the tiny port town winding down for another day. She glanced down one of the main docks to see Max's ship… the ship that would take them to Palmacosta when morning came. To her, leaving the continent would be the first major step in the journey_. Not that the trip so far has been anything but exciting… _she thought with a humorless smile stealing to her lips. But the sooner they could get to Palmacosta, the sooner they could leave her at Luin. Then she wouldn't be a problem to them.

_Or to him._

"Can I walk with you?"

Liane wasn't entirely surprised to find the Chosen standing patiently beside her.

"Sure," Liane nodded as Colette fell in step beside her. _It will be easier to convince Kratos that I'm not off plotting with the wolves if I have her as my witness that I'm doing nothing more sinister than enjoying the evening_, she thought bitterly. _Although I can't believe he's letting her be alone with me…._

"I've never been to a place like this," Colette sighed, gazing out to sea with undisguised wonder in her eyes. Liane couldn't help but recognize the reaction to the port town from her earlier discussion with Genis.

"You'll see plenty of new things on this journey, Colette," Liane smiled at her younger friend, even as the blonde girl's enthusiasm seemed to suddenly wane.

"I guess so…" Colette shrugged, trying but failing to sound anywhere near convincing.

"Colette…?"

"We should be getting back," Colette sighed, a wistful smile appearing on her lips. "But it's so pretty…."

Liane nodded. The Chosen was right… they really shouldn't be out much longer. But they weren't all that far from the inn, even if trouble did come up, Liane doubted that the others would be long in arriving to their… to the Chosen's… aid.

"Go ahead… I'll be there shortly."

"Okay…" Colette nodded, turning and leaving Liane alone with her thoughts. "I'll tell them where you are…."

She stood on the dock, the crimson and golden sunset sparkled off the water hypnotically, making it appear to be on fire. Liane had full intentions of keeping her promise to Colette to be close behind her on her way back to the inn… but it was so beautiful…

… _and so familiar…_

_Suddenly, there was a warm hand clasped over her right hand. And in her other, she clutched three large pink and white flowers. The pinks were as vivid as the sunset's reds and golds, but within their field were darker spots of purple. _

… _he called them Stargazer Lilies. _

_She shook… but she was sure that it wasn't from the cool sea breeze. Her pale shawl fluttered at the edges of her blurred vision. Looking down to their joined hands, she realized that she wasn't the only one who shook. _

_And she had never known him to be cold._

_Then the flowers were falling from her hand… the white ribbon that bound them together flailing in the air… and then curling on the top of the waves as the lilies were carried away into the fiery sunset._

* * *

Kratos forced himself to not pace. The Chosen had been gone far too long. Everyone else seemed to be content to read… or, in Lloyd's case, sleep… early that night. No one seemed even vaguely concerned that the two girls had been gone far longer than to take a simple walk.

_She had to have found Liane by now… the town's not that big…._

And then another thought…

_The assassin… _

"Hi, Kratos!"

He spun to find the Chosen peering into the inn, a tired smile on her lips. The blonde girl slipped in and carefully let the door close behind her.

"Where is Liane?"

Colette grinned. "Oh, I found her. We walked down by the docks. She stopped to watch the sunset – she said she'd be back in a few minutes…."

_The docks…?_

"You should rest, Chosen – tomorrow will be a long day as well," he suggested, glancing out the window. The night had started to set in… it would soon be dark. "Raine…?"

The teacher looked up at him wordlessly from her book.

"I'm going to go get Liane. Will you be awake for a few minutes longer?"

Raine watched him with suspiciously.

"I can go get her," Raine stated, closing her book and starting to stand from her chair.

_Damn… I forgot that Liane told her…._

"I'll go. It's not safe for her out after dark by herself. I'll bring her back," he tried to explain, ignoring her inferred mistrust.

The silver-haired woman watched him skeptically for a moment before nodding slowly.

"Fine. But if you're not both back soon, we'll come looking for you," Raine spoke evenly. "After all, it might not be safe in the night for you, either."

_I probably deserved that,_ Kratos nodded, acknowledging the thinly-veiled threat and silently cursing the bond between all the other members of the party.

"_We'll _be back shortly."

Kratos slipped out of the inn, hoping against hope that he would meet the girl on her way back. But the closer he got to the dock area, the more he realized that his hopes were in vain. But he knew where he would find her.

"Liane?"

The brown-haired girl sat on the edge of the furthest dock, her knees pulled tightly to her chest, staring forlornly out to sea. He walked to stand behind her, but hesitated to get too close.

"_Where did they go…?" _she whispered.

"Liane… who are you talking about?"

"_The flowers…" _she muttered, but he found that he wasn't certain that he was the one she was responding to.

His eyes narrowed at her. "Liane, are you awake?"

Kratos knelt beside her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders and pushing her around to face him. She stared back at him blankly, her eyes glazed.

_No… I've seen this before…._

"Liane… wake up…" he urged gently, trying to be careful to not startle her.

"_But they're gone… they were here…" _she murmured sadly. "…weren't they?" Liane blinked, her eyes clearing as she stared at him.

"Kratos?" she asked, confusion saturating her tone.

He sighed, releasing her shoulders and standing, looking back in the direction of the inn, half expecting to find Raine leading a mob of torch-wielding villagers to find him.

"You should get some sleep."

Liane turned away from him, letting her legs dangle from the dock.

"I… I'd like to stay here… for a little longer. You can go back." she muttered, staring back out to the now-dark horizon. "I'll be fine."

_She was dreaming…._

He seated himself beside her on the dock, watching her carefully. She was quiet, but seemed aware of where she was – and that he was there.

"Can you tell me what you saw?" he ventured quietly.

Liane turned and regarded him with tired suspicion, shaking her head slightly.

"I don't really even know…" she whispered before turning her gaze to her knees. "Why do you care, anyway?

Kratos remained silent, seeing how lost she seemed to be. He hadn't been there when she had awakened after Anna's grave. But the look in her eyes… the distant tone in her voice… it was all the same. In reality, he would have given just about anything for a glimpse of what she saw. But instead, all he could offer her was silence, hoping that his simple presence would count for something.

She made a slight choking noise. He turned to look at her, only to see that she was staring to her left… keeping her face from him.

_Well, I did decide that it was easier to have her hate me,_ he thought, turning his attention back to the gentle waves that lapped at the footing piers of the dock.

"Kratos?"

It was barely a whisper, and surprisingly, he only barely heard it.

"Yes?" He answered, intrigued that she had even spoken to him.

"Why… do you hate me?"

Her question caught him off guard, but he knew that the reality of it was that it insinuated the response that he had set out to culture in all of them.

_Ignore her! Walk away!_ his mind screamed at him. _Let the teacher come fetch her back to the inn…!_

"I don't hate you," he heard himself begin to answer with a calm that his soul certainly did not feel.

"Then why… why have you gone out of your way to show me exactly how useless I am to everyone… only to go out of your way to help me… or to bring me back to the group?" She turned to him with eyes that spoke of a sadness that she couldn't voice.

He sighed and stood, never breaking eye contact with her.

_Damn. She might not be a test from Yggdrasill… but she's a test of everything else…._

He offered his hand down to her. She contemplated the hand for a long moment, her eyes shifting from him to his hand, before she finally put her right hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"You… remind me of someone," he answered, chaos churning his body and soul.

Liane hung her head in shame.

"Ah. Then I remind you of someone you hated," she sighed, her tone one of sad enlightenment.

He stood before her, pondering her words calmly.

_That's good enough,_ his mind sighed in relief. _Let her fill in the blanks…._

"No. It was not someone I hated."

Her eyes widened at his response as he sighed, knowing that his mind would torture him over the uncontrolled conversation for the rest of the night.

"Come," he tugged slightly on her hand. "The Professor will not be pleased if we are gone for much longer."

She fell in step beside him, but said no more – a fact he found himself grateful for.

When the reached the main boardwalk linking the docks to the town, he looked up to find the Professor blocking their path, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Kratos couldn't help but take note that she was alone.

_Hmm… no villagers, pitchforks, or torches…._

"It's late. You both need sleep," the elven woman commented, her barbed voice cutting through the quiet of the night. "I had to wake up Lloyd so that I could…" she paused in mid-complaint, flustered for a split second before turning on her heel and starting back to the inn. "But, I see that you're on your way back… I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Kratos and Liane stood for a moment, both puzzled wordless over the behavior of the normally unshakable teacher.

"What was that…?" Liane began as she watched the form of the Professor slip into the inn.

Then realization dawned on them simultaneously as their attention fell down between them.

Kratos still lightly clutched Liane's hand in his own.

_Oh, hells._


	6. Chapter 7

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: A new continent unfolds before the Chosen's group… but ignored problems don't just go away, no matter how much they wish they would.

PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Thanks to everyone who's reading! I really hope you enjoy this update… please review!

Chapter 7

Liane pulled her hand quickly from his, as if he had burned her.

"Heh… thanks… Kratos," she chuckled nervously. "I think I can make it back to the inn."

_How could I have not noticed that he was still holding my hand? I really must be addled…._

She glanced up to him for a brief moment, relieved to find his normal stoic expression firmly in place by the light of the pale streetlamps. After a moment's hesitation, he motioned to the boardwalk and she gratefully slipped in front of him as they walked back to the inn. Aware that he was following her only by an occasionally audible footstep, her mind worked over their awkward situation.

_Goddess…Raine saw us holding hands. She probably thinks that we were…._

Liane stopped the thought firmly as she felt her cheeks warm in anticipation of where it would end.

_And now, she'll be waiting._

She wanted to keep walking… past the inn… and straight out of town. And she certainly didn't want to try to explain to the Professor something she didn't understand herself.

The tiny inn loomed before them, as foreboding as any Desian base against the moonless night sky.

Kratos stepped around her and pushed the door open, holding it open and waiting for her to pass.

"You're not going in?" she asked him quietly as she watched him in open curiosity.

The mercenary shook his head, the firelight that gently filled the inside of the inn casting yet more shadows across his face.

"No. I will stand my watch here," he stated curtly.

_Huh. Should have been expecting that._

"Oh… well… good night, then," she spoke as she slipped by him and into the inn. She wasn't surprised by the lack of response from the mercenary, but the click of the latch on the door that separated them was a song of relief to her rattled nerves.

"There's blankets in the chair beside the door."

Liane turned at the quiet statement to find Raine sitting on the edge of her bed behind the door – and, from the looks of the weary smile on her mentor's face – waiting for her. Trying to ignore what she feared was an impending conversation by grabbing a blanket, she quickly glanced around to her friends. She sighed when she found that Raine seemed to blessedly be the only one awake.

"Good night, Raine," Liane offered, still hoping to diffuse any need for further interaction for the night, spreading her blanket against the wall of the room beside the hearth. She heard blankets rustle, presumably as Raine crawled into them and Liane relaxed, grateful for the promise of peace she received from the darkness as she allowed her eyes to close finally on the day and a long night.

"So… I take it you made up?"

She groaned at the mirthful whisper from the Professor and started to pull the blanket up over her head….

… but that was before a muffled giggle escaped the blankets on the bed not three feet from her head.

_Oh, by all that is holy… Raine… you didn't tell Lloyd did you…?_

When no more taunts or other signs of amusement broke the silence, Liane settled onto her back and pushed back the blanket to stare at the ceiling. The low-burning fire cast shadows in all directions, mesmerizing her.

_What's the big deal, anyway? He helped me up and we started to walk back. He just didn't let go._

She shook her head sadly, clearing the slate of her mind. But no matter how many times she thought about it, the elements of the equation were always the same – _he didn't let go. And I didn't make him… why?_

It was just the end result that varied.

_Because I didn't notice. _

_Because it was comfortable._

Liane swallowed hard, the noise echoing inside her head.

_Because I didn't want him to let go. Damn._

Her dream – at least she thought it was a dream - she didn't remember falling asleep, or even waking for that matter – was fading just as the sunset had. All that she remembered were the vivid colors and a sense of peaceful completion – followed directly by a profound sadness. As the dream released her mind from its thrall, he was there. His presence confused her at first, but then, she found herself oddly comforted by him. She hadn't wanted to talk to him – and he seemed to accept that. It was almost as if he somehow understood. She hadn't wanted to think – and his simple gesture to lead her away from the dock and from her vision had afforded her that favor.

She clenched her eyes shut in frustration as her reasoning totaled to yet another conclusion.

_I trust him._

* * *

_It was a courtesy… just a courtesy. I couldn't simply leave her there all night…'_

"So… I take it you made up?"

Kratos shook his head as the teacher's words filtered through the wooden door to him. For just a moment, he felt pity for Liane, who seemed to be bearing the brunt of his indiscretion. But he quickly remembered that they all knew each other… they knew how to take barbs from each other. She, after all, had been the one to tell the Professor what had transpired between them that night at Triet. Not that he would deny it, but she kept it like a secret from everyone instead of alarming them all as to what he had done. She left herself open for the ridicule.

_Maybe this will at least keep the Professor from glaring at me for a while. The woman has a suspicious nature._

He snorted at the thought as a grudging respect for the teacher bloomed in his mind.

_Good. One of them really needs to be suspicious._

He knew that he had already slipped on occasion… the most recent and most public being his reaction to the group's desire to take the Chosen to a doctor after releasing the fire seal.

_Really… what mercenary knows anything about becoming an angel? But none of them thought like that. Are they really that blind or… or are they just so concerned with the Chosen?_

Kratos sat forward on the step of the inn, clenching his fingers over the edge of the step.

_Damn. This is all getting so out of control…._

It was supposed to have been easy… get the Chosen from point A to point B. That was before the boy…

He felt splinters sink into his fingers as he tightened his grip on the wooden step.

_Lloyd… the boy has a name… his parents gave it to him, _he chided himself. Lloyd was a part of the party, just as he was a piece of his past that wouldn't let go.

_And so is she._

He stood up, his left hand closing habitually over the handle of his sword as he paced away from the building, his eyes wandering in the direction of the docks.

_There really should be no way that it could be possible. But… she knows things… she doesn't say much about them, but…_

She knew about the docks. That particular dock. And worse, it meant that he knew exactly what she had seen.

_But she never seems to remember anything. Or at least nothing she'll admit to._

His eyes widened.

_Maybe she doesn't. Maybe they're not memories to her… _

While it was grasping for a reason, it made sense. Memories may tell her a story that she could associate with him… or Lloyd… or even herself. Maybe… maybe they were awakening so slowly that she couldn't put them together. She had seemed so confused at the dock… lost, even – even after he was sure she was fully 'awake.' It was what had made him reach out to her… a hand in a hand… offered in unspoken understanding to comfort….

_A lost soul…._

He turned at the thought, and paced a few steps towards the town's entrance. It was an appropriate term, he decided. It certainly was a soul that had been missing from his life.

_And apparently a soul that still has a story to tell. It's simply speaking it to ears that can't understand it._

But one fact bothered him even in the face of his realization. Her reaction to him never really changed… all these places that he knew she had visions… they were all places that tied him to… _her_. But she always came back at him with one defense mechanism or another… seeming to be happy to keep him at a far arm's reach.

_Not that attacking her was probably the best thought-out plan I've ever had._

He turned to pace back to the inn, a slight groan escaping him as he remembered the look in her eyes… the look that haunted him every time he thought of her.

_But my first reaction was that she was watching Lloyd… because she knew what he is to me. I had to protect him… the child of a Cruxis seraph would certainly be of value to someone._

The sobering thought disappointed him deeply… with himself and no one else.

_He's of value to me… but he can never know. My son may well die never knowing how close he came to his real father._

As if Lloyd wasn't enough of a sore spot, his thoughts grudgingly again turned to the girl that hopefully now slept in the building behind him. He could honestly, truly tell himself that he had no ulterior motives when he offered her his hand. It had been meant as a simple statement that he wouldn't leave her there. But then…

… then he didn't know what happened.

She had simply been there with him… and in the quiet calm of their unspoken truce, he had found a degree of comfort – almost even a momentary shelter from what the near future and duty would bring him to do.

_Damn it all, I don't want to get close to them. I can't. I'm committed to this._

He looked up and focused he glare on a fence post across the road.

_When the time comes… they will have to fight… all of them… or they will die._

Slowly – ever so slowly – his mind disguised the fence post as a ghostly image of Lloyd… the carefree swordsman who already seemed to be attaching himself to Kratos. He steeled himself to the vision of the boy, narrowing his glare even more at the apparition.

The boy that looked back at him with her eyes.

_It doesn't matter… none of it matters. The past is no longer a concern… and the future…._

He sighed and willed the image of Lloyd to fade from his mind.

_They will all die anyway._

He shook his head slightly as the part of him that he had been so sure died with his wife and his son again awoke – just as it had every night since the Temple of Martel.

_But I want to know them… what they have become without me._

He recognized that it was a morbid curiosity. Lloyd had obviously grown strong under the care of the dwarf – and his sense of honor was almost a tangible aura around him. Kratos felt what he knew was an unfounded pride in the thought, fully recognizing that he could claim no responsibility for such an admirable quality. Still… he knew there was more to the boy than that.

_There's still time…._

And then there was the girl that reminded him of Anna for no one reason in particular, yet all of the reasons in general. The thought was truly quite addictive – she really was like a glimpse of what Anna might have been had he not entered her life – had he not ruined her life by loving her.

He closed his eyes, and allowed himself passage to a place long since banished from his mind….

_She crossed the field from the town entrance, a nervous hesitance in her gait. She had long ago told him about her favorite dress – and even from where he sat, he could see why it deserved the honor of the title. It was a pale yellow that seemed to glow in the moonlight as her bare feet skimmed over the glimmering meadow, rain from the afternoon still beading on the blades of grass. She wore her hair loose… something he couldn't ever remember seeing before – it was always in a braid or ponytail. But that night, her waist-length hair swung freely with her step, occasionally revealing that not only did the dress accentuate her slight form, it bared the tops of her pale shoulders._

_She was beautiful… ethereal, even. _

_And it broke his heart to watch her climb the hill to the tree… their tree…._

_He had told her he needed to talk with her… he knew that he had to tell her goodbye. He loved her… but as much as he ached to be with her, he knew he could offer her nothing but a life on the run and full of fear. They would never leave him alone. And that would bring nothing but sorrow for her. No matter how he loved her, it would never make up for hurting her._

_Everything became so clear to him when he saw her step from her house. She was so happy… she wasn't going to hear a goodbye… she was going to meet a suitor. She was going to meet him._

_A piece of him died with that realization, but it also helped to steel his resolve. He saw it in how she looked at him when they were together… she was his._

_A goodbye wouldn't come from him. He couldn't stand to see that light fade from her eyes._

_She settled herself at the base of the tree, pulling her feet back under her, resting against the trunk as she patiently awaited his arrival._

_How many quiet evenings had they spent there in quiet peace watching the stars come out… her resting against him… hesitantly at first… but then… it was like they were both coming home._

_She loved him._

_He loved her. _

_The result should have been easy. It wasn't. She deserved more. _

_And he didn't deserve her._

_And he proved it._

_After one last longing glance at her and the ghost of something that felt so perfect, he turned away and leapt from his perch on the roof of the inn, starting for the western gates of the city. _

_Perhaps someday, he would return… check on her… make sure she was safe. Someday… when he wouldn't have to fight the urge to take her in his arms and beg her forgiveness for leaving her all alone that night. Someday… when he wouldn't have to fight the urge to choke the man that would inevitably heal the wounds in her heart that he would inflict on her that night._

_She would live, her heart would heal, and she would forget about him…._

"Kratos?"

He started at the inquiry, realizing how completely his mind had taken him away from Izoold and back to the one of the best-intentioned decisions he had ever made.

"Yes, Lloyd?" he tried to sound coherent as he stood, finding the younger swordsman standing in the doorway of the inn, his bleary-eyed elven friend faithfully at his side, fulfilling their promise to take a watch that night.

"It's our watch… go get some sleep."

Kratos momentarily watched the proof of his lack of resolve to hold to the decision he made that night so many years ago, and nodded. He knew sleep wouldn't come, but the pretense was easier than explaining that to them.

"It's been quiet," Kratos started, trading places with the boys as he paused in the doorway of the inn. "Be careful, though… that assassin could simply be biding her time."

"Don't worry," Lloyd grinned, patting his swords confidently. "We'll stop her if she comes."

Kratos doubted the likelihood of the statement, but not the resolve behind it.

"Fine then. Good night."

"Oh, hey, Kratos?"

The mercenary turned a curious eye to the boys just as Genis elbowed Lloyd in the ribs, obviously goading his friend into some pre-planned gesture.

"Liane likes you. She's just too stubborn to say anything. But if you hurt her…."

There was seriousness in Lloyd's words… and this time, Kratos could not bring himself to doubt the likelihood of the unfinished threat. There was a fierce protectiveness that bound the group of friends together. And he wasn't a part of that.

He nodded his acceptance of the boys' challenge, but he knew that it wasn't a promise he could make. Not to any of them.

Allowing the door to close, Kratos looked around the room. The Professor and the Chosen both slept peacefully in their beds, and, predictably, Liane slept beside the wall. He found her choice of sleeping arrangements fascinating… but then, she would find his lack thereof even more interesting. It could be called a draw.

He pulled a chair from beside the hearth directly before the fireplace and sat down. His gaze was pulled to the girl sleeping on the floor without the need for an excuse. Her was face a masque of peace….

_And while Lloyd is proof that I couldn't stay away from Anna, Liane seems to be proof that Anna didn't forget about me, either_, he thought, a slight frown forming at the thought.

_I already did hurt her, Lloyd. She just doesn't remember it. Yet…_

* * *

Morning's first rays found the group at the docks, anxiously awaiting Max's arrival. Liane wondered how they would ever find this 'Aifread' that Lyla had so desperately sought… it wasn't as if she had really given them any description of the man.

_Oh, well… hopefully, he'll be obvious enough to spot… our word has been given that we'll deliver the letter, now._

The morning had started pleasantly, with almost everyone awakening at about the same time. Lloyd and Genis were already beginning to show slight signs of their guard-switch during the night as she had caught them both yawning several times as they had been packing to leave the inn. Colette seemed to be at least as excited as Lloyd and Genis to cross the sea, while Raine was the polar opposite, the Professor seeming to be more than content to not even touch the planks of the docks.

And Kratos? Kratos was Kratos. She hadn't seen him until she had emerged from the inn, and even then, it was clear to her that he was avoiding her. He was actively avoiding being anywhere near her. When the group walked together to the docks, he was the furthest away from her.

_Maybe it's for the best,_ she thought. She did want to talk to him about the night before… thank him for coming to look for her, at least. But with Raine being witness to what instantly went from being a peaceful moment to being an unnervingly awkward one – and Martel only knew what Lloyd saw or was told – any contact between her and the mercenary for a while would surely be an item of interest. The thought oddly saddened her. She hadn't forgotten the night outside the inn, but his behavior since then suggested that there was more to the story than she understood. And, on top of all of that, the fortune teller's words still clung to her memory. '_Soulmate.' _She had always dreamed that there was someone out there for her, even when she was small. Her mother had told her as far back as she could remember that her father was her soulmate… that she felt it from the first time that they met. Liane had always found herself with a romantic definition of the term in her mind as she had prayed to the Goddess for one of her own.

Liane cast a sidelong glance at the mercenary, staring off across the water and, at least to her, pointedly _not_ at her.

She had felt something when they first met, there was no doubt. And she was fairly sure from his reaction that he had as well. But romance? No… nothing she had experienced with him had come close to even suggesting romance. As Raine pointed out, he was attractive, in an intriguingly mysterious way, but that was it.

_Until last night… _her mind whispered tauntingly to her. She groaned slightly, earning a curious glance from the Professor but nothing more. It was… sweet… in retrospect. It suggested that the man had a shred of decency in him… but it wasn't romantic.

But it left her wondering what it would have felt like if it had been.

Mentally sweeping the thought away, she actively chose a different thought. She saw Lloyd laughing with Genis, and a smile curled her lips slightly. _Why can't a soulmate be a friend?_ Lloyd had been with her for what seemed like forever. While she knew that she would never see him as anything but a brother and a friend, she couldn't deny the bond between them. The bond had been forged in the throes of tragedy in both of their young lives, although she knew his to be the bigger loss. She had recovered… she hadn't lost anyone. But Lloyd… he had lost everything. But as they grew and became friends with Genis and Colette, their collective bond grew and strengthened. They were all her soulmates as well.

She smiled triumphantly. That was the key. Kratos would be a friend then… the fortune teller's words could still be true.

But the smile faded almost as quickly.

_I wonder if I'll ever know what mother speaks of when she speaks of father like that…._

"Max! Hey, Max! We're ready!"

Lloyd's cry ripped through the quiet morning and rattled Liane from her slight depression. She turned, along with the others at the man's approach.

The man looked even grumpier than he had the day before. He muttered some sort of off-handed greeting as he stalked by them without stopping.

As they all watched, Max stomped his way down the dock and hopped onto his ship, busying himself immediately with something inside a hatch on the deck of the ship.

"That must mean we're supposed to follow him…?" Genis asked no one of his companions in specific as he slowly started down the dock, Lloyd and Colette falling in step behind him. Kratos spared the remaining women a quick questioning glance before also stepping onto the dock with a shrug.

Liane looked to Raine, who stood beside her, eyes wide as the others hopped onto the ship.

"Raine?"

"I was afraid this journey would force me on a boat sooner or later…" the Professor sighed, her feet carrying her, apparently unwillingly to the dock.

Liane watched her friend and mentor walk down the dock and began to follow, allowing herself a quick glance around at what she could see of the eastern continent of Sylvarant.

_Goodbye… I might not be seeing you again for a while_, she thought wistfully at the land of her birth. But her future beckoned to her even as Lloyd called to her from the ship. The looked up to see that even Raine was already on board, and the only thing keeping the boat at the dock was the fact that Max still held a mooring rope wrapped over his flexed arm. When she got to the ship, she tossed her pack onto the deck and accepted Lloyd's hand to step across the wavering gap between the ship and the dock.

"Thanks for the help, Lloyd," she smiled as her friend waved off the gratitude.

"No problem… see?" he held up his hands with a broad grin at her. "I even let go after I helped you!"

Even as Lloyd began to chuckle, Liane's jaw dropped.

"Lloyd!" Raine hissed, suddenly behind the brown-haired swordsman with a swift smack to the back of his head. "Apologize to Liane!"

Liane glanced to each of the others in turn… Genis seemed to be content to stare out to sea – she couldn't tell if he had even seen the display. Colette also seemed to be absorbed with the sight of being surrounded by the water as she leaned hesitantly over the edge of the deck. And Kratos… she heard a heavy sigh from his direction after Lloyd's taunt, but he never turned. Maybe he didn't hear.

Or maybe he simply didn't care.

"No, Raine… it's all right," she tried to smile as she patted Lloyd's shoulder and walked to stand beside Colette at the edge of the deck.

Once they cleared the docks, Max stepped over to the main mast, uncoiling a rope and allowing the main sail to unfurl in the morning breeze. The flap of the fabric called Liane's attention up, an excitement flashing through her as yet another part of the journey started.

_I'm glad I am able to be with them…_ she thought, catching a glimpse of Kratos out of the corner of her eye. _"Even him… all of them. These are my friends."_

Genis excitedly jumped up and down beside Lloyd.

"We're at sea! We're at sea!"

Lloyd groaned, looking over to his young friend.

"Settle down, this thing's tiny. Do you want to fall out?"

Genis ignored his friend, his excitement in full control of his actions as he continued to laugh and jump. Liane had to admit that Lloyd did have a point… she could even feel the vibration in the deck from the impact of the small boy's weight.

"Gee, I'm so sorry my ship is too "tiny" for you!" Max grumbled from the helm of the ship, barely audible over Genis's giggles.

Colette's voice drew her attention from the disgruntled captain.

"I'm gonna fall!"

Liane sighed as she reached over to her friend, who was wobbling dangerously near the edge, and grabbed her by the back of the collar, gently dragging her back a step from the edge.

"Colette, considering that you know as well as we do that you're a klutz, do you really think standing that close to the edge is a good idea? If the Chosen would drown in the middle of the journey for regeneration, don't you think that would be just a little counterproductive? You have to be careful, too, you know…" Liane scolded the girl that she considered to be her little sister with a laugh. They both knew that no one on the ship would let her be harmed, even if she did fall in. Colette's eyes danced at Liane, even as her shoulders drooped slightly.

"I know, Liane… I'm sorry… I'm just excited."

"We all are," Liane nodded with a smile, even as she heard a slight gagging noise come from the mast. She turned her head just enough to see Raine trying to nonchalantly lean against the timber, but her knuckles were white where they desperately clung to the wood.

_Well, almost everyone's excited…._

The sea was beautiful by the morning sun. Liane couldn't help but be taken in by the spectacular sunrise and its pastel fingers clutching at the high wispy clouds. The wind was brisk, but invigorating, and slowly, the call of the sea drove away – at least for the moment – the duties that they all left behind on the dock and the same duties that would await them at the port of Palmacosta. But out on the waves… there was nothing to worry about… even if something happened on either end of their voyage, there was nothing that any of them could do about it until they reached land. That realization lifted a weight that Liane hadn't even realized was there. She turned to look at Kratos. The mercenary stood at the bow of the ship, his arms sternly crossed over his chest as he stared straight ahead, his legs seeming to easily cushion him to the pitch and roll of the vessel beneath him.

_I bet he just wants to get there,_ she thought sadly. She had the distinct impression that he could use a little tranquility in his life. But maybe… just maybe… with all of them leaving him alone on the crossing… maybe that was what he was getting – a break from his responsibilities to the Chosen.

_I wonder when a mercenary gets time to relax?_ she thought to herself, prying her gaze from him and setting hers off the port side of the ship. _Maybe that's why he's always so crabby._

Eventually, Lloyd, Genis and Colette were wandering the deck, their 'sea legs' helping them grow accustomed to the rolling deck beneath them, even as Raine dutifully manned her self-assigned post at the main mast. Liane even would have sworn she heard an occasional prayer uttered from the Professor's direction… and, as much as she wished she could help her friend, she realized that the less that Raine had to think or talk about being as sea, the better off she would probably be.

_Hmm… they're all busy…._

She drew a breath to steady herself and crossed to the bow of the ship to where Kratos stood.

"Kratos, I…" she began as a sudden wave smacked the side of the boat, knocking the deck out from under her as she clumsily staggered to one knee. The mercenary spun, beginning to reach to catch her fall, but hesitating at the last moment before he could touch her. She looked up into his eyes and saw a quick flash of doubt….

Liane waved him off with a smile as she planted her hands to the deck and carefully climbed to her feet.

"I'm okay… just a little clumsy… I wasn't ready for that wave," she chuckled, standing just outside of an arm's reach of the mercenary, who had pointedly returned his gaze to the open water once she was again on her feet. What was worse than his indifference to her was the stares she knew that they were getting from the others.

"You should be careful… especially after the lecture you gave the Chosen," he commented coolly. She turned to watch him in amusement.

"Well, I honestly don't think there's anyone on this ship that wouldn't go in after her," Liane shrugged. "Even Raine…."

"I'm talking about you. You should be careful," he stated again. She stared at him, her amusement passing quickly.

_Is he worried? Or was he threatening me?_

She shrugged off the thoughts… both of them disturbing her too much to really consider at the moment, knowing that they would probably stick in her mind for consideration later.

"Listen… I just wanted to say I'm sorry for last night," Liane began, deciding it was for the best to say what she was there to say before things got awkward. Her stumble to his feet had already gotten enough attention from their companions… she didn't need to fuel the fires any more.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

She nodded, recognizing that the encounter probably did little to faze him. After all, she would be the only one that would take the teasing from the others. None of them would be bold enough to tease this man that they hardly knew.

"Well… okay, then. I just wanted to make sure that I said thank you for helping me back to the inn, in any case. I know you didn't have to."

"Hmm… indeed."

_Well… all right then, _she nodded her head and turned. He obviously had no desire to speak with her, so she returned across the deck to where she had stood before her attempt at civility. _I tried…._

It was almost midday when the port of Palmacosta came into view. The sight of its many buildings and the new land that it occupied evoked mixed reactions from the passengers of Max's ship: blatant disappointment from Lloyd and Genis, sympathetic disappointment from Colette, a quiet sadness from Liane, an utter lack of reaction from Kratos, and, finally, excitement from the Professor.

"Land… we're almost to land…" Liane heard Raine whispering to herself. She doubted anyone else heard the grateful comments over the chattering elsewhere on the ship, but she was happy for the Professor.

Max approached the Professor and watched her curiously for a moment before Raine realized that he was waiting for her to move so that he might drop the sail. Raine reluctantly edged away from the mast and carefully picked her way over to stand beside Liane.

"We're here," Max announced as he guided the ship alongside the Palmacosta dock. Kratos brushed by Liane as he easily stepped off the ship and onto the dock, catching a rope that Max threw to him to secure them to the cleat on the dock.

_Hmm… someone's been on a ship before_, Liane thought with a humorless smirk as she watched Kratos tie the ship off. But as the comment faded from her mind, she berated herself slightly. _Why should that surprise me? Surely he's been to sea before… he almost handled it better than Max…._

"Thanks, Max," Lloyd called back to the man as he stepped off the ship, his knees buckling slightly. "What are you gonna do now?"

Max shrugged "I'll request escort from a Palmacosta warship or something. Well, take care."

Liane quietly marveled at the man… taking six strangers across what had become known as a dangerous stretch of sea for the sake of a promise to a girl he was smitten with… so that they could take a letter to his rival for her affection.

A few pleasantries later, Max was busied with securing his ship in the dock and Lloyd turned back to the group gathered around him on the dock.

"Okay, Let's go look for clues about the next seal!"

Smiling as Lloyd tried out the waters of leadership, she followed him and the others into the marketplace of Palmacosta.

_He's probably still got a buzz from being at sea,_ she thought with a slight chuckle. Seeing her old friend so happy warmed her… she didn't even mind that Kratos had fallen in behind the group… behind her. She wasn't going to let him bother her. He obviously wanted as little as possible to do with her. That was fine….

_He won't have to deal with me for much longer, anyway,_ she thought, a hint of sadness creeping into her mind. She wanted to stay with them all and see the regeneration through… but she knew that this might be the only way she could start her life fresh. It had already been an adventure… but somehow, she just wasn't sure she was so adventurous. The others all had the qualities to be heroes of legend to the dying world. As for her… she wasn't so sure.

They entered the main part of the town, those hailing from Iselia almost all marveling at the towering stone buildings that dwarfed anything Iselia boasted. Although the awe with which they regarded the city proved to be a detriment as Colette promptly plowed into a dark-haired girl at the first intersection they came to, the noise of glass shattering on stone breaking the spell of wonder.

"Ahh! The Palma potion we just received! Now look what you've done!"

Colette apologized profusely, but the other group would have none of it. Liane saw Lloyd's hand itching to pull his swords and prayed for him to have some control… this wasn't the place for a fight. Fortunately, Colette's idea of replacing the apparently precious potion that she had broken settled matters and only entailed a trip down the street to the item shop.

But when Lloyd threw open the door to the item shop, the party discovered that a broken potion was the least of their worries. A pair of Desian soldiers were harassing the shop keepers, apparently over the price of the supplies in their stock, and fortunately, far to absorbed into the argument to notice the newcomers.

"Act natural," she heard Kratos whisper, and they all scattered around the shop.

"Oh, please! There's no way anyone would sell those to you at a price that low!" a young woman snorted from behind the counter, eliciting twin growls from the soldiers. But despite the Desian threats, the girl stood strong as the other, older woman behind another counter looked on in horror. Liane saw Lloyd twitch angrily several times and tried to stay close enough to be able to stop him if the hotheaded side of his nature came out before the soldiers left. Fortunately, the soldiers gave up before Lloyd could reach his limits, storming from the building and slamming the door so hard that Liane heard glass break somewhere behind the counters.

The young woman, apparently unfazed by the encounter, then waved a cheerful farewell to the other woman before leaving the party alone in a momentary awkward silence.

"You'll have to forgive my daughter," the woman sighed unhappily. "Chocolat still bears a grudge from when they took her grandmother away to the human ranch… please… I'm sorry to have disturbed you… look around and let me know if I can help you.

Liane's heart went out to the woman. It was plain to see that the encounter had rattled her, but she still had to cater to a bunch of strangers.

"We need a Palma potion," Lloyd stated as he stepped up to the woman. "And a few of those apple gels… and maybe… a life bottle or two?" Lloyd's requests were all perfectly warranted, but the group sobered even more at the mention of the life bottles… reminding them that now that they were on the new continent, the fights would only probably intensify… as evidenced by the appearance of the Desians. The bill drained all but a few gald from their pooled funds, but before long, the other party that Colette had unwittingly assaulted was satisfied and on their way, leaving the Chosen's group to explore the rest of the town.

They entered the town square, and again awe washed over the group at the sight of the civic building, the Church of Martel, and the Palmacosta Academy Building all gathered around the square.

Liane felt so small in the face of such a big city, and she didn't feel all that alone in her reaction from the looks on her friends' faces.

"Hey, who is that?" Lloyd asked, watching a blond man reassuring a small child of the safety of his father before turning to enter the civic building with a small pigtailed girl in tow.

A man wandering nearby paused, overhearing Lloyd's question.

"That's Governor-General Dorr," the man offered, a sense of pride in his tone as he told the group of the man's resistance to the Desians.

"We should talk to him," Lloyd spoke, turning to the group. Agreement in their ranks brought them up the steps of the civic building, following the Governor-General.

Lloyd paused, regarding the armored guards stationed outside the building with curiosity.

"I bet you have a rough job," Lloyd commented to one of the guards. "It can't be easy with Desians running through the town all the time."

The guard managed to shrug within the bulky-looking armor.

"In order to fight against the Desians, we are always training."

Lloyd paused, tilting his head in thought at the guard's words.

"Maybe I should train some, too…."

Kratos edged to the front of the group at Lloyd's muttered words.

"If you're serious, I will train you. Well?" the mercenary offered, taking Liane off guard with his unsolicited offer. From the looks on Raine and Genis's faces, he surprised them, as well.

Lloyd looked momentarily puzzled, but then smiled.

"Please."

"Very well." Kratos nodded in satisfaction. He turned back to the guard. "Is there a park or such nearby that we can use?"

"You're going now?" Liane asked in disbelief, perhaps a bit louder than she should have, earning her a glare from Kratos.

"Sure… there's a small park just off the other side of the square," the guard offered, ignoring the exchange between Liane and Kratos.

Kratos turned back to the others.

"We'll be back shortly…"

Liane, Raine, Genis, and Colette could do nothing more but watch them cross the square, Lloyd looking back at them with a helpless shrug.

"Well, what are we supposed to do while they're gone?" Genis huffed, plopping himself down on the steps of the building. "Maybe we need training, too…"

"I don't think Kratos is qualified to teach you, Genis. Just relax for a few minutes. If Kratos doesn't think they'll be long, I doubt they will be," Raine smiled down at her brother.

Before Kratos and Lloyd were out of sight, Colette was already across the square playing with a stray dog. Liane sighed, sitting down beside Genis on the steps. She knew that Raine was right – Lloyd needed all the help he could get and Kratos was the perfect one to give it to him. But she was becoming more and more aware of her lack of skill with her own sword. She knew that she could hold her own with her daggers, but….

When she could wait no longer, she stood.

"Liane?" Genis asked watching her curiously.

"As much as I hate to say it, I could use some help, too… maybe I could pick up a few things while he's helping Lloyd…."

Then Raine gave her _that_ smile again.

Liane shook her head in frustration and set off across the square, her hand clenched on her sword.

_Why would this be so unusual? If he's already helping Lloyd, then I shouldn't be much more trouble. Besides, he's the one that harps at me about being a liability…."_

She found the grassy area with no difficulty… it was just out of sight of the square.

"Are you telling me that's the reason you chose to fight with two swords?" Liane heard Kratos asking.

As she entered the clearing that they occupied, she saw Lloyd straighten proudly.

"Yeah."

Kratos shook his head in open disbelief.

"Wh..what?" Lloyd stammered. "Why do you look at me with pity!"

Liane could tell Kratos was fighting off a sigh of exasperation.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you have room for one more?" Liane called out, hoping to break the tension building between the swordsmen. She realized that speaking out would probably help her to not end up in the same position she found herself in the last time the she had remained quiet through a discussion between the two.

Kratos looked at her wearily.

"We just finished," he replied to her request, meeting her eyes with an emotionless stare.

"We did? Aww… Kratos, come on… we just got started!" Lloyd complained, sheathing his swords.

"There is still time to train… but there are still things to do before the day is over… let us get back to the rest of the party." Kratos crossed the clearing without sparing another glance at either of them.

Lloyd looked at Liane, the disappointment etched in his face. She could do nothing but shrug. The boy looked between her and the retreating mercenary.

"Go," Liane sighed. Lloyd looked at her sadly for a long moment before hurrying after Kratos. She hadn't really expected him to be ecstatic about training her, but she didn't think he would flat out refuse her.

_Oh, well… I guess experience really is the best teacher…_ she started after them, feeling, for some reason like she had been thoroughly reprimanded for something she didn't do.

"What is it, Lloyd?" she heard Kratos ask as he and Lloyd walked a few paces ahead.

"I think there are more things I must learn in order to fight powerful enemies."

She smiled at Lloyd's response. It was probably one of the more logical things she had ever heard him speak. She was glad… for his sake… that he chose to utter it in front of the mercenary. Maybe they might be able to continue to strengthen their bond… even as she was ready to give up on ever having one with him.

"Heh," was - disappointingly - Kratos's only response.

Lloyd paused in mid-step.

"What?"

Kratos stopped and turned to the boy, choosing his words for a moment longer. Liane also stopped, not wanting to ruin the conversation for Lloyd's sake. She even tried to back away slightly….

_Why did I even try this? I shouldn't be here…._

"Lloyd, you will grow stronger."

"Huh?"

_Nice… very coherent, Lloyd,_ Liane thought.

Kratos sighed. "It is easy to continue recklessly swinging a sword and that is probably enough to take care of your average enemy. But it won't serve you when faced with a truly strong opponent. You, Lloyd, are in the midst of realizing that. Therefore, you will undoubtedly grow even stronger."

"Y.. you think so?" Lloyd stammered, his posture straightening at Kratos's praise.

"Grow strong, Lloyd," Kratos muttered as he turned and walked back into the square, leaving Lloyd to look back at Liane in puzzlement.

She shrugged in response, coming forward from where she had paused to give them space. They walked together through the square back to where the others waited for them outside the civic building.

"Can we go in, now?" Genis whined, putting as much visible effort as he could into climbing to his feet to show his frustration.

Lloyd strode past his friends and paused momentarily at the guards.

"May we see the Governor-General?" he asked the guard that had earlier directed them to the park.

The armored man nodded wordlessly and pushed the door open for them and they all entered the old stone building single file.

"Greetings, travelers!" the blonde man that they had seen in the square earlier greeted them from behind a large desk, his warm smile echoing the greeting in his words. "We welcome travelers, as per the teachings of Martel. May the blessing of Martel be upon those who journey. By the way, may I ask where you have come from? Are you on a pilgrimage for Martel?"

"Ah, we came from Iselia," Lloyd spoke for the group, taken off-guard by the barrage of greetings, blessings, and questions from the Governor-General. "We're on the journey for world regeneration."

Dorr's brow crinkled slightly at the young swordsman's words.

"World regeneration?"

"Colette here is the Chosen of Mana. The Tower of Salvation appeared, right?" Genis smiled, with just a hint of smugness.

Dorr's eyes narrowed at the Chosen.

"… Are you saying that you are the Chosen?"

Liane tensed slightly at the change in the man's attitude even as she saw Kratos move his hand to close over the handle of his sword.

Colette nodded uneasily, obviously picking up on the tone in the Governor-General's tone as well as the rest of them.

"Ah, um, yes… it seems that way, anyway."

The previously silent dark-haired man to the side of Dorr's desk shifted his eyes from the Chosen's party and back to Dorr, suspicion lighting his expression.

"…Governor-General Dorr."

"Yes, Neil…" Dorr nodded in the man's general direction, never taking his eyes from Colette. "The Chosen was just here moments ago! How dare you defile that name! These despicable criminals must be arrested and turned over to the church at once!"

The distinct sound of metal on metal split the tense silence, and Liane turned to find that they had been boxed into the office by an entire troop of Palmacostan guards. She would have sworn that she heard a groan escape every member of the group… had her heard not been pounding so hard.

_We're too closed in… we can't possibly fight in here… we'll be just as likely to take each other out as them._

But even as the Chosen spun, her heel caught in the rug, sending her tumbling to the ground, her wings emerging as she landed solidly at Kratos's feet.

There was a momentary lapse of everything in the room, the Chosen's group tensed for the next movement and everyone else gaping slack-jawed at the suddenly winged girl sprawled on the floor.

"Wow! Father, did you see!" the pigtailed girl hissed urgently at her father as she tugged on his sleeve. "She has wings! She's like an angel! They're beautiful!"

"W…wait! Everyone, lower your weapons!" Neil called, throwing his arms up to catch the attention of the guards. "This person before us is without a doubt the Chosen of Mana! There is no mistaking the angel wings that are on your back! Please forgive our insolence, Chosen One."

Colette climbed from the ground, waving away Lloyd's offer of aid. She dusted off her knees even as her wings disappeared, her cheerful smile once again reasserting itself over her face.

"Ah, um… please, it's okay. Um, um… it's all right, really. Everyone tells me I'm not very Chosen-like at all."

Kratos cautiously began to sheath his sword, eyeing the still-present guards as he planted himself firmly between them and the Chosen. Everyone else began to follow his lead and lower their weapons. Liane hated the thought of tucking her daggers away, but knew that it was probably not in their best interest to give the impression that they wanted to fight… especially when it seemed that the obvious was finally dawning on the Governor-General and his men.

Dorr stared at Colette in a mixture of wonder and horror.

"But this means… the Chosen we gave the Book of Regeneration to was an imposter!"

Lloyd stepped forward, shaking his head in confusion. "Wait a minute. You said something about the Chosen coming here already. What is the Book of Regeneration? What's going on?"

_Well, I guess that gets most of our questions out of the way, thanks, Lloyd… _Liane thought with a slight shrug. She noticed that Kratos had turned, but only half way… his eyes still wary on the guards.

"The Book of Regeneration is a record of Spiritua's journey. It is the only document containing detailed records of the world regeneration, and it is a precious heirloom passed down through the generations of Governor-Generals of Palmacosta," Neil responded to Lloyd's questions with humble sincerity.

"That's it!" Genis cheered, "With that, we won't have any trouble finding the seals!"

Rained looked dubiously to her little brother and then to the men with clear disappointment. "And you say you handed over this invaluable book to a random person claiming to be "The Chosen"? Unbelievable."

Lloyd looked to the Professor in realization. "Of course! It must be those guys that were giving us trouble earlier!"

Neil sighed with a disheartened shrug.

"We had received information that the Chosen's group was headed this way. We naturally thought that they were them."

"Are you stupid or something! Now what are we supposed to do!" Genis blurted, his little hands balled into tight white fists that shook in the air before him.

Neil dropped his eyes.

"I am terribly sorry…"

Genis continued to gape at the dark haired man. "I can't believe this! Do you use your eyes at all or are they just there for decoration? You humans are…."

Raine glared at her brother, pulled back her hand and delivered a smack to the side of the boy's head. Liane winced, but she had long since ceased to be surprised at the Professor's swift methods of punishment.

"Ow!" Genis protested, his hand held protectively over the spot where Raine had connected with him.

"Genis, that's enough!" the Professor hissed.

Lloyd shook his head, trying to ignore the siblings, and turned back to the Governor-General.

"You don't happen to remember the contents of that whatever-it's-called book, do you?"

Dorr shook his head helplessly.

"I'm afraid not… It is, after all, written in the language of the angels, so only members of the church can read it."

_The language of angels… but wasn't Colette trained…._

"Oh! I know! Let's try asking at the Church. Maybe the priests know something!" Colette offered brightly.

"That's a good idea. Let's give it a try. Any objections?" Raine nodded to the group.

Neil stepped forward, shaking his head sadly.

"You have my deepest apologies, Chosen One."

Colette waved him off, embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "It's all right… we'll figure something out. Let's go, everyone!"

The blonde girl turned to the door with Kratos shadowing her closely as the guards parted reverently for her to pass.

"Humans can be such idiots," Genis fumed under his breath as they left Dorr's office. Liane heard him, but said nothing, considering the seething glare he received from his sister for the comment.

_Besides, he probably doesn't need a human correcting him, _she thought. No that she really felt the need to correct him. The men's blind faith in the first person that claimed to be the Chosen was disappointing at best. Glancing at the cheerful blonde girl leading them to the Church of Martel, she felt a frown tug at her lips.

_These are the people she's doing this for… and they don't have a clue as to who she is._

The church, while beautiful, offered them a frustratingly small amount of aid in their quest for information about the Book of Regeneration, leaving them to regroup outside the church no better off than they were before.

"So, if we head for Hakonesia Peak, then we might be able to head the fake Chosen off and get the book back?" Lloyd muttered to Liane as they stepped into the sunlight of the town square.

"That's what it seems like…" Liane nodded. "But the peak is a long trip from here, if I remember correctly." She knew that her perspective on the trip was probably skewed by time, but she was sure that there was no way that they would make it there before the sun would set.

"Hey… guys? Can we at least check out the Academy before we go?" Genis asked quietly as he stopped to gape at the institution.

"That's right… you were accepted to go here, weren't you?" Lloyd nodded in understanding of his friend's request.

Genis nodded, and Liane saw him try to hide his shrug of disappointment.

"Yes… but the World Regeneration is more important… when that's done… maybe."

Raine smiled, looking up into the bright afternoon sky.

"Well, I suppose we could stop for a short time… we still have daylight."

Liane heard Kratos sigh heavily, but the mercenary offered no opposition to the teacher's decree.

"Um… if you don't mind, Genis… I'm going to go back to the shops at the docks… I'll meet up with you in a few minutes, " Liane called to Genis, and, as such to everyone else.

Genis muttered something incomprehensible, his attention clearly riveted to the Academy as they entered the gates. Raine turned back to her and nodded slightly.

"I don't think we'll be long…" the silver-haired woman smiled as Kratos and Lloyd passed her, following Genis into the school.

Liane was curious about the school, but she knew that she had limited time to do research of her own. She hated the thought of doing what she wanted to do with Kratos around… especially after he had shunned her for training.

_It would be too much like admitting that he's right._

Passing through the town and back to the docks as quickly as she could without running, she approached the merchants cautiously… not really wanting to be noticed. Her gald went into the pool with everyone else's for the potion and their supplies, but she really had to know what was available to her. There was no money to be spent, so she would feel bad for taking their attention from a paying customer. She wandered from merchant to merchant, staying at the outer edges of the shoppers to try to be as invisible as possible.

_But I've never shopped for weapons before… I wouldn't even know what to look for even if I could afford a sword to replace Grandpa's…._

She cringed as she saw the weaponsmith look up from his forge and offer her a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, lady!" he hailed her. "Might I show you something here?"

"No… really… it's okay… I'm just looking. Please, I don't mean to disturb you…." She hated the way she stumbled over her words, but she knew that the merchants worked very hard on their wares.

"Well, I'm glad you're looking at my shop…" he stepped around the displays, quickly surveying her. "Short sword, eh?" he commented, turning back to his shop. "Nothing quite that heavy, though… most of mine are newer-styled than the one you have." He picked up a sword and offered it to her, handle-first. "Try it out."

"But I can't…" she protested, even as the merchant forced the sword into her hand.

"You can. And then you can remember where you saw the blade, and return when you do have some money, Try it. It's no crime, I assure you," he smiled, crossing his arms proudly across his chest.

She shrugged with a slight smile. _It's not like I lied to him about buying anything. _

Turning from the merchant and into the area between the shops, she quickly checked to make sure her trial wouldn't pose a danger to anyone but herself. Swinging the sword through the air as she tested its weight, she immediately realized what he was talking about when he called her sword heavy. The blade whistled as it nimbly split the air - and she liked the sound.

_Something like this could probably make me to want to favor a sword... _

"Here… try this one."

The merchant handed her the partner of the short sword in her hand… a simple long sword. She looked at it for a moment, doubt flashing through her mind as she finally shook her head.

"No… I'm much more comfortable with daggers than swords. I think that might just be a little too much for me…." she smiled at the merchant.

"You might be surprised. If you can handle the short sword you own, the weight difference won't bother you – it will simply be more range to get accustomed to. Try it…."

With a sigh, she handed the short sword back to him and accepted the long sword. True to his word, its weight wasn't all that much more than her Grandfather's sword. She swung it hesitantly a few times with an appreciative nod.

_I could probably do this…_

"Whenever you are ready…."

Her grip tightened on the sword at the voice, as she glanced over her shoulder to find Kratos watching her from beside the merchant's display. His posture spoke of boredom, and she wondered how long he had been there.

_Damn._

"The others are waiting for us at the town gates… we have a long way to go."

Without another word, he turned and started to walk away, leaving her to hurriedly return the blade to the merchant with an all-too-brief 'thank you' before she ran to catch up to him.

"I didn't realize I had taken that long… I never meant for you to have to wait for me."

A heavy sigh was her only response as they stepped onto the main street. She wondered why he had been the one to come after her… it wasn't as if he seemed all that pleased to be anywhere near her at anytime that day. As promised, the rest of the group waited patiently at the exit to the town.

"There they are!" Colette cheered as she ran up to Liane. "Liane! Genis can come back to school here any time he wants! He got a better score than the top student at the Academy!"

Liane nodded, sure she was only getting part of the story… how a quick visit to the school had turned into a showdown with the top student, she didn't understand, but it would give them something to talk about later.

"Congratulations, Genis," she smiled to the boy sitting on the walkway railing beside Lloyd. Genis shrugged with a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks, Liane. Maybe I'll come back when the journey is done…."

"We really need to be going," Kratos spoke as he walked past the rest of the party, as if he were ready to continue with or without them.

Lloyd hopped down from the railing and fell in step behind Kratos, with a distinctive grin on his face. From experience, Liane knew that the boy's behavior would mean trouble for someone.

"Hey, Kratos, are you still upset that you missed that question?"

The mercenary continued as if he hadn't heard Lloyd's question. Everyone else followed Lloyd's lead as the party finally departed Palmacosta and stepped out onto the plain. The sun's slide from the sky was just starting towards sunset… they still had plenty of time to travel… but perhaps not as much as they needed to reach the peak

_I hope he's not going to try to make us travel in the dark… there are some nasty monsters here…._

"Really, Kratos… it's okay! You didn't have to guess… no one knows where I was born… heck, I don't even know," Lloyd continued to babble. Genis snickered behind the swordsmen, and that seemed to be the final straw, as the mercenary stopped and spun to the party.

"It is not right for the answer to a test question to be 'I don't know.' If no one knows, then why was it a question?"

Liane couldn't deny the logic that Kratos calmly offered them – no more than she could doubt that they had gotten under his skin. The boys chuckled at their accomplished mission as Kratos shook his head and continued to walk.

Slowing a step to walk beside Raine, she looked to her mentor with a curious eye.

"What was that all about?"

Raine smiled. "One of the questions on the test we put together for the boys asked where Lloyd was born. It was a free question to everyone else… if you don't know, and there was an option for 'I don't know', maybe it should be taken. But Kratos guessed and got marked down for it," the teacher shrugged, her voice a whisper. "He would have had a perfect score if he hadn't."

Liane couldn't help but smile slightly. _Poor Kratos… couldn't admit that he didn't know something…._

Then another question innocently slipped through her mind.

"What did he guess?"

Raine glanced quickly at her assistant, a playful smile still on her lips.

"Asgard."

* * *

Daylight was fading swiftly as a House of Salvation came into view. The shadows had long since grown from the sparse vegetation that the land sported and the mountains that bore the pass they sought were only barely visible in the distance. Once again, Liane hoped that he wouldn't make them press on into the night.

"Kratos… can we at least stop for a moment?" Colette called from where she walked beside Liane. "I really would like to stop and offer a prayer…."

Liane knew that he sighed from the droop in his shoulders, but his answer didn't betray that.

"Of course, Chosen."

A ripple of relief went through the group. All of them knew that the time they would be spending for the Chosen to offer her prayers at the House would pretty much assure that they would be able to stay at the House for the night. Liane missed the stars at night, but especially in this land and before they were adjusted to it, it was for the best to be indoors.

Kratos pushed the doors to the House of Salvation open for the others to pass into the chapel area of the building. As Liane passed him, his lack of any kind of recognition of her saddened her for the briefest of instants.

_Like that's a surprise. Apparently, the price I pay for seeing that there is a nice side to the guy is that I'll never see it again. I just wish I remembered more of it…._ She still kicked herself for not even realizing that he was being nice to her until Raine stopped them on the docks. No matter the teasing she took or would continue, no doubt, to take for it… what bothered her most was that it was undeserved. And so was the cold shoulder he had been giving her all day.

But even as she heard Kratos let the door swing shut behind him, she was frozen in place with the rest of the group at the sight before them… the purple and pink clad assassin stood at the altar before them – her back obliviously turned to them.

Lloyd stepped forward from the group toward the distracted woman.

"Hey, what are you praying for?"

The assassin never looked up, her head still bowed reverently to the statue at the altar.

"So I can save everyone…. Uh!" she choked as she spun, finally realizing that she wasn't alone.

"Well, there's a nice thought." Lloyd nodded appreciatively, allowing sarcasm to leak into his tone.

"Sh.. shut up!" the assassin stammered, anger flaring in her eyes. Liane edged towards her daggers, figuring Lloyd would have her pushed past her breaking point shortly.

"My name's Lloyd. What's yours?"

The assassin cocked her head at the swordsman in puzzlement.

"What?"

"Lloyd?" Genis watched the interaction in disbelief as he inched towards his friend, his kendama clutched tightly in his hand.

Colette, however, cast her lot to join Lloyd's crusade of 'death through kindness.'

"Ah, I'm Colette. I'm still inexperienced as a Chosen, but I promise I'll do my best and regenerate the world."

"I never asked you your names!" the woman shook her head, her voice pitching up slightly.

"Oh, you're right. I'm sorry," Colette giggled sheepishly.

"I… I'm trying to kill you!"

The Chosen nodded in agreement. "I know. But if we just talk, I'm sure we can come to an understanding."

_You forgot to add 'and you're doing a very good job of it!' _Liane sighed, finding the strength to somehow hold her tongue as the assassin began to visibly shake.

"Are you listening to me!"

Colette nodded, taking a step forward towards the dark-haired woman.

"I'm listening. But um… Ms. Assassin…"

"It's Sheena! Sheena Fujibayashi!" the woman exclaimed, her frustration almost tangible to everyone in the room.

"Sheena, you were praying," Colette continued, the assassin's rant not even making her pause. "Prayer makes one's heart grow. I pray, too. So I'm sure we can understand each other."

"I.. I was praying that I'd be able to kill you…" Sheena muttered distractedly. "Forget it! I lost my concentration! You'd better be ready next time!"

Before anyone else could think to speak again, the strange assassin disappeared in what seemed to be her signature column of smoke.

"She's gone again," Colette sighed, deflated. "I thought we might be friends…."

Liane looked at the Chosen with a slight shake of her head.

"Colette, I think you might have been driving her to insanity… not friendship. It seems to me that the last thing she's looking for from us is to be friends," Liane tried not to be too harsh, but she really didn't want to get the girl's hopes up. They had already had to fight this Sheena once… there were no guarantees that it wouldn't happen again.

Kratos cracked the door open to glance outside.

"The sun is setting," the mercenary sighed. "We should probably stay here tonight… we have to make it to Hakonesia Peak tomorrow."

Raine nodded her agreement, "I'll go see if I can reserve the beds for the night."

"I'll take first watch tonight," Liane spoke to no one in particular – or at least she tried to make it seem that way.

"Really," Kratos sighed. "I will take first watch. You need your sleep."

She turned her glare on him, almost relieved that he had taken up her challenge. "No. I know how tired you must be after your practice session with Lloyd this afternoon." Liane simply couldn't contain her need to lash out at him any more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lloyd, Genis, and Colette quietly begin to follow after Raine, creeping up the steps to the boarding room.

_Aw… don't want to hang around for the fun this time? _She thought after them.

"So that's what this is about."

"No, this is about you treating me like an outsider… like I don't belong here with my friends. Well, I have news for you, Kratos. The only one that doesn't belong here is you," she snarled at him, surprising herself with her bluntness. "Now I am taking the first watch. You can discuss with the others who will relieve me. Good night."

She allowed herself one last satisfying, seething glare before grabbing the handle to the House of Salvation's doors and stalking outside.

_Damn. I didn't want to snap like that. It might make everything easier, though,_ she thought as she walked out into the yard of the House of Salvation. She just really didn't want to be anywhere near him. He had been so cold to her all day.

"_I'm talking about you. You should be careful."_

The more she thought about his words on the ship, the more they bothered her. Not really the words, but just the way he spoke them.

_Almost like he would be just as happy tossing me overboard than talking to me._

And, even though she hated it… it hurt her. And it made her angry that she let him make her feel that way.

She paced the fenceline as the sky began to darken, the primary light source changing from the sunset before her to the pair of torches beside the entrance to the House. She almost hoped that the assassin would come back – and soon. It would give her a way to work off her frustration.

The air grew cool as the night set over the strange land. She had spent the better part of a year traveling the western continent… and not all that long ago, but everything felt strange to her this time. Her group had even stayed in this House of Salvation before – several times – as they crossed the continent back and forth. But the familiarity was now eerie…. Glancing up to the second floor of the House, she saw that the lamps had been extinguished. Her companions slept… they trusted her.

_So why doesn't he?_

He had told her that she reminded him of someone. Her curiosity would have eaten her alive had it not been for his treatment of her. One lesson that she had learned from her time with the Church was that everyone bore scars – good or bad – from their past. It was how the person wore those scars that mattered. One could either learn from them, accept them, and move on or they could deny them and let them haunt their lives. Kratos's cool nature suggested to her that he was haunted.

_Too bad I think I'm to the point that I really don't care any more._

A light metallic dragging sound spun her back to face the House once again, her short sword drawn before she even saw her companion. There, silhouetted by the torchlight, the unmistakable form of the single biggest source of her frustration stood, his sword glinting by the wavering light, the sharp angles of his uniform drifting ever so slightly on the night breeze. His sword was drawn from its sheath and ready in his hand.

"Come at me."

"What?" she hissed at him, caught on the line between disbelief that she had to face him yet again this day and shock at his words.

"You wanted to practice," he advanced a step on her. "Come at me."

Her eyes narrowed into a glare, letting her frustration take her past the point of worrying about causing a commotion in the night.

"Fine," she spoke even as she drew her sword to her left across in front of her, advancing to bring the sword down on Kratos.

"Stop."

But she had already frozen by the time he had uttered the quiet command, the flat of the blade of his long sword resting gently against the left side of her abdomen. Her eyes grew wide… she hadn't even seen him move.

"Range means nothing and everything at the same time," he sighed, keeping pressure on the blade at her side. "The way you attack with that sword leaves yourself open to attack… even before the fight has begun. You are angry… you can't go into any fight angry. You must consider your enemy's weapons and how they can turn your weaknesses into their strengths. You thought only to attack me… you didn't consider two things… my sword is considerably longer than yours and I wield it right-handed. Your attack would have been damaging, no doubt, but your lack of attention to the details would have been deadly to you… had I wanted you dead."

His calm condescension almost made her more mad than the fact that he was right.

"You are more trained with your daggers, correct?" he asked as he sheathed his sword.

Liane nodded, sheathing her sword as took a step back from him, taking her out of range of his sword from where he stood.

"If you want to train with your sword, I will train you. But not with Lloyd. He has his own difficulties to overcome with his chosen fighting style," the mercenary offered, crossing his arms. She couldn't make out his face with most of his features still being absorbed by the torches behind him, but she could only imagine a smug smile over his features on pointing out her weaknesses.

_This must be a test… I have to accept that he's better than me… he has to be in order to train me…._

"Please," she sighed, nodding in what tasted like bitter defeat.

"Good. Now then, will you kindly drop your stubbornness and go to sleep?"

Her glare once again flared in contempt.

"No! This is my watch… I'm as able to take a watch as anyone else in this group," she snorted.

"And you've already proven that you're too angry to take it tonight," he pointed out calmly.

She sighed, knowing that he was, once again, correct. He had already crept up on her once… there was no saying that the assassin couldn't have gotten a similar jump on her if she returned in the night.

"Fine. But not until you answer a few questions."

"This is not a negotiation."

"You're right. It's not. I can just stay out here with you all night. Or you can just go back in…."

He groaned and walked past her to lean against the fence, the pale light finally reaching his face – or at least what wasn't shadowed by his bangs.

"What questions." It was obviously a statement and not a question. Liane squirmed slightly, wondering if she really wanted to push the mercenary any more – she knew that it was equally likely that she would end up even more frustrated than she already was.

"You said that I reminded you of someone… that you _didn't _hate," she asked quietly, but couldn't stop herself from emphasizing his lack of hatred for this other person – as if she was trying to convince him.

"Who was it?"

She watched him, studied his face as his eyes dropped to the ground. As he slowly began to straighten, she figured his next move would be to throw his nose in the air, walk past her, and disappear into the House of Salvation.

"She… was a friend…."

His reply was barely a whisper as his eyes sought the ground.

For some reason, his answer surprised her… almost as much as the way he answered her.

"Oh…" she muttered, suddenly very self-conscious of herself. It was clear… as clear as the contempt that he usually treated her with…that the thought of this other girl wasn't something he was enjoying.

"Kratos… I'm sorry. I just wanted to know why…."

He shook his head slightly, his eyes still fixed on the ground.

"No… I… hurt her. And I lost her. And every so often…" he looked up, his eyes locking on hers as he seemed to stare straight through her. "I think I see her in you."

The sincerity in his words caught her completely off-guard, making her almost more uncomfortable than she had been with his blade at her side.

He pushed away from the fence and started back up the path to the House, leaving her to watch him pass. She couldn't reach out to him… to stop him or for any other reason. She couldn't even speak. The wordless emotion that she had seen in his eyes left her in awe as she could only watch him seat himself on the doorstep of the House of Salvation. Then, suddenly, her feet began to carry her to the House… to him. He stared out into the now-starry sky, apparently resuming his plan to ignore her.

"Kratos?"

His gaze turned slowly back to her, the emotion she knew that she had just seen in his eyes already a faded memory.

"Do you want company?"

He watched her for a moment longer before sighing heavily, resuming his star-watch.

"Do as you will."

She quietly sat down beside him, clasping her hands around her knees to keep from fidgeting. Knowing that his words were about as close to an invitation as she would get, she followed his eyes to the stars above them, content to sit in the quiet darkness with him. She didn't know what to say… or if anything even should have been, but she hoped that her presence would be enough to mean something to him. She was far from certain that he would even notice.

"Why are you here?" he asked quietly, not turning to her.

She thought about his question for a moment.

"Because you seem lonely…" she shrugged.

"Hmm…"

She groaned slightly, indicating there was more… she was teetering on telling him… she wanted to – maybe it would let him know that he didn't have to be alone if he didn't want to be.

"Liane…?"

"And… the fortune teller… she told me that you were my soulmate. I… I can't leave you lonely after forcing you to talk about … her." The words were almost painful… but she didn't know why.

_Probably because I brought her up again… I probably hurt him…._

"She was my soulmate," he muttered quietly, almost as if the words slipped out.

The words weren't spoken in cruelty… but they still clenched at her heart – it felt like the rejection that she had feared every time she had considered telling him about the fortune teller's words. She stood as quickly as her weary body would allow her.

"I should get to bed if you're going to take the watch," she spoke, trying to keep a touch of levity she didn't feel in her voice. She knew things would only get worse if she stayed long enough to start crying.

"Liane… before you go…"

She paused, looking back down to where he sat, praying that he would make it quick.

"Last night… you said something about flowers… I know you were dreaming… but what kind of flowers were they?"

Her forehead creased at the oddity of his question. She didn't even remember telling him anything about the dream….

"They… were pink and white… something about… stargazer?" she shrugged… but the name had stuck in her mind. It seemed like a strange question, especially considering that she didn't remember saying anything about them, but for the memories she had obviously brought up for him, she figured she may as well answer him. It's not like she could tell him much more… she didn't remember anything more coherent from the dream.

He nodded slightly and looked away again.

"Well… good night, then…" she started, reaching to the door before he could speak again. Closing the heavy door as quietly as she could behind her, she made her way to the stairs that hugged the wall on their way to the second floor.

But they were stairs that wouldn't yet carry her to her destination. Her legs would no longer carry her past the third step as she collapsed to the steps, giving in to the tears that she had felt coming since she had heard him call the other girl his soulmate.

_Why does it hurt? I only told him so that he would know he had a friend… I only told him… so he'd know he wasn't alone…._


	7. Chapter 8

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Palmacosta and the Desians force the Chosen's group to change their plans and make a stand, everyone finds that the journey isn't going quite as they had planned.

PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Thanks once again to everyone who's reading! I really hope you enjoy this update…please review!

Chapter 8

_She's crying again…._

The realization made Kratos shake his head. He hadn't meant to hurt her… he simply hadn't known how to – or if he even should – talk to her since Izoold. He couldn't explain anything about the night before to her or to himself… so he shut her out. But he hadn't expected her to take it so personally. He had to think of something soon or their journey would soon be unbearable for both of them.

_Maybe my offer to train her will be a relief… for both of us. Weapons can communicate better than words ever can… sometimes._

The sobs were dying off inside the House of Salvation and he knew that they were too close to him for her to have made it to the upstairs boarding room.

_She was just trying to get away from me so I wouldn't see her cry…._

His mind kicked at him for the guilt that started to creep up on him at the thought.

_But what would I have done? It's not like she still wouldn't have been crying alone… no matter what I would like to do… I can't._ He pictured her curled up on the other side of the porch… crying… just out of his reach…

_Always just out of reach._

He waited a few minutes more, debating on what he should do. If he simply left her wherever exhaustion had exacted its toll, he would, no doubt have to face the wrath of the Professor… and yet another form of punishment that Lloyd would decide to be appropriate – most likely more of his juvenile teasing. Claiming that it wasn't his problem where she chose to sleep was always an option… it just wasn't one that he could truly consider.

Although – truth be told – her defiant attitude towards him was actually helping. It made it harder for him to see Anna… _his_ Anna… in her. Anna was spirited, but Liane was, at times, downright obstinate… and frustrating beyond words.

Why couldn't he find some way to make her understand the danger that he put her in? Why did she continually press to be near him?

He chuckled humorlessly – realizing that even in the obstinance that he tried to find so irritating, his mind still tried against all reason and hope to find the brown-haired girl who once ignored all logic to love him.

But every thought like that concerned him. _That's precisely why I can't let her close._

A quiet rustle beside him made him momentarily clutch at his sword, but then he managed a ghost of a chuckle as the green and white lump that had settled itself on the ground next to the porch merely whined a slight greeting.

Kratos exhaled slightly and reached out to scratch Noishe's head, the creature's presence oddly soothing. He owed much to his old companion.

"It would seem that you took better care of my family than I did, old friend," he sighed. Lloyd had grown strong… and Anna… Anna had made her way to someone who saw fit to honor her with a proper resting place… all thanks to the creature beside him.

He stood, satisfied that he hadn't heard any thing from inside the House for several minutes.

"Wait here," he sighed to his companion as Noishe settled his head back down onto his paws. Kratos entered the House of Salvation as quietly as he could and allowed his eyes the brief moment they needed to adjust to the altar's candlelight. As the door clicked closed behind him, he spotted her. Her intention must have been to get back upstairs, but apparently her intentions weren't quite enough to help her… Liane was curled onto the steps about halfway up, her head pillowed on her left arm. As he approached her, he saw that the candlelight still sparkled over her damp cheeks.

_It's probably for the best that she didn't make it back up… _he realized as he carefully climbed the steps to crouch beside her. Once again, he debated leaving her there… but it would only be more explanations in the morning.

"Why does it matter to you, Liane?" he whispered more to himself than to her. "Why can't you just be content to… hate me?" His eyes widened as she suddenly shifted with a soft moan, her arm sliding out from under her head to allow it to rest on the step itself. With a slight shake of his head, he made his decision and carefully peeled her from the steps, cradling her limp form against his chest… praying that she wouldn't react as she had the last time she had been there. Even so, he braced himself, knowing that his prayers ran the distinct possibility of not being heard, much less answered.

When he reached the boarding room, he surveyed their companions. All of them seemed fast asleep, and for a moment he knew relief… the last thing he wanted to do was have to explain why he was carrying Liane to bed.

_Bed…_ he glanced around, remembering how the girl had an obsession with sleeping on the ground. But, as if fate was once again laughing at him, he couldn't find any blankets within easy grasp… and no quiet way to put her down to make sure she would have her preferred sleeping arrangements without waking her. He placed her on an unoccupied bed, took the blanket that was draped over the foot of the bed and spread it over her, deciding that she would just have to find some way to forgive him for any discomfort she would have for sleeping in a civilized manner for a night.

_Probably the least of the things I should ask forgiveness for…_ he shook his head as he turned from her and all of them to start back down the stairs to finish the watch that she had started.

_

* * *

Someone's crying…. _

_The sobs got louder and louder and louder… where were they coming from? _

_She opened her eyes to an almost perfect darkness… but it was a brighter darkness than before… just a brighter shade of black. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes… had she been sleeping?_

_There was movement beside her… somewhere close in the darkness. She tried to make it out through the haze of her own confusion, but the only thing that she could see in the dark was a small, shivering ball._

_Shoving the covers from her, she tried to pull her legs off the side, only to find them largely unresponsive. Forms were now coming out of the dark… beds… and whoever was crying was in the bed beside her._

It's only a few steps_…_

_She pushed away from her bed, feeling the cool sheets slip away from her… and immediately crumbled to the ground with a resounding 'whump.' _

_The noise seemed to quiet the cries for a moment as she tried to figure out why she was on the ground… but when the sobs resumed, sounding even more panicked… they sent a primal shiver through her… a reaction she had no reason to understand, but she did. She turned to the noise and reached out… feeling the rough texture of the blanket of the bed and pulling herself towards it, her arms shaking. She somehow found herself sitting on the bed, her small legs dangling from the edge. Reaching toward the noise, her fingers brushed something warm…_

… _and a tiny hand that closed over hers._

_She didn't know why… but the only thing that came to her was to gather her unseen companion to her. The sobs choked in surprise momentarily before resuming, this time a pair of the small hands curling into her clothing. Instinct directed her actions… closing her arms around the shivering form so much smaller than her. It felt familiar… warm… and the sobs began to subside…._

_Somewhere else in the room, there was a loud 'bang' and she spun to look to a startling orb of light… and a silhouette bearing it. It came closer and closer… and she held the small form closer, tighter…._

"_Liane…? You're awake?"_

_Every one of the darkened man's words sounded strange to her… but as she curled herself defensively around her tiny companion, she glared back at the light._

"_Melia! Get Ben and Dora!" the man shouted, the sharp noise making her cringe and the little one in her arms whimper slightly. "Tell them Liane is awake!"_

_She held her small charge tightly as the light settled beside them and began to reveal a kindly-looking man that slowly moved to her, his arms outstretched._

"_Liane… give Lloyd to me, child…your parents will be here soon…" his words were now somehow how calming, even as he took the brown-haired little boy away from her. She watched as the little boy's imploring brown eyes stayed on her even as the man took him from her reach… and tears finally escaped. While she somehow knew the man wasn't trying to hurt her, only one of his words made any sense to her…._

'_Lloyd….'_

"Liane? Hey, Liane! Wake up!"

Her eyes flew open to a sun-filled room, and the grinning brown-haired swordsman sitting beside her.

"And they tell me _I_ sleep in late," he chuckled, leaning his weight onto the edge of the bed as he continued to watch her over his shoulder.

_Bed?_

She rolled her eyes, not only at the taunt, but also for the fact that she knew she hadn't made it to the boarding room before she fell asleep. Someone had simply put her in a bed, a fact attested to by the warning even the slightest shift in her weight gave her of impending pain.

_Someone… Kratos._

_Everyone else knows to let me sleep on the floor… who else could it have been? _

She braced herself and sat up, her face twisting into a grimace as her back bit at her in its attempt to straighten. Lloyd watched her as his grin slid into a milder smile tinted with concern.

"Have you told Kratos that you like to sleep on the floor?" Lloyd asked, his voice quieted in sympathy.

Liane shook her head. "Somehow, that conversation just hasn't come up, Lloyd," she groaned, trying to relax her back. She could see that all the other beds had already been made… they probably were all waiting for her.

Lloyd cocked his head at her in curiosity. "Were you dreaming?" he asked quietly. "You were calling me…."

She buried her face in her hands, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with a deep sigh.

"Yeah… the night we met…" she shook her hands through her hair and smiled back at him. "It's strange… I think I remember more every time I have that dream. I even remember what the doctor said when he came into the room now…."

"Heh…" he chuckled with a small shrug, "… and I still don't remember any of it."

She ruffled his hair and pushed herself out of the bed. "That's okay. I think that out of the two of us, it's probably better that I remember it. I met one of my best friends that night." She couldn't help but smile at him. One of the best things that the doctor had done for her was to suggest that the children be allowed to play together… Lloyd needed to be socialized with others in his new home… and Liane had lost so much time with others her own age. The doctor thought they could help each other. Looking back, Liane knew that he had been right. "Okay, I give up… I have to get moving before they come up here and drag me down, I suppose." She looked around the room. "Did you bring my packs up?"

The young swordsman grinned and nodded toward the wall near the door.

"I'll go tell the others you're coming…" he smiled and jogged out of the room, leaving her alone to find a brush and a new tunic.

When she reached the base of the stairs from the boarding room, she nodded reverently to the priests that were busying themselves with their daily duties, and then let herself out the front door. Adjusting her packs so as not to twist her back any more than it already was, she smiled as she saw that all of her companions were also preparing themselves as the new day's sun illuminated the yard.

"Hakonesia Peak is still a good distance off… but we might be able to make it before lunch," she heard Kratos telling Lloyd. The swordsmen stood together at the gate to the yard, with the elder motioning to the North.

"Really? We can still make it there today?" Lloyd smiled as the rest of the group joined them at the gate.

"It looks far farther on the map than it really is, Lloyd," Liane shrugged, interjecting into the conversation and earning a small glance from the mercenary for her efforts. She knew that from her experience in traveling with the Church… it was almost always a far shorter trip than it looked like it should be.

_Luin gets closer every day,_ she sighed, hiding her thoughts behind a smile to Lloyd, and grudgingly allowing her gaze to slip to the mercenary almost in a quest for justification for her decision. _There's still time to decide otherwise…._ She dropped the thought, not wanting to start her day thinking about how she soon might be without any of them… and how she knew that there would be no way that she could tell them goodbye.

As the House of Salvation fell further behind them, the group started out in the typical optimism that seemed to come to them all in exploring a new land. The monsters that had ventured from the safety of their lairs were dispatched with relatively little difficulty, of course sometimes Kratos or Raine had to step in to make sure of that, but the group – as a whole – was starting to finally function as a unit. It just finally seemed like they were all anticipating each other a bit better… complimenting each other's strengths that extra amount to make a difference. After few battles that seemed to almost allow her to forget that she awoke in pain that morning, Liane managed to make her way up to walk beside Kratos while the others all jabbered happily at each other.

"Kratos?"

He walked on, acting as if he hadn't heard her.

She started to glare at him, but sighed and decided on one more chance at the benefit of the doubt for the mercenary.

"I just wanted to say thank you for taking me to bed last night," she edged up closer to him so that there was no doubt in her mind that he heard her.

"You're welcome," he muttered, never taking his eyes from the road before them.

She nodded, accepting that it was, at least, an acknowledgement. With that one – _small_ – victory in hand, she decided to press, hoping against hope that the crack in the uncomfortable ice between them hadn't entirely mended itself in the night.

"Are you really going to train me? I mean… nothing we talked about last night –"

"Has anything to do with my offer," he cut her off curtly, still staring straight ahead, his step never slowing. "Unless you have changed your mind…?"

Shaking her head, she half-smiled at him… or more appropriately, at the side of his head.. "No… I'm actually looking forward to it…." _Trying to make me back down, Mr. Mercenary? I don't think so…._

"Really?" he actually turned his head slightly to almost look at her. "You're looking forward to it? Why, if I might ask? Do you think that I will go easy on you?"

"Not at all. In fact, I think that I would be rather offended if you did," she shrugged. "But I am interested to see why it is that you seem to think that I can't handle it."

Her insinuation seemed to amuse him, as she saw a cool smirk slide over his lips before returned his eyes forward. "I am going to be more interested to see why you think you can, Liane. Do not think that I will treat you any differently from Lloyd. This is no game. Neither is your safety."

She blinked in momentary surprise. _Was that… concern?_

"You really think that I see this as a game, Kratos? Peoples' lives depend on this journey… and on Colette," she couldn't believe that he would see fit to lecture her. Hadn't she proven that she had the Chosen's interests at heart? She stood ready to protect her friend's life – _any_ of her friends' lives – with her own at any given moment… otherwise, she could have left the group long before. _It's not like travelling alone would be much more stressful than the disdain you treat me with…_

"I think that you don't realize that your abilities are merely a part of this journey… a part that can destroy the group now if something happens to you. I can't let that happen," Kratos replied quietly.

"Because it would _distract_ the Chosen, right?" She shook her head with a deep sigh. For some reason, the memory of his words still stung her, despite the fact that a fragile peace now seemed to regularly flicker in and out of existence between them. When he didn't respond – or, more appropriately, didn't seem to recognize that she has spoken at all - she huffed and dropped behind him, letting him get ahead of her, knowing that letting her anger get the better of her would certainly not impress him – and probably only prove him right on some level.

Liane walked alone between her friends and Kratos for what seemed like a long while, even as the mountain pass began to emerge from the morning mists. She tried to let her anger cool. _He was right… fighting angry would only be a detriment._ One that would be emphasized – especially to him – when he obviously knew it to be a weakness of hers.

"Hey, Liane!"

She glanced over her shoulder to find Genis trotting up beside her. As he reached her side, she reached out a hand to fondly ruffle his sliver hair with a slight smile.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked as he ran his hands through his hair with a strained sigh in an attempt to repair any damage she might have done. "You and Kratos… did you have another fight?"

She watched him out of the corner of her eye… '_another_ _fight'_… she couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Raine wouldn't have told them all about Triet, would she? _But she realized that there just had to be visible tension between herself and the mercenary. And no matter how she tried to brush it away for the sake of the others, it seemed to be something that she simply wasn't able to hide – especially from those that she had spent most of her childhood with. Liane didn't want to turn her difficulties with Kratos into an issue to distract the group from its journey, but she was beginning to realize that _he_ was annoyingly right… every member of the group had an effect on the whole, whether they realized it at the moment or not. _Just as he's been saying… damn._

Liane shook her head and forced only a slight smile, knowing that there was no point in forcing more, as she was sure Genis would already see the insincerity. "No… not really. I just am having a hard time understanding him," she answered him with honesty that surprised her. No part of her statement was even vaguely untrue… it was a perfect - simple - summation of the enigma that he was to her. If only she could understand him… _even just a little…._

Genis turned his gaze back to the mercenary at the front of the party. "We all are… I mean, isn't it all a little convenient that he just shows up in time to go on this journey? Mercenaries are just such… vultures," the boy grumbled slightly under his breath.

"Well… in all honesty," Liane shrugged, dropping her voice low, "… he has been a help… to the group. In all likelihood, we might not have gotten this far without his aid." She really couldn't grasp how she still had such faith in that statement. He had assaulted, insulted, disregarded, and otherwise belittled her more times already than she really cared to count. But at the same time… there was something else in how he treated her… and all of them. Despite everything he had done or said to her… was it possible that she actually trusted him? No matter how hard he pushed her away from him… there was always something he would do or say that would keep her from writing him off and out of her life.

Kicking a rock half the size of his foot out of the path with a little grunt, Genis flinched slightly and then nodded. "I guess…. But I still don't understand why you keep going out of your way to talk to him… or be around him alone or…" Liane heard Genis's tone waver only slightly as she shot him a weary glance….

"Genis…?" she _knew _that tone… it was always a precursor to _something_…

"… holding hands with him?" Genis smiled smugly up at her.

Liane planted her feet in the path and pointed without looking back to the others. "Genis, go back to them." _How could Raine have told them… told all of them?_ Genis muffled a giggle with his hand and turned, but she couldn't watch him go back… just for the sake of not taking the chance of meeting their eyes. She could already hear Lloyd's distinctive snicker about the time Genis should have reached them. _Maybe Raine didn't tell him… she said she had awakened Lloyd… and he has eyes of his own…._

With a groan, she forced herself to continue walking, noticing that Kratos had stopped and was waiting for the rest of the group with his standard cross-armed impatience.

_But still_… Genis had raised a valid point that she had never really thought about…_why do I keep going out of my… way…?_ Suddenly, like a heavy blanket settling over her on a cold night, the truth revealed itself to her.

_I don't… he comes to me…. _He came to her house that first night that they had met. He came to her the night in the desert. He came to her at the ruins, in Triet as she slept, and after the Ossa Trail. He was there when she awoke in Izoold.

"Why?"

She didn't realize the whisper had even escaped her until she saw his eyes flash over her one more time before he spun on his heel, leaving the group apparently a comfortable distance behind him.

* * *

As Kratos had promised, the trip to the pass didn't take anywhere near as long as Liane had begun to fear that it would after time seemed to slow following Genis' jabs. The monsters were a good distraction in general, but the travel itself was getting more and more nerve-wracking the longer they all walked in silence. Of course, there were always the stray chuckles and snorts from what could have only been Lloyd and Genis, which she couldn't help but think were directed at the very obvious distance that she was maintaining from Kratos, but she chose to do her best to ignore that as well. 

After being turned away for the lack of passes by the guards at the actual gates of the pass, the group trudged back down the path to the small house at the base of the mountain.

"Wonder how much _this _is gonna cost us," Genis grumbled beside her. Liane's brow furrowed slightly at his words – she hadn't even thought about having to purchase passes. They had simply walked through the pass the last time when she had been with the Church. While she didn't remember the catch of having to purchase anything from her last visit to the continent, she was fairly sure that the priests had probably taken care of all of the details long before she and the other students had even set foot on the continent.

Kratos, predictably, reached the house first, and held the door open for the party to enter. Liane paused as Genis entered before her, a small bench beside the door catching her attention. A quick glance from the bench and back to the mercenary helped her make up her mind.

"I'll wait here…" she commented flatly, stepping out of the doorway. Genis had opened her eyes to something that she still couldn't figure out how she had missed. Now, she simply had to figure out exactly what it was – and how she missed it. But until she achieved that goal, she really didn't feel particularly inclined to spend any more time than necessary in a closed area with Kratos.

Watching her in momentary quiet scrutiny, he then shrugged and turned his back on her, following the others into the building, the door slamming shut behind him.

Liane placed her packs on the ground and sat down on the bench, grasping the weathered wooden edge and stretching her feet out before her, leaning back against the building with a small groan.

_If I could only understand… nothing is making any sense._

She cursed herself once again for ever having listened to the fortune teller… allowing it to somehow justify her continually speaking with him, always trying to find some way to excuse his behavior around her. But he never did anything but confuse her in return. The night before had been the first flash of anything even slightly different from their usual conversations. For once, she came away with a morsel of information – however miniscule and unusable – about him.

"_She… was a friend…. She was my soulmate."_

His words still tantalized her memory. For a moment, Liane had almost thought she saw a human being underneath the icy exterior that seemed to come so effortlessly to him. And that glimpse puzzled her. _Why did he even bother to answer my question… he didn't have to_… she had even fully expected him to evade her – he had to have known that. Kratos always seemed so comfortable within his shell. But he always seemed to be measuring her whenever he was with her – she'd have to be a fool not to realize that. As much as he claimed to be there for the sake of the Chosen, he was constantly watching them all. Perhaps it was a matter of protecting the job he was being paid for… _and none of us were part of that deal_. But something that she couldn't quite put her finger on bothered her about that as well. He constantly brought up that they had to work together. But he hardly seemed the type to doubt his own skills to the point that he would feel the need to rely on women and children to help accomplish his mission.

_He did try to discourage us from coming_, she tried to rationalize. Even when he had left Iselia with Raine and Colette, he had seemed perfectly content to leave the rest of them behind - perhaps even _relieved_. In all honesty, she had to admit to herself that it was likely that he had simply found some advantage to the numbers of the group by now… it didn't take a mercenary to see the benefit to giving an enemy multiple targets. All of them were expendable on this Journey – all save Colette. And if the sacrifice of any of the other five meant that it could bring her closer to her goal, then that was what had to be done.

_That was the fine print to joining the journey_, she sighed, voicing the obvious truth even to herself. It was something that she had actually understood well before she had thrown her lot in with Lloyd and Genis. If she lived long enough to reach Luin and start her new life there, then she would have escaped Iselia… something many girls her age had yet to do and how most of them seemed to have lost the will to do. She didn't want that for herself. That was the selfish underside to her membership in the Chosen's group. Even if she didn't know where it was, she knew that her future didn't lie in the tiny forested town of her birth. Luin was an off-handed choice… no one thing drew her there other than its small size and an air of pleasantness that she sensed when she had passed through with the Church journey. But until they reached the town that she had selected as a potential home, she accepted her duty to also act as a protector to the Chosen, whether Kratos endorsed that role or not.

"We have no choice… we have to just stay here…."

The voice of a man from nearby shook her from her thoughts as she realized that a good-sized group of travelers had assembled at the entrance to the mountain pass. Almost grateful for the distraction, she averted her eyes to anything but the conversation that she was trying to listen just a bit closer to. The speaker sounded distressed, even if only a little bit, but he also seemed convinced of the safety his plan.

_Why would that be an option for a group of that size?_ It seemed to her that if it was simply a matter of them not having the money for a pass that there were other places for them to regroup until they decided on an alternate destination or a return to their homes.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to go make myself a target for the Desians," another voice - this time female - answered the first, apparently endorsing the man's declaration of the standstill to their journey.

At the mention of the Desians, Liane's attention openly snapped up to the group. There were perhaps eight people, including a woman clad similarly to the Palmacostan shopkeeper's daughter. _It's a church tour group…_ she realized. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Liane stood and caught a strap of her pack, slinging it over her shoulder as she approached the man whose declaration had shook her from her thoughts of her own situation.

"I'm sorry," she began with a polite smile, placing her hand gently on his shoulder to get his attention, "but I couldn't help but overhear something about the Desians. Has something happened?" Liane fully knew what an obnoxious stranger she was making of herself, but she felt compelled to find out what could hold up something like a Church tour. _Shouldn't members of such a tour be safe?_

"Happened?" the slightly obese man snorted as he turned to her. "I should say so! Word is that the Desians are returning to Palmacosta again – a troop of them was spotted leaving the Ranch this morning. I am so glad that we managed to leave before we were in their path."

His female companion nodded excitedly to Liane. "There is even talk that they are going there to carry out a public execution! Their death quota was filled, but it seems that Magnius saw fit to extend it for some reason. I wonder who they are coming for…?" her voice trailed off, even as her eyes slipped away in thought.

"So, you're just going to stay here and hope they go away?" Liane looked in disbelief between the man and the woman.

The man turned to regard her with mild surprise. "Miss, you don't seem to understand – the Desians never simply pay a casual, friendly visit to Palmacosta, but eventually, they give up and go away. At least for a while."

Shaking her head slightly, she couldn't believe the passiveness that the man seemed to be so comfortable with. "But what about your friends and families? Isn't Palmacosta your home? How can you just leave all of it at the mercy of the Desians?"

The man regarded her with a deep sigh. "Miss, you obviously have never dealt with the Desians. If you leave them alone… you will always have a better chance than if you confront them."

"But if you stand together…" Liane managed to choke out through her dismay. Somehow, the concept of not standing up for your home and loved ones just didn't make sense to her. How could it be worth saying that you cared about it if you weren't willing to defend it?

"The city militia does what it can… it keeps us free from constant occupation," a woman offered on her other side, a placid smile on her face. "Everything will be safe soon."

Liane sighed heavily, shaking her head. "For you it will be. But what about the people that are still there?"

Liane stood in momentary silence as the rest of the travelers chatted nervously amongst themselves, trying to grasp this attitude of ignorance of the actions of the Desians, never noticing the return of her party.

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, startling Liane as he suddenly seemed materialize beside her. She glanced over her shoulder at his words, finding that the rest of the group had also come to join the discussion.

"Oh, don't you know?" The man that Liane had been speaking to turned his attention to Lloyd with a worried shake of his head. Liane met Lloyd's eyes evenly, wondering what this new turn of events would mean for the journey. Technically, Colette's mission didn't include taking on the Desians directly… it was simply to get her through the seals and to the Tower of Salvation. The Desians would be taken care of by that act alone.

_But what of all the people that are going to be hurt in the meantime?_

Another man in a dingy white shirt from the tour group pushed into the conversation with a panicked tone "… you all would be better off waiting here for a while. No matter what, you should stay away from Palmacosta."

Lloyd's brow furrowed, even as surprise sparkled in his eyes. "Did something happen in Palmacosta?"

Travel group leader nodded gravely, resting her hand on her hip. "It seems the Desians are headed for Palmacosta."

"What?"

Liane heard Genis groan, and Raine draw in a sharp breath. She turned to the rest of her party seeing various expressions of surprise on all of their faces. All of them, that is, except for the predictably unshakable mercenary.

The white shirted man nodded again, "Plus, they say the leader of the nearby human ranch, Magnius, is with them."

Lloyd growled under his breath, the growl finally solidifying into a single understandable word.

"Magnius."

The traveler that had insinuated himself into their conversation shook his head resolutely. "I'm going to wait here until things cool down. You should hold off on going anywhere for a while, too."

Liane backed away from the tour group, content to fall behind her own group and let them shield her from the frustratingly accepting tour participants. _How can they all just be content to sit back and let the Desians have their way? _She secured her packs to her back and stood waiting near the house that the others had gone into.

Looking up, Liane saw Colette approaching her with a typical smile… even though it was plain to see that the expression was a habit more than a reflection of how the girl felt.

"Colette? What's wrong?" Liane asked, settling her sword in its sheath even as she kept a calm eye on the girl.

The Chosen sighed. "We have to go back… we can't go through the pass anyway. The old man wanted too much money for passes."

_Perfect…_ Liane couldn't help but sigh in response. "Did you at least find the book that the fake Chosen took from Governor-General Dorr?"

"It's in there," Colette nodded, but her shoulders fell slightly as she did. "But he won't even let us look at it unless we bring him the Spiritua statue from the House of Salvation."

Liane shook her head… it would appear that the Goddess had more use for them as entertainment as yet another obstacle fell into place before them. She looked up as Lloyd approached them both.

"If you two are ready… we're leaving," he huffed, sounding slightly disheartened.

"Where are we going?" Liane had to ask… knowing that there had to have been more discussion after she had left the group in discussion with the tour group.

Lloyd turned, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Well, we can't go forward without passes… really, there only is one place we can go."

Liane nodded, understanding easily what her friend was telling her as she glanced to Colette.

"Palmacosta," she answered her own question, motioning for Colette to go ahead of her behind Lloyd as the group filed from the mountain trail and began to retrace their steps to the coastal city.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when the Palmacostan gates once again came into view of the party. Liane knew that she wasn't the only one to dread their appearance, though. Certainly, they were no strangers to a fight… but somehow, the concept of fighting the Desians directly didn't seem to be in the same category. Of course, there were always the Desians that they had fought when Lloyd was captured, but this was a fight that they had never even vaguely planned… and potentially one that their relatively green group was no where near ready to press. An entire town could be hanging on the outcome of this battle… not simply one of their own. 

The town seemed to be eerily abandoned as they walked the formerly-bustling streets of the city, but they knew where the people would be… the only place in the town that would probably do to make a statement on the extension of the 'death quota'… the town square. As the party reached the end of the stone bridge that emptied into the square in front of the civic building, they indeed found the population of the town gathered….

… _like cows to the slaughter…_ Liane thought, her stomach twisting at the scene before them… armored Desians… a scaffolding … and the kindly shopkeeper that had helped them earlier at the end of a still-slack rope on the platform of the scaffolding.

"It's Magnius from the eastern ranch!" a fearful voice split the stunned atmosphere of the square as a lightly-armored man with brilliant red curls stalked through the crowd towards the man that had apparently recognized him.

The flame-haired Desian snarled as he caught the man by the throat with an evil sneer. "That's LORD Magnius, vermin!" With a laugh that almost spoke of glee, Magnius lifted the man from feet by his throat. A moment later, a sickening snap filled the square as the man's head lolled unnaturally to the side.

"Oh, sweet Martel," Liane breathed in horror, the callous disregard for life choking her as the man crumbled to the ground at the Desian's feet.

The Chosen's party stayed their ground on the bridge overlooking the square, measuring the display in frozen shock.

_We can't let this happen… but… do we have a chance?_ Liane glanced around to her companions, almost all wearing a look that mirrored her own reaction to the scene, all of them caught on the edge of decision. _Everyone… but him_. The mercenary wore his familiar inscrutable scowl. At least the familiarity of that was almost a comfort. But he seemed to be waiting for something… but then she realized that it was probably the same thing that they were all doing… waiting for some divine sign to take action… it was already too late for the man Magnius had cut down… but there were other lives in the balance… namely Cacao's.

"This woman defied the wishes of the great Lord Magnius and refused to provide us with supplies," a golden-helmed Desian sorcerer called to the crowd that was assembling in the square, a horrified silence flooding over all of them.

"Therefore, while the designated death count has been exceeded, we have been granted orders to carry out this woman's execution!" the first Desian's companion chimed in to the decree.

Lloyd shook his head in disbelief, as his hands clenched at the handles of his swords. "Dammit! Why isn't the city militia doing anything to stop this?"

"Most of them are out on training exercises right now," came a comment from beside Lloyd, a townsman that had joined them to also watching the exhibition.

Liane looked around the square, finding herself amazed that with all of the people gathered in the square, there didn't seem to be enough of them to allow them the strength to stand up to the seemingly small band of Desians. _They've beaten these people down so far… that they can't fight back?_

"The Desians must have waited for this opportunity. Slimy jerks," Genis growled beside Lloyd, his knuckles growing white as his small fists shook. Liane watched her friends and felt something growing in the pit of her stomach. They had fought seal guardians and clumsy assassins until now… but the Desians… much less the leader of a human ranch had to be an entirely different category of opponent.

_Oh, Goddess… we're not ready for this… _the realization hit her like a spray of cold seawater.

"Mom!"

A familiar pony-tailed girl pushed past the group on the bridge, shoving Liane slightly into Raine in her blind need to get past them. _Chocolat_… Liane watched the girl sprint across the square to the scaffolding, with a grim realization, _They're doing this to her mother because she owns the shop… but Chocolat's the one that angered the guards. They're doing this to beat all the fight from the people…._ It made sense – in a sick, twisted, _Desian_ way - and Liane wondered why it was such a revelation to her. She knew full well that calling the Desians evil was an understatement. She had already seen a perfect example of their psychological tactics at Iselia when they had turned Marble into that... _thing_... and set her against Lloyd and Genis. The memory of Iselia and how it threatened to break her friends made her hands itch towards her daggers, but she stood her ground… knowing that if she charged in, she would probably fare no better than the man that Magnius had killed with a single hand. Yet the anger was still there… making her wonder how much longer it would be before she… or one of the rest of her group wouldn't be able to stand the scene any longer.

"Stop right there, woman!" one of the Desian guards shook his whip warningly at Chocolat's approach, slowing the girl only slightly as she continued to approach the scaffolding, her eyes riveted to her mother.

The guard's identically clad cohort chuckled from the other side of the scaffolding. "If you interfere, we'll make you suffer in ways that will leave you begging for death!"

Then the girl did something that truly surprised Liane… Chocolat laughed back at the guards. "You think Governor-General Dorr will let you get away with this?"

Magnius threw his head back with a maniacal laugh, apparently having watched the exchange with amusement from a small distance away. "Dorr? Don't get your hopes up, woman!"

"No!" Chocolat's expression slid from one of assured faith in the town's leader to one of doubt at the sheer arrogant confidence in the Desian's taunt.

Even as the Desian's cold laughter drew and locked Liane's attention on him, she saw his smile fall slightly… accompanied by a surprised wince.

_What the…?_

Then she saw it… a small little boy had separated himself – unnoticed until now – from the group of shock-numbed citizens that had gathered for the macabre scene in the town square. Wordlessly, the little boy pulled back his hand and once again pelted the Desian leader with yet another rain of small pebbles – his tiny face contorted into a look of defiance at the wrong that was so clear even to a child's eye.

Magnius' face twisted with rage as he leapt from platform and begin to prowl toward the boy, who met the approach of the Desian with only a small backstep… but not a word or a whimper was heard as he stood his ground.

"You… disgusting little vermin!" Magnius growled as he seemed to be savoring every step of his trip to the child… almost as if the punishment he would be meting out in but moments was playing out over and over in his head.

Liane's blood ran cold as she saw the Desian leader advance on the little boy… the only being that seemed to have the sense to stand up to Magnius and his men… the only one to make a stand against the wrongs… was only a child.

_That's enough._

Setting her jaw, Liane drew her short sword, bringing it up horizontally before her as she realized that her only hope of aiding the boy was her Wind Blade. It didn't matter if the others wouldn't help her…. She simply couldn't stand by and let the boy go unaided – the complacent nature of the town was finally more than she could stomach. As she began to summon her rune circle, she saw a metallic flash out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly aware that she wasn't alone in her impatience with the situation, she saw Lloyd step forward only slightly.

"Stop right there!" Liane turned at Lloyd's voice to find her friend with his sword tensed in his grip, looking to be ready to attack again at the slightest provocation.

Magnius staggered back with a grunt as Lloyd's Demon Fang attack slammed into him. It only took a fraction of a second for the focus of the Desian's rage to slide from the small boy to the young swordsman.

Raine quickly pushed to Lloyd's side, stepping between Liane and her friend. "Lloyd, stop! Do you want to turn this city into the next Iselia?" Liane saw this, but kept her attention on Magnius, who was clearly enjoying his moment to consider what punishment he could conceive for this interloper who had interrupted him.

"It's not the same!" Lloyd muttered back to his professor, also keeping his eye on the Desian that he had officially made his enemy. "This city doesn't have a non-aggression treaty with the Desians! How can we go on a quest to regenerate the world if we can't even save the people standing right in front of us!"

"Lloyd's right! I won't just stand here and let this happen!"

Liane looked over to find that Colette had taken her place at Lloyd's right side, her chakram already clasped tightly in each hand as her blue eyes sought her professor's as the half of group now seemed aligned to the protection of Palmacosta – _even if they don't care to protect themselves._ Suddenly, her earlier thoughts of sacrifice for the sake of the chosen whispered back through her mind, and her grip on her grandfather's short sword tightened as her gaze returned to the Desians.

Even as the Chosen voiced her support for the action that Lloyd had initiated, one of the Desian guards stepped forward to point an accusatory finger in Lloyd's direction. "You! You're wanted criminal #0074… Lloyd Irving!"

Liane couldn't fight back a groan at the guard's observation even as the Maginus' eyes flickered with ill-intentioned glee.

"Well now! So you're that boy with the Exsphere!" Magnius laughed again, once again chilling Liane's blood with the heartless tone of enjoyment. "This is perfect! After I take that Exsphere from you, they'll make me the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals! Get them!"

One of the golden-helmed guards to Magnius's right began to dance slightly, calling on his own rune circle. As familiar symbols began to glow steadily around the Desian, Liane began to recognize the pattern…

_Genis' Fire Ball…_ her mind whispered to her even as the air before the guard began to flicker with sparks that coalesced into the anticipated attack. Liane spent a blink of an eye too long realizing what was happening to summon her Guardian spell and started to tense in anticipation of the flaming heat of the approaching flame, even as something pushed by her from behind. She had no idea when she had time to actually observe what was happening between the fire ball leaving the Desian sorcerer and its arrival at them. But somehow, Genis had managed to insinuate himself in front of all of them, his small hands pushed in front of him, his Force Field flaring brightly as the fire ball slammed into the field, disintegrating back into its constituent sparks.

For just a moment, the square was silent as Lloyd, Colette, Raine, and Liane all gaped at the silver-haired boy who simply straightened after his defense, turned, and stalked to the back of their group, muttering only one simple, almost uncharacteristically-smug word as he passed through them:

"Amateurs…"

"Dammit!" Magnius howled, visibly shaking with rage at how easily his sorcerer's attack was deflected by the boy. "You worthless idiots! Enough of this! I'll take care of this woman first!" The red-tressed Desian spun, gesturing to his guards at the scaffolding. This particular guard, however, seemed to have a fair understanding and ability to perform his job, as the floor of the scaffolding beneath Cacao fell away an instant after Magnius' unspoken command. The woman fell with a choked gag as the rope caught her fall.

"No!" Colette cried, her distress spurring her to action as she spun, sending one of her chakram flying across the square to slice through the rope that held Cacao's full weight.

"What the!" Magnius could only watch in dismay as the ring arched up into the afternoon sky before completing its arc to return to its mistress's hand. Liane couldn't help but allow a smile to escape even as Cacao fell to the ground, gasping for air, but nonetheless alive.

A blur of indigo drew her attention back from Cacao and Colette as she saw Kratos sprint across the square, exploiting Magnius' distraction to slip up close to him and draw his sword, fluidly slicing it across the Desian's chest. Magnius grunted once again, grasping at his chest as he fell back to one knee before the mercenary.

"Let us respect the wishes of the Chosen." Kratos' statement was plain to hear through the square even though his voice had been no louder than a normal conversation tone – but in a square that had otherwise fallen deadly silent.

"The Chosen?"

"She is the Chosen?"

"The Chosen herself has come to save us!"

Liane heard the murmuring around her and turned her attention momentarily from the Desians to realize that the people had begun to gather around them… looking to them to stand against the Desians?

"Do you all realize what you're doing?" Raine shook her head, watching all of her teammates that now seemed to have embraced the idea of the battle. "If you defy the Desians, this city may be attacked just like Iselia."

Lloyd nodded, his eyes fixed on the Desians. "That's right. And I know full well what I'm doing! I won't repeat the same mistake again. I'll destroy them all… the entire ranch!"

Raine shook her head as her eyes went wide at the frenzied determination in the voice of her student. "Lloyd, that's insanity."

And Liane found herself momentarily in agreement with her mentor, fearing that Lloyd's anger was simply going to get him hurt or worse.

"They're only after Colette and me, anyway," Lloyd shrugged, a small, but undeniably confident smile materializing in his expression. "And besides, we have the Chosen on our side! The savior who will regenerate the world! Right, Colette?"

Colette nodded with a bright smile. "Yup! I'm going to fight for everyone's sake."

"Oh! Lady Colette! The great Chosen of Mana!" a Priest in the full garb of the Church spoke reverently from the shadows on the steps of the civic building.

Liane straightened herself at the priests words… a reminder of the pledge that she had solidified earlier at the pass. Her life would be forfeit, if necessary, for the sake of the Chosen and her friends. She shifted her grip on her blade and nodded, following Lloyd's example of fixing the Desians in her narrowing glare. "I'm with you, Lloyd… Colette."

Raine's hand fell limply to her sides and her head dipped in submission. "I give up. You're all hopeless. But I'll help, since I'd be worried about you otherwise."

"Professor Sage! Thanks!" Lloyd grinned up at the silver-haired woman, as he adjusted his grip on his Knight's sabers. The vocalized support of his teacher seemed to give him an extra bit of confidence as he advanced a step on the Desians.

Magnius watched the Chosen's party with interest that grew quickly towards infuriation from where he crouched on the ground before his guards. "Damned little.. enough of this crap! I'm leaving them to you. Get rid of them!"

Liane couldn't help but stare at the scene as Magnius and one of his Sorcerers evaporated, apparently content to leave capture of Colette and Lloyd to his lackeys. _Sure he seems to be in control of all the soldiers… but wounded or not, what kind of leader _leaves_ all of his subordinates to take care of everything?_

"How dare you lay a hand on Lord Magnius!" one of the whip masters barked as the last of the shimmers blinked out of the air. "You're all dead!"

"Obviously, you have more loyalty to him than he does to you," Liane sighed, unconcerned with if they could really hear her or not as she stepped forward to meet the advance of the two whip masters as the remaining sorcerer hung back behind them, already beginning to work his next spell as a rune circle began to spin beneath him.

Liane saw Kratos and Lloyd split off to each take on one of the whip masters, but she was more concerned with the sorcerer… if she knew the rune pattern like she thought she did, the spell was fire-based. _Again? Didn't they already try fire balls?_ But this time, Genis wouldn't be able to guard all of them… especially if there ended up being more than the one that had been fired at them before. Setting her jaw, she sprinted past the others battling the whip masters and headed straight for the sorcerer. _I have to interrupt him, if nothing else…._

Charging the sorcerer, she saw his rune circle begin to spin a bit faster… forcing her to make a rather desperate tactic choice. She turned her shoulder and launched herself into the sorcerer, knocking him out of his rune circle and onto his back on the ground, barely managing to keep herself from toppling over with him as she managed to control her fall, dropping into a low crouch to see what his next move would be.

Somewhere, Liane heard the crack of a whip and a subsequent yelp of pain… _Lloyd…_ she shook her head ever so slightly, knowing that the pained yelp shouldn't have been the only other option – Genis – because he shouldn't have been anywhere either of the Desians' whips. She wanted to help them… but she knew full well that keeping the sorcerer from aiding his comrades would probably be more help than falling back and allowing him the space to continue casting spells. Keeping her eyes on the sorcerer that was starting to roll to his side, she watched him start to reach for the staff that had skittered from his hand when she had knocked him to the ground.

_Stupid!_ As Liane saw the sorcerer's hand moving toward the staff, she realized that she had made a rather poorly-timed error… in the time she had been trying to measure the sorcerer's next move, she should have been assuring that his staff would be no danger to her or her friends when he got up. But now, even as she began to slide toward the staff in a desperate bid to knock the staff out of his reach and correct her mistake, she could plainly see that he would be reaching it first.

"Filthy human _cow_," the sorcerer sneered as he snatched the staff and swung it well out of her reach, quickly climbed to his knees and swinging the golden weapon back and over his head, bringing it down at Liane, his angered scowl plain to see beneath his helm. Seeing the staff picking up speed as it fell towards her, Liane staggered up to one knee, bringing her sword to bear before her to block the blow… even as an orange blur invaded her peripheral vision almost from nowhere even as an oak rod suddenly thrust between Liane and the sorcerer's staff.

"Raine?"

The sorcerer turned his attention to the professor as she took a quick step away from Liane, spinning the rod up over her head before swinging it at the sorcerer's… a metallic clang filling the air as the rod connected, effectively leaving the younger woman to recognize the opportunity her mentor was affording her. Scrambling to her feet as the sorcerer remained distracted by the silver-haired woman, Liane snatched one of her daggers from her belt and lunged, catching the sorcerer's arm and ripping a large, deep gash in the his maroon sleeve, blood appearing almost as soon as her dagger left the site. With a howl, the sorcerer stumbled forward, grasping at his arm as he hunched ever so slightly, allowing Raine to slam her knee into the man's chin with a grunt, crumbling him to the ground.

Liane stood, nodding to Raine. "Thank you…."

"It looked like you needed a little help," Rained shrugged, eyeing her carefully, giving Liane the distinct impression that the elven woman had witnessed her oversight in leaving the sorcerer basically still armed. Glancing over to the whip masters, she saw the last whip master to remain standing stumble to his knees before Lloyd before collapsing into a heap at the young swordsman's feet. With a sigh of relief, Liane turned a sheepish nod to the Professor, hoping that she would accept the unspoken apology for her oversight that had necessitated aid without giving the others - _Kratos_ in particular – any encouragement to harass her about it. Raine's eyes glimmered for a moment before she returned the nod as she strode past Liane heading back to the others.

"Is everyone alright?" the professor asked, gravitating towards her younger brother.

"Yeah!" Lloyd spoke up to no one in particular, a cheerful grin on his face. "Did you see me?"

Liane rolled her eyes with a chuckle as she joined the rest of the party, each of them regrouping from the defeat of the enemy that they had assigned themselves. _So… we won against three Desian underlings who are all commanded by a leader to cowardly to even remain for battle… is that truly that much of an accomplishment?_ Her expression fell thoughtful as she glanced around to the townspeople that were slowly beginning to gather around them again, apparently emboldened at the Desians' defeat. _A warlord that won't stand with his men in battle, and people that won't defend their homes, friends, and families from enemies... so… what are we really fighting for? Everyone seems so willing to give up…._

"We need to go," Kratos sighed heavily, sheathing his sword and glancing around the square and at the broken forms of their opponents. "There is nothing more for us to do here."

* * *

The afternoon was swiftly fading to sunset when they once again reached the House of Salvation. 

_Wow… two nights in the same place,_ Liane chuckled as they started up the walk into the building. _For such an important journey, I'm guessing it doesn't say much for our progress a this point._

Lloyd glanced over at her, a smirk passing over his features. "What's so funny?"

Liane turned to the young swordsman with a shake of her head. "One step forward and two steps back, Lloyd. It doesn't seem like we got all that far today to me."

He cocked his head at her curiously before following the others up the steps of the House and taking Genis' place to hold the door open for Liane and Raine. "But we covered plenty of ground today…" he muttered.

"Never mind, Lloyd," Liane sighed, stepping into the House of Salvation as the pair of priests turned their attention to the party. Lloyd let the door swing shut behind them and joined Colette at the front of the party, the Chosen having already started up a conversation with the holy men.

"You say you… want the Spiritua Statue? The older priest gaped at the visitors as Liane paused, standing between Kratos and Raine at the back of the party.

Lloyd nodded, stepping slightly forward from the rest of the group. "I know it's a brazen request. But it's for the world regeneration."

"Please, Father," Colette emphasized from beside Lloyd.

The old man watched them all carefully for a long, quiet moment before nodding. "If the Chosen asks, we will of course not hesitate to lend our aid." Turning to his assistant, the Father spoke quietly, but loud enough for all of them to hear. "Bring the statue here."

The younger Priest's eyes went wide at the request as his gaze fell to the floor. "M… my most humble apologies! This Spiritua statue is actually a fake I had placed here."

The Grand Priest gaped at the younger holy man in disbelief. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I lost the real Spiritua statue during the pilgrimage a year ago," the Priest sighed, his shoulders sagging.

Lloyd's brow furrowed slightly at the exchange. "The pilgrimage is the Church of Martel's spiritual training journey, right? Why would you take the statue along with you?"

"The halo on the head of the Spiritua statue is made of diamond," the Grand Priest began to explain with a deep sigh. "We always take it with us when we go out on pilgrimages in order to protect it from thieves."

"On the trip last year, I followed that custom as usual and brought the Spiritua statue with me to Thoda Island. But there, I accidentally dropped it into the geyser," the Priest piped into the story, finishing his part of the tale with downcast eyes and an embarrassed blush.

Liane heard Lloyd begin to grumble, echoing the sentiment inside of her at the moment. If they couldn't get the Statue for Koton, then they wouldn't have the book… then they would end up wandering aimlessly looking for the seals for Colette to release. _It could be weeks more before we reach Luin…_ she sighed, wondering if she would be able to handle that much more time with Kratos before she could manage to start her own life… away from Iselia, away from Michael… and, unfortunately away from her friends. She knew that they would probably be better off without dragging her along, and, no matter how much she hated to admit it, Kratos had already proven himself to be a good protector to all of them. _They have a better chance of accomplishing the Journey faster without me to look after._

"… why did you have to take it to a place like that!" Lloyd's exclamation of disbelief drew Liane out of her thoughts and back to the conversation with the priests. _Focus on what's at hand, Liane. This needs to happen. You can worry about the rest later…._

The Priest shook his head with what appeared to be shame. "I am terribly sorry. I was so moved upon seeing the geyser for the first time…. By the time I realized it, the statue had fallen onto the rocks on the other side of the geyser," he sighed, his shoulders slumping even more. "Desperate, I paid a visit to a dwarf who lives in Iselia and had him make something just like it."

A moment of silence passed over the room as the Chosen's party all seemed to realize the implication at the same time.

"Oh," Genis's amused tone broke the pause. "That'd be Dirk."

Liane shook her head. _Great. Now Dirk's forging holy relics. That's just perfect._

"It's very good work. Just what I'd expect from Dirk," Raine nodded from where she stood beside Liane, her eyes fixed on the counterfeit statue behind the altar. Liane couldn't help but notice that the elven woman wore a smirk almost identical to the one sported by her younger brother at the revelation.

"Dad… just what kink of jobs are you doing?" Lloyd sighed quietly, shaking his head as his hands fell back to rest on the handles of his swords.

Kratos shifted beside her, making it clear that he was tired of 'story time.' "Well then, what shall we do now? Do you think the fake will fool that old man?"

Shaking her head in response to the mercenary, Raine sighed thoughtfully, "That doesn't seem likely. It's well-built, but it's still a fake, as is the diamond."

As another dead-end presented itself to them, Colette turned to the group, her blue eyes dancing with what Liane could only guess was yet another option, which – at the rate they were going – would likely simply be batted down along with all of their other fleeting opportunities to not bring the journey to a standstill.

"Um.. um.. how about if we go get the real one?"

The Chosen's words hung in the air, awaiting dismissal from someone… anyone….

Raine's gasp was the first sound uttered at the new suggestion. "Y…you want to go all the way to Thoda Island? And on top of that, the rocky area is on the other side of the geyser, correct?" the Professor turned her objection into an inquiry of the Priest.

"Y..yes."

Lloyd turned thoughtfully to the group. "The problem is the geyser. Even I'll pass on getting hit with boiling water."

Liane fought the urge to snicker at Lloyd's ever-impressive ability to pull obscure information out of the dark recesses his mind just when no one expected it of him.

"Oh, my. Lloyd… you remembered that a geyser erupts with boiling water. I'm so proud!" Raine beamed at her student, making it even harder for Liane to contain at very least her smirk.

Colette clasped her hands together, regarding Lloyd with a wide smile. "Lloyd, you're amazing!"

"Of course! Everyone knows that," Lloyd confidently crossed his arms across his chest, making Liane wonder what he was responding to… Raine's pride in his retention of _some_ bit of information or Colette's swooning.

Then Genis turned to Lloyd with an arched eyebrow. "I bet you just guessed."

Barely able to clamp her hand to her mouth in time to keep from flat out laughing, Liane saw Lloyd turn to his younger friend, a scarlet blush spread across his cheeks.

"Sh.. shut up…" the younger swordsman muttered.

_Well, Lloyd… it was a good guess…_ Liane thought with a smirk.

A small and somewhat disappointed grunt issued from the mercenary beside her, and signaled Liane to turn from the discussion and slip out of the House. She no longer really had much to say on the matter, and if all she could manage to do was fight off the urge to laugh at her friend trying to learn to make decisions that would make him the leader he was already starting to lean toward being, then she really didn't need to be there.

Liane stepped outside, settling herself on the front step of the House of Salvation… almost the exact place that she had last seen Kratos sitting the night before when she had left him. _Thoda Geyser…_ she sighed. The priests had taken her group there… it was fascinating… and it was also a place that she never thought she would see again. With a sigh, she surveyed the yard of the House… there were still several travelers milling around, despite the fact that the day was growing old. But as she heard the door behind her open, she saw an armored figure start up the walk toward them. She stood, finding herself shoulder to shoulder with Kratos… and Lloyd to his other side, all of their eyes fixed on the approaching figure.

"Are you the companions of the Chosen?" the armored man spoke as he approached and stopped just out of sword's reach.

"And if we are?" Lloyd questioned, a defiant note in his tone. Normally, Liane would have rolled her eyes at her friend's attempt to play tough, but in the face of their armored company, she decided that closing her hand over her sword to answer a potential challenge was probably the wiser action.

"I have a message from Dorr," the armored guard began, obviously satisfied with Lloyd's response. "He would like you to temporarily postpone the journey of regeneration."

Kratos narrowed his glare at the guard. "What is this about?"

"A Church of Martel pilgrimage tour guide has been kidnapped by the Desians. In light of this, Dorr has decided that this is the time to gather Palmacosta's forces and launch an attack on the human ranch controlled by Magnius," the guard answered the mercenary's question calmly and coolly, with no movement suggesting any other agenda.

Genis stepped off the side of the step to stand beside Liane. "How is that related?" he asked with a small shake of his head.

"We would like you to rescue the kidnapped tour guide in concert with our attack," the guard replied calmly, turning his attention fully back to Lloyd.

Colette blinked at the guard in confusion from where she stood at Lloyd's side. "Who is this kidnapped tour guide?"

"Her name is Chocolat," the guard answered without a hint of hesitation.

"Chocolat?" Lloyd almost choked out the name, his hands clutching over the handles of his sabers.

Raine shook her head in sad disbelief as she stepped out onto the porch, overhearing the conversation. "… Oh no."

The guard turned back to Colette. "Chosen One, please help us," he begged, a note of pleading in his voice that Liane knew the girl would be unable to resist.

Colette wrung her hands together nervously, turning to the brown-haired swordsman. "Lloyd, Let's help them."

Lloyd paused, considering his options. "Yeah, okay.

"Somehow I thought you were going to say that," Raine groaned, shaking her head, her hand resting against her temple.

"Of course," Lloyd turned a glance over his shoulder in the Professor's direction. "We can't just leave her!"

The Guard nodded his helm to them, and specifically in Lloyd's direction. "Thank you. Neil will inform you of the details once you reach the ranch. Thank you so much for your help."

After a bit of rather predictable discussion considering the time of day, the party officially decided to stay at the House of Salvation for an additional night. Once their boarding fees were paid and their packs securely stored in the room above the chapel, they gathered in the yard where Genis had started a small cooking fire. He had promised them cabbage rolls and, even though Liane had sighed at the thought, it was food. If the next day was going to go as badly as she thought it might, she knew that she still needed to eat. But even once the food was cooked and served, it was difficult for her to do anything but push the roll around on her plate and hope that Genis wouldn't notice.

"Liane."

She looked up from her half-eaten cabbage roll to find Kratos standing just outside the ring that she and the others instinctively make when they sat down to eat in the yard of the House of Salvation.

"Hmm?" she answered, her interest tickled. He actually hadn't seemed to have gone out of his way to ignore her at any point during the day since they had left the peak, leaving her almost hopeful for a chance to at least stabilize their relationship a bit.

"Bring your sword… we still have enough light to practice," he turned and stalked toward the back of the House of Salvation without another word.

_Good thing I wasn't really hungry, I guess…_ she thought with a groan as she stood and handed her plate to Lloyd. The swordsman looked from her to the plate.

"You're not going to eat?" he asked, apparently realizing that simply grabbing her dinner away from her probably wasn't polite.

She shook her head and tightened her sword's seat in its sheath.

"No… I guess I'm going to practice," she sighed with a smile for her oldest friend.

"With Kratos?" Lloyd asked, already starting to cram the cabbage roll into his mouth before he paused, the bloom of a mischievous grin already starting to form.

"Alone?"

Liane rolled her eyes as she turned from the boy and followed the path Kratos had taken, even as she heard Colette and Genis collectively giggle.

"Liane…?" Raine called, her voice showing a hint of concern that Liane was sure only she would have caught. She turned to her mentor with a light smile.

"Don't worry… I requested it."

Raine nodded hesitantly, turning her attention back to scolding Lloyd for not chewing his dinner as the boy choked and sputtered beside her, apparently the aftermath of the amusement he seemed to find in Liane training with Kratos.

As she stepped into the clearing behind the House, she paused, taken for the briefest of instants by the mercenary illuminated by the dying sunlight. The contrast between his hair and his uniform was striking… almost artistic.

"Do you know any sword techniques?"

His words anchored her back to reality as she gathered her wits quickly enough to not pause before answering.

"No… other than Wind Blade and Guardian, I really don't know any other techs."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"I almost forgot about that… show me your Wind Blade attack."

Liane chuckled at his obvious joke at her expense. It was easier to share the amusement than to be offended at it in all honesty.

"Kratos… it's not strong… you've seen it. I barely even staggered Vidarr at the Temple…" she shook her head, laughter still coloring her tone.

He watched her for a moment with a measuring gaze.

"The only way it will get stronger is if you use it," Kratos's tone softened slightly. He drew his sword and held it vertically before him with both hands.

_He wants me to use it on him?_

"Kratos… I…"

"You yourself said that it's not strong…" he reasoned smoothly. She would have sworn there was almost a taunting note to his tone.

She shrugged and obligingly closed her eyes – concentrating, weaving, tying into her mana – soon, she could feel the power sliding around her, a slight tingle enveloping her body. Opening her eyes, she couldn't help but smile slightly as she realize that she had once again remembered how to call on the spell. Liane hadn't used the spell since that day at the Temple - instead, she had favored her weapons, knowing them to be the far more reliable and damaging contributions she could make to the group.

"Wind Blade!" she almost cheered for the simple fact that the spell had once again worked, releasing the howling gale directly at Kratos.

In the split second that it took to travel from her to him, Liane would have sworn she saw his eyes widen slightly before the wind hit him. He held his sword solidly before him and the green-tinted wind split on the edge of his blade, the subtle glimmer of a Guardian shield sparkling as the spell dispersed into the evening air.

Liane heaved a sigh, feeling the absence of the mana she had used in the spell as she fought to not let her knees buckle.

_That would be the other reason that I don't use that spell…_she chuckled as she stood, awaiting his critique.

"Not bad," he nodded. "That was probably strong enough to buy yourself some time in a real battle. There aren't many humans that can use spells consistently, much less master them. Keeping your ability honed will allow you a way to attack should you be disarmed."

"It's only because I managed to talk the Priests into letting me study with the other students," she shrugged. "They taught me how to tap my mana, even though it was significantly less than the others."

He watched her with a deep sigh. "Your mana will increase with time, if you work with it." He walked to face her, holding his own sword out to her when he stopped. "Take it."

"Kratos, I have a sword," Liane looked from him to the sword with an arched eyebrow, patting the weapon at her hip to remind him that she was also armed.

The mercenary sighed and took her hand, closing it around the handle of the long sword he offered her. "You have a sword, yes, but I saw you and the weaponsmith yesterday… you were testing a long sword. I would encourage you to consider it, especially since you are not yet proficient with a short sword… what skill you do have can easily transfer."

"But I _have_ a short sword, Kratos… weapons are expensive," she sighed, glad she had at least some research under her belt for her objection.

"It's not like there will be any shortage of foes on our journey. There will be other merchants. You have to make sure that you are protected and that you can protect yourself," he shook his head, disregarding her reasoning against the long sword.

A glint of sunlight caught her eye as he moved to stand beside her to give her room to try the sword.

_It's more range, that's for certain, _she nodded, testing the sword… its balance slightly better than the one she had tried in Palmacosta.

Suddenly, his hand closed over hers that held the sword. "May I show you something?"

The contact made her jump slightly, but she did her best to ignore the fact that this man who sometimes seemed to not be able to care less about her was going out of his way to help her.

"Drop the sword tip toward the ground," she did as she was told, his hand guiding her action. He stepped around behind her, standing just close enough to close his mitted hand over hers. "Roll your wrist out," he pulled her hand over into what seemed to be an awkward position to wield a sword. Kratos released her hand and took a step backwards. "Now, pull the sword up and to your left – almost like you were trying to attack me last night.

Liane swung the sword back just slightly as she rocked back onto her right foot, swinging the sword in the direction he had indicated.

When she heard a slight sigh behind her, she glanced over her shoulder to him. Her eyes narrowed slightly on him.

"What? Did I do it wrong?"

He shook his head slightly and replaced his hand on her forearm, pulling it back down to her side.

"No… that was fine, but the backstep may affect your aim. We'll worry about that later."

"My aim?"

His sigh was much more vocal this time.

"You've seen Lloyd use the 'Demon Fang' technique before, correct?"

She nodded, watching him curiously. "He used it against Magnius back in the square…" her eyes widened as her voice trailed off, realizing where he was going with his question. "You want _me_ to learn it? Kratos, I can barely use the Wind Blade once… I don't have nearly enough mana for something like that," she complained, fully turning to face him.

He never took his eyes from her as he pulled his hand back from her arm.

"The Demon Fang takes less mana than the Wind Blade – and it's faster to use. Speed is always an important factor in any battle. And I've told you already that the more you use your mana, the stronger you'll be with it. If you can channel enough mana to use the Wind Blade, Demon Fang will be easy."

She bristled slightly at yet another chapter in his long list of lectures she had already endured from him. _You trusted him to teach you, so let him teach you… if you're right, then he'll understand what you tried to tell him, _she sighed, adjusting her grip on his sword and facing away with him.

"You know how to channel your mana for the Wind Blade… channel it though the blade. Feed it into the blade slowly…." Kratos's voice was quiet, calm… had he not been an ally, she would have almost called his tone dangerous. She nodded, and pulled what mana she could still find… but instead of concentrating it into the rune circle that the priests had taught her, she concentrated on the sword. Just as the handle began to warm slightly in her hand, she felt him remove his own hand from her arm.

"Now… the same action as before… but release the mana as you swing… pick your target and allow the mana to spill towards it."

She nodded, and did her best to echo the backstep and backswing of her earlier swing, concentrating more on how he told her to use her mana than on the choreography… and as the sword arced up, she saw an almost-familiar slash of mana shoot across the ground and slam into a tree stump, splintering the leftovers of the ancient tree with a thud that resounded through the ground.

She staggered backwards slightly, her legs wobbling.

"What were you aiming at?"

_Aim? Oh, no…._

"Was that stump your target?"

His tone was a bit more demanding, a bit more insistent and she turned to him with a weary glare, unable and unwilling to meet his gaze.

"I… I didn't have a target… I was more worried about being able to just do it in the first place," she sighed. Sure, at the last moment, she had forgotten his instruction to aim, but she did it… "… but that was the Demon Fang, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but you didn't focus it – and an unfocused attack is dangerous to friend and foe alike… even to yourself."

Liane hung her head at his chastisement. _How many times have I heard that before – the priests always stressed that – now Kratos, too?_

"I'm sorry," she sighed, bracing herself for another barrage of things she had done wrong.

A moment of silence passed through the yard as Kratos appeared to be making a mental list to begin berating her for.

"May I have my sword back?"

Keeping her eyes to the ground, she turned her arm to offer him the handle of his long sword.

_Well, I suppose this all just proved him right – maybe I'm not cut out for this…._

She waited for him to turn and stalk back to the House of Salvation… maybe even to inform the others of what a lost cause she was to their efforts. But the longer she waited, she still heard no movement. Liane ventured a glance up to him – only to find, to her dismay, that he simply stood watching her, his sword positioned just as he had instructed her as a start for the Demon Fang.

"Kratos?"

"Well?" the mercenary sighed. "Draw your sword."

Her jaw went slightly slack at his command.

"Kratos, I could barely lift your sword to give it back to you – I'm exhausted…"

"You think an enemy would care if you are tired?" he asked quietly with a disturbing smirk… even as her mind finally grasped that his sword was moving – he had already drawn it up before she realized what was happening – and it was coming down directly at her.

Liane clenched her eyes shut and dropped to her knees, throwing her arms over her head. There was no time for thought – or even shock – as only one word managed to come out almost as a whimper –

"_Guardian…!"_

She braced herself for either the blow of his sword or the backshock of his impact with her shield – part of her amazed that she had even thought to try the defense, part of her wondering if it had even worked.

After what seemed like an eternity, she hesitantly cracked an eye open, relief flooding through her as a comforting green sparkle announced itself to her vision – then she saw him – or more appropriately, his _sword_ – poised just a hair from her shield.

No words would come to her as her heart finally began to pound in her chest again. Dropping the shield along with her arms, she felt even more energy she was previously certain she didn't have in the first place drain away. But she continued to stare at him – confusion replacing shock as her thoughts began to right themselves.

_Why?_

He sheathed his sword with a nod of approval, offering her the same hand that had just held the sword.

"I told you that you had the mana to do this. You just proved me right. Use that lesson to your advantage. If you want to live, you will find the mana – the strength. No matter your opposition."

Kratos held his hand out to her… as if what had just happened between them was nothing… something to be ignored…. She met his gaze evenly, feeling resentment for his methods welling angrily inside of her as she resisted the urge to take it. Planting her hands on the ground, she climbed to her feet, wobbling only slightly, but knowing that she had to make her point.

"You attacked me….?" she shook her head, the anger finally beginning to coalesce just enough to form words.

He shook his head at her. "No. You _thought_ I was going to attack you – there is a difference. But it was enough for me to prove to you that there is always a reason to find more strength to continue… if not for yourself, than for your friends."

Liane shook her head slightly and turned back to the House of Salvation only dropping her glare at him at the last possible moment. "All I know is that my _friends_ wouldn't even think to do that…" she muttered. "That was just mean, Kratos. I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

She never saw the slight smile he allowed himself as she passed around the edge of the building.


	8. Chapter 9

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Chosen's group is betrayed, and they're once again drawn back to Palmacosta, stretching already strained relationships between the members of the party while pulling them ever closer to the Desians' threat to their mission.

PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's yet another chapter for what I hope is your reading pleasure… enjoy!

Chapter 9

Kratos leaned against the fence that surrounded the House of Salvation, his arms crossed as he stared angrily into the night that had choked all traces of light from the sky. It was the first cloudy night that the journey had seen yet… and it seemed to him that it matched his mood perfectly. Everything had been so clear… his very assignment had been innately clear – perfectly cut and dried. Get the Chosen through the trials… the seals… and to the Tower of Salvation.

_Seriously… how much simpler of a request could there truly be?_

But now… _now_ when the next seal was within reach… _now_ the group decided to solidify their noble stance… to take on the cause of every whimper and whine that they passed on their path. It wasn't enough to complete the regeneration journey anymore… now every sad plight they came across became their own. And it was hard to say which of them was most to blame… probably the professor the least… and the Chosen at the forefront… but the others hardly did anything to dissuade her from her bleeding-heart tendencies.

_Was there ever a time when I would have applauded such a mindset?_

"Heh."

He couldn't help it – he knew the answer to that. Moreover, he knew of three others that would have - at one time - not only applauded it, but enforced it with at least as much heart as the people he now surrounded himself with. But that was then. He had long since outgrown such a juvenile concept as optimism, despite the all-too brief gasp of it fourteen years pa—

_No._

Kratos shook his head resolutely, once again denying his own mind from the comparison it was stretching for. He stood from the fence, a deep, centering sigh issuing from him. This assignment was his redemption for Cruxis… no matter the obstacles that fate had apparently seen fit to tailor specifically for him. Idealism was no longer a luxury he could afford in his life. This journey had become his trial as well as the Chosen's… as well as all of theirs. But it was the test of his dedication to the strength of Yggdrasill's vision of peace. He drew his sword, more of an instinctive gesture than one of necessity, letting it hang loosely in his grip. The mercenary would not fail… even in the face of the specter of the life that was now long dead to him. He looked down to the sword in his hands, and for just a moment, a flash of guilt slipped through his thoughts. The dull flicker of light off the burnished finish of the blade was momentarily replaced by the blaze of betrayal in her hazel eyes.

_The lesson was valid. She… all of them… have to be ready to defend themselves to their last breath. Otherwise far more will be lost than what must be._

It was the mantra he was conditioning himself to believe. It was the absolute, undeniable truth. If they weren't ready to fight for their own lives, they would all be destroyed. And, as much as hated to admit it, the look Liane had given him after his final lesson for the night thrilled him on some perverse level of his psyche. The anger and the hatred that he saw there was very much real. While he already knew her well enough to know that she would probably talk herself out of at least some of it by morning for the sake of the others, it was a comfort to know that it existed and could be fanned relatively easily. It was another tool that she would need to survive her own trials… another tool that she could use to help the others. He would not… _could not _save them… _any_ of them. It simply was the way of things.

The guilt evaporated as he once again settled into the righteousness of his side of this quest, his sword whistling as it split the air before him as he held his demons at bay with barely more than pure logic for one more night. He smirked grimly, his hand settling on the handle of his sword and a deep, calming exhale escaping him.

_You will hate me more, Liane. I guarantee that I will teach you more about hatred than I will about swordplay._

* * *

The Chosen's party departed from the House of Salvation before the sun rose, each of them pulling each other along in an attempt to reclaim some of the time that the plight of Chocolat was taking from the all-important regeneration of the world. Creatures had crossed their paths, but none serving to do any more damage than to make sure that they were all awake and preparing themselves for what might lie ahead of them. From a distance, they had been able to see the Palmacosta Human Ranch… a metal behemoth set at the base of the wooded mountains beside the coastline. But as they drew closer, the monstrosity effectively disappeared into the canopy of the native forest, hiding insidiously amongst the most natural of the settings of Sylvarant. It may not have been visible, but was obvious that its presence loomed all around them in the unnaturally quiet forest. The group found and followed the unassuming wooded path to the Ranch in relative silence. Only occasional and necessary comments were uttered as they all, in their own way, seemed to be bracing themselves for something that their minds could not yet grasp… possibly a battle on a scale none of them imagined they would ever face. 

_I know we've all seen a Human Ranch, but I don't think any of us ever thought we'd actually be _in_ one, _Liane mused, her unease forcing her hand to clench around the handle of her short sword. She had purposely kept her distance from Kratos through the morning, and while she did occasionally catch him glancing to her, he seemed content to allow her to maintain that separation. And it was fine with her. _It's not as if anything I had to say to him wouldn't come out angry anyway. _As much as she hated to admit it, he was right… when she was ready to give up because someone once told her she was too weak… he proven to her that she had options other than rolling over and dying.

But at the same time, she also knew very well that there had to be a level of trust between a teacher and anyone they were trying to teach… some level of respect that went beyond credibility. Kratos' lesson had been effective, no doubt… but how was she supposed to ignore her instinct to keep a weary eye on him now? What if he would choose to once again impose such a lesson on her outside a training situation? He seemed distinctly like the type that would spout that 'life is a training situation' or some such… much like she figured she could expect from Raine. While she saw the wisdom in the sentiment, she still bore the resentment of his methods. She especially hated that it was forcing her to question her own views of teaching… making her wonder that if she wasn't willing to make the jump to enforce the important lessons that she could be called up on to teach, exactly how effective could she possibly be?

For just a moment, Liane's path wavered in her mind… the future that had beckoned to her, promising her a bigger world than simply Iselia winked out of existence. It was what she had worked for – dedicated herself to – throughout the last five years with the help of Raine and the Priests of the Church… and now… she doubted her commitment… her ability to follow in the elven woman's steps. And what bothered her most was that the events of only a few moments - a scant few heartbeats – had been all that it had taken to shake something that before was so absolutely solid in her mind.

_It seems to be a habit of his,_ she smirked humorlessly, sparing a quick glance to the mercenary walking not far from her as the two of them brought up the rear of the group. The dense tree canopy effectively shut out the morning sun, denying them the comfort of its guidance, forcing them to rely on the pale light that did dare to filter through to the forest floor… an eerie, mottled effect on the path before them.

"Chosen One, please wait…"

The quiet voice came from the undergrowth of the thick forest as the group passed causing them to spin as one unit, each of them bringing their weapons to bear as the spun in anticipation of whatever conflict had sought them out. But even as the familiar form of the man they were there to meet stepped out of the bushes to share the trail with them, their weapons did not drop – if anything – each of those weapons were only grasped tighter.

"Neil!" Lloyd heaved a note of relief in his tone as he eyed the dark haired man for a long moment before he finally sheathing his twin blades at his sides. "We heard Chocolat's been kidnapped!"

The Palmacostan man nodded, watching them all wearily even as one by one then began to follow Lloyd's example and drop their battle stances. "… Yes. I wish to speak with you regarding that. Please, come this way…" he motioned to a small path that had been previously hidden from them as they had proceeded towards the ranch.

The Professor crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the man wearily with a small shake of her head. "It doesn't sound like you have very good news for us."

Neil sighed, meeting Raine's gaze for only a moment before again disappearing into the undergrowth on the path he had indicated to the party. His silence spoke volumes to them all as they Colette fell into step behind him with a small shrug, Lloyd and Genis following her closely as Raine, Liane, and Kratos all exchanged looks of varied degrees of apprehension of the meaning behind this new detour. With a rough sigh, Kratos mimicked Neil's earlier gesture for the women to go ahead onto the path as he slid into their wake on the narrow forest trail. It didn't seem like they walked far before they caught up to Neil and the younger three of the party in a small clearing that looked to be just big enough for them to have the conversation that Neil obviously wasn't comfortable having near the main trail.

As the group of relative strangers now stood assembled before him once again, Neil shook his head, his voice dropping into a low and even vaguely apologetic tone as he made the effort to meet each of their gazes in turn. "I would like you all to just go ahead and leave the Palmacosta region."

Colette blinked her wide blue eyes at him, curling her fists into the front of her white tunic. "But if we do that, what will happen to Chocolat?"

"Yeah! We're supposed to work in conjunction with the Palmacosta army to save Chocolat, right?" Genis chimed in with the Chosen, stepping to Colette's side, his small hands gesturing in frustration to the request.

With a deep sigh, Neil shook his head, his gaze falling to the forest floor beneath his feet even as his shoulders did their best to follow. "No, that's…"

Liane heard Kratos snort beside her, turning her attention from Neil and back to the auburn-haired mercenary with a questioning eye.

"So… it _is_ a trap," Kratos muttered, the ghost of a humorless smirk on his lips as he shook his head in what seemed to be only mild disbelief.

_He expected this…_ Liane realized. Granted, Neil's appearance and his nervous demeanor had been curious, but still… _Why didn't he say something?_

Neil's startled gasp seemed to be simply the vocalization of Liane's thoughts even as she heard Raine sigh softly to her right.

"… Of the several possibilities, it looks like the worst one came true," Raine commented, shaking her head with resignation.

Lloyd spun from Neil, his eyes wide with surprise at the muted comments of the elders of his party. "Kratos and Professor! What are you talking about?"

"It was a mystery that the Desians would simply leave a city with an army alone," Kratos replied evenly, perhaps even a bit strained. His arms crossed as his statement was obviously aimed at Lloyd, but it was just as clear that his gaze was fixed on Neil.

Raine nodded, drawing Liane's attention from Kratos for a moment. "Yes, exactly. Choosing not to crush the seeds of rebellion must mean they are not a threat… they are left alone simply because they have no real power, or perhaps because they are in fact beneficial…"

Liane's heard the explanation – both of their explanations – and felt her shoulders sag involuntarily. _Why didn't I see it? With a ranch this close to a big city… why else would they leave them alone unless inaction fit their agenda?_

Neil nodded, his posture screaming of the guilt he apparently felt at misleading the Chosen and her group… the very guilt that had led him to stop them from progressing on the ranch any further. "It is as you say… Dorr is working with the Desians to lead the Chosen into a trap."

"Why would he do such a thing?" Genis shook his head in disbelief, looking between Neil and his sister in particular, pleading with either of them to somehow explain how this was happening.

_Good question, Genis… why would he sell out the Chosen?_ Liane watched the boy's reaction with a twinge of sympathy… wishing that she had answers for him instead of just more questions to add to his. _Doesn't Dorr know that the Chosen is to stand against the Desians? That she can end their grip on his town? _

"He didn't used to be like this… he always thought of the well-being of the people of the city. Even five years ago, when he lost his wife, Clara, he swore to fight against the Desians," Neil shrugged, shaking his head and dropping his hands helplessly to his sides.

Colette blinked, shaking her head as the confusion was in her wide blue eyes. "Then why…?"

Neil lifted his eyes to meet the Chosen's… with an accompanying almost-apologetic shake of his head. "I don't know. At any rate, entering the ranch now will put the Chosen in danger. Leave Chocolat to me and please, go on your way. Please regenerate the world as soon as possible."

"Indeed," Kratos nodded in agreement with the man's words. "It would be best to abandon the situation here for the world regeneration."

_Abandon?_ Liane couldn't help but turn and openly gape at the mercenary, detesting how cold it sounded to the plight of the girl that they had given their word to help, no matter if they had been misled into doing so or not, Chocolat was still in danger….

"Kratos… we can't just…" her quiet voice had a an edge of desperation that she hated… but someone had to get him to explain why things had to be so simple… so harsh.

"No!" the Chosen's voice split the quiet of the clearing as she fisted her hands so tight that her knuckles turned white and cutting off Liane's objections. "I can't just ignore this!"

The party turned in various levels of shock at the passion with which the normally unassuming girl spoke, the level of her resistance to the idea that they should all just go on their way causing them all to pause for a moment.

Genis was the first to right his thoughts as he stepped to Colette's side, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Colette's right.. if we leave things as they are now, Palmacosta may be destroyed just like Iselia. You thing so too, don't you Lloyd?"

Lloyd continued to stare at Neil, apparently lost in the implications of Neil's appeal to them even as the Professor cleared her throat with a note of exasperation.

"Yes, what you say is true," Raine sighed, shaking her head, her silver hair shifting before her face. "But I still wish to side with Kratos. If you don't want to see cities destroyed, you should avoid contact with the Desians."

Liane's jaw went slack as she remembered the apathy of the people at the pass. "So… ignore it and it will go away…?" she muttered, disappointment lingering in her low tone as she could only stare at her mentor.

"No, that's not right! Regenerating the world and saving the people in front of us are not exclusive of each other. That's what I think," Colette smiled softly, apparently getting more comfortable with her assertiveness.

Dropping her stare at Raine, Liane sighed and stepped forward to stand with her friends – with Colette, Genis, and Lloyd, knowing from the stares she felt boring into the back of her head from both Raine and Kratos that she had probably crossed a line in the group – from those seen as _adults_ to those seen as reckless children. _But it's not that easy… it's easier to be callused than it is to do the right thing… that must be why Colette has found her voice…._

"If that is how you feel, Colette, then we do not have any right to stop you," Raine stated quietly, clearly not agreeing with the decision. "The only one who has the right to make decisions on this journey is you, the Chosen One. Is that all right with you, Lloyd?"

The question struck Liane as odd, considering that the elven woman had just been stated how it was Colette's wishes that would dictate their actions, but then she saw the simple wisdom: Colette relied on Lloyd… the young swordsman's support would certainly make or break the Chosen's attempt to make her wishes clear. Liane couldn't help but appreciate the move… even if Raine didn't agree, she was still encouraging her students to make their own decisions. And in that, Liane found a glimmer of hope that she hadn't disappointed her mentor as much as she feared she had.

"That was my intention from the beginning," Lloyd replied to the inquiry coolly, turning to meet the Professor's gaze evenly, his voice never once betraying a note of anything except dead seriousness. "Remember what I said? I'm going to destroy them all."

Lloyd's words… his toner, his manner, his stance… almost sent a chill through Liane. She saw Genis' expression flicker with surprise for an instant as well… and Kratos… _was that a nod of satisfaction?_

"Still…" Neil gestured helplessly, torn by seeing the party preparing to throw themselves into the fray despite his efforts to warn them away. Clearly, having the Chosen on his side to help the others held in the ranch as well as Chocolat would be a boost – not only in strength, but also in morale – but he was clearly troubled by the entire matter. The fact that the party seemed to bear dissention amongst themselves over their path probably did little to help.

Genis smiled at the man, nodding to him as he motioned to Colette. "It's all right. Colette is saying this is what she wants."

Raine shrugged, a touch of helplessness in the gesture. "Now then, we have two courses we can take. The first one is to go on ahead and infiltrate the ranch and rescue Chocolat and the other captives. Now that things have come to this, if we leave the ranch alone, it will surely result in a second Iselia. Our second option is to confirm Dorr's true motives. If he has planned a trap, then he knows the layout of the ranch well. Let's let him talk for a bit."

Neil blinked, listening to the presentation of their options, his eyes widening at the mention of the Governor-General. "What are you going to do to Dorr?" he asked hesitantly, his tone suggesting that he was wondering if he really wanted to know.

"You'd better not ask that," Genis chuckled a bit darkly. Under other circumstances, Liane knew that she and the others probably would have at very least snickered at the boy as he prepared his best conspiratorial tone, "… Raine's punishment is painful."

Liane and Lloyd both winced even before Raine's hand contacted the back of the silver-haired boy's head, even as Colette muffled a giggle by clamping both hands over her mouth.

"Thinking logically," Kratos cleared his throat with a soft groan at the antics of the Iselians, "…dealing with Dorr first is the correct choice."

Liane nodded absently. "He could have information that could help us at the ranch in any case. If we were to attack the Ranch first, we'll basically be going in blind." She knew that they probably could muddle their way through the obstacle, but it seemed that if Dorr was working with the Desians, there would almost _have_ to be something that he would be able to offer them to help – _if we can get it out of him_.

Nodding as plans began to coalesce around her, Colette seemed pleased with the group finally coming back together to form a plan that met everyone's needs around the Chosen's desire to help Chocolat. "What do you think, Lloyd?"

Lloyd watched Colette for a moment longer before nodding, turning back to the others, his grin firmly in place as his mind locked on its decision. "Let's return to Palmacosta. We'll hear what Dorr has to say first."

"Yeah," Genis set his jaw, a thin smirk creasing his lips as he closed the hand that bore Marble's exsphere into a fist.

Colette smiled, her eyes wide with determination. "But let's save Chocolat as soon as we can. I'm sure she's scared and lonely by herself."

Shaking her head, Raine sighed heavily, a dry chuckle escaping the woman's lips. "My, even Lloyd makes rational decisions sometimes."

But the sarcasm was lost on Lloyd as he chatted quietly between Colette and Genis for a moment, leaving Liane to stand back and glance between the members of the party. The plan was made - the chasm between the momentarily divided party closed - the side that wanted to continue the regeneration no matter the plight of the tour guide and the side that wanted to make a difference now as well as later both seeming to be moderately satisfied for the moment.

"So it seems," Kratos snorted with a note of amusement in his voice. "Well then… let's go." The mercenary shook his head once, his auburn mop of hair obscuring his face, but his stride as he turned on his heel and exited the clearing seeming to speak volumes for at least some level of disagreement with the decision to stay and confront the Desians.

Neil's eyes followed the retreating swordsman before he turned back to the rest of the party, looking hesitantly between Lloyd and Raine in particular. "What should I…"

"Stay here," Lloyd shook his head, resting his hands confidently on the handles of his sabers. "We're going to put the squeeze on your commander – it's better if you don't see it." Genis muttered something in vague agreement followed by an almost worrisome chuckle as he turned to join Raine as they followed Kratos' retreating form back to the path.

Colette's expression fell in dismay that she tried to hide as Lloyd spoke, before turning back to Neil, forcing a smile. "Please watch over the status of the ranch from here."

"We'll need someone to make sure that the situation doesn't change… that the trap doesn't get any worse than it probably already is," Liane nodded her agreement with Colette as Lloyd turned and motioned for them to start out of the clearing. Following his unspoken suggestion, Liane began walking, Colette falling in behind her, and Lloyd last.

Just as they were almost out of the clearing, Neil sighed heavily, apparently realizing that the Chosen would do as she wished… and for now, it seemed that she wished to help the plight of the Palmacostans. "All right."

Kratos waited for the rest of the party where the path through the trees emptied onto the main trail to the ranch. And from what Liane could see, he was far from patient.

"So I suppose we are on our way back to Palmacosta, then," the mercenary sighed as Lloyd rejoined the group. "Fine… if we hurry, we can get this done and get back on our own journey." He shook his head and started out onto the path.

"What is it to you? You get paid the same no matter when Colette completes the regeneration," Liane sighed, bristling at how inconvenienced he seemed to be by the Chosen's decision. "Granted, we'd all like to see Sylvarant regenerated sooner… but these people deserve to see it as well."

The forest fell silent as the mercenary paused, still facing away from them and Lloyd and the others all grew equally quiet looking from their friend to Kratos.

"Perhaps. But we are placing the good of the world on the wellbeing of one girl. It's not the wise thing to do. And more importantly it endangers the Chosen unnecessarily," he answered, barely glancing over his shoulder to answer her. "The risk is unwarranted." He faced forward once again and walked ahead of them all, leaving them to glance to each other uneasily.

"Cold bastard," Liane muttered, shaking her head as they all began to follow him nonetheless. Like it or not, the mercenary was part of their group… and chances were excellent that they would need him… that they would all need each other by the time the matter of Chocolat and the Desians was finally put to rest.

* * *

For the third time, the seaside city of Palmacosta rose from the rolling contours of the landscape, and Liane couldn't help but let her hand close over her sword. Of course, last time they had returned to the city, they had been anticipating a fight as well. But now, it was something more insidious - something that, instead of being just a simple threat to the welfare of a town in general, had actually plotted to send the Chosen's party into a trap. 

_It's already getting more dangerous._ Her eyes wandered to the blonde girl that still somehow managed to wear a smile despite everything. Perhaps it was simply the knowledge that her mission was just that lit the smile from within the girl. Perhaps she really was oblivious to the dangers that it all presented to her, much less to her mission. But either way, she still seemed to be able to wordlessly inspire the group to band together once again in this.

_All but Kratos._

Turning her head ever so slightly to see the mercenary once again herding the group toward their destination, her gaze narrowed on him. His stony glare at the party in general hadn't changed since they had left Neil.

_Then again, I don't think that glare has dropped since we met him._

She wasn't sure if he saw her watching him, but she was sure that she really didn't care all that much. As their footsteps once again fell upon the cobbled streets of Palmacosta, she decided that there were much more worthwhile things to focus her attention on… _such as the maid sweeping the stoop of the inn_… a faint snort escaped Liane's lips as she set her jaw and pointedly turned her head from Kratos, momentarily losing herself in the bustle of the mid-morning life of Palmacosta. Everyone seemed to have a place to be… including their party. It was best to ignore the frustration factor that the mercenary embodied and move on.

_At least for now._

The group crossed the bridge to the square, and she heard Lloyd snicker a bit uneasily from where he walked ahead of her, drawing her attention well away from the mercenary at the promise that would have brought the reaction from her friend.

"Well, at least they took down the gallows!"

Liane cringed. Colette spun on her heel, her eyes wide. Genis smacked himself in the forehead. Raine smacked Lloyd over the back of the head. Kratos…

_Well, who cares what Kratos is doing…._ Liane sighed, shaking her head as she centered her attention back on Lloyd.

"_Owwwwww!_" the swordsman howled, moving his hand to nurse the suddenly-sore spot on the back of his head, his complaint still ringing of the good-natured place that the comment had probably come from.

She knew that he had probably only meant to lighten the mood of the party… but the young swordsman proved once again that tact was one of his lesser skill sets. But he offered the group a sheepish snicker as he paused and fell behind Colette and the others, leaving Liane to snag his arm as she started to pass him as well.

"That wasn't funny, Lloyd," she whispered to him, hoping to emphasize exactly why he had been smacked – perhaps to help her friend avoid yet another lump on his head in the future.

"I… I wasn't trying to be funny… it's a good thing that the gallows are gone," he gestured around them for a moment. "It's not good to have something like that around to remind people what happened."

_His heart is in the right place…._

"I know, Lloyd…" Liane sighed, wishing that it didn't have to sound like she was chastising him. "But its absence speaks louder than anything… and speaking of it makes people remember it. Maybe just the memory of it will be strong enough to help the people make sure that it doesn't happen again."

"I guess you're right," Lloyd huffed, his tone reeking of defeat as his shoulders slumped, turning to fall in step behind where Colette had taken the lead and started up the steps of the civic building. Liane followed behind, deciding that trying to crowd him to stay by his side might not be quite what the boy needed. He was quickly slipping into one of his well-practiced brooding sessions… and she knew him better than to think that anyone but him could pull him from that particular course until he was ready.

The group passed the pair of guards outside the building without having either of the armored men even seem to notice them, the absurdity of that fact forcing a small grin onto Liane's face.

_Huh… some guards._ It was possible that the Chosen was now easily recognizable with her group and that was why they made no effort to confront them. Possible, but still strange… especially with the looming presence of the Desians. It was that thought that sent a shiver through her… _or… is it just that the Desians are here so often… that even the guards and soldiers simply don't bother anymore?_

Her thoughts were pressed aside as the group gathered in the doorway. Lloyd and Colette had led way into the office of the Governor-General, but Liane could see around Raine's shoulder that the office seemed abandoned.

Colette looked around the office, her eyes wide before they snapped on the doorway to the right of the entry. "I think I hear voices from below."

"Really? I don't hear anything," Lloyd blinked, scratching his head as he shrugged at Colette's statement. It would seem that the potential confrontation with Dorr had pulled him at least reasonably from his grumpy state, but for how long, Liane could only guess.

_Given what we're facing down – a _human_ public figure – Lloyd's focus is definitely a good thing for now._

But the lack of population behind the desk left Liane feeling only a little more than uneasy about the situation. There really didn't seem to be a reason to think that it was a trap… especially with the ease that they had passed by the guards. But all of them seemed to notice that something simply wasn't _right_.

Kratos sighed heavily, his auburn mop of hair shifting with the gesture. "There's no one here. We should head down to the basement."

"Yeah…" Lloyd agreed, looking from Colette to Kratos as he puffed out his chest. Had it been any other situation, Liane probably would have at very least snickered at him… it was so clear that he really had no idea why they should head to the basement. In all honesty, neither did she – the voices that Colette spoke of a mystery to her even as it seemed to be to Lloyd. But the decision had apparently been made as Kratos led the group to the stairwell, closely followed by Colette and then Lloyd, leaving Liane to follow with Raine and Genis behind her.

They kept their footsteps as close to silent as six individuals possibly could on the way down the wooden stairs. Each of them watching and listening to the movements of the comrade that walked before them for any potential groans or squeaks that they could to avoid detection from below.

As Colette had claimed, hushed voices became clearer as they reached the base of the stairs, mercifully hidden behind stacks of crates, allowing the group ample opportunity to remain hidden from the speakers, if only for a little longer. Peeking between two of the stacked boxes, Liane could make out the familiar form of Governor-General Dorr, his pigtailed daughter hiding behind his robes, and a Desian sorcerer. Her glare narrowed on the trio, the scene reeking of further evidence of the betrayal that the party had backtracked from the Human Ranch to confront.

"When will my wife… when will Clara return to her original form?" Dorr's shaky voice resounded within the cold stone walls of the basement of the civic building. The official's voice held a pleading that seemed to be beyond the reach of pride… the man that had sought to betray the Chosen suddenly seemed all too vulnerable… all too helpless before the Desian sorcerer that he held company with.

_Clara?_ _His wife?_ Liane turned her questioning gaze to Raine, who crouched beside her. Hadn't it already been said that his wife was dead? Raine shrugged in silent response to her assistant, jerking her head back toward the conversation. _She's right… there's more going on here than we thought…._

"Not yet," the sorcerer's helm shook from side to side while his voice rang with a sneer of contempt for the official. "You still haven't paid us enough Gald. You've been paying us less and less."

Dorr's fists shook in obvious frustration. "This is the best I can do! The tolls, the municipal taxes, the offerings to the Church of Martel.. there's nowhere left to squeeze more money from!"

"Well.. I suppose this will do… for today. I'm sure Lord Magnius will remove the demon seed depending on your next contribution," the Desian sighed, his mocking tone making Liane grit her teeth. Just the mention of the Desian leader set her on edge even as the realization that they would not be able to avoid any further contact with him faded more with every passing second.

The sorcerer turned, giving the bag of gald that he had apparently received from Dorr a shake in the Governor-General's direction for emphasis. He strode away from the man and his daughter, a snide smirk more than visible under his half-helm before he disappeared from sight, a sharp banging of a door elsewhere in the basement announcing his apparent departure.

The small girl stared after the Desian's departure, her small hand curled into the fabric of her father's robes. "Father…"

"Just a little while longer," Dorr shook his head, absently patting his daughter's shoulder. "Just a little more an.. and then Clara will be back to normal. I'll raise the fees on the pilgrimages and…"

Liane heard a disgruntled huff issue from Lloyd, and – before she could even fully turn her head – he was on his feet and standing from his hiding place behind the boxes with the others.

_Perfect. Way to keep cover, Lloyd…._ She couldn't hide her groan… nor could she miss those of her companions as they all gave up and stood, the fact of the group's presence compromised by Lloyd's actions.

"What's the meaning of this?" Lloyd demanded, his hands settling over the handles of his swords and slowly taking a few steps forward from the boxes. Governor-General Dorr spun, his eyes wide at the intrusion of what he obviously meant to be a private meeting. "What's the matter? You look like you just saw a ghost," the young swordsman chuckled darkly.

Genis walked to stand beside Lloyd, his gaze shifting from Lloyd to Dorr and back again. "Um, Lloyd, that's a really cliched line," the elven boy shook his head in obvious disbelief.

"Shut up, Genis," Lloyd growled quietly, never taking his eyes from the Governor-General.

"Are you two _really _going to do this here?" Liane sighed from where she stood beside Raine. She knew that the two absolutely thrived on the verbal sparring… _but now?_

Dorr's eyes narrowed defiantly at his company, obviously less than pleased by their company. "What are you doing here! Neil! Where's Neil!"

Raine crossed her arms over her chest and offered him a small shake of her head. "I'm afraid Neil's not here."

"So… Neil betrayed me!" the Governor-General almost snarled, the paranoia painting his tone as he verbally lashed out, his gaze now fixed on the silver-haired woman.

"What's wrong with your wife?" Lloyd asked, a sympathetic note surfacing in his voice. "Has she been taken hostage or something?"

"Hostage?" Dorr snorted, his face contorted with a sick mixture of anger and grief. "Don't make me laugh. If you want to see my wife…" he quickly sidestepped to his left, his eyes never leaving the Chosen's party as he grasped a tan sheet that concealed the cell set into the corner of the basement of the building. It was as if time stood still as the assembled audience began to comprehend what the sight before them was – what it meant – and the singular horror of its presence. "She's right here!"

The reactions to the thing behind the makeshift curtain varied, but the one that caught her attention the most was Kratos' sharp intake of breath and small recoiling backstep. It wasn't that he was the closest, or that she was necessarily paying specific attention to him… it was simply that his reaction to the distorted form within the cage echoed her own. The writhing form huddled in the corner of the cell made Liane's eyes go wide, the vision calling to… _something…_ inside her. The mon – C_lara – _looked like Marble… the form that they had fought in Iselia before Genis and Lloyd had been banished. But it was beyond that memory… it was something that absolutely chilled her without any definable reason.

Genis backpedaled from the door of the cage, almost stumbling in his rush to get away. "Ahh! Wh.. what's that monster?"

"She's crying…" Colette spoke mournfully, shaking her head as she stared at the form behind the bars, her voice quivering with tears as her eyes were fixed on the grotesquely deformed creature within the barred cell beside Dorr. "She's crying out in pain…you mustn't call her a monster…"

Lloyd blinked at the being within the cage a few more moments, his mouth opening and closing breathlessly before words finally formed. "You don't mean…"

"That's right," the Governor-General sneered, gesturing without looking to the creature in the cell. "_This_ is what's become of my wife, Clara!"

_His wife…_ Liane continued to stare at the being, the tattered remains of what looked to have been – at one time – a fine dress clinging to exaggerated limbs. She felt something for this tragic creature… on the surface, it seemed to be pity… but as the feeling twisted within her, it changed, it solidified… it was sympathy… almost a commiseration with what was left of the woman.

"So that's why you told everyone she passed away," Raine breathed, shaking her head in response to the man's declaration… his expression… the inflection in his tone. All of it seemed to be that of a man who had all but completely given up.

"My father, the previous Governor-General, was a fool," Dorr shook his head, his tone turning viciously bitter. "Because of his defiant stance against the Desians, they killed him, then planted the demon seed in my wife as a warning. If I cooperate with them, they will give me the medicine to save her."

Genis shook his head, his attention finally pulled from the being that Dorr claimed as his wife by the official's statement. "But… that means you're betraying the people of this city!"

Dorr snorted in contempt. "What do I care? We'll never escape the rule of the Desians anyway."

Liane started at the statement… _so hopeless_. It would seem that the man that the entire town of Palmacosta had placed its faith in – however blindly it now seemed – was simply one of them, in residence… and in spirit.

"Colette will…" Lloyd declared, glancing away from the Palmacostan leader for a moment to watch the blonde girl that was his friend with small smile that spoke volumes – even in its simplicity – of the exact faith that the town had lost. "The Chosen will save the world!"

Dorr watched the swordsman for a long moment before a smirk curled his lips. "The Chosen's journey of world regeneration is not absolute. Don't forget that the last one ended in failure! Besides, the people of this city are satisfied with my way. They just don't know I'm working for the Desians."

_The last one ended in failure…._ Liane couldn't resist a glance to the blonde girl who stood listening intently to the conversation, her liquid blue eyes shifting between the Governor-General and Lloyd. There was a calm in those eyes that Liane couldn't fathom… a calm even in the face of the reminder of her predecessor's failure… and the ever-looming possibility that she walked the razor's edge between following in those footsteps or forging her own path. Ultimately, _she_ would make the difference… and she knew that. It had been ingrained in her since she could comprehend the words.

Lloyd on the other hand did not share his friend's calm, as evidenced by the angry flare in his eyes at the official's smug declaration. "Shut up! What do you mean, your "way"! I'm sorry about your wife, but think of all those people who believed in you only to be sent off to the ranch! Any of them may have wound up just like your wife!"

"Silence, boy!" Dorr snapped, rage rattling in his tone, his smile disappearing in less than the blink of an eye. "Stop acting like your justice is absolute!" A dry, humorless laugh faintly echoed from the stone walls as his glare narrowed on Lloyd.

"Where do you get off?" Lloyd retorted, his teeth fairly barred as he stared down the older man. "Don't even start spewing the word "justice"! I hate that word! If you wanted to save your wife, you should have resigned your position as Governor-General and searched for a cure, or help… or whatever! You're a worthless jerk who couldn't give up his social status even for his own wife!"

Colette's head whipped around to stare at her friend, "Lloyd, please stop! Not everyone's strong enough to stand up against the Desians. Please stop this…"

Liane and Genis looked at each other, sharing a moment of shock at the outburst of the Chosen. Even when the blonde girl did speak instead of simply being spoken to, it was never in contradiction to what Lloyd would have said.

Colette…" Lloyd gaped, calming slightly as he seemed to be sharing Liane and Genis' disbelief at her objection.

The blonde girl spun back to the Governor-General with wide eyes and a pacifying smile. "What if we go and get the medicine you mentioned? Then you wouldn't have to side with the Desians anymore."

Silence hung in the air as the other occupants of the room digested the Chosen's words. Liane would have sworn that she heard Kratos groan and she shot a quick glare at him. His scowl hadn't truly seemed to have changed… but she was certain that she could plainly read his thoughts in his expression:

_Another delay._

Liane's jaw tightened, almost shocked as the thought crept into her mind – an almost disturbing echo of what she simply _knew_ had to be going through Kratos' mind. While she wasn't exactly excited about yet another detour either… she knew that _if _there was a way to help this man and his family, Colette's very nature wouldn't allow her to do anything but try to help him.

Dorr blinked, his angry tirade momentarily halted by the girl's offer. "You… forgive me for what I've done?"

Colette shook her head, her hair swaying with the action. "It's not our place to forgive you. That's up to the people of this city. But I know Martel will forgive you. The Goddess Martel is always within you awaiting your own, personal regeneration."

Liane marveled at the sincerity that the Chosen spoke with… the absolute honesty that radiated from her as she spoke of the Goddess – of the teachings that had been drilled into her since before she could actively comprehend words. She found herself in wonder of the power of the Chosen… in the simple title that would allow her to spout such obviously devout beliefs… and bring hope to the people of a world so desperately in need of the regeneration.

"Within me?…" Dorr asked, his voice wavering with an odd mixture of disbelief and hope at the girl's words.

A small sugary-venomed snort came from behind Dorr. "Absurd…" A sudden sickly-wet noise accompanied a look of shock that passed over the sandy-brown haired man as he staggered forward, leaving the sneering smile of Dorr's pigtailed daughter in full view of the shocked group of warriors. The girl giggled again, her blonde pigtails swaying as her gaze locked on Colette. "The Goddess Martel would never lend her aid to an inferior human being!"

"What are you doing?" Lloyd rasped, his stare alternating in confusion between the fallen Governor-General and his daughter.

Dorr choked weakly on the floor at their feet, Liane taking an involuntary step backwards as a pool of blood appeared beneath him… and began to grow steadily. _What… happened?_ Liane shook her head, the image of the wounded man searing itself into her mind as she turned to stare at his innocent-looking daughter.

"How could you do that to your own father!" Genis exclaimed, his Exsphere-adorned hand closed into a shaking fist, gaping at the girl in disbelief.

Kilia snorted again, this snort less amused and far more cruel. "That's a laugh." The girl took a step back, her form seeming to become almost liquid before their eyes before it finally solidified into a gawky being… its purple skin stretched tightly over elongated appendages. "I am a servant of Pronyma, leader of the Five Grand Cardinals who rule over the Desians," the _thing _that used to be Dorr's daughter sneered, a menacing laugh rattling in her tone. "I was merely assigned to observe the new human cultivation technique, developed by Magnius. There's no way that a superior half-elf such as I could have a fool of a father like this!"

Colette shook her head in what seemed to be a physical attempt to convince herself that what the self-proclaimed half-elf had spouted so self-righteously "A... fool of a father?"

The grotesque _girl_ motioned to the collapsed form of the Governor-General with a shake of her enlarged head. "Just look at him! He didn't even notice that his own daughter was dead… because he was too busy chasing after medicine that doesn't exist… in order to save his monster wife!" At the snide jab at the dying man's desire to help his wife, Kilia threw back her head, a shrill, chilling laugh echoing from the walls.

Lloyd's gloved hands clenched into a pair of shaking fists as his eyes narrowed on the half-elf. "You…"

"How could you!" Colette shook her head, staring at the sneering creature before her with a clearly exposed look of horror.

With what sounded like a cross between a giggle and a feline squeal of rage, Kilia's slender form seemed to coil only a split second before she leapt into the center of the Chosen's party, sending them all scattering. As Liane rolled to her feet, her short sword in hand, she turned in time to see Genis already on his feet, his kendama in hand and the red ball flying toward the half-elf's head.

"Genis – _no! _Don't make her -" Lloyd called out even as the ball bounced off Kilia's head, earning the young mage an icy glare accompanied by a bone-chilling snarl. Kilia reached out a clawed hand to swipe at Genis – all too easily bridging the gap between them.

To Liane's horror, the young mage froze, his wide blues eyes losing the playful edge that they had held as he had attacked her in the first place. As his mouth opened as if to call out, his eyes were fixed on the claws…

…_the claws that killed Dorr…_ Liane realized sickly even as she saw a blur of red out of the corner of her eye. Her focus shifted to the red to witness Lloyd throw himself against his silver-haired friend, knocking them both to the floor, and only managing to earn himself a simple tear in his shirt from the claws that would have ripped Genis apart.

Kilia squealed at her prey being knocked away from her even reach as Kratos approached, his long sword drawn and already moving into a swift arc of attack.

"Know your place!" Kilia snarled as she backhanded the mercenary, sending him sprawling to the ground with a heavy _whump_ and the metallic clatter of his sword striking the ground.

A quick glance back to the boys told her that they were both fine, and that Lloyd was once again advancing on the half-elf.

_Okay… how about multiple targets then…_ Liane smirked as she began to advance on their purple adversary. She began to edge toward Kilia from the opposite side as Lloyd, her sword held out defensively before her as she watched the half-elf's eyes shift from Lloyd to her, a small giggle issuing from her that prickled Liane's skin.

Kilia waited a few more moments before throwing her arms wide, spinning with her razor-like claws presented to both of them.

"Whoa!" Lloyd choked as he barely managed to drop to his hands and knees beneath the attack, springing to his feet and rolling back, remaining crouched and glaring at the Desian.

Liane wasn't quite as lucky as Lloyd as Kilia's claw caught her forearm, sending her short sword skittering across the floor. It would have been considerably worse had it not been for the sudden choking sensation that made her choke for her breath as she was yanked backwards, landing roughly at Kratos' feet. Grasping at the gash in her arm, she momentarily glared up at the mercenary, even as she knew she really should be thanking him.

"A frontal assault is useless with her reach… watch how she fights…" Kratos hissed down at Liane placing the handle of her sword roughly back into her hand, cutting off any objections that the girl wanted to voice.

"Wind Blade!"

Genis' call forced any words from Liane's mind as her head whipped around, the transparent green blades flying at Kilia and forcing her to stagger backwards with a howl, shielding her face with her spiked arms. Her eyes traced back to the attack's origin to find that Lloyd had edged backwards, his glare still fixed on Kilia even as he made his way back to where Colette now hovered, her pink-purple wings unfurled and flapping gently as she clasped her hands together.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory. Angel Feathers!" Colette's voice rang throughout the basement as rings of light solidified and spun at Kilia, all three connecting and cutting deeply into the purple flesh as the half-elf's shrill scream made Liane clench her eyes shut almost instinctively.

Lloyd now sported a cocky grin as he defensively stepped before Colette, his right sword arcing forward. "Demon Fang!" he called, sending a wave of mana shooting out across the floor to further unbalance the Desian. As she stumbled backwards, cursing in between groans of pain, Liane saw Kratos nod approvingly.

"Guard Genis…" he commanded quietly, jerking his head in the direction of the young magician as he drew back his own sword in a mimic of Lloyd's recent attack.

_He's right… _Liane hated to admit it, but she wasted no time arguing, crawling to her feet and carefully edging back towards Genis, knowing that if another attack came for him, she had to be the one to take it for him… his spells… Colette's spells… they would be their only hope.

Kratos' Demon Fang raced to Kilia even as Genis called from behind her. "Fire Ball!"

Liane ducked, having seen the silver-haired boy's attack many times – more than enough to know that if she wasn't careful, she'd be directly in the path of the spell Genis had loosed.

"First Aid…."

As Liane's mind registered the Professor's quiet words to her side, her arm began to warm where Kilia's claw had caught her. She glanced down to see the gash slide closed, leaving barely a mark where the Desian had caught her unaware. With a grateful nod, she turned to see Kilia again stagger backwards under the attacks of both the Demon Fang and the Fire Balls.

When Kilia began to throw her own spells, it wasn't difficult to guess who her targets would be. As a flurry of energy flew out into the room, homing in on Genis and Colette, Liane and Lloyd braced their swords before them, twin orbs of green energy flaring at their chorus of "Guardian!" keeping both the casters of the spells and their spellcasters safe in their wake. But before Kilia could draw another breath, Colette's voice again sang out within the stone walls.

"Angel Feathers!"

A strangled noise wrenched itself out of the Desian as she fell backwards, colliding harshly with the stone ground.

_It's over…? _Liane's brow furrowed as she straightened out of her crouched stance to watch the purple half-elf begin to prop herself up to her elbows with what sounded like a whimper.

"Guard yourselves," Kratos growled quietly, edging to stand between Lloyd and Liane. But even as Liane clutched her sword a bit tighter in response to his command, she realized that what she had wanted to hear as a whimper was actually a giggle as Kilia lurched forward, the skin on her back splitting to release a pair of spindly wings - and a tail that she was certain wasn't there before.

"Awww, man… now what?" Lloyd groaned, to Kratos' other side as Liane glanced to see that his weary stance matched her own.

"You think I'd be so easy to defeat?" Kilia crooned in her gratingly high-pitched voice. She now floated serenely a few inches above the floor, flexing her clawed fingers menacingly. "You won't leave here alive… just like that waste of a being," she giggled, pointing one talon to the form of the Governor-General on the floor a few feet away. A rune circle lit and began to spin beneath her feet as Kratos lunged at her.

"Interrupt her! Don't let her finish those spells!"

Liane steeled herself at the mercenary's command and followed after him even as she saw Lloyd do the same, the three sword bearers advancing on the purple Desian girl.

"I've got her!" Lloyd called with a flash of the cocky smile that Liane knew her friend for so very well. He sprung out ahead of the charge that Kratos led, his swords brandished before him. Liane followed Lloyd's attack with keen interest as she also closed in on the Desian, only to notice Kilia's wicked sneer suddenly widen, and her newly-grown tail snap around, catching the swordsman in the chest and hurling him against the wall with a pained exhale of breath as he slumped.

"Lloyd!" Sliding to a stop as she instinctively started for her friend's side, Liane was suddenly painfully wrenched around by a tight grasp on her upper arm. She turned to meet Kratos' hardened glare even as the basement erupted into a bright flare.

"Photon!"

Liane spun in surprise, seeing Raine standing with her rod braced out before her as a column of shimmering light fell to envelope Kilia's form for only a moment before exploding into a blinding shower of sparks spraying over Liane and Kratos before he could hurl her to the ground, shielding her from the last part of the spell's damage.

"Attack Kilia… Lloyd is fine," he growled, sparing only a brief glare for her before springing back against the still-reeling Desian, his sword slicing easily into her unprotected side as she howled in pain.

Liane climbed back to her feet with a shake of her head, trying not to think about how he had once again seen fit to try to protect her and prove to her what an idiot he thought she was. After a quick glance to see that Lloyd had indeed managed to climb to his feet, she ran a few steps and launched herself shoulder-first into Kilia, knocking the half-elf from her feet, but not disorienting her enough to keep her from slamming her spiked

With a snarl, Kilia leapt back to her feet, swiping her claw at Liane and barely leaving her enough room to step back as the Desian floated backwards from her adversaries, already beginning to chant under her breath.

"Liane!" Kratos growled, already at a full sprint, but Liane knew well what he was trying to tell her… from the spinning rune circle beneath Kilia's feet, he couldn't get to her in time –

_But I can…._

Gathering her feet beneath her and throwing herself at Kilia once again, she cringed as Kilia snickered and threw her clawed hand out before her, not even sparing a glance for Liane as her glare fixed on Genis.

"Spark Volt!" Kilia's sharp voice called just before Liane closed her arms around her and shoved her harshly to the floor with the simple inertia of her attack, smacking her head into the floor.

Liane couldn't help a small grin at the satisfying noise, noticing that Kilia was at least dazed… until she realized that her attack had completed… and that realization came at the sound of a pained yelp from Genis.

No… Genis….! She wasn't fast enough - she hadn't reacted fast enough to disrupt the spell – and her friend had paid for it.

Her attention flew to her young friend, now on a single knee behind Lloyd, who had insinuated himself protectively in front of Genis once again. Raine had moved to her brother's side, a distinct look of concern passing over her pale features, as a visibly shaken Genis staggered to his feet.

Regrets had to wait for just a moment as an arm suddenly snaked itself around Liane's waist, pulling her from Kilia's prone form and pushing the breath from her body.

"Wha…?" Liane barely had time to start to question the action before Kilia's talons sliced through the space she had just inhabited. Kratos released her, spinning her harshly to the ground before he sprung back at the Desian girl who had found her way to her feet with a sickly sneer.

"_Inferior beings!_" Kilia snarled, her wings once again pulling her aloft. "You can not win! Just like that…" she pointed her spindly finger at the Governor-General's form on the floor "… that _fool_… he thought that he could buy back his wife…" She spun her hand up over her head as she once again retreated back to the corner of the basement, snapping her gaze on Kratos as a deep purple rune circle began to spin slowly beneath her. "Acid Rain!"

Liane cringed as the very air around them began to darken, the darkness coalescing into drops. She dropped to her knees, throwing her arms over her head. As the burning drops fell onto her and the others, she could still hear Kilia's cackling.

"Colette… _now!_" Raine's call could be heard even over the yelps of pain from Genis and Lloyd as the Desian's spell wound down. Liane sat up, lowering her arms as her gaze shifted back to where Raine had taken Lloyd's place before Colette, her rod held protectively out before her. The blonde girl remained hovering behind the professor, her pinkish-purple wings glowing in the shadows of the basement.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory. Angel Feathers!"

The incantation was familiar, but so very welcome as the rings of energy materialized from the air, spun, and then once again homed in on Kilia. Colette's last use of the spell had pushed Kilia to transform. But it was this last casting that was rewarded by an inhuman wail that filled the air as the Desian was pummeled with the rings of energy, one knocking her forward and the others back, leaving her in a whimpering pile on the floor.

"No!" Kilia's voice wavered, a small cough breaking her denial. "Lord...Pronyma...!"

Liane stood, her hand still tensed on the handle of her sword as she watched Kilia warily, bracing for the continuation of the fight once again. But as the others began to edge closer to their purple-skinned adversary, it became clear simply from how she moaned that she was out of sneak attacks and transformations.

Kilia coughed, staggering to her knobby knees on the basement floor, her hatred still burning brightly in her gaze at the Chosen's party despite her wounds. "This can't be…" she sputtered, shaking her head for a moment longer before a cold chuckle escaped from her. "Fine… then. I'll set this monster free and let it kill you!"

In what seemed to be a desperate final bid for retaliation, the half-elf's form lunched for the barred door that kept Clara separated from the world. Kilia's outstretched hand caught the latch, and the door swung open even as her form shuddered and then fell still on the ground.

But the purple-skinned half-elf quickly became the least of their worries as Clara stumbled from the cell, pausing for a moment before turning haunting eyes towards the party, her head lolling back with an inhuman and haunting wail. She then fully turned to the warriors, her shoulders heaving under what looked to be the considerable weight of her elongated appendages as she worked to lift one, her claws fairly shining in the relatively dim light of the basement.

"No, not again!" Lloyd shook his head in defiance of the new twist that fate was apparently trying to deal him even as he backstepped slowly, his eyes fixed wearily on Clara's lumbering form. "Do I have to kill another innocent victim?"

Colette quickly stepped in front of Lloyd, her arms spread as she faced the deformed woman. "Stop!"

Clara paused, what used to be her hand raised in what could have only been an aborted attempt at an attack, almost seeming confused by the blonde girl's resistance to her advance.

"Colette…" Liane whispered, the hushed tone heavy with a note of caution. She moved as slowly as she could manage to place a hand on Colette's shoulder, hoping to use the creature's hesitance to get the Chosen out of the place of danger that she had actively sought. "Please… step back…."

The Chosen slowly turned her head - losing eye contact with Clara only when she absolutely had to - to meet Liane's gaze. Liane gasped softly at what she saw in the twin pools of blue… calm. Complete calm. There was no fear… no trace of the reaction that would be natural to the appearance of the creature that the Governor-General's wife had become.

But even in that moment of hesitance… that moment of understanding that passed between Colette and Liane – a labored grunt issued from Clara as she turned, one of her distended arms dragging the ground beside her as the party seemed to lose her interest and she began to shuffle away from the group.

"W.. wait!" Genis called, starting after the tragic creature before his attention was stolen by a soft groan and movement from the fallen Governor-General's form. The silver-haired boy's eyes flitted in frustration from Clara's retreating form and back to Dorr before sighing heavily and stepping back to stand beside the mortally-wounded man, careful to avoid the puddle of blood.

Liane continued to watch after Clara's retreating form as what had become of the Governor-General's wife threw her weight against the door that she could only guess that the Desian had left through. The door slammed against the outside wall with a resounding _thud_… and then silence before the apparently-thick door audibly latched shut.

"Shouldn't… we stop…" Liane started to move toward the door, her hand closing over the handle of her shortsword before a strangled noise drew her attention back to Dorr's plight to cling to life. With a final look to the door, she sighed, hoping that the guards wouldn't see Clara's escape… that no one would be hurt. _That's all we need is more blood on our hands…._

Dorr coughed, blood speckling his clothes as his head lolled to the side. The man was clearly having difficulty focusing his eyes, but he still found the strength to rasp quietly, "…is Kilia safe?"

Genis shifted his weight uneasily from one foot to the other, sorrow flashing in his eyes as he regarded the swiftly-fading man lying prone on the floor. "Kilia is…"

"Don't worry," Lloyd interrupted his friend, his voice quiet and respectful. "It seems your real daughter is fine."

The party's gaze slid in unison from the fallen official to the young swordsman. The sincerity in his voice… the soothing tone… the sorrow in his chocolate-brown eyes… all were believable from Lloyd's character… but his words held no truth despite all that. Each of them knew that… but somehow, the swordsman's compassion shocked them all into momentary silence.

"Lloyd…" Genis looked to his best friend, obviously searching the calm expression for some explanation of the older boy's words – so obviously a lie, yet rolling so easily from his tongue with no trace of mischief.

Dorr's eyes shifted wearily, his energy seeping from his form faster with every breath he drew. "I see…" he nodded, coughing raggedly, speckles of blood settling on his robes after the effort. "You... your name's Lloyd?"

The crimson-clad swordsman nodded. "Yeah…"

"Professor Sage," Colette spun to seek the eyes of her teacher, desperation plain in her voice, "…please, help him!"

Raine's head snapped up at the pleading request from the Chosen, clearing her throat with a quick nod as she walked around Liane and Lloyd to kneel beside the Governor-General. The elven woman sighed deeply, bowing her head as she held her rod out over Dorr, her eyes closed almost as if in prayer as her staff began to pulse with a faint green glow. Her face contorted into a grimace of frustration as the glow strengthened and a thin film of sweat began to shimmer on her brow before her posture straightened – and then slumped in defeat.

"Raine…" Liane whispered, moving to her mentor's side but hesitating to reach out to her. She watched the sliver-haired woman draw a deep breath and stand, meeting her assistant's eyes after a moment and offering her a faint frown and an accompanying shake of her head. _She… couldn't save him…?_

Dorr's expression went blank as his eyes focused vaguely in Raine's direction… watching her rise with what looked to be resignation. He sighed, drawing a ragged breath as he turned his head weakly back to Lloyd. "Please... please save Chocolat. That poor girl… she was just used as a tool to lure you out." His shaking hand fumbled with the fabric of the robes, digging for a pocket that was hidden in the folds for a thin purple card, which he removed and held up to Lloyd with a strained groan. "The… passcode… is 3341."

Liane blinked, frowning as the Governor-General's voice broke, the strain of delivering what could only be his final words wearing on him even further. She heard Colette sniffle as she edged closer to Liane to stand at her side, watching the Governor-General intently along with Genis and Lloyd.

"Got it," Lloyd nodded, accepting the card without looking to it, his attention held soundly by the man's final moments.

Dorr coughed again, fighting the weight of his eyelids as his arm fell back down to his side. "And… I know this is a selfish request, but.. if you somehow find a way to save my wife, please, help her return to her human form. When my daughter comes back, I don't want her to be all alone…."

"Okay," Lloyd nodded solemnly. "I promise."

Dorr then managed a smile… weak but very recognizable even as his eyes slid shut, his breathing slowing, his limbs relaxing. "Thank you…"

A chill passed through Liane as the man's final breath fled his form, the room growing eerily silent for a moment before a small, choked sob issued from Colette. The older girl moved to her side and put an arm over her shoulder. _Poor thing… but does she really think that she can save everyone?_ Liane glanced down at her younger friend with a long sigh. _It is the prophecy… the Chosen will save the world_. It only follows that if the Chosen herself doesn't believe it entirely, then how can anyone else?

"Let's get going."

Genis, Lloyd, and Liane all spun at the cold declaration from the mercenary, disbelief audible only as the tiny gasps as they all fumbled to solidify their responses to the command.

_So heartless…_ Liane shook her head, recognizing the remorseless tone from the night before after he had – _almost_ – attacked her.

Lloyd was the first to find his voice as the entire party now gaped openly at the indigo-clad fighter. "Kratos! How can you just say that!"

"Settle down, Lloyd," the mercenary's voice mellowed as he turned to catch the younger swordsman's gaze. "What is it that we must do now?"

Raine took a few small steps to approach the swordsmen, glancing from Kratos and back to Lloyd pointedly, as if regurgitating a lesson to her student. "Rescue Chocolat, then defeat Magnius, the leader of this region."

Kratos glanced to the professor, nodding appreciatively to her before allowing his gaze to roam over the party as if to prove his point that the concept of their duty was simple. "Exactly."

"Yeah. I know," Lloyd sighed, his hands settling on the handles of his twin blades as his shoulders heaved in defeat. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Liane hated how beaten her friend sounded. How the mercenary – and even Raine – seemed to have effectively made the brown-haired teen feel that his compassion for the passing and the pleas of the Governor-General was something that was to be ashamed of. But before she could place her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console him, Genis had stepped to his side and placed his small hand on his friend's forearm.

"Let's go, Lloyd," the magician nodded tugging the swordsman back towards the stairs. "Let's defeat the Desians."

Lloyd spared a final glance to the still form of Governor-General Dorr as he shook his head almost imperceptibly… allowing his friend to pull him away slowly.

"My healing arts cannot even save one single life?"

Liane's head snapped to the Professor at the dismayed comment. She mentally kicked herself - she hadn't realized how hard Raine had taken the Governor-General's passing... or her inability to help. _Raine is always the strong one… the calm one…. _The moment of self-doubt on behalf of her mentor was enough to thoroughly confuse Liane, leaving her to wonder if there really were any right words at that moment.

Colette paused as the passed the three older members of the party, sparing a curious glance to her teacher. "Professor Sage… did you say something?"

"No…" Raine shook her head, forcing a smile for the Chosen. "It's nothing."

The Chosen shrugged slightly and continued to walk, her step not quite as bouncy as her bubbly personality normally dictated that it should be, but she still fell in step behind her friends, the three of them all babbling quietly as turned the corner of the wooden staircase.

Liane watched her friends disappear up the stairs before tuning back to the Professor. "Raine…" you know that it had nothing to do with you… his wounds were fatal… probably right from the start. I doubt Kilia would have attacked with anything less than a certain death-blow if she desired Dorr's death…" Liane offered, walking alongside her mentor as they ascended the steps, choosing to ignore that Kratos followed them… almost like a shepherd herding his sheep.

Raine cast a sideways glance to Liane, shaking her head wistfully. "And she had full intentions of killing us, too. It shouldn't have had to end that way for Dorr…" she replied quietly, her steps continuing steadily up the stairs, not pausing in the least for the sorrow that flashed in her normally placid blue eyes.

The expression stilled any continued attempts to console her teacher and friend as Liane let Raine get a step or two ahead of her, trying to give her some space to try to compose herself. _Poor Raine…._

The group filed up the stairs and through the office of the Governor-General, a uneasy quiet settled over all of them. Despite the warm sunshine that filled the town square, it may as well have been the gloomiest of days by the collective mood of the party, each locked into their own mire of thoughts.

Kratos paused at the doors to the civic building, speaking quietly with the guards stationed there before the guards rushed back into the building. Liane could only guess that he had informed them of the fate of Dorr, but before she could follow through with her thought to turn and ask, she saw Colette reach out and grab Lloyd's sleeve, taking his attention from the quiet conversation he was having with Genis.

"Lloyd, why did you lie to Dorr?" the blonde girl asked, her tone speaking of curiosity pent up since they had been in the basement with the dying official.

Genis paused, glancing between his friends for a long moment before quietly backing away from them and making his way to Raine's side, the Sage siblings talking quietly to each other just a few steps away.

The dark haired swordsman paused, his chocolate eyes searching her as he seemed to be choosing his words. "I guess I felt sorry for him. I couldn't tell someone about to die that his daughter was no longer alive, you know?"

"Yes, I know what you mean," Colette nodded, her usually cheerful smile still present… but it was noticeably lacking something as the sentiment didn't quite sparkle in her eyes as it normally did. "But I wonder if maybe he realized it anyway."

Lloyd blinked, his head tilted in curiosity to his friend. "What? Then why would he ask me?"

Liane shook her head softly, turning back to watch Kratos' approach. _Poor Lloyd… trying to do the right thing by a hopeless man… it never occurred to him that even Dorr knew how hopeless his situation was._

"I think it's … because he's a father."

Colette's insight snapped Liane's attention back to the conversation as Kratos rejoined the party. She couldn't help but be proud of the observation, as it made sense that someone as sensitive as Colette would be able to make the connection.

"A father?" Lloyd asked, shaking his head as if the thought were new to him… a concept he never considered.

Nodding, Colette's smile returned as she saw realization dawn on her friend. "There's no parent that doesn't wish for the well-being of their children."

Lloyd sighed, his shoulders drooping even more than before. "I wonder if my parents were the same way?" he mused, the sadness dripping from his tone as he trudged away from the Chosen, crossing the square by himself and starting across the bridge, leaving Colette to look after him with a forlorn expression.

"I'll go with him…" Genis sighed, already at a run as he passed Liane and Colette to catch up to the young swordsman.

Colette looked up to Liane with sadness welling in her eyes. "How… how can anyone wonder that about their parents?" she asked, shaking her head in unveiled disbelief.

"He never really knew them, Colette," Liane sighed, hating the answer… but hating more that it actually answered the girl's question. "I guess when you don't have any evidence to believe in one way or the other, it is hard to just believe." The thought saddened her deeply… not only for Lloyd… but also for the parents that she left behind in Iselia without looking back. She knew that her parents loved her unconditionally – not that she had always made it easy on them. But at least their love was a fact in her life. Lloyd had Dirk… and knew that he was fortunate to have Dirk… but even so, two people had brought him into the world. And he knew nothing of them.

_Poor Lloyd…_ she shook her head sadly.

"He doesn't need pity," Kratos sighed as he stalked by them, leaving Liane to wonder exactly how much of the conversation he had heard. "We need supplies… then we need to get to the ranch."

Liane and Colette could only gape as the mercenary kept walking, following in Lloyd and Genis' wake. Rolling her eyes with a soft groan, Liane saw that Raine had joined them… and from the look on her face, she had also heard the mercenary's comments.

"Come on…" Raine sighed, gesturing to the girls. "He's right… the faster we get supplies, the faster we can get to the ranch. And give all of us something else to think of."

With a nod, Liane turned to walk beside Raine, Colette falling in step with them. But a closer glance at the blonde girl revealed a small frown on her face as her eyes trailed after Lloyd and Genis. The look made it more than clear to her that the Chosen's mind was hardly on going shopping.

"Here."

Liane's attention snapped back to the professor as a heavy cloth bag was placed in her hand. _A money bag?_ She turned a questioning gaze back to her mentor as they continued to cross the bridge from the town square.

"Get the boys… take them down to the wharf. That's all the money we can spare to upgrade some weapons. I've kept enough out for supplies… so do what you can," the sliver-haired woman told her assistant with a slight shrug as she hefted a second money pouch thoughtfully in her hand before tucking it back into her pocket. "I'll take Kratos and Colette… you three can meet us in front of the inn when you're done, but don't take too long. We still have to make it to the ranch today."

"I'll do what I can," Liane nodded to her mentor, clutching the bag a bit tighter in her hand and quickening her steps to catch up to Lloyd and Genis. She fully understood about not letting the boys go by themselves, but she hoped that perhaps a few minutes away from their mission… a few minutes' worth of escape. When she approached the two from behind she quickly stepped between them and hooked her arms through one from each of them. "Come on, boys…" she shoved her earlier melancholy away for the moment – for the sake of her friends. "We've got a date with the weaponsmith…."

While Lloyd's eyes lit at the suggestion, Liane still couldn't help but notice the way he carried himself… just the simple mention of his lost parents was always enough to push the normally almost-painfully cheerful teen into a deep melancholy. Even if he rarely spoke at length of either of his parents, she knew him well enough to know that they were rarely far from his mind.

Genis proceeded to pull them both along to the docks, chattering happily as he went, and succeeding in picking up at least Lloyd's spirits a bit as he began to point out all the goods for sale… among them a shiny new Duel Star kendama that Liane could tell he wanted even as the silver-haired boy managed to push past it to the blades.

"Wow… Lloyd…" Genis breathed, pointing excitedly to a rack of swords braced against a tentpole, "… look at that!"

With a sigh, Lloyd moved from the stack of armor he had been shuffling through. But as he spotted what Genis was trying to show him, he actually started to smile a bit. "Wow…" he echoed Genis' sentiment as the sunlight glinted from the bright silver edge of a pair of Rapiers. "Those are great…" he whispered with a note of worship as he reached out to grasp the handle of one of the blades, lifting it out of the rack. "It's great… but they're so expensive…"

"Ay, little man," the weaponsmith drawled with a gap-toothed grin as he approached the trio, his greasy dark ponytail tied back under a filthy green scarf. "Those there blades 'r spendy… but they're a might bit better than those there butter knives yev got at your hip now…"

Lloyd looked up to Liane with an expression that indicated that he already knew the answer, but had to ask anyway. "Liane… we don't have enough money for these, do we? I mean, we can't spend all of our money on weapons for just one of us… can we?"

Liane pulled weighted pouch from her belt and weighed it carefully in her hand, hesitating to dump the gald out, not entirely comfortable with trusting the weaponsmith to know how much money they had. Glancing back to the display of weapons, she sighed. "How much for the Rapiers and the Duel Star?" she asked cautiously, watching the dirty-looking man for the slightest sign on dishonesty.

The man turned, glancing over his wares, silent for a long moment before turning back to her with what she imagined passed for him as a "charming" grin. "Twenty four hundred eighty gald," he replied with a slight rasp, his eyes lighting in anticipation of a considerable sale.

With a small frown, Liane glanced between Lloyd and Genis' questioning gazes. _Damn… I don't have enough for both of them…. _She sighed, hefting the bag of gald that she had been entrusted with experimentally. She had learned enough between the journey with the church and Michael's incessant babbling his apparently-wonderful trading skills to know that the weaponsmith's price was hardly firm. "Eighteen hundred, plus a set of Knight's Sabers," she spoke tersely, watching the man closely.

"Hey! What am I supposed to fight with?" Lloyd whined, his eyes wide at Liane's opening offer for the weaponsmith before he was jabbed sharply in the ribs by Genis.

"Idiot… she's trying to get you new swords, Lloyd…" the silver-haired boy groaned, watching the exchange between Liane and the dingy weaponsmith with interest.

"Oh… right…" Lloyd blushed, running a hand absently back through his hair.

The smith's eyes widened for just a moment before he chuckled lightly. "Ah, ya wanna bargain, do ya? Yer a funny little lass…" he glanced over to the other boys. "I can't go any less than two thousand if ya wanna put the sabers in…"

Liane groaned, certain that there wasn't two thousand gald in the bag. She glared at the merchant for a moment longer before turning her back to him and meeting Lloyd and Genis's gazes. "Genis… we need your Fine Star."

"Huh?" Genis blinked momentarily before smiling back at her. "Sure… I mean, it's for better weapons for both of us anyway, right?" He handed her his primary weapon with only a slight hesitation.

Liane knew that the Fine Star had been his birthday present from Raine for his last birthday, but they needed stronger weapons. After another flash of memory of the younger boy taking the brunt of the Spark Volt attack from Kilia all thoughts of finding another way to bargain with the smith fled her mind and she spun back to the man.

"Fourteen hundred, plus the sabers and this Fine Star," Liane spoke in monotone, holding the kendama out before her. She watched the man with the dingy green scarf evenly as he approached and took the newly-offered weapon from her.

"Huh. 's well made," his eyes shifted from the weapon and back to her. "Sixteen hundred an' the weapons – all of 'em. No less."

"I think that's acceptable…" Liane nodded, allowing herself a small smile as she turned and walked to the display table, emptying the pouch onto the table and counting out sixteen hundred gald… leaving only a scant few coins to put back into the pouch. She pushed the pile of coins across the table and close to his cash box as he walked around the edge of the table, watching closely as the boys advanced and gingerly took their new weapons, almost as if they expected the weaponsmith to go back on the agreement. Instead, Liane and her friends were all surprised as the man began to chuckle.

"Yer a spunky li'l thing, ain't ya?" he chuckled, shaking his head. "Ya sure I can't offer ya somethin' to replace that rusty ol' sword?" he asked, gesturing to her hip.

"No… my sword is fine," Liane sighed, rolling her eyes at yet more criticism of her grandfather's sword. "Our thanks, sir…" she tried to remain polite as she began to back away, growing tired of the leering gaze of the merchant.

"No… no…the Tsunami shop thanks ya, lass…" the man nodded his head civilly, once again offering them his broken grin. "Feel free to stop by an' haggle again… t'was fun…."

Liane offered the man a small wave as she watched her friends looking over their new weapons, sure that they would be stronger… hopefully to defend both the boys, the Chosen, and their mission a bit better than the ones that they replaced. Sparing a long look at the handle of her own sword, she found herself questioning her resolve that it would be enough. _Maybe… next time we have money… I'll get another one… if I still have need of it. But I'm not trading it… not for anything._

As they walked back towards the central part of town, it occurred to Liane how strange it seemed to be that there was no panic – no mention of Clara… even the guards had remained at their posts as the Chosen's party had emerged from the civic building. _How could something – someone, _she corrected herself, _not have been noticed? Was there another way out of the building… perhaps another passage…?_ But her thoughts were cut off as Genis began to snicker.

"Liane… that was so cool! You bullied him to drop the price on these weapons!" the silver-haired boy grinned, alternating his gaze from his new kendama and back to her.

"I didn't _bully _him, Genis…" Liane shook her head with a small shrug. "_Negotiated_ is more like it. Any decent business man will usually listen to a good deal. Believe it or not, I learned that from Michael…" she snickered as she saw a look of shock pass over the elven boy's face.

"Michael? No way! You mean he's actually good for something other than trying to torment you into marrying him?" Genis stopped, wrapping his arms around his middle as he laughed.

Liane groaned, noting that Lloyd had even paused to smirk at the concept presented by his friend. "I suppose he is, when you put it that way…" she shrugged. "But that's about as much benefit of the doubt as I'm willing to give him." It still amazed her how much her skin wanted to crawl at the thought of her would-be suitor. Even from half a world away, he could still push her towards infuriation.

She was relieved when she spotted Raine, Colette and Kratos waiting for them just inside the city gates of Palmacosta, and Liane once again found herself in the middle of a group that seemed both eager and reluctant to continue the journey and most of all _not _discuss Michael anymore. As Lloyd and Genis eagerly showed off their new acquisitions to anyone who would look – namely anyone but Kratos - Liane caught an approving nod from her mentor as she had given Raine back what was left of the money pouch. As they all started out of the town, they all seemed content to leave her to her own thoughts – which were predictably drawn back to their encounter with Dorr and Kilia. While they had triumphed over the first part of these new trials that the Desians had apparently seen fit to lay at their feet, that triumph had only paved the way for more death – even if it all hadn't been by their direct hand. True, Kilia was in league with the Desians, but her death only revealed the death of the _real_ Kilia… and she had brought about Dorr's death. It was all linked…. And it couldn't be argued that all indications were that they were walking directly into another opportunity for death to follow the Chosen and her group.

_I wonder what happened to Clara…_ she thought, almost surprising herself as she realized that she hadn't even heard a murmur of the tragic creature's presence - much less her escape – in the town. _The poor thing… _Liane sighed heavily. _We need to find her… keep Lloyd's promise… help her…_. But the thought of helping the poor woman twisted in her gut, the numb grip of hopelessness making her cold to the point that she had to shiver.

"A parent's love for a child is amazing, isn't it?"

Liane's attention was drawn from her quiet reflection where she walked behind Lloyd and Kratos. She wasn't entirely sure that Lloyd's question was exactly directed at anyone, but it at least earned the attention of the mercenary beside him, even if it was simply a sideways glance from behind the auburn tufts.

"So it would seem," Kratos muttered quietly, his attention fixed on the younger swordsman as his hand moved to clasp the handle of his sword.

Lloyd nodded, his shoulders slumping. Liane didn't think anyone that didn't know the teen as well as she did would have ever even noticed. "I wonder if... Mom died protecting me from Desians."

Kratos walked in silence for a few moments, letting his gaze drift ahead of him before returning it to Lloyd. His voice was quiet, thoughtful, almost making Liane have to strain to make out his words. "You don't have any memory of when your mother died?"

"I was only three," Lloyd shrugged. "I hardly remember anything."

Liane and Lloyd had discussed his mother on many occasions over the years. She knew how deeply he felt the loss, how much he resented the fact that he didn't remember her very much – if at all. He rarely seemed to trust his memories of Anna… almost always seeming to prefer to assume that he had no memories of her than to remember her incorrectly. Never having the words that seemed to be exactly right to soothe him, Liane had usually allowed the topic to fade away… with one of them coming up with a distraction from whatever awkward silence usually followed a discussion of Lloyd's mother.

"I see…" Kratos sighed softly, watching Lloyd for another long moment before pointedly turning his focus back to the path before the group as it led out over the plains to take them back to the ranch. "Then the only thing you can do is to live her share as well."

"Yeah," Lloyd replied, just a bit sullenly, allowing the mercenary's steps to edge ahead of him, the discussion fading as the distance between them grew, allowing Liane to close the distance between herself and her friend just a bit more.

"Lloyd… are you okay?" Liane asked quietly, allowing her hand to fall on his shoulder.

Lloyd looked up to his friend with a small nod and what she knew full well to be a forced smile. "I… I will be. I just… I haven't really thought of all my parents had to go through to make it so I could live. I guess I never wanted to. But if my Mom and Dad had to face down the Desians…" his voice trailed off with a sad shake of his head.

"Lloyd… your parents loved you," Liane responded, trying to catch his attention with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah… I guess so…" Lloyd sighed, dejectedly. "Look… Liane… I…" he sighed, obviously struggling with his words. "I need a few minutes alone… sorry…"

Liane paused, letting her hand fall from his shoulder and watching as he trudged on alone. She hated not being able to get through to him… to be able to offer him some support. They had always been there for each other. Through everything. And yet now… everything felt different… _strange_, even… between them.

"Let him go."

Her braid swung over her shoulder as her glare snapped on the mercenary that had somehow managed to appear at her side.

"Can't you see he's hurting?" she gaped at him in a hushed hiss. "The Desians took everything from him… and he doesn't even remember enough about his parents to properly mourn them. How cold do you have to be –"

"It will drive him," Kratos replied coolly, cutting off her chastisement. "He needs whatever he can get that can fuel him. If it's the loss of his parents, so be it. But taking that from him by coddling him will do him no favors."

Liane stopped, shaking her head at him in disbelief as she saw the others quickly approaching from behind. "You really are a bastard, you know that?" she growled.

"Think of me as you will," Kratos shrugged continuing to walk ahead, unfazed by her obvious distaste for his presence. "Perhaps that can be the drive you need as well."


	9. Chapter 10

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: In the wake of the betrayal of Dorr, the gang journeys to take on Magnius at the Palmacostan Human Ranch. But things are hardly wine and roses for any of them. Betrayal hanging in the air all around them, the Chosen's party has to fight the Desians… the past… and their own memories.

PG-13 for slight instances of potty-mouth, but no worse than already in the game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter 10

_"You really are a bastard, you know that?"_

Her words continued to ring in his head as the group moved out over the plains outside Palmacosta. He knew that it was probably a good thing that he was in the lead. No one would question the grim smirk that he wore that way.

Long past was any question of Lloyd Irving's identity – at least in his mind. Now there was only the question of what would be done about it – and one of the clear options was really quite simple… almost elegantly simple.

_Absolutely nothing._

His path and that of the boy who had been his son had split irrevocably that day… he had lost his wife and his son to other planes… other destinies. And neither were apparently anything he had ever guessed at. He had assumed that death had claimed them… either by his sword or by exposure to the creatures of the forest. That assumption, it would seem had been a bit rash… with death seeming to have refused both of them for the most part.

_But… no matter the technicalities… my family did die that day._

And no trick or twist of fate would change that fact. And it wasn't even really a matter of it being a temptation to reclaim what phantoms his mind thought it saw. The boy had apparently long since written off his birth family and fully embraced his new life – complete with an adoptive father and friends that seemed to have healed all but a deep-seeded curiosity of his origins that even he had a difficult time speaking of.

_And the girl…_

He snorted softly at the thought. Liane was hardly a '_girl'_… just as Lloyd was – at least physically – hardly a _boy_… but it was strange how four thousand years tended to reduce all but the most ancient to the category of youngsters. And he never would have considered Anna anything but a woman. But Liane… she was _not_ Anna. There was _something_ there… it was almost utterly undeniable now that he was getting the chance to observe her… to get to know her patterns. It was clear that he troubled her by his very presence, but where Anna had been patient beyond any mortal he had ever met, Liane's instincts seemed to lead her straight through patience to frustration… and when mixed with a bit of a distinctive temper… he still found it difficult to predict her reactions. But despite that, an innate kindness seemed to rule her from within as she always seemed to be ready to offer a second chance.

_But even the most open-hearted have a finite number of second-chances to offer._

No matter the words and assurances of the fortune teller that he and Liane shared a soul-bond, he still knew the cold, hard, bitter truth: his wife was dead. But this girl that he couldn't bring himself to stop somehow trying to still seeing _her_ in… she would survive. He would ensure that… and he would ensure that he did nothing to endanger her further.

_Not like… not like I endangered her…_

The quiet murmurings of the group did nothing to keep his thoughts from straying… from crossing landscape and time… to a day that he both longed to go back and erase for her sake – and would never trade for another for his own. After all… it was time with her… _with Anna_….

"_Dammit, Anna… why won't you just trust me?_"

_The words rang between them echoing hollowly in the small cave that they had shared since they had escaped from the ranch. Her glare flared on him for a long moment as she settled her chin back on her knees, watching him as if he were prey of some sort – as if she would lunge at him if he dared even draw another breath._

"_I did trust you," she muttered simply, finally allowing her eyes a weary blink. They had been awake constantly since they had found the cave because they knew that the patrols were searching for them. They knew that they wouldn't stop until they found them. So… unless they could find a way to simply disappear, they would have to be ready to move. _

_Kratos winced at her words… how they were oh-so distinctively past tense. "Anna… this is why I had to leave… I knew that I would simply lead them to you… that you would be in danger," he tried to explain, although he knew how utterly moot his point was. It had all happened anyway. He had been found… he had been found with her._

"_Well, it's a wonderful thing to not be in danger any longer…" Anna snapped sarcastically. "Thank you."_

_His hands fisted, sitting back until the back of his head collided with the rock wall behind him. "I never meant for any of this to happen… I didn't think they knew where I was." He silently cursed himself once again, having long since lost count of how many times he had done so just since they had taken refuge in the cave. "I thought if I could have slipped away… that I wouldn't put you in danger."_

"_So you never thought to allow me the option to decide?" The disheveled brown-haired woman looked back to him with something closely akin to hatred burning in her eyes. "I… I had to talk to you… that night. All you would have had to do was tell me the truth… I would have gone with you in a heartbeat. But you never took the chance to trust me." she snorted softly. "And you ask why I won't do the same for you…."_

_For a moment, it occurred to him that all was lost… the deep pull that he felt for the girl before him… it was becoming clear that even if she had ever felt it, it was easy enough for her to ignore. Her anger seemed to now be her driving force… almost her lifeblood. Something that she clung to. For a moment, he wondered if he – in fact – hadn't been too late. If the Desians hadn't managed to kill Anna… the bitter shell before him simply a mockery of the happy, loving, compassionate girl that he had voluntarily exiled himself from. _

_Or… maybe it was simply that he never deserved her love in the first place._

"_And the funny thing about all of this…" Anna muttered quietly, her glare still burning icily on him. "I thought I knew you. I don't know anything about you. Ironic, isn't it? You think that I was taken because of you. How stupid did they have to be for that…? You'd think it would be clear that we're little more than strangers…"_

_He could hear the hurt in her voice… and it was exactly what he knew would be there if they ever met again. He thought that someday he would be able to handle it… but it definitely was not that someday yet… for as torn as she sounded, the raw pain beneath her tone threatened to swallow him whole as well. But before he could think to reply… an admission of how right she was – or even a full admission of who he was- her breath caught suddenly, her hand going to the base of her throat as she ground her teeth together in such obvious pain that made it almost impossible to not scream for her._

"_The crystal…" Kratos breathed, moving closer than he had dared since they had shared such cramped quarters, his brow furrowing in concern. Not only was the crystal still insinuating itself into her body… into every aspect of her very life… it was feeding from her as well. He had seen the reports. He knew the theories behind what they had done to her. And he knew what it would do to her._

_He would not allow that._

_He drew the back of his mitt across her forehead, wiping away the thin film of sweat from the fever of her body trying to fight the foreign entity. He bit his lip, hating every aspect of the situation, but most of all that it was all his fault. Few had the skill needed to offer any help at this point… and the one that he knew of lived in a place that she could simply not know of. "Anna… I have to find a key crest for the crystal… it will help with the pain… it will protect you. But I have to go to get it and I can't take you with me. Please - you have to promise me… you can't move from here… I have to be able to find you."_

_Her eyes flashed open, the warm brown still lit by the flames of a heart-wrenching mix of distrust… anger… pain. "Why should I…? You left before," she stated coolly, averting eyes that were full of nothing but bitterness, weariness, and pain. "Go. Don't waste your breath pretending that you want to come back. You have no reason to return."_

_Kratos had lived for longer than he cared to think about. He had taken wounds that should have killed him time after time. But her tone, her words… they cut him deeper – stung him into his very soul – something that he had never willingly left in range of an attack before. He paused, staring back into the dark pools of brown that now held so much contempt for him._

"_I will be back. And I do have a reason. But it is not one you want to hear right now," he stated, his voice barely above a whisper. Before she could seem to gather her wits for another scathing retort, he leaned forward, catching her lips in a gentle kiss. He saw her eyes flicker wide in surprise - a surprise that he shared, truth be told. "Please… stay here… stay quiet. I will return as soon as I can."_

_She continued to gape at him wordlessly and he stood, her fluster actually bringing a small smile to his lips as it occurred to him that – for the moment, at least – her pain seemed to be forgotten. And that was something he knew he had to solidify._

"_Please, Anna… let me show you that you can trust me…."_

Kratos shook his head to clear the ghosts of the past, closing his hand over the handle of his sword to pull himself back to reality. Even as he heard the gentle babble of the others behind him, he couldn't resist a glance over his shoulder to where he knew _she_ would be – speaking quietly with the Chosen.

_And now we see what that trust brought you. I'm sorry, Anna…_ he apologized to the memory that he now allowed to drift away once again.

_Perhaps you had the right idea after all._

* * *

The group's return to the ranch came quickly – almost disturbingly quickly. 

For Liane anyway. Logically, she realized that the time she had spent glaring at the back of Kratos' head probably made the trip pass fairly quickly. But at the same time, she also knew that somehow, the things that are most dreaded always seemed to come to pass faster than things that one looked forward to. Not that either option was much consolation… but they were the only explanations she had that made any sense.

"Damn… the entrance is guarded…" Lloyd hissed from his hiding spot behind the underbrush that surrounded the human ranch. Peering through a small break in the leaves, Liane could see that he was right – there were at least three whipmasters and a handful of foot soldiers. With a sigh, she sat back onto her heels, closing her eyes as she once again found herself wondering how this had all happened to them.

"Heh… you really think that they're going to open the doors and invite us in, Lloyd?" Genis snickered quietly where he sat beside Lloyd, his knees pulled to his chest with his back to the bushes as if he already knew what he would see even if he did choose to survey the situation with the others.

Lloyd sat back to watch his silver-haired friend with a small shrug. "Well… yeah. I mean, this was supposed to be a trap for the Chosen, wasn't it? Wouldn't they be better off if they got us inside… cut us off from escaping?"

An odd silence spread over the group. Lloyd had a point.

_Lloyd_ had a point.

Liane shook her head with a soft chuckle. _Things just get stranger and stranger._

A heavy sigh sounded from somewhere near Raine's side as Kratos stood and slowly backed away toward the path. "Perhaps we might maintain the element of surprise if we were to use the side entrance. I would imagine that would be where we might use the code that Dorr gave us before he died."

"Right… it wouldn't make sense for a human ranch to have only one entrance," Raine nodded, whispering her approval with the mercenary's assessment. "Let's go." The elven woman rose to her feet and turned to the others with a small roll of her eyes when she noticed that neither Liane nor the boys had moved to join them. "Daylight is waning… and we don't know how long this is going to take. Unless you three want to end up camping here – providing we leave under our own power and don't end up as 'guests', I would suggest we start moving?"

_No… I'm not staying here…_ Liane shook her head, realizing that Raine was correct. _I'm not staying here for a minute longer than I have to._

A collective groan of acceptance to the truth of Raine's words preceded Liane, Colette, Lloyd, and Genis joining Raine, even as Kratos turned on his heel and started away, leading the bunch around the corner of the perimeter fence.

Finding the side entrance remarkably unguarded, Lloyd strode easily past the others to approach a small pedestal to the right of the tall metal doors. "3… 3… 4… 1…" he muttered as his fingers poked at the number pad, his reward being the metallic crack of the doors popping open ever so slightly – just enough to allow them leverage to pull them open enough to enter.

For a moment, the group stood silent, the forest surrounding the ranch once again eerily quiet as they pondered the open doors. Liane could see a faint light from the interior of the building, but it may as well have cast shadows over all of them. A chill ran down her spine as she could only stare, frozen in place until Kratos cleared his throat.

"So, did we decide that we were going to just camp here after all?" the mercenary sighed, gesturing in a mocking bow toward the doors.

"Come on…" Colette nodded, smiling brightly at Kratos and then grabbing Lloyd by the forearm. "We can't free Chocolat from out here!" Lloyd nodded in response, hurrying ahead of the blonde girl to pull the door open, stepping in before her and drawing his Rapiers, his form visibly tensing.

"It would be nice if we could…" Raine grumbled, following Lloyd and Colette with Genis at her side.

Liane drew her short sword and started in after a quick glance to Kratos. _Herding the sheep again, eh?_ She grumbled mentally, choosing to continue the silence that had stretched between them since Palmacosta. Her words had been harsh, and under normal circumstances, she would have felt compelled to apologize. But the foundation of her declaration was that his own words to Lloyd were even colder – harsher – when the boy was obviously having a hard time dealing with his lack of memories of his parents.

Once again, Liane missed the satisfied smirk that creased the mercenary's lips as he fell in step behind her and the others, pausing only long enough to pull the doors almost shut behind them before joining them in the empty corridor at the base of the stairwell inside the base. Meeting their questioning expressions he glanced first to the left and then to the right, finally nodding his head toward the latter. "That way."

"But…" Lloyd started to protest, his eyes trailing down the indicated hallway, "… Kratos, that's the way we would have come in if we had gone in through the front entrance!"

"So it must be an 'entrance' for a reason, wouldn't you say?" Kratos murmured nonchalantly, strolling past the lot of them and approaching a closed door, his hand hovering over the glowing pad as his impatient gaze turned back to them.

A small assortment of grumbles issued from Lloyd as he turned to follow the mercenary. Liane couldn't help but smirk at how her friend didn't even bother to hide his mocking sneer as they gathered before the door, awaiting only Kratos' to put his hand on the pad, the door whirring open softly. Each member of the party cringed – Liane would have even sworn that even the grim and gruff mercenary tensed slightly as they stood revealed to the next room –

- and anyone else that might have been there waiting.

"Is there _anyone_ in this building anywhere?" Genis groaned, pushing only slightly past Kratos to peer into the next room, his Duel Star clutched tightly in his small hand as he looked first to one side and then to the other.

As the party stepped gingerly into the lobby area of the ranch, it seemed oddly quiet… only a simple distant hum filling the air.

_No footsteps, no voices… nothing._ Liane shook her head, the tip of her sword dipping to the ground as she walked, unwilling to sheath it on the chance of what she knew _could_ happen with the simple opening of another door.

"Hey! What's that?"

Liane spun at Lloyd's inquiry to watch him sprint across the room to pedestal with a glowing orb suspended above it.

"Lloyd, don't touch it - " Liane started, turning to reach for her friend's shoulder before he could slip out of the range of her grasp, only to be stopped by Kratos' firm grip on her upper arm.

"No," Kratos shook his head once from side to side as her glare snapped sharply on him. "Look first – the Sorcerer's Ring is reacting to it."

Liane's glare fixed on Kratos as she started to protest, but his claim made her glance to Lloyd… only to see that the Sorcerer's Ring was indeed glowing softly, pulsing in time to the glow of the orb. Jerking her arm from his grasp with a distinctively unladylike grunt, Liane spared only a moment longer to glare at Kratos before walking to stand beside Genis and Colette. Even as she closed on the trio before the pedestal, she saw the suspended orb shake softly, sending a flurry of tailed sparks into the air – only to have them all seek the stone in the ring on Lloyd's hand. The swordsman jumped, holding his hand out as if he were prepared to have been burned by the attack… his eyes widening as no pain or other side effect seemed to be forthcoming.

"What the…?"

Genis ignored the puzzled mutterings of his brunette friend, shaking his head even as a smile began to materialize on his lips. "Try to use the ring, Lloyd," the sliver-haired boy pled, his eyes sparkling as both he and the swordsman began to study the ring. As Lloyd began to smile, Genis, Colette, and Liane all took a primarily-instinctive step backwards, knowing what the excitement of a new 'toy' could do to their friend.

Lloyd took one more look at the ring before thrusting his hand out before him, as if attempting to use the fireballs that the ring had projected for them since they first obtained it at the Temple of Martel. But instead of a fireball, the air around them started to waver, the colors of their surroundings suddenly tinted a pale green.

Hearing Lloyd's very vocal complaint of the effect… and Kratos and Raine's attempt at explaining that it was, in fact, something called 'radar', Liane's attention was captured by a glowing orb suspended in the air not far from them. _Where did that come from…? Oh… they said something about the ring making invisible objects visible…._ Pausing before the orb, Liane reached out tentatively to the pulsing light. Just as she should have actually touched it, it flashed a bit brighter and then faded, dropping an orange gel into her outstretched hand. She blinked even as the room faded back to what passed as normal coloring, staring at the treasure. "They're right, Lloyd…" she started, turning to hold the gel out for him to see, "… this was just hanging in midair… like a hidden treasure chest."

Colette walked over to Liane, reaching out to hesitantly poke at the gel with a single finger. "Wow… but it wasn't there before Lloyd used the ring…" she mused, taking the gel from Liane's hand and shrugging her pack down from her shoulder to put it with the other supplies. "I wonder if there's more of those around here?" the Chosen smiled slightly at the thought as she swung the pack back up onto her back.

"I would have to guess that that is something we'll only discover by moving on from this room – especially considering that it is plain to see that Chocolat is not here," Kratos sighed. "Let's continue on, shall we?"

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Liane, but she knew he was right… freeing Chocolat – and the others from Palmacosta – still had to be their focus, no matter if Lloyd had a new plaything or not. "Come on, Lloyd…" she shrugged almost sympathetically at him as she offered him a wink. "Let's go find another place to use that… we could use some more supplies anyway."

The base turned out to be a twisted mess of corridors in both normal coloring as well as what quickly began a sickening green to Liane. It was at least interesting to start with, but when the novelty wore off – especially to Lloyd – the mood of the entire party began to slide.

Of course, that mood was aided by the defeat of a few random and unfortunate foot soldiers… and one sorcerer that was unlucky enough to startle the group out of their radar-induced boredom… paying for his indiscretion with both his consciousness and a purple key card.

"Huh… wonder what this is for…" Lloyd murmured, picking the card from the sorcerer's belt pouch as he crouched over the Desian. "The foot soldiers didn't have one of these… maybe it's for something special?"

"I'm betting we might find that something special if we keep moving," Liane sighed, glancing at a nearby panel that looked suspiciously like a door. _I don't suppose it's in the cards to completely avoid more fighting… but sitting here waiting for it to come to use is just stupid…._

"Or… if we stand around to discuss things… maybe we can ask him when he wakes up," Kratos groaned quietly, pivoting on his heel and striding back to the hovering controller that would trigger the bridge back to the main part of the complex.

_Did… we just agree on something? _Liane watched after his retreat with a shake of her head. _If that's the strangest thing that happens here, I suppose that will be a good thing, though…._

Once again the party fell in line behind Kratos' lead – an uneventful trek that led them to a room they had passed through earlier. As they started to cross the room, Kratos paused, thoughtfully examining their surroundings.

"Kratos?" Colette blinked as she paused beside the mercenary, her gaze mimicking his as she too scanned the room. "Is something wrong?"

After a long pause, Kratos sighed. "Lloyd, use the ring."

"Huh?" Lloyd paused in mid-step as he had been about to pass the indigo-clad swordsman. With a small shrug, he glanced down to the sorcerer's ring before holding it out before him. "Okay…?"

The room lurched back into shades of green and a flare of light caught the corner of Liane's eye. Against the far wall, the ring had revealed a warp ring. _Oh, this just gets better and better, doesn't it…_ she groaned softly as her stomach churned lazily within her.

"Wow… how did you know, Kratos?" Genis asked, eyeing the ring before glancing back to the mercenary.

"It only makes sense to check, wouldn't you say?" Kratos shrugged as he turned and started towards the device. "Lloyd you're with me – we should go through in pairs as a precaution. Raine, you should follow us with Colette, and Liane and Genis last – that should provide the most protection for the Chosen."

Liane bristled for only a moment, seeing that Kratos' logic was actually sound. She glanced down to her silver-haired friend with a small smile. "Looks like you're stuck with me again, kiddo," she shrugged, almost immediately rewarded with a cheesy grin from the elven boy.

"Darn, no obsessive sister or grumpy mercenary? Yeah, my heart's breaking," Genis snickered behind his hand before sobering under a withering glare from Raine.

Unable to keep a smirk from escaping at the siblings' antics, Liane watched as Kratos and Lloyd stepped into the ring and vanished from sight. "I hate these things," she grumbled to no one in particular as Raine and Colette waited only a moment before following the swordsmen, shifting her grip in her sword as she glanced around the room warily, knowing that _then_ would be the perfect time for a patrol to pounce on her and the young mage. "It's so disorienting – and we have no idea where we'll end up…."

"Heh. You've been around Kratos too long, Liane… now you're getting grumpy," Genis laughed as he stepped behind her, planting his hands on the small of her back and pushing her towards the warp ring. "And as far as where it goes – only one way to find out, wouldn't you say?"

With a small groan, Liane stepped onto the warp ring under her own power. "I guess you're right," she sighed as Genis stepped on beside her. As the energy of the ring flared around them, she shook her head. _Around Kratos too long, Genis? You have NO idea…._

A gut-wrenching heartbeat later, Liane and Genis once again stood with the rest of the party in a room that looked almost ridiculously like the one they had just left.

"Okay this is just wrong…" Liane muttered, shaking her head. "Should we start leaving a trail of breadcrumbs so we can get out of here?"

"You're assuming that we're leaving the way we're coming in…" Raine sighed as she glanced around them as well, her point made but her unease growing in the tone of her voice.

"Well, we're not coming or going if we're standing still, right Kratos?" Colette chimed in happily as she walked to stand beside her hired protector.

Somehow – miraculously – before Liane could manage to groan at her friend's enthusiasm, she heard the sentiment of exasperation slip out of the auburn-haired swordsman. He started towards the door to the left of where they stood, a more eloquent "Indeed," grumbling its way from him as he strode away from Colette.

Colette blinked, her smile falling slightly at the unusually verbose comment from the mercenary before she let the others to the door. Kratos waited only a moment for the group to gather before mashing the button beside the door. The metal panel whisked aside to reveal a bi-leveled room, eliciting a small gasp from Genis as he pushed to the front of the group.

"It's the captives…" the elven boy breathed as he wandered closer to a nearby cell, his hand reaching out to brush over the bars that kept the Palmacostans contained.

Liane followed behind him both out of an element of protectiveness and morbid curiosity. She was rewarded by a glimpse of weary and somewhat disinterested gazes of the dingy people within. _The Desians – they've already started breaking these people – they look like they're just waiting for their next beating…._ Then, one of the captives moved – a simple shift of his weight where he crouched in the corner of the cell – a reflection of something that seemed terribly out of place and wrong. _An Exsphere…_her eyes widened even as she took a step back, recoiling from the realization. She couldn't even explain why… it wasn't as if she had never seen one – or, sadly, that it was out of place on the prisoner's hand.

Genis turned, watching Liane with an arched eyebrow, but the voice of the Chosen bit off any potential queries.

"Please… let's save them…" Colette spoke, her tone filled with pleading as she rung her hands, looking between Kratos and Lloyd as if for permission.

But before either swordsman could start to reply, Raine walked past Colette to a small control panel near the center of the balcony. "Yes… when you consider what'll happen, we can't just leave them here like this," the elven woman muttered as she studied the controls, seemingly oblivious to the frustrated exhale from Kratos.

Lloyd sighed, walking back to the railing to look around the room, his eyes slipping over the two levels of cells. "Shall we split into two groups, then?" he asked thoughtfully.

"It would make sense," Liane nodded, moving to his side more to get away from the cells than anything else. The longer she stood near them, the more Exspheres she saw – not something that comforted her in the least. "We still have to find Chocolat. If she's not in here, we have to keep moving."

"No, please leave this to me…"

The Chosen's party spun at the sound of the voice, the familiarity of it only settling on them when they saw the speaker.

"Neil…" Liane muttered, shaking her head as she tried to calm her nerves from his sudden appearance. _It could be that easy… it could have been Desians…._

With a nod of acknowledgement, Neil stepped closer to the party, his expression set with a grimace as he surveyed the room. "Members of the Palmacosta army will be he coming in soon. I'll remain here, join up with them, and free those people. Please, take care of Chocolat."

A resounding _thud_ echoed through the cavernous room just before Raine stood back from the control panel, her arms crossed over her chest as she glanced around to watch the cell doors all swing open in unison. "There. All you need now is an escort to get them out of here," she nodded in satisfaction.

Lloyd grinned at Neil, resting his hands on the handles of his swords. "Okay… we'll leave it up to you then."

As the prisoners began to edge from their cells, the open area began to fill – both with prisoners and with frightened voices.

"We should go – there's nothing more that we can do here," Kratos sighed, starting for the door.

With a sigh, Liane fell in step behind him. _They're free at least… if they get out of here soon… maybe someone can help them with the Exspheres…_ she thought, trying not to notice the unnerving number of captives that seemed to be sporting the stones.

"Hmm? What's wrong? You're not going to run away?"

Liane turned to watch Lloyd pause beside a small boy, the child having an insistent grip on one of Lloyd's sheaths to get his attention.

"Thank you for saving me," the boy grinned up at Lloyd with admiration sparkling in his eyes. "Here, take this," his hand thrust out towards the swordsman, waiting for him to take the offering.

Lloyd watched the boy for a moment, his head cocked in confusion as he reached out to take the item from the outstretched hand. "What's this?"

The child beamed at Lloyd's acknowledgement, "I picked it up over there," he grinned proudly, gesturing generally back towards the cells. "I saw a Desian treating that card as if it was really important."

"Thanks!" Lloyd smiled at the boy, reaching out to ruffle his mop of brown hair, rewarded for the gesture with a happy laugh as the boy ran back into the milling group of prisoners.

Curious, Liane stepped up beside her friend to glance over his shoulder to see that the boy had given him. "What was that all about?" she asked quietly before Lloyd held his new treasure up for her to see.

"It's a blue card… kinda like the purple one we got from the sorcerer…" he murmured, removing the purple card from his pocket and eyeing them side by side for a moment before placing them both in the pocket. "Nice kid, though."

Liane giggled softly, her gaze slipping back to where the boy had disappeared into the crowd. "Aww… Lloyd… you're a hero…."

Immediately, Lloyd's eyes widened and his cheeks tinted a faint pink. "Me? I'm no hero…"

"You helped free him… all of them. That makes you a hero in their books," Liane shrugged, prodding her friend gently with her observation. While it was true that at the beginning of the journey, it was assumed that Colette would be the hero… but now… the closer their group became… somehow, they were all becoming heroes. It was hardly anything she ever expected either – and she knew what her friend was feeling… _I don't feel like a hero either, Lloyd._

"He just wants to be a hero to Chocolat because she's cute," Genis chortled nonchalantly as he strolled past Lloyd and Liane, following the others back to the door.

Lloyd's jaw fell open for only a moment before it clenched shut. Stomping after his friend, he seemingly forgot about his conversation with Liane. "That's not it! She's in trouble! Dorr used her to get to us!" the young swordsman grumbled as he followed Genis through the door.

"Sure, Lloyd. Whatever you need to tell yourself," Genis continued to laugh as he walked, waving off his friend's protests.

As Liane started to follow after the boys, she noticed that Colette had fallen in step beside her. Glancing over to the girl, Liane was offered a bright smile – so typical of her – but for just a moment, Liane saw something else flash behind Colette's clear blue eyes. It was something that couldn't help but concern her. Pausing, she turned to put a hand on the Chosen's shoulder. "Colette?"

Predictably, but still somehow frustrating nonetheless, Colette's smile merely grew when she heard the note of concern in her friend's voice. "I'm so glad we could help Neil free those people," she tilted her head slightly. "Now if we can just get Chocolat and get out of here, we can get back to helping everyone, right?" With a shrug and a sigh, Colette's steps quickened so that she could walk between Lloyd and Genis as Kratos led them towards a door on another wall of the room they had warped into.

"You really expected to admit that she'd probably trade places with Chocolat in a heartbeat if she could? To be the rescued instead of the rescuer?"

Liane turned, startled from her thoughts by the Professor's soft voice from behind her. "Raine…."

"Let her be, Liane," Raine sighed, shaking her head at her assistant with a distant smile. "Colette knows her choices and her duties. Let her have this time with her friends, when you can all do good things together – while she can still have help."

Raine started to walk ahead of Liane, leaving the younger woman to blink as the Professor's words struck her as more cryptic than their current situation dictated. "Raine… what's going on?" she asked quietly as her hand shot out to grab the professor's arm, rewarded for the gesture by a small smile and a nod over Raine's shoulder.

"We're getting left behind at the moment, Liane. For now, that's the only thing that we can really do anything about, wouldn't you say?"

With a sigh, Liane realized that she would get no more from Raine. Following only a step behind the elven woman, they stepped through the door the others had crossed through, finding themselves on a platform in the room they had visited before.

"Hey, there's another one of those switch things!" Lloyd stopped, thrusting the ring out before him as the room flickered green around them. Raine stepped over to the pedestal, passing her hand over the control and revealing another ghostly bridge.

"You think Chocolat's over there?" Lloyd asked Raine as he walked past her to step onto the bridge.

"I would say there's only one way to eliminate the possibility," Kratos commented before Raine could respond as he followed Lloyd onto the bridge. The group continued in single to the other side to regroup as the effects of the Sorcerer's Ring wore off.

"Aw… it's just a storage area," Genis' shoulders drooped as he looked around the crates that were staked around them. "Come on, Lloyd…" he caught the swordsman's sleeve, tugging him back towards the gap back to the other platform.

Colette paused, standing between Liane and Raine as she looked around, disappointment flickering in her expression before her eyes trailed up. Tilting her head slightly in question, she raised a slender finger to point to the top of a squat platform. "Something… sparkled?"

Lloyd stopped, pulling his arm from Genis' grasp as he looked up to where the Chosen had indicated. "It's too high up to see…" he muttered, taking a step back and then one to the side in an attempt to get a different view of what Colette had spotted.

"Wait here…" Colette smiled stepping from the group as her wings revealed themselves. "I'll check it out." She paused for a moment, her wings fluttering experimentally before she lifted from the ground and rose to the top of the platform.

"I am never going to get used to seeing that…" Genis shook his head as he watched Colette ascend and begin to search for what she had seen from the ground.

Liane nodded, staring up even as her friend did. "What, one of your best friends becoming an angel?" she chuckled. "It's not like it happens every day, Genis."

"Or at all, if we don't get moving," Kratos groaned from behind them.

"Must you always be such a wet blanket?" Liane grumbled, spinning from Genis to growl at the mercenary. "We're waiting for Colette… when she gets back, we'll go! It's not like any of us like it here either…."

Liane's outburst was interrupted by Colette touching back down, her hand extending to Lloyd with something red clasped in her fingers. Her attention drawn back to her friends, Liane ignored the labored sigh from Kratos as she watched Colette's wings evaporate.

"Here Lloyd… it looks just like the purple one you have…" Colette smiled at the swordsman, laying a red key card in his hand.

Lloyd held up the card, turning it over in his hand. "That makes three of them… I wonder what they're for…" he muttered thoughtfully.

"Well, there were only a couple of ways we could go from that warp ring back there," Genis muttered, his brow furrowing slightly. "Maybe we should just warp back to the other level… look around a bit?"

_Just warp back…_ Liane groaned softly, … _look around a bit…_ her mind mocked her.

"Liane?"

Turning at the questioning tone from her mentor, Liane's smile was already in place. "It's just starting to sound like a pleasure jaunt, that's all…" she shrugged. "I really just want to get out of here…."

As they reentered the room that they had warped into originally, Liane resigned herself to yet another trip through the warp ring. _I can handle it… one more time_, she coached herself as she approached the patiently glowing ring with a sigh.

"Hey… is that another warp ring up there?"

Liane cringed at Genis' observant query as she grudgingly turned to look where the boy was pointing.

"It looks like it…" Lloyd murmured as he trotted over the narrow pathway to where the metallic object rose slightly from the surrounding floor. "But it doesn't look like it's working."

Liane's smile of relief at her friend's statement faded quickly as she and the others joined the boys at the inert warp ring, spotting three distinctly-colored slots in the wall behind the ring – one purple, one blue, and one red.

"Lloyd… look!" Colette's voice echoed slightly off the walls as she pointed past him to the wall. "Don't those slots match the colors of the cards we've found?"

As the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall together, Lloyd dug in his pocket for the cards even as Liane successfully fought off the urge to backhand the blonde girl. After Lloyd finished inserting the cards into their corresponding slots, the warp ring behind them hummed to life, leaving Liane to groan softly even as Colette beamed.

"Maybe now we can find Chocolat!" the Chosen cheered, looking between her companions.

Liane shook her head, turning away to stare into the pit that extended down from them beneath the walkways. _Sadistic bastards, _her mind grumbled. _Is it really such a crime to just use stairs?_

"Liane, c'mon…" Genis' good-natured tone and a tug on her sleeve pulled her out of her momentary brooding session as she looked back to find that Kratos and Lloyd had already passed through the ring, and Colette and Raine were just getting ready to step on.

"Okay, okay…" Liane sighed, gripping her sword a bit tighter as she looked down into the blue eyes of her young friend. The warp ring flared, the forms of the Professor and the Chosen fading away as she and Genis took their place. _What's one more warp ring?_ Liane chuckled humorlessly to herself as she saw the ring begin to glow at her feet.

* * *

"I swear, Genis… I'm just going to sit down on the other side of this warp and wait for you guys to come back…" Liane grumbled as she stepped into the angry red light of yet another warp ring. She had long since lost count of the warp rings, the unfortunate Desian patrols, and how many times she had sworn that _this _warp would be her last. 

Genis snickered beside her. "You _are_ looking a little green, so maybe I shouldn't ask this… but if you keep saying this is the last one, how are you planning on leaving?"

Liane glared at the mage, gesturing even as her arm faded from view. "See that warp in the middle? We _know_ that takes us back to the beginning of this hell… if I _know _it's the last one…" _Goddess knows we had to use it enough.…_

In the moment it took for her balance to reassert itself when they materialized, Liane heard Genis beside her, the elven boy already reaching for his kendama as he sprinted from the warp ring to the brunette swordsman's side.

"Lloyd! Look!" Genis pointed to the next platform on the side of the room they currently stood on.

The sight immediately quieted Liane's complaints as she recognized the pony-tailed tour guide that had brought them so far into the Desian ranch under the guard of a small troop consisting of two whipmasters, a bowman, and a sorcerer.

"Stop!" Lloyd growled out, his voice echoing around the chamber as the Desians' attention snapped from their captive to the party that had emerged from the warp ring. "Let her go!"

While before Lloyd's words, the Desian fighters seemed to have no problem focusing on their captive tour guide, it was but a blink of an eye before they were completely focused and tensed for the approach of the Chosen's group. Liane drew her sword as Lloyd lurched ahead of the group, both of his Rapiers clutched tightly his hands as he ran across the walkway, followed closely by Genis and Colette.

The whipmaster that had held Chocolat's hands turned, hurling the girl against the wall behind them as he advanced with the others on the Chosen's party. It was only the crack of a whip later that Lloyd waded into them, Rapier's flashing in the light that filtered down the shaft from an unseen source above them. The sounds of battle clashed around them, echoing from the walls – sword on metal, whip on leather, and grunts of pain that left Colette's band of fighters standing – barely winded – over the tour guide's fallen captors.

"Is it bad that that seemed easy?" Liane asked Raine quietly as she looked around the room, half-expecting another squad of replacements to appear from thin air. They had fought similarly-assembled groups the entire time they had been within the confines of the ranch – it simply seemed strange that there was no real variety in their opponents.

Raine sighed as she planted the end of her staff on the ground, shaking her head as she watched Colette and the boys edge closer to Chocolat. "I would have to say that 'easy' is definitely a good thing at this point. But I think it would be bad to plan on it staying that way."

Lloyd sheathed his swords as he stepped over their former adversaries, extending a hand down to the brown-haired girl with a sheepish smile. Accepting the swordsman's hand to crawl to her feet, Chocolat's long brown ponytail swayed as she shook her head in obvious disbelief, her eyes still fixed on the heaps that were once her captors. "You came to rescue me?"

"Yup!" Genis nodded as he walked up to the girl, sporting a concerned smile. "Did they hurt you? Are you okay?" he asked eagerly, his shoulders visibly relaxing when she returned his smile and nodded back to him.

Chocolat's smile and gaze moved across the group, starting with Colette and pausing at each of them in turn. "Yes, I'm fine. Chosen One, everybody, thank you all so much."

"Ah, don't mention it." Lloyd blushed faintly, his eyes dropping to the ground before him, his hands closing over the handles of his Rapiers.

Liane shook her head, chuckling softly as she nudged Lloyd with her elbow. The girl's smile and her obvious relief at their presence forced her to admit that taking the time to rescue Chocolat and the others… it was truly a reminder that the Chosen's journey – and her choices – were truly in the spirit of the duties that she was born to. The world regeneration was not in any way exclusive from helping those that were running out of hope. And while time was of the essence to limit the damage that the Desians were doing to the land that was already gasping for life and it's people, finding time to help people like Chocolat and the other prisoners was at least as big of a part of her responsibilities.

"There is no time to be celebrating," Kratos sighed, glancing over his shoulder around the circular room. "We still need to take care of Magnius." His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, his distaste for the grateful banter showing not only in his words, but almost louder in his stance.

Raine spared a glance and a small shake of her head at the mercenary before turning her attention back to the others. "Assistant Governor-General Neil is taking the people imprisoned here to safety. Our job is to secure the control room and ensure a safe escape."

Chocolat's shoulders slumped, her hand moving to massage her temple for a moment. "Dorr finally mobilized his plans, didn't he?" she groaned softly, earning an assortment of surprised looks from her companions.

"Um… uh. Yeah," Lloyd muttered, gritting his teeth at the girl's insightful observation.

_Was the entire town aware of Dorr's ulterior motives?_ Liane blinked, unable to keep from making the leap to that particular conclusion when even a simple girl – the daughter of a shopkeeper, even – still found it to be of no surprise.

Chocolat sighed deeply before her eyes lit with a flash of inspiration as she looked to the Professor. "I'm not sure if it's in the control room or not, but in the back is a platform that leads to a room filled with sparkling lights and other magical looking things. I'll show you the way."

"Hmm, it may be a bit dangerous," Raine watched the girl wearily before glancing around to the rest of the group and sighing softly in something that sounded vaguely of defeat, "…but we'd appreciate your help."

Chocolat smiled broadly back at the professor before turning on her heel and motioning over her shoulder to the group. "Of course. Follow me!"

Lloyd and Raine quickly moved to fall in step behind the young tour guide across the walkway with Colette and Genis hurrying to catch up… leaving Liane once again stuck with Kratos on the platform.

Kratos watched her for a long moment before sighing heavily and gesturing with a bit of a sarcastic flourish to the path. "After you…" he spoke simply, waiting for Liane to start out ahead of him.

"Sure, why not… " Liane groaned, rolling her eyes. "One misstep and it would be easy enough for you to finally be rid of me, huh?" she grumbled, trying not to look over the edge of the walkway as she followed a few steps behind Colette.

They stepped onto the warp ring in pairs, with Kratos and Liane being the last of the group to materialize in the high-ceilinged room. They remained grouped together, each regarding their surroundings with an air of suspicion, the tension almost tangible between them.

Lloyd looked around the room with an appreciative whistle. "So this is the control room…."

There was an unnerving hum that filled the room, and blinking lights that worked in combination with the alien noises that Liane was certain they would all be driven slowly insane if they spent too much time there. "Raine…" she began, catching the eye of the Professor standing beside her at the back of the group, "… can we hurry up… and just get this done…?"

Raine answered Liane's inquiry with a quick nod, turning and walking to a panel a short distance away, tracing her fingers lightly over the softly glowing lights and dials.

"So the forsaken Chosen and her entourage of vermin have finally arrived."

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once, and Liane found herself holding her breath as she glanced around the large circular room. As disembodied as the sneering voice was, they all remembered it, evidenced by the swift intake of breath that they all seemed to share for a moment.

Kratos was the first to find his voice, taking a step forward, barely separating himself from the front of the group. "For-saken?"

A mechanical whine from the center of the ceiling drew all of their attention upward as a disk slowly descended from some unseen upper level of the room bearing the Desian leader of the ranch – draped carelessly over the arms of the throne-like chair. His grating chuckle as his eyes grazed over all of them only intensified as the chair's descent stopped, leaving him hovering above the ground as his head lolled back in an extension of his laughter.

"You got it mixed up, Magnius," Lloyd grit his teeth, slashing at the air before him with each of his swords as if to punctuate his point. "You're the one that's forsaken. Your time here is up."

As if Lloyd's words were a cue, a pair of warp rings on either side of the room hummed to life with pairs of armed Desian soldiers materializing and closing in on the party from both sides.

"We're surrounded!" Colette whimpered softly, edging backwards until her back was against Lloyd's side, her chakram gripped tightly in her hands.

Magnius threw his head back with a throaty laugh. "Just like a bunch of stupid vermin! I know your every move. And I know about those inferior beings trying to escape, too." With a casual flick of his wrist, a raised pedestal hummed to life, a cone of light bursting upwards and shimmering with shapeless colors for a moment before images of prisoners – the very people that they had been with just a few minutes before – materialized before them.

Colette blinked in confusion, taking a step closer to the image that seemed to be suspended in the column of light above the device. "How did Neil get in there?" She continued to walk closer, her attention fixed on the appearance of Neil and a handful of the Palmacostan prisoners.

"No, Colette…." Liane quickly approached behind her friend, dropping her hand firmly on her shoulder to halt her advance on the image. Colette seemed to have completely forgotten the presence of the whipmasters as the image had woven its spell over her in her concern for Neil and the others.

"That's a projector," Kratos stated calmly, looking from Colette and Liane and back to Magnius with an accusatory glare, "…a product of magitechnology."

Raine nodded with a weary sigh, despite the sparkle in her eyes at the information that the mercenary had offered. "It's a device that displays images of people and things that are far away." She groaned softly before following Kratos' example and leveling a glare of her own at the Desian leader. "We were displayed on here as well."

A flicker of movement within the image drew a soft gasp from the majority of Magnius' guests. A door had slid shut behind the prisoners and – as the view shifted to the front of the group – it quickly became clear that the action had been mirrored there as well, effectively boxing the Palmacostans back into the prison. For just a moment, the only sound that could be heard over the hum of the control room was a soft self-satisfied chuckle from the Desian leader.

"Oh, no! They're trapped!" Genis choked, his hands forming into fists as he advanced helplessly on the image of the prisoners.

The flame-haired Desian clapped his hands together mockingly as his head shook with his laugh. "A wasted effort! Everything you've done is meaningless," he purred, Magnius' gaze sliding over the lot of them, starting pointedly with Colette.

Gritting her teeth, Liane's glare froze on Magnius. _Psychological warfare…_ she remembered the priests' lessons on tactics used throughout the history of their world. _Negate the morale of your enemy… deprive them of hope._ She couldn't help but see Colette's shoulders droop at the Desian's declaration. Gently reaching out to squeeze the girl's shoulder, she sought and was rewarded with a gaze from the Chosen's liquid blue eyes. "He's wrong, Colette…" she whispered, hoping that the damage hadn't already been done.

Lloyd stepped forward with a quiet snarl, his blades crossed before him. "How so! We can rescue everyone after we take care of you," he declared with a confident smirk. Liane couldn't help but notice how the boy's words put a sparkle back in Colette's eyes as she dropped her hand from her shoulder to allow the girl to edge toward the young swordsman.

Magnius merely chuckled in the wake of the inspirational words that had started to rally the Chosen's group. "Big words from someone whose futile actions caused the disaster at Iselia," the Desian purred, his eyes locked on Lloyd as if to make certain that there was no mistake who he was speaking to.

Shivering at the cruel taunt, Liane glanced to Lloyd, her heart breaking for the boy as he seemed to take an involuntary step back, his head hanging low.

"Th… that was…" Lloyd stammered, his previous rallying words to the group now but a memory.

"I know…!" Magnius crooned with malice glinting in his eyes. "How about I recreate that incident using the vermin on the projector? Watch. I'll unleash their Exspheres and turn them into monsters!" The redhead shook with laughter as his smile grew wider with each passing moment of Lloyd's reaction.

"No! Stop!" Lloyd yelled, his voice echoing from the metallic walls and serving only to make Magnius laugh harder.

_Unleash their Exspheres…_ the Desian's words rang in Liane's ears for a moment. _Marble… Clara… that's what happened to them – turned them into monsters…_Liane shook her head to clear it of the images of the monsters that had once been women… their painfully distended limbs… the utter corruption of their bodies…. Her left hand closed into a fist of its own volition as her stance widened, her sword moving out before her as a flame of anger tinted her vision momentarily red.

"Come on now," Magnius offered with a sickeningly sweet tone to his voice. He leaned forward, his mocking sneer focused on the young swordsman that seemed to have unspokenly assumed leadership of the group. "I'll be more than happy to turn them into monsters… just like that old lady you killed… just like _Marble_!"

Liane froze… both the words that seemed to hang in the air and the stricken look on the face of her friend startling her to breathlessness momentarily. _But Marble… Marble wasn't his fault… she attacked… the Desians used her…_ She winced as she remembered the fight, her gaze sliding to the sparkling gem mounted on the back of Genis' hand. _Marble's memento… _The boys – her friends – had taken the death badly… even if it seemed that Marble had sacrificed herself at the end. _She did it to help them… but… the Desians changed her… because they were at the ranch. There's so much gray area…._

A soft gagging noise broke the silence as Chocolat took a step away from the group, shaking her head in obviously horrified disbelief. "Marble? You don't mean…"

"Oh, but I do, my little Chocolat," Magnius sneered, leaning forward in a show of exaggerated interest in the distress of the tour guide. "Dear old granny Marble was sent to the Iselia Ranch where she was killed by Lloyd. I heard she met a pitiful end!" He clucked his tongue in mock sympathy before his sadistic grin returned.

Genis shook his head against the perversion of the truth that the Desian Leader had so gleefully revealed, turning to Chocolat as his small frame shook. "Wait, it wasn't like that… Lloyd tried to save her! But the Desians turned her into a monster and --"

Magnius sneered, looking from Chocolat to the crimson-clad swordsman with an evil laugh. "Lloyd killed her."

The brown-haired girl continued to back away from the party, her eyes wide as she gaped in disbelief. "No…. " she whispered tearfully not even seeing – or perhaps not caring? – that she was walking right into the waiting arms of a pair of Desian whipmasters.

Colette stepped forward, her hands clutched together, almost as if in prayer. "Chocolat!"

"Dammit! Let her go!" Lloyd snarled, his grip tensing on the handles of his swords, shaking himself momentarily from the spell of guilt Magnius had woven for him.

"Leave me alone! I refuse to be saved by Grandma's murderer! I'd rather die!" the tour guide's words were spoken with an almost venomous hatred as her glare burned on the young swordsman. She didn't even start when the whipmasters closed their grasp around her upper arms and began to drag her back toward the warp ring behind them.

Liane had to look away, no longer able to keep her eyes on the girl that was simply surrendering herself to the Desian soldiers. Her words came from a deep pain… and she knew that. But it was a similar pain to what she saw reflected in Lloyd's eyes. She could tell that he was searching for some way to explain that he had not hand in the old woman's death… but it was clear that the boy's guilt was overpowering him more with every passing moment – proof of that growing stronger as he offered no words in his own defense. _Oh, Lloyd…_ Liane shook her head, knowing full well that any words she would offer would probably simply fuel his snowballing sense of responsibility for Marble's death. Even if he hadn't been the one to change her - even if he hadn't dealt the final blow that ended the woman's existence - the fact that the Desian leader of the base had tracked _him_ to Iselia and changed that particular woman that he and Genis had been trying to help… she knew that he would always only see that relationship as the death-knell of Marble. Even if the blood was indirect, it was still blood. She understood the thoughts that were written in his lost expression… she simply couldn't take them away for her friend.

Colette continued to wring her hands, moving to stand before Lloyd with an urgent shake of her head. "You mustn't say things like that. Don't throw your life away!"

Chocolat shook her head, the lights of the control room sparkling off tears that she was refusing to shed in front of the Chosen's group. "Dorr will save me," she growled, her jaw set in defiance. "Leave me alone!"

_She doesn't know…_ Liane realized. _She doesn't know he's dead… she knew of his plans yet she still has the faith in him that he will save her… even if he knows that he used her…._ She bit her lip in pity for the girl's blind faith, even as he heard the Desian leader's dry laugh.

"Right. Dorr," Magnius chuckled, leaning back in his hovering chair, draping himself just a bit more lazily over the arm. "Huh… well… whatever. Take her away!"

An eerie silence filled the room as Chocolat was led to the warp ring by the pair of whipmasters, her gait betraying a cold shock as she didn't even look back to the Chosen's group as one of her captors disappeared first… leaving her and then the remaining whipmaster to follow.

"Dammit…" Liane hissed, seeing that the warp ring was guarded by the remaining Desian troops that had surrounded them from that side – almost completely eliminating the possibility of chasing after the tour guide.

"Stop!" Lloyd demanded, drawing his twin blades back into a tense stance, his regrets over Marble seeming to fuel his anger. Advancing on the Desians, the young swordsman drew each of his blades back in quick succession, one intercepting the whip of the lead Desian, the other slashing at his middle, sending him staggering back to one knee with a yelp.

"Lloyd!" Genis called, spotting a bowman approaching behind his friend, bringing his crossbow to bear on the swordsman. His eyes clenched shut for a moment, the ball of his kendama dancing as an eerie red glow sprang to life beneath his feet.

It only seemed to be a momentary chaos as the remaining bowman and sorcerer converged on the pair of their comrades that had already enter the fray. Lloyd spun, alerted by Genis' call, intercepting the bowman's attack by rushing him, closing the gap that the Desian's weapon required even as Genis' fireballs materialized and finished him.

Kratos stepped back to engage yet another bowman, his sword blade snaking out to neatly slice off the end of the crossbow before catching him in the chest with his boot, a wet snap resounding in the control room as the Desian collapsed in a startled choke of pain.

The Desian stood – the sorcerer - stunned for a moment too long, allowing Colette's wrist to flick outward, sending her chakram slicing through the Desian's thigh. The sorcerer staggered forward in perfect time to allow Liane a pair of quick steps to make sure her knee was driving up, even as the sorcerer's jaw was coming down. A brief flicker of pain danced through her leg as bone connected with bone, but when her adversary lay collapsed at her feet, an assured bruise was the least of her concerns – a fact made clear by the growl of angered frustration from the Desian leader.

Pointedly ignoring the anger of the redheaded half-elf, Lloyd sighed, pausing near the warp ring that Chocolat had been taken away through. Stooping, he picked something up, his eyes fixed on the object. Keeping her gaze wearily on the Cardinal, Liane moved closer to her friend to glance over his shoulder. "It's her pass for Hakonesia peak…" she murmured, making out the elegantly scripted words on the card.

Lloyd looked up to her, a torrent of emotions swirling behind his eyes as he nodded wordlessly before Magnius slammed his fist down into the armrest of his chair, his teeth barred in anger. "Dammit, how could you idiots allow these inferior beings to defeat you?" With a clearly dramatic groan, he reached to the side of his floating throne, drawing a double-bladed axe from its resting place within arms' reach.

The chair continued to hover for a moment longer as Magnius stood. Glaring over the occupants of the room, his eyes flickering with rage as he saw the last of his whipmasters collapse into a heap on the metallic floor. "Fine. I'll take care of you myself! I'll put an end to the Chosen right along with you fools who can't let go of your elven blood!"

The group tensed once again as the Desian Cardinal advanced on them, a low, rumbling laugh slipping from him as he swung his axe in a taunt, his laughter growing as they edged back from him.

"Gotta take out the wimps first…" Lloyd grumbled as he fell in beside Kratos advancing quickly on the lone bowman to keep him from having the range he needed to use his weapon.

Liane nodded absently, realizing that Magnius didn't seem to care who he fought first as he advanced on where she stood beside Genis.

"You really think you're going to live through this?" Magnius purred, pulling his axe up over his head and dropping it towards Genis.

"I would think at least trying would be the best option right now," Liane grumbled as she reached out and snagged the back of Genis' collar, aiding his already-hasty backpedal as she threw him behind her and braced her sword out before her. "Guardian!" she called as the mana-bubble shimmered around them, the axe glancing off of it on the Desian's backswing. _Picking on the little guy?_ She fumed, holding the barrier until she saw Magnius' focus move to Lloyd, who was moving to attack from his side. Sparing a glance back to Genis, she saw that a pale green ring of runes was already forming at his feet. "Bully…" she muttered with a small smirk. _Can't be too much fun when the little guy fights back…._ But her mocking laugh had to wait as she saw the emboldened whipmaster advancing on her, his whip tapping threateningly on his knee as his grin shone out from beneath his helm.

"Wind Blade!" Genis' call rang out even as a flurry of almost transparent green blades swarmed the Desian Cardinal, lifting him slightly up into the air as his snarled out curses heralded his drop back down to the ground.

Magnius pushed himself to his knees, sneering up at the silver-haired boy as he pushed a bright red curl back from his face, his eyes glittering with malice. "It's pointless!" he snarled out, standing and swinging his axe up in one fluid motion. "Beast!"

"Genis!" Liane called out, seeing the boy flying back from Magnius out of the corner of her eye as she squared off against the whipmaster, the moment of distraction allowing the Desian's weapon to slip past her, cracking sharply over her left shoulder. "Owwww!" she growled, at least as angry at herself for giving the chuckling Desian an opening as at the fighter himself. Dipping her sword back, her anger sparked what could only have been an instinctive reaction as she channeled her mana into the blade and swung it forward. "Demon Fang!" Instantly both cursing herself and hoping that Kratos hadn't seen the attack, she watched a half-formed slice of mana fly through the air, not contacting the ground due to the timing that the energy had been released, but still managing to knock the whipmaster back. With one more glance to see that Genis was already trying to climb to his feet, Liane grit her teeth and pressed her attack on the whipmaster, deciding to use whatever ill-gotten advantage her botched Demon Fang had bought her. It seemed that the half-elf's whip was his only talent, much to Liane's relief as she managed to get a firm hold on the leather weapon before he could snap it at her again, coiling it around her left hand and pulling it away from him while the pommel of her sword caught him in the side of the head, just below his ear. The Desian staggered backwards just enough for her to drop into an easy leg sweep. Once he was down, it was an easy matter to deliver one more quick blow to his jaw, leaving him unmoving as she climbed back to her feet to survey the rest of the battle.

"Hell Hound!"

Liane's eyes widened as she saw Magnius's axe slide through the air before him, sweeping back as he thrust his free hand out, a blinding burst of mana exploding and throwing Raine backwards, her head snapping forward as she collided with a control panel.

"Raine!"

Colette's anguished call beat Liane's by a fraction of a second as the Chosen was instantly at the fallen professor's side, dragging her away as Lloyd insinuated himself between her and Magnius. _It all happened so fast… _she marveled at the Desian's speed, but knew full well that the battle might have all but been ended by his attack on Raine. _She's our healer… dammit…_. As Lloyd lurched forward, Liane stepped into his wake waiting only a moment before slowly backing away from the battle in an attempt to cover Colette. The Chosen had pulled Raine back behind some machinery, and by the time Liane had backed up far enough to see them, Colette was helping Raine sit up, even if she did seem a bit dazed. Relieved that Raine at least seemed to be conscious, Liane braced her shortsword before her, wearily watching Lloyd and Genis launch a close range attack on the Desian leader, ducking under the massive axe that the red-haired half-elf swung. Genis avoided the blow a bit easier due to his size, giving him the advantage to spring at his adversary slightly before Lloyd's retaliation could follow as well, bouncing the ball of his kendama off of Magnius' temple and sending him staggering backwards a step.

_Nice job, Genis,_ Liane smirked grimly, allowing herself a brief glance over her shoulder to where Colette was propping Raine up against her.

"Liane… give me your sword…._now…_"

Her attention snapped back to the mercenary that had hissed the demand at her, her gaze already defensive even before it fixed on him. "What?"

With a sigh, he held the handle of his longsword out to her. "Take my sword and give me yours. I will cover you and the boys…"

A grunt from Lloyd as he impacted the floor distracted her for just a second to watch Magnius advance with a cruel snarl on her momentarily-fallen friend, even as her mind hurried to put sense to Kratos' words. _He knows First Aid… he has to be ready to heal… and… _she gaped at him. "You… want me to use the Demon Fang… against Magnius?" she shook her head. "But… my aim…"

"Won't get better unless you practice," Kratos huffed, reaching to pluck her sword from her and replace it with his long sword. "Consider this your training for the day," he shook his head for only a fraction of a moment before swinging her short sword up to brace it before him, glancing towards Raine before bowing his head, beginning to invoke the runes of his First Aid spell.

Liane looked from Kratos and down to the sword in her hands for a moment before a pained yelp from Lloyd pulled her attention back fully to the battle. _So… he just drops a sword in my hands…_ she shrugged, trying to block out the memory of the end of her Demon Fang lesson – the last time he had directed her to use the attack – and her anger at her teacher at that moment. Her gaze snapping onto the Desian, she swung the sword back, the momentum forcing her to shift her stance backwards as she concentrated, channeling what mana she could muster into the metal in her hand. "Demon Fang!" she called, swinging the sword up and across in front of her, releasing the mana in mid swing as the arc of energy obediently flew across the floor.

"First Aid!"

Turning at Kratos' invocation, Liane let her focus slide to Raine, whose slouched form momentarily glowed green before her shoulders heaved. The elven woman drew a deep breath as her eyes flashed up, momentarily meeting Liane's with a nod. _She's going to be okay…_ Liane thought before casting a glance back to the mercenary with a quick nod of gratitude. But she barely had the time to recognize that he was already casting another healing spell when an evil snicker reminded her that Magnius was hardly done yet.

"Funny little girl…" Magnius laughed, rewarding Liane's attack with his full attention for just a moment, sneering at her before he slashed his axe down at her. "Hell Axe!" he snarled gleefully, as a fiery echo of where the weapon had sliced through the air lingered for a moment as she barely avoided the blade by dropping into a crouch.

Suddenly, there was a blur of red before her, between her and Magnius' backswing. "Guardian!" Lloyd grunted as his defensive bubble deflected the blow, buying himself a moment to glance over his shoulder at her. "Liane, hit him… Genis and Colette are already trying… use your Wind Blade…" he grit his teeth before dropping the barrier and lunging forward, his Rapiers braced as he slammed into Magnius. "Sonic Thrust!"

Liane spared a momentary glance back in the direction Lloyd had indicated, just in time to see Genis glow green as his sister had a few moments before, a second healing spell from Kratos finding its mark as the young mage bounced with the throes of casting his spell. Biting her lip, Liane took a step backwards, centering her thoughts to form the pale rune circle that came to life at her feet, each of the runes that called on the wind element flaring into existence one after the other.

"Drown! Spread!" Genis called from the other side of Magnius, a glowing wave of water washing around him even as Lloyd dodged out of the way.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory," Colette began to chant reverently from Liane's side, forcing her to concentrate just a bit harder to resist the urge to turn and watch the Chosen work her spell. "Angel Feathers!"

Another moment later, Liane felt the mana she had been feeding her own spell level out. Opening her eyes to target Magnius, she released the blade of Kratos' sword, directing it at Magnius more out of habit than necessity. "Wind Blade!" she called out, smiling faintly as a flurry of small green blades swarmed Magnius, lifting him slightly up into the air before dropping him back to the ground, compounding the damage that Genis and Colette had done with their own spells.

"Lloyd! Now!"

Liane barely had time to turn at Kratos' call before both swordsmen rushed past her.

"You ready?" she heard Lloyd call over his shoulder as they split, once going to each side on Magnius before their voices chorused together, "Cross Thrust!" Both of them ran at the Desian, denying him one solid target as they both hit him with their Sonic Thrust attacks.

Magnius bit off a choke as the blurr of blades cut into him, instead turning his cry into a growl as he spun, his eyes lighting as he saw the pair move closer once their attack was done. "Not… good enough…" he taunted them, spinning his axe before him before pounding the end of it into the ground. "Eruption!"

Before Lloyd and Kratos had more than a breath to collect themselves after their attack before the groud beneath their feet bubbled and exploded with fiery mana, throwing both of the swordsmen backwards. As Liane watched the scene in horror, she saw Kratos turn in mid-air, landing lightly on his feet even as Lloyd landed heavily on the ground, the mercenary's sword already in motion. "Double Demon Fang!" Kratos called out, twin crescents of energy sliding across the ground, knocking Magnius backwards.

"Can't you do better than that?" Magnius taunted the swordsman, drawing his axe up over his head , calling down a bolt of fire that fell from somewhere above – directly at Kratos. "Flame Lance!"

"Guardian!" Kratos ground out through clenched teeth, bracing Liane's sword out before him to take the brunt of the Flame Lance. "I can… but I don't have to…" he smirked, looking past Magnius to where Genis had moved to Colette's side. The young mage was already working his spell, his rune circle spinning brightly at his feet as the Chosen pulled back her Chakram.

"Ray Thrust!" Colette called out, her ring shooting out past Genis as the young mage flung his hand out towards Magnius.

"Wind Blade!" Genis commanded, his invocation somehow sounding far more convincing to Liane than her own had, but the spell was the same as Magnius was first caught off-guard by Colette's attack then stumbled back at the onslaught of the green blades.

As Genis' spell dissipated, Magnius fell his axe clattering away from his grasp. Magnius sputtered, staggering to one knee as he fought to stare back up at Lloyd, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "How…? How could a superior half-elf like me… "

Stepping up to stand beside Lloyd, Kratos slid his sword back into its sheath. "It's because you are a fool, Magnius," the mercenary growled softly. "Cruxis has accepted Colette as the Chosen."

The Desian's eyes widened in shock as they flew to the blonde girl that was aiding Liane in helping Raine to her feet. "What!"

"That's right!" Lloyd nodded, his glare burning down into the defeated Cardinal's eyes. "Colette is going to regenerate the world! We're not going to lose to someone like you!"

Liane heard a soft exhale come from the other side of the professor. Looking over, she saw a flash of what could only be worry slide over the Chosen's features. _Colette… no. Don't start doubting yourself now… _Liane pled silently with her friend. What they had faced that day… Dorr's betrayal… Kilia… and then Magnius… had been bad enough. _But it's only going to get worse…._

Raine pointed to a nearby control panel and the girls carefully released her arms, hovering closely to make sure that the Professor wouldn't fall again. But even as her steps seemed sure enough, Genis was suddenly at his sister's side, ready to grab her if she showed the slightest sign of weakness.

Liane and Colette watched Raine begin to study the panel for a moment before turning back to the fading Desian leader, walking closer to hear the growingly-quiet conversation between the swordsmen and Magnius.

Magnius coughed raggedly, clutching his arms tightly around his middle with a shake his head… his tone losing its previous arrogant sneer as he watched Colette's approach. "So… you're… then… I was deceived…" Another brief, strangled noise escaped from him as his face contorted, biting off his words before he collapsed to the ground. A long exhale issued from his broken form, the herald of his departure from the land of the living.

Raine shook her head with a weary sigh as she turned her attention back to the panel of lights and buttons, her eyes fixed on one faintly glowing button in particular as her thin fingers reached out to depress it with a _click_ that resounded in the otherwise momentarily-quiet control room.

Genis gasped softly, tugging on his friend's elbow as he pointed to the projector. "Lloyd…"

But the dark-haired swordsman's attention was already on the scene that had materialized almost magically in the air… just as it had earlier when Magnius had taunted them.

The projector flashed, a flurry of lights swirling until they coalesced into a crystal-clear image of the front gates of the Ranch… and a pair of whipmasters escorting Chocolat away. They all watched as she paused, glancing back to the looming building… only to be cracked by the whip of one of the Desians. Her stance momentarily tightened in silent pain… before the pair of whipmasters dragged her from the view of the projector.

As Liane watched, she felt a warm tingle wash over her even as the room flickered green around her, the sting in her left shoulder drifting away as she realized that Kratos had cast First Aid on her. Looking to him in question, he met her gaze evenly.

"Are you well?" he asked quietly as Lloyd and Genis in particular continued to gape at the image that used to show them Chocolat, reaching out to pluck his sword from her hand and replace it with her own.

Liane nodded, starting to mutter a 'thank you' before he wordlessly strode past her to approach the professor where she stood eyeing the control panel, bristling slightly, but truthfully not surprised.

"Dammit…" Lloyd hissed, his fist closing and shaking in frustration. Liane was hardly surprised by his lack of comment beyond that… she knew him well enough that she knew his thoughts would need to sort themselves out now.

Raine's hands danced over the control panel, a small chorus or beeps rewarding her actions. "This should allow the people imprisoned in the ranch to escape," she commented, pausing for a moment to consider the display before her.

"What about the Exspheres implanted in them?" Kratos questioned, eyeing the Professor evenly. "Without Key Crests, it's only a matter of time before they go out of control."

"Out of control… like Marble… or… Clara…" Liane muttered absently, her attention drifting around the room as she listened only half-heartedly to the conversation. The stakes were getting higher… how many people had the Desians only _started_ to destroy, leaving the exspheres that they planted in them to finish the job at some future date. _Can even something so grand as the World Regeneration even hope to help all of those people?_

Genis turned to stare at the mercenary with a small shake of his head. "Can't we just take the Exspheres off of them?"

"It's dangerous to attempt to remove an Exsphere lacking a Key Crest. I would imagine only a dwarf could handle it," his gaze shifted to Lloyd with a quirked eyebrow. Liane saw what he was doing… he was attempting to draw Lloyd back into reality and out of the despairing spiral that he had been sliding down since Chocolat had been taken from their presence.

Lloyd glanced up, meeting the mercenary's prodding challenge as the realization dawned clearly in his eyes. Liane couldn't contain her smirk as she saw the spark that was driving her friend into a leadership role in the group flare to life once again – even as Colette stepped to his side, the pleading in her eyes only serving to give voice to the plan that was in her friend's mind.

"Then we can ask Dirk to do it," the Chosen smiled brightly, the expression returned hesitantly by the swordsman that she seemed to look to for most, if not all of her decisions.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, confidence beginning to creep back into his voice. "Let's contact my dad…."

Raine huffed, turning her attention away from the flashing panels for just a moment. "We can work out the details later. Right now, I'm going to program this place to self-destruct. Ready?"

"Are you serious?" Lloyd choked, his arms going limp at his sides as he obviously struggled with the teacher's declaration.

Liane wasn't crazy about the idea of the building blowing up around them either, but she still couldn't help but shake her head at the swordsman. "You honestly think _Raine_ – of all people – would joke about something like that at a time like this?"

Genis also gaped at his sister, his small hands gesturing his disbelief as the light flickered from his Exsphere. "Raine, if you do that –"

Raine groaned softly, turning to regard her students as she drew a deep breath as if preparing to deliver a lecture to the lot of them. "At the very least, we'll deal a major blow to the Desian stranglehold over this region. If we're going to strike them, it should be thorough and decisive."

"Raine…" Genis' voice was quiet but still bore a rather urgent tone as he shook his head, continuing to watch his sister as if she had lost her mind.

"Remember, Genis. We're not like them. We're different," the Professor spoke calmly, meeting her brother's eyes with calm, and almost what seemed like a silent plea for understanding. Liane watched the interaction with interest, but she well knew that the siblings understood each other better than any of the rest of them could ever hope to. If anyone could calm Genis' fears that Raine wasn't thinking things through, it was Raine herself.

_But still…_ Liane sighed, glancing around the control room. _What does 'being like them' have to do with this? So they have elven blood… so what?_

Before the thought could be explored any more, Raine turned, her hands once again flying over the buttons as if she knew the pattern of lights and sounds that answered her by heart. She studied the screen and a final pair of blinking lights before drawing a deep breath and pressing the bright blue button on the left.

The group was rewarded for Raine's actions by a symphony of sirens that seemed to echo from everywhere in the metallic control room. Accompanying the blaring klaxons, red lights flashed over the normal lighting, painting the room a bloody red every other blink.

Raine stood back from the control panel with a nod of satisfaction as she turned back to the others. "I've set the self-destruct timer for ten minutes. Let's hurry and evacuate." With barely a backwards glance to make certain that the others had understood her and were following, the elven woman turned, her hurried steps carrying her to the warp ring that they had used to enter the control room, a now familiar whine coming to life and dissipating her form.

Outside the gates of the ranch, Neil awaited the return of the Chosen's party, pacing back and forth, with a weary eye spared for the main entrance of the building behind him occasionally. But when the doors burst open, Lloyd flew out into the yard, Genis close on his heels.

Lloyd ran through the abandoned and unpatrolled front yard of the ranch, spotting Neil almost immediately. "What happened to the captives?" he heaved, sparing a moment to brace his hands against his knees in a quick effort to catch his breath as Genis and Raine paused beside him, Genis sparing a nervous glance back to the still-quiet ranch as Kratos, Liane and Colette finally cleared the front door of the ranch.

Neil shook his head, moving a step closer to the swordsman and the magician. "We've moved them all to Palmacosta."

Genis groaned, placing his hands on the middle of Lloyd's back and shoving him towards the woods, Raine beginning to run ahead of them. "Then, Neil… please get out of here, too… hurry!" the silver-haired boy called over his shoulder as he ran.

"What?" Neil gaped, shaking his head in confusion as the party filed by him at a run. His eyes followed each of them in turn until Colette approached him, her blue eyes meeting his in panic. The Chosen paused, but only long enough to shake her head and exclaim "It's going to explode!" before seeking the protection of the surrounding forest with the others.

Liane knew that time was getting close as she could hear a deep rumble coming through the ground.

_We're out of time…._

She turned, seeing Colette just a few steps behind her. As the series of rumbles built, Liane paused, grabbing Colette and pulling her behind the trunk of a nearby tree… the last level of protection that she knew that they would be able to find… as she threw her friend in front of her and crouched over the blonde girl, at least giving her one more shield from the explosion.

_Colette has to live… this cycle has to be broken…._

Clenching her eyes shut as the ground beneath them began to vibrate… the motion growing into an almost violent wave as she hand to shift her weight on her knees to avoid being knocked over onto Colette. As the explosion that Raine had set in motion blossomed into a fireball that engulfed the ranch, the fire rising into the late evening sky and bathing the surrounding forest in a sickly orange light for a few moments before flickering into oblivion.

When the ground beneath them finally settled, a fine fog of dust and smoke blanketed the group, Liane sat back with a cough, relieved to see Colette not only unharmed, but already climbing to her feet, her eyes searching the area for their companions. "Are you okay?" she asked the blonde girl, unwilling to chance her health to simple observation.

"Uh-huh," Colette nodded cheerfully, reaching a hand out to brush off Liane's shoulders with a giggle. "But you're a mess…."

"Thanks…" Liane grumbled good-naturedly as she grabbed her braid and started shaking the dusty residue from the explosion from it.

Nearby, Lloyd had already made it to his feet. He stood leaning forward, his palms planted on his knees as his shoulders heaved with a dry cough. "I thought I was going to die…"

"I'm glad everyone's all right," Colette smiled brightly as she glanced around, clutching her hands to her chest in almost a gesture of prayer .

_Prayers don't seem like such a bad idea right now_, Liane sighed as she shook the dust from her braid and from the front of her tunic. The self-destruct that Raine had ordered seemed to have done its job perfectly, knocking even the front gates of the Ranch from their enormous hinges.

Neil looked around the group, taking a quick survey of the party members present… and those missing. "Ah… what about Chocolat?" concern colored his tone, almost as much as the residual shock of the destruction of the ranch.

"I think she was taken to another location," Raine answered with a deep sigh and a resultant small cough as she dusted herself off from the settling debris from the explosion.

Neil nodded at the news, his head shaking ever so slightly. "I see…"

"If she's all right, she can still he rescued," Kratos offered, drawing surprised looks from Liane and Genis.

_He… he's being optimistic?_ Liane shook her head. She wasn't entirely sure that the mercenary was actually capable of offering such encouragement prior to that moment. _Well, if this day isn't just chocked full of surprises…._

Neil nodded in agreement to the mercenary. "Yes… if you learn Chocolat's location, please let us know immediately. Even Dorr really wanted to save her."

"Perhaps he shouldn't have sold her out to trap us, then," Liane muttered under her breath to Raine, who turned a thoughtful gaze to her assistant for only a moment before nodding discreetly. Liane well knew that there was no longer any point in faulting Dorr for his blindness, but it still didn't help the bitter taste that the situation left in her mouth.

Lloyd nodded to the dark haired man resolutely, his gaze set and his voice betraying nothing but absolute seriousness. "Right… I swear we'll find her."

"Also, the captives have something called an Exsphere embedded in them," Genis spoke up, stepping closer to Neil and turning the back of his right hand to the other man, his Exsphere sparkling as if to emphasize its presence on the elven boy.

Lloyd looked to his friend with a nod before turning his gaze back to Neil. "It's dangerous to leave them as they are now. You need to send a letter in my name to a dwarf named Dirk who lives in Iselia. I'm sure he'll help you get them removed."

Liane couldn't help but smile softly at her friend, pleased by how confidently he seemed to be handling stepping into leadership of the group. It really was no surprise to her that Colette had no interest in leading, as she constantly deferred even the smallest of decisions to the dark-haired swordsman… he was actually gifted in the position, even if it did appear to be thrust on him occasionally.

Neil nodded, committing the instructions to his memory. "Dirk.. in Iselia.. I understand. Then I shall go back to the city. Please stop by Palmacosta and visit us again anytime."

Goodbyes said, the Chosen's party slipped out of the woods, passing a small troop of armored Palmacostan soldiers before they reached the open plains that surrounded the ranch area.

"Where now…?" Lloyd asked, pausing to turn back to the group he has leading, looking to each of them in turn. "I think we're done in Palmacosta – for now at least…?"

"We still need the statue of Spiritua if we're going to get to look at the book back on Hakonesia Peak…" Genis shrugged, a note of grumbling in his voice.

Colette nodded, her smile weary, but present. "Yeah! We can go to Thoda Island! We'll need to see that book before we can find the other seals…" she smiled. "Let's go!"

* * *

The group was eerily quiet as they trudged from the ruined Human Ranch. Liane watched Lloyd and Genis chatter quietly at the head of the pack. She knew that Magnius's taunting had struck Lloyd deeply – it was impossible to imagine the possibility that it didn't. Even Kratos had walked with him for a short while before resuming his usual far-left flank and Lloyd's spirits seemed to improve a bit. She smiled slightly at how her friend had started to warm to the mercenary, especially after as much as they seemed to have resented each other at the beginning – and despite Kratos' cool words to him on the matter of his parents. 

Bristling a bit at the thought, Liane drew a deep breath. _No… he helped you… healed you…_ He had practically forced her to use the Demon Fang. _However little it mattered in the fight._ She sighed, shaking her head. _But I suppose I wouldn't have used it again otherwise._

Her eyes wandered over her companions, her gaze lingering on each of them one by one as they walked, as a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. _I… suppose it has to be a bit frustrating… we really are a rag-tag bunch… probably nothing like what he was planning on when he agreed to accompany Colette._

A teacher with healing talent and her magic-wielding younger brother, a hot-headed twin-blade toting self-proclaimed warrior, a fledgling Chosen, an assistant teacher that had unpredictable bursts of talent with her daggers, and the brooding mercenary that somehow frustratingly fascinated her. He had haunted her dreams by varying degrees since she had first met him. She wanted to talk with him…maybe she could figure out why this enigma held her in such sway… maybe she could figure out why. But he walked on his own, noticeably separating himself from the rest, but with in a swift step if trouble came.

_Maybe I can get him to slow down… what will I lose by trying?_

She set her jaw and braced herself for the cool look she would receive from him and the cajoling she would get from the rest of her friends as she sped up.

"Kratos…" she started, but when he turned, casting her a sideways glance over his shoulder, she froze. Her words stuck in her throat… all of her questions failed to find words. But the attempt was more than enough to earn her not only the questioning glare from the mercenary, but also the attention of her friends. Her cheeks burned as her hands clenched at her sides.

"Never mind…"

As the others chatted quietly around her, an occasional snicker escaping Lloyd or Genis in particular as they moved off, Liane accidentally made eye contact with Kratos, who remained frozen, his arms crossed coolly across his chest and his expression utterly inscrutable as he continued to watch her. She shuddered at the predatory spark in his eyes and quickly glanced away.

_Please… let's just go… _she silently begged, relieved when she heard his footsteps turn to follow after the others, leaving her to curse her cowardice as she brought up the back of the group on their trek to the Docks.

* * *

The daylight faded quickly with only a few interruptions from wandering creatures before camp became necessary for the night. 

_He only spoke to me once all afternoon, and that was to make sure I could stand after he healed me,_ Liane mused dismally as she established her place for the night. That night, her bed was a flat slab of slate with a wide view of the clear sky just out of the firelight. Spreading her bedroll on the unyielding rock, she settled back under a simple blanket, pillowing her head back on her crossed arms as she turned as completely as possible from the firelight to allow her eyes to adjust to the sky. The stars would bring her calm… and sing her to sleep.

They always have.

She watched the stars until she lost track of time, realizing that she might have been staring at them for minutes… or possibly even hours. Nor did she realize that they faded into the darkness of sleep, or the soft sounds that called to her from far away… or perhaps it was right beside her – it was impossible to tell.

Someone's crying….

_No… someone's sobbing… scared…._

_A red haze filtered her vision… it looked to be morning… perhaps even skiffs of snow around her… all of it tinted a sickly pink._

_What?_

_Then she felt it… and it was more than enough to distract her from the disturbing red that painted what she could see of her world – drawing her attention from any more observation of her surroundings. It was a fire… one that seemed to burn hottest at the base of her throat, sending licking tendrils out to writhe throughout her body. The burn introduced itself to her senses slowly at first, but as it spread, it grew hotter…more searing with every passing moment. She tried to raise her hand… tried to look to any of the appendages that now registered nothing but a blinding, burning pain… but nothing responded to her thoughts… she couldn't move… she couldn't cry out… not even as the flames that she couldn't see began to burn her alive. She heard a cry… a voice she didn't recognize… an anguished scream laced with a blunt mix of terror and inhuman pain as another sensation insinuated itself over the burn. This time, the pain took the guise of an uncomfortable stretching… a splitting… that escalated quickly – much quicker than the now almost-forgotten burn had spread to engulf her – from discomfort to wordlessly excruciating. She was being ripped apart, shredded both from within and without of the confines of her body. The helplessness built along with the power of the realization that she was dying, she heard the scream again and this time, it hurt her ears as well… it was the cry of the damned… the cry of the doomed. And while she still did not know the voice, she knew the terror behind the raw emotion that rang in its tone, her mind still fighting the truth – refusing to believe that the voice was her own._

_Then… even through the pain that now simply would not settle with anything less than total submission to_ _its choking hold… she heard it again… _

_Someone's crying…. A small voice wrought with such terror that it screamed its testament to the injustice of reality._

_No… someone's sobbing… scared…._

_And this was a voice she knew. It was one that she could never forget._

_Lloyd._

"Liane… Liane, wake up!"

Liane sat up, her eyes wide to the dark of the night – a distinct contrast to the snow-covered brightness that she had inhabited only a moment before. Choking down a gasp of air, she focused on a pair of chocolate eyes hovering above her… and then the worried expression that those eyes held.

And then the assembly that hovered beside Lloyd.

_Genis… Colette…._

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the confusion that was slowly clearing. "What… what's wrong?" she asked as shadows around her bluffed sleeping place crystallized with two additional figures standing back from where her friends had gathered around her.

"You were… screaming…" Colette replied quietly, wringing her hands together in her lap as she sat back on her knees, allowing Liane the room to sit up, supporting herself on her elbows.

Genis nodded, his pale hair bobbing with the action as the slivered moon illuminated the sleep-mussed mass almost eerily. "We thought you were being attacked… you were just screaming…?"

"I was…?" Liane blinked, the cloud of sleep dissipating from her mind. "Oh… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to disturb anyone." _What… was I dreaming….?_ Images slipped tauntingly through her grasp, only fragments left twisting around each other before fading back into nothingness. "I… don't even know what it was… exactly…" she murmured, pulling her braid over her shoulder to absently toy with it.

Raine watched her assistant for a long moment, running a hand back through her hair with a sigh. "Well, as long as you're okay…?" she asked, kneeling before Liane to meet her eyes.

"I'm fine," Liane smiled back at Raine with an attempt at reassurance that she knew she didn't entirely feel. "It was just a nightmare, I guess. I didn't mean to wake everyone up. I'm sorry."

Genis snickered, the gesture cut off by a yawn. "Aw, come on, Liane… you're starting to sound like Colette now!" Sobering slightly when he heard Colette's sigh before him, he turned to the Chosen with a shrug. "It's true, Colette! You'd probably apologize for breathing if it came up…" he sighed, reaching to put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on… 'night, Liane… get some sleep, okay?" he called over his shoulder as he pushed Colette ahead of him back to where they had spread their bedrolls out beside the now low-burning fire.

"Good night, Genis… Colette…" Liane called after them, looking up to her mentor with a shrug. "I'll try not to wake everyone up again…."

"It's been a long day, Liane. No one will fault you for this…" Raine shrugged, standing and turning to follow after her brother and the Chosen. "But we have to be ready for just about anything. Try to get some rest, okay?"

Liane nodded. "I will…" she replied, unsure if Raine heard her or not, but still feeling like she really had to at least respond after she had woken everyone else up.

With a sigh Lloyd watched the Sages and Colette wander back to the remnants of the campfire before he settled on the ground beside Liane's bedroll and hugged his knees to his chest. In the quiet that was punctuated only by the distant breaking of waves, the swordsman drew in a deep breath.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Liane curled back into her blanket, trying desperately to banish the images – the feelings – the fright. Closing her eyes, she hesitantly searched the darkness, afraid that it would brighten and bring back the images from her nightmare. But when such things did not come to her, she began to relax, aware of only the gentle breeze around her… and the familiar presence of one of her oldest friends.

"I have nightmares sometimes, too."

Liane's eyes flew open at the quiet admission, her gaze fixing on the quiet silhouette sitting beside her. She watched as Lloyd shifted awkwardly, staring back towards the others, but pointedly _not_ at her.

"Lloyd…?" she prodded in a gentle whisper, unsure of why he would mention it then… why she had never known of it before.

"I… have nightmares. I think…" he sighed, running a hand back through his hair with a shake of his head. "I think it might be all I can remember of my parents."

At the sound of her friend's broken tone, Liane sat up, reaching an arm around his shoulders, seeking to comfort her friend. "Lloyd… you don't have to –"

"They can be good… but most are frightening. I…" he choked softly, resting his chin on his knees. "I think… it's punishment – for forgetting them in the first place."

"Lloyd, that isn't right…" Liane shook her head, her eyes welling for the strains of pain in his voice. "You were so young… you wouldn't be punished for not remembering things. You have to believe that!" She could tell by the taut muscles in his shoulders that her words hadn't made a difference in his beliefs, but she still remained beside him, hoping that even if he was going to insist on punishing himself, she could help him – somehow. Yet even as she wondered how long her friend had been having nightmares… interpreting them as some sort of cosmic penance, she couldn't help herself but swear silently at the mercenary that she knew had to be somewhere nearby. He was on watch – and she knew that if she had made enough ruckus to wake everyone else, he certainly couldn't be far. _That miserable jerk… pointing out how little Lloyd remembers of his parents… and then everything else. _"Lloyd… I'm sorry…"

The young swordsman turned to face her with a small shake of his head, and a wistful smile that she could barely make out by the dying moonlight. "It doesn't matter why we have them, though," he muttered, shrugging under her arm. "I just wanted you to know that it's okay to be scared. You're not alone."

"Lloyd… I know I'm not alone… but it just seems strange to let a dream disturb everyone. It's not like we have much time to relax as it is, much less get a good night's sleep. I'm still sorry…" she bit her lip, watching him for a moment before her voice dropped. "I don't think you're being punished… that wouldn't be right. Your parents wouldn't want that."

"I don't know… it's kind of hard to decide," Lloyd shrugged, a dejected tone in his voice. "To have nightmares and to remember something of them… or to not have nightmares and not have anything to remember them by." He sighed. "I almost think I'd choose the nightmares."

She wasn't sure what to say. She had never heard her friend speak of his lost family that way before. In all the years that they had known each other… all the things they had spoken of… all the secrets and fears they had shared… his family was usually an avoided topic. "Lloyd… you do have something to remember them by… or at least your mom…" she started, reaching out to brush her fingers over the stone mounted on his hand that peeked out through his glove. "Your Dad has told you how important this is…" she spoke softly, noting how the stone seemed to fairly glow in the pale light of the plains.

"I know…" the younger swordsman sighed, his shoulders drooping again as his eyes fell to the Exsphere Liane had indicated. "It just really doesn't make up for anything… for not really even knowing them."

Liane sighed, rolling back onto her back. "Lloyd…."

"Naw…" Lloyd shook his head, his eyes meeting hers in the dim light even as it was clear he was forcing his smile. "Don't worry about it. I just wanted you to know that you're not alone… and you can talk to me… really, okay?" He told her, crawling to his feet and brushing off his knees. "Think you can go back to sleep?"

"Yeah… I think so…" Liane nodded, saddened by how the boy had shoved his thoughts away seemingly on her account, but she understood… _sometimes thinking too hard about something only makes it worse… especially when there's nothing you can do about it._ "Thanks, Lloyd… sorry I woke you up."

"Don't worry about it… it's not like you're a monster of some sort… I really hate having to wake up to fight something nasty and drooling…" he laughed, turning to start back to the others. "'Night, Liane…."

"'Night, Lloyd… thanks…", Liane muttered with a soft smile as she watched him walk back to where the others all had seemed to settle back to sleep, crawling back into his blankets. Feeling like an idiot for letting a dream get so out of control that it disturbed anyone – much less apparently _everyone_ - else in the group, she sat up, drawing her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly to her. She was hideously embarrassed… she had never been one to talk in her sleep, much less startle others around her from their sleep… _Goddess knows I've had plenty of chances… I would have heard about it by now…._ After traveling with the church for three years and sleeping on the other side of a single wall from her parents for years, certainly she would have heard about it.

"You were dreaming again."

She didn't turn at the voice and she was hardly surprised at his presence… or that he had been close enough to listen in on their conversation.

"Seeing as that was a statement and not a question, I suppose that means you know everything you need. Now if you'll leave me alone… there seems to still be some night left. I'd appreciate a little more sleep," she spoke quietly and evenly – almost as if to dare him to speak again.

Continuing to stare into the faintly brightening horizon and pointedly _not_ at him, she sighed heavily as she didn't hear him move away.

"Perhaps… if you talked about it…" came his quiet voice after a long pause. If she didn't know better she would have sworn she heard curiosity in his hushed tone. That alone was enough to make her spin, her glare instantly fixed on him in the dim light.

"And why, pray tell, Kratos – would you care to hear about my dreams? Wouldn't you be pleased to just leave me alone?" she asked, emotion dripping into her tone a little more with each syllable. "I mean, you've made it clear that you think I'm a witless bother…" _So… why should I tell you my dreams… I don't owe you anything…_ she thought bitterly, almost surprising herself with the flash of negative emotion directed at the mercenary.

Kratos didn't move, and when she realized that, she turned only enough to spot him out of the corner of her eye. He simply stood there… staring out to sea as she had been doing a few moments before.

"Dreams… can reveal much about a person," the swordsman spoke, his words quiet… brooding… almost… lost?

Liane snorted softly at the statement, the absurdity of the mercenary making such a gesture _almost _pushing her to the point of laughter. "So… now I'm interesting because I have dreams. Wonderful," she sighed, letting her head fall forward to rest on her knees. "So… what exactly is it in my dreams that you're looking for me to reveal? It seems to be the only time other than when you deem it time to try to teach me something that you'll talk to me and that you don't insult me… and sometimes those even intersect."

"Humph."

She watched the mercenary turn after his oh-so predictable grunt and retreat back into the shadows of the nearby shrubbery. A retreat that she was learning she may as well count as a victory, as she knew it was likely the closest thing she would probably ever achieve.

_Fine. Go away then_, she thought after his retreating form, slumping back down onto her bedroll with a deep sigh. She was awake now… there was really no way that she couldn't be after yet another near run-in with Kratos. It fascinated her how easily he could irritate her. Even as she realized that he honestly hadn't really done anything to earn her disdain this time, she momentarily felt guilty. _But what would ever make him think that I would talk to him about a dream? Lloyd… Genis… Raine… Colette… sure. Any of them. If they asked… I would try. But Kratos? He may as well be a perfect stranger… why would I tell him? Why would he care? _She snorted softly. _He doesn't know me… it's not worth trying to remember the dreams for him… not when he'll probably turn around and try to use them to prove to me how weak I am_.

With the realization that sleep would likely not take her again that night, Liane sat up, pulling her knees to her chest as she stared out across the nearby shoreline… and across the watery horizon beyond. She once again forced the thoughts of the mercenary away, drawing a deep breath of the cool sea breeze that was mingled with the grassy scent of the morning dew. She tried to clear her mind… to center herself. It was the journey that mattered now… it was the journey that Colette was destined for that would make the difference for everyone. That fact had to be paramount to everything.

The day had been long and trying, and the night seemed to be attempting to continue the pattern. But as much as she tried, one thing… one simple phrase from the day before continued to stick in her mind, sliding seductively through her mind's grasp. '… _Lord Magnius will remove the demon seed_…'

_That's wrong._ She felt that so profoundly that her eyes welled with tears before she realized what was happening. It was such a shame that the man seemed to believe the Desian's words… that he had defrauded his people for the sake of the claim. Such belief would have been tragic even if Dorr hadn't died, apparently believing the claim until his last breath – or at least deluding himself into something that resembled belief.

The sun winked over the waves in the distance as the truth solidified in her mind, backed by feelings that she could neither describe nor deny as a wavering tear finally slipped down her cheek.

_The Desians… Clara… they already removed the 'demon seed'…. That's the problem – not the solution._


	10. Chapter 11

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: With Palmacosta and the first of the Desian cardinals behind them, the group turns their attention to getting past Hakonesia Peak… and all the trials that seemingly simple goal would entail. Uneasy friendships form even in the wake of memories that no one will speak of…

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter 11:

_Damn… if I had only been a moment sooner…._

Kratos retreated into the darkness, not really having any particular reason to stay anywhere near the others. It was easy enough to stand night watch without being near the rest of the group. If anyone or anything came too close to them, he would know – of that, he had no doubt.

But it was that same confidence that shook him… Liane's scream had momentarily made him doubt himself… sent him scrambling to find how an enemy had slipped past him. For a moment… he had failed in his oath to protect them… all of them. He knew that his obligation to his mission only extended to the blue-eyed blonde girl… but it was extended through a sense of honor that he hadn't been entirely sure he possessed anymore to her teacher and her friends - and now, more and more… to Lloyd and to Liane. But if he had allowed someone to slip past him… he would have failed all of them – his obligations both past and present.

And he did _not_ like the feeling.

Spotting a rounded rock jutting from the ground just within sight of the camp, Kratos seated himself with a sigh. A few moments later, he was hardly surprised to hear a soft rustling beside him, his hand moving almost of its own accord to scratch the green and white being that once again settled at his feet. Somehow, Noishe still had the ability to calm him… a fact that brought a ghost of a smile to his lips as his fingers slipped through the creature's coarse fur.

No, he didn't like the feeling. Just as he didn't like the feeling that soon - far sooner than he liked to consider – he _would_ fail to protect any of them. It was only a matter of time.

_Time._

How was it that a being that had long since lost any interest in even noticing the passage of time suddenly found himself fighting against it… cursing it even? Too many questions stood an excellent chance of never being answered… and too many answers stood an even better chance of never being explained.

His eyes slid closed as he drew a deep breath, willing the tension in his shoulders away, doing his best to turn off the thoughts that refused to be silenced. Liane was having dreams… and somehow, he was certain that he knew what it was that she dreamed of – even if she didn't herself. Kratos had seen the confusion in her eyes that night in Iselia when he had asked her about what happened at the grave, and her refusal to speak of it to him –

Kratos chuckled, hearing movement beside him as Noishe looked up at him. _I suppose it's not like she trusts me… I haven't given her any reason to make her want to let me in. But that's what I wanted, isn't it?_

If she trusted him, she might talk to him. If she talked to him… it might prove his hunches correct. If it proved his hunches correct….

… _I couldn't do what I have to do._

With a sigh, he shook his head again, his long bangs brushing over his cheeks. _But if I had just been a second earlier, I might have been able to find out what she was seeing – what had scared her so much._ Whatever was happening to her, he couldn't help but be curious… and - to some extent - couldn't help but feel responsible.

_If she doesn't know… if she hasn't realized…_ he sighed, scratching a bit harder behind the dog-like creature's ears, rewarded with an almost blissful whine. _If she's remembering what I think she is… they're memories that no person should have to bear._

* * *

It was early morning when the group approached the Thoda docks, the roof of the House of Salvation located not far from the actual docks shining in the bright sunlight. Liane yawned, stretching slightly under the weight of her pack. Sleep had never found her again after she had wakened, leaving her a bit tired and grasping for the fading images that had scared her so much. As real as they seemed – as uncannily tangible as all the feelings that she had experienced – they still faded from her memory, almost as like smoke from a snuffed candle. With everyone else seeming to be content to not bring up their rude awakening, Liane went along with the sentiment whole-heartedly. 

"Hey, Liane…" Lloyd spoke as he walked beside her, nudging her gently with his elbow. "Maybe if we can hurry up and get that statue, we can get back to the House of Salvation tonight… a real roof over our heads!" he smiled up at her.

Liane laughed softly at her friend, shaking her head slightly. "Lloyd… sleeping outside really isn't all that bad. Besides we just slept in a House of Salvation two nights ago. Camping saves us gald that we don't have."

"It's fun!" Colette chimed in from her other side, taking a step to speed up so she could look over at Lloyd as they moved onto a well-worn footpath to the docks. "I like sleeping outside… I've never gotten to do too much of it before… not like all of you… sleeping in the woods behind Liane's house and all…" she shrugged, her happy tone overriding a sense of regret that her words carried on their own.

"Sleeping out in the woods wasn't all fun, Colette…" Liane shrugged, turning her smile to the blonde girl. Colette had been allowed to play with them, even participate in some of the groups less-than-upstanding escapades thanks to the obliviousness of Frank Brunel. "I remember being wakened a few too many of those nights running back to my house after some kind of critter would wake us up," she laughed softly. "I think the worst part of those times was trying to get back into my house without telling my parents how scared I was… knowing that they'd forbid me from doing it anymore if they thought there was something out there waiting to eat us."

"Are you kidding?" Genis added in with a stifled laugh, walking only a few steps behind the others. "We didn't think we'd ever even get to _see_ you again after you fell out of the tree and broke your arm…"

With a wince, Liane managed a small laugh, her left hand going to cover the spot on her right arm out of absent habit. There was nothing to feel – there hadn't been for years now. But she still hated to even think of that day. "You almost didn't…" she smirked, speaking before her silence could become too obvious. "I'm still amazed Mom and Dad didn't lock me away in the root cellar after that little stunt."

"Yeah, but you just would have just dug your way out of a root cellar…" Lloyd snickered beside her, elbowing her gently in the side.

Liane looked over to her friend, her first instinct to snap back at him about how he made her sound like a delinquent… but then she realized what he was doing – what he did so very well. He was cheering her up – something he was so very good at for anyone that he even vaguely cared about.

"Oh! Look at the dog!" Colette's happy declaration made Liane stop and turn back to the blonde girl before the latter sprinted past the rest to slide to her knees in the dust as the Dalmatian licked her cheek.

"Well, that takes care of Colette's entertainment for a while anyway…" Genis snickered, shaking his head as he watched the Chosen. "What is it with her and dogs anyway?"

A labored groan from Kratos stifled any further comments of amusement as the mercenary spoke up. "We need to get to the Thoda Geyser. I'm assuming we can book passage at the House of Salvation?"

Lloyd turned, holding his hand up to his eyes to shield them from the bright morning sun, looking out over the nearby shoreline. "Yeah… we need to figure out where to get a boat or something… it's not like we can fly there…" he glanced back to Colette with a snicker. "Well, I guess some of us can… but still…."

"I don't see any boats around," Raine stated, quickly surveying the waters with a note of satisfaction to her voice. "Maybe… you can go in and check on when is the best time to get to the geyser. Genis and I can stay out here with Colette."

It was a good plan – simple and necessary. Anyone of them straying too far from the group at this point was not bright. It only started with the theory of protecting the Chosen, but when Lloyd was added to the equation, an assassin that no one had seen in a few days, then the fact that the group was now responsible for not only the fall of a Desian Cardinal, but also the demolition of his entire ranch –

_Yeah,_ Liane snorted softly with a shake of her head, _going solo right now is probably not the brightest of ideas._

Which only left the question of when it _would _be a good idea. The group as a whole continued to improve – each of them learning to depend on the others as members of the team. She didn't want to derail that - she'd never wish to let her friends – or even Kratos – down. But the fact remained – this wasn't the life she wanted. Leaving Iselia had been the right thing to do – both to help protect the boys and to force herself to find her own life. She knew it wasn't in Iselia… or with Michael… no matter how much she loved her parents. Liane didn't want to fight. She could hold her own, but even she could see that that would only advance the Chosen's cause for a finite time before she would become a liability.

_And then someone will get hurt trying to protect me, too._

She couldn't let that happen. After they crossed the peak to the northern part of the continent – it would have to wait until then. After that, Liane could only hope that her friends would find it in their hearts to forgive her. And also that she might see them again to ask for that forgiveness.

With a heavy sigh, Liane shook off the melancholy thoughts that were already making her sad, meeting Lloyd's eyes with the best smirk she could manage. Gesturing to the door, she gave the young swordsman a half-bow. "After our fearless leader," she continued to smile at him, rewarded – much to her amusement - with a cringe from Lloyd.

"'Fearless leader'? C'mon, Liane…" Lloyd groaned, rubbing the back of his neck as he pulled the door to the House of Salvation open and started in, holding it for her to follow. "It's not like that…" he continued to mutter as he disappeared into the shadowed interior.

Liane snickered as she started to follow after Lloyd –

only to collide with Kratos.

_He thought I was going to hold the door for him, too?_ She gaped momentarily before she ground her teeth and bowed with a flourish of her hand to the mercenary. "Oh, pardon me, _Lord _Kratos," she sighed out, making full note of how he stopped to stare at her. "After you, sir…."

She watched him with an even glare, both of them locked in a silent challenge before the mercenary huffed softly and entered the House of Salvation, leaving Liane to stare after him. _Arrogant bastard… _her mind growled, content to write it off to annoyance rather than think any harder about it before she entered, letting the door close behind her as she followed after the swordsmen.

A brown-haired girl stood behind the desk just inside the door of the House of Salvation, her well-practiced smile snapping into place as soon as she spotted them. Aligning herself with a small plaque on the desk that simply read 'Candy', she waited for all of them to file in before speaking. "Hi! Welcome to the Thoda Island Sightseeing Boat Dock! This is the most convenient – well, the_ only_ way to view the Thoda Geyser."

Liane heard Lloyd sigh beside her, and inwardly shared the sentiment. _Well, at least they're honest about knowing they have us over a barrel…._

"It will be 200 Gald for a round trip," Candy continued her sales pitch even as her gaze seemed to fix on Kratos. "Would you like to use a boat?" she asked, her smile softening as she appreciatively looked the mercenary up and down.

Fighting the urge to smack herself in the forehead, Liane rolled her eyes. The desk clerk obviously had the perks of her job figured out. _With all the tourist traffic this place gets, it must be a veritable buffet of fresh meat for her…._ With a small half-chuckle that earned her a cool look from Candy, she shook her head and crossed her arms, waiting for the transaction to finish.

It became clear that Lloyd also noticed how Candy had directed her inquiries towards Kratos. Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out in front of Kratos to stand before the desk. "Sure," he grumbled, as he pulled a handful of gald from his pockets and began to count it out.

Candy blinked, a flash of confusion in her eyes before she shrugged and scooped the gald from the desk and placed it in a box back to her side. Sparing a last quick glance between Kratos and Lloyd, her smile returned and she slipped a handful of paper stubs up onto the desk. "Thank you very much."

Lloyd reached to take the stubs, shaking his head slightly as he turned on his heel and started towards the door, mumbling some kind of closure to the clerk. Candy had already settled back onto her stool, her transaction concluded as she now ignored them. Realizing that Kratos was watching her. Liane sighed and started to follow after Lloyd, letting the annoyance the other girl presented fall away.

When they once again stood in the sunshine outside of the House, Genis ran up to them with a laugh. "Didja get the tickets for the boat?" he asked, looking between the three of them as Kratos stepped up behind them.

"Yeah… and the clerk liked Kratos…" Lloyd shrugged with a sly grin back to the mercenary. "_Candy_ was all kinds of ready to sell him the passes."

Wanting so much to snicker at the exasperated sigh that slipped from Kratos, Liane drew a deep breath to repress the urge. In all honesty, Kratos had been almost _too_ quiet that morning, but when he hadn't made it a point to make her life miserable, she couldn't help but consider it a good thing.

But Liane's control wasn't quite echoed in Genis, who seemed more than happy to plant his feet and gawk openly at the mercenary. "Whoa… Kratos is a ladies' man?" he wrapped his arms over his chest with a hearty laugh. "Who'd have thought that?'

Lloyd burst into giggles along with Colette at that point, the dirty look that Kratos gifted them all with only seeming to fuel the reaction.

"Yes, yes, fine…" Kratos groaned waving off the laughs as he stalked down towards the docks, walking past the others without even looking back. "When you're all done, I'll be waiting for you on the docks…"

"Hey, wait!" Genis called out, running after the auburn haired man, a particularly evil grin on his young face, Lloyd only a step behind him. "So… that's it? No pointers? C'mon, Kratos! You really do have to share! Was she cute? Are you gonna ask her out? You know, I think the world can wait an extra day if you want to take her out for a nice dinner or something…" the elf continued to call after the retreating swordsman.

And Liane would have sworn on any holy artifact that was placed before her that it looked like Kratos' steps were getting faster with every syllable that Genis uttered. As Colette hurried after the boys, Liane glanced down to her mentor with a shrug. "So our big bad mercenary can't handle teasing from a couple of boys?" she laughed, shaking her head as Raine climbed to her feet. "Oh, I feel soooo much safer now…"

Raine shook smirked, albeit a bit uneasily as she glanced after the others. "I suppose as long as they don't tease him about women while we're fighting, we should be okay." Then she looked to Liane, a small flicker of amusement in her gaze. "Was it really that bad in there?"

"No… not really," Liane had to admit as they started walking. "The clerk simply seemed to take it for granted that Kratos was the one that she would be dealing with. Probably a decent enough assumption, as Kratos is clearly the older of the two… but Lloyd seemed to be a little offended at that."

"Ah, the male ego…" Raine chuckled, shifting her pack on her back slightly before shifting her grip on her staff to carry it horizontally as she walked. "I suppose it's probably safer to just let them have their fun at his expense then… especially as I don't think either boy would stop if we told them to – or that Kratos would appreciate it even if we tried."

Liane nodded to the Professor's words, easily seeing the wisdom that they contained. As long as she had spent with Lloyd and Genis both… and even the short time she had spent with Kratos gave her little doubt that they would bicker and tease each other until one or more of them snapped – and there really wasn't anything that the rest of them could do about it.

Lloyd ran to the head of the group as they trooped out onto the docks, his excitement almost contagious as he ran to the edge and stopped, his head tilted in curiosity as the others closed around him. "It's a … washtub?" he muttered, reaching up to scratch his head in obvious puzzlement.

"Yep," Genis nodded from where he stood an arms' reach away, peering over the side of the dock to the one of the wooden constructs gently bumping against the edge of the dock, "… it's a washtub…"

"Washtubs… hmm…" Kratos muttered as his gaze slipped around the edges of the docks. Advancing with the rest of the group, his arms crossed over his chest as he glanced back to the rest of them almost accusingly, as if it was a joke and that all he was awaiting for was the punchline.

Liane would have sworn she saw the mercenary shaking his head, but she shook off the urge to care much more about his like or dislike of the situation. The washtubs were a little detail that she had forgotten from her trip. _Forgotten…? Or maybe repressed would be a better description…._

Colette walked to one of the piers, planting her hands on the weathered end of the stump as she leaned over to peer down at the makeshift vessels. "Wow! This looks like it'll be fun!"

Liane followed the younger members of the group, biting her lip slightly as she walked ahead of where Raine and Kratos had stopped, pausing beside Colette for only a moment before she moved closer to the end of the docks to stand beside Lloyd and Genis. She heard them all voicing various levels of enthusiasm and cringed slightly – as she had known what awaited them. "Um… I guess I could have said something earlier…" she shrugged as both boys turned to meet her gaze in question. "Like the girl at the desk –"

"Candy," Colette chimed in from behind Liane, making the older girl roll her eyes.

"… yes…" Liane sighed before focusing once again on Lloyd. "Like _Candy_ said… it's the only way to get to the geyser. I never thought to mention it before…." She knew full well that it was more like being something that she kind of wanted to just forget. The day that the pastors had taken her group to cross had been a cold day in late autumn, and the waves had given the washtubs more than a beating, even going so far as to toss one boy out. They recovered him – wet and cold, but otherwise unharmed – but Liane didn't feel the need to enlighten her friends with that tale at the moment.

"Yeah, but Candy also said that we were renting a 'boat,' right?" Genis sighed, glancing nervously back to his sister.

Laughing slightly, Liane kneeled at the edge of the dock to loosen the mooring rope for one of the tubs before tossing her pack in. "It's all in your interpretation, Genis…" she shook her head, offering the blue-eyed boy a wink. "It's wooden… just like a ship… just a bit smaller, that's all."

"Yeah, and if you drag it out of the water, you can even wash clothes in it," Lloyd snickered, kicking at the rope of another tethered washtub.

"I'm going to wait here. Go on ahead without me."

Lloyd looked back at the Professor's declaration, his head tilted in puzzlement: "What's wrong, Professor Sage?"

Raine shook her head with what very obviously appeared to be a shrug ripe with forced nonchalance. "N… nothing. I'm not getting in that thing." With that, the elven woman began to edge backwards from the dock.

"It looks like fun!" Colette grinned, ignoring the professor's protests as she turned back to her companions with an excited gleam in her bright blue eyes. "Come on, let's get in!"

Genis ran up to his sister, reaching out to grab her hand to pull her back towards the edge of the wooden docks. "Yeah, Raine!" he agreed with the Chosen and arched his back to get his slight weight to work for him in pulling his reluctant sibling back towards the voyage.

"Ahh!" Raine shrieked, bracing her legs straight with any leverage she could manage against her brother's pull, her stance striking Liane with an incredible resemblance to a cat being forced into a bathtub.

Liane almost snickered at the thought. _Well, it is a wash tub… I wonder if Raine would be offended at being compared to a cat…._

"'Ahh!'?" Lloyd turned, mocking the noise that had slipped from the silver-haired teacher as he tilted his head, watching her in open curiosity before his eyes flickered with realization. "Professor Sage… are you afraid of water or something?"

The Professor's expression flashed through an entire range in the space of a heartbeat… terror, embarrassment, and frustration all topped off with a faint blush. She shook her head as a very unconvincing smile fixed itself on her lips. "I... I was just starting to say, 'Ahh, this should be fun!'" The silver haired woman shrugged and stiffly walked past the rest of the group, pausing at one of the tubs and turning to let herself down from the dock, her legs visibly shaking.

Liane sighed, a pang of pity for her mentor rolling though her as she continued to keep her laugh at bay, knowing full well that Raine's avoidance of answering Lloyd's question spoke far louder than any verbal admission could have.

"Um… sure," Lloyd shrugged, his smile still on his face as he shrugged and loosened the mooring rope of one of the tubs, hopping down from the dock and glancing around the small 'vessel'… grinning as he held an oar out to dip it into the water.

"Heh," Kratos chuckled dryly, shaking his head even as the others snickered in varying degrees of loudness. He stepped off the dock and into a washtub with a sigh, kneeling in the makeshift vessel and loosening the rope from the dock.

As the novelty of the situation settled on the group, each of them found their way to their own washtubs, and within minutes they were all adrift out to sea, the entire spectrum of excitement covered between the six of them.

The geyser was visible from about the middle of the channel that separated Thoda Island from the docks where they had rented the washtubs. They had strung a rope between each of the individual tubs, making sure to keep Raine and Colette near the middle – Raine for the security factor, no matter what she would admit to, and Colette for the sake of buffering the Chosen on both sides. Which left Liane at the back of the pack. She paddled along, the slats of the washtub making her a bit more uneasy with every passing moment as just a little more water leaked in. _We'll be there soon… then these flimsy things can just sink and they'll have to send a real boat after us_, she thought with a shake of her head as she watched Raine sink further down into her tub.

"Hey Raine!" Genis called from the tub that separated Liane from the professor. "C'mon! You're missing the view!" he laughed as he received nothing but a groan that was easy to hear over the relatively calm waters of the channel.

"Genis…" Liane sighed, unable to hide her smirk as she knew that the younger elf was simply trying to torment his sibling. "You know, the more you torture her now, the less likely it is that we'll get her to go out into the water again with us…."

"Listen… to… Liane…" came a mutter from the almost unseen professor which served only to make him laugh harder as he paddled.

When the tubs began to bump into the docks one by one, Liane carefully balanced herself as she reached for one of the piers, tugging her mooring rope from where it attached to Genis' tub and looping it up over the dock. She tossed her pack up onto the wooden planks and crawled out, pausing for a moment to sit on the edge of the dock and look back across the channel to where the House of Salvation was but a bump on the distant landscape.

"We've… finally… arrived…" Raine gasped from the bottom of her tub as Genis worked to tether her to the dock, a not-so-subtle snicker slipping easily out across the water for all of the others to hear.

Colette bounced out of her washtub and onto the dock, fairly bouncing on the balls of her feet as she hurried up to the crimson-clad swordsman. "That was fun, wasn't it, Lloyd!"

"Sea water came in and I thought it was going to sink!" Genis laughed as he crawled out onto the dock, laughing harder as the stifled gagging noises continued to issue from his sister in the nearby washtub.

Lloyd walked over to kneel beside Raine's washtub, looking down to the elven woman from the dock even as he shook his head at Genis' teasing of his sister. Holding his hand out to her, he smiled warmly. "Here, Professor…"

Liane looked over to see Raine's head slowly emerge from within the tub to look around wearily. After a few moments that Liane could only interpret as a detailed survey of the sturdiness of the docks, she saw the silver-haired woman nod.

"All… right," the professor nodded as she crawled out of the washtub, pausing while still her hands and knees on the dock. "Thank you," she murmured in a shaky voice as she looked up to her student.

"That was a rare experience."

Glancing over her shoulder at the dry comment, Liane watched the mercenary for a moment before a smirk curled one corner of her lips. "Not a seafaring, man, eh?" she couldn't resist taunting a bit before she lifted her pack and slung it over her shoulders. "I thought mercenaries could handle whatever the situation called for…?"

Kratos paused from where he had started up the hillside path, obviously exerting effort to keep from rolling his eyes. "Mercenaries worth their salt will endure whatever they are called upon to do. I personally prefer a more literal version of a boat than the improvised versions we were offered." He watched her for a moment longer before shifting his gaze over the rest of the party. "But there is still a return trip to look forward to, so if you'd all like to pace yourselves on your teasing, you might still have some energy to continue on the way back." Turning on his heel, Kratos once again began to stalk back up the hill.

"But… I never…" Colette started to object before Liane reached out to grab her forearm and tug her gently up the hill.

"But he's right… the geyser and the statue are up there… they won't come to us…" Liane shrugged with a small smile as the rest of the group started up the hill in Kratos' wake.

A few moments later, the group found themselves surrounded by milling tourists. As they moved to stand at the railing with the rest of the masses, the geyser's waters danced hypnotically, some sprays sinking as others rose, a faint mist in the air enveloping all of them even as the late morning sun provided a display of rainbows.

"Wow!" Lloyd breathed out from where he stood between Liane and Genis. Liane looked over to see his eyes wide with wonder, not unlike many of the other travelers around them. For just a bit, she almost envied him – all of them, actually. She remembered the awe she had felt the first time she had seen the display as well. Not that it was any different now… but she knew what to expect from it now.

Genis snickered softly behind his hand before gesturing towards the basin before them. "Lloyd, a geyser is a type of hot spring that periodically erupts with boiling water and water vapor."

'Y..yeah. I knew that," Lloyd muttered quietly, an awkward smile on his lips as he shifted his weight on his feet and ran his hand back through his hair.

Liane groaned, shaking her head as she leaned on the railing in an attempt to not draw further attention to her friend's bumbling cover. _And you were doing so well back at the House of Salvation when you even suggested this trip…_. But then a strange silence surrounded them one broken by the sound of the spray of the geyser, but still, no real words could be heard. Murmurs of awe blended with the splashing on the rocks below, but that was it. It was an oddly peaceful sensory moment.

"Hmm…" Colette murmured breaking the strange quiet with her thoughtful sound as her gaze slipped around the rim of the observation area.

Liane turned at the noise, leaning around Lloyd to see that the geyser no longer held Colette's attention, but before she could say anything, she saw Kratos approach Colette from behind them.

"What is it, Chosen?" the mercenary asked, his head tilted in question even as the winds borne from the dancing waters tossed his bangs slightly.

Colette looked back to Kratos, a look of surprise passing over her features. "That sign… over on that lookout platform…" she murmured as she turned from Kratos, pointing subtly to the outcropping around the bend in the walkway.

Kratos nodded, but still shrugged, almost as if he was pacing himself to not lose patience as he coached her for more information. "What about the sign?"

Colette shrugged awkwardly, a small blush barely tinting her cheeks. "It looks kind of familiar… maybe it's just my imagination," she murmured, turning her attention back to the geyser as she folded her arms on the railing where she stood beside Kratos.

"Well, this is a sight and all…" Raine began as she strolled up to place her hands on the railing, "… but we actually do have a reason for being here…"

"Right… the statue…" Genis nodded, his actions almost mimicking his sister's as he folded his arms on the top of the fence, pulling himself up onto the balls of his feet to look around the geyser basin.

The group momentarily refocused on the reminder of their mission before Colette's voice rang out. "Oh! There it is!" she pointed excitedly into the watery mist almost directly across from them.

Liane squinted against the reflections from the sun, only to see the diamond halo of the Spiritua statue winking enticingly at them. Her jaw went slightly slack when her mind caught up to the situation of the statue. "Sweet Goddess…" she groaned, shaking her head. "What did he do… _throw_ it into the geyser?"

"Well… the pastor did seem a little edgy…" Lloyd snickered with a shrug. "Maybe the geyser startled him…"

"Or… maybe the waters of the geyser tossed it over there," Raine offered with a shrug, her brow creased slightly. "At this point, we're just lucky that it didn't settle into the waters." She glanced around, shielding her eyes from the sun and the reflections before her eyes settled on another part of the visitor area that encircled the geyser. "Maybe another vantage point will show us a way to get over to it," she offered, gesturing towards a small, built-up platform not far from where they stood.

Colette turned to the teacher, gesturing back to the platform that had caught her attention before. "It looks like we could get closer over there maybe?" she offered with a hopeful shrug as the others all turned to consider the suggestion.

"It looks like we can get around the fencing there…" Liane nodded with a weary sigh, not particularly fond of the idea of creeping down to the water's edge. It was hot… and getting to the statue in one piece seemed problematic at best. She looked down to Genis where he walked beside her. "You think you can keep it cool enough?" she questioned quietly, not wanting to insult his abilities, but wanting at least a little reassurance as to their plan for dealing with the geyser.

Genis bit his lip before nodding, his small face scrunched slightly in thought. "I think so…" he whispered in response. "I mean, Lloyd's going to have to move pretty fast… and carefully…" the young mage looked up to her with a slight flicker of exasperation. "I'm almost more worried about that part than about my ice holding out…."

Liane couldn't help but chuckle at the comment, reaching a hand out to ruffle the silver hair of her friend. "You'll do fine… and Lloyd will try… we both know that he will. We'll just have to watch him for when he either loses interest or gets too cocky."

"Hey!" Lloyd spun, glaring at his friends, the look sharpening when he realized that their laughter got a bit louder. "I'm right here! I _heard _that…!"

"Okay, well, I guess it's up to you to prove us wrong then, huh?" Genis arched an eyebrow at his best friend as he ran ahead to the platform, reaching it a few paces before Lloyd.

As they all gathered on the platform, they inched closer to the edge, a slightly sulfuric smell wafting from the heated water as they gauged the distance to the statue on the other side of the boiling fountains.

Genis edged closer to the jagged rocks that dropped off into the geyser basin, biting his lip before he glanced back over his shoulder at the young swordsman. "All I have to do is to stop it with my magic, right?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, his eyes already searching over the jagged rocks that rose between him and the churning waters below. "While it's stopped, I'll go down there along the rocky parts and get the statue."

_Oh, that sounds easy enough…_ Liane sighed, standing beside Lloyd at the edge, staring down and biting the inside of her lip as her friend sat down on the edge and dangled his feet over as if working up the courage to start the trek down to the water. _Too bad 'easy' usually tends to have a different definition in our experiences…_.

Genis eyed the steaming water, not looking at his friend as he scratched his chin. "The ice I can make will… well, it's just an estimate, but I don't think it'll last more than about thirty seconds."

At Genis' words, Liane glanced back towards the tourists. Shaking her head, hoping that they would all be oblivious enough to not notice that the geyser was about to just _freeze_ for _about thirty seconds…._ Grinding her teeth, she searched the crowds for the telltale signs of the robes of a church official or similar authority to materialize and kick them off the island. _Wonder if they'll even let us have the crummy washtubs back…._

Lloyd nodded, taking no notice of anything but Genis' instructions as he grinned at the elven boy. "Gotcha," he laughed before pushing himself off the edge of the platform and scaling the rocks down to the water's edge.

"Lloyd, be careful," Colette called after the swordsman, wringing her hands as she watched Lloyd climb down the steep embankment to the edge of the boiling waters. "Don't do anything dangerous."

Raine shook her head, keeping a few steps back from the edge as she crossed her arms, shaking her head in helplessness. "Even my healing arts have their limits," she murmured, her voice only barely loud enough to reach those standing around her.

Liane grit her teeth at the professor's words, standing beside Colette as she watched Lloyd as well, shaking her head. "This can't be good…" Then she saw Colette look up to her with a questioning gaze, and she couldn't do much other than shrug. "Oh, come on… Lloyd has a nasty habit of making everything dangerous…" she sighed, frowning a bit as she saw the Chosen's expression fall further into worry. "But… you still have the lock on making _walking_ dangerous… so don't worry, Colette…" she snickered, glad to see the blonde girl echo the sentiment.

"You have a bad habit of getting cocky," Kratos called after Lloyd, suddenly appearing to Liane's side opposite Colette. But even as she readied her glare for him and a few choice words about how it wouldn't kill him to either be encouraging or just be quiet, the mercenary drew another breath. "Be careful."

The sentiment left Liane speechless as she gaped at Kratos. She was almost ready to ask him to repeat himself just in case her hearing had truly failed her as she feared. But Genis' voice rang out before she could find her own, calling her attention to the silver-haired mage.

"Icicle!" Genis commanded, his kendama thrusting out from his small form even as the pale blue rune circle that Liane had never even noticed him summon wafted away, it's energy directed outward and spreading in an ice sheet over the surface of the geyser's waters.

Genis stepped closer to the edge, cupping his hands around his mouth as his Exsphere winked in the late morning sun. "Move in the direction I indicate," he called out to Lloyd. "If you mess up three times, the ice will melt, so don't make any mistakes, okay? Good luck, Lloyd!"

Liane cringed as she saw Lloyd blink at the flurry of instructions before he grinned up to the rest of them. Although, she did marvel at Genis' planning… he did have the better vantage point of the geyser… and if the steam began to break down the ice, that would be important. _That, and making Lloyd think that he's got a buffer of three mistakes is brilliant…_ she couldn't help but smirk at how well the younger boy knew how his best friend's mind worked.

"So all I have to do is not mess up, right? Leave it to me!" Lloyd's grin was bright as he drew another breath and turned, hopping out onto a rock outcropping that stuck out from the blanket of ice. "Okay then, here I go!"

Lloyd stepped hesitantly out onto the ice, one boot sliding out ahead of the other slightly before he could compensate for it by hopping onto a small outcropping of rock. With a chuckle, he glanced back up to Genis. "Which way?" he called out, his smile growing almost triumphantly.

With an exhale, Genis shook his head. Bright blue eyes surveying the ice field, Genis cupped his hands over his mouth. "There's a rock to your left!" he called out.

"Okay!" Lloyd glanced to his left before placing his foot experimentally on the ice and sliding to the rock that Genis had indicated. "C'mon, Genis!" he laughed back to the elven boy. "You made it sound like this was going to be hard!"

"Just go forward…." Genis called out, grumbling something under his breath about 'goofing around' as his eyes scanned the ice. "There's another rock directly between you and the statue…"

"Hey!" Lloyd called, once again sliding back out onto the ice, bracing himself for a moment before spinning on the ice with a whoop of laughter. "This is so cool! Get it?" he laughed at his own wittiness even as the rest of them groaned in exasperation. "Cool… like the ice!"

Genis growled softly, shaking his head as his silver hair fell down over his eyes. "Just get to that rock –"

But before Genis' instructions could reach his voice there was a sickening crack that rang out across the basin. Colette clapped her hands over her mouth even as Liane took a step closer to the edge, her fists closed, white knuckles standing out even against her pale skin.

But as if the cracking wasn't enough, the ice beside Lloyd suddenly ruptured, a blast of steam mushrooming out from the fissure. Lloyd froze, backpedaling across the ice as he moved his arms to shield his face in a futile effort to protect himself.

Clenching her teeth, Liane's breath fled her as she saw the ice begin to crack around Lloyd. She suddenly realized just how helpless she was… she had no special powers to help… no particular strength or skill that could allow her to help her friend… no magic that could help him…. _I don't… but… _she blinked, her head snapping onto Genis. "Genis – quick –!"

But before she could get her request out to the stunned elven boy, a dark flash shot past her, the action barely registering before she heard a strained voice.

"…No!" Kratos growled out as he leapt from the platform, springing past the others and landing quickly on the rocks in succession to planting himself on the front of the ledge that Lloyd had managed to climb onto. His sword flashed even as the geyser broke through the ice, and the faint green energy of Kratos' Guardian spell popped up around the swordsmen even as the command words that had summoned it faded into the crashing water.

For just a moment, Kratos and Lloyd disappeared from the view of the others, and those left behind on the platform held their breath… until the flickering glow of the protective spell appeared through the mist.

_They made it… he saved Lloyd…_ Liane exhaled, her eyes sliding shut in silent thanks for the mercenary's speed… not to mention his initiative to save her friend in the first place. Time had seemed to slow… almost to a stop it seemed… as the ice had crumbled around Lloyd. Kratos had seemed to be little more than a blur… a flash that sped out over the ice before any of them could even think of a way to help. _Maybe he's worth his fee after all… if he'll do that for Lloyd… he'll certainly keep Colette in one piece…._

A few moments later, Kratos' Guardian spell faded and he turned to face Lloyd, stooping slightly over the stunned younger swordsman and catching him around the waist like a sack of potatoes. A few quick swift hops later that left even the geyser's waters with little time to reach out to grab them, he landed back on the platform with the others, releasing his passenger and placing Lloyd firmly on his feet without speaking a word.

Lloyd wheezed for a moment, his eyes fixed on the ground as his knees visibly shook for a moment. "… thanks," he finally hissed out, glancing quickly and apparently a bit reluctantly up to the mercenary that had saved him.

Raine stepped up to Lloyd, gripping him by the shoulders as she worriedly looked him up and down. "It looks like… you're not hurt," she murmured disbelievingly before the professor looked up to Kratos, who had, once again, assumed his cool stance with his arms crossed over his chest. Kratos acted as if nothing had happened – not seeming to be winded or affected in the least from the rescue he had flawlessly executed.

"You were lucky," Kratos spoke in a sharp tone, his pointed glare fixed on the younger swordsman. "If I'd been one second late, I might not have made it in time."

Lloyd rolled his eyes, his cheeks roughly the color of his shirt. His shoulders slumped dejectedly, the young swordsman shook his head in disbelief. "Dammit, that was embarrassing," he muttered, his voice barely loud enough to be heard over the splashing of the geyser.

"At least you're alive to be embarrassed…" Liane shrugged, clapping the boy on the shoulder after a moment's debate on thanking Kratos for saving her friend… discarding the thought quickly when she saw the smugly cool demeanor that the mercenary had once again adopted.

Genis snickered, barely able to clap his hand to his mouth to keep it from becoming a full-out laugh at his best friend's expense. "Although it made Kratos look cool."

_Oh, that's going to make everything go sooo much smoother, Genis…_ Liane groaned, shaking her head as she exhaled in relief. The rescue was really quite spectacular, even if that was a claim she wasn't anywhere near ready to admit that within earshot of the mercenary.

"I'm just glad you're safe…." Colette smiled sweetly as she moved to Lloyd's side, seemingly oblivious to the embarrassment that Lloyd was trying to live down, even though her words seemed to only make him blush brighter. But then she turned, the next platform once again demanding her attention now that Lloyd was safe. "Um… I'll be back in a minute…" she murmured quietly, watching Lloyd lean forward and brace his arms on his knees as he tried to reclaim his breath for only a moment longer before turning and wandering away.

Raine watched after the Chosen, glancing back to Lloyd with confusion flickering in her blue eyes before her shoulders drooped. She only seemed torn for a moment longer before she glanced to the others - Genis, Kratos, and Liane – and then turned, following after Colette without another word.

Lloyd kicked at the compacted dirt of the platform, a spray of rocks raining down the jagged embankment below them. "Dammit, I was so close," he grumbled, shaking his head before he glared out across the once-again churning waters to where the statue still sat tauntingly on its perch.

Placing her hand on Lloyd's shoulder, Liane found herself unable to disagree with her friend… he was close. He simply forgot that it wasn't like being on the pond in the winters of Iselia… that it wasn't a matter of a hard freeze that would last for the season. It was the side of the boy that still sought fun. He couldn't help it. And it saddened her that he would likely have to relinquish such tendencies if he was going to live through the journey. "You tried…."

"Don't overestimate your capabilities, Lloyd," Kratos sighed, straightening his cape and double-checking that his sword was properly seated in its sheath before he looked to the silver-haired boy. "Genis, could I get you to cast your magic on the geyser again?"

Genis blinked, clutching his Duel Star to him as he stared up at the mercenary with wide eyes. "Wh… why?"

Kratos tugged first on one of his mitts and then on the other before hopping over the edge of the platform, starting back down to where Lloyd had started his trek across the ice. "I'm going to get it myself."

"O.. okay. Gotcha," Genis nodded, ignoring the dejected groan that slipped away from Lloyd at the mercenary's words. Stepping to the edge of the platform, he once again thrust his kendama out before him, the pale blue runes that contained the energy of the spell once again springing to life around him. "Icicle!"

Without even a blink of hesitation, Kratos leapt from the platform, almost as if he was chasing after the mana of Genis' spell. Liane couldn't help but gape at the effortless grace of the mercenary's movements as he crossed the basin, following Genis' instructions almost before the mage had finished giving them. In another breath, Kratos had the Spiritua Statue tucked under his arm – and in what seemed like only one more quick intake of air, he stood back on the platform once again, holding the statue out to Genis.

But Genis didn't take the statue – more over, he didn't move, much like Liane and Lloyd gathered around him. The three of them simply stood, staring at the mercenary before the cracking of the ice layer split the quiet. Kratos sighed, pushing the statue into Genis' hands before he met the younger swordsman's awed gaze.

"Hmm. What's wrong?" Kratos asked with a small groan of sarcasm. "Is my face that fascinating?"

"No… nothing," Lloyd shook his head, looking away from the mercenary with a faint grumble, resentment plain in his tone… almost as clear as the fact that he'd never admit to it.

Liane sympathized with her friend, but quickly looked away to avoid being in the path of Kratos' glare as well as to not have to admit how surprised she had been as well – lest he interpret it as a bout of hero worship. _That's the last thing he needs_, she mentally grumbled before busying herself with helping Genis lower his pack to the ground to store the statue. When the silver-haired boy turned, he met her eyes with a grateful smile, as if he also appreciated the distraction over the awkward silence that had shrouded the swordsmen. _Anything I can do to help, Genis, _she smiled faintly as she stood and helped him settle the pack back across his shoulders. Glancing up, she bit her lip softly as she saw that Kratos was blessedly distracted by the Chosen's actions on the next platform over. As much as she didn't want to, she admired his skills – and even if it was grudging, she couldn't help but wonder how long he had worked to be able to move like that. With a glance down to her own shabby sword, she sighed softly. _I'll never be like that… but I suppose if you live by your blade, it changes your priorities of which skills you hone…._

"Hey, what are Raine and Colette looking at?"

Lloyd's observation provided Liane with a welcome distraction from her thoughts as she turned to see what he was talking about. "I don't know," she shrugged, tucking a stray curl back behind her ear, "… but if a pedestal as Raine's attention like that, it's either something that's going to help us or we're going to have to leave her here…."

The only response to her comment was Genis' muffled giggle as he hopped from the platform, followed closely by Lloyd as the boys ran to where the Professor and Colette stood, locked in quiet conversation.

Which – Liane quickly realized – left her alone with Kratos. It was a fact that she quickly noted and fixed by spinning on her heel and starting after the others. It felt like she was running – and she didn't like that at all. But at the same time, leaving him an opening to irritate her really wasn't an option, either. _Just keep the peace… no need to drag everyone else into this. _It was easy to tell herself – just as it was easy for her to breathe out in relief when she didn't hear him immediately following after her.

Climbing up onto the platform, Liane joined the semi-circle of her friends, embracing a feeling of shelter from just their presence as they inspected the stone pedestal.

Lloyd scratched his head as he stood before the stone pedestal, his head tilted in a moment of enlightened pondering. "Hey, isn't this a whatchamacallit stone?" he asked no one in particular before glancing up to the others, looking for reinforcement on his assessment.

"An oracle stone," Kratos corrected with an exasperated sigh, as he moved to stand beside Lloyd.

Liane glanced over to the mercenary, her glare already firmly in place before her eyes even fell on Kratos. She didn't want to snap at him – really, she didn't… but that control wasn't something she could grasp quite fast enough. "Can't you say anything to anyone without making it sound like you're talking down to them?" she grumbled before turning her gaze back to the markings on the stone.

Even as a low whistle escaped from Genis to accompany Lloyd's muffled chuckle, Colette stood back from the stone, her eyes alight with recognition as she looked up to the Professor. "That must be why it looked familiar!"

Raine stared at the stone relic for a moment, her eyes shining as she looked up, inspecting the area around them. "So this is the Seal of Water?"

Lloyd looked up to his teacher, disappointment plain on his face as he gestured helplessly. "Aww… that sucks. I didn't even need to get that Spiritua Statue!" he whined.

_Ah, yes… nothing like a case of wounded pride to make you curse expending that kind of effort._ Liane reached out, keeping a snicker and its accompanying grin somehow under control as she patted the brown-haired boy fondly on the head, earning her a glare and the fun of watching him try to straighten his unruly tufts.

"Cheer up, Lloyd!" Colette placed her hand on his shoulder on his other side, squeezing it to get his attention from the look he was giving Liane. "Just think of it as giving you the opportunity to have fun riding in the washtubs."

Liane would have sworn that, at that very moment, she heard Raine gag, but any visible evidence was gone by the time her eyes made it to the Professor. Still hiding her amusement from earlier, she turned back to Lloyd. "Come on, Lloyd," she offered with a shrug. "The book has to have more information than just the Seal of Water… we'll still need the statue anyway, I'm sure…."

"Yeah, I guess, but…" Lloyd sighed, stepping out of Colette's gesture with a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Lloyd! Let's hurry on inside!" Genis demanded, snapping his friend's attention to him as he tugged on one of the ends of Lloyd's scarf for emphasis. He dragged Lloyd a bit closer to the edge of the platform before glancing over his shoulder at their blonde companion. "Come on, Colette!" the young mage urged with a wide and eager grin.

Colette nodded with a smile to her friends and then stepped closer to the pedestal. "Okay then. I'll try putting my hand on the stone," she declared, her hand hovering over the imprint in the stone for only a moment as she bit her lip and then dropped it into the impression. "Here we go!"

For a moment, it was as if they were all holding their breath, all of them looking around anxiously to detect some change – _any_ change. _At least at the Fire Seal, it was pretty clear what would happen,_ Liane reasoned before a low rumble started somewhere in the rock beneath them. The noise grew into a jolting shock that quickly surrounded them, making them all shift their balance to maintain their footing. A few startled cries from the other visitors across the geyser chorused with the rumble – but only until a loud crack of stone imposed itself over the area, announcing the revelation of an opening in the craggy cliff that formed the backdrop for the geyser. As the Chosen's party stared at the gaping maw of the cave, the settling dust and mist mingled, gradually coalescing into an arcing bridge that fairly glowed in the sunlight, connecting the platform to the opening of the cave.

A stunned silence held the group speechless at the sight for a moment longer before Raine moved out ahead of the group, smiling broadly, her eyes glazing as she placed a foot experimentally onto the translucent green bridge, tapping it lightly on the ghostly surface before planting the foot firmly. "Excellent… now let us begin the excavation at once!" she exclaimed as she led the way up and over the geyser, seeming to at least momentarily forget Colette's presence on the ledge that she left behind her.

Lloyd watched the elven woman with a curious tilt to his head. "We're not here to excavate anything…" he murmured, shaking his head, chuckling as his silver-haired friend walked to stand beside him.

"Yeah, like she cares," Genis snorted with a laugh as he nudged Lloyd with his shoulder and grabbed both Liane and Colette by their forearms, urging their foursome out onto the bridge. "But if we don't hurry, she's not gonna leave anything cool for us to see either…."

The width of the bridge soon made the 'group' crossing impractical and Colette ended up at the front, with Genis pushing her along, planting his hands on the small of her back as they both laughed. Liane and Lloyd followed not too far behind the others even as she saw that Raine had already disappeared into the darkness of the cave ahead. Liane tried to let her friends' jovial mood distract her - from both the fact that once again, Kratos followed behind them and how narrow and unprotected the path beneath their feet was. She tried to simply keep her mind and her eyes from reminding her how nothing but steam separated their precarious walkway from the boiling waters of the geyser. But somehow - just like every other less-than-desirable situation before – they all made it to the mouth of the cavern. Pausing at the opening and once again on what seemed to be solid rock, she glanced back out into the sunlight as the others passed by her.

"That was so cool… you could see through the bridge and everything!" Lloyd laughed as he grinned up to Liane, taking a moment to follow her gaze back outside the cave.

Liane laughed, shooting her friend a playful glare as he turned to start into the cave. "See, that's where we have very different definitions of 'cool', Lloyd…" she sighed, starting to follow after him. But when she spotted Kratos already waiting for them at the edge of the cavern's darker shadows, she set her jaw and planted her feet, pointedly looking back to the lighted area beyond the platform. She knew that she was just being stubborn… and probably a bit childish… but the faint sigh of exasperation she heard from Kratos still made her smile – even as she continued to look at nothing in particular – or maybe it was shapes in the steam. It didn't matter. _I don't owe him an explanation, and I won't be herded this time…_ she grumbled, set to continue her silent strike to the mercenary's habits until an all-too familiar howl made her turn back to the opening and to the observation area beyond. _Noishe?_

It was relatively easy to spot the green and white creature, especially with as much noise as he was making. But as the crowd started to clear from the commotion that Lloyd's pet was causing, it was the apparent source of Noishe's agitation that made Liane suck in her breath. Raine's previous mutterings were right – the assassin's violet wrap-tunic did indeed stand out. Liane's glare narrowed on the scene – and the dark-haired woman who had apparently tracked them to the island. _She's good… I never saw her in the crossing_… she thought with a level of admiration even as her hand tensed on the handle of her sword. Noishe seemed to have her cornered, a standoff playing to the interest of the crowds. _If she makes it to the bridge…._

"What's wrong?" Lloyd's voice was quiet, but it still somehow echoed in the mouth of the cavern.

The swordsman's inquiry shook Liane out of her thoughts, turning as her voice started to come to her to tell him about the assassin. But when she realized that Kratos stood between herself Lloyd, practically standing over her shoulder, she clamped her jaw shut and turned, crossing her arms as she watched the violet-clad woman hurriedly disappear into the crowd.

"… it looks like that girl didn't make it inside," Kratos answered Lloyd with a sigh, even as it earned him a quickly aborted glare from Liane.

Lloyd turned, walking back to stand with Kratos and Liane, craning his head a bit in a bid to see what they were talking about. "What girl?"

Liane sighed, rolling her eyes as she backed away from the opening. "She's gone now, Lloyd you can't see her. Noishe ran her off."

"Noishe ran _who_ off?" Lloyd's arms flapped to his sides in frustration as he continued to stare out of the cave.

"That assassin," Kratos elaborated with a groan. "The one after the Chosen."

Lloyd turned and gaped at the mercenary in disbelief. "She followed us!"

"You didn't notice?" Kratos asked with a tilt to his head that allowed his bangs to shadow his expression, even though the exasperation was still unmistakable in his tone.

"I… I was busy thinking and stuff…" Lloyd's gaze fell to the ground as he stammered in an attempted defense of himself, his cheeks flaming even in the shadows of the cave.

Liane had to turn away at that, her hand splayed over her face as she was caught between laughter and tears. _Oh, Lloyd… you need to learn when to keep your mouth shut…._

Kratos turned, staring down the young swordsman. "Never let your guard down. Ever. Assuming you _want_ to survive," he chastised, his voice growing colder with every syllable that he spoke.

Although Kratos was correct on a very fundamental level, Liane turned, ready to defend her friend. She'd never want to see him get himself hurt or killed because of his playful and somewhat absent-minded nature, but when she saw Lloyd spin on the mercenary with a very uncharacteristic glare, her words froze in her throat.

"Oh, yes, of course," Lloyd snapped, his glare almost painfully sharp on Kratos as he clenched his hands into fists, his entire form rigid. "You're SOOO perfect. You'd never screw up," he growled out mockingly, his teeth clenched together.

Liane could only stare… very… _very_… rarely had she ever seen Lloyd pushed to the point that he didn't attempt to laugh off such a situation… that such sarcasm would lose any note of mirth. _Looks like that's the end of that rope, Kratos… want a little bit more to finish hanging yourself?_ She bit her lip to keep from smirking, knowing that the last thing her friend needed was someone finding his frustration amusing.

Kratos was silent for a long moment as he watched Lloyd. There was no real surprise on his face, simply something empty that had taken the place of the stony coldness from a few moments before. "Even I make mistakes. I made a terrible one…" he murmured, momentarily glancing back out into the sunshine.

"What?" Lloyd's forehead creased in frustration, his anger evaporated as the mercenary had apparently caught him flat-footed with his comment.

And he wasn't the only one.

_Whoa… did… Kratos just… back down…? _Liane stared from one Lloyd to Kratos and back, seeing the puzzlement she felt echoed in her friend's chocolate eyes. Breaking gazes with him she looked back to the others up ahead, and saw that it seemed Lloyd's outburst had caught their attention as well. But the surprise that she shared with the others lasted for only a moment longer before she once again stared at Kratos. _What did he just admit to?_

For just a moment, Kratos seemed to fluster. But it was only a blink of time – short enough to cast doubt that it had really happened before he pivoted on his heel. "Nothing. I shouldn't have said that. Forgive me," he murmured as he strode past Lloyd and Liane, the shadows quickly embracing his form."

Lloyds gaze followed after the older swordsman, his expression incredulous. "Forgive you? What? You don't make any sense sometimes," he called after Kratos with a huff, shaking his head.

"Now you're back on track with the brilliant observations," Liane sighed, shaking her head as she ruffled her friend's hair. "Come on… let's get this over with."

"I just don't get him… one minute he's all 'do this because I said so'… and the next, he… he's…" Lloyd grunted, gesturing in frustration ahead to the retreating form of the mercenary to make his point. "I don't get him at all…" he finally sighed, hanging his head.

Liane sighed, reaching to her friend's shoulder and offering him a small smile. "You're not alone, if it makes you fell any better…" she told him as they walked, starting to catch up to the others. "Part of me thinks he likes it that way."

With a huff that was a partial growl, Lloyd shook his head. "Yeah, well, it doesn't do the rest of us any good."

It was hard - in fact _impossible_ – to disagree with Lloyd, but Liane knew that voicing the fact would likely only serve to antagonize him more, so she remained silent, trying a page from Raine's book and letting their surroundings distract her as they finally caught up to Colette and the Sages. At first glance, the cavern seemed to be water-worn and carved, but when precisely-carved pillars begin to line their path – it onl begged more questions. Questions such as how much was natural of the cave… and how much was intentional… and… if it was intentional… _intended by whom?_

The group continued to walk with Kratos out in the lead for a change, leaving the rest to murmur to each other quietly, even allowing the standard snickers to be shared by Genis and Lloyd for reasons Liane wasn't' sure she should even ask. Shaking her head, she walked a bit closer to the edge, glancing over to see that the same running water that formed the background noise for the cavern also conducted the light, presumably from unseen openings considering that the water flowed well below the path that came from the entrance. But the resulting glow from the water bestowed a distinctly eerie feel to the ancient place.

Shaking off a small shiver as she started wondering when the last people had been in the cavern, Liane looked back to the group beside her. She found that Lloyd had once again fallen silent, his expression almost unreadable as he shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked, his breathing sounding like he started to speak at least twice before words finally spilled from his lips as he glanced over to Colette. "Say, this Spiritua woman the statues are made after, she saved the world, right?"

"That's right," Colette nodded to her friend as she continued to walk beside him, drawing a breath before she continued. "Thanks to Spiritua, the world was filled with mana and the people were saved. And Spiritua was guided into heaven."

Lloyd nodded, taking in the explanation that the Chosen had given him, watching the stone path pass beneath him before he finally sighed, looking back up to Colette in confusion. "If she already saved the world back then, then why is everyone suffering now with mana shortages and the Desians?"

"The world stopped receiving its blessing because the Tower of Salvation disappeared… that's what I was taught anyway," Colette answered with a shrug as she conveyed her teachings from the priests.

Even as Colette's words echoed every lesson she had heard of the legend of the Chosen's journey from teachers and priests alike, she had to admit that the explanations – most of them anyway – were ambiguous at best, relying almost too much on blind faith for their credibility. "The Church has told the people of the Sylvarant that for years – it seems it's been enough for most people…" Liane sighed.

Raine snickered, pausing in mid-step to stare at the young swordsman in disbelief. "Heh. Lloyd, are you actually studying?"

"Not really, it's just been bugging me," Lloyd shook his head with a hint of a sheepish grin. "I just thought, since it's a tower, someone has to have made it and someone has to be doing something with it, you know?"

"Maybe angels like Remiel are providing us with mana…" Colette ventured, one finger poised in thought on her cheek before looking up to Raine, as if seeking validation.

"I see what you mean… that's a fascinating subject," Raine nodded thoughtfully, watching her students with a faint smile that spoke of her pride in them _both_ for a change. "Up until now, we've simply thought of the Tower of Salvation as nothing more than a symbol of salvation, but…"

Kratos cleared his throat from where he stood at the head of the group, his arms crossed as he tilted his head, watching the rest of them as slightly as he could over his shoulder. "In the end, the only way we'll find the answer is to complete the salvation of the world."

Lloyd turned to Colette, watching her thoughtfully for a long moment as they started down a chiseled set of stairs that would take them further into the Temple. "When you become an angel, I wonder if you'll go to the Tower of Salvation, too?" he muttered, seemingly more to himself than to her really. Then he brightened slightly, his smile returning as he grinned at the Chosen. "If that's the case, we should just ask you after you go. I'm looking forward to your stories!"

"Okay… sure," Colette nodded in agreement, before she sighed and started back down the path, leaving the others all standing to watch her for a moment before following after her.

Genis and Lloyd shrugged to each other before continuing, but Liane wasn't sure she liked how Colette's demeanor had fallen at Lloyd's declaration. She started after her friend, about to call out to her before a hand to her forearm stopped her and drew her attention back to the Professor. "Raine?"

"Let her be…" Raine's voice was quiet as she kept a gently pressure on her assistant's arm, meeting her eyes in the dim light. "Colette's dealing with a lot right now."

Liane frowned, shaking her head as she looked back to see the others starting down a flight of steps chiseled into the rock at the back of the cave. "But… I know… I just wanted to…"

"She'll talk when she's ready, Liane… just be ready to be there for her when she decides it's time," Raine insisted quietly, but not cruelly before she released Liane's arm with a sigh. "Trust me…?" With that simple request, Raine shrugged helplessly and started after the others.

Staring after the Professor for a moment before she exhaled in frustration, Liane pushed her ponytail back over her shoulder. She did the only thing she could in honoring her mentor's request – she followed her down the steps – and wished she didn't feel like she was the only one that was missing some vital piece of information. _Later…_she promised herself resolutely as she set her jaw, jogging down the steps when she heard Lloyd's voice laced with excitement somewhere ahead. _Here we go again…._

"Well, _use it_, Lloyd!" Genis groaned, letting his hands fall back to his sides as he and Colette stood beside the swordsman, the three of them staring at a device similar to the one they had found in the Palmacosta Human Ranch that had altered the ability of the sorcerer's ring. "Standing here talking about it won't show us what it can do!"

"Okay, okay…" Lloyd grinned, cringing as she held his hand out to the glowing orb. Just as Liane came down off the steps and moved to stand beside Raine, a brilliant burst of light made them all gasp, blinking quickly to adjust their eyes back to the dim light.

"Well?" Genis elbowed Lloyd, staring at the ring. "What did it do?"

The young swordsman laughed, turning from the others and holding his hand out, a grimace appearing on his face as he braced himself for the sorcerer's ring to display its new talent. The expression was quickly followed by a stream of water squirting from the ring and falling to the ground just a few steps from Kratos.

There was a moment of silence as the party could only stare at the puddle on the ground, no one seeming to know what to say of the less-than impressive display.

Turning his hand, Lloyd stared at the bauble on his finger, one eyebrow quirked in question. "Water came out of the Sorcerer's ring!"

"The Thoda Geyser is a plentiful source of water, so maybe it reacted to that," Genis offered with a shrug, obviously trying to keep his friend's attention from wandering too far from the advantage the ring had to hold for their group.

Raine nodded, placing her hand on Lloyd's shoulder, continuing to lead him down the logical path to show him the value of the ring's new ability. "With this power, we can supply water even to distant areas.

"But if all it does is squirt water, that sure seems kind of… weak," Lloyd's face wrinkled in distaste, a huff of frustration accompanying the shake of his head as he aimed the ring away, a small stream of water falling on the dark ground a few feet from him.

"I suppose if it were to get up and tap dance for you, you'd get bored with that as well, huh?" Liane murmured as she started away from the group, gripping her sword wearily as she saw a skittering shadow out of the corner of her eye.

"It doesn't have to tap dance, no… but something more than a squirt gun would be more impressive," Lloyd replied a bit sullenly as he drew his swords and looked between the two openings that presented themselves to the group, taking a few steps out ahead of his companions. "Okay… so we must have to take water somewhere… let's go… this way!" he declared with a grin starting into the left hand passage.

* * *

The left hand passage, it turned out, was a further display of the mysterious architecture in the style of the pillars near the opening to the cave, with grand arches and open chambers littering the carved stone terraces and paths. Liane was certain that Raine wouldn't have complained in the least if she had been left in the water-lit caverns - had it not been for the platoons of creatures that seemed content to call the place home. While her enthusiasm for the variety of creatures lingered through a few scuffles, when Lloyd filled the last urn at the elaborately carved altar in the lower part of the chamber, Raine's sigh of relief as a stone slab rose from the water nearby was more than clear that it was time to release the seal. 

Colette and her entourage wearily avoided the citizens of the seal cavern as they made their way to the top of the chamber – and up to the still-dripping stone platform. Each seemed to be bracing themselves a bit more with each step – until Genis stopped, snickering as he reached over to poke Liane in the ribs.

"Hey, look, Liane – a warp ring!" he cheered, grinning wider even as the dark haired girl openly glared at him.

Liane heard Lloyd snicker – and couldn't help but notice the fairly smug smirk on Raine's lips as Liane realized that it was simply her turn to be at the receiving end of the jokes. "Bite me," Liane replied through a clenched-toothed grin as she glanced to the patiently glowing disc on the floor. _It's only one… just like at the Fire Seal_, she coached herself even as she very methodically forced her shoulders to relax, lest she feet the teasing any more.

But a weary groan from Kratos as he strode past the rest broke any possibility of more of the good-natured teasing. He stopped beside the warp ring and turned to Colette. "Chosen… after you?" he spoke in a clipped tone, gesturing to the device.

Colette's former smile fell in a heartbeat to a look of resolve as she drew a deep breath and set her jaw, stepping out from her friends with Raine right behind her. "O-Okay…" she tried to smile, looking back to the others with an uneasy shrug before she stepped up onto the ring, shimmered, and disappeared from their sight.

Raine clenched her staff a bit tighter and quickly followed after Colette, leaving Kratos' cool gaze to fall on the rest of them. With a small huff, his eyes lingered on the remaining three before he stepped up himself and was whisked off like Colette and Raine.

_It's almost like he's still trying to tell us we don't belong…_Liane sighed, shaking her head and following after Kratos before Genis and Lloyd could tease her further. Her stomach lurched as the top of the stone slab and her friends disappeared from her view in a flash of light. They were replaced with the sight of Raine, Colette, Kratos, and an altar reminiscent of the Fire Seal at the far end of an elaborately-carved room that still dully roared with the sound of water – possibly even the water fall that was behind the altars back in the main chambers. Stepping from the warp ring, she met Kratos' glare for a moment, almost in a dare for him to say something.

But the unspoken challenge fell away as the warp ring flared once again, this time revealed Lloyd and Genis. The young girl gaped quietly as his wide blue eyes darted around the room, his feet moving quickly to take him off the warp ring and closer to the altar.

"This place is all dark and humid," Lloyd grumbled as he stepped down off the warp ring, glancing around as his eyes adjusted to the gloom. "Let's hurry up and get out of here."

Kratos strolled past Lloyd, his expression grim as usual, only a quick growl escaping him. "… we must release the seal first."

"I _know_ that," Lloyd glared at the mercenary as he strode past him to stand closer to the seal, resent more than clear in his voice.

Genis breathed out as if trying to center himself as he drew his Duel Star up before him, his attention fixed firmly on the seal. "I feel… mana welling up… it's the same as the Seal of Fire."

Even thought Liane knew that the elven boy was by far the more sensitive to such things, she could still feel her skin begin to prickle – an eerie energy building all around them that she surmised could only be the mana that Genis was talking about. Drawing her short sword, Liane took a step to her side to flank the Chosen to the right… an action mirrored to Colette's left by Lloyd.

The altar began to glow – the same eerie glow that the waters in the cavern gave off at first – quickly growing into a sparkling, rippling curtain of mana that resembled waves on a pond. As the Chosen and her party looked on, three figures began to solidify within the column of mana that so closely resembled water. _What… are they? _Liane could only stare as the figures came closer to the edge of the altar, her mind feeding her images of the Ktugach and its spawn that they had fought at the Fire Seal, her arm and its healed gash reminding her to be faster this time.

"It's Adulocia… and the Amphitras…" Kratos murmured from somewhere behind. "Genis – no water spells…" he ground out, eliciting an exasperated grown from the silver-haired boy as he backed away from where he had been standing beside Liane.

"I know, I know," Genis grumbled as he started to chant quietly, a dull red rune circle coming into view after a few moments.

Liane felt for the boy, but she knew it wasn't the time for that as she instinctively took a step to her right, placing herself between the beings that seemed to hesitate within the mana column as if sizing up the group. _Are those… flippers?_

Suddenly, the column fell, water rushing to the ground and out over the floor of the seal room, the gush of water making the group collectively backpedal as the shallow layer of water surprised them. Once the water cleared, the group had their first glimpse of their adversaries, all hovering in mid-air, their fish-like tails moving as if swimming to keep them suspended in water. The being in the middle appeared to be female – just as the others – but her emerald green skin shimmered even in the dark seal room, dark fish-looking appendages flowing before her as almost black eyes scanned over the group. The others – a perfect set of twins – their coloring considerably more humanistic, held something that looked like harps in their hands, their iridescent skirts flowed around their tails. Just as the middle being, their dark, hollow eyes betraying their otherwise benign appearance.

Colette's wings flared instantly, casting a strange pink glow over the seal room as she drew back her chakram and then loosed the fairly-glowing ring at the largest of the three beings. "Ray Thrust!" she called out even as the weapon bounced off of the green skin, pushing the being back a few feet before the weapon returned to Colette's hand.

The one Colette had attacked – Liane surmised it to be Adulocia from what Kratos had told them – wobbled backwards for only a moment before her companions flowed in before her, as if to protect the green-skinned being. _Goddess… she has fish for hands….!_

"Don't let up!" Kratos commanded as he leapt out before the others, his sword already in motion. "Demon Fang!" his voice echoed from the stone walls even as the energy wave slammed into the closest of the Amphitras.

The Amphitra looked over at her twin for just a moment, giving Lloyd his opening to dash forward and leap, slashing at the distracted creature on the way up as well as down. "Tiger Blade!"

_When did he learn that?_ Liane almost smirked as she saw the being Lloyd had attacked squeal and recoil in pain. Bracing her sword, she heard Genis draw a deep breath, a sign for her to get out of the way but be ready to defend Genis as he finished his spell.

"Get 'em!" Genis' voice rang out as he flung his kendama out from him, the energy of his rune circle swirling up into a trio of glowing red orbs. "Fire Ball!" The flames obeyed his command, streaking to hit the pair of staggered Amphitras, their howl of pain shrill in the seal chamber.

Liane used the distraction of the pair's pain to charge forward, knowing Genis would be safe for the moment, dipping her sword tip back as she ran, charging it, and waiting a bit into her upward swing to release the energy. "Demon Fang!" she fixed her gaze on her target, the slice of energy slamming into the Amphitra that Kratos had hit with the same tech moments before.

Springing back from her attack, Liane resumed her protective stance before Genis as she watched Lloyd slam himself and his blades into the Amphitra that he had singled out, the rune circle that had been forming beneath the creature evaporating as she fell to the stone floor. Out of the corner of her eye, Liane could see Genis starting another spell, once again, an angry red rune circle responding to his chanting.

"Liane! Watch!"

Her attention snapped to Kratos in alarm, seeing him wait only long enough to catch her eye before he again leapt forward to the Amphitra they had both attacked, his sword arcing in front of him in a clean horizontal figure eight. "Double Demon Fang!" Twin slices of energy sped from his blade, both of them slamming into the Amphitra and knocking her back into the green-skinned guardian she seemed set on defending, sending them both sprawling to the floor. "Charge your sword on the backswing," he commanded, pausing to meet Liane's gaze before springing back as the chamber again lit with a pink light.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory. Angel Feathers!" Colette's voice sang out as a flurry of bright feathers flew through the chamber, the majority of them pummeling Adulocia as her protectors skittered out of the way.

_He's trying to teach me…? Now?_ Liane blinked before she set her jaw, concentrating for only a moment to charge her sword and dip it backwards along with her habitual backstep. Doing her best to mimic Kratos' example, she released the first arc of the attack and immediately forced herself to charge her blade again, her return-swing far from as easy as his looked, but it still gave her the momentum to feel the point to release the second wave. "Double Demon Fang!" she ordered, perhaps a bit less convincingly than Kratos had – and the second wave of the attack far less impressive that even the first, but both still managed to connect with the Amphitra, knocking her closer to her twin.

"Barrier!" Raine's voice sounded strange over the sounds of the battle, but no stranger than the shimmering orange field that enveloped the Chosen where she hung in mid-air at the back of the group, confusion flickering in the girl's eyes.

Liane knew that theory, but had never seen her mentor cast the defensive spell. It was temporary, but any advantage was welcome at that point – and protecting Colette had to come first. She glanced back to Genis, still keeping the Amphitras in the corner of her eye to head off any retaliation the creatures might attempt. When she saw Genis' eyes pop open, his attention fixing on the Amphitras again, she smiled and once again stepped aside.

"Fire Ball!"

Genis's cry heralded the creation of three more blazing orbs that streaked through the seal room and slammed into the pair of creatures with a shower of sparks. The young mage stepped forward to stand beside Liane as they watched the Amphitras disappear with choked gurgles and a puff of steam. "That's what you get for messing with me!" he chuckled with a wide grin up to Liane.

"Look out!" Colette's shrill call came just a moment too late. A shimmering wall of water broke up Genis' moment of victory, rushing out over all of them and scattering the group as Adulocia floated from the seal where she had remained until then, her dark, glassy-eyed gaze sliding over them all – as if choosing her opponent.

Lloyd sputtered, springing up from the floor, his shirt dripping as he planted his hand on the ground to stabilize himself and then shot forward. "Hey! Over here!" he called, waiting for Adulocia's head to swing around before twisting and slamming his shoulder into her, sending the guardian backwards before he slashed his blade out towards her, the mana he poured out manifesting in the form of a lion's head. "Beast!"

Adulocia faltered backwards, her flipper-like appendages slapping at the ground as she tried to get up.

But Kratos didn't give her the chance, running at her from the side before he practically slid to a stop, his sword out before him as the blade pierced Adulocia's side, a pained howl issuing from the creature. "Sonic Thrust!"

As Adulocia skittered back from them, a strange, watery voice echoed within the chamber just before a blast of bubbles raced from the mouth of the fish that doubled as her right arm, knocking both Lloyd and Kratos off their feet as the creature rose to float once again.

"Guardian!" Liane commanded, her protective mana bubble buffeted by the bubble attack as she held Genis close behind her. "Genis… hit her with another Fire Ball… it worked on the Amphitras…?"

"Right…" Genis stood back again, his eyes sliding shut as what was now a familiar red rune circle flared once again. It spun for a few moments as Liane stood before him, her short sword braced out before her in case the green-skinned creature took notice of them. "Get her! Fire Ball!"

The air above Genis suddenly shimmered at the boy's command, a rain of crackling sparks gravitating together before flying towards Adulocia. Liane sidestepped the attack, making certain that she wouldn't be an obstacle, as she watched all three of the fire balls hit the water guardian in three distinct puffs of steam –

- and what sounded distinctly like a watery laugh was the only response that the Guardian gave the attack.

_She… laughed…? _Liane could only stare for a moment before Colette's chakram whistled by, each of them bouncing from Adulocia's green hide.

The creature's head spun in the direction, and with speed she had yet to reveal to them, she slipped past them all, pausing for only a moment before drawing back and smacking the Chosen with her tail, sending the girl to the ground with a small cry.

"Colette!" Lloyd called out from where he had picked himself up from the stone. Anger flashed in his eyes as he ran forward and flew into a somersault, his swords flashing around him as he pushed Adulocia away.

"Genis - try something… else…." Liane started to turn before she saw that her silver-haired friend was a few steps ahead of her request, a bright purple rune circle already blazing brightly beneath his feet. With a nod, she saw that he had everything under control and she turned to their enemy, even as she heard Raine cast her First Aid spell on Colette. When Adulocia floated back, wobbling slightly in the wake of Lloyd's attack, Liane swung her sword out before her – just a little something to keep the Guardian off balance. "Demon Fang!"

Before the creature could react to the latest attack pressed on her, the air seemed to crackle all around them. But that was only for a moment before Genis' voice rang out, overpowering even the sound of rushing water that was ever present in the seal room. "Lightning!"

Adulocia's reaction to the bolt that coursed down from the ceiling and through her was angered and pained, the unearthly scream making Liane clap her hands over her ears as best she could while still holding her sword – a reaction she saw mirrored in Raine and Colette both. But even as the ringing subsided, she heard Kratos' voice – barking orders to the boys.

"Lloyd… Genis… that's her weakness!" the mercenary called out… waving his sword at the Seal Guardian. "Attack together!"

Liane saw Genis and Lloyd look to each other, a grin flashing between them before their attention simultaneously snapped onto Adulocia.

"You ready?" Lloyd asked with a dry laugh before he ran forward, his blade dropping back before he leapt into the air in front of the green-skinned creature, slashing up even as he heard his best friend's response.

"Go!" Genis commanded, his kendama shooting out before him, synchronizing his attack with Lloyd's falling slash.

"Lightning Tiger Blade!" Lloyd cried, even as the powerful bolt of lightning shook the seal room, dust drifting from the rafters as his companions stumbled. Raine fell forward onto her knees and Liane barely keeping her balance even as the Guardian shrieked – and then shuddered, hovering limply in the air only barely above the ground as fingers of energy still coursed over her skin.

Lloyd dropped back to the ground as the clap of lighting died away, the boom receding into the darkened corners of the seal room. Adulocia lurched forward onto the stone floor, her fish-like appendages slapping at her sides for a moment before she evaporated in a drift of steam.

"Whew… that's it… it's over…" Lloyd breathed out as he sheathed his swords and looked around to his companions. Genis ran over to his sister, grasping her arm to help her to her feet even as Colette was busying herself with smoothing her tunic, hesitantly taking a step closer to the altar, her blue eyes fixed expectantly on the stone.

Suddenly, the darkened seal room brightened as if someone had opened the ceiling to the outside world, something vaguely resembling sunshine pouring down over the seal even as a deep voice filtered down to them. "Chose of Regeneration… you have done well in reaching this far. Now offer your prayers at the altar."

"Yes!" Colette responded to the disembodied voice, stepping forward before she could even draw another breath. Stepping to where the Seal guardians had appeared, Colette reverently lowered herself to her knees, her hands clasped before her as she bowed her head. "Oh, Goddess Martel, great protector and nurturer of the earth, grant me thy strength!"

As if in answer to the blonde girl's prayer, the light around her seemed to crystallize for only a moment before her wings burst from her back once again. The Chosen's eyes, as well as those of her companions, turned up, even as a ghostly swirl of feathers ushered the being they knew as Remiel back into their presence.

Remiel's descent slowed, his wings beating gently as he hovered in the air, an air of benevolence in his smile as his gaze fell clearly on Colette. "You have done well, Chosen One Colette. The second seal is now released."

"Thank you, Father," Colette replied, her head bowed once again in reverence to the angel that had come to guide her at the milestones of her journey.

Liane watched the interaction, but was still disappointed that the being's appearance still fell short of impressing her. She hoped… with everything that she was seeing fighting beside the Chosen and acting as her guardian as well as simply remaining the girl's friend… that somehow she might end up being surprised by something. That somehow, the faith that she knew that the journey should be fanning would grow. But somehow… Remiel fell short of whatever mark she had seemed to place for that amazement.

Then, came an odd moment of silence as it seemed that Remiel hesitated… it was only a moment, and it was quickly capped by the return of the angel's placid smile and a gesture of his open hand to Colette, as if offering her a gift. "Accept this blessing from Cruxis. I hereby grant you additional angelic power."

Colette's form tensed as a rain of light fell from the carved ceiling of the seal chamber, each of the lights striking her and eliciting a soft gasp from the blonde girl, her wings momentarily fluttering a bit faster before she finally touched back down to the marble altar. Taking only a moment to catch her breath, Colette shook her head, tossing her hair back over her shoulder and out of her face as she looked up to the hovering angel of Cruxis. "Ah… father?"

"The next seal lies far to the north, in a place that gazes upon the end," Remiel continued as if he had not heard Colette's plea for his attention. "Offer your prayers at the altar in that distant land."

"Father, have I done something to displease you?" Colette asked after a moment of silence had followed the angel's decree, undeterred by his lack of attention to her inquiry.

Colette's tone struck Liane as something that was growing increasingly odd. She had known the Chosen almost as long as she could remember. Colette had always been the cheerful one… the one that was willing to speak her mind and stand up for even the smallest injustice – everything seemed to matter to her. Liane had always managed to write that off as part of the girl's conditioning… her training for her role as the Chosen. But even through all of that – all of the expectations and lessons – she was always cheerful. She was the one that encouraged everyone else… she was the one that everyone else looked to when everything seemed to be falling apart. To see her spirits sliding… _well, it's just wrong…._

"It matters not," the angel shook his head, waving off the girl's question with a dismissive shake of his head. "All that is needed is for you to become an angel. I will be waiting for you at the next seal, Colette… my daughter. Hurry and become a true angel. Do not disappoint me…."

Without giving the Chosen another moment to question, the angel exploded into a shower of light feathers that dissipated by the time they reached the ground. Colette sighed, turning back to the others with her trademarked smile and a shrug as she dismissed her own wings and walked down the steps from the altar.

"What's up with him?" Genis grumbled with a shake of his head as he planted his hands on his hip. "He always talks like he's so important…"

Genis' exasperated observation was cut off by a sharp snap as Raine's hand once again found the back of his head.

"Apologize to Colette," Raine bit out, glaring down at her brother before shooting a quick instructional gaze to the Chosen as if she was making sure that Genis wouldn't be able to mistake her demand.

Colette turned, her gaze starting on the ground and slowing rising to look between the elven siblings. "It's all right… Father… Remiel really does sound like that…" she murmured, somehow managing a small smile along with the statement – one that spoke of a resignation to the truth behind the observation.

For Liane, the worst part of listening to her friend was realizing that she really couldn't argue with Genis' words… she could only be glad that Colette seemed to realize it as well. _How could a father be like that? So… cold to his child…._ She had always known that she was fortunate for the father that fate had given her – Ben Dale was firm, but for the most part fair. And she never doubted that he loved her. _Poor Colette… that's just not right_… Liane's mind grumbled as she shot a hard glare back to the ceiling of the seal room.

"Well," Lloyd sighed, moving back to Colette's side and making a very obvious attempt to meet her gaze with an encouraging smile. "Shall we get going to the next seal? Although, he was as confusing as usual."

Kratos groaned, turning on his heel and striding away with what sounded like a sniff of disdain. "Stop complaining. Let's get moving," he barked out as he reached the warp ring stepped on and slid from their sight.

"Must you always be such an ass?" Liane grumbled, turning so that her glare could follow the mercenary back to the warp ring, continuing to stare even after his form had faded away from the seal room. With a soft growl, she sheathed her sword and started to follow after him. It wasn't as if she expected a response from him, but the impression that she was getting from both Kratos and Remiel alike – like none of them mattered – was truly starting to get to her.

Genis walked up beside Liane, glancing up to her with a snicker. "Yeah… it's almost like he'd fall apart if someone took the stick out of his –"

Genis' declaration was cut short by the swift crack of Raine's hand to the back of his head once again. "Hey!" he complained loudly as Liane clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. "What was _that _for?"

His only answer was a sharp glare from his sister as the Professor continued to walk past them.

"Come _on!_" Genis grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets as he fell into Raine's wake. "Like I'm the only one that sees it…."

That was the last straw. Liane burst out laughing, actually having to pause and clamp her jaw shut in an attempt to not draw too much attention to herself. "Oh… Genis… it's okay," she spoke in a hushed tone, fairly certain that she would be drowned out by the water moving around them in the cave. "I'm not going to tell you that you're wrong."

The young mage lapsed into a fit of giggles, an action that Liane couldn't help but mimic before she heard a rather pointed grunt from somewhere ahead. From the front of the group, Liane glanced back and saw Kratos' silhouette… and just enough light from the entrance to the caverns to make out the scowl on his face.

_He heard that?_ She gaped for only a moment before she set her jaw, wordlessly daring him to say something to her. When she saw him turn on his heel, though, she still breathed out… even if she didn't want to believe that it was in relief.

"Huh. He takes the truth well, wouldn't you say?"

Liane looked down to Genis' grin with a roll of her eyes before she grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him out ahead of her. "Come on… we should keep going," she murmured, liking the idea of staying a few paces ahead of the swordsmen – Kratos in particular. "Otherwise we might find ourselves at the back of the pack and left behind when they figure out a way to close the cavern again," she smirked, certain that if Kratos had heard their first jabs that he would hear that as well.

Genis nodded and snickered as he trotted on ahead of Liane, leaving the older girl to shake her head and at least be grateful that there might be someone at the cavern entrance that might be able to help plead her case for not being locked in. But she still continued, knowing that Lloyd was still behind with Kratos, taking comfort in knowing that she wasn't the last one in the group.

Liane heard a low murmuring of conversation from the swordsmen, just low enough that she couldn't make out words. She still found herself glad that Lloyd and Kratos were forming some sort of a bond, no matter the frustration it seemed to bring both of them, but the punctuation of a short chuckle in the relative silence of the water-filled cave made her jaw go slightly slack. _You're laughing at him? _The dry laugh was all she heard as she allowed her steps to slow, her fists clenching at her sides. Liane would have glared at Kratos, but she was starting to fear that the expression would become permanent if she wasn't careful.

"What?" Lloyd's voice grew a bit louder in the wake of the reaction of the elder swordsman.

Kratos paused, regarding the younger swordsman for a moment before shrugging. "Lloyd, you will grow stronger," he declared quietly.

_Whoa… what am I missing here…?_ Liane wondered, feeling like she shouldn't be there… shouldn't be privy to the moment. She was far enough ahead of them to not make a spectacle of herself, but she couldn't look away no matter how hard she tried or how sure she was that it was likely a private conversation. But after all the criticism the mercenary had handed out since the group had assembled, the moment of what seemed to be encouragement was almost hypnotic.

"Huh?" came Lloyd's eloquent response as he came to a stop, staring up to the dark-clad man that stood beside him.

With a heavy sigh… that didn't seem all that exasperated, Kratos tilted his head. "It is easy to continue recklessly swinging a sword and that is probably enough to take care of your average enemy. But it won't serve you when faced with a truly strong opponent. You, Lloyd, are in the midst of realizing that. Therefore, you will undoubtedly grow even stronger," the mercenary explained with a simple sweeping gesture of his hand to show the logical flow of his response.

"Y… you think so?" Lloyd asked in confusion, clearly taken aback by the words of encouragement that the mercenary had spared for him.

"Grow strong, Lloyd," Kratos sighed, shaking his head and sparing the younger swordsman only a momentary look before continuing to walk, leaving Lloyd to stare after him. He strode forward, sparing Liane only a quick glance from beneath his bangs, not even hesitating in his steps as he walked past them, heading towards the lighted opening to the cavern.

"Lloyd?" Liane asked, approaching her friend as she put her hand on his shoulder. She couldn't fight the feeling that she should have been concerned by the interaction that she had overheard, but she also couldn't believe that – for once – Kratos had actually tried to be encouraging. "Was I imaging that or was he –"

"No… he was actually being nice to me…" Lloyd scratched his head, watching Kratos move towards the mouth of the cavern. "I just _don't _get him… at all. Not even a little."

_That makes two of us,_ Liane sighed, following her friend's gaze before starting to follow in the wake of the others, gesturing over her shoulder to the swordsman. "Come on… otherwise that might be a puzzle we never figure out."

As the group emerged back out into the sunshine, they crossed one by one across the light bridge and back to the oracle stone. Liane breathed a sigh of relief at feeling what her eyes told her was solid ground beneath her feet once again. As Colette passed by the stone, heading back to the tourist path beneath the platform, the bridge flickered behind them, blinking out of existence once again, but leaving the opening to the cavern exposed. But before Liane could worry about it, she heard a scuffling on the dusty trail ahead of them. Spinning around, she saw Colette stumble to her knees, her face clenched in pain.

Lloyd was instantly on his knees at Colette's side, worry plain in his voice and in his eyes. "Professor Sage! Colette's sick again!" he looked up, begging their teacher for her aid with not only his voice, but also with his eyes.

"Oh no!" Raine muttered, shaking her head with worry as she watched Lloyd start to help Colette into a sitting position. "We must let her rest immediately."

Genis looked up to Liane, worry etched into his innocent face. "Again? This can't be good… poor Colette…" he shook his head as he whispered up to the older girl.

"I know, Genis… I just…" Liane's hands clenched into the fabric of her tunic. "I just don't know what we can do for her. I mean… if this is part of her trials, then… she has to endure it. We just have to be there to support her… it seems like all we can do for her for now."

"Time to set up camp, then," Kratos stated coolly, glancing around the area before turning to watch the group gather around the fallen girl.

Raine stood over her students, frowning as she cupped her chin in thought. "Yes, but if this is going to happen every time she releases a seal, Colette is going to have a difficult journey ahead of her. For the time being, I'm going to call the phenomenon Angel Toxicosis." Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded, seemingly satisfied that the label she had devised would suffice for Colette's condition.

_Giving it a clinical name won't make it any easier to deal with…_ Liane frowned looking away from the sight. _So now, she's gone from regenerating the world to being a walking disease victim. Perfect._ It was one more thing to make her dislike of the situation all that more pointed.

Genis went to his knees at Colette's side, his small hand falling lightly on her shoulder. "Colette, are you okay? Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice full of his concern for his friend, watching her skeptically as she started to rise.

"I'm fine," Colette shook her head, a weak smile playing at the corners of her lips as she tried to convince her companions of her sincerity. "It'll go away soon… I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

Lloyd sighed in frustration as he helped Colette sit up from the ground, his tone an equal mix of concern and frustration. "Okay, that's enough. You're not allowed to apologize any more, okay?"

Colette laughed again. "I'm sorry…" she grinned, brushing dust from her sleeves before looking to each of her companions in turn. She once again and oh-so-predictably seemed oblivious to the chorus of groans that met her repetitive apology.

* * *

The group sat around the fire that Genis had started, the sun only starting to touch the horizon as Genis handed out the sandwiches that he had put together. Colette had still been quiet, and the spirits of the entire group seemed to reflect that, each in their own way. While Colette quietly alternated between nibbling at her dinner and pulling it apart – almost seeming to play with it more than intending to eat it, Raine sat at her side, occasionally making the effort to draw the Chosen into whatever conversation happened to come up. Liane sat between Genis and Lloyd, eating more from necessity than from desire before she heard Genis sigh heavily. Glancing over to him, she saw that he had eaten even less of his sandwich than Colette had. 

"Genis…? What's up?" she asked quietly, even more concerned when his gaze never left the sandwich.

Genis shrugged, opening his sandwich to stare at the thin slices of ham inside before closing it again with a helpless droop of his shoulders. "The way things wound up, Chocolat left without hearing from us what really happened."

With a frown, Liane's sigh echoed the young elf's, hating the nod of agreement that she had to give him. "I know… but we'll just have to find her, Genis," she offered, hoping that there was still even a chance of doing so, but not daring to speak of the shadow of doubt that it was still possible. "We'll tell her… we'll explain it to her… somehow…."

"But… what she did hear was still the truth."

Liane and Genis both looked up at the young swordsman's quiet comment, Genis' eyes going wide. "But it's the Desians who are at fault! It's not your fault!" he shook his head even as Lloyd finally looked up to them, a brief flicker of defeat present there that sent a chill through Liane.

"Incompetent good intentions will only bring tragedy."

The mercenary's words were the only thing that Genis needed to draw himself to his feet, stepping around Liane and Lloyd to stand before Kratos, glaring angrily down at him where he sat in the grass. "What did you say!"

Kratos shrugged, meeting the young mage's gaze evenly, seemingly utterly unaffected by his emotional retort. "If you intend to do what is right, you need the strength to accompany that," he continued before letting his eyes slide pointedly away – pausing only momentarily on Liane before settling on Lloyd. "You lacked that. You were too weak."

"How can you say that!" Genis sputtered as his hands closed into fists, glaring fiercely at Kratos. "Lloyd was… Lloyd was…"

"Genis, it's okay…" Lloyd cut off his friend's defense of him with a shake of his head and a hand on his shoulder, his eyes still downcast. "I don't like to admit it, but Kratos is right. I won't forget what I felt back there. I won't forget that Marble and the people of the village lost their lives."

Liane saw Kratos nod, and would have sworn that she saw a flicker of surprise in the mercenary's eyes at Lloyd's words before he stood and spoke again.

"Yes. That's right," Kratos stood drawing himself up to his full height with an approving nod as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Power is more than just your physical strength. The strength to acknowledge your crimes, the strength to remember them. You must have them as well."

With that, Kratos turned and strode from them, leaving Lloyd, Genis, and Liane to stare after him for a long moment. The boys slowly went back to their meals, but Liane could only stare at hers, just as Genis had done before. The day had been long, but different from the days before somehow – and what was more, it seemed like her dislike for the mercenary had died back at least a little. There was something in his voice – both before he left the group moments before – and as they had entered the cavern. Glancing over her shoulder in the direction he had disappeared, she bit her lip. _Why does it sound like the 'strength' lecture came from experience…?_

* * *

Everyone seemed to have their own things to do… their own thoughts to sort, and Liane was no different. She perched herself on the cliff that overlooked the geyser, willing herself a moment of peace as she watched the colors of sunset paint the spray of water, the color lingering in the steam as the jet fell back into the pool. The marvel was almost enough to give her a reason to forget… to allow herself to slip back into her previous visit to the geyser… when she was simply a student… an observer. Now… she couldn't be that. 

"Liane."

Once again, it was a statement… not an inquiry. But the day hadn't been all bad… and Kratos had helped them at least as much as he had criticized them. The balance was appreciated. And for that, she turned, offering him a small smile as she reached up to tuck her hair back behind her ear. "What can I do for you, Kratos?" she sighed, bracing herself for the balance to tip again and to find herself on the defensive to one of his verbal attacks once again.

"You did well today," Kratos murmured quietly, maintaining the distance between them as he stared out over the landscape that Liane had been surveying in silence. "You're learning to adapt your attack to the limits of your weapon."

"Yet more complaints about my sword?"

Kratos was silent for a few moments longer, and Liane was almost certain that he wouldn't answer her exasperated inquiry. But then he sighed heavily, the noise almost startling her.

"Actually, I was curious about it. You said it was your grandfather's… it makes sense, I suppose, that you insist on using it despite its condition. I still think you'd do better with your skills with a weapon better suited to use now, but something seems to be driving you to continue to learn with it."

"That's pretty high praise," Liane rolled her eyes slightly before turning back to the sunset. "Thanks. And… yeah… it was my grandfather's." She heard him sigh and momentarily felt bad for her sarcasm. But, even in the quiet that settled between them, she noticed that he didn't leave – he didn't stalk off like she had expected him to. Moving her arms to brace behind her, she let her head fall back to look at him. "Was that it? Because you can sit down, you know…" she offered, nodding generally to the cliff beside her. "Don't feel like you have to or anything, but the show's just starting to get good," Liane shrugged as she let her eyes wander back to the sunset.

A soft rustle in the grass beside her almost startled Liane. It took almost all of her control to not look over and stare in amazement that he actually had settled himself beside her – not particularly close and definitely not within reach – but beside her nonetheless. A small smirk crossed her lips as the falling water below them was the only thing to hear – an odd peace between them for at least the moment.

"May I ask you a question?" Kratos finally asked quietly, turning his head only enough for him to catch sight of her eyes.

Liane shrugged. "I guess so… I probably owe you for trying to teach me something without attacking me this afternoon…" she chuckled dryly, leaning her weight forward onto her elbows where they rested on her knees.

Kratos set his jaw at her attempt at mild levity. "Back at the House of Salvation – at the docks… why did you call me 'Lord Kratos'?" he asked quietly, continuing to stare at her out of the corner of his eye.

With a frown at how he seemed to be playing at ignoring her when it was clear that he was studying her, Liane finally laughed quietly, shaking her head as she decided that she'd spent enough of the day being annoyed at him. "Mocking and sarcasm, mostly," she snickered, his huff sounding like a concession of victory to her. "Oh, come on, haven't you been around me long enough to recognize that yet?"

"Hmm…" he muttered noncommittally, his gaze fixed out over the geyser basin.

Liane turned to him, considering _why_ he would even bother to ask. What she thought of him never seemed to be much of an issue to him ever before. The limb was there… and it was clearly up to her if she was going to step out onto it. _Won't be the first time I've fallen from a branch in my life…. _"In all honesty, I'm tired of your 'holier than thou' attitude," she spoke softly, struggling a bit with keeping her tone even. "You talk down to all of us in one way or the other – it seems that Colette is the only one that's safe from that, although, I have to think that has something to do with her being your assignment."

Kratos was silent, absorbing her words as he stared back out over the geyser. "Go on," he prodded in an even-tone.

"You… you…" Liane stammered, unprepared for him to leave himself open to the barrage of complaints that she had been storing for the days that they had already spent together. Grasping for her thoughts, she quickly tried to order them, knowing that if she failed, she would prove him right on some level. "You act like we should all know what we're doing… like we've prepared our entire lives to fight. We're not like you… Colette was raised to come to the aid of the world… and Raine…? She's a scholar! Genis, Lloyd, and I… we're not trained fighters… but we want to see things turn out right. It's why we're here… for our friends. It's enough for us to try… to do our best. We're learning. No one says that you have to help any us – I know it's not what you're being paid for – but if you did, it would help the party… and your criticism… it shakes us more than anything." She drew another breath, marveling at how he continued to remain silent. "So… I guess… help us… or just keep your mouth shut…" she summed up her complaints, a note of guilt in her tone before she looked back to the sunset.

Kratos continued to stare directly out from them. It was as if he was lost in thought… "You… you're all fighting for what you think is right…" he muttered quietly. "I understand that. But you all need to learn to see beyond the moment… stop living from fight to fight. There will always be another fight – a tougher fight – sometimes against things that you never even thought you'd face. Every fight has to be a learning experience – there has to be something that you take from every encounter. None of you may have ever intended to be fighters or heroes… but you don't have time for years of lessons now. Intentions are one thing… and all of you have good ones. Now… you simply have to harness your will… and your ability to back them up."

"See… now was that so hard…?" Liane smirked. "Careful… someone might accidentally accuse you of being a nice guy someday…" she shook her head, watching as the sun winked beneath the horizon. "Now… how about you try that with the others?"

When he didn't answer – or even grunt for a bit, Liane glanced over to him, her eyes widening as she realized that not only was he not seated beside her, he was a few strides away. She stared after him, thoughts of actually finding some common ground with him fading with each of his steps.

_Well… that went well… _she sighed, glancing back to the fiery sunset one more time before standing and starting back to where the others had started the campfire to get her pack. _Guess it just means I can try to get caught up on my sleep a bit…._

* * *

The mercenary stalked a small distance from the camp… as the night before had reinforced, he remained as close as he could, still not sure where the assassin had slipped off to. The area was short of seating - rocks, logs, etc…. So he paced slowly, methodically. The talk he had had with Liane had felt a bit liberating… as if some air between them had been cleared. 

As well as enforcing what he had been trying to do.

While he still hated that he had to push them away… he could see that it was easy enough for them to write it off as him being aloof… or simply looking down on them. It didn't allow for them to see how it truly was for their own good… that their distrust in him would eventually make things easier for them.

_Perhaps… if I had tried to push her away… if I had listened to logic… back then…._

He immediately grit his teeth, shaking his head against the thoughts.

_No… no I won't wish that away. Those memories… they were good ones… they're what I have… they're all I have left. _He bowed his head for a moment, his mind luring him away… for just a moment… to a place over the mountains and across the river of time to a place that had seemed so confusing at the time. Even though in hindsight, it was only a sign of things to come, had he had the wisdom to recognize it at the time….

_They were good memories… even if I don't deserve them now…._

_Kratos entered the city of Luin even as the sun broke the distant horizon. He had been on the move constantly for days… weeks… months – he really didn't know anymore. He had discarded all of the raiment of his prior life… his gilded clothing down to his weapons, leaving himself with only the woolen clothes on his back, and a simple steel sword. It was a simplistic existence – one that left no room for spells and abilities beyond the abilities of the race that had birthed him four thousand years before._

_But it seemed that Yggdrasill had not accepted his resignation._

_Not that that was truly a surprise._

_The last time he had made camp for the night, his sanctuary had been destroyed by a flock of the Cruxis' leader's hellish legions. Not that they had truly been a problem for him, Kratos had, in fact left them all in a pile of groaning flesh and broken wings. But camping had become a low priority for the time being. He had no need for rest… not until he could find a place and a time to find a way to stand against his former friend's maniacal plans. Knowing full well that he had been a cornerstone in Yggdrasill's power, Kratos also realized that peace would not come easily… nor would he find time to plan if Cruxis minions continued to keep him off balance._

_Balance. It was all a fragile balance. Life and death… even the very worlds themselves._

_Unfortunately, that balance included the need for sustenance… at however a reduced rate as he needed. Which was what drew him to Luin._

_The town was just starting to wake, doors and windows of shops and residences alike beginning to open to allow the new day to creep into the villagers' lives._

I'll need some cured meat… maybe some bread_… he started making his list, knowing it would be short, but hoping to make his stay in the town as short as possible. But when he reached the shop where he figured he would find such items, his shoulders drooped. Closed._

_With a sigh, he sat down on the edge of the walk. He would have to wait for a while longer. It felt strange to simply sit in one place for more than a moment any more… continuously moving had become his way of life. And it would continue to be that way until his plans were solidified. Once again, he cursed his impatience… he knew that his plans should have been far more solid than he thought they were before he had ever left Yggdrasill's side. He simply couldn't stomach the schemes any more…much less the ones that he was forced to participate in._

_A creaky hinge grated suddenly on his hearing, making him glance over his shoulder at the annoyance. It was simply the shopkeeper of the weapons shop coming out to turn the sign to declare his store open for the new day. The man was squat, but not fat, and his thickly muscled arms already sported a layer of soot, his apparently once-white apron also singed beyond hope of ever coming clean._

_As Kratos watched the weapon smith clean off the stoop of his shop, he sighed, glancing down at the sword by his side. It was far from the weapons he was used to carrying – but each of those weapons would draw too much attention – from either the people of Sylvarant… or the agents of Cruxis. But the sword he had chosen from his private collection was old… and far from being in shape for the kind of fighting that it had already seen. Glancing back up as the smith started back into his shop, Kratos sighed and pushed himself to his feet, entering the weapon shop only a few moments after the smith._

_The walls were lined with a variety of weapons, swords of many different configurations, pikes, and even a few staffs. There were shields and several pieces of light armor, all shined and begging inspection from the clientele. But the thing they all had in common was their workmanship. He could easily see the care that had gone into the edging of the blades, the attention given to the burnishing on the shields… the extra stitching that lined the leather armor. It was more than clear that the smith was not only skilled, but also quite possibly enjoyed his trade. That was something that was rare… to enjoy one's job so much that it showed in their work._

_With a small grimace, Kratos hoped that no such sign could be found in the results of his work._

_"'Mornin, Lad…" came a jovial voice as a heavy curtain that hid the back of the store from view slid aside, revealing the dirty-aproned man he had seen just a few minutes before. "Didn't hear ya come in… what can we help you with?"_

_Kratos nodded to the greeting, stepping up to the counter to meet the smith. "I was hoping that you might have time to put the edge back on this sword this morning…" he shrugged, drawing his blade and laying it on the counter, feeling almost naked without even the substandard weapon by his side._

_A soft grunt issued from the smith as he picked up the handle of the sword, holding it at arm's length as he stared down the length of the blade. "Hmm… it's seen better days, that's for certain…" he murmured before drawing the blade up to rest against his palm, further inspecting it with a frown. "I could… but I have a few other orders at the moment that I've already promised by today. It's going to take some time…" he shrugged a bit helplessly before placing the weapon back on the counter._

Damn.

_With a sigh, Kratos picked up the sword and slid it back in its sheath. "I see. Then I won't keep you any longer." He gestured to a small display to the right of the small cashbox that was braced and bolted to the counter. "I'll take a whetstone… and a vial of oil, then, please."_

_The smith drew a deep breath, his eyes quickly surveying his customer before shrugging. "'Course. Sorry I can't be of any more help to you, but if you'd leave it, I'd be pleased to see what I could do for you…?"_

_"No… I'm only in town for the morning…" Kratos shook his head to the offer, tossing a few gald coins up onto the counter. "But thank you for your offer…"_

_A sudden tugging at his side made him spin, having to fight the instinct to let his hand fly out. But what he saw made him freeze. No one thing in particular stopped him… more the combination of elements. But chief among them was the thin girl that had drawn his sword and now stood examining it._

_"Steel sword. Pretty beaten up," the girl murmured thoughtfully, turning the sword in her hand. Her plain brown hair was secured back from her face by a rolled scarf that tucked back behind her ears. Then she laughed before turning the handle easily back to him, finally meeting his gaze through a faintly soot-smeared visage. "You really should wait for Papa to sharpen it…" she shrugged, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly._

_Kratos' brow furrowed as he stared at the young girl. She handled the blade with ease – explainable by her reference to her 'Papa' – that he could only assume meant the smith. But there was something else that wasn't explainable – testifiable by the fact that he could only stare at her for a moment longer before he found his voice. "I really can't," he finally replied, his voice thin with lack of reason to back it up. "I only have time to pick up a few things –"_

_"Wait…" the girl spoke out, biting her lip as she hurried around the end of the counter, leaving Kratos to stare after her and her father to chuckle, shaking his head at her as she dug through a pile of rolled papers. "Steel sword… it's here somewhere…." Paper spilled onto the floor as she dug, her eyes scanning over each sheet as she opened it and discarded it._

_The smith leaned his weight forward onto his hands where they rested on the counter before he looked back to Kratos. "You really don't have to humor my daughter, sir. Especially not if you're in a hurry. She gets a bit obsessive when it comes to weaponry – trying to prove herself and all –"_

_"Papa!" the girl's brown eyes flared as she looked up to her father in annoyance. "I'm not trying to…" her voice trailed off as a loose roll fell to the ground. Dropping to one knee, a smile spread over her lips. "This is it!"_

_Curious, Kratos leaned forward a bit to look over the counter, only to straighten quickly as the girl stood, grinning up at him as she spread the arm-length of paper on the counter. A carefully drawn and scaled image of a sword was revealed to him as she smoothed the paper almost lovingly before she looked up to the stranger once again._

_"You're a mercenary or something, right?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "Do you have some black silver? Maybe a beast fang, too? If you're worth whatever it is you charge, surely you've fought enough to have those – especially from the condition of your sword," she shrugged. "Or… I guess you could have been out chopping wood with it…?"_

_A mercenary? His mind stumbled a bit at her words, but quickly decided it was a far better cover than the truth. Choosing not to answer, he turned to rest his pack on the counter as he untied a small pouch attached to the outside, pulling out an assortment of items. Placing a fist-sized chunk of dark metal and a finger-sized curl of ivory on the counter, he met the girl's gaze and her thinly-veiled challenge with a smirk. "Any other questions, miss?"_

_But her eyes were already fixed on the treasures on the counter as she looked excitedly up to her father. "Papa! Can we do it? Please?" she begged, almost as if she had forgotten their customer._

_"That's not for me to decide," the smith shook his head before pointedly glancing to the man on the other side of the counter._

_Kratos' eyes shifted expectantly back to the teen, his easy smirk still in place as she shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other under his scrutiny._

_"Please sir. My father has promised to teach me to customize weapons. If… you can spare a few days, I'd like to fix your sword…" she picked up the corner of the paper in emphasis. "The silver sword would be a much better choice for your line of work – it would be lighter, faster – " she choked back a snicker as a smirk came back to her lips. "And a lot sharper than the sword as it is now. There won't be any charge…?"_

_He could hear the pleading in the girl's tone – and only someone blind could miss the excitement in her eyes. But staying in one place for even a few days seemed risky – not only to himself, but to others around him as well… perhaps even all of Luin, depending on Yggdrasill's mood._

_"I'm sorry… it's just not possible," Kratos replied as he set his jaw, steeling himself to the disappointment he saw replace the excitement in her expression. The girl's shoulders drooped slightly as he reached out to take his items and his new whetstone and oil, securing them all in his bag before nodding his thanks to the smith._

_The smith reached out to ruffle his daughter's straight hair, shrugging a bit despite her disgruntled huff as she hurried to smooth her hair. "I'll ask again that you forgive Anna's enthusiasm," he sighed with a fond smile for the girl that stood almost as tall as he did. "There isn't much call for customization locally – and there is really no reason to customize our stock."_

_Kratos turned, pausing in mid-step from his notion to wave and dismiss the smith's words. Once again, he was caught in the girl's gaze. There was simply something about her – her enthusiasm, a small hint of mischievousness – a simple determination – and apparently something else that defied definition as he once again drew his sword._

_"Two days," he heard himself speak as he placed his steel sword back on the counter. What? His actions baffled him for only the briefest of moments before he made another realization in the wake of a small squeal of excitement from the girl the smith had referred to as 'Anna.' She smiled…._

_"Two days will be plenty of time…" the smith chuckled, watching as the mercenary again placed the black silver and the beast fang on the counter. "I assure you, I'll supervise her through the process – but her work is quite good for her age. And if you don't approve, I'll replace your blade with one from my stock."_

_Shaking his head slightly, Kratos waved off the offer. "I'm sure the work will be fine. No need to plan for otherwise at this point." Then his eyes fixed on Anna once again. "How old are you?" he asked, curious at the situation of allowing a teenager to reforge the only weapon currently in his possession._

_The brown haired girl looked up, almost startled that he had spoken to her once again. She blushed slightly, but her former smile was pushed away by what she had to have considered a more 'professional' expression. "Ah… seventeen, sir…?" she answered, an edge of questioning in her tone, almost as if she expected him to pluck the sword back from her as a result of her answer._

_"Hmm…" he nodded as he picked up his pack once again and started toward the door. "And it's Kratos – not 'sir'…" he sighed, pausing only for a moment to look back. The title reminded him too much of the life he was trying to leave behind. "I'll get a room at the inn. Let me know when the sword is ready?" Kratos requested as he stared down the steps of the shop, heading in the direction of Luin's inn. How did I ever get myself into this?" he exhaled with a shake of his head._

_"Mister Kratos!"_

_The call made him turn, his thoughts momentarily lost as he looked back to the shop to find the smith's daughter standing in the doorway, holding his sword reverently as she smiled broadly at him. "Thank you!"_

_He managed a small wave before turning back to his path, almost surprised when he realized the slight curl to his lips._ Oh… that's how.

_

* * *

It was a few hours later that Kratos found himself lounged back across his narrow bed in his room at the inn. He had secluded himself there for the better part of the day, figuring it was most likely better to stay in one place than to be seen roving about the town. Turning the page in the heavy cloth-bound tome that had been placed on the table in the room, he smirked at the fanciful tale of the Kharlan wars. Somehow, what passed as historical accounts always had a way of amusing him. _

_All that was left was for it to keep him occupied for another day while his sword was readied._

_Placing the book back on the bedside table, he closed his eyes and stretched his legs out on the bed before him, seeking his quiet… the place where his mind stilled and his day would slide away from him. It wasn't sleep – it left him able to be instantly on his feet and ready for battle – it was a trick he had taught himself over the years. Perhaps it let him be a bit more human… more than he had been for thousands of years since he had lost the need for sleep._

_But at the sound of a small knock on the door… an almost meek sound, his eyes flew open. Mithos' goon squad wouldn't knock… they'd simply break the door down if they were looking for him. But it was still curious – enough so to draw him back to his feet and cross the room, pausing for only a moment before opening the door wide._

_The girl that stood on the door stoop jumped as the door flew open, the dishes on the tray she held rattling against each other as a few drops of the thick liquid sloshed from the bowl. "Oh… Mister Kratos!" she almost squeaked, her cheeks growing pink as she hurriedly righted the tray and held it out to him. "Um, this is for you… for humoring me… Mama said it's the least we can do…."_

_Kratos could only stare at the girl for a long moment, her faintly-tanned skin unblemished by marks of any kind and her brown hair brushed straight, confined by a pale green hairband that matched the sleeveless dress she wore._

_"Anna?" he blinked, almost squinting in an attempt to find the soot-covered girl that had begged for his weapon earlier in the day and almost amazed at the transformation into the "proper" appearing village girl that he now faced. "That's… really not necessary…" he tried half-heartedly to object only a moment before she breezed past him and into his room, making her way to a table just inside the door._

_By the dim light in the room, she reached out to the matchbox that rested on the table beside a small oil lamp and, within moments, a warm, pale glow filled the room and she turned to watch him over her shoulder with a bright smile. "It's better warm… you should eat…" she nodded pointedly in the direction of the tray before she turned, her hands curling into the skirt of her dress._

_Hunger honestly hadn't even occurred to him as an issue for his extended stay in Luin. His thoughts had been more centered about keeping alert… to be able to leave quickly if it seemed that his presence had drawn unwanted attention on the town from Cruxis. But it seemed that the smith and his family had other plans on that front. With a sigh that he honestly tried to keep from sounding too exasperated, he closed the door and walked past her to the table, taking a seat and picking up the spoon that had been provided before taking a bite of the stew. As the girl watched him expectantly, he braced himself to put on a show of appreciation for the gesture… but even as a chorus of spices met his tastebuds, he realized that it wouldn't be so much of a show. It was actually the first food that had truly tasted good in longer than he could remember. Glancing back up to the girl, he nodded, scooping another spoonful, but pausing long enough to speak. "Your mother is an excellent cook… please send her my thanks…" he murmured before continuing on the meal that had had been sent._

_Anna beamed at the comment, her shoulders drooping a bit as almost in relief as she backed away from the table to sit lightly on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped in her lap. "Mama is an excellent cook… she prepares food at the boarding house… I help her there sometimes – you know, when they have large crowds and such…" she offered, her voice trailing off as she glanced around the room._

_"And you help your father at the weapons shop the rest of the time…" Kratos commented quietly as he ripped off a piece of the warmed wheat bread and dipped it in the stew. "You have varied interests…"_

_She laughed, shaking her head as her eyes flashed back to him. "Papa says it's the best way to keep my attention – keep me busy," she shrugged, kicking her legs back against the bed. "He says that it's best to play to my talents… otherwise, he's not sure he could get me out of the trouble I'd probably get myself into."_

_With a smirk, Kratos shook his head and scraped the last spoonful of stew from the bowl. "Your father seems to have a good deal of faith in your skills… from what I saw of his wares, that's truly a compliment."_

_"Honestly…?" Anna tilted her head at him in question, her smile remaining but softening slightly. "I'd love to have his skills… to be able to create something that strong… powerful. But I'm really only good at honing… polishing… maybe a bit of etching. It's why I really want to learn customization." She shrugged, glancing away again. "It might not be creating something from scratch, but it still helps it reach it's potential… it's better than nothing."_

_"Skilled weapons-crafters will always have a place in this world," Kratos commented, his tone flattening a bit as he realized how much he hated the truth behind the words. "Somewhere there will always be a fight… and a trustworthy weapon can mean the difference between a long war and a quick battle… of long suffering or a mercifully quick end."_

_Anna chewed her lip for a moment, her eyes tracing up over the seams in the wooden floor. "Is… it a bad thing… if the weapons-crafters hope for the short battle… and that no one has to die?" Her voice was soft, almost slightly resentful. "Can't…people be content to just leave each other be?"_

_Kratos stacked his dishes together and turned, watching the brown-haired girl for a long moment as he weighed his words. Perhaps the girl had been sheltered… seeing her reaction to the eventual fate of most weapons. For a moment… the irony of the idealism of a girl that seemed to border on pacifism having a talent for crafting weapons almost made him want to laugh. "There is always the darker side to life… it's simply a matter of what you choose to do. You can either pretend it doesn't exist… or you can fight for your beliefs. But if you fight, you simply have to be prepared for those other's whose beliefs are different… and are also ready to fight for them. It doesn't stop through wishing… it stops through action of those willing to stand up."_

_"And those willing to stand… need a way to do it…" Anna spoke, her voice soft. "I guess that's where I come in… huh?"_

_"If you so choose," Kratos shrugged, seeing that the girl could grasp the concepts he spoke of… that she wasn't simply the shrinking violet that her current appearance seemed to suggest. "We all have choices to make."_

_With a resigned nod, she looked up, drawing a breath that seemed to inflate her once again. "And you made yours, then? I mean… a mercenary has chosen to fight…?"_

_There was something in the basic definition that he didn't like… or, more accurately was undecided on. A mercenary fought for fee… for someone who felt strongly enough to hire someone to fight for his causes for him. At this moment… it wasn't true… but it was merely semantics. He had fought for someone else's cause for too long… it was why he was now on the run. He was fighting for his own beliefs now. "I have chosen to fight."_

_At that, the girl brightened, standing from the bed as she walked over to him, her smile warming with every step. "Then I'll help you! Your sword… it can keep you safe… and help you fight to make things better… that's what I choose to do."_

_He couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Considering you have my only weapon at the moment, I greatly appreciate that…" he sighed, standing from his chair before picking up his tray and turning with it, holding it out to her. "Please send my thanks to your mother… the meal was welcome and excellent."_

_Anna paused, looking at the tray as indecision flickered in the depths of her warm brown eyes. Reaching out, she took the tray from him, but once again, the clattering of the dishes against each other betrayed her. Her eyes widened when she realized it, and her eyes flashed up to him. Then… suddenly… as if she had decided it was a fleeting chance… she leaned up onto her toes and placed a feathery kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for giving me the chance to help…."_

_It was a moment - not even a blink in the parade of time eternal – but it was a moment that Kratos knew was a singular occurrence… one that would never come again, and one that he would never forget. But in that one moment, he was absolutely aware of the nervousness in her tone, the heat in her cheeks, and the fact that the single action had left him more vulnerable than he could ever remember being. And… what was worse… or better – he couldn't decide –_

_… he didn't mind._

_Anna's uneasy giggle shook the moment back into the stream of time as she bit her lip and took a step back, her eyes on the floor. "Ah… I should go. If… you come by the shop tomorrow… I'll show you how your sword is coming…" she murmured, her cheeks still bright cherry red. Another giggle later she turned and balanced the tray against her hip while she pulled the door open with the other. "Um… have a good night…!" she finally met his eyes again, holding his gaze for only a breath before she chewed at the corner of her lip, dropped into a hasty and not-particularly practiced curtsy, and then hurriedly left the room, letting the door close behind her._

_Kratos stared at the back of the door as it clicked shut, leaving him on his own – just as it had been since he had separated himself from Derris-Kharlan. But now… suddenly… it felt odd. He sat down on the edge of the bed, continuing to stare at the door almost as if he expected it to explode into a shower of splinters – or perhaps evaporate with the next breath._

_She had caught him completely flat-footed. Unlike any enemy he had ever faced, she had utterly disarmed him with such a quick gesture._

_Kratos… formerly of Cruxis… had wandered into the town looking to arm himself to continue his stand against his former companions. He had sought to improve his armament… and somehow found himself utterly disarmed – in every sense of the word. He had sought whatever meager provisions he required to continue moving on his self-appointed quest…_

_… and yet it was another form of sustenance that he had found in Luin. It wasn't anything sold in a shop. It was a lesson that four thousand years had yet to teach him… and it had been hidden in the depths of a village girl's chocolate-hued eyes._


	11. Chapter 12

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: False summon spirits, trapped mythical beasts, and yet more difficult choices plague the Chosen's group as the continent beyond Hakonesia Peak opens to them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter 12:

"Raging flames in an ancient city deep within clouds of sand overlook the city, lighting the darkness. Pure, flowing water floating, overflowing, in an isolated land becomes a giant pillar and rains down from the sky. Sublime wind, ancient city, the world's… Enshrined in the center of a giant stone seal lurks evil, impersonating a holy force. Shining…gazing up at the summit of the gods, giving praise to the pillar of the world…from the top of the tower of ancient gods. Two giant…" Colette's voice faltered as she shook her head, flipping the page she was reading from the Book of Regeneration and sighing as she quickly surveyed the other side of it. "The rest is too damaged. I can't read it…"

The Chosen's party had gathered in the home of the collector, Koton, after making the trek back from the docks. They hoped that the book would still hold answers for them… hints to continue their journey… to help Colette complete the Regeneration. But all it seemed to hold was more riddles.

Genis groaned, his hands falling to his sides in a gesture of helplessness at the lack of additional information. "Then we don't even know how many seals are left."

"Indeed…" came Kratos' dry comment to the young mage's assessment as his eyes wandered around the collector's hall.

Lloyd ran his hand back through his hair with a shrug and a frown. "The 'raging flames' part at the beginning must be the Seal of Fire, right? What do the other parts mean?" he asked, looking around to his companions.

"Well, the part about 'pure flowing water' in the 'isolated land' is pretty clearly the Seal of Water…." Liane sighed, trying to continue down the order that Colette had read from the Book. _Fire… Water… Wind… it's the same order that Remiel is guiding Colette in…._ She couldn't help that the thought sounded bitter in her mind. Drawing a deep breath, she glanced around, trying to find something to distract herself from the reaction… her eyes settling on a faded tapestry hanging on the wall behind the pedestal that supported the Book and tracing over the tree limbs that stretched up over the weaving. The once-colored stitches were almost completely faded into the background, leaving only the raised pattern of stitches to truly be seen… that and four shapes beneath… people perhaps? It was enough of a distraction… until Raine's voice called her attention back.

"The Seal of Wind must be…the Asgard Ruin," the Professor declared thoughtfully, looking between Colette and the Book with a confident nod. "If we travel to Asgard, we should be able to find some clues."

Genis took a step forward to stand beside his sister, looking up to her with a frown clouding his bright blue eyes. "What about "gazing up at the summit of the gods?" he asked in confusion, obviously not enjoying the puzzle that the words held for him as his focus slid to the Chosen when she turned with a faint smile on her lips.

Colette considered the silver-haired boy's question for a few moments, her head nodding in thought. "I think that's probably the Tower of Mana. From there, you can see the mountains around the Tower of Salvation, so that's probably the summit of the gods."

"But what seal is that?" Lloyd asked, meeting Colette's eyes, frustration building in his tone.

"Uh… hmm… I don't know…" Colette shrugged before her smile slipped into place with a small giggle.

Lloyd groaned at the seemingly carefree response from the girl. "Oh, well. At any rate, we know where the seals are now. Let's get going." He looked back to Koton with a dry laugh. "Thanks, Gramps."

Liane sighed at her friend's sporadic lack of anything resembling tact or manners as she hefted her pack onto her shoulder as she prepared to leave. But when she happened to see the pleasant smile that Koton had held for the Chosen flicker quickly into a glare of distaste for Lloyd – only to hear the swordsman's snicker of response, she realized how likely it was that the insinuated insult on the man's age was entirely intentional. She reached out, dropping her hand and a firm grip onto Lloyd's shoulder to steer him out of the house. "If you're rude to him, you'll never get to look at the book again – what if you need it?" she sighed in exasperation as they passed through the doorway.

"He likes Colette… he doesn't have to like _me,_" Lloyd replied with a laugh and a shrug as he turned to watch their companions filing out behind them. "Besides, I can't even read it – it doesn't do me any good anyway."

Before Liane could respond to the young swordsman, she heard Genis laughing where he plodded along beside Colette.

"The angelic language is pretty difficult, the young mage stated, pushing twin tufts of silver hair back over his shoulders.

Colette stopped and tilted her head at Genis. "Really?" she asked as if the idea had never occurred to her before.

"Yeah, I didn't really understand what was written," Genis admitted with a sheepish shrug as he walked a few steps ahead of Colette before stopping and turning back to her.

The Chosen giggled lightly at that, her hand going to cover her mouth. "I've read nothing but books written in angelic language since I was a child, so…."

With a small sigh, Liane considered the truth behind Colette's words. While the Chosen had been allowed brief bursts of childhood with her friends, the rest of her time had been filled with lessons that followed the will of the Church. Yet she always seemed happy… so much so that it was almost easy to forget to feel sorry for her for all that she missed out on due to her upbringing and the demands placed on her.

"I wonder if I could learn to read it if I study? Genis murmured thoughtfully as he looked up to the blonde girl. It was difficult to miss the pleading in his tone.

Kratos had been about to pass them all and start up the trail when he suddenly paused, regarding the elven boy for a moment before he sighed. "The angelic language is the basis for the language of this world. The grammar hasn't changed significantly."

Liane blinked at the mercenary's unexpected interjection, shifting her pack across her shoulders as she looked back to him. _A linguist too? Aren't you just full of surprises…?_

"Yeah," Colette nodded in agreement as her eyes flashed to Kratos and then back to Genis, her smile growing quickly by the moment. "I'll teach you if you'd like."

Kratos once again started to walk away, but watched Genis over his shoulder for a moment longer before turning his attention back to the trail. "I can provide some instruction as well."

"Okay! I'm going to learn it!" Genis cheered his declaration as he ran after Kratos, dragging Colette along by the hand.

Liane couldn't help but shake her head and laugh softly. "Yep. He's a Sage all right."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Cringing before she turned, Liane mentally kicked herself for not realizing the Professor's presence behind them. Meeting the silver-haired woman's slightly annoyed gaze with a hastily constructed smile, she tried to amend her blurted observation. "Well, the love of learning is a pretty big giveaway," she shrugged innocently even as Lloyd began to snicker beside her.

"Obsession with leaning is more like it," Lloyd chuckled as he elbowed Liane in the side, his feet already starting him forward –

- but unfortunately not out of range of the Professor quite fast enough to evade the sharp slap to the back of his head.

"And what is wrong with craving new things to learn?" Raine growled out as she stomped past Lloyd and Liane. "A life of ignorance is certainly not one I'd wish to be cursed with, no matter how content you seem to be with it sometimes."

Lloyd stared after the Professor for a moment before rubbing his hand lightly over the spot she had hit. "Man, a life of ignorance is all I can hope for when she smacks me like that…" he chuckled dryly and offered Liane a grin.

"You need to think before you speak – that might help on that front, too," Liane suggested in response as they followed after the others. She worried for him sometimes – with how he seemed content to play the joker, no matter the situation. She knew that he was smarter than he let on – but she never understood why he let others underestimate him so easily.

"Aww, it's all good fun," Lloyd told her with his smile dying back from his earlier grin, but still warm. "Besides, Raine wouldn't know how to handle it if I started taking everything so seriously now. There's enough bad stuff going on everywhere we look – is there really anything wrong with keeping things as normal as possible?" the swordsman's grin returned in the blink of an eye as he stated his reasoning. "I mean… as long as my skull holds out and all…" he shrugged before starting to speed up, grabbing her forearm and pulling her along for a few steps before he released her and ran to catch up with Genis.

With as long as it had taken them to secure passage over the peak, their arrival at the northern foot of the path came with so little fanfare that it almost seemed laughable. It was simply another step – one foot in front of the other. As the land once again flattened into a sporadically forested field, Liane drew a deep breath, stretching her knotted shoulders as she reached up above her head.

On the journey back from the geyser, the group had finally given in to Lloyd's whining for a bed and checked into the House of Salvation near the ruins of the Palmacosta Human Ranch. Oddly enough, Kratos had once again approached her and offered lessons – and, even more odd – she had once again joined him behind the House. He had taken her through drills with both Demon Fang and Double Demon Fang - going so far as to comment how well she was doing despite the smaller sword, even – as well as Wind Blade and Guardian. They had practiced her entire range of special attacks. But his time was different from the last – when she had begun to tire, Kratos had not attacked her to push her harder – he had merely run sword drills with her. While she had still crawled into her pile of blankets in utter exhaustion, it was lacking the resentment she had harbored after their last session. It was strange, but it was certainly less stressful. Ever since the night at the geyser, the animosity had calmed between her and the mercenary – neither of them seeming to be bearing any particular grudge against the other.

And while Genis and Lloyd had seen fit to mark the occasion with a few instances of not-so-subtle teasing that Liane was certain Kratos had heard but chosen not to comment on, Liane still thought it was a good thing – for as long as it could last.

_Maybe I'm finally pulling my own weight in his eyes…_ she wondered as her eyes trailed to the indigo-clad man at the head of their group as they started into a forested gorge to the east of the trail from the peak. It was certainly the only justification she could see to his sudden attempt to teach her more – during a fight no less.

That alone had amazed her… but the mercenary topping things off with the sword lessons? He had been tight-lipped as usual… barely speaking anything more than occasional instruction or correction. But he had seemed to somehow be more intense without pushing her like before. Maybe she was just getting used to him – to his style. Or maybe he was getting used to her.

It was a puzzle that kept her to her own thoughts for most of the time outside of the occasional skirmishes with the native creatures that apparently found their intrusion offensive. But even as such times offered her the opportunity to continue practicing with her attacks, her mind still inevitably wandered ahead. _Is it almost time?_ She would wonder out of the blue… after a battle… after hearing Lloyd and Genis share a snicker… even after being able to almost fool herself that she saw a flicker of approval in Kratos' occasional glance. She had at least a touch of fondness for all of them… they were friends, they were acquaintances… and some were almost close to family with how much time she had spent growing up with them. _Time…_ Liane couldn't help but wonder… even if it was… would she have the strength to do it? To leave them all behind? She knew that her presence would likely turn the tides of very few battles… but not knowing what was happening to them… _that_ was what she feared the most. Not being alone in a strange town, not attempting to carve a new life for herself… but being alone… in the world. There would always be the comfort of knowing that her friends and family were out there somewhere… but what if she didn't know?

Kratos had taken the lead in the group after the last bout with what seemed to be a mushroom and its spawn. The day had begun to stretch into early evening and Asgard was close. While Liane generally recognized the landscape, it seemed that Kratos' presence in their group kept them on the correct trail, even where she was fairly certain she would have taken one turn too early if it would have been left to her memory. The rock path that traced the edges of the ancient cliffs was wide enough to easily allow a cart to pass, much less four people to walk abreast. But Liane still found herself trailing along behind them, taking in the valley and how barren yet beautiful it was by the early sunset.

The town of Asgard itself hadn't changed much, something that brought a smile to her face. It was familiar to her, but she could enjoy the reactions of the others to the buildings that simply seemed to sprout from the rock walls. It was the same reaction she had had when she had first wandered into the town with the Priests. Even Raine's eyes glittered at the arrival in the City of Ruins – as a matter of fact, the only one that didn't seem enthralled to Liane's observation, was – predictably – Kratos.

The mercenary firmly planted himself beside the door of the first building inside the city's gateway, nodding to the door, as Raine and the others approached.

"We should get rooms for the night… we won't have time to wander too far this evening," he murmured as the others gathered around him, all of them seeming to find something new about the mountain town to hold their attention other than him.

"Right… and perhaps a bite of food and then we can at least go see the caves," Raine nodded in at least partial agreement, seeming to be more than happy to ignore the mercenary's insinuation that there was no time for explorations. Turning back to her students, she pushed the door open and swept her arm in for them to enter. "Okay… we'll get three rooms then… usual roommates…" the Professor told them as they all filed past herself and Kratos.

Liane looked to her side at the feeling of someone grabbing her arm, Colette's grin making her smile a bit in return. "I take it you're not complaining…?" she laughed softly as Raine and Kratos entered behind them, the door latching shut as the younger members of the party milled about the lobby to allow Raine and Kratos to see to procuring the rooms.

"Nope!" Colette laughed. "It's like a sleepover… just without the trees and stars like in Iselia…" she shrugged, her eyes not quite carrying the amusement that Liane thought she would find in the gazes of Lloyd or Genis at that topic.

Colette had been a part of their group… there was no denying that. But her time had always been at least overshadowed by who she was. For all the grand destiny that always surrounded the tales of the Chosen, part of Liane always somehow felt bad for the girl. _But really… what exactly is the learning value of stringing the Mayor's laundry from the city gates…?_ The thought almost made her snicker, but it really wasn't the time or the place for that. "It'll be fun…" Liane nodded in agreement as she returned the girl's smile. "Just… no snoring, okay?"

Colette's eyes went wide at that before a smile popped instantly onto her lips, her head shaking frantically. "Nope… I won't do that to you…" she told her dark-haired friend quickly as her eyes darted quickly towards where Raine was handing a silver key to Kratos and pocketing another before she started towards Liane and Colette with the third. "I promise…."

* * *

"All right…" Raine smiled as she gestured over her shoulder, leading her students from the cave. "That was the Shrine of the Rite… remember it for its significance in local customs," she told them before she turned and gestured down to the first level of the town. "In the next cave, there's supposed to be depictions of the Summon Spirit of Wind…" 

"'Depictions'?" Lloyd huffed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he started to follow Colette after the Professor. "Man, the only thing that can save this lesson is if the Summon Spirit actually shows up…" he grumbled as he continued to walk, seemingly oblivious to Genis' snickers behind him.

Liane smiled at the stricken look on Lloyd's face as Raine led her students down the steps and into the passage between the rocks into the second cave, the Professor barely taking a breath in her lecture on the cultural importance of the cave paintings. When they had emerged from the first cave, the assistant teacher noticed that the sky was finally beginning to darken. They would stay in the inn this night, so there would - most likely – be no training with Kratos. The thought was a bit of a relief, truth be told, as his training the night before had left her exhausted, even though she knew that it was worth it. She had finally felt like she had might have held her own against Magnius and Adulocia… even if some of her stand had been nothing more than in-field training.

Pausing outside the cave, she considered following the troop, but before she could bring herself to enter, her feet had backed her carefully away from the entrance. Liane had never had a chance to explore the town when the priests had brought her through. Their visit to Asgard had been an emphasis on the ruins and the caves, which were fascinating, but it overlooked that Asgard was also a living, breathing town. Soon, if her plan went as she hoped, she would be on her own schedule and able to visit the town and explore whenever she wished.

But even in light of that… she still just didn't feel the need to follow her friends.

Kratos had already disappeared after they had eaten, spouting something about checking the shops before they closed, so it wasn't as if she would be the only one that wasn't present for Raine's continuing presentation. The feeling of justification settled securely around her as she walked back to the main road. The houses and shops in the main area were all built directly into the rock of the mountain, which had fascinated her on her first visit and continued to do so. But as the trail hugged the mountainside, more residences began to appear… some that even stood out away from the rock. Some of the houses even bore their own windmills, turning patiently in the evening breeze.

_It's really amazing,_ she couldn't help but smile, following the road as it began to weave up the mountain. _All these people… they have to love this place to make their homes here – it's not like it's a particularly hospitable location._ An image of a thick blanket of snow over the town flashed in her mind and she couldn't help but shiver, despite the relatively warm wind flowing through the canyon. Liane laughed slightly at herself and her imagination as she almost tripped over a giggling child that sprinted in front of her, chasing after a ball.

_And then you get so distracted that you start maiming the village children. Nice, Liane._ She shook her head, glancing around to make sure no more children would be endangered by her simple act of walking, and continued up the trail, enjoying the smell of the damp mountain earth and the scent of the evening wood fires. Then, a distressed sniffle caught her ear. She looked up to find a young woman, not much younger than she was, pacing the fenceline of a well-kept house and muttering to herself.

"I can't believe I broke the vase! The mistress will be so angry with me," the woman fumed, apparently at herself, as she hadn't seemed to notice Liane's presence.

Liane smiled sympathetically, about to step over to the girl to try to offer her a kind word or two when her eyes were suddenly drawn back to the house… a house that was suddenly blanketed in snow. She heard the girl's startled exclamation, but the actual words faded away into the cruel howl of a blizzard. Staggering a few steps towards the house before collapsing to her knees in the snow, her teeth gritted between cold and a pain like she had never known as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. In her attempt to not scream, one anguished word did manage to escape her…

"Kratos…!"

* * *

Kratos walked out of the weapon shop just ahead of the shopkeeper, who quickly turned his key in the lock and hurried down the path between the shops and down to the main level of the town. The skills for the item he had sought had been there, but unfortunately, the items he needed weren't. The customizer seemed to know his trade well enough, so Kratos made a mental note to return when they found some black silver. He really didn't want to wait, but a trip to the shop that he knew he could flat out buy the weapon was out of the question at the moment. 

_The Professor was going to take them to the caves,_ he sighed as he started down the stone steps to the lower level of the town, only to spot a familiar figure apparently sneaking away from the lecture. He arched an eyebrow and altered his course to follow Liane, interested to see why Raine's assistant would be trying to execute such an escape.

_Perhaps Lloyd is rubbing off on her,_ Kratos groaned, his disbelief in the boy's lack of regard for study unless it involved food or some sort of weapon growing with every step.

The more he watched Liane travel down the road before them, the more it seemed that she was simply going for a walk, enjoying the sights and sounds of the village. As she continued up the path after dodging a small child, he momentarily considered catching up to her, walking with her before they retired for the night. The tension between them had eased considerably since the Water Seal… she had even been receptive to his offer of further training. She was continuing to progress – and she was using what he had taught her in battle already – although her claims of limited mana seemed to be disturbingly true. She used her spells and techniques well and accurately enough for her experience, but they shouldn't drain her as fast at they did. But that was only the beginning of his fears for her. The rest, he didn't dare think on.

It was then that he saw her pause at the top of the trail – for a full moment or two, even – before she hunched over, staggered forward, and fell to her knees. His casual stride turned into a sprint to the top.

_Is she under attack?_

But even as her strangled cry to him reached his ears, he realized where they were – and possibly where she _was_. He approached her slowly, seeing Liane was not alone. A young woman in a maid's uniform looked up at him in confusion from where she crouched beside Liane where she continued to writhe on the ground.

"Are you… Kratos?" the maid asked quietly, trying to help Liane to sit up.

He nodded and motioned for her to move. Crouching beside Liane, he slipped his arm under hers and around her back. "Liane?" he asked calmly. "Liane, can you hear me?"

She raised her head at the sound of his voice and he tensed, wary of what she might say to him this time – but when her eyes were clear as she looked at him in confusion, he relaxed slightly.

"Kratos?" she sniffled, her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced around them "What… what are you doing here?"

"You called to him, ma'am," the maid interjected with a concerned smile as she watched over Kratos' shoulder. "Ma'am, are you well?" she looked from Liane to Kratos. "If she's ill, sir, the mistress could most likely be able to help her… she was once a very talented Healer…."

Kratos watched Liane carefully, scrutinizing how she moved, how her eyes focused and unfocused… and how she kept looking back to the nearby house.

"Are you in pain?" he asked to draw her attention back to him.

Liane paused for a moment before looking back to him and shaking her head gingerly. "No… I think I'll be fine…"

Kratos nodded to the maid. "Thank you for your offer – I'm certain your mistress is indeed talented – but I'm sure it was something she ate… a good night's sleep will probably be best for her. Liane, can you stand?"

With a nod, Liane stood, her legs pressing her up from the ground with his assistance. Offering the maid a few words of parting gratitude, he guided Liane back down the trail slowly, noting that her steps were still shaky.

"Kratos… please… let me sit down…" she begged quietly. He spotted a half-wall a few feet away and helped her get to it, steadying her as she pushed herself up to sit on the wall.

He scrutinized her for a long moment, watching her posture wobble a bit as she seemed to be willing to look anywhere but at him. "If you don't want my help, I can go get the others –" he offered, but she was shaking her head before he could speak further.

"No… just give me a minute."

He was silent as he watched her, observing how her head bowing in weariness as the wind tossed strands of her ponytail across her face. "Another dream?" Kratos ventured, wondering if she would really answer him, even when he already knew the answer.

She nodded, her eyes fixed on the ground. "It _felt_ real," she replied, shrugging weakly. "It was snowing… storming… and…" her voice trailed off as she glanced up to him, apparently accidentally meeting his eyes as she looked away as soon as she did so.

_Dammit, why is this happening?_ He knew full well what she had seen… why she had doubled over in pain… why she had called for him – as well as he knew what she had seen on the docks at Izoold… and at the grave near Iselia.

"Did you eat?" he offered, trying to help her by giving her something to consider… maybe she, at least, could find someway to bury the blame with something other than the truth.

She nodded. "But not much… I wasn't really hungry."

"The kitchen at the inn should still be open. You should try to eat. It might help."

Again, she nodded, although it seemed to merely be a placating gesture. He wondered how long it would be before she would tell him what she saw – or if she ever would. It was obvious how she seemed to orbit him – almost as if she wanted to trust him – to befriend him – almost like she simply knew that she could. But then, in the next instant, that would be gone and she would watch him with a weary caution that bordered on dislike. It was those moments of distrust that he found himself almost able to relax – calm in the knowledge that she – and possibly the rest didn't trust him.

Unfortunately, those were the moments he hated the most as well. He stood back from her, crossing his arms over his chest and watching her avoid his gaze for a few moments before he forced himself to look away. Sunset had almost burned itself out and he knew it would be dark soon. He didn't want to rush her, but he also knew that there would be more questions the longer they were away from the group.

"We should get moving… if you feel well enough to walk, that is…" he sighed out, watching her through his bangs for the reaction his mild challenge had been quickly crafted to evoke. And he wasn't disappointed as he saw a filcker of a glare flash though her eyes just before she set her jaw and pushed herself to her feet.

"I'm fine…" Liane grumbled with a small shake of her head, pausing in the middle of the path to glance back to him again. "I'm sorry if I held you up. I…" her voice hesitated as she glanced around them for a moment. "Um, why _are_ you here? I just went for a walk…" Liane watched him with a suspicious arch to her eyebrow. "Didn't you say you were going to the shops?"

Allowing himself a ghost of a smirk, Kratos' hand settled onto the hilt of his sword and he started to walk past her. "I did. The shops closed. Then I was curious why one of Raine's pupils – that wasn't Lloyd – was sneaking away from her tour." He heard her short indignantly just behind him, her footsteps heavier and a bit more hurried, and he knew she was on her way to recovery... even if all that entailed was pushing thoughts she didn't want to deal with aside for the time being.

"I didn't _sneak_…" she retorted with a grumble as she caught up to him, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "It was a beautiful night… and I've seen the caves before. They walked in an almost-tense silence for a few moments longer before she Liane broke her aggravated posture and reached up to massage her temple, a pained sigh slipping from her.

The mercenary glanced over for only a moment, what he hoped wouldn't be long enough for her to even notice. The visions seemed to bring a physical pain in addition to disorientation along with them. He could have guessed that after the night at Iselia… but it still left him to wonder – was she only seeing the nightmare-worthy images? Was she only experiencing the things that no soul should have to experience more than once?

_But… there were good parts… there had to be pleasant memories that would have left an impression as well…._ Granted, they were memories that he kept locked away almost selfishly even from himself – as if allowing them to the surface would hasten their evaporation from his mind and what was left of his heart.

"Why are you being nice to me?"

Kratos turned his head only as much as he had to to watch her out of the corner of his eye. Liane was staring at him intently as if searching for something – something he didn't want her to find if he knew her curious streak as well as he thought he did.

"I could have left you there, I suppose," he responded coolly, almost hating himself for the response, even if the nature of her question indicated that she was expecting such a retort. "But I don't see how spending the night sleeping on a stranger's lawn would help you much either. "You'll be safer at the inn with the others. And probably more comfortable to sleep this off as well."

Her response was silence – something he had begun to understand as an admission that she knew he was right even if she didn't happen to be in a mood to admit it. They continued to walk in silence until they reached the main road of the town and they started back in the direction of the inn. Occasionally he would spare a glance to her – he couldn't help it. Part of him wanted to reach out and take her by the shoulders – shake something out of her – some reason or excuse for why this was happening now.

"I don't know…" she suddenly murmured, a sullen note tainting the declaration as he realized she'd caught him watching her. "It doesn't matter if you ask me or not, I don't know what's wrong with me… but staring at me certainly isn't helping things."

Kratos sighed at her words as he made certain his gaze was fixed out before them. It seemed that she wanted to believe that he was viewing her like a side-show spectacle. Even if he knew that wasn't the truth – it was easier to let her believe that than to voice the curiosity he truly harbored – including how detailed her visions truly were. He wanted to know – he couldn't help or deny that. But that didn't stop him… not as he held the door to the Vortex Inn open for her, nor as he followed her back to the room that she was to share with Colette for the night. He stood back as she put the key in the lock and entered the warmly-lit room, walking past him almost as if she was making it a point to ignore him. She crossed the room slowly, seeming to be a little bit dazed as she threw a pair of blankets in the corner and crawled into them. _If she's going to ignore me… that's probably a safe enough cue to leave…_.

"Kratos…" Liane sighed, rolling to her side to watch the mercenary stop and turn to look back down to her. "Please… don't tell the others. Me knowing that I'm going crazy is bad enough, but…."

"They won't hear anything from me," he replied quietly, his gaze fixed on her by the dim light of the low-burning oil lamp on the nearby table. "But that should be the least of your worries. Rest. I'm sure the others will be back soon. We still don't know what tomorrow will bring, but if it's another Seal Guardian, you'll need your energy."

"Another day, another fight…" Liane murmured, shrugging further into her blankets. "I'll be ready… or I guess as ready as any of us can be anyway…" her voice trailed off as she fought her eyelids one more time, watching him almost warily before she spoke again. "Thanks…."

Kratos watched Liane for a little longer, nodding when her eyes slid closed. While he was sure that the others would be back soon, he was just as sure that her roommate, the Chosen, wouldn't disturb her.

He left the room, making certain that the door was locked and closed behind him before he made his way down the hall to the room he would share with Lloyd that night. It seemed that the professor didn't trust Lloyd and Genis to room together, but the assignments worked out for the best with the siblings sharing a room. Even if it did make things a bit strange rooming with Lloyd.

_But no stranger than what happened tonight… _he sighed and let himself into his room, pushing the door closed behind him. Kratos stood in the almost-completely dark room, his eyes adapting after only a moment. He remained standing by the door, letting the darkness wrap around him and comfort him. Long had the dark been his domain, utterly devoid of light or anything related to it. Even in the brightest summer days, his world seemed to be a frigid and never-ending winter that he had embraced in compromise for having nothing – feeling nothing.

Even in the dark that would send most scrambling for a lantern, he saw the straight-backed armchair that sat in the corner of the room. He walked to it and sat down, his elbows going to the armrests as he laced his fingers as a rest for his chin. His eyes searched the darkness of the silent room before they slid shut and he relaxed, the call of the memory he had long ago banished too strong for him to resist after his time with Liane. All he was conscious of was breathing… one deep breath after another….

_When he opened his eyes, he spent a moment mesmerized by the strange sensations that surrounded him. A few feet away, a bright fire churned in an old stone fireplace pouring out a warmth at only helped to fill the room around him. The windows nearby still crackled with the raging snowstorm outside, the cold held at bay by the hospitality of the Lady of the house – something he realized he could never express proper gratitude for enough._

_He stretched his legs out before him, stretching as best he could where he had propped himself against the sofa to sit on the wooden floor. The warmth… the sound of the ice crystals pounding against the windowpanes – it all set the scene. But what turned the room and its atmosphere into something precious was the breathing. The deep, exhausted breaths of his wife where she slept on the sofa behind him – and the deep, seemingly contented breaths of the small bundle curled into his arm and against his chest._

_Kratos looked down, carefully moving his free hand to pull the soft blanked back from the tiny infant's face. He couldn't resist, even as the child whimpered softly as if protesting the idea of waking before he settled once again._

A son. I have a son.

_The realization as a million times more amazing than the concept had been for the past nine months. But as wondrous as the child himself was, Kratos simply didn't have adequate words for the woman that slept behind him. There were no words._

_He turned - careful to not jostle the sleeping infant – to watch her. She was the woman who had given him her heart even as she had stolen his… the woman who had vowed to love him even in light of the strange truths of his existence… the woman who had given him a son._

_"Anna…" he whispered, reaching out his free hand to caress her cheek. She slept soundly, thanks to the herbs that the midwife had given her, her straight chestnut hair spilling from the pillow she rested on and reflecting the dancing flames. Once again, he was in awe of her. She was an angel – and not in the way that he and Cruxis had corrupted the term. She was an angel. She was his angel._

_When his wife stirred, a soft moan slipping from her lips, he let his hand fall away, but continued to watch her. He had wanted to heal her – offer her some relief, but the midwife had advised against it for the time being. She had told him that rest would be the best for her – while they had the luxury of time thanks to the raging storm outside. They had been on the run since their latest camp had been destroyed two nights before, but he never guessed that one of the worst snowstorms on record would end up being their ally. Especially when their child seemed to take their first sighting of Asgard as his cue to enter the world. They had barely made it to the midwife's residence before Anna had collapsed in the gathering snow. But now, it would be that same snow that would offer them refuge while Anna and their son gained their strength. It was being said that the storm would last another two days at least – then they would have to be ready to leave._

_As dismal as the thought was, he knew better than to take this time for granted. Even as Anna started to turn, the action startled him from his musing as her quilt fell from her and down over his shoulder. Smiling, he started to turn, to tuck the blanket back around her – but he stopped before he could do so, his smile falling away as his gaze fixed on the sky-blue stone at the base of her throat. A soft glow seemed to be coming from it, and even though he knew it could be a trick of the firelight, he still couldn't help but feel it was mocking him. Everything he had ever wanted – even if he had never realized it – was right there with him at that moment – and the blue stone only served to remind him how easily he had almost lost it all – how easily he still could._

_Setting his jaw, Kratos gently finished wrapping the quilt over her, covering over the stone before he gently moved her necklace pendant to rest on top of the blanket – on top of the stone and its constant challenge to him. The pendant and small twinkling diamond that she had accepted from him as a token of his love and his vow to never let anyone take her away from him – it was a reassurance even in the fragile bubble of peace that had taken them after their day. He rested his head back on the edge of the sofa and let his eyes slide shut, holding his son just a bit tighter. "I'll protect you… I'll protect you both…" he whispered his vow to them – his wife and son, heart and soul._

_After a few more moments of quiet, a new noise startled him – a soft giggle from behind him just before he felt delicate fingers starting to trail through his hair. "Protect us? Okay – the old lady did seem kinda scary and mean… yelling at me to 'push' and all that. But she's old. I think you could take her."_

_Kratos chuckled quietly, leaving his eyes closed for a moment to savor her touch, her voice - as weary as it was. "I don't know… she did seem tough…" he replied before pulling out of her grasp just enough to turn to her, meeting her warm brown eyes as he reached out to stroke her cheek. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked, glad she was awake but still worried for her._

_"Maybe…" Anna shrugged with a smile as her eyes fell from him to the infant that slept on his shoulder. "Is he… okay?" she asked, her voice dropping to the barest of whispers, almost as if she dreaded the answer._

_"He's perfect," Kratos assured her as he moved the baby closer to her, supporting his tiny, limp form for a moment before he pushed himself up to his knees. Gently resting the boy on her chest, he sat back to watch the sleeping baby curl into her as she moved one bare arm to wrap over him. "He's like his mother that way," he told her as he saw her eyes well slightly._

_"He's so little…" she smiled, running her fingers gently over faint curls of brown that littered the baby's scalp. Then she looked over to Kratos with as much seriousness as she could muster. "But_ _he's not perfect… not yet."_

_Kratos raised an eyebrow to her, wondering what she could be thinking, holding the child so close and not seeing him as a little miracle. He had long ago let go of his anxiety of his involvement with the child… how he had feared that that had been a part of his humanity he had left behind… that the child his wife carried would be a reflection of the shadowy creature that had remained over the millennia. Anna's response to his fears had been as serious as could be. 'You're still a man…' and even though it wasn't something he had been accused of in recent memory, her faith was enough. But now, it was that same faith that he wondered had been shaken – if she had seen something in their son that she hadn't expected – or worse, detested. "Not yet?"_

_Anna rolled her head on the pillow to watch him, amusement dancing in her weary eyes. "Not yet. He needs a name… then he'll be perfect."_

_"A name…" Kratos smirked, reaching to take her hand in his, running his thumb over the back of the soft skin for a moment in thought. "What would you like to name him?"_

_"No," Anna shook her head as she met his gaze. "We've talked about this. If it was a boy – you got to name him. It's too late to back out now." She tilted her head to him as if she sensed his indecision. "Come on… I know you've thought about it – maybe… maybe someone from your family?"_

_Kratos sighed. His family… that had been so long ago. But he still dreamed of them sometimes – including the man that had first put a sword in his hand, the man that had been a proud fighter in the King's elite guard of the time. He was strong in will and body… and it was what the man had wanted for his son… and what Kratos found himself with the same thoughts of for his own son. "You… are my family," he whispered, the same words that came up whenever his blood-kin came up as a topic. "I want to name him Lloyd."_

_"Lloyd…" Anna murmured, turning her attention back to her sleeping son. "Lloyd Aurion. I like it…" she whispered, leaning her head forward to place a kiss on the baby's forehead. Then she rested back, looking to Kratos with a smile as her eyelids started to droop. "Kratos… may I…"_

_"His grandfather…" Kratos answered her question quietly before her words could form. "Is he perfect now?"_

_Anna nodded, reaching to pick up the baby's hand where it rested on the blanket that separated them, waving it gently at Kratos. "Lloyd, tell your Daddy that you're better than perfect… you both are. You're both mine…."_

_Kratos smiled, reaching out to take the infant's hand from her. "Go to sleep. We'll both be here in the morning – or whenever he gets hungry," he told his wife as he watched her eyes slip shut, a smile still on her lips. As she and Lloyd appeared to share the peaceful sleep, he found himself unable to release his son's hand, marveling at the tiny creature that he had helped bring into the world – as uncertain as it was. "I'll protect you, Lloyd… and your mother, too… any way I have to. Your father will protect you."_

_Lloyd._

_Father. Mother._

_Son. Wife._

_Lloyd…._

"Kratos!"

His eyes shot open, the warm living room of the midwife replaced by the lamp-lit room at the Vortex Inn. The sofa behind him fading back into the wooden armchair… and the teenage swordsman standing before him no longer the newborn curled on his wife's chest – instead, little more than a stranger – and someone that Kratos had broken his vow to.

"Man, I didn't think you ever slept!" Lloyd laughed, shaking his head as he walked to the bed near the door and sat down, kicking off his boots before he flopped back onto the bed. "But I have to tell you – when you and Liane both disappeared, Genis was sure we'd find you two together. He was so disappointed when Colette came back and said Liane was asleep in their room and that you weren't anywhere around. He had the best stories worked up, too…" he grinned before he rolled onto his stomach, clutching his pillow tightly to him.

"Hmmm…" Kratos snorted, pushing himself from his chair and moving to sit on the other bed, carefully reconstructing his mask of indifference. "First you warn me away from her, then you're making up stories. It sounds like you need to make up your minds," he groaned as he leaned back onto his bed.

The only response from the young swordsman was something between a mumble and a snore. It still never ceased to amaze him how quickly the boy could tune things out and fall asleep. Kratos sighed, watching Lloyd for only a moment longer before he reached to turn out the lamp between the two beds – denying the building urge to search the boy's face for some sign of her – denying himself a mistaken glimpse of his family from long ago. But before he could kill the light, something caught his eye and made him freeze. The way Lloyd had curled into the pillow, his left hand had come around, almost as if his Exsphere… _Anna's Exsphere_… wanted a final word with him.

Kratos stared at the pale blue for a moment… the thing that had helped to tear his family apart… then his eyes widened. Where it had preyed on Anna's life, it now helped protect her son… almost as if in a bid for redemption. It was almost as if he, too, was being offered something similar. Where he had failed in his vows before, he had another chance to make good on them. He would find a way – some way – to protect Lloyd. And if he could find a way to do the same for Liane, then maybe… somehow… his broken word could be restored.

_Even if Lloyd and Anna never know it._

With a deep sigh, Kratos turned out the lamp and reclined back on the bed, once again sliding into the darkness and clearing his mind. There was much to do – much to plan.

But that would come with the morning. His resolve was set – the instinct to protect them all solidifying in the knowledge that he would find a way.

He had to.

* * *

Before the morning sun had even started to touch the town of Asgard, the doors of the Vortex Inn opened, and the Chosen group was herded out into the street – each of them in various states of wakefulness. 

"It's not too early!" Raine declared as she pulled the door to the inn shut behind them. "The sun is up, we have things to do! The journey can't wait just because you want to sleep in, Lloyd…."

They young swordsman grumbled something vaguely coherent before his words finally crystallized into something comprehensible. "It is really so much to ask to wait until the sun's up? Man, we practically still need torches to see our way around…" he groaned, stretching his arms up over his head as he walked between Genis and Liane.

Liane trudged along with them, following Colette and Kratos as she still was trying to decide how she wanted to handle the day. It was easy enough to tune out Lloyd's complaints – she had done it for years – even when Raine predictably pushed her argument for not letting life pass you by. She was certain that she could argue both of their sides for them if they wanted to take a break. But instead, she diverted her attention to trying to grasp the fleeting pieces of her dream, trying to hold on to what images she could. Sleep had only taken away the distraction of the waking world – leaving only the abstract, blurry images that had forced their way into her mind the previous night. Even though they had pursued her through the night, she still couldn't understand the story they were trying to tell her. Or maybe she wouldn't understand – she couldn't be sure. What she was sure of, though, was that Lloyd and Kratos had been there. It was more a feeling than an image – it was their presence she had sensed, and she thought she remembered hearing their names.

_Which only makes it seem like more of a dream_, she sighed. _Why else would they both be together like that? _Liane hated writing it off like that… all of the dreams – or visions – or whatever they were – seemed to want to tell her something. And more… she couldn't shake the feeling that they were all linked.

"You just want to make sure we beat the rest of the tourists there…"

Genis' taunting comment and his accompanying laugh warmed its way into Liane's thoughts as she couldn't help but snicker, grateful for the distraction of the silver-haired boy's observation.

"Well, it wouldn't do to put anyone in danger for being there at the wrong time if this is the right place for the next seal," Raine reasoned with a huff as the group started up the stone-slab steps, Kratos and Colette continuing to lead them in following the signs that pointed the way to the ruins.

"Yep. She just doesn't want to be mistaken for just a tourist," Lloyd grinned and nodded to his friends, glancing over his shoulder to the Professor as his feet carried him forward a cautionary step to keep out of her reach.

Liane sighed but still smiled, shaking her head as she heard a groan from Raine. "_Now_ you start dodging, Lloyd?" she asked as the swordsman turned his grin back to her.

"Better late than never, I guess," Genis laughed as he hurried to fall in step with his friend. "One less bruise can't possibly be a bad thing!"

A quickening of footsteps behind her made Liane pause and turn, stepping back at the last moment to allow Raine to run past. The dark-haired girl's eyes were wide – she had never seen Raine actually chase after the boys before, and she was certain they had gotten in much better jabs in the past. She couldn't help but cringe as Raine approached behind them –

- but then she kept running. Raine ran past what seemed to be an equally surprised Lloyd and Genis – and then Kratos and Colette – only stopping finally at the top of the steep stone steps, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

"Oh! It's the Asgard Ruins!" Raine inhaled deeply, her gaze sliding over the expanse of stone before her as the others gathered around her. The Professor took a few more seemingly stunned steps forward, the others reaching the top and following her as the brisk morning wind wrapped around them. The morning sun was bright on the stone slab that crowned the hill, the rock itself almost seeming to shine in the light. She then turned, casually crossing her arms as she gestured casually to Lloyd. "Lloyd, state the historical background of this ruin."

Lloyd's eyes widened as the teacher's gaze fixed on him, his hand already moving to comb through his hair with a nervous chuckle. "Ah, um, well, let's see…

Liane grit her teeth, standing back and clasping her hands behind her back. She still wasn't entirely sure Raine wasn't still just a bit sore at her for the incident at the pass the day before, so she decided that it really wasn't her place to step in. But she still couldn't help but silently pull for her friend. _Come on, Lloyd – we didn't go over this that long ago… she's just paying you back for yesterday, now…._

"It's the temple where Cleo III held a ritual to offer a sacrifice to the Summon Spirit of Wind in order to quell a storm that had raged for a week," Genis volunteered, stepping in front of Lloyd with an explanatory wave of his hand as if he was seeking to distract Raine's fury from Lloyd.

Lloyd grinned as Genis' response faded on the stiff winds that swirled around them, pointing at Genis triumphantly. "…That's it."

"Gah!" Raine threw her hands up into the air as her eyes clenched shut in what looked to be a very physical pain. "Have you learned anything at all these past five years!"

Lloyd grinned and nodded eagerly, raising a hand and starting to tick off his fingers one at a time. "PE and Art and –"

Raine fairly growled her frustration as her head fell forward for a moment, her shoulders heaving with a deep breath of something resembling defeat before she lifted her head just enough to glare at Lloyd. "Never mind!" the silver-haired woman huffed for a moment longer before she turned her back on the barely muffled laughter that slipped from Genis and Lloyd.

"What perfect form!" she murmured with open admiration, reaching a hand out to respectfully trace the carved lines of the stone. "This delicate curve is said to express the flight of the Summon Spirit of Wind through the sky. In addition, it is said that this stone is infused with a large volume of mana, and at night…."

Trying to set a good example, Liane tried to pay attention to Raine's lecture – her efforts reinforced by Genis and Colette, both seeming to be thoroughly absorbed by the impromptu lesson. Then… there was Lloyd. Lloyd, who – predictably – wandered away with a small yawn. She sighed, watching the brown-haired boy wander over to where Kratos stood away from the group, his back to them as he looked out over the land that surrounded the ruins. They spoke for a few brief moments before she saw Lloyd turn and walk back towards her. But the brown-haired teen only offering her a playful grin as he continued to walk past them and around the corner of the stone platform... _effectively avoiding any more education than he has to have… oh, Lloyd…._

But when she looked back, she saw that Kratos was still firmly rooted in his place near the edge of the mound, the wind playing vigorously with both his hair and his cape. Liane bit her lip, glancing back to the Professor one more time. _Sorry, Raine… but I do know the history… from you and from the priests…_. She sighed, turning and walking over to the mercenary, keeping a comfortable distance between them as she followed his gaze out over the valley for a moment.

"Have you been to Asgard before?" she asked quietly, still not looking up to him, even as she partly expected him to ignore her, much less her question.

"My travels have occasionally brought me here in the past," Kratos answered, his voice almost blending into the wind that howled around the carved pillars at the corners of the dais. "Shouldn't you be learning about the stone from the Professor?"

Liane shrugged, glancing over her shoulder to see Raine still lecturing to anyone who could possibly be listening. "I think I could give the lecture, actually – I've been through her lessons as well as those of the church." She sat down near the edge of the plateau, pulling her knees up before her and resting her chin on them. "But she enjoys it too much to butt in…"

Kratos snorted – what could have almost been a chuckle. An awkward silence once again settled between them before he glanced down to her. "So… you're over here to keep yourself from depriving her of the thrill of a lecture on ruins? Commendable…."

"Did you just make a joke?" Liane looked up at him with a snicker before she shook her head and sobered slightly, glancing away. "No… she can have it. I… wanted to say thank you to you, though – I figured while they're all distracted, it would be a good time."

"For what?" the mercenary asked, tilting his head down to watch her as the wind tossed his bangs enough for him to meet her gaze.

With a shrug and a smirk, Liane did her best to keep his eyes even though she so very much wanted to look away. "For covering for me last night. I… I'm not sure why you did, but I appreciate it."

Kratos continued to watch her for a moment longer without acknowledging her words. Just as she started to look away, she saw his shoulders drop just a bit.

"You asked me not to say anything and I didn't. It was a simple request and there was no reason not to honor it," Kratos replied, his tone even.

Liane smirked, stretching her legs out before her as she rested her weight on her hands behind her. "But you didn't have to. That's why I'm thanking you," she sighed, letting her head roll back to watch the clouds that seemed all too close drift across the sky. She was very much aware of the awkwardness – just as she knew it was still somehow easier than it had been. Somehow, she was starting to realize that whatever it was that was happening to her – she was still relatively safe with him.

Kratos nodded, looking back out over the valley for a few moments longer before he glanced back to the others. "I'll accept your thanks if you answer a question for me," he murmured, still watching their companions until he shifted his eyes down to her at the close of his statement.

One eyebrow arching at him, Liane frowned for a moment_. It was a simple gesture… now I have to fight him for it? _She was almost offended, but she was still curious as to what question he would have for her – curious, and a bit worried. "Okay…?"

"Why don't you want your friends to know about your dreams?" he asked, dropping his voice to afford her as much privacy for whatever answer she might see fit to give him. "You certainly seem to trust them more than me, yet you ask me to keep what I've seen a secret from them?"

A flash of guilt ran through her, although she was somehow certain that he hadn't intended it that way – or at least he hadn't meant it that way for his benefit. Liane frowned, chewing her lip for a moment as she tried to put words to her instinctive reaction to the dreams that both intrigued her and horrified her. "Honestly?" she sighed with a helpless shrug. "I don't know what I'd tell them."

"Perhaps the truth?" Kratos suggested evenly. "I doubt your friends would condemn you for honesty."

"Kratos…" Liane stopped, holding her breath for a moment before her head bowed forward. She didn't know what to tell them – or him either. She knew full well that he had appeared in some of her dreams – nightmares – whatever they were. Or it was someone eerily like him. Either way, she couldn't allow herself to put faith in her tentative bond with the mercenary. She could barely put her faith in herself at the moment. "I don't really know. I mean, isn't it rather silly? I'm well past the age that nightmares should bother me like this – and beyond that… well, the other options aren't pretty. I… I've always thought that dreams meant something… that they'd make sense some day when and if you remembered them." Liane shook her head, still not looking up to him. "Now… that's the last thing I want to believe."

The mercenary was silent, still not looking at her until his response started to form with what looked to be a shrug. "That's the thing about free will – you can choose what you want to believe in. You can let what you've seen control you… _haunt_ you even, if you so desire. But ultimately, it will be up to you."

Liane nodded thoughtfully, considering his inflectionless words before she couldn't help but chuckle dryly. "Sounds like you have some experience in that."

"Perhaps we all do… at some point in time," he replied. "Believing is the one decision that no one can make for you – that no one can force you into. All the help and advice in the world can help with that."

"I guess…" Liane replied thoughtfully. "It just seems that there's so much more to worry about right now – so much that's bigger than me – than all of us. It's all hard enough without dealing with dreams I can't even explain to myself that won't be content to leave me alone."

Kratos glanced down to her, meeting her gaze completely for just a moment as the winds carried his bangs away. "Maybe you have to be content to leave them alone," he offered. "They only have the power over you that you allow them."

Blinking, Liane was almost ready to take his words as an insult – but as his suggestion echoed a bit in her mind, she drew a deep breath, seeing the honesty – and the truth in his words. "I… guess so…" she admitted softly. "They're just hard to ignore. I can't help but feel like I'm missing something – like I'm not hearing what they're trying to tell me…" then she laughed a bit humorlessly at the notion. "And there I go again…."

"Sometimes a dream is just a dream," Kratos told her quietly. "Sometimes you're not meant to have all the pieces. You have to be as willing to accept that as you are to grasp at the chance that there is some greater meaning to it."

"Hurry, everybody!" Lloyd called out as he rounded the corner of the dais at a run, Raine close behind him.

Liane looked up, startled by Lloyd's call as she shot to her feet. On the far side of the dais, she saw a man in a skullcap and robes accompanied by a pair of villagemen pursuing the young swordsman and the Professor. _Oh, Lloyd… what did you do this time…?_

Raine paused at the top of the stone steps with a wistful look back to the dais and a deep sigh. "I wanted to study it more…."

Genis planted his hands on the small of his sister's back even as Liane grabbed her forearm and pulled. "And if we run now, you might have a chance of coming back later – now go!" the young mage grunted as his face scrunched and he threw his weight against Raine.

"Come on…" Kratos murmured beside her, shaking Liane from her attempt to understand the situation as he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her towards the steps that led back to the town below.

Raine and Lloyd led the group in their break-neck sprint down the steps, followed closely by Genis and Colette, and finally Kratos and Liane at the back, leaving the angered complaints of the robed man and his companions. As they reached the bottom of the steps, all of them except Kratos wheezing slightly as they spared a collectively weary glance back up the steps.

"Lloyd, what did you do? Who were those guys?" Genis hissed out, his small arms shaking in exasperation. "And why did we have to run from them?"

"Hey!" Lloyd bit back defensively with a wheeze. "I didn't do anything! The other two – the dark haired guy and the redhead – they were trying to blow up the stone! I tried to stop them – ask Raine!" he crossed his arms, glancing over to the Professor for backup.

As Genis spun to look to his older sister, his eyes widened as she shrugged and nodded.

"He's right… I thought he would have been the one causing trouble… but for once, Lloyd didn't seem to have a hand in it," the Professor told her brother and the rest of the group.

Lloyd rolled his eyes at the revelation that Raine had been ready to blame him, but merely shook his head and clenched his teeth. "Who were those two?" he puffed, leaning forward as he tried to catch his breath after their sprint down the steps.

Colette shrugged, glancing around to the others, and then to the relatively deserted road that stretched to either side of the mountain town. "I wonder why they wanted to destroy the ruin?" she asked in confusion, flipping her hair back over her shoulder in the wind.

"Yes, the ruin!" Raine's head snapped up to look back up the steps they had just descended, her hands curling into tight fists. "We have to stop them from engaging in such foolish acts like trying to destroy a ruin. Let's go, Lloyd."

"Go where?" Lloyd waved his hands in frustration at his teacher's impatience. "It's not like they're friends or they left us directions to their house so we can find them…!"

Liane's arms fell against her sides in a moment of exasperation, but only until she spotted the dark-haired little boy milling near the cave opening that sported a sign boasting Dragon rides for tourists. _Almost too simple…_ she smirked as she walked to the boy, crouching before him and meeting his wide-eyed curiosity with a smile. "Hey, kiddo… did you see a couple of guys run past here a minute or so ago?" she asked, hoping it was enough description to get the little boy to be able to help them. _Really… it's still kind of early… how many people have really come down in the last few minutes?_

The boy blinked, watching her suspiciously for a moment before he rolled his eyes. "You mean Linar and Harley?" he asked, shaking his head before he leaned back against the rock wall beside the cave. "What did they do this time…?"

Liane giggled a little at the boy's assumption, getting the distinct feeling that this wasn't the first time that Lloyd and Raine's new 'friends' had found themselves in trouble in Asgard. "Well, we just want to talk to them for a few minutes… do you think you can tell us where we might find them?"

"Down the road…" the boy pointed back into the town with a roll of his eyes. "Take the last right you can… it'll go up between a few houses… it's the second house you'll pass on your way up on the right – lots of wood… two floors. That's Linar's house, but if they're in trouble, they'll both be there…."

Standing, Liane straightened her tunic with a sigh. _Oh… _that_ road…_ she shook her head a little, hoping that her last journey down that road wouldn't be repeated – especially with everyone there to act as witness this time. Pushing the thoughts away, she forced a smile back to her lips and reached into the coin pouch at her side, flipping the boy a single gald coin, which he eagerly caught. "Thanks for the help, kid…" she smiled before she turned and looked back to her companions with a shrug. "Better than going door to door?"

Raine nodded appreciatively at her assistant's methods and turned to fall in step beside her as they started in the direction they had been given. "Well played…" she murmured as the rest of the group fell in step behind them, Lloyd still grumbling about their forced retreat and how they were going to get blamed for it. "We really need to know why they'd destroy something so culturally important as the dais…"

"I know, Raine…" Liane sighed, once again just going along with her mentor's concern for all things ancient. Long before she had decided it was easier to smile and nod pleasantly than to try to understand all the quirks of the elven woman's personality. "We'll find them… we'll ask… and we'll decide where to go from there, right?"

While the path was identical to the one she had taken the night before, Liane noted that the children playing at the base of the hill parted to allow the party to pass. She fought the urge to groan as she felt their eyes on them… her mind reading into their curious expressions. _They probably think I'm back to finish trampling them from last night…_ she sighed, a small voice in the back of her mind wondering if the children had been there as Kratos had brought her down the hill – she honestly didn't remember. Dreams out of nowhere were one thing… but blanks in her memory were unnerving… almost like the dreams were absorbing time from her own life.

Her thoughts were once again banished with a feeling of relief as the house that the boy had described to them presented itself from the hillside.

"That's it! It's gotta be…" Genis stopped on the path and gestured to the structure.

"Yeah… now we can figure out why they were trying to blow up the ruins…" Lloyd mumbled as he walked out ahead and reached up to knock firmly on the door of the house. The sound of the rapping seemed to echo slightly off the nearby stone walls, but there was nothing else save for the faint whine of the ever-present wind through the canyon and the distant laughter of the children playing below.

After a few moments, the door opened on its whining hinges to reveal a dark-haired girl with wide eyes. "Can I help you?" the girl asked politely as she studied her visitors, only to have the door pulled from her hands by a redhead that was all too familiar to Lloyd and Raine.

"You're those tourists from earlier!" Harley grumbled accusingly, trying to shut the door in their faces only to be stopped by the girl that had opened the door.

"Honestly, Harley…" the girl glared at the red-haired boy, staring at him until he backed down with a wordless grumble under his breath. "Please… come in…" she sighed, sweeping her arm inward to bring the strangers into the dwelling.

Raine snorted indignantly as she entered the house, her hands clenched at her staff as she stopped to glare at Harley. "I am a scholar," she declared, keeping a cold glare on him.

"Whatever," the redhead snorted, his arms crossed contentiously over his chest. "Get out!"

Liane could only stared at the half-elf before she couldn't help but look to Kratos, barely containing a snicker in light of the situation. _Huh. Bet those two would get along famously if we left them alone for a bit… either that or they'd kill each other._

"Harley, stop it. This is _my_ house..." the girl groaned, planting her palm in the middle of Harley's chest to get his attention. She waited for a moment, staring up to him pointedly before sighing and turning back to the others. "I understand that you were the ones that stopped Harley and my brother. Thank you."

"I'm not sure "stopped" is the best way to put it," Kratos sighed from the back of the group, still standing near the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

The girl giggled at the mercenary's comment, hiding her mouth with her hand before her eyes scanned over all of her visitors one at a time. "I'm Aisha…" she nodded to the corner, where another villageman familiar to the group sat in a stuffed armchair. "I think you know my brother, Linar, too…?"

Harley's face flushed with anger as he spun on the black haired girl, seemingly had enough of being ignored, pointing a shaking finger in the newcomers' direction. "They got in our way!"

Aisha turned back to the redhead, her head rolling back in exasperation as she shook her hands at him in frustration. "It doesn't matter what you call it! The point is, the people of this city are the ones that would suffer if that ruin was destroyed."

_Ah… dissention in the ranks… seems everyone has one kind of stress or another at this point…_ Liane shook her head as Linar stood from his chair and silently crossed the room to stand beside his sister, his hands clenched behind his back as he walked.

A growl of frustration slipped out of Harley as he seemed to forget the newcomers to his friends' home, shaking his open hands in a pleading gesture to the girl. "But… as things are now, you're going to be sacrificed!"

Lloyd looked up, apparently startled at the statement, his eyes shifting between the Asgardians. "Sacrificed?"

Liane heard Aisha sigh and looked up to see her shoulders droop, the simple gesture suggesting the truth of Harley's words.

Linar reached out to his sister's shoulder, squeezing it before he looked up to the others with a nod of confirmation. "It's a ritual in honor of the Summon Spirit of Wind. Aisha was chosen for it. Originally, the ritual consisted of just dancing on the stone platform, but – "

"This idiot started meddling with the stone dais as part of his research and opened the seal," Harley huffed, completing Linar's tale as he reached over to the meek dark-haired young man, shoving gently at his shoulder to make his point. "Because of that, that Summon Spirit of Wind-thing awoke and is demanding sacrifices."

"The seal?" Raine's head shot up at Harley's words, her eyes wide and fairly sparkling. "Do you mean…"

Colette looked between the Professor and Linar, gesturing a bit in helplessness. "What! The seal?"

Linar nodded in answer to Raine, his focus clearly solely on her and their conversation, as if the rest of them had all faded away. "Yes! If you, too, are researching the Balacruf ruins, then you must be aware of the altar erected in praise of the Summon Spirit of Wind. The seal really existed, just as the legend said!"

"Are you saying that the Balacruf Pillar hieroglyphics are not just a myth!" Raine exclaimed, her jaw dropping and her eyes glazing just a bit as she waited for the dark-haired man's confirmation.

Colette took a step forward, acting almost as if she wanted to speak as she looked between Linar and Raine. She clasped he hands behind her back and rocked back on her heels as if waiting for a turn to speak.

Lloyd nudged Liane to get her attention. "It sounds like this isn't the seal we're looking for," he whispered, his brow furrowed in thought.

Shaking her head in response to the young swordsman, Liane met his gaze with a shrug. _It's like they've both forgotten the rest of us are even here…._

Genis took a step to his sister's side, putting his hand gently on her arm. "Raine…Aren't you forgetting why we're on this journey?" he asked just loud enough to earn a questioning glance from his sister as if her focus was still torn between her brother's concern and the tantalizing conversation with the Asgardian scholar.

Kratos groaned softly, shaking his head. "Well, it's all right…It's not as if it's completely out of our way," he shrugged as Genis turned to look at him in surprise.

It was a surprise that Liane echoed as she took a step closer to the mercenary. "Is this the same mercenary that was so bothered that we were derailing the Regeneration to try to help Chocolat?" she murmured softly, arching an eyebrow at him. Her only answer, predictably was an indifferent grunt as Linar continued babbling at the Professor, still ignoring everyone else.

"Yes!" Linar nodded eagerly as he gestured in the air, drawing a square with his finger to serve as his exhibit. "In the back of the of the platform there is a small indentation, and –"

"That's enough!" Harley stomped his foot to get everyone's attention, his eyes flashing with anger. "Aisha's about to be sacrificed to the Summon Spirit tonight! Now get out of here!"

As the door to the home slammed shut behind them, Liane heard voices – angry voices – from within. _Aisha didn't seem nearly as upset about being a sacrifice as she does about Linar and Harley trying to blow up the dais…._

"Now what?" Lloyd groaned, his arms hanging limply at his sides as he turned back to the others. "That girl is gonna get eaten by the summon spirit-thing – and the only way to stop it is if we destroy the ruins? What am I missing here?"

Raine sighed. "No one said she would be 'eaten,' Lloyd… there's no reason to be so dramatic. Use your energy to find a way around this so that nothing will happen to her."

"Perhaps a return to the dais is in order," Kratos murmured quietly from where he stood near the path that led back down into the town. "There might be something in the carvings on the stone – or on the columns?"

With a sigh, Liane shook her head. "Sure… why not? We already ran from the Mayor once – I'm sure a pack of strangers won't stick out at all… he'll never know it was us, right?" _We're all going to end up in jail…._

The path back to the ruins seemed to go quickly as their familiarity with the winding town road grew and the group found themselves ascending the stone steps once again. Lloyd and Genis led the group this time, but their steps stopped short as they looked up to find that they weren't alone on the path this time. Just ahead of them, the Mayor was stopped in the middle of the steps, his arms crossed sternly across his chest as he made himself an obvious obstacle to them going any further to the stone ruins. "You're the ones that went up on the dais," he snorted his statement, his chilled gaze sliding over all of them.

Raine left her position beside Liane at the back of the group to move to the head of the group, nodding her head and bowing respectfully to the robed village elder that stood before them. "I am a scholar. May I please have your permission to study this ruin?" she spoke evenly, her posture straightening and meeting the bearded man's gaze.

The Mayor sighed, resting his forehead in his hand for a moment. "There's an idiot just like you in this city already. Thanks to him, the city's tourism industry is on the verge of collapse," he looked up, locking his gaze with that of the professor. "I refuse."

Raine stared at the Mayor, her head tilted in curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

"If you want to know, try asking Linar," the Mayor shrugged while keeping his gaze cool on the visitors and Raine in particular.

With a roll of her eyes, Raine waved off the evasive comment of the Mayor. "If you're talking about the sacrifice, we've already heard about it."

"Then you should understand," the Mayor snorted with a shake of his head. "We can't allow anyone to disturb the dais any further and risk bringing down the wrath of the Summon Spirit of Wind. The only one who may step up upon this stage is the Summon Spirit dancer."

Raine was silent for a few moments as the wind holed around them. Then, as if she had made a decision, she nodded, fixing her gaze on the mayor. "Then I shall become the dancer. Then it would be fine for me to go up onto the stage, yes?"

Lloyd's eyes widened as he took a step forward to Raine's side. "Professor!"

Liane bit her lip, sharing Lloyd's concern, but – on the other hand – she knew the Professor wasn't prone to rash decisions. She had a plan – even if it looked like it could easily put her in the path of danger.

Raine turned to her brown-haired student, drawing a breath to start her explanation even as a smile started to curl her lips. "According to the Book of Regeneration, this should be the next seal. If we can meet the Summon Spirit, we should be able to tell. The sacrifice that the Summon Spirit seeks might even be the Chosen of Mana."

"…I see!" Colette grinned, clasping her hands together at the explanation of Raine's plan. "That's our Professor!"

Lloyd, on the other hand, snickered quietly, edging closer to the professor, his eyebrow arched accusingly. "…You just want to study the ruin firsthand."

Raine's retaliation to the swordsman's taunt was swift, her hand flying out to catch the boy's cheek before he even seemed to register what had happened. She kept her glare fixed on him for a moment longer as if in warning before she straightened her coat and pointedly turned her attention back to the mayor.

Genis looked over to Lloyd with a weary shake of his head even as the swordsman kept a protective hand over the site of the Professor's assault. "You should learn to keep your mouth shut, Lloyd."

"That's what I've been trying to tell him," Liane groaned, shaking her head as Lloyd actually looked surprised that Raine had smacked him. _How can that possibly be a shock? It happens at least once a day…._

Raine took a step away from the group and their discussions of how Lloyd should know how to act – or at least duck – and she fixed her attention wholly on the mayor. "Please, Mayor," she spoke, her plea simple, leaving no room for doubt of her wishes.

The Mayor set his jaw, making a show of his exaggerated shrug. "Do as you wish. I won't be held responsible if it costs you your life," he stated coolly as he started forward pushing and down the path, through the group as if to prove how little he cared.

"So he'd rather pay with the life of one of his townspeople than take the chance that we can help… that we can stop this. Nice…." Liane grumbled, glancing down to Genis with a shrug. "Sounds like callousness is a requirement for being a Mayor… I wonder if they test them for it."

"I wonder if they have to pass a test in that to get elected," Genis grumbled his response as they all started walking. "Seems Iike Iselia and Asgard both have 'A' students on their hands if they did."

* * *

"It's not right for you to have to take my place…" Aisha shook her head as she paced the living room of the house she shared with her brother, occasionally eyeing the strangers that had once again returned to her home. The dark-haired girl bit her lip, watching each of the travelers for a moment as if measuring their sincerity… or maybe searching for some sign that they actually realized what they were offering. 

Raine chuckled, waving off the village girl's statement with a smile of confidence. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Raine, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Genis asked in concern as he moved closer to his sister so that he could reach out and take her hand.

Laughing at her brother's concern, Raine placed her finger to her cheek as if deep in thought. "Well, let me choose a few bodyguards just in case," she sighed in her gesture of pacification, earning a glare from her younger brother for her well-intentioned light sarcasm.

Liane looked around the room, her gaze settling on her blonde friend. _Colette…_ she frowned, biting her lip before she turned back to Raine. "Raine… I think Colette should remain somewhere safe. I mean, if it is a seal… somewhere that she can come help, but if it isn't…"

"Liane is right," Kratos interjected from where he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest before he tossed his head to look at Colette. "We can't risk her life for something we're unsure of."

Colette looked up, her mouth dropping a bit as if she meant to object, but then, with a sigh, her shoulders fell and she nodded resolutely. Liane frowned just a little at the girl's reaction, as she knew where it had come from. The Chosen was too important to the world to risk… it was why she had been sheltered throughout her life… why she had been treated almost as some sort of idol or treasure than as the girl she had been born. It seemed to her an almost cruel trick that the Chosen was born human… with human needs and emotions from the start… only to be denied those things when they were deemed unnecessary by others.

"Well then," Raine cleared her throat with a nod as she saw that Colette wasn't going to object. "I should change clothes now. Would you mind?" the professor asked, the general inquiry clearly aimed at the rest of the room's inhabitants.

"I'll help you get ready," Aisha offered meekly from the closet before she turned, holding out the ivory and maroon costume to the Professor. "It… really is the least I can do considering all you're doing for me…"

"I will, too…" Liane murmured, glancing up to meet the Professor's gaze, knowing that the silver-haired woman would know that as a cue that there were things that she wanted to discuss without the rest of the audience. While Aisha's presence was likely necessary to make sure Raine was prepared, Liane wasn't about to lose the opportunity. Liane waited until Colette and the males of their collective group had left the room, Aisha quickly moving to close the door behind them. Then turning to her mentor, she bit her lip slightly. "Raine… I honestly don't mean to question your judgement, but –"

"No…" Raine cut her off with a shake of her head, reaching out to the maroon and ivory garment without looking at her apprentice. "Question it. I've taught you better than that," she laughed softly before she shrugged. "Not that it's going to change my mind… but question it all you like." She took the hangar and quickly stepped behind the changing screen in the corner of the room.

With a sigh, Liane sat down on the side of the bed, catching Aisha's gaze for long enough for the village girl to offer her a bit of a weary smile. "Is there anything Raine needs to know? Anything that might help her?" she asked even as a familiar orange coat draped over the top of the changing screen. "Maybe… how previous rituals have gone?"

Aisha shuddered visibly at the question, her focus suddenly riveted to where her hands wrung together in her lip. She was silent for the space of a few halting breaths, as if choosing her words. "The… ritual is simple – the dance is short – a simple show of reverence for the four winds - North, South, East, and West. It signifies waking them and a plea for their attention so that thanks can be offered."

"Which is all understandable," Raine commented as she stepped from behind the changing screen, still straightening the ivory tunic. She paused, regarding Aisha and Liane for a moment before she continued. "The winds affect so much of our lives – travel, crops – they bring the rain clouds or they push them away to provide sunlight. It's no wonder that the ancients worshipped them enough to influence this ritual." Then she turned and offered Aisha a smile and a nod. "Thank you for letting me do this – no matter what happens, it's an honor to participate in the ritual."

The black-haired girl blinked and then giggled nervously. "You really shouldn't be thanking me in any way. But I am glad that you might be able to help us – I'm afraid that I wouldn't have much of a chance at changing anything… but maybe you will…" she sighed as her eyes trailed across the room and fixed on Raine's staff where it rested against the wall. "You're fighters, aren't you? You can make a difference…" the girl murmured as she stood and walked to pick up the staff.

"Some of us more than others," Liane shrugged, standing and holding the hat that matched Raine's dancer costume out to the Professor. While the costume wasn't exactly what she pictured when she thought of a 'shrine maiden,' it was a bit more modest – and it suited Raine perfectly in that, even if the bared shoulders were a large change in themselves from her normal attire. "Raine, please be careful – we don't know what's going to happen…."

Raine chuckled as she accepted the hat and adjusted it with the help of the mirror in the corner. "There's nothing to worry about as long as you and the others don't get too far away," she shrugged, sparing a playful wink at her assistant over her shoulder.

"Raine!" Liane groaned, flopping back onto the end of the bed. "I'm serious!"

"I am, too…" the silver-haired professor replied, turning away from the mirror, her tone sobering a bit as Aisha handed her the staff. "I can't do this myself, Liane. I know that. All I can do is get it started. It will be up to all of us to finish it, though."

Liane wasn't certain if Raine's words encouraged her or made her more apprehensive. The situation seemed to walk a razor's edge between the two – and that simply wasn't comforting. She was placing herself in the line of danger to help a town of strangers. _But… isn't that what this journey is boiling down to?_

* * *

It was a solemn procession that followed Raine up the steps to the dais. Aisha walked just slightly behind the Professor, whispering to her occasionally what Liane could only think were last-minute instructions as they neared the top of the hill. 

A small group had already gathered at the dais, parting to allow the new dancer and her party to approach the stone. Liane saw the mayor and his silent companions up close to the ruin, almost as if they were expecting the Professor to do something sacrilegious that they could condemn her for. But Raine carried herself with an air of solemnity that Liane doubted any of their group but the Professor could pull off with any degree of believability. Kratos and Linar moved to Raine's side, each of them offering her a hand to help her up onto the dais. Genis stood beside Aisha, watching his sister climb onto the ruin with an almost lost expression. Liane moved to his side, as did Colette and Lloyd, and she put a hand on his shoulder, struck by the moment that it was once again the four of them… just as it somehow seemed like it had always been.

Raine made her way to the center of the dais as the small assembly fell quiet, her head bowed reverently as the winds swirled around her, tossing the silver strands that curled out beneath the hat she wore as part of her costume. After a few moments of standing frozen, she raised her staff above her in both hands, turning in a slow circle, her head thrown back and her eyes closed in concentration before she stopped and her form straightened. Taking three steps forward and spinning the staff to tap it lightly on the etched directional rose in the stone. A tone rang out and she bowed her head once again, pausing before paying similar homage to the other three prime directions before she returned to the center. Once again, the staff rose above her head, turning with her before she knelt and placed the staff on the stone before her, her pose one of absolute prostration.

Light suddenly erupted from the now-glowing symbol on the stone that Raine had just danced upon, a column of blinding light dancing up and down in the afternoon light before it finally settled in mid-air before Raine, hanging there before it refined itself into something that was anything but light. The thing hovered, eyeing the professor hungrily for a moment as what almost seemed to be a cross between wings and fins twitched on the back of its purple-skinned shoulders. And – even more worryingly – the guillotine-looking blade that appeared to be its tail switched with the air currents the creature floated on.

"I have come for the girl," the thing snarled, moisture dripping from its jaws as its attention was fixed solely on Raine, one of its hands' worth of elongated claws starting to reach out to her.

Colette stared at the creature for a moment her eyes wide before she gasped and cupped her hands to her mouth. "It's not…No, Professor! That is an evil creature. It's not the guardian of the seal!" she called out, panic clear in her voice as she reached to where her chakram were secured beneath the folds of her tunic.

"Colette… no…" Liane reached out to catch the Chosen's shoulder, holding her back even as Lloyd rushed past them and hopped up onto the stone slab, his blades flying from their sheathes before he even landed to face down the purple-skinned creature. Gritting her teeth, Liane looked over to Aisha and Linar. "Please… keep her with you…" she asked before she saw Linar nod and move to gently pull Colette back to him.

The beast snarled as Lloyd lunged at it, deflecting the flash of the young swordsman's rapiers with an effortless slash of its tail. Lloyd staggered backwards, having barely avoided being sliced open by the attack – stumbling back into the firm grasp of the mercenary that had taken a defensive stance behind him.

"Stay out of the range of that tail…" Kratos warned as he righted the teen and then snapped his attention firmly on the imposter win spirit.

"Yeah… I got that part," Lloyd nodded with a slight grumble as he stood, adjusting his grip on his blades as Liane and Kratos moved to flank him on the stone, creating a protective wall between their enemy and Raine and Genis, who were both already chanting behind them.

Kratos leapt forward, his sword braced before him as waves of mana coiled around it, stopping to loose the blast at the creature at the last moment. "Sonic Thrust!" his voice rasped over a sharp snarl from the creature as it fell backwards onto the stone.

Before Liane could follow up on Kratos' assault, Lloyd moved beside her, little more than a flash of red and silver as he charged the horned beast, lurching up into the air along with his rapiers. "Tiger Blade!"

Liane shook her head in the moment that it took for Lloyd to finish his attack and spring back, her grip tightening on her short sword even as she started to dip it backwards. _Sonic Thrust, Tiger Blade…_ her mind grumbled as she forced her concentration onto the false spirit. _At least they have choices… while I have my Demon Fangs and my oh-so-useful Wind Blade... _she continued to grouse even as her sword completed its double-arc just as her window of attack opened "Double Demon Fang!" she commanded as the twin slashes slammed into the barely recovered creature, knocking it back to the ground again. _I soooo need some new tricks…. _

With a growl, the blade-tailed creature rose once again, immediately throwing itself into a forward spin at its closest adversary – Lloyd. The young swordsman's eyes widened, but only for a moment before he braced a blade out before him. "Guardian!" The protective green bubble blazed under the force of the creature's attack, and while a soft grunt slipped from him, he was only forced back a bit, unharmed.

"Stone Blast!"

Liane glanced over her shoulder to see Genis' kendama train on the beast. Her attention snapped back to see the ground beneath the wind-creature shimmer, a hail of stones slipping from the still-somehow smooth surface of the dais to pelt their adversary. The monster reeled for a moment, swaying on the wind currents that it seemed to control as Kratos lunged at it once again, using its disorientation to his advantage.

"Light Spear!" the mercenary's voice called over the creature's angered howl, his blade spinning up into the air, a blaze of light seeming to disorient the wind-beast even before the sword started a rapid succession of hits. At the apex of Kratos' ascent, he turned, his blade once again targeting his enemy, driving the sword up to the hilt just above the creature's tail.

With an enraged snarl, the beast snapped its tail, dislodging Kratos' sword as well as the mercenary himself, the gleaming blade on the tail ripping a gash in Kratos' upper thigh just before he could leap out of range.

Liane couldn't help but gape for a heartbeat of time. _He…_ _bleeds, too…_ her mind murmured numbly before she gathered her wits and shoved her surprise aside. Placing herself between the wind creature and Kratos. Hoping to buy the mercenary some time to back off, she dipped her blade back, pouring as much mana as she could scrounge into the attack. "Demon Fang!" she called out, meeting the creature's eyes for only a moment before she released the mana slash, somehow fending off the panic she had felt staring into the seething red of those eyes to complete the attack. Her effort earned her a small victory, though, as the purple beast howled out, actually touching down to the stone beneath it, its lethal tail coiled like a serpent beneath it as its eyes fixed on its adversaries one by one.

"Tempest!" Lloyd's voice broke through the tense moment of stand off, somersaulting through the air after he rushed past Liane, his blades shining brightly in the sunlight before they impacted the purple monster, sending it once again sprawling to the ground. When he landed, his shoulders were heaving, but there was still a hint of a cocky grin on his face. "Come on, bring it!"

_Nice, Lloyd… classy… _Liane almost groaned, but kept her attention fixed on the beast that was once again rising from the stone, its wind currents spinning beneath it as it started to advance. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Raine kneeling beside Kratos, the greenish rune circle she had apparently been constructing since the onset of the battle now flaring brightly beneath both of them. _Kratos must have made it back to her while Lloyd and I were attacking, _she realized, still watching their enemy for even the smallest twitch to tell her what to expect next.

"Are you okay? First Aid!" Raine's invocation was almost lost on the winds around them, but Kratos nonetheless rose to his feet only a moment later, immediately edging back to the front line with Liane and Lloyd.

But before the mercenary could make it far enough to face the monster once again, the thing threw itself into another forward assault, this time targeting Liane. Her eyes widened as the flash of the oncoming silver blade came closer, giving her barely enough time to brace her sword before her. "Guardian!" she ground out, clenching her teeth as the force of the attack pushed her back, her leather-soled boots sliding over the stone. The mana-barrier held, though even as she kept her energy flowing in to it for perhaps longer than she needed to. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes once she felt the attack subside – only to find herself staring down the tusked creature that was glaring back at her with clear hatred from the other side of her field.

"Back off!" Genis called out from behind Liane, calling the combatants' attention back to him even as an angry red rune circle blazed around him. Throwing his Duel Star out at the creature as the mana glow began to crackle, he spoke again with all the authority his small voice could carry. "Fire Ball!" Three fiery orbs materialized in the air above the silver-haired boy before they streaked down on the beast, forcing it back from Liane.

Liane started to turn – to offer Genis a nod of thanks – but a flash of purple caught her eye before she could voice the sentiment. _Huh…?_ She looked to her left to find Kratos encircled by a spinning purple rune circle. Liane recognized the runes from the time she had spent watching Genis learn his art, but that didn't lessen her surprise. _That's a lightning spell… Genis and I gave him time to do a spell?_

"Lloyd! Tiger Blade… now!" the mercenary called out to get the young swordsman's attention.

Lloyd's head snapped to Kratos for only a moment before he started running at the wind creature. "You ready?" he called back over his shoulder as he leapt into the air, having closed the distance between himself and his prey.

"Lightning Tiger Blade!" both swordsmen cried out as Kratos released the energy of his spell to mingle with that of Lloyd's technique, a blast of lightning augmenting his final strike and sending the imposter wind spirit to the ground in an unmoving heap.

The glow of the stone beneath their feet slowly faded, even as the broken form of the false summon spirit sparkled for a moment before disappearing in the same flash of light that it had arrived in.

The group stood in silence for a moment – fighters and observers alike before Genis' voice could be heard over the wind. "Huh… guess I'm not needed anymore…" the boy snickered, shaking his head as he looked between Lloyd and Kratos. "But I gotta say… that looked really cool from this perspective."

Lloyd sheathed his blades with a grin, running a hand back through his hair with a laugh. "I bet… it's fun to do, too…" he declared before he looked back to Kratos. "I didn't know you could do that – I mean… First Aid, yeah… but… _Lightning_?"

The mercenary shrugged, striding past the others to stand at the edge of the dais and gesture to them to get down. "The creature was distracted by Liane and Genis… it was the element of surprise that helped us, considering Genis had just finished casting," he stated simply, crossing his arms as he waited for them.

_He… knows spells, too… why am I surprised? _Liane leaned over, bracing her hands on her knees before she forced herself to draw a deep breath and stand – the sound of stone bouncing from stone tickling her hearing and drawing her attention to see Linar running from Colette's side towards the stone. Her only guess was that something had tumbled from the ruin as the malevolent creature had been defeated. _Did we knock something loose? _she wondered for only a moment before a whoop of victory made her turn to look back to where a widely grinning Lloyd had a laughing Genis in a headlock as they celebrated.

Linar rushed forward as the Professor hopped down from the stone slab, a wide smile on his face as his voice revealed that he was almost breathless. "Fantastic! You're fantastic, Raine!" he blurted out with an excited laugh.

Raine waved off his gushing with a smile as she straightened her ceremonial garb. "Hah. It was hardly a challenging opponent. Now, more importantly, about that stone tablet you acquired…" she spoke, taking a step closer to him and watching as he held the thin stone slab out to her.

The two scholars stood side by side for a few moments, their eyes sparkling as they studied the markings in what seemed to be awe before Raine looked up, catching Linar's gaze.

"This stone tablet has ancient Balacruf writing inscribed on it," the professor breathed out as she started to smile.

"Let's decipher it right away!" Linar declared, looking up to Raine with an excited grin, clutching the tablet protectively to his chest. "I have the necessary materials assembled in my house."

Raine nodded in agreement and started down the stone steps without a second glance back to the others. "Yes, let's go!"

Liane blinked, but couldn't help but smirk at the quickly disappearing pair. "Huh… there goes kindred spirits if I've ever seen them," she sighed, shaking her head as she pushed her frazzled braid back over her shoulder.

"Yeah… they even get that same look in their eyes…" Lloyd shuddered, looking up to Liane for a moment before a mischievous grin curled his lips. "Creepy."

Aisha giggled at Lloyd's assessment as she turned to the group gathered around her. "Um…Thank you very much."

"That thing wasn't the Summon Spirit of Wind after all, was it?" Harley spoke up, shaking his head as he looked back to the now once-again quiet dais, his frame still taut almost as if he expected it to come to life once again.

Genis shook his head in response to the redhead before he shrugged playfully, a grin curling his lips. "I bet Raine and Linar will investigate what it really was."

"Yeah, that Raine is a half-elf after all," Harley chuckled, planting his fists on his hips with a satisfied nod as he watched Raine and Linar disappear into the town at the base of the steps. "You can count on her wisdom."

"N…no, you're wrong!" Genis' voice was almost shrill against the droning howl of the wind. "Raine is…an elf. I'm an elf, too!" he declared, his hands clenching for a moment before he planted them on his hips.

Harley cocked his head at the silver-haired boy, planting his hands on his hips with a quiet snort and a dry chuckle. "What? Surely you don't think I'd mistake my own…"

Genis' shoulders slumped a little, the fire behind his correction to Harley's declaration seemingly forgotten as his hair fell forward to shadow his face.

A thoughtful frown tugged at the corners of Liane's mouth, hating to see her friend's distress, but not really knowing what to say that wouldn't make the situation worse. She well knew the grief that the boy took from some of the less-tolerant citizens of their hometown simply for being elven, but half-elf? _The Desians give them a bad enough reputation… I guess I really can't blame him for reacting badly…._

"Ah, actually, I guess I was wrong," Harley suddenly chuckled awkwardly as he continued to watch Genis. "It seems you two are pureblooded elves. I must not have been paying careful attention." His laugh seemed forced, but he still pushed the reaction with a quick explanation.

Lloyd looked between Harley and Genis, pausing for only a moment in indecision before he approached the young mage.

_Good boy, Lloyd… take care of your friend…_ Liane silently cheered him on. She wanted to try to help as well, but from the looks of Genis' posture, the last thing he needed was more people drawing attention to him. But even at the display of friendship, Liane couldn't help but notice the Kratos remained standing up on the dais, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed all of them down below, as if waiting for the momentary drama to play out. _Ever the caretaker, eh, Kratos? _she sighed, unable to banish the bitter note from even her thoughts. _Hope you're enjoying the show…._ She chewed her lip, almost in punishment for such thoughts. They were getting along better… and she knew that she would have to let things like that go if they were ever to find firm common ground.

"We should get some rest, too. I'm exhausted," the young swordsman spoke quietly as he nodded to his younger friend, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder and grinning when Genis looked up and offered him a half-hearted smile of agreement.

The remnants of the Chosen's group made their way back down to the town, their steps noticeably more weary than their ascent as part of the shrine dancer's entourage. The decision to stay at the Cool Breeze inn was made mostly due to the proximity, and the message of the change was sent to Raine with Aisha before she parted ways with the group.

Their rooms paid for, Liane started handing out keys – one to Genis, one to Kratos, and one to Colette. As she signed the guest registry on their behalf, she saw Kratos move to Lloyd's side out of the corner of her eye.

"I am going to train now," the mercenary started, waiting with his left hand closed over the handle of his sword until Lloyd looked up to him. "Would you like to join me?"

"Yeah, I'll go," Lloyd replied after only a moment's hesitation to watch Genis trudge up the stairs, a flicker of worry flashing in his eyes before he looked to Liane and shrugged, his normal good-natured grin snapping back into place. "Wanna come? It'll give you a chance to laugh at me getting trounced…?"

Liane snickered, pushing herself up from where she had been leaning on the front desk. She watched until Genis disappeared down the hallway, knowing that she should probably check on him – especially if Raine wasn't there. But she knew the youngest member of their group better than that… that this particular mood usually required a little thinking time alone for the boy. Shaking her head a bit, she made the effort to reclaim a bit of her amusement at how Lloyd had phrased his offer. "Like I can't see that just by sparring with you myself, but sure… I really didn't have any other plans…." _I don't think I can handle going for another little walk on my own right now, anyway…._

Kratos looked between Lloyd and Liane for a moment before he nodded to their acceptance. "All right, then, let's go to a better location," he commented as he strode back to the door and held it open for them.

Following after Lloyd, Liane paused, realizing that Colette was still standing near the front desk, her hands clasped before her as she watched her friends. When she met Liane's eyes, she smiled and glanced up the stairs again before she waved. "Don't worry… I'll check on Genis. You guys go have fun," she spoke softly, a laugh in her tone.

"Fun… yeah… these two and swords… not sure that's the word I'd choose…" Liane giggled, hearing Kratos and Lloyd both sigh as started through the door. "Thanks, Colette… we'll be back in a little while.

* * *

Liane sat beneath an ancient tree that grew at the base of the mountains, absently turning one of her daggers in her hand as she watched Kratos and Lloyd work. The first half of their training had consisted of Lloyd trying to convince Kratos to teach him spells instead of sword work – and Kratos' best efforts to convince the younger swordsman to concentrate on the training before him. She could tell that Lloyd knew he was right – even as she had to admit to herself that she would back Kratos up if Lloyd pushed her. Magic was no simple matter – it took more concentration in come cases than she was even sure she could scrape together, even if she had somehow managed to learn a spell herself. _If I'm going to be fighting… I really should learn more than Wind Blade… that was embarrassing today._ IF… she frowned a little. _I don't want to fight for the rest of my life, though…._

"I've gotten better than before, right?" Lloyd puffed, rocking back on his feet with a weary laugh, still holding his blades crossed before him in anticipation of the mercenary's next attack.

"Yes," Kratos nodded, his posture straightening as he lowered the tip of his blade to the ground, "…but you still have a long way to go."

Lloyd grunted a little at the response, but his tone revealed no real surprise as his shoulders drooped a little. "… Humph. I'm not getting good very fast."

Glancing up, Liane tilted her head as she watched her friend. After all the years they'd known each other, she could hear more than just a whiney teenage boy. It was clear how much he wanted to help – to contribute to the journey. As playful and forgetful as Lloyd sometimes seemed, she knew how strong his resolve truly was, especially when his friends – people he truly cared about – were involved. It was one of the reasons she had turned down the offer to train with the two swordsmen in favor of observing. While she was still relatively new to swordplay, Lloyd could learn faster, more powerful techniques that he would likely need before she would. But there was just something about watching them work – an elegant dance of muscle and metal that even the sometimes-uncoordinated Lloyd Irving seemed to take to so naturally. She knew how much Lloyd would love to be instantly proficient – but it was a process – and Kratos was right: there was still much for him to learn. _Don't get discouraged, Lloyd… _Liane smirked, drawing her knees up and hugging them to her chest. _You're already stronger and faster… I can't imagine what you'll be by the time the journey is over…._

Kratos shrugged, rocking his sword slightly back and forth as he stood still-tensed across the wooded clearing from Lloyd. "The fault may lie partially with my teaching methods. I do not use two swords."

"But thanks to you, I've learned the importance of the basics and a bunch of other stuff," Lloyd grinned, his spirits rising once again as he let his blades angle to the ground to a resting position. "And I'm just happy."

Kratos cocked his head at the younger swordsman's declaration. "About what?"

Chuckling a bit awkwardly, Lloyd shrugged, the gesture exaggerated by the blades in his hands. "I'm an only child, so I always wanted a big brother who would practice swords with me."

Liane's eyes widened at Lloyd's explanation, the dagger she had been balancing on the pad of her index finger tumbling to the ground. It was no secret to anyone who knew the boy how much family meant to him, not to mention how it slowly ate at him that he had no real ties to blood-kin. She had long ago figured out that that fact drew Lloyd closer to his friends and managed to bond them all tighter into almost a new family. While Lloyd was playful, mischievous, and sometimes just a little scattered, it took a hardened heart to not see that he offered just about everyone he met the hand of friendship. And now… he was trying to do so to Kratos.

"I see…" Kratos murmured quietly, watching Lloyd from behind auburn tufts, the evening breeze aiding the spiked locks to hide any further expression.

Lloyd tossed his head with a laugh. "But you're kind of old to be my brother," he chuckled, sheathing his blades as he looked back to the path that had brought them to the clearing.

It was all Liane could do to keep from snickering at Lloyd's words, distracting herself by replacing her daggers in her boot sheathes and climbing to feet. _Way to close up that warm, fuzzy moment, Lloyd…_ she shook her head as she glanced to the mercenary, amusing herself by imagining him flustered at Lloyd's statement.

Kratos paused, cocking his head as he watched the younger swordsman for a long moment before he sheathed his own sword. "Ah… I see…" he repeated again with a small sigh, gesturing for Lloyd and Liane to start back towards the town.

As the three started back up the mountain trail, Lloyd and Kratos walked roughly side by side, and Liane trailed behind by a step due to the width of the path. She didn't really mind all that much – even as the wind was beginning to howl around them, it wasn't overly cold – but it would be just enough to allow her to seek and appreciate her blankets when they reached the inn. None of them had talked for a few minutes – which was what made the sigh that Lloyd uttered as he shoved his hands into his pockets attract the attention of both Liane and Kratos.

"What's wrong?" Kratos spoke first, turning his head just enough to observe the young man walking beside him.

With a heavy sigh, Lloyd let his arms fall to his sides as he trudged along the path, his boots kicking up small plumes of dust. "Ah, well, this whole seal breaking thing, it's starting to get…"

Kratos tilted his head, his bangs swinging to reveal an arch to his eyebrow. "Boring?" he offered in question.

Liane chewed her lip, cringing a little as she realized that Kratos had most likely accurately assessed the situation.

"N… no," Lloyd stammered, his eyes going wide as if it was dawning on him what he had been about to say. "I haven't forgotten the people of Iselia and all the other victims."

"Good," Kratos nodded, his comment coming almost too quickly on the heels of Lloyd's declaration.

Lloyd hung his head for a moment. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," his tone apologetic.

" A single mistake could destroy everything," the mercenary breathed out, running a hand back through his shock of auburn hair. "You should think about what your reason for being on this journey is."

Lloyd mumbled some kind of response that sounded distinctly like some sort of grudging admission that Kratos was right and he continued to trudge ahead. Liane huffed, shaking her head as she hurried her steps just a bit to walk roughly side by side with the auburn haired man. "That was a little harsh, don't you think?" she asked quietly, attempting the civility she thought they were progressing with. "You know Lloyd… his attention span isn't the best… and he's honest almost to a fault – things like that are just going to come blurting out once in a while."

"Then that's a weakness he'll have to work to overcome," Kratos stated, keeping his gaze to the darkening path before them. "Childish instincts like that will only serve to be a liability as the journey progresses. He needs to check himself."

"Check himself?" Liane stopped staring at the back of the mercenary's head for a moment before she ran to catch up to him, planting herself in the path before him and her hand firmly on his chest. "You just got done encouraging him – then you turn around and chastise him like that? Are you blind to how he looks up to you? He just told you to your face that you're like a big brother to him! Do you have any idea what saying something like that means to him?" she asked, her voice a hushed whisper so as not to attract Lloyd's attention, but her glare more than making up for the lack of tone.

Kratos stared back at her, what she could see of his eyes seeming unfazed by her confrontation. Then, slowly and deliberately… he reached up and removed her hand from his chest, guiding it back to her side. The gesture caught her off guard, her eyes widening in reaction, momentarily at a loss for words as he drew a small breath.

"I'm not his big brother."

The bitter note in his voice froze her in place as he made a show of stepping around her and continuing to follow after Lloyd. _He sounded almost… insulted?_ Liane's brow furrowed for a moment longer, able to do little more than watch the retreating forms of the swordsmen. _No… insulted isn't quite right…_ but then, neither was any other description she could think of. Her hands involuntarily curled into fists before she had to force herself to relax and start back up the rocky trail to Asgard. She was starting to see that she might never understand anything about the mercenary. Every time she had some hope, he managed to crush it in the space of a sentence. _That's okay…_ she told herself. _It'll make things easier – one less person to worry about saying goodbye to._ The flash of sadness that fell in the wake of the thought was pushed away after a moment, allowing her to focus on more immediate concerns. _I'll check on Genis when we get back to the inn… I'm more worried about his feelings than Kratos' anyway…._

* * *

Liane woke up to sunlight streaming through the window of the room she had shared with Colette. When she had finally neared sleep, she remembered that her friend had still been sitting up on her bed reading. _Wonder when she fell asleep…_ Liane wondered absently, combing her fingers back through her hair with a yawn as she sat up and looked around, seeing that she was the only one in the room. 

Standing up from the floor with a tiny groan, Liane quickly folded the blankets and placed them in a neat pile on a nearby chair. The night had passed uneventfully, and she even slept fairly well. While she knew better than to be optimistic that the pattern would continue, she readily accepted it and began to unpack her clothing for the new day. She was eager to see how Genis had fared through the night… Raine still hadn't come back to the room when she had checked on him, but he had been asleep and she hadn't had the heart to disturb him. Hoping his mood had just been a reflection of his weariness, she sighed and finished securing her bedroll to her pack.

It only took a few minutes for her to wash her face and pack her belongings, making her way out of the room and down the steps to the lobby of the Inn. There, Liane found Colette and Kratos waiting – all but Raine. Colette met her gaze and stood from the straight-backed chair she had been sitting in, shrugging as Liane approached.

"Morning…" Liane murmured, offering the pair a smile in an attempt to start the day on the right foot. "Anything new?" she asked even as she noticed that the tear in Kratos' trousers from the battle the day before was no longer visible. The realization left her to look for something… _anything_… to keep from trying to picture Kratos sitting up into the night and methodically stitching the hole in his clothes. As macho as he seemed content to be normally, she wasn't sure she would be able to take him seriously for a while if that image got a chance to fester in her imagination.

"It looks like the Professor hasn't come back yet," the Chosen reported meekly, her tone almost apologetic as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Are you serious?" Lloyd's voice came from behind them as he took the steps two at a time to almost slam into Liane where she stood at the landing. He gaped at Colette for only a heartbeat before a somewhat evil grin started to form on his lips.

With a groan, Liane shook her head and hefted her pack higher onto her shoulders, continuing to watch Lloyd with an air of exasperation. "Grow up, Lloyd. Have you _met_ Raine? Did you _see_ the look in her eyes? Her attention was glued to that tablet. She won't notice anything else – even if it WAS there."

Genis snickered. "She's conducting _research_ with Linar," he grinned before he looped to Lloyd with a flash of mischief in his eyes, rubbing his hands together conspiratorially. "Let's go get her."

Lloyd nodded, tossing his pack over his shoulder with a chuckle and a sweeping gesture to the door. "All right."

"Like you're going to catch her doing anything but studying," Liane rolled her eyes as she followed after her snickering friends, hearing Kratos pull the door closed behind them all after she had stepped out into the bright morning sunshine.

When Lloyd once again knocked on the door of Linar and Aisha's home, it was only a matter of a few moments before a sleep-looking but smiling Aisha answered the door, ushering them all inside and closing the door behind them.

Raine looked up from the table and stood, her smile somehow excited and her eyes clear despite the scattered mass of papers that was tell-tale of their all-night research session. "Good timing. I just finished deciphering it."

Linar turned to Lloyd and the others, a side smile curling his lips despite his weary expression. "The Professor is amazing! She deciphered the complex Balacruf writing in no time at all!"

Genis edged between Lloyd and Liane, elbowing the swordsman with a laugh. "…Heh. Raine just gained another fan."

"She's quite the catch, huh?" Lloyd nodded in eager agreement even as the Professor's eyes flashed on them.

"Uh-huh!" Genis grinned before he burst into giggles, holding his middle even as both boys proved unable to keep their joke private, drawing the attention of everyone else in the room.

But before the young mage's amusement could be fueled by another breath, Raine's hand flew out to deliver a sharp slap to the boy's cheek. She took a moment to glare a warning at her brother as one of his hands moved to cover the assaulted cheek, his eyes wide in surprise.

Liane groaned, shaking her head as Genis started to whimper. "You deserved that," she muttered softly, sparing a quick glare for Lloyd as well. "You make it sound like you're trying to sell her off." Liane had enough of that with her parents and Michael – countless conversations that had seemed her presence had been overlooked – that she was a bargaining chip and that her future would be decided for her. While that likely wasn't what Genis and Lloyd were trying to do, she really couldn't help the flare of defensiveness the situation fueled.

Raine snapped her attention away from her brother with a soft snort as she tossed her head to get her bangs from her eyes. Drawing a deep breath, her shoulders settled just a bit and she cleared her throat. "It would appear that the monster was the cause of the calamity that afflicted the ancient Balacruf Empire," she explained as she spoke.

"It seems that the summoner at the time used Sylph, the Summon Spirit of Wind, to seal it away, then built this stone dais to suppress the calamity," Linar spoke up, pointing to the tablet on the table and ignoring the conflict between the siblings.

Raine picked up the tablet, her fingers lovingly tracing over the inscriptions before she looked back to their audience, her eyes reassuming their wondrous glitter from before as she drew a steady breath. "In preparation for the day when this calamity might reawaken, he left this map in order for people to be able to locate the Summon Spirit of the Wind," she murmured before looking back down to the tablet.

"After a great many years, people eventually confused the calamity with the Summon Spirit of Wind…" Linar continued Raine's explanation, drawing another breath to continue before Genis stepped forward.

The young mage waved his hands in the air to cut off further narration from the scholars who were clearly enthralled with the tale they had pieced together over the night. "So now you know where the Summon Spirit of Wind is located?"

"Of course," Raine nodded, closing a notebook and sliding it into her pack before she looked back to her brother. "The location of the Summon Spirit is the location of the next seal."

Lloyd laughed, bouncing just a little where he stood near the doorway of the house. "Wow! I wonder what the Summon Spirit of Wind is like! I can't wait to see it!"

While having to admit that actually seeing a Summon Spirit sounded amazing, Liane still chuckled at Lloyd's renewed enthusiasm.

"Now we can finally regenerate the world!" Colette cheered, her excitement echoing Lloyd's as her eyes shone with excitement.

Aisha looked up as if startled by Colette's words. "Regenerate the world?" the girl murmured, turning her curious gaze on the blonde girl "… Now that I think about it, what was your purpose for coming to this city? You don't look like ordinary travelers or tourists…"

Ignoring the girl's implied question, Kratos cleared his throat. "Well then, if you know our next destination, we should be on our way at once."

Raine nodded to Kratos, the rush of discovery fading back into the demeanor of the serious teacher. "Yes. It's likely that the seal is inside the Balacruf Mausoleum."

_Mausoleum…_ Liane tried not to cringe at the word. They had spent a couple of days there during her journey with the church, and the memories weren't exactly fond. The dark corridors and eerie torches – and the winds that seemed to come from nowhere within the stone structure were enough to put the stories that she, Lloyd, Genis, and Colette used to concoct to scare each other in their younger days to shame.

"Okay. Let's get going," Lloyd shrugged, turning on his heel and stalking back to the door, holding it open for the rest of the group.

Aisha's eyes widened as she started to reach out to the blond girl, curiosity plain in her eyes. "Ah, um…" she stammered as Colette turned to her, her head cocked slightly before she smiled at the dark haired girl.

"Well, please take care," Colette nodded to Aisha and paused only to wave at Linar before she followed Genis and Raine from the house.

While the group's retreat from Aisha & Linar's house – much less Asgard itself – struck Liane as rushed, she also recognized that it was for the best. It was still early in the day – and they knew where they would be going next – spending more time becoming a spectacle to those curious about the Chosen's journey would probably do little good for completing the tasks at hand.

The trip across the grassy plains of the northern continent wasn't utterly without conflict, but the scuffles were just enough to keep any of them from being bored by the trek – or at least enough to keep Lloyd from complaining about it. Liane noted a slight weariness on the part of the younger swordsman to give Kratos a wide berth for the better part of the morning. It wasn't anything she could fault him for, though… it wasn't like she was doing much differently. She couldn't decide if their uneasy truce had ended… or simply been shaken. But quiet conversation with the others filled any gap that Kratos' signature aloofness left and helped her to keep from wondering too much about it.

When a House of Salvation rose from the landscape before them close to lunchtime, there was no disagreement about stopping to fill their water pouches and seeking some shade before they continued for the afternoon.

Predictably, a friendly brown and white dog outside the fenced structure immediately caught Colette's attention. Liane smirked and walked over to where the blonde girl had dumped her pack in favor of playing with the dog that was now writhing on its back in the grass in a happy bid to have it's belly scratched – a favor Colette was more than happy to indulge. Liberating the Chosen's water pouch so that her playtime with the dog wouldn't be interrupted, Liane stood and started into the House of Salvation behind the others, with Raine passing off her own pouch to Genis so that she could remain watching over Colette.

As the remainder of the party entered the darkened House, a dark haired man was standing from the prayers he had been offering at the altar. "Oh! More travelers!" he smiled as they approached, adjusting his packs on his back as he chuckled dryly. "It's a wonder there's as many people traveling as there are right now, what with all the monsters and all. I guess humans really are pretty nomadic creatures… either that or just curious…" he shrugged.

Lloyd laughed in response, leading Kratos, Genis, and Liane further into the room. "Yeah, well, the weather's nice and the monsters are kinda wimpy… so it hasn't been too bad, I guess," he offered, once again displaying his talent for almost unwittingly attempting to make friends where ever he went. "What brings you out here?"

Liane almost cringed a little at that, distracting herself by approaching the water fountain at the side of the room and starting to fill her pouch. _Too many questions… asking him only opens the door to ask us…_. Not that she wanted to keep the Chosen's journey a secret… Colette's trip was being made for everyone. But the more that word spread where they were, the more likely it was that more people would try to take advantage of it… either to impersonate them or to endanger Colette. Both had already happened at least once… and she knew the odds favored that it would happen again.

"Me?" the dark haired man laughed with a shake of his head. "Sylvarant has a lot to see… so many things you'll only ever hear about in stories unless you grab your gear and set off to see them yourself," he shrugged, gesturing broadly around him, giving the distinct impression that he wasn't talking about the walls around them. "The Church tours show you what they think is important… but when you can decide that for yourself – you wouldn't believe the trip you can have. The places, the stories…" his eyes seemed to glaze just a little. "For instance… something I bet the church tour guides won't tell you about this area… legend has it that a unicorn lives in this area. It seems the unicorn will appear before a pure maiden. They say that sometimes, the visage of the unicorn appears on the surface of Lake Umacy."

"A unicorn?" Genis murmured, tilting his head just a little at the man's claim. "Near here? Really?"

Kratos sighed, looking down to the young mage. "The lake isn't far… a bit to the north," he shrugged as Liane returned to the group.

"Well, you guys seem to have a maiden with you…" the traveler grinned at Liane, laughing a little awkwardly as she rolled her eyes at him. "No offense, miss… I've just heard it's hard to see the unicorn without a girl around, that's all."

"None taken…" Liane shook her head, tossing her dark braid back over her shoulder as she watched Lloyd and Genis make their way to the water fountain, talking softly as they filled their water bottles. She looked up to Kratos, smirking a little as a thought occurred to her. "So what do you say? Maybe a little sightseeing? I mean… we _are_ close…?" she shrugged, unable to stop herself from pushing at him just a bit.

Glancing to the boys in the corner, Kratos' shoulders drooped just a little. "Anything I say has probably already been outvoted…" he sighed, turning on his heel to follow after the boys.

After a few words of farewell and general wishes for good journeys, Liane, Lloyd, Genis, and Kratos stepped out of the house, the red-clad swordsman running out ahead of them to Raine.

"Raine! Raine! There's a unicorn near here!" Lloyd blurted out. "A guy in there told us that it's a legend around here! Have you ever seen a unicorn? That would be cool!" he chattered excitedly as the others joined him.

"A unicorn…?" Raine murmured in surprise, looking up as Colette said goodbye to her playmate. "Unicorns are said to have miraculous healing abilities…" she mused, her eyes glittering just a bit at the information.

"We should go see the unicorn," Genis muttered as the group walked out of the house of Salvation. Ignoring the groan that came from Kratos, Genis turned to look up to his sister. "Maybe it'll help us somehow and – I mean, come on! How much more pure a maiden can you get than the Chosen?" he grinned to where Colette walked beside Lloyd.

Liane couldn't resist a quick glance to Kratos… nor could she resist the innocent shrug… or slightly smug smile she gave him as he started to walk past them, gesturing over his shoulder for them to follow. _Looks like you were right… at least you know when you're outnumbered…._

* * *

As the trees of the plateau parted, an idyllic scene presented itself to the group – a lake of crystal blue bounded by vividly green grass and a small pebbled shoreline. Lloyd ran out ahead of the group, one hand shielding his eyes from the glare as he looked around the area. After a few moments, his excitement faded a bit into a frown – but as he turned back to them, his shoulders already in mid-shrug, he did a double take, pointing down into the waters of the lake. "Look at that! 

"It's beautiful…" Colette murmured, clasping her hands together as she leaned out over the water's edge.

Genis ran to Lloyd's side, peering into the water before he turned back to his sister, his eyes wide with excitement. "It's a unicorn! Raine, it's a unicorn!"

Raine nodded to her brother's excitement, but her head cocked slightly as she studied the sight. "Yes. But why is it….?"

"It… it's trapped in that air pocket," Liane's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she tried to get a different viewing angle on the unicorn. "Who would do something like this?" she asked in disbelief as she walked a few steps from the group to a grassy bluff that overhung the shore. _It's a unicorn… a real unicorn…_ she blinked in amazement, the sense of awe she had known was missing from the journey for her flaring to life as she watched the creature beneath the rippling water.

"It's like a prison of water," Kratos assessed after a moment's inspection of the creature's situation. "There's nothing we can do about it."

Colette stared at Kratos for a moment longer before she turned her sorrowful blue eyes back to the unicorn. "Then, we can't go see him…" she murmured, her arms hanging limply by her sides as she shook her head.

Lloyd's posture shifted as he stared out into the lake, his hands tightening on the handles of his swords before he tilted his head to Genis, who stood also appearing to be weighing their lack of options. "Can't you do something with your magic, Genis?"

"Do what?" Genis rolled his eyes as he turned to the swordsman, his hands clenching into helpless fists in frustration before he gestured out at the still waters of the lake. "We could probably do something if we somehow borrowed the power of a Summon Spirit, but I'm not a summoner."

Raine sighed, watching the creature in its wavering cell at the bottom of the lake for a moment longer before she shook her head. "The art of summoning was lost long ago. There's no way we'll be able to do that…" the professor commented as Genis' shoulders drooped.

"Magic can only do so much, Lloyd…" Liane murmured quietly as the group fell into silence at that, the apparent dead-end to the unicorn's plight deflating the group. _So speaks the least magically-talented of the group, _she sighed as she took a few steps from her mentor's side to crouch by the edge of the lake, reaching out to draw her fingers through the water, disturbing the glass-like surface with a frown. _The poor thing… someone else that we can't do anything to help…._

"Perhaps it would be best to camp for the night," Kratos suggested, his voice breaking into the brooding melancholy that had taken the group as he took a few steps from the lake's rocky shore before pausing to look at them over his shoulder. "We can start out to the mausoleum first thing in the morning."

Colette nodded, but walked over to stand beside Liane, casting a sad gaze back to the unicorn. "Okay… but not here. We… we can't help him. It's just too sad here," she shook her head, her voice filled with sadness.

Liane stood, placing a sympathetic hand on her friend's shoulder. "Maybe we can camp closer to the edge of the plateau?" She understood how the Chosen felt – such a magical and majestic creature, trapped by forces none of them could command. It was like placing punctuation in the disclaimer that pessimism seemed content to add to the tale of their journey. Even with all the hopes for the Regeneration of their world, it was becoming a rather depressing given that some would suffer – that some would be sacrificed and never get to see their world in prosperity again. "We can still have some of the protection of the trees… and a view of the area around us as well?"

"That's a good plan," Raine nodded, stretching her arms up over her head with a deep breath as she glanced around. "It'll start getting dark soon. We can set up camp… then I can start dinner –"

"_No_!" Lloyd and Genis chorused, snapping everyone's attention on them in their panic. Even as Raine's glare on the pair grew colder by the moment, Genis put his hands up in a gesture of peace, but still took a step backwards from his sibling.

"I meant… _No…_ you relax!" the silver-haired boy laughed uneasily. "I wanted to try out that recipe for meat stew tonight – I already promised Lloyd I would…"

Lloyd's expression was blank for only a moment before his customary grin returned and he made a show of rubbing his stomach. "Yeah… I love meat stew… and I wanna see what Genis can do with it!" he laughed, shaking his head as Raine fixed her glare on him. "I don't know if it can compare to my Dad's – but I'm sure hungry enough to find out!" he declared before walking over and placing his hands on Genis' shoulders, steering him away from the rest of the group… and obviously out of reach of Raine's wrath for at least the moment.

Camp started to come together with what was becoming practiced ease. Lloyd and Genis were clearing spaces for their bedrolls – clearing the semi-grassy area of large rocks and prickly weeds and such, Raine and Colette had started gathering firewood, Liane was unpacking the cooking gear that would be used for the evening's meal. And Kratos… well, Kratos was busy sharpening his sword and apparently making a point to ignore the rest of them. But it was all normal… and even relatively peaceful, just the whispers of the winds and the snickers of Lloyd and Genis coloring the rather idyllic setting.

"Kratos."

Liane glanced over her shoulder at the sound of her mentor's voice, certain she hadn't heard the woman walk past her to where Kratos had seated himself, methodically drawing his sword over his whetstone. Her tone was quiet, and it seemed that she didn't want to make a show of their talk, so Liane merely slowed her actions… wondering why the Professor would so quietly seek out the mercenary.

"What is it?" came Kratos' terse reply, taking his time in turning his gaze from his work and up to the Professor.

Raine crouched down beside the mercenary, balancing on the balls of her feet as she watched him for a moment longer before drawing a breath to voice her question. "Why did you take on the job of guarding Colette?"

"Humph. I'm a mercenary," Kratos huffed wearily, sounding almost as if he was about to chuckle. He looked back down to his blade and continued to work it over the stone, shaking his head slightly. "That's how we earn money to live," he murmured in further explanation, almost as if trying to explain to a child.

"In other words, it's just a job?" Raine offered, her voice still calm as she stared at Kratos. Liane knew the woman's tone all too well – it was one that indicated that the elven woman already anticipated a certain answer – and that the answer was more than likely just an excuse.

Kratos met the professor's gaze evenly with a nod before he went back to work on his sword, his actions making a clear statement that she and her questioning were hardly his priorities at the moment. "That's correct."

"That's really all?" the professor asked, as if giving him one last chance. It was a tactic that was usually seen used on Lloyd or Genis right before one of them would get smacked for lying to her. Liane had to glance away to keep from indulging in the fantasy of Raine smacking Kratos over the head, even as part of her cheered for the unlikely possibility.

"Yes…" Kratos replied quietly, only the faintest hint of annoyance tinting his tone.

"Hmm…" Raine murmured, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Kratos for a few moments. Kratos continued to ignore her, as if the conversation were already over and forgotten as far as he was concerned. With another shake of her head, the Professor turned on her heel and strode across the camp to where Lloyd and Genis had found a pair of staff-like sticks and were starting to beat on each other… or… _spar_… as they would call it.

Keeping her gaze averted, Liane busied herself with unloading the cooking gear, unsure that she had a place in hearing any part of the conversation between the professor and the mercenary, but it still tickled her interest anyway. _Raine doesn't believe him…_ she chewed her lip, looking up only after the elven woman had strode past her, the professor's attention now held solidly by Lloyd, Genis, and Colette. After a sigh, she steeled herself and stood, content that the items they would need for dinner were all organized for Genis to start cooking when he liked. "She doesn't trust you…" Liane told him softly as she slowly walked close enough to sit beside the mercenary, watching him with a tilt to her head. _You really should be smart enough to figure out why…. You know way too much about things to have shown up out of sheer coincedence_….

"She doesn't have to trust me. None of you do. It's not part of my contract," Kratos shrugged indifferently. "My job is to protect the Chosen through her tasks. Nothing more, nothing less."

Liane considered his cool response for a moment before she shrugged. 'Really? And that would be why you've taught both Lloyd and I sword techniques? Why you've saved all of us at one point or another on this journey?"

"I've told you before, if anything happened to any of you, it could distract the Chosen –"

"I know, I know… 'it could distract the Chosen from her duty,'" Liane snorted a bit, rolling her eyes before she simply stared at him. "Would it really kill you to admit that you actually like us? That it's not just a job? Think of all the good you're doing – not just in keeping Colette in one piece and on the right path… but it's the world you're helping! How can you say it's just a job?"

"But it is," Kratos replied quickly, yet his tone still carried no emotion. "It _is_ a job with its goal being Colette completing the regeneration trials. More that you can imagine rides on her success – or her failure," he continued to explain before he looked away with a sigh that sounded vaguely exasperated.

Liane nodded to his words, letting them drift away on the evening breeze before she spoke again. "But I suppose you can."

It was enough to get him to look back at her again.

"'I can' what?"

"Imagine it," she replied quietly, inwardly smug that she had seemed to have taken him off-guard just a bit. "I suppose you have a so much better idea of what will happen than the rest of us do. But I guess it's easier to sit back and toss out cryptic comments than to admit that you trust us – than to share what you know," Liane tilted her head to the side and imagined for her own sake that she was making him squirm. "I suppose the surprise on our faces as we've blundered into battle after battle has been pretty entertaining."

The silence that met her rant was predictable – she really wasn't certain why she was even bothering. Looking away from him once again, she drew a deep breath to try to release the building tension that she was starting to fear would lead to a much more scene-making argument. She didn't want that – but she didn't want him to patronize them, either. While some members of the group seemed to be a bit more oblivious than others, it was building – and getting more insulting. Feeling her shoulders tense more as the thought coiled on itself, she exhaled, but caught it as he did the last thing she expected him to do at the moment – he actually began to speak…..

"When you've traveled as much as I have – when you've heard stories from countless beliefs and ages – when you've seen things that no matter how long you live, you know some part of you will always be amazed…" his voice hadn't warmed, but there was something new there… it was something almost… weary? "… you can't help but find familiarity in things. It would take far too long to pass on all of that experience – anticipate how it would help. It's for the best if I simply do my job."

"And why is it that your job can't let you drop the 'high and mighty' act?" Liane asked as calmly as she could, finding herself staring at the side of his head. "This journey is supposed to be a good thing – and we're all working for the same thing. So why would it be such a terrible crime to stop acting like you're so above us? Sure, you have more experience, but you didn't have to take this job, either. I'm sure there's plenty of paying work out there for someone like you…."

Liane heard him snort at that, the soft noise making her narrow her gaze at him. But when he offered no more, she drew a deep breath and forced her hands to unclench. "Sure, the priests couldn't accompany Colette as they'd planned, but we're holding our own… together. Don't you think those might be grounds for you to ease up a little –"

"This is the last time anyone should 'ease up,'" Kratos stated coolly, cutting her off. "This journey won't stop because one of you is suspicious of my motives… or scared… or distracted… or tired. This isn't like when your mother would coddle you for as long as it took to forget the nightmare that scared you awake in the night. There is more at stake than any one person can grasp – and the only way that what must happen will come to pass is if we concentrate on where we are now – not where we were. The Chosen won't get anywhere by looking backwards."

Liane's eyes flared a little, ready to instantly take insult at his words. She almost regretted the moments that he had somehow made her feel better… like less of a freak for what was happening in her head – the times that she had actually thought of him as a friend. Then she drew a deep breath, her shoulders drooping as she shook her head, having to admit to herself that he was right. "I didn't want this… any of this," Liane sighed, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them there. "I didn't to fight– and I didn't want dreams that I can't make go away, if that's what you're using against me. So if that makes me weak in your eyes, so be it…."

Kratos chuckled softly in the darkening shade of the trees beside her. "It's rare that we get what we want in this life," he spoke, his tone quiet but not condescending. "It's even more rare that – if you do get it – you can hold onto it. Happiness, wants, needs… are all fleeting concepts. They can all change irrevocably in the space of a breath."

Liane release her knees and stretched her legs out before her as she looked over to Kratos, one eyebrow arched at him. "Well, aren't you just the eternal optimist?"

"If you wanted sunshine and puppy dogs, perhaps you should have been speaking with someone else," Kratos sighed, his words a bit clipped, but not nearly as badly as she knew he was capable of. "I could go get the Chosen for you, perhaps?"

"No…" Liane shook her head even as she wondered if she hadn't answered too quickly. "I just wanted to talk to you a bit more… to warn you about Raine's little inquisitions. If she felt strongly enough to say something to you… she's watching you."

"Thank you for the warning, but I believe I can handle the professor's concerns…" Kratos replied quietly, reaching to his side and sheathing his sword. "You don't need to worry about me."

Liane blinked. "But… I wasn't worrying…" she started before she flustered just a bit. Was she? Frustrated, yes. Annoyed with how he seemed to be able to read her, definitely… but… worried?

"Your friends are waiting for you to help them chop ingredients for dinner…" Kratos murmured, not looking to her as he waved a hand generally back over his shoulder, effectively dismissing her.

With a frown… Liane sighed and stood. The discussion was over… and the awkwardness was back. How did she ever think it was gone… or even fading for that matter? "Sure… thanks…" she murmured, shaking her head just a little before she started away. _Don't know why I bothered anyway…._

* * *

Liane watched the stars above her, each of their tiny lights seeming to dance as the branches of the pine tree she rested under shifted gently in the wind. She sat up, the gnawing at her gut only getting worse the longer she sat there. She had tried to sleep, but only brief naps would visit her. Luin was close. And it was in the opposite direction from the Mausoleum. On one hand, she could stay with them and simply tell them that she wished to stay in Luin when they visited there. There would be good-byes, sat attempts at explanations she really didn't have, and then, perhaps her being left in their wake for her to carve out a life for herself. But on the other hand, if she left… they wouldn't have to worry about her… they would still have plenty of time to adapt to her absence and that of any help she hand managed to offer them. Raine, Colette, Genis, and Lloyd… they all knew that she had no intention of staying in Iselia for the rest of her life. It had really only ever been a matter of time. All that was left was actually following through with her plan – and hoping that her friends could forgive her after. 

Sitting up, she chewed her lip in another long moment of indecision. She didn't want to leave her friends – she truly didn't. But she knew that the split would have to come sometime – and right now, somehow, that fact had never been clearer. They were all set on fighting until Sylvarant was regenerated – and she was no fighter.

_Lately… I don't know exactly what I am… but it's not fair to them to use this time – their time – to figure it out… _she told herself a bit dismally as she crawled from her bedroll and started to fold it up. _It has to be this way._ For a moment, she hesitated, glancing over to the low-burning campfire to see four blanketed lumps – her friends – her companions for so long.

Shaking her head, she secured her blanket to her pack_. Another decision that no one else can make for me, I suppose, _she sighed, checking around their campsite for some sign of the mercenary that was likely still on watch.

_He wouldn't stop me even if he did catch me,_ a bitter voice whispered in her mind. But… did she actually want him to?

Liane shook her head to dislodge the ludicrous notion. _He's made it clear in the past that I'm a complication… it's easier this way – it's easier for everyone._

She wondered for just a moment what she would do if she ran into him – how she would explain herself – if she would even have to. With another huff, she set her jaw and stood. Liane knew if she faltered and gave in to second thoughts, she'd never find her own path – she would always follow what was familiar to her. After a deep exhale, she lifted her pack to her shoulders and shifted it until it was moderately comfortable. She had only taken what was hers – her share of the gald they had earned so far, her clothes, her basic supplies – but none of the food. Liane would be near food once she found a place to stay – and her friends needed all they could get.

Finishing her mental checklist, she cast one last, long gaze back to the fire. "Bye, guys…" she whispered before she bit her lip harshly to keep tears at bay for a little longer. "Good luck… thank you for letting me come with you this far… and… I hope you can all forgive me someday…."

Liane turned, even as an image of her friends' smiling faces burned brightly in her minds' eye – and a traitorous voice in the back of her head started to chide her. _You're abandoning them… all of them. You won't know if they're save… if they're alive or…._

Clenching her hands into fists, her fingernails started to dig into the flesh of her palms – the stinging pain her punishment as she started down the rocky side of the plateau to the valley floor below. She didn't look back… not even as a slightly chilled wind whipped at her, almost as if trying to push her back – turn her from her new journey.

_No… tonight… I'm going this way… no matter what…._

* * *

Kratos hated the exhale of relief that slipped away from him as Liane disappeared over the edge of the plateau. But there was no denying it for what it was. 

_I can't keep her safe, too… not without endangering everything. I can barely keep Lloyd safe… and he's insistent on seeing this journey through to the end._

Hopping down from the tree limb he had been perched on and strolled to the edge, keeping back to the shadows of the ancient trees. Liane was easy to spot by the bright moonlight – she was the only thing moving out over the plains. The realization bothered him a bit – if he could see her, then so surely could other creatures of the land. _She can fight_… a voice in the back of his mind reassured him. _You've seen to that_.

Shaking his head, he ignored the voice, momentarily allowing himself a sigh and a frown. For just a moment, time wavered around him… and it wasn't the dark-haired girl from Iselia he was watching walking away… it was his chestnut haired wife… turning her back on him and the life he offered her… seeking the safety that a world without him would promise her.

_Anna… you should have been the one to walk away…_

He shook his head a little at the bitter tone of his thoughts. Whatever had happened – however it had happened – nothing changed the fact that she was gone. It was simply harder than he could admit that this new person confused his senses so much – like some cosmic taunt of how he had gone so wrong. All the nights he had spent near her – near Liane – as she had slept, oblivious of his presence… if he closed his eyes, he could almost fool himself that he was with her again….

_'The soul calls to its kin… it's the nature of the human spirit….'_

Kratos frowned as the fortune teller's words came back to him once again. He didn't understand it… and there was no one else he could really ask that might without endangering her. All he would know would be what he observed from her. And no matter how he wished to guide her… even if it was to feed his own curiosity to see how much was still there… he knew that staying with him would only bring her into the fire again. While it meant that he might never see her again… might never know what she remembered or what it all meant, he knew that he couldn't trust himself to keep her safe. History would repeat itself if she stayed.

_This is how it has to be. If I had stayed away in the first place…_

At that, he almost laughed at himself. What had he just been lecturing to Liane about looking backwards? She had made the right decision and she had made it for herself. Sparing one more glance out to her retreating silhouette, he nodded resolutely and turned, starting back to the low-burning campfire and the remaining members of the group. He knew that Liane's departure would set them off balance… but they were resilient. They had to be. And he would help them. He let his eyes slide over them all, his gaze lingering on Lloyd at the end. _Now… if I can just manage to keep all of you from getting yourselves killed…._


	12. Chapter 13

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Liane's journey is over – or is it? As she settles into Luin, she discovers that some things are harder to leave behind than she had ever guessed… and some things absolutely refuse to release their grip on her.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter 13:

"Miss? Miss… you really can't sleep here…"

Liane groaned, the words edging their way into her consciousness along with the recognition of something uncomfortably angular digging into the middle of her back. "Hmm?" she murmured sleepily, her eyes fluttering open only to be met with a flood of bright morning sunlight._ Where…_ her mind questioned for only a moment before the answer came to her almost like a physical blow. _Luin… I'm in Luin…._

"Miss… really, the inn is just down the road…."

Her head snapped up, all weariness leaving her for at least the moment as she sought the speaker. While his voice was kind, there was still an element of urgency to his tone. With her eyes struggling for only a moment to focus in the sunlight, she found a smiling young man leaning on a push broom watching her with a thin smirk

Using the porch's support column as a brace, Liane crawled to her feet with an almost embarrassed smile, pulling her pack along with her and swinging it back over her shoulder. "I'm sorry… I didn't get into town until very late," she offered. "The inn was locked up… I didn't mean to disrupt your opening…" she continued to apologize, taking note of his black-smudged apron before she noted the sign behind him: Fighting Spirit. She blinked, her mind putting things together_. The weapon shop…? I fell asleep at the weapon shop?_ She almost laughed. _Lloyd would so be laughing at me right now…_.

Surprise flashed in the black haired young man's eyes as he watched her tug on her tunic to straighten it beneath her sword belt. "You came into town in the middle of the night? With all the creatures roaming the plains?" From his tone, it was clear that it was something he found alarming, especially considering that his smile was now all but completely gone.

Liane waved off his words and the surprise they carried with a small laugh and a pat of her sword's handle. "I think they were scared of me – I didn't see a single one," she told him with a smirk, seeing his eyebrow arch at her claim. While it was true that she hadn't had to fight once between the Lake Umacy plateau and Luin, she was certain that Lloyd's influence could be found fueling the other part of her statement. With a dry chuckle, she shrugged. "Honestly? I'm pretty sure it was pure luck, but I'm not complaining."

"That's just not safe," the dark-haired man sighed with a shake of his head as his hand shot out to the handle of her sword, freeing it before her fuzzy mind could even think to object, much less stop him. "With this?" he asked incredulously, bracing the blade against his palm as he angled it in the sunlight for inspection. "But… this is so rusty… and beaten up…" he murmured.

"Not you, too…" Liane rolled her eyes as she pushed her frazzled braid back over her shoulder with a huff.

Looking up to him once again, she saw yet more puzzlement flash in his golden-brown eyes. "You're kidding… you've been warned about its condition… and you still depend on it?" he asked, his disbelief growing more clear with every passing syllable.

The déjà vu was almost too much for her. If her mind hadn't still been just a bit pleasantly sleep-dulled, she knew she'd be glaring at him. Instead she shook her head and started to reach for her sword's handle. "It does its job… and my daggers are considerably newer. Really… I appreciate your concern, but the sword has sentimental value to me…."

She saw his eyebrow arch at that and she cringed. _If he tells me that sentimentality has no place in fighting, I'm going to scream._ But after a moment, Liane saw him smile and shake his head, gently pulling the sword from her grip.

"Look… go get a room at the inn… take a bath or a nap… and leave it with me for a while and I'll see what I can do," he told her with amusement in his tone. "I don't have a heavy workload today… so drop by this afternoon and I think I can have it ready for you." He smiled at her as he started to turn to walk back into the shop. As Liane stared after him, he paused in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder to her. "If I'm not at the counter, just ask for Wendall… I'll be here."

_Not only is he not trying to belittle me or my sword, he's actually trying to help?_ Liane was dumfounded. It was at that moment that she realized how even her abbreviated journey had hardened her to expect the worst possible reception from others. "Ah… thank you…" she murmured just a bit sheepishly. "You can keep it until I can pay you for it… I don't think I'll be needing it for a while, so don't rush…" she told him even as she found herself unable to keep from returning his smile.

Wendall chuckled, waving over his shoulder at her as he once again started into the shop. "Just come by later. We'll talk about it after we see what it's going to take."

With that, he disappeared into the darkened interior of the Fighting Spirit, leaving Liane to gape for a moment longer before she sighed and chuckled to herself. _It's all going to be different now, isn't it?_ Shifting her pack on her shoulder, she turned to look out over the awakening town. The sun had just started to clear the northern mountains, warming the quaint little town and making her smile. It was just as she remembered it – small, like Iselia – but still different. While she knew that she would miss the forests that embraced her home town, she also knew that once things settled down, she could always go visit – once the world was regenerated, once the Desians were once again contained, once the monsters that now restlessly roamed the world were quieted.

Liane stepped down from the weapon shop's porch and let her eyes slide over the series of boardwalks that linked parts of the town. The glitter of sunlight off Lake Sinoa combined with the brisk wind that slid from the water and over the town sent a pleasant shiver through her. _I did it… I really did it…._ The realization still somehow surprised her. Luin was still only vaguely familiar to her – something having called to her about the small town even for the short weeks that her group had stayed there while studying the northern continent and the Tower of Mana. But just that she had found the strength to willingly break from almost everything familiar to her was somehow a victory in itself to her.

However, even in the wake of the 'victory,' she couldn't help but wonder how angry Lloyd and the others would be with her – if they would somehow understand that she had to go. With a sigh, a frown slipped over her lips. _I should have left a note…_ her conscience pointed out, playing a scenario in her mind of at least part of the group panicked by her disappearance in the night. But even as the guilt began to sink its fangs into her, a slightly more logical whisper in her mind pushed it back. _There were no signs of struggle… I took all of my belongings with me… and I know I've spoken to all of them about going to Luin one day. Well… not Kratos, but why would he care?_ She snorted softly at that thought before her frown started to soften. _Raine even offered herself as a reference for me if I needed it – if I wanted to try to teach. Maybe she'll still do that… when the journey is over…._

Starting down the road towards the inn, Liane tried to keep the guilt over her decision at bay for long enough to think back over her travels with the group. She had seen so many amazing things – things that most people would only see in dreams – or nightmares. Glancing down to her left forearm, she could still see the thin white line from where the Ktugach had sliced into her in Triet. It no longer hurt – but she couldn't help but wonder if the story of that scar would ever fade from her memory – if she'd ever have children that would laugh when she'd tell them the tale. Even though she giggled at that particular thought, it did lead her thoughts in another direction – what would a regenerated world be like? If she was to ever have a child… he or she would grow up in a prospering world… but how different would it be from what she had lived? Liane wasn't entirely certain that she had ever known Sylvarant as 'prosperous' – she could, however, remember her father almost always struggling with his harvests – with having enough of a crop to keep his family fed as well as enough to sell to allow them all to live comfortably. Somehow, Ben Dale had always found a way, but Liane had seen worry in his eyes when he hadn't thought anyone else was watching.

_They've supported me for twenty years… maybe this will give them a break. Maybe… eventually… I can help them now, too…_.Liane knew how her parents had scrimped and saved to send her off to school with the church – if she could someday find a way to return that gesture….

It was a goal anyway – and she had taken her first steps towards it. Her future was open wide ahead of her – all she had to do now was stay on that path.

Stepping up onto the stone stoop of the Phoenix Inn, Liane couldn't help but smile at the reference. The mythical bird of fire that rose from the ashes of its own demise – a beautiful creature with the power to transcend death itself – an embodiment of hope and life itself. From her studies both on and in Luin, Liane knew that the town itself was a phoenix with a long history of destruction and rebirth as far back as historians had cared to take note. It left the town with a somewhat precarious feel – but there was also a sense of strength running beneath it. Oddly, it was one of the things that drew her to the town.

As the carved and painted door swung open, it brushed past a delicate set of chimes and the gray-templed man that stood behind the front desk looked up to Liane with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Phoenix Inn… how can I help you, Miss?"

Liane smiled at the polite formality she had received from both Wendall and the Innkeeper. Pushing the door closed behind her, she stepped up to the desk and let her pack down to the ground at her feet. "Good morning… I was looking for a room… probably for at least a few days…?" she inquired as she knelt beside her pack to remove her gald pouch.

"A few days, eh?" the Innkeeper murmured as he opened his register, a finger scanning over the page before he looked up to her once again. "Exploring? Visiting someone…?" he asked, his smile still warm as he glanced up to her over the rims of his glasses, his tone holding a bit of curiosity in it beyond the casual question.

_Silly – how could it not be strange? A girl walks in first thing in the morning looking for a room? You'd wonder, too…_ she chided herself for even noting his curiosity. "No… actually, I'd like to be staying here on a more permanent basis," she shrugged, returning his smile. "I'm hoping to find something a little more permanent eventually, but a roof over my head until I can get settled and find a job will do nicely for right now…."

The Innkeeper's smile widened a little at that before his eyes trailed back down to his book. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for here… we haven't seen too many young folk looking to move here in a while," he replied before he glanced up to her once again, this time as if measuring her somehow. "Well, I have rooms, but if you wouldn't mind me asking you a question?"

Her eyebrow arched at his inquiry. "Ah… sure?" she replied with a laugh that sounded distinctly nervous in her own ears.

"Well, an extended stay might get kind of spendy, especially if you don't have a job yet… but if you don't mind having a roommate, I might be able to save you some gald…?" the Innkeeper offered, leaning on the counter and clasping his hands before him with a shrug. "We've had a nice girl – about your age, if I had to guess – staying here with us for a few days. She's been doing some odd jobs and favors around town in return for letting her stay with us. But she said if we needed the space, she wouldn't mind sharing the room…" his voice trailed off, as if to allow her to weigh the option. "The room is big… beds are on opposite sides of the room… and I doubt she'll be around all the time if you enjoy your privacy – but I'd only charge you half our regular room fee…."

"A roommate…?" Liane repeated, a bit surprised by the offer. It had occurred to her that her gald might not hold out for too long if she ran into any difficulty finding employment, but this was at least a partial solution to that possibility. "Well, it's not like I have a lot of personal possessions with me for anyone to go through… if you don't think this other girl will mind?"

The Innkeeper's smile widened as he shook his head and turned to the keyrack that hung behind the desk, plucking a brass key and then placing it on the desk in front of her. "I'm sure she'll be fine with it. She seems a little lonely when I've seen her, in all honesty… maybe making a new friend would be good for both of you?" he laughed softly as he spun the register around on the desk to face her and handed her a pen. "Just sign on this line…" he tapped the page with his finger, "… and drop by at the end of each week – or when you decide to leave us – and we'll square up your bill, okay?"

Liane could barely believe her good luck – or the hospitality of the Innkeeper – as she set the pen to the page and scribed her name where he had indicated. "I really don't know how to thank you…" she shook her head as she placed the pen back on the desk and turned the book back to him again.

He chuckled at that, shaking his head as he handed her the key and glance at the book. "Miss Dale, you can thank me by taking your time and enjoying Luin while you decide if you really want to stay. And if you need help finding a job, just let me know – I know most of the merchants and such around town. We'll see what we can do to help. But in the meantime, the room is outside and upstairs – right at the top of the steps. Bathing rooms are up there, too…."

"Thank you… very much, sir…" Liane smiled as she took the key from him and even as the thought of a warm bath practically made her shiver. That was a luxury she hadn't partaken of since Triet – only brisk dips and scrubs in creeks had sufficed for such purposes since then. "I'll check back with you at the end of the week, then…" she nodded to him as she picked up her pack and started back to the door. Noting the man's small wave and chuckle, she was taken by how friendly Luin had already been to her.

_And it's not even lunchtime yet…._

She couldn't help but chuckle at how much the thought sounded like Lloyd. She exited the lobby of the Phoenix Inn and started up the wooden stairs outside her mind started to slide away from the Inn and away from Luin - across the plains to where she imagined her friends were – hopefully, pursuing their trip to the Balacruf Mausoleum. She remembered the tales the priests had told her group of the interior – howling winds from nowhere – darkness that seemed to actually scare light away… and the nights that they had spent camped on the grounds of the Mausoleum didn't help to brighten that imagery in the least. Liane wondered if she'd ever stop thinking about her friends or how they were progressing. What she had told Kratos the night before still stood true – she didn't want to fight. She didn't wish for a life of mindless complacency – but not having to constantly watch over her shoulder was a concept that held a great deal of appeal for her. _Not that I wish that on any of them – or that I think any of them would want it either… but this is just where I need to be right now…_ she told herself as she slipped her key into the lock of the room at the top of the stairs, a small voice she was choosing to ignore for the moment pointing out how she was still trying to justify leaving them.

The door to the room swung open on hinges that only whined as it fully revealed the room. As promised, the room was almost surprisingly spacious – and looked to Liane to be utterly untouched. Her brow furrowed a bit, seeing no sign of her promised roommate – no bags, no clothes, and nothing even vaguely out of place. "Huh…" she murmured, pushing the door closed behind her as she slipped a little further into the room. Letting her pack slide from her shoulder, she surveyed the room, seeing that the Innkeeper had not lied – there was plenty of room for two people. There were single beds in opposite corners of the room and a small table with two chairs against the wall in the middle. A smile curled the corners of her lips as she braced her pack near the table. _This will work nicely_, she sighed as she stooped to open her pack, removing a towel, a clean set of clothes, and her hairbrush and soap before she re-buckled the closure and stood once again. _Maybe she'll be here when I get back…._

* * *

The early afternoon sun felt glorious on Liane's still-damp skin as she stepped out onto the wooden walkway that lined the outside of the Phoenix Inn. It occurred to her that she may have indulged in the steaming heaven that the copper bathing tub had offered her for a bit too long. But seeing as how there had been no knocks on the door of the common bathing room or vocal complaints that had reached her ears, she just couldn't bring herself to feel too badly about it. Her journey had shown her distinct downsides to their civilization as they knew it, but a hot bath somehow made all that fade away, if only for a little while. With a giggle that even she knew was frivolous, she pushed her neatly-woven braid over the shoulder of her short-sleeved tunic and once again unlocked her room, her eyes instantly alert for the presence of her roommate.

_Nothing…._

With a shrug, she repacked her bathing supplies in her pack and draped her freshly-washed tunic and breeches that she had been wearing over one of the straight-backed chairs, doing her best to not make it look too scattered in case the other girl returned. Glancing around the room, a slightly uncomfortable feeling slid over her – feeling almost like she was treading on someone else's territory – she didn't even know what side of the room had already been claimed. _Not that I'd fight her for either bed, but I don't want to crowd her, either… I guess I'll just have to wait to talk to her until she comes back…._

But the sunlight that was streaming through the window was too much to ignore – too inviting to even consider just sitting tin the room and waiting to meet her roommate. While Liane was still tired from her trek across the plains and the less-than-comfortable sleeping situation she had found herself in that morning, she was still eager to explore what she hoped would end up being her new home. With that decision made, she picked up her sword belt from where it was draped over her pack and removed the empty sheath. Just that simple act struck her as odd… having her sword at her side had somehow become habit… familiar. As she cinched her belt at her waist, she found herself reassuring herself that she still had her daggers as close as her boots – it wasn't as if she was completely unarmed.

Her smile came quickly on the heels of that thought. _I wonder how long it will be before I can give up and leave the weapons out of my daily dressing…._ For as long as she'd had the daggers, she didn't think she could remember a time that she didn't have them with her. Even when she'd packed her bag to go to the school to teach with Raine, they had been nearby. While they had rarely been used in any kind of true defense of offense before the Oracle had come, just their presence was a comfort to her.

_Not sure how the school here would feel about the new assistant teacher coming armed to classes, though…_ Liane smirked as she let herself out of the room and started back down the steps to the city road below. Luin was fully alive with the new day, and she wasn't going to be left out of it. Traveling merchants pedaled their wares along the walkways, the heavenly scents of baked goods filled the air and mingled with the laughter of children – and ever sense reveled in her return to the City of Hope. Stopping at a portly woman with a tray piled high with freshly-baked rolls, Liane bought one of the still-warm treats, the scent irresistible and a rumbling stomach easily convincing her to consider it her lunch. Ripping off a piece of the crusty loaf as she started out across the wooden walkway that stretched over the lake, she let her feet choose her direction. She wasn't on a schedule – and no one was waiting on her – it was an almost giddy moment of freedom. To some extent, it would end when she found employment – but her choices were still her own, and it felt so good to not feel like a part of a flock being herded into the unknown.

Once again encountering land, Liane wandered past the neatly kept buildings, returning smiles and other assorted greetings as she received them. _Such a friendly town_… she noted, the observation calling back her memories of when she had stayed in the town just the relatively short time a couple of years past. The priests kept her and her fellow students more than busy during the days – too busy to have forged any true bonds with the locals, but her impression of them was still the same: visitor or neighbor, everyone was treated with kindness.

As she passed the small Church of Martel, Liane had to pause, recalling the mornings they had spent within the walls of the chapel, the quiet time focusing all of the students on the day ahead of them. It was a calm she didn't realize she had missed until that moment. She had fallen into a habit of rushing headlong into her day, but maybe that calm could be something else she could reclaim with her fresh start.

Even the thought was energizing to her, and her smile brightened on its own as she continued down the path. Taking another bite of her bread, she could see the boarding house in the distance – where she and the others had been housed during her previous stay. It had been her plan to return to the house once she settled in the town, but if things worked out at the inn, that might have even changed. She remembered the boarding house as clean but cramped with all twelve of the students of the group crammed into three rooms along with their three advisors. It was where her habit of sleeping on the floor had been forged, but the Inn was now a much more welcoming option. _Granted, the boarding house served regular meals for its guests – _

_I wonder if Mom is…_

Liane's eyes widened at the stray thought. How could the sight of the yellow-washed clapboard siding of the boarding house remind her of her mother? She puzzled over it for only a moment longer before she dismissed it as being a combination of the weariness she was holding at bay and the fact that so much time had been passed since she had seen her parents_. At least I was able to write to them while I was on that trip… they must be so worried by now… Dirk, too_… she sighed, turning from the boarding house and continuing to walk, her spirits dampened a bit. _Maybe I'll write to them tonight before bed…_ she told herself as she walked out onto the small dock and sat down, sitting cross-legged on the edge as she looked out over the town.

_I could be happy here, I think…._

She continued to nibble at the bread until she had finished it, taking in the sights and sounds of Luin as she sat, happy laughter and bouncing figures across the water making her remember how the children of Luin loved to play in the fountain plaza. _I'll have to go there later…_ Liane told herself as she finished the last crumbs of her bread and leaned back on her arms, closing her eyes and just letting the sun soak into her.

_I should go get my book… find a place to read for the afternoon…_

The thought was particularly appealing considering that she hadn't had even a moment to open her book on the Kharlan War since the days before Colette had received the Oracle. It was slowly starting to sink in how much that day had affected all of them – they had all picked up and left their homes. They had…

_I wonder where Kratos is from…._

Liane almost groaned as yet another random thought flitted through her head. Almost as if in punishment, she stood up on the dock and started back the way she had come. _Why did he have to come up again? _she wondered as she walked, the mercenary still somehow able to overturn her thoughts even from that far away. _He never spoke of a home – maybe… he really is just nomadic_, she reasoned, trying to get her thoughts off of him. _That has to be lonely…_ her mind continued against her will. _If you don't have a home… does that man no one misses you?_

It was easily the most depressing thought of her day, and she had to blink to keep her eyes from welling. _What if… you really can't go home?_ She had heard the saying for so long – in literature and from her elders, but a deeper truth in the tidbit of wisdom was slowly beginning to unfurl before her. _With all that's happened… all I've seen… would 'home' ever really be the same?_

About the time her mind started trying to tie Kratos back into the equation again, she realized that even though her distraction, her feet had brought her over the boardwalks and back into the main town – and back to the Fighting Spirit once again. Liane stared at the sign for a moment, puzzled by the seemingly magnetic pull that the shop seemed to have on her.

_That's just weird…._

But before she allowed herself to get too drawn into the mystery, she realized that she did actually have business there – _Wendall did tell me to come back this afternoon… and it_ is _after noon_….

With that being an explanation she could handle, Liane stepped into the open door of the shop – feeling almost immediately like she had walked into an oven. Logic quickly pointed out to her that the use of a forge wasn't all that unlike an oven, and she felt a bit sheepish for ever letting the heat seem strange to her.

Her eyes wandered around the darkened shop, roving over displays of an array of weapons – swords, shields, staffs… even a few kendamas to round out the mix. Liane smiled – easily able to picture the sparkle in Genis' eyes at his weapon of choice being offered right alongside Lloyd's. Her mind indulged in the thought, going so far as to imagine the ensuing argument between the two boys – neither truly seeking to win, but both intent on pushing each other's buttons.

"Welcome to the Fighting Spirit! How can we help you?" came a friendly voice from the direction of the counter, drawing Liane from her thoughts with a small jump. "Oh! It's you…" Wendall grinned at her from the other side of the counter when she looked up. "I didn't recognize you without all of your possessions strapped to your back…" he continued to chuckle.

Liane blushed a little, shrugging as she edged closer to the counter with a small smile. "It's not _all_ of my possessions… just what I could reasonably carry," she sighed in mock-indignance before she laughed. "But those I do have are back at the Inn… thank you for sending me that way, too," she admitted, looking the young man over a bit absently. His almost-black apron and soot-smeared cheeks suggested that he was hardly just a clerk in the shop – nor was he someone who simply sat with a whetstone all day long.

Wendall shrugged, leaning on the counter for just a moment. "Looked like you could use it – sleeping out there just couldn't have been comfortable," the dark-haired man sighed. "A good night's sleep tonight and you should be set."

"Um hmm…" Liane nodded in agreement as a bit of an awkward silence settled between them and she glanced away for a moment until she again spotted the display of swords for sale. The inspiration brought her to meet his gaze again. "You… asked me to come back this afternoon? Is it too soon… or…?"

His expression fell just a bit as he ran a smudged hand back through his short black curls. "Oh… yeah… that…" he sighed. "I've got it in the back, but…" Wendall looked at her with a smile that struck her as more of a frown. "I got it to hold a fairly decent edge, but some of the rust has just gone too deep. I'm not sure I can guarantee how much longer it'll offer you much protection – I had to grind it down pretty good to find metal that was strong enough to keep an edge. I'm sorry…."

It really wasn't so much of a shock to Liane, but it was still a little bit of a disappointment. She sighed and offered him a smile, shaking her head a little. "It's okay… I didn't really expect any different. Truth be told, I'm amazed that you would even consider trying. I'm sure whatever you did do to it helped, though…" she told him. "Thank you for your trouble…."

He waved off her words with a laugh. "It was no trouble… really. Restoring blades is just the first of the lessons a customizer should learn – I'm just sorry I couldn't do more without basically reforging it… and I wasn't sure you'd want that…?"

"No… not that's not necessary," Liane shook her head. "It's old… it's probably earned its retirement a few times over," she smiled at him with a shrug before she raised an eyebrow to him, his words slowly sinking in to her mind with all he had probably done for her. "And no trouble? You must have worked on it all morning – all the cleaning you had to do before you could even start grinding – and the edging and polishing had to have taken at least that long again…" she laughed before her eyes widened. _Where did that come from…?_ she wondered, bewildered by the lecture she had spouted – it wasn't as if she knew much more about swords than barely more than how to swing one. _Goddess… now I'm making stuff up… what am I trying to do… impress him?_

Even as that thought momentarily flustered her even more, she saw his expression go blank for just a moment before a smile started curling his lips.

"Aren't you full of surprises…?" Wendall chuckled, watching her with a small shake of his head. "Out slashing your way though monsters by night and a customizer by day? Maybe I should have just let you come back here yourself to work on it…" he laughed.

That flustered her even more. Liane shook her head, waving her hand out before her to stave off any more of his exaggerated story. "No… no, that's not it at all… I'm no customizer, and I promise you, you're giving my fighting skills way too much credit. I'm a teacher… well, an apprentice-teacher… and I'm certainly no real fighter, either…."

Wendall grinned, seeming to thoroughly enjoy her response. "Well, for a teacher, you seem to have done your studies on restoring blades… not too many people care about the restoration process or its steps – they usually notice the end result and that's about it." He shrugged, laughing a little more. "Hey… it's okay. No one here is going to chew you out for appreciating the work, I promise…."

Liane exhaled, allowing herself a small laugh. _That must be it… I bet I read about it at some point. I mean, there's nothing wrong with being appreciative when someone tries to help, right?_ "Well, I guess that's true enough," she agreed, her hand moving to the pouch on her belt. "How much do I owe you?"

He blinked, the amusement in his smile dying back as he shrugged and wiped his hands off on his apron. "Um… I'll go get it for you… and then we can decide that for you, okay?" he asked with a shrug as he started to turn. "I'll be right back."

She watched him walk back behind a dark curtain that separated the first floor of the building beneath the loft from the sales area with a sigh. No matter how they both seemed to be willing to justify her blathering, it still unnerved her. While retention of obscure knowledge had always seemed to come easily to her, she was certain that weaponsmithing had never been a particular interest to her – that was much more Lloyd and Dirk's area – and, quite honestly, something she didn't care to tread on.

Once again seeking some form of distraction, she stepped back from the counter and started to browse the shop's wares, moving along the racks until something caught the corner of her eye. Liane looked up and her breath caught just a little. Within a simple shadowbox display on the wall was one of the most elegant swords she had ever seen. Beneath the glass, the rune-etched silver blade gleamed even in the relatively dim light of the shop, but it was the hilt and handle that made her stare. Absolutely delicate strands of silver wove together in an intricate pattern to form the basket-cage that enclosed the handle of the rapier, and the handle itself was woven with an interlocking pattern that seemed to be made of single strands of alternating ice blue and silver. Lastly, but certainly not least, a stone crowned the pommel that was the color of the lake that Luin had built on and around.

_'What colors should we use… hmm?'_

Liane's head snapped up at the jovial voice and she looked around the shop, immediately chastising herself for not noticing someone else enter the shop. But her complaints were silenced when she realized that she was indeed alone. _What the…?_

'_Blue, Papa!' _came a little girl's excited voice, as clear as day. _'Silver and blue!"_

'_Silver? Are you sure? Not gold…?"_ the male asked, the playful note in his voice growing more obvious with every word.

The girl's voice laughed again. _'Bleh! Who would use a gold sword? Silver and blue! Please, Papa!'_ she declared, pleading dripping in her voice.

"Miss…?"

Liane jumped at the additional voice, this one somehow more corporeal – and right beside her. Looking to her right, she realized that Wendall had returned – but as she quickly scanned the shop, she found that they were still alone. "Did… you hear the man… and his daughter?" she asked before she thought about it, instantly regretting her question as she saw his eyebrow arch and he looked around.

"Um… no… but there might be people outside?" he offered with a shrug before he looked back to her. "Voice carry sometimes…?"

"Of… course…" Liane stammered a little, trying to laugh even as her eyes were drawn back to the sword displayed on the wall. Without even realizing what she was doing, she saw her hand move before her, the pads of her fingers moving of their own accord over a small, engraved plate on the glass below the sword, almost as if she needed to feel the engraved ridges of the inscription to read it:

_'IceSoul'_

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Wendall asked in open admiration as he followed her eyes to the display. "The previous owner of the shop made it. My father told me that Andrew fussed over it for almost five years – said it had to be perfect – a display of everything a sword could be - lethal and beautiful."

_Andrew…_.

Liane allowed her hand to fall from the display as her eyes lingered on the blade for a moment longer. "Andrew… was the previous owner?" she asked softly before she finally looked to her companion, finally tearing her eyes from the weapon and finding herself somehow dreading the answer even as she saw Wendall start to nod.

"Um hmm… my Dad was his apprentice," Wendall replied. "He took over the shop when Andrew and his family disappeared," he murmured with a helpless shrug. "This place has always kind of been kind of part of our family. It just seemed right to Dad. He still claims he'll never be the craftsman Andrew was, though… that's why he keeps this on display."

For a moment, Liane couldn't breathe, feeling like someone had kicked her in the gut. "That… that's admirable…" she stammered, trying to keep their conversation from turning into an awkward monologue.

"Hey, are you okay?" Wendall asked, placing his hand on her shoulder as he sought her eyes. "Do you want to sit down? You look kind of pale…."

"No… I'm fine," Liane lied, shaking her head and trying to smile. "No… I think we need to settle up, though…" she commented, trying to steer the conversation to something she could understand. Her gaze dropped to the sword in his hand, now enclosed in a simple black leather sheath. Reaching out to the familiar worn handle, she smiled as she took it from him and unsnapped the restraining strap that held the sheath in place. Drawing the short sword, she held it up to the light from the window, nodding her approval at the sheen on the blade. "Wow… I don't think I've ever seen this thing shine like this."

Wendall watched her for another moment before he moved a little closer, his finger hovering over a small patch of rusty speckles. "I did what I could… but the metal is pretty weak. If you'd like to trade it for something newer, I think you'd be a lot safer…."

She looked up to him with a shake of her head. "I couldn't. This was my grandfather's… and I really don't remember him. It's kind of a link between us, though," she explained. "Besides, I'm really hoping to not have to push it much more anyway – if I can find a job with the school here, the only time I might have to use it is when I go home to Iselia…."

"You're staying?" he asked, his smile warming a bit. "Well, I guess it'll probably hold up for you through that… the kids around here are pretty decent – you shouldn't even have to take this to work with you…" he chuckled.

"I'm glad to hear that," Liane laughed. "And I think I'd like to stay… we'll see what happens…" she told him, warmed by how her statement seemed to make him happy. "But I still need to pay you for your work…."

He sighed, rolling his eyes a little before he walked back behind the counter and started to fumble through a stack of papers. "Let's see… okay… there's two parts to it…" he murmured, continuing to sort the slips into piles.

"Okay…" Liane nodded, removing her gald pouch from where it hung on her belt.

"The first part is that you let me buy you dinner tonight," he smirked as he glanced up to her, already shaking his head at the surprised look on her face. "Not like that… just something simple, as I'm guessing you probably don't know the town well enough to know where the good food is."

Liane could only stare at him before she started to shake her head. _Is he… really asking me…?_ "Wendall, I can't… can't… it's very nice of you… but…."

"Ah. Jealous boyfriend, then…" he nodded understandingly. "I see."

"No!" Liane shook her head almost violently at his assumption before he started to laugh.

"Then I'm afraid 'no' just isn't acceptable," Wendall shrugged. "You asked to pay for the sword… and this is the price…."

She watched him for a moment, teetering on the edge of disbelief. "That's just sneaky, you know…" Liane shook her head before she laughed softly. He had gone out of his way to be nice to her – and settling into Luin would be easier if she made friends. "Fine," she smirked. "But it's still sneaky and I still need to pay you for your work."

"Oh, I'm not done yet, don't worry," he assured her before turning his attention back to the papers spread out before him. Letting the moment drag out between them for just a little longer than he had to. "I think… you owe me…" he looked up to her, arching an eyebrow at her, his serious expression once again changing into a grin. "… your name? I could stick with 'Miss' or 'Hey, you'… but that's kinda cold, don't you think?"

Liane blinked, her jaw dropping open at his request. "You're kidding… I never…?" she started as her mind zipped over her brief relationship with the young man. "I can't believe I'm this rude…" she muttered with a groan and a shake of her head. "I am sooo sorry…" the dark-haired girl apologized, her cheeks heating in embarrassment. "I'm Liane Dale… and did I mention how sorry I am?"

Wendall laughed, shaking his head as he stacked the papers to his side and extended his hand to her. "Don't worry about it," he told her with a smile as she took his hand. "You were tired – you probably still are. I promise I won't keep you out late."

She laughed as she withdrew her hand and tilted her head at him. "You're really not going to let me pay you for the sword are you?" she asked with a playful huff.

"Sure, I am… it's partially paid already," he shrugged. "And after dinner tonight, we'll be square." He chuckled as she sighed and tucked her pouch back onto her belt. "Honestly… the experience is more than worth it, trust me. I'm not trying to be conceited, but I'm a fairly decent customizer – there just isn't a huge market for it around here. Any practice I can get is wonderful…."

"Fine…" Liane sighed in defeat, his explanation actually making sense on some level to her. "But… I'll stop griping about it if you at least let me buy you lunch or something next time," she shrugged. She really didn't feel like he was hitting on her – and she certainly didn't feel like a trapped animal like she did whenever Michael even spoke to her. _This might actually end up being fun…._

Wendall smiled at her. "We'll keep that on the table for discussion, okay? No pressure…" he told her with a shrug. "The shop closes in a couple of hours…give me a chance to clean up a little and I'll come get you, is that okay?"

Liane nodded, gripping her sword in both hands. "First room at the top of the stairs… hard to miss," she told him as she started back away from the counter. "Thank you…."

He waved her off with a small chuckle. "No thanks necessary. I'll see you in a while, okay? Take it easy though… you still look a little tired."

"I will…" she nodded, her eyes once again drifting over the blade displayed on the side wall as her smile died back a little. "See you later…."

* * *

"You have a roommate? Really? Rodney was that strapped for rooms?" Wendall asked as he leaned back against the wall of the fountain pool, looking over to Liane before he took a bite of his sandwich.

Liane shook her head as she finished chewing her bite of sandwich, looking over to him from where she sat on the wall a short distance away. "It was an option he gave me – I don't have unlimited gald and until I get a job, I probably need to be careful with it…" she shrugged, the gentle trickling sounds of the fountain behind them making for an extremely peaceful setting for their informal dinner. It was almost sunset and Luin was slowly starting to retire for the night. "Besides… Rodney?… said she was nice – I just haven't bumped into her yet. I'm guessing I'll see her tonight."

Wendall was quiet for a moment before he glanced to her again. "You know, I think I might know who she is – well… I might have seen her anyway… the kids love her," he smirked, shaking his head with a chuckle. "They always track her down and make her play with them.

"I guess if kids like her, she can't be all bad, right?" Liane shrugged. "Kids are supposed to be able to sense evil and all that – isn't that what they say?" she grinned. "It worked for my friends and I in Iselia… we've never gotten along with the mayor – and we're pretty sure he's evil."

Choking just a little at her words, Wendall turned a wide grin to her. "I think that's 'animals can sense evil' but whatever works for you," he laughed, pulling himself up onto the wall to sit as well. After chewing another bite of his dinner, he sighed, his gaze fixed out over the plains that surrounded the town. "So… you were really traveling with the Chosen… wow…" he murmured. "That had to be incredible."

"It had its moments," Liane nodded in agreement, sighing as she set her sandwich on its wrapping paper to her side and leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees to clasp her hands together. "It was fun… frustrating… exciting…" she huffed a little. "And it was scary… Colette has a long road ahead of her…" Liane sighed, wandering where her friends were… if she had ever seen what they were seeing at that moment.

Wendall was quiet for a few moments before he sighed. "I don't know if I'd be brave enough for that – having no idea what to expect from day to day… if I'd have to fight or not… if I'd have a save place to sleep or not… I don't know how you did it for this long. It has to wear on you."

Liane laughed, but the gesture had little humor to it. "It was a combination of things, but yeah… it did get pretty tiring. But they're strong – and they're a good team. They'll make it… you'll see…" she told him, her voice dropping just a little. _They have to…._ The specter of any other option to that claim was utterly depressing to her… and it played just enough with the fact that she was actually quite tired to push her to the edge of tears. With a deep sigh, she settled herself and picked up her sandwich once again, staring at it for a long moment before she forced a smile and looked to him again. "But that's enough about me… what about you? It doesn't sound like you've had much chance to travel from how you've been grilling me…?"

His eyes widened in surprise before a sheepish chuckle slipped from him. "That obvious, huh? I've been to Hima a couple of times… Asgard… Palmacosta once when I was pretty small… but that's about it," he admitted, shrugging as he took another bite of his sandwich. "Luin… is home. It always has been. I can't see that ever changing."

The thought was almost alien to her. She loved Iselia – she did. Btu she knew she couldn't spend her life there. "I've always known I'd leave Iselia someday, I think. Luin struck me as nice – but I honestly don't know if I cold give you a reason why before today," Liane admitted with a sigh. Luin had treated her very well for her first day there – it was a relieving reassurance that her gut had been right in steering her there. "So… you've always wanted to be a weaponsmith, though?" she asked, steering the conversation back to an easier topic.

"As long as I can remember," Wendall nodded after he finished his sandwich and crumpled the wrapping paper in his hand. "Some of my earliest memories are of coming to the shop and being allowed to watch my Dad work with Andrew. I think I was about three – just old enough that I could sit still for small bursts of time if I really wanted to," he laughed. "Dad has always told me how surprised he was when Andrew said he could bring me in. He told Dad that he wanted the shop to be about family – that if they were happy there, it would show in their work. They both put in long hours – though… so did Andrew's daughter."

Liane's gaze snapped onto him. "Andrew's daughter worked there?"

Wendall nodded without hesitation. "She was pretty much raised in that shop – just like I was. When she was smaller, she helped with the smaller jobs – keeping the water filled, things like that. Her mother tried to get her to come help her n the kitchen of the boarding house, but Dad said when they tried to force her into that, she'd just sneak away and come back to the shop." He laughed before he shrugged. "I guess when something is in your blood, you can't ignore it."

"Yeah…" Liane murmured distractedly, setting her sandwich aside once again, her appetite pretty much abandoning her. _Why does this all sound so familiar? Maybe… did we come into the shop while we were here before? Maybe I heard some of this then?_ She couldn't help but wonder, but that wasn't the same kind of familiar. "So she just did odd jobs then?"

"When she was little, yeah. But then her father started teaching her forging… and customizing," he murmured, the tone in his voice dying back a little. "She was always nice to me. Sometimes… if Dad and Andrew had a big project, she'd take me to get dinner at the boarding house, then watch me until Dad was done for the night. I was little… but she was like a big sister to me. I think she was probably fourteen or fifteen years older… but we were all family – it was what Andrew worked so hard to foster."

Her gut twisted a little tighter as she continued to watch him. His smile had long ago died away, but something in his tale was somehow too tantalizing to drop. "Wendall… before… you said your Dad took over the shop after Andrew and his family disappeared. What happened…?" Liane knew she had no fight to ask… that his stories of the happy times of his young life were quickly saddening, but she couldn't help herself.

"They… all disappeared one night," he replied after drawing a deep breath. All of them. Andrew, Betsy, Anna… all of them. Just gone. Some people thought maybe they picked up and moved, but they didn't take anything with them. Plus, Andrew wasn't that spontaneous – he and Betsy loved Luin. Others say the Desians came and took them, but that doesn't make sense, either – to just come and take the three of them," Wendall shook his head. "With the ranch so close – it's always a threat. But they always take as many people as they can grab and leave as much destruction as they can behind. Nothing ever fit." The dark-haired young man sighed. "I guess we'll never know."

His words seemed to be filtering through a fog that had settled around her thoughts. _Andrew… Betsy… Anna._ "Their daughter… she was Anna?" Liane heard her own voice whisper as she cringed, her gaze fixed on her clenched hands.

"Yeah…" Wendall nodded in affirmation as he looked over to her, waiting before he reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey… it was all a long time ago… don't be sad. Besides, when weird things happen, people always come up with bad options first. They could still all be out there somewhere, you never know…" he shrugged as he was obviously trying to smile for her.

Liane used the feel of his hand on her shoulder as something of a lifeline, inhaling deeply before she sought his eyes. "You don't believe that, do you?"

He stared back at her for a few moments, his face an unreadable mask before he spoke again. "I want to," he replied in a toneless voice that was almost a whisper. "I want to believe – wherever they ended up was a better place than here."

She felt a tear slip down her cheek before she even realized she was shaking. _What in the world… why…._

"Hey… come on. None of that," he sighed. "I didn't mean to depress you, but you asked…" he told her with a sympathetic shrug.

"No… no, it's not your fault," Liane tried to chuckle as she dropped her head down to smear the tear away with her shoulder. "It's just a sad story… I'm a sap for a sad story. I'm tired… and I miss my friends and my family…" she murmured, reaching over to rewrap her forgotten sandwich and then stand up from the wall. "I should probably go before I drag you down, too…."

Wendall shook his head at that, but still stood, looking down to her, a friendly smile tugging the corners of his lips up. "I'm fine… but you need some sleep. It should be dark enough. Do you want me to walk you back to the inn, or…?" he offered.

"No, that's okay," she replied with a shake of her head. "But I'm going to try to get up in the morning and find a job... so I'll probably see you at some point -–I''l need someone to be excited with – or someone to cheer me up…" Liane tried to chuckle, but wasn't sure how convincing it came out. "Lucky you… you might be elected for that honor by default. See what being nice to me gets you?"

"That's not a bad thing…" he laughed as he watched her start to walk away. "You know where to find me, but sleep well, okay?"

She waved over her shoulder to him as she started around the fountain. "Thanks… you, too…" she spoke, but only out of politeness as she knew her mood was deteriorating too fast for anything else, much less promising she'd sleep well. He'd been beyond kind to her, but the day had worn on her more than she had realized. Liane hadn't counted on how drastic the move to Luin would be – or how quickly she would find herself sucked into the lives of the townsfolk.

_I guess I'll have to decide if that's a good thing or not… _she sighed, raising her eyes from the darkening town road as she passed the weapon shop. Her steps slowed as she stared at the building – now lifeless for the remainder of the day – the windows darkened, the business sign flipped as it awaited a new day. _I don't understand… how can this all be so familiar…?_

'_I want to believe wherever they ended up was a better place than here…'_

She had to bite her lip harshly at the memory of his words as she felt herself shiver uncontrollably, the only chill presenting itself to her being internal as she forced herself to keep walking, seeing her temporary home nearby, and desperately seeking the sanctuary it would offer her.

_I'm just tired… things will start to even out in the morning,_ she told herself as she coaxed her feet up the flight of wooden steps, her hand slipping into the pouch on her belt and closing around the cool metal of her room key.

When the lock turned, the metallic 'click' helped bring her focus back to where she was… what she was doing. But even as her mind realized that there was now a lamp burning in her room, her eyes provided her with evidence that she truly was not alone.

"You!"

It was a chorus of their two voices - alarm ringing in both – that filled the room. Despite her previously weary mindset, Liane's thoughts were suddenly crystal clear as instinct pressed her hand to the hilt of her sword. Standing in the middle of the room was none other than the violet-clad assassin that had been pursuing the Chosen's group since the Ossa Trail. As her sword started to slide from its sheath, she saw the other girl produce something resembling a card seemingly from thin air and thrust it out before her. _She's attacking…!_ her mind screamed at her, recalling fighting the black-haired girl before.

"How did you find me?" the assassin demanded suddenly, her voice an angered hiss at her eyes narrowed on Liane.

_Huh?_

Liane blinked, tilting her head just a bit as she eyed the other girl. "What are you talking about? I wasn't looking for you…" she murmured, her mind cautiously working through the facts that were slowly presenting themselves to her. Her sword cleared its sheath, but her grip allowed its point to trail to the ground. _As long as she holds her ground, so will I…._

"Liar! Where are the others? What were you going to do? Try to catch me asleep? Liars and cowards…" the black-haired girl snorted, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. "I should have guessed that, though…."

"There are no others… not anymore…" Liane sighed, warily keeping her eyes on the other girl as she held her free hand up in a gesture of peace. "Look… can you put that card-thing down?"

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Me to disarm myself so your cohorts can jump me? Nice try…."

"For the love of Martel…" Liane groaned, slowly pushing the door closed behind her with her heel before she carefully crouched and placed her sword on the ground. She saw confusion in the other girl's eyes as she stood, keeping both hands open and easily within sight. "Look… Sheena, isn't it? It's just me – there are no 'others' – and I wasn't looking for you. Now can you put that thing away so we can talk like two rational beings?" _She's… my roommate? After everything else today… now this…?_

Sheena growled softly, her stance not changing in the least as a sarcastic sneer curled her lips. "Oh, you are good… you were supposed to be on your way to Balacruf... but you doubled back… you knew I'd find you guys there. I obviously didn't give you enough credit. Bravo… but I hope you counted on a fight, because I won't go down that easy no matter how sneaky you are."

With a roll of her eyes, Liane shook her head and grit her teeth. "All I was counting on was some place to sleep with a roof over my head, but I'm guessing that's too much to ask, now. If you want to fight, fine, but let's just get it over with."

"Sleep?" Sheena muttered in confusion before her eyes widened. "You're… the roommate?" she asked in open disbelief.

"The door was locked, I have a key. That would point to 'yes," Liane sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a little as she saw the black-haired girl's stance relax as well. "I can go down and get another room, just let me get my things…."

"Oh, no you don't…" Sheena shook her head, situating herself between Liane and her pack. "You're going to run off and tell your friends –"

Liane's hands clenched into fists as she glared at the other girl. "How many times do I have to tell you? My… friends… are… NOT… HERE! I _left_ them last night and came _here_ because I'm _tired_ of fighting and I just want a _normal_ life!" Tears of frustration and weariness built in her eyes as she started to shake. "I don't want to fight you – I never understood why you wanted to fight us in the first place – but I'm _done_ with it! If that makes me your enemy still – fine. But all that the Innkeeper told me was I'd have a roommate…" she babbled, knowing she was getting hysterical, but she was far beyond caring by that point.

"Hey… are you… crying…?" Sheena asked softly, tilting her head at the other girl. "Is this a trick? Because if it is…."

"If it were a trick, don't you think one of us would be bleeding by now?" Liane asked sullenly before she bent down, picking up her sword and turning it to offer the assassin the handle. "Here. Hold it on me if that makes you feel better. Keep it under your pillow. I don't care. All I want is to just be left alone." When Sheena simply stared at the weapon, she groaned and sheathed it, walking past her apparently unwilling companion to grab her pack. "Fighting me won't get you any closer to Colette, though. You'll have to go through the rest of them for that."

Sheena stood back, watching Liane unfasten her bedroll from her pack and walk to the corner of the room. "You're serious…" she murmured. "You're seriously going to stay? Not go running back to them? You're not worried that I'm going to –"

"Are you?" Liane huffed, glaring over her shoulder to the other girl. "Are you going to kill me? Because enough of the threats already if you are. If you want me to leave, I'll go sleep outside. But tell me now, okay? I'm tired and I really don't have the energy for this."

The black-haired girl stood in what appeared to be stunned silence at how easily the threat had been tossed aside, watching as Liane continued to unroll her bedding. Doing her best to ignore the piercing stare that she could practically feel on the side of her head, she loosened her sword belt and placed it carefully at about arms-reach from where she planned to sleep.

"So… you really just abandoned the Chosen?" Sheena asked quietly, suspicion still saturating her tone, but her posture had softened just a little. "She really is that bad? Her protectors are even starting to realize it now?"

Liane was on her feet in less than a heartbeat, staring almost furiously into the assassin's eyes. "You need to do your research. Colette is one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet – she always tries to do the right thing – to follow her duty. She has more on her shoulders than anyone should have to bear – and she shouldn't have to deal with people like you that don't take the time to see what she's trying to do for all of us –"

"_Not_ all of us –" Sheena growled back to the dark-haired girl's heated tirade. "She's not doing anything for me… and blindly following her _duty_ could easily be endangering more than it's saving – but I suppose that's not even a consideration to you people, is it?" she shook her head and stalked away. "Ignorance is only going to make this whole situation worse for everyone."

"How can you say that?" Liane groaned in frustration. "Our world will be so much better after the Regeneration! Crops will flourish, the Desians will be controlled again – how can that be bad?" she clenched her hands, taking a couple of small steps towards the other girl, who had taken a seat on the end of the bed closest to the door. "Look, I really don't want to fight – I'm tired and I've honestly seen more fighting that I ever wanted to – but I don't understand how anyone couldn't want things to be better…."

Sheena's eyes slowly trailed up to her roommate, her own frustration still there, but it was now diluted with curiosity. She studied Liane for a long moment, as if teetering back and forth on the edge of a decision. The silence in the room only seemed to foster more tension before the self-proclaimed assassin sighed heavily. "You've heard of action and reaction, right?"

Liane's eyes widened just a little at the question. She had been ready for yet another verbal assault – but certainly not the simple trivia the girl had posed to her. "Of course… but what –"

"Everything," Sheena replied sharply, cutting off the confused reply of the other girl. "It has everything to do with this. You people think your precious Chosen will just suddenly and miraculously have the power to fix the wrongs of this world," she snorted, shaking her head just a little. "I don't suppose it ever occurred to any of you that power has to come from somewhere, did it?"

"It… comes from Cruxis…" Liane murmured, her brow furrowing in confusion, the image of the white-winged Remiel sliding back through her mind as well as the display he put on to grant Colette her angelic powers. "She is granted powers when she breaks the seals – when she defeats the guardians…" she continued to try to explain, even though Sheena's words were making her suspicious of the explanation.

The assassin shook her head almost sadly. "And of course, it's as simple as that, right?" she groaned, flopping back onto the bed and gesturing dismissively to Liane. "Just… don't worry about it. I'll take care of things and none of you will have to worry about any of it."

Narrowing her eyes on the assassin, Liane drew a slow breath. "What's what supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Sheena snorted softly. "If you're not with them any more, there's nothing for you to worry about. My problem isn't with you." The assassin scooted up onto the bed and closed her eyes as if making a point to ignore the dark-haired girl. "Go to sleep. I won't hurt you. You have my word."

Liane chewed her lip for a moment, still watching Sheena warily. "Thanks… but what about my friends?" she asked, doing her best to keep her voice even. "You're still going after them, aren't you."

"We all do what we have to do," Sheena mumbled, rolling onto her back once again to watch the other girl. "We all have reasons. You left your friends to come here, your friends are pursuing their journey, and I'm doing what I came here for. That's just how it is."

"They won't let you hurt her…" Liane warned, tilting her head. "You have to know that by now."

"Then I'll go through each of them one by one to get to her," Sheena replied with a steely gaze. "If you were still with them, I'd go through you, too. Don't worry. Either way, you're safe here. Either I'll accomplish my goal or they will theirs. It will all be decided soon."

Liane almost cringed at the truth behind the other girl's words. While it was true that she gave up any semblance of control over the fate of her friends when she had left, having that fact blatantly pointed out stung. "Why are you doing this?" she asked softly. "Colette's doing this – they're all helping her – so that the world can flourish again. People will stop starving – they'll finally be happy again – the whole world will benefit. How can that not be a good thing?"

"This world…" Sheena murmured with a dry laugh and a shake of her head. "Whatever you believe, there will always be someone suffering. All that hangs in the balance is who it will be. Your Chosen might affect that for a while… but not if I can help it."

"Sheena…" Liane breathed out in exasperation. It was like they were talking in circles – chasing their own tails – or at least she felt like she was. "What are you talking about? You'll benefit from this, too –"

The assassin suddenly sat up, her eyes fixing on her roommate. "Fine. You want to know exactly what you need to know in this? What's your name?"

Liane blinked, once again smacked by a wave of confusion by the jump in the girl's conversation. "Liane…" she replied, venturing yet another step on the path the assassin was laying for her. "What…?"

"Liane, then. This is what you need to know: find a place to settle down. Make your own way in the world as best you can. The world might change. It might not. It's just what you'll have to accept. Beyond that…" Sheena rolled back over on the bed. "Stay out of my way."

The room fell into silence around them and Liane chewed over her words and her warning. "You're going after them again – soon – aren't you?"

"Are you going to try to stop me?"

Liane sighed at the question. It was what she had feared in leaving the group in the first place – that she would give up any control or hand she could have in her friends' safety. That their fates could be unknown to her. Her fists clenched shut, her trimmed nails digging into her palms. _I'm no fighter… I have to trust them… I have to be like the rest of the world and trust in them – and in Colette._ "They will," she answered the assassin's challenge quietly, keeping her guilt for shuffling the responsibility back to her friends at bay until she could deal with it.

"I guess we'll see, then…" Sheena murmured. "Go to sleep, Liane. You don't have to fight anymore."

Staring at the assassin's back for a few long breaths, Liane finally turned, pausing at the table to turn out the lamp before she moved back to her bedroll, and curled into the woolen blankets. Where there had been bright flashes of promise throughout the day, the evening had only brought the shadows of confusion and doubt.

_Lloyd and the others… Colette… Genis… Raine… Kratos… they're all strong, _she assured herself as she shrugged further into the blankets as if it could shield her from her fears_. Even if I could make a difference – it would probably only be to make the fight faster_. Liane had known the doubts would come – she simply didn't think they would hit so soon… or so hard. She cracked her eyes open just a little, the moonlight that filtered through the cracked curtains falling on her boots. But the longer she stared, the more she realized what she was seeing in the metallic glint that shone from the suede folds. _My daggers…._

It was like a silent offer – a reminder that she could still help her friends, even if they were miles away. The assassin that was after them was mere feet away.

She clenched her eyes shut and flipped beneath the blanket, her teeth grinding together as she found herself utterly disgusted at her thoughts. No matter how at odds they were, Sheena had given her word that she wouldn't' hurt her – and somehow, Liane believed her. It would have been easier to leave their situation tense than to make a promise like that.

And that thought made Liane's gut twist again.

_How could I ever think like that? It's so cold… so…._

She blinked, her eyes opening for a moment at the direction the thought was going.

_Looks like Lloyd's not the only one that wore off on me._

Liane felt a warm tear slip down her cheek and onto the small pillow beneath her head. She chewed her lip to keep from breaking down further – unwilling to admit her weakness – unwilling to admit that she already doubted her path.

_It'll be better in the morning… _her mind whispered soothingly to her as her thoughts grew less coherent. _You'll see…._

* * *

_She leaned back against the tree trunk, sighing in relief as the warm sun started to seep into her skin and tight muscles. An afternoon off was exactly what she had needed. She barely even felt guilty about leaving her father to finish work for the day._

_Barely._

_But before she could decide exactly how guilty she felt, something relatively soft bounced off her right temple with an accompanying 'squeak' that saved her from admitting anything to herself. She glanced down to find the wide blue eyes of a bright yellow rubber duck staring at her from the grass beside her, its beak somehow curled into a mirthful smile that seemed to dare her to find anything but amusement in the assault. _

"Wendall…"

_Her soft groan drew a delighted giggle from the back side of the tree and she quickly clambered up to her hands and knees to dodge around the tree trunk, her arms snaking out to encircle the black-haired urchin's waist and draw him into her lap. It took but a moment for her lithe fingers to snake under the edge of the boy's shirt – the ticklish spots on the boy's sides her prey. As he squealed his protests in a fit of laughter, she couldn't help but laugh along with him._

"_You little scamp… you really don't want to be stuck anywhere near the forges on a day like this…" she muttered for her own benefit, knowing full well that even if the boy could hear her over his own giggles he would probably have very little idea of what she had actually said or the truth behind her words. "Trust me… even I hate the forges today…."_

"_Nooo!" the little boy howled as he thrashed in her grip. "Gotta go… 's hot…" he panted out looking up to her with tear-streaked cheeks and a grin so wide she was almost afraid his tiny face would split._

_She laughed as she released him to sit on the grass beside her and reached over to pick up the duck. Shaking the toy playfully at him, she used her free hand to ruffle his crop of black curls. "Throwing things isn't nice either… what would your_ _father say?"_

_"He would probably say that it isn't polite to attack a lady…."_

_The response from behind her startled her, but not as much as the little boy at her side suddenly being swept away in a blur of indigo. She started to climb to her feet even as a delighted giggle from the boy filled the air, the auburn-haired mercenary swinging him around in a dizzying circle._

_The mercenary's appearance was a surprise, but a pleasant one as she made her way closer to him and her miniature assailant._

"_Cat-toes! Cat-toes!" Wendall chanted as the swordsman slowly lowered him to his feet. The black-haired toddler wobbled for a moment, his tiny legs almost buckling only a moment before he shot back towards the tree. "Duckee!"_

_It was her turn to giggle as she watched after her charge, her form stiffening just a little as the mercenary's arm snaked around her waist, his hand coming to rest lightly on her hip. It was easy enough to relax into the gesture though, even though it was a surprise – it was still somehow familiar – welcome even. "You're back early…."_

"_The meeting went faster than I had anticipated," he murmured as his arm tightened around her just a little. "A good thing, from the looks of it… being attacked by a toy duck had to have been nerve-wracking… the boy's father probably would frown on him throwing things at you if you were so good to watch him on your free time."_

_She laughed at that, leaning back against his shoulder. "It had its moments, but when you can pick the bully up and tickle him into submission, it tends to keep the fear facto under control."_

"_Ah…" he murmured, turning to watch the boy moving towards the nearby lake shore with his duck._

_Following his gaze for only a moment, she couldn't help but smile at his watchful expression._

"_You'd make a good father," she murmured quietly, the thought finding voice before she could think to stop it, almost tensing as he turned his mahogany gaze down to her – until she realized that there was a smile curling his lips ever so slightly._

"_Perhaps…."_

Liane's eyes opened with a sharp gasp. The morning sun was already creeping into the room, leaving her confused for only a moment before her mind made the effort to assert its grasp on reality once again.

_A dream… another dream…_ she frowned as she pulled the tie from her braid and combed her fingers through her thick hair. It must have been all the stories Wendall told me yesterday she tried to reason – trying to convince herself that her adorable attacker was just the start of dreams her mind would concoct without the influence of the journey.

_But why was Kratos there?_

With a sigh, she shook her head and started to stand, glancing casually over her shoulder as she tried to stretch the stiffness from her muscles. But her quick survey of her room only let her to a double-take a moment later as she realized that she was once again alone in the room. Liane frowned, her shoulders drooping just a little. _She left…._

Not that it was really a surprise.Sheena had seemed more than set on her path – making it more than clear that even as Liane had made her choice, so had she.

_But what happens if… something happens to Colette - to any of them – and I could have stopped her?_

Liane chewed her lip as she sat back down in the nearby table, burying her face in her hands. A flood of horrific scenarios danced merrily in her mind even as she clenched her teeth together.

_No… there's something about her… she's trying to do the right thing, too…_ she reasoned, trying to believe the justification her mind was crafting, almost groaning at how she was putting so much faith into a gut instinct. But it really was all she had at the moment. It was all beyond her control now – her friends could be hurt or worse – and so could Sheena. While it didn't sound like their goals could both be successful, she still couldn't help but hope there was a way – and that they'd find it before it was too late.

She dropped her hands from her face with a deep exhale and allowed herself only a moment longer to slouch before she drew herself to her feet.

_There's nothing I can do now but hope for the best,_ she sighed as she turned her attention back to her pack and started to sift through its contents to find the least shabby outfit she could put together for her day.

_Finding a job should be a decent enough distraction for the time being…._

* * *

It was neither a depressed nor a happy sigh that escaped from Liane as she crossed the bridge that led out of Luin. She turned sharply at the end and walked along the lake's shore, the sandwich she had purchased from the small shop near the school in one hand and her leather-bound book in her other.

The Headmistress had been kind and taken the time to speak with Liane with very little convincing. But her promise of a 'possibility' of an opening in the spring or perhaps even the next fall left Liane a bit apprehensive of the space of months to a year that she would have to wait.

_The Innkeeper offered to help_, she reminded herself as she trudged along the water's edge, just out of reach of the lake's gently lapping waves. _It's not like I have many other options – I can't go back to Iselia…_. Liane frowned, silently berating herself for her lack of a viable 'Plan B.'

_There are jobs here… I'm sure there are. I can take one just to get by until there's an opening at the school, _she reasoned, trying to make her situation sound at least a bit more positive. No doors had been closed to her – she simply had to find the right open one.

As she trudged along the sandy-cobbled shore, she noticed the shadowed patch before her, the variation in the sunlight pulling her from her thoughts enough to look up. On a small rise only a few feet away was a great tree, its trunk large and solidly bound to the ground through sprawling roots, and its limbs reaching high into the azure skies above.

Her eyes widened as her arms went limp at her sides, barely clutching to their cargo.

_The tree…._

Liane had no doubts that she had seen the tree before – if not awake, in her dreams. _But… how… _she approached the ancient giant, her eyes tracing over cracked bark and up to a canopy that consisted of leafy boughs and dead twigs alike. Twilight seemed to be settling on the tree's life, and even as that realization saddened her, she was still baffled by how familiar it was to her – how it felt like she had found an old friend.

She approached the tree with reverence that just seemed right, tucking her book under her other arm as she reached out her hand, drawing it lightly over the time-worn crevices of the bark. _Maybe we came here for lessons one day,_ she tried to reason. Her group had been all over Luin – so why not a day on the shores of the lake?

But no matter the enigma the tree seemed to represent, it was still a splash of shade on the sunwashed plains – and somehow exactly what she had been seeking. She settled at the base of the tree, between a pair of thick roots that seemed perfectly suited for company – as if the tree itself was availing itself to visitors. Liane was please by that idea – no matter how unrealistic it was – that maybe she and the tree were helping each other after all.

As she started to lean back, intent on getting comfortable to eat her lunch and enjoy the peaceful afternoon with her book, she realized the gentle slope to the trunk made reclining not only practical, but comfortable as well.

Taking the revelation as a hint, she sighed and relaxed back against the tree, savoring the cool breeze that slept off the lake before her eyes opened, seeing that the branches spread perfectly overhead to reveal the cloud-dotted sky.

_Wow… I bet this would be a great place for stargazing…_ she smiled, watching the drifting clouds for a moment.

_'I told you this was the most breathtaking place I had ever found.'_

Liane blinked at the voice that whispered in her mind – and then again as day momentarily flickered to night… complete with a glittering band of stars too numerous to count spreading out above her.

'_I can't believe I never knew about this hill_…_'_

She sat up, the world snapping back into daylight again as her eyes remained fixed on the sky. _I… dreamt of this place… before… back in Iselia…_

The realization hit her heavily as she clenched her eyes shut. Even then – even when she had only known the mercenary for a few hours, even without actually seeing him in that dream – she had known it was him with her. _And it was under this tree…._

_Why? Why can't I just forget about him?_

With as many answers to unasked questions that had been popping into existence since Colette received the Oracle, Liane couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed when the only response she received was the caress of another breeze – one that seemed to blow her to rest back against the tree.

Liane frowned, but went along with the suggestion, shaking her head as she almost felt like she should be laughing. _Maybe I'm just going crazy… that's still an option, too…_ she thought miserably as she chanced another glance skyward – as if daring the universe to prove her right – or wrong –

_I'd probably take either at this point. As long as it was an answer and not just another riddle…._

But nothing happened – no flickers, no voices. Even as she knew it didn't seem to be anything that she could turn off or on at will, she was still grateful for the reprieve. Liane knew that that was all there was to the things she saw. There was always at least one element that was too real – too intentional to be imagined.

Liane also knew that there would be no one to explain it to her, either. The sounds, sights, sensations – they were all hers alone. The times she tried to explain, she could see that she only made herself look even crazier than she felt.

_Every time… but with Kratos…._

She took a bite of her sandwich at that – if for no other reason than to keep her teeth from grinding at the thought. Why did he haunt her? Sure, the fortune teller claimed he was her soul mate – but how was it that even when he was being decent to her, she still felt somehow threatened? She was callused to the thought of physical threats from him. The time she had thought he was exploiting her weariness to strike a blow - not to mention the time he had lashed out at her… _choked_ her – those times were more than enough to keep her weary of that. But there was a different threat in his presence – one that seemed to shake her deeper than she ever wanted to admit.

_Worse… it's like he knows that._

Liane closed her eyes and sighed, attempting to distract herself with the sweet ham in her sandwich, if only for a moment. She had always thought that soul mates were something sacred – a bond to be cherished. Lloyd, Genis, Colette, Raine – they were her closest friends in the world. They had all bonded over the years… and that was something she knew that she treasured. But Kratos – as horrible as it sounded on the surface – his bond, she could do without.

She choked down yet another bite of her sandwich and shook her head. _It won't matter anyway. They'll finish the journey… his job will be done… we can all get back to our lives… and none of us will have to see him again._ The thought somehow seemed so cold – but the dance on the line of uncertainty as far as where she stood with the mercenary was wearing on her.

Then, from somewhere, a chuckle slipped from her lips, almost surprising her. _When did I turn into such an optimist? When the journey's finished…._

Even as she felt the sentiment was a bit uncharacteristic of her, it was oddly reassuring. They were going to finish the journey. She knew it. She felt it.

"There you are! I thought I saw you heading this way…."

Liane's head snapped up at the sound of the familiar voice, her smile returning at the welcome distraction of company.

"Wendall… hi…" she nodded to him as she gathered her book and the empty wrappings of her lunch and moved them to her other side. "Are you on a break or…?"

The black-haired man grinned and nodded, taking a seat in the grass beside the massive tree. "Yeah, Dad's watching the shop for a few minutes – I wanted to see how your morning went. Did you get to talk to the Headmistress?"

She shrugged and laughed softly at the question. "Yeah… but there might not be anything until later in the spring – or even in the fall. And even then it's only a possibility," she sighed, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's okay… I'll figure something out…."

Wendall's previous smile quickly settled into a frown. "Liane, I'm sorry. But maybe I can help – we can find you another job, at least for now." He shrugged. "I mean, Dad and I could probably even use some help at the shop if nothing –"

Liane's eyes widened. "No… no, that's okay, really…" she cut him off – and even though she easily saw the rude nature of her all-too-quick response, she tried to smile. "Rodney offered to help if I needed it, too… I'll work something out. But thank you… I…" she scrambled for a reason for her dismissal of his offer other than the déjà vu she was trying to ward off. "Really, I'd just hold you back. I'm a klutz… and I really don't know that much about weapons. You've seen my sword…" she forced a quick laugh, patting the weapon at her side for emphasis.

"Hey, it's okay! You don't have to work in the shop… it's not for everyone, I understand that," he told her with a small laugh, reaching out to pat her shoulder before he withdrew his hand and leaned back against the tree himself. "Just… ask for help if you need it, okay?"

For a moment, she felt like a fool for how she had jumped at her response. _Idiot… he's only trying to be nice,_ she chided herself, drawing a deep breath before she smiled and turned to look at him again. "I will… thank you…" she assured him, feeling that she really needed to put the topic to rest on a good note. When she saw that his expression didn't seem to be too troubled by the conversation. Liane sighed softly in relief and looked back out over the lake. "It's peaceful here…" she commented, her voice just above a whisper.

"Yeah… it's one of my favorite places, too…" Wendall replied, rolling his head to the side for a moment to share her view of the lake and the town. "It always has been. I used to play here as a kid – when the adults didn't think it was too dangerous…" she shrugged, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "A lot of people don't even think about venturing even this far from the town with the way things are right now… but that only makes it more peaceful if you ask me."

Liane was silent for a few moments, his reminiscence once again bringing on the doubts she had barely been able to quiet before his arrival. "Your parents brought you here, then?" she asked even as the image of the dark-haired little imp from her dream filtered through her mind.

Wendall shrugged a little even as he nodded. "Sometimes… yeah. Mom and Dad would bring me here… sometimes Betsy would bring me… sometimes Anna would. If it was a nice day, I would usually whine until someone took me…" he chuckled, "… or at least that's what I'm told. I'd prefer to think I wasn't that big of a pest, personally, but…."

As much as she hated it, she heard his laugh, but she didn't hear anything coherent after the list of his companions left his lips. It was dangerous ground she was edging into. Even as she saw an opportunity to confirm a truth in her dreams, she wasn't certain she wanted them confirmed – it would be an affirmation that it was more than imagination fueling what she though - and the options past that were not anything she wanted. _I don't have the talent for any of that. The priests tested me… I'm no seer._ "As long as they were good memories…" she heard herself murmur even as she cringed. _Coward._

"Oh, they were… they still are," he nodded, looking over to her with a smile. "We all played here – grown-up and kid alike. I remember a lot of laughter here. _Now…_ I guess there's not so much laughter, but it is still peaceful. I'm glad you found it. It would be a shame for this to go to waste."

She chewed her lip for a moment, not wanting to turn his reminisces into anything more hurtful, but his words only churned up questions within her that she wasn't certain she had any right to ask. "Wendall… you don't have to answer if you don't want to… but how long ago was it… when they started bringing you here as a child?"

Wendall paused, a thoughtful expression filtering over his features. "No… it's okay. I was probably about three when Andrew, Betsy, and Anna disappeared… so… probably the better part of twenty years?" He chuckled softly as he moved his hand absently across the soft grasses. "Wow… it's been a while… hasn't it?"

It was almost a wave of relief that washed over her at his answer, but she couldn't grasp why. "That's the thing about good memories, I guess… they tend to only grow brighter in your mind as time goes by."

He tilted his head to watch her, his brow furrowing slightly. "Hey… you're getting that same look you had last night before you left… you okay?"

Liane nodded, sighing at the fact that she was so obvious. She didn't want questions – especially from others – that she couldn't answer. She had enough of her own. "Yeah… I just have a lot on my mind. Sorry if I'm not very good company…" It wasn't a lie… simply most of what was on her mind… she wasn't sure if it would get her committed to some church-run hospital somewhere or not. It was a chance she wasn't ready to take just yet.

He chuckled at that as he pushed himself back to his feet and brushed a few clinging strands of grass from his breeches. "It's not like that at all. Don't worry, okay? We'll find you something that you'll like. You'll see. Things will work out. This is only your second day here, there's plenty of time still."

She smiled in response to his optimism – most of her simply wishing she could share it. "Hope so… are you heading back? You didn't waste your lunch listening to me whine, did you?" Liane asked, realizing that it was solidly into the afternoon.

"Nope… never a waste," he waved off her worry with a grin. "And I have a sandwich back at the shop. I just wanted to see how things went." He started to back away, seemingly reluctantly. "But maybe we can catch up later… I never heard how meeting the roommate went…?"

Liane almost groaned at that, marveling at how innocently the young man could blunder across every source of her frustration in such a short period of time. "Yeah… we'll talk about it…" she nodded, watching him continue to back down the hill. "You really should turn around and walk if you're going to go… you'll end up in the lake if you don't watch where you're going…" she called after him, unable to contain a small giggle.

"Ah, but that would make you laugh," he countered with a shrug before he laughed as well, but still not turning. "You need to do that too, you know… frowning only gets you so far…."

"And laughing at you falling into the lake would make me a sadist… not sure that's much better, Wendall…" she shook her head and waved to him. "Just go before we both look bad…" Liane sighed, still smiling – but at least the expression was sincere.

Wendall laughed and pivoted on his heel as he made his way down the shoreline to the town's boardwalk. "Just enjoy your day, okay? Enough brooding… really…."

She smirked, shaking her head a little at his words and antics. "Bye, Wendall… thanks," she called after him, not sure if he was too far away to hear or not. But her eyes continued to follow him even as her smile faltered and she clasped her hands together in her lap to keep from fidgeting. _Chicken…_her mind whispered, _you should have asked – he could have told you more … it might have helped._

_And it might have hurt him in the process._

Liane shook her head before she let it loll back against the tree. Wendall was recounting happy memories to her – memories that were somehow familiar to her as well. And while it sounded like what he could remember, he treasured, she could also piece together that what followed that was far from pleasant. And she refused to do that to him after he had been so kind to her.

_Or… am I refusing to do that to myself and using him as an excuse? Coward._

She snorted at that thought, clenching her hands once again before she reached for her book. Liane knew that refusing to even think about her mind's accusation likely wasn't helping her at all, but she really didn't feel like doing anything about it right then.

Opening the cover of her book, she welcomed the tales within like a long-lost friend. While she had read it several times, it was still a favorite – the legends that shaped her world. Her eyes trailed over the preface page, its words already engrained in her memory, but it seemed sacrilegious to not start with them:

'_Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of mana. A war, however, caused this tree to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed in order to take its place…."_

* * *

When it finally occurred to her that the sun was sliding towards sunset, Liane finally closed her book and sighed, relaxing back against the tree. Intellectually, she knew that any account of the Kharlan War would be at least half fiction, but the book in her hands appealed to her on many levels. It was one of the first books she had ever struggled to finish – even learning new vocabulary to complete the tale – and it was still dear to her. It was a triumph, it was a tragedy – and it was a cornerstone of their culture.

Gathering her book and the remnants of her lunch, Liane stood and stretched her arms and legs, having long before lost track of time. She started back down the shoreline, sparing a look back to the tree almost in silent thanks for its shelter and its company. Her distraction left her feeling at least a bit more stable – and for the moment – or as long as she could, she decided to embrace it.

She took the long way around the lake, heading to the entrance that would bring her to the fountain plaza on her way back into town. It was too beautiful of an evening to waste on a quick trip back to the inn. Liane was surprised by how much her break had helped. _Everything will work out. I'll go talk to some of the shops… and I have plenty of gald to last at least a couple of weeks… I'll be okay, _she assured herself as she reached the boardwalk and started into the town.

As far as the other matters, somehow it was now easier to push them away as well. She was worried… for her friends, for her somewhat shaky start in her new town… of course everything was going to seem worse than it really was.

_Right?_

It was all the pep talk she needed to draw a deep breath and feel a little more tension creep away from her.

_It's getting easier already…._

"Hey, lady! Catch…!"

It only took a moment for the words to sin in to her and make her start to look up. But it was a moment too long as the red ball struck her in the side of the head, sending her stumbling in surprise as her book hit the boardwalk and the ball bounced into the water.

"Oww…" Liane groaned a little despite her laugh and the chaos around her as a swarm of children gathered on the boardwalk, a couple of them immediately on their knees to fish the ball from the water.

"Sheena… you said she'd be fun to play with…" a small girl's voice whined as Liane crouched to pick up her book, her head snapping up immediately. A few steps ahead of her stood her roommate from the previous night – and she was obviously under a great deal of strain to keep from laughing.

"Sheena?" Liane murmured while she pulled herself to her feet, the surprise and any discomfort of the playful attack forcing any other reaction away for the moment. It was then that she realized that she hadn't really expected to see the assassin again.

_If she's here… then… does that mean…._

Liane chewed her lip as she watched the violet-clad girl, trying not to read too much victory in her expression before she looked down to the pig-tailed girl at her side. "Sorry, kiddo… I just wasn't ready for you…" she offered before the girl made a show of sticking her tongue out at her and then running to join her friends.

"Sorry… didn't realize you were sleepwalking," Sheena snickered as she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head at the dark-haired girl "I would have thought the bright red ball and warning would have been enough…."

"I'm not used to being called a 'lady,'" Liane sighed as she glanced back to the children again. They already had the ball and were heading back into the fountain aria, leaving her alone with Sheena. She had assumed that the assassin had gone after Colette and the others. _Maybe she didn't… I didn't see her all day yesterday, either…._

"The kids around here are polite, what can I say?" the black-haired girl shrugged before she gestured back to the town. "Want to grab something to eat and go back to the room? I've had kind of a long day."

_Now she's making nice?_ Liane could only stare at the other girl before she nodded hesitantly. "That sounds nice, but… weren't you ready to gut me last night?" she asked, the turn in the assassin's behavior almost unnerving.

"Sorry… it's the training," Sheena shrugged as they started back into town. The two made their way through the quieting streets, stopping in a small café next door to the Fighting Spirit. As it seemed that the café was getting ready to close just like the rest of the town, they both ordered a portion of the tray of lasagna that was still on the warming stove behind the counter.

The girls took a seat at one of the three tiny tables in the front of the building as gray-haired little woman brought them each a steaming plate of the lasagna. While it smelled delicious and reminded Liane that the only things she had eaten in two days were sandwiches and bread, she couldn't force herself to do much more than stare at the plate for a few moments.

"Not hungry?" the girl in the violet wrapped tunic asked after a couple of bites. "I swear the only thing I've seen you with has been sandwich-papers…."

"Where were you today?" Liane asked quietly, her eyes sliding from her food and up to the assassin. She was hungry… but sitting down to eat with someone who had declared herself their enemy over a nice dinner just didn't seem right.

Sheena cocked her head at her companion and calmly finished chewing her bite of food before she chuckled dryly. "You seem bright enough. If you really have to ask me that, doesn't it mean that you know the answer already?"

Liane sighed, hanging her head as she tried to not listen to the pessimism that was screaming in her thoughts. "You fought them again then…" she murmured, not wanting to look up – not wanting to chance seeing the pride of victory in the assassin's expression.

"Yep…" Sheena nodded, taking another bite of her lasagna and chewing before she shrugged. "And they all fought really hard… but in the end…."

"In the end…" Liane repeated, dropping her fork onto her plate and propping her elbow beside her plate to rest her forehead in her hand. _But in the end…_ They had failed. They had fought the assassin, and they'd lost. Her mind grudgingly began to construct an image of the carnage… her friends….

The assassin chuckled softly, shaking her head at the response. "Yeah. In the end, I got my butt handed to me again…" she admitted with a shrug. She watched Liane for a moment, smirking when she saw how wide the girl's eyes had gone. "What can I say? They're pretty tough."

Liane could only stare slack-jawed at the other girl as she tried to recover from the downward spiral the conversation had sent her into. "They're alive? Safe?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Fought and beat another seal guardian, too…" Sheena sighed, leaning back in the chair and lacing her fingers over her middle as she continued to watch Liane with a measuring eye. "The Chosen got sick again. They're camped outside the mausoleum tonight."

"Why… why did you make it sound like you… like they…" Liane sputtered, trying to understand the cruel phrasing Sheena had used. _She had to know what I would think…she…_.

Sheena smirked, shaking her head as she sat forward in her chair. "Maybe you ought to be wondering why you're here, when you so clearly still want to be with them…" she shrugged before taking a sip from her mug of water.

"But that was just mean!" Liane protested, her emotions swinging to anger now that dismay and mourning had come and gone. It was all she could do to keep from standing up, moving around the table, and soundly slapping the black-haired girl.

"Probably. But you've made my point," the assassin replied, a smug note creeping into her tone. "Look… I've noticed a few things over the last few days. I don't think you guys have all of the information you really should have – but it doesn't seem to be just the Chosen's group either. And me?" she shrugged almost wearily. "I'm not exactly feeling like I'm in the 'need-to-know' group at the moment, either."

Liane continued to glare at the other young woman, still clenching her hands tightly beneath the table. "Sorry… not quite to the point that I feel sorry for you just yet."

Sheena rolled her eyes and held up a hand to stall any more hostile comments that might have been prepared for her. "Not looking for sympathy… I just couldn't figure out why the Chosen and her group of protectors were so eager to make friends with someone trying to kill them." She sighed, running her finger around the rim of her mug. "But when I caught them today…" she looked up to Liane, all traces of amusement gone from her expression. "You… they all really believe they're saving everyone, don't they?"

"You're just figuring that out now?" Liane almost groaned. How could that ever have been so easy to miss? "The whole world will be regenerated… how could that not help everyone?"

The assassin was silent for a moment, as if struggling with something before she sighed and looked down to her half-eaten meal. "Mana for something like that has to come from somewhere."

Sheena's almost-sullen response surprised Liane. Her brow furrowed as she weighed the other's words – all of it making sense, even if she wasn't entirely certain where it was going.

The assassin shook her head quickly. "Look… for now, let's just say that Sylvarant's regeneration will not benefit everyone it affects, okay? I know what I'm supposed to be doing… but it just somehow seems to make less sense as I go. But as to matters at hand, why aren't you with them? You said you're tired of fighting and that you want a normal life… but they're your friends, right? How much time have you spent over the last two days wondering about them? It's not that I care, but your Chosen can use all the help she can get – I'm hardly the only obstacle that they're going to come across – I can guarantee that."

Liane exhaled, seeing that Sheena was shutting down the topic of the regeneration, but moving on to something she was certain she couldn't explain to anyone else – and almost not even to herself. "I've planned to be in Luin for a while – it was just a good time – "

"A good time?" Sheena smirked, chuckling quietly for a moment before she shook her head. "Not really… for your friends… or you from the looks of it. Unless you had a much better day than your distraction seemed to indicate back there with the kids…?"

"You don't know me…" Liane murmured, using her fork to cut another bite from her lasagna almost in defiance.

Sheena shrugged to that. "You're right. I don't. But if you believe in the regeneration as much as you claim to, don't you owe it to everyone to help? Not many can actually help – but they're your friends – even the Chosen is actually your friend. And you know you wouldn't be worrying if you weren't already sure that they're going to be getting into this way over their heads."

Hating that the assassin was right, Liane couldn't bring herself to speak. So she continued to whittle at her dinner while she tried to right her thoughts enough to talk. "What do you care? You never wanted to talk to any of us before… so what's your interest in this? Just want more people to fight or something?"

"Well, no fight is worth it if it's not done right. If I'm going to complete my mission, I'd rather it not be a hollow victory. Look, I don't hate any of you. I just can't let you finish this. It just doesn't seem fair somehow to any of you," Sheena replied with an exasperated sigh.

Liane frowned as she considered the statement, trying to grasp exactly what seemed so out of place in the conversation. "You almost sound like you pity us…" she observed, realizing that on the surfaces that fact could make Sheena's words extremely egotistical – especially with the fact that she had yet to even come close to winning a battle against the Chosen's party – but they just didn't feel that way.

"Well…" Sheena tilted her head in thought as she took her last bite of her dinner and chewed it before she sighed and once again met Liane's gaze. "I guess we really can't both be the bad guys, huh?"

"I guess…" Liane replied quietly, taking one more bite of the lasagna before she pushed the plate away. She knew she should be at least a little hungrier than she was, but the conversation had all but killed her appetite. "You're really not going to tell me what you're talking about, are you? You're just going to be as vague as possible just to annoy me…."

Sheena shrugged, pushing herself back from the table and standing. "Just doesn't seem like it's my place to tell all of you how things are…" she replied, waiting for the other girl to rise from her chair before she started to the door. "There's got to be a reason for the way things are… even if I can't figure it out no matter how hard I try."

Liane paused on the boardwalk to roll her eyes. "That's not fair… you try to tell me that we don't know what we're doing on the regeneration… but you won't say why."

"Life isn't fair," Sheena shrugged as she started to walk past Liane, noting the brown-haired girl's bristle.

"Boy, do I know someone you would get along perfectly with…" Liane groaned, finding those three words becoming a running theme in her life.

The assassin shot her a curious look, but before she could respond, another figure was walking to Liane's other side, seeming to be waiting patiently for a moment to speak.

Liane looked over at the same time as Sheena, suddenly aware of the other presence. "Wendall?" she half-laughed, glancing back to see that they had passed the Fighting Spirit while they had been talking.

"Must be some pretty heavy conversation…" he chuckled, gesturing with his wadded-up and sooty apron in his hand. He leaned forward to offer the black-haired girl a smile as well. "You must be the roommate – I'm Wendall Harris… good to see you keeping Liane company… I was a little worried about her earlier…."

Sheena raised an eyebrow at Liane, but quickly nodded to the weapon-smith. "It's Sheena… but 'roommate' will work, too," she shrugged as she continued to walk. "It's nice of you to be worried for her, though."

Liane fought down a groan at the banter and kept her gaze straight ahead, cringing just a little when she heard Wendall draw another breath to continue speaking.

"Yeah, well, it's good to see you two getting along, too… guess Rodney has good instincts after all…" Wendall chuckled, running his hand back through his hair.

_Not sure 'getting along' is exactly how I'd put it…_ Liane's mind groused at the uncomfortable situation. Wendall was nice and sweet – but he wasn't helping at the moment.

"Especially with the job thing…" Wendall continued, oblivious to Liane's heavy sigh. "Don't worry… everything will work out. I talked to Dad, and he's going to ask a few of his friends –"

"Wendall! Really… it's okay… I'm not worried," Liane quickly interrupted him with a forced smile, waving a little to slow his falling all over himself to prove what a nice town she was in. "I'm really not worried… but I am a little tired…" she told him, realizing that the steps of the inn were blessedly close. "But I'm sure I'll catch up with you tomorrow, okay?" she asked, pausing on the first step to offer him a smile in an attempt to not feel like she was running.

Wendall blinked, looking up to the building for a moment before he smiled in return and nodded. "Sure… no problem… have a good night," he shrugged offering each of the young women a smile. "Night, Liane… Night, Sheena…" he waved as he turned and started back into the town.

"Good night, Wendall… thanks…" Liane called after him, feeling a little guilty for practically running him off, but things were strange enough without his observations.

"Yeah, good night…" Sheena added in, starting up the steps after Liane, a note of amusement she couldn't hide in her voice. "He's nice…" she ventured as she stood and watched Liane fish her room key from her pocket."

Turning the key in the lock, Liane spared an exasperated glare for Sheena, sighing at the smug expression the assassin wore. "He is nice. The whole town is nice…" she stated, pushing the door open and entering the room.

Sheena chuckled, following Liane into the room, closing and locking the door behind them before she clasped her hands behind her back and she made her way to her bed to sit down. "Guess I know why you chose Luin now…."

"What? No!" Liane shook her head, spinning to face Sheena with her cheeks blazing. "It's not like that… I just met him… he fixed my sword…" she tried to explain before she rolled her eyes and stalked over to one of the chairs, placing her book on the table and sitting down heavily. "The last thing I need right now is to be teased by the person that's trying to kill one of my best friends."

"Hmm… yeah… you did seem a little more inclined to stay close to – what's his name? Lloyd?" Sheena shrugged. "Or maybe the tall grumpy guy?"

Liane's eyes widened and her head snapped up. "Lloyd is like a brother to me!" she blurted out, the thought of what was being suggested disturbing her more than she was ready for. "And Kratos… that's just not –"

"Kratos, huh? Guess that explains what you were dreaming about last night," the assassin smirked, reaching back to roll down the blankets on her bed.

"What do you mean?" Liane asked perhaps a bit too quickly – but what she remembered of the dream was already troubling enough without Sheena's intervention and interpretation.

Sheena tilted her head to watch her roommate for a moment before she laughed softly. "I heard his name… and a bit of some giggling. Didn't figure you'd take it too kindly to me waking you up as I was leaving to ask any more about it – but I guess that answers which of the swordsmen you'd rather have over Wendall."

Liane set her jaw and crossed the room back to her bedroll with a sigh. "It's not like that. Raine, Genis, Lloyd, Colette… they're like family. Kratos is the mercenary that the church hired to guard Colette. That's all there is to it. Now, I know that if I'm not fighting with them, you've told me that you don't have any problems with me… but you have to understand something, too… those people are like family to me. Teasing me about them won't make anything easier about this whole thing."

An awkward silence settled between the young woman yet again, each busying themselves with the motions of getting ready for bed. But it was a welcome reprieve for Liane – a moment to digest the assassin's words. _They released another seal…_ they had fought and won without her, just as she knew they would. But Colette was sick again, too. She could only imagine how it was wearing on Lloyd and Genis in particular – she felt helpless enough being too far away to help… _even if I could…._

_Colette is our friend – should becoming an angel really have to hurt her so much?_

Sure, the Chosen was receiving new abilities in exchange for her pain, but it seemed so wrong. She was doing what only she could – she was risking her life against creatures placed to stop what she was trying to do – to complete the sadistic trials. _But it's wrong… she's making such sacrifices…. _Liane's teeth ground together just a bit. _And that damn Remiel is luring her along…._

No matter his claim, she couldn't bring herself to be in any way comfortable with the thought that a parent could do such a thing to their child.

"Liane?"

Liane sat back on her heels, her bed ready for the night with all that was left to climb in and attempt to sleep once again. She glanced over to her roommate, seeing the black-haired girl watching her from beneath her blankets. "What?"

"You may want to be here… but what's keeping you here _now_?" Sheena asked quietly. "For all your talk about friends… couldn't you come back here when the regeneration is over – one way or the other?"

"What do you care…" Liane asked once again, looking away to turn out the lamp on the nearby bed table, dropping the room into darkness.

For just a moment, no answer came, and Liane started to crawl into her blankets.

"I don't…" finally came the quiet reply. "I was taught to work alone – to not depend on anyone but myself. But I have to think that if I had even a handful of good friends that I cared about and that I could depend on, alone would be the last thing I'd want to be." Sheena sighed, and a rustling of cloth could be heard as Liane guessed she rolled on her bed. "You don't strike me as the kind that likes to be alone."

The muffled statement made Liane stop and look back to the other girl. "I can be alone," she declared, a bit ruffled by the assassin's words. She closed her eyes as she finally crawled beneath her own blankets, making a mental note to get her own room the next morning.

"Anyone can be alone. But why would you be if you didn't have to be?"

Liane's eyes opened once again at the question that Sheena asked. The assassin would receive no answer – nor did Liane think she expected one.

_She's right._

_I don't want to be alone…._

_She opened her eyes to a vast sea of unending blue as she forced a long breath from her lungs. It was bright daylight and she had the general sensation that she was lying on her back, but beyond that, she may as well have been floating._

He'll be back soon – then I'll tell him….

_A laugh slipped from her lips before she could think to contain it. How it had happened, she wasn't sure, but she knew how much happier she was with him. And that's what she would tell him. She didn't' know if it meant she would travel with him – or if he would settle with her, but it didn't matter as long as she could be with him._

_Pulling herself up against the trunk of the tree that had somehow become 'their' tree, she sighed, still smiling as she glanced down over her dingy clothes. A ghost of a frown turned her lips down. _

This won't do… I'll wear my nice dress… my yellow one….

_Giggling a little, she wrapped her arms around herself. He had simply wandered into her life and into her heart. And while she was certain she'd never understand, she also knew that she didn't have to. She could see him in her mind's eye, tall and strong, with an intensity in his eyes that made her catch her breath every time. But then there were the precious times that she would catch him smiling at her. Those were images she treasured, keeping them safely locked in the recesses of her mind until she knew she had a moment to savor them._

Goddess… what will I say…?

_The thought startled her from her reflections and locked her firmly in reality. What could she say that wouldn't give him the wrong idea – that would make it clear that she was serious and that she knew what was between them wasn't something fleeting? How could she explain it to him that it wouldn't sound like she was begging – or needy – or both… or worse?_

_She almost laughed again – this time entirely at herself – as the answer began to materialize in her mind._

I'll tell him… that I love him….

_The decision made, her eyes once again trailed up to the boundless blue above – the blue that would only fade to reveal the stars that would guide them together – and her to bear her heart to him._

Liane's eyes lazed open again, the growingly familiar surroundings of her room at the inn somehow a disappointment only until she realized that a smile still lingered on her lips. The expression evaporated with a groan as she rolled onto her back, her forearm draped over her eyes.

_Again? But I don't love him… I don't! Why do I keep having these dreams?_

Her frustration only grew as her mind saw fit to grasp at the fleeting images of her dream – making it impossible for her to deny exactly who had been the object of her dream yet again. But why? Sure, there was something about the mercenary that was fascinating – and she couldn't deny that she still felt some duty to try to befriend him in honor of what the fortune teller had told her –

… but… love?

Liane shook her head at the thought. None of the rest of the dream applied to her either, so why should that? Liane set her jaw, steeling herself against the dream to shut it out.

_I'm worried – about them, about me, then there's Sheena's teasing – of course my mind is going to come up with some weird things… right?_

Even as she decided she liked the justification, Liane sat up with a yawn, pushing her hair back from her face before she rubbed her eyes a bit to clear her vision.

"And yet more giggling… I want your dreams…."

Liane's glare snapped sharply on her roommate who was sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed, a steaming cup in her hands and a smile on her face.

_That's right… got to see about a room of my own, too…._

"Tea?" Sheena asked innocently, gesturing to a teapot that rested on the table beside another cup. The room was warm, and it took Liane only a moment to notice the glowing coal bed in the small fireplace near the door.

Even though Liane wanted to sigh and ignore not only the assassin's offer, but her teasing as well, the spicy smell of the tea overrode the urges and she sighed. "Tea sounds good… thanks…" she replied quietly as she crawled out of her bedroll and started to straighten the coverings. "And trust me… you do not want my dreams…."

"Really?" Sheena asked, tilting her head as she blew over the surface of her teacup. "All that giggling… it sure sounds happy."

"They're just dreams… they don't mean anything," Liane declared without looking up to Sheena, wishing that she could believe her own words.

From the silence that came instead of the snappy retort she had been expecting, Liane ventured a small exhale of relief. Constantly being on her toes in the one place that was supposed to be hers – a sanctuary of sorts – was wearing on her along with everything else. How could it be that in this bold move to make her own way in the world, she had somehow lost even more control?

"That's not what my people believe."

Liane looked up at the soft comment to find Sheena staring thoughtfully into her tea. Her tone had changed from one of perhaps-light hearted teasing to one that was somehow wistful. "I guess you'll have to forgive me if I hope your people are wrong then…" she sighed, standing and walking to the table to pour herself a cup of the fragrant tea.

Sheena sighed, glancing up from her tea with a slight wrinkle in her brow. "I don't think I'll ever understand you people," she murmured, shaking her head.

" 'You people,' huh? Liane almost chuckled as she drew a careful sip from her steaming cup. "Might help if you stopped considering yourself something different. Common ground usually does a world of good for understanding." When no comeback was offered once again, Liane sat down in the chair closest to her bedroll, and exhaled, wishing the tension that held her frame taut away once again as she clasped the handleless cup in both hands. While the quiet wasn't exactly comfortable, it wasn't hostile either, a fact she was grateful for.

"Why do you sleep on the floor when you could sleep in a bed?"

Liane tilted her head at the softly spoken inquiry, a topic so out of the blue taking her off-guard. "It's more comfortable…?" she replied, seeing no reason to not answer. "I traveled with the church for a couple of years – kind of an intensive schooling. We only stayed in cities and towns occasionally or when it applied to what we were studying. I got pretty used to sleeping on the ground or on the floor – normally, even when we were indoors, there weren't enough beds for everyone," Liane explained with a shrug as she took another sip of her tea. "It kind of turned into a habit and now… it's just more comfortable."

The black-haired girl's features scrunched a little, visibly sorting through Liane's response. "Wait… wait… the church? You're a cleric… or a priestess of some sort?" she asked, disbelief clear in her tone.

A look of surprise flashed over Liane's expression before she couldn't help but giggle. "Me? No… that just wouldn't be right," she shook her head, careful to not spill the remainder of her tea as she set the cup back on the table. "No, I was older than all of the kids that were in my class because of an accident when I was little. My parents sent me to school with the church to try to get me where I should be for my age. When I came back, Raine took me on as her apprentice at the school in Iselia."

Sheena was quiet for a few more moments before she drained the last of her tea. "So that's how you know the others? You're all from Iselia?"

"Assistant teacher…" Liane corrected her with a shrug. "And we're all from Iselia – well, everyone but Kratos, but no one really knows where he's from, and he hasn't bothered to announce it either." She paused, checking herself for just a moment as she was sure there was a bitter note slipping into her voice. "But anyway… Lloyd and the others are kind of the closest thing I have to siblings." She looked up to pointedly meet Sheena's gaze. "Now you might understand why I have a problem with this plan of yours to fight and maybe kill them?"

Sheena's eyes widened for an instant before she glanced away. "It's nothing personal…."

"It seems to me that trying to kill someone makes it pretty personal…" Liane cut off the quiet response. "How can you think like that? How cold is it to be that completely removed from what you're doing? She could feel the rant building inside her once again, even when she knew it wouldn't do any good.

Looking up with an expression of bitter amusement, Sheena shook her head. "It's not personal. And you make it sound like I enjoy it. We all have reasons for what we do."

Liane stood from the chair, finished the last of her tea and turned to kneel beside her pack. "Yeah. So you say. Look, it's a nice sentiment, but it doesn't change a lot." She removed a clean blue tunic to go with a pair of charcoal breeches and stood. "I'm going to go take hot bath… you do whatever it is I'm sure you're already set on doing. I'll get my stuff when I get back and I'll go get my own room so I won't keep you awake when I talk in my sleep any more," she told the black-haired girl with a sigh, noticing that Sheena seemed to be studying the toes of her boots instead of offering any acknowledgement. _Fine. That makes it easier anyway_. Picking up her tomb and her sword belt, she slipped out of the room without any further discussion.

* * *

While the steaming waters of the bath room once again provided her sanctuary from the world outside, they still did very little to ease the restless thoughts that continued to rattle around inside her head. She knew that Sheena was the least of her worries, but that hardly helped her to worry less for the sake of her friends.

_Maybe she's right_, she grudgingly admitted to herself as she draped the wash cloth over her eyes. Liane was certain that whatever time she had between then and when she found employment would be take up by wondering where her friends were... what they were doing…

_… if they're alive…._

The morbid thought sent a chill through her despite the temperature of the water, but it was a truth that she couldn't deny. Liane thought she had come to grips with the cost of her decision to leave the group – but it seemed to only be compounding as time passed. Sheena was right – there was no way that she was the only – or probably even the worst – obstacle that Colette and the group would encounter before their journey was over.

_Even as just another set of hands – I might be of more use than just sitting here waiting for my life to kick in._ She sighed, reaching up to pull the cloth from her eyes and let it drift back down into the water. She had convinced herself that she was a liability to the group as part of her bid to feel better about leaving, but just like everything else she had used, she was beginning to see that it was all just a series of excuses.

_I can get Genis to try to teach me another spell… I could ask Lloyd – or even Kratos – to teach me more sword techniques_… Liane silently began to plan, turning in the tub to fold her arms on the edge as a pillow for her head. _I can always come back when the journey is over._

It all seemed to so clear – how hasty she had been in her decision to leave – how much of a fool she had been to not think that even if she left, her heart would stay with her friends. It was bleeding over into her dreams – as if her mind was using her sleep to convince her that she needed her friends to be happy – making its point by even using the easiest of the group to write off as a friendship lost cause to show her how much happier she was when she could be with her friends.

_It is where I belong right now… everything's trying to tell me that…._

Liane shook her head with a hint of a smile playing at her lips – chiding herself silently for how determined she had been to prove to everyone – primarily herself – that she would be better off alone.

_I hope they'll accept my apology… and I'm going to take so much grief from Lloyd and Genis_… she almost snickered as she reached under the water to pull the drain plug of the tub. But it was still a weight that had been lifted from her shoulders – as much confidence as she had talked into herself to leave them in the first place flooded back to her tenfold as she decided to rejoin them.

It was a quick matter to dry and dress, opting for a simple high ponytail as her mind was on anything but fashion. _I've got to get packed… pay Rodney… say goodbye to Wendall… I should be able to be on the trail in another hour easily…._

But then Liane's smile faltered as she froze, her wet towel hanging over her arm as she had almost been ready to leave the bathroom.

_Oh, hells… the road to where?_

Her next urge was to unceremoniously smack herself in the forehead – an empty gesture considering she was alone and already felt stupid enough without putting on such a show for people that weren't there.

With a heavy exhale, Liane's eyes slid closed. They were headed for the Mausoleum when she had left them, and from what Sheena had told her, they had accomplished their mission there. From both what the assassin had told her and what she knew of the pattern when Colette released a seal, they had camped there the night before.

_But now… they could be headed anywhere_… she thought miserably. Who knows where Remiel sent them off to this time? _Even if I could get back towards the peninsula, there's no guarantees that they weren't up and moving early – maybe even back towards Hakonesia Peak_…. While she knew that early-morning travel wasn't particularly likely with Lloyd in the group, the fact remained that she would already have ground to cover to even get anywhere near the turn to Balacruf. And if creatures further interrupted her….

_I don't have a chance of catching up to them…._

It was as if fate was once again laughing at her – reminding her once again that taking chances was not her forte. She had been offered a choice and she had made her decision – one that seemed to have trapped her with yet another hard lesson in consequences…

… action and reaction…?

Her eyes widened a little as the thought whispered in her mind in the voice of her roommate.

Maybe there was a way she could know where to find them, but she knew that the question would function to openly declare herself Sheena's enemy once again.

_But she was there – she might have heard them talking_, Liane reasoned, setting her jaw just a little at the potential fight she could be facing. _But she was encouraging me to go back to them… why would she do that if she were trying to lure me into a fight? That would just be sadistic_….

Before she had realized it, she snorted at the thought. _She'd be hard-pressed to be more sadistic than trying to kill Colette_… Liane shook her head, her head rolling back with a groan as she once again found herself at a crossroad. Her only path back to her friends could lie with the girl that had already declared herself their enemy – and her only other option was to sit back and remain an ignorant bystander.

Her feet were already in motion to carry her back to her room before she could consciously command them to do so. She had her sword and her daggers were tucked into her boots – if a fight came, she wouldn't run from it. But she still hoped that it wouldn't go that far.

_I have to fix my mistake._

She stayed at the door of her room for a few long breaths, her hand poised just over the doorknob. _What if she left? I'll lose even more time trying to find her_… Liane shook her head and narrowed her gaze on the wooden barrier, her other hand moving to unlock the door.

But when the door swung open, she was almost startled that it seemed that Sheena hadn't even attempted to move from her seat on the bed. That was enough to shake Liane from how she had been braced for a fight. "Sheena?"

The assassin looked up, a serene expression on her face, almost as if she had only then noticed her roommate's return. "Oh, hey… you don't have to leave," she murmured as she pushed herself to her feet. "I think I'm going to go."

Liane tilted her head to the side, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion as she followed Sheena's path across the room. "Go where? Are you going to try to kill Colette again?" she asked accusingly, her quest for directions falling in step behind the realization that the assassin could be going back to her old tricks. _Not that I expected otherwise… I guess_….

Sheena looked back to the brown-haired girl, offering her a small sigh. "Not right now… somehow… it just doesn't seem fair. There's just more that I need to see… maybe make enough gald to pay this town back for being kind to me."

Her answer took Liane off-guard. While she was relieved that it seemed Sheena might have listened to her – at least in part. "Don't… leave on my account… I really need to go, though…" she murmured, realizing that if she knew Sheena was in Luin – or at least returned there regularly, she might at least feel a little safer.

The assassin's placid expression lasted for only a moment longer before she chuckled dryly. "I was wondering how long you'd last."

"Yeah, everyone knows what's best for me better than I do. I've heard it," Liane sighed, her frustration growing only a little to push her past her earlier surprise. "So, I guess that makes us enemies again?"

Sheena frowned and glanced away, shaking her head. "I don't know. Not for now, I guess. That's just one more thing I'll have to decide." She turned and knelt beside her bed, pulling a small pack out from beneath the folds of the bedspread and then carefully repacking the small teakettle and cups.

Liane chewed her lip for a moment, knowing that only one question actually remained. While she knew that it might further push their uneasy truce, her options were limited – if no non-existent – beyond that. "Sheena… did you hear where they're going? The last place I knew that they were going was the Mausoleum," she asked quietly, inwardly bracing herself for whatever the assassin might retaliate with.

"Northwest, I think I heard… they're not very tight-lipped when they're traveling," Sheena shrugged. "It's like they haven't figured out yet that they could be being stalked." She tilted her head at Liane for only the space of a heartbeat before understanding once again flashed in her eyes. "They'll need supplies – and Luin is really the only place in the area to get them. "I'd bet they're on the way here now. If you want to go with them, I'm almost sure you won't have to wait too long."

With a blink of surprise, Liane slowly shook her head. "So… you're really just going to let me go joint them again? You didn't want to fight me… or anything?" she asked, still surprised by how easily Sheena had offered up the information. There really was no reason for her to lie – as evidenced by her suggestion to wait – not when she could just as easily have directed her to a thieves' den or a cockatrice nest that she knew Liane would never be able to walk away from without at least severe damage.

"My fight isn't with you unless you want it to be," Sheena smirked. "I'll fight you now if you like… or maybe we can put it off until you join back up with your friends. It's entirely up to you, but I really think we should step outside if we're going to do it now…" she shrugged, standing and crossing her arms over her chest, watching Liane to see what she'd do next.

Liane frowned slightly, shaking her head as she made full note of the assassin's stance. "I don't want to fight you," she replied softly, hating how weak she felt in the admission, but she also knew that she probably didn't stand a chance against Sheena in one-on-one combat. But at the same time, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was being left undone. "Sheena, does it really have to be this way?" she asked, her hands gesturing with an air of helplessness. "Come with me? Sit down and level with us – maybe if we all know what's going on… maybe none of us will have to fight?"

Sheena groaned, her shoulders deflating a little as she pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Yeah, you need to go back to them – you all need to be in the same place so you can convince yourselves that you can turn everyone into your friends…" she looked up, meeting Liane's eyes with a hint of amusement in her own gaze. "Look, you seem nice enough, but the last thing I'm here to do is make friends. Want a piece of advice? Just do what you have to do and follow through with it as best you can – then at least you won't have any regrets."

"I guess that's what you're doing," Liane sighed, discouraged by Sheena's response, but not really having expected any different if she was honest with herself.

"It's what I have to do," Sheena replied with a shrug. "Look… they'll probably be a little while. I'll help you keep an eye out for them, and then I'll go away. When we meet again, we can pretend like this never happened… that way, the others won't accuse you of consorting with the enemy or anything. I'll even give you all a head start… just to be sporting."

The offer confused Liane even more – for all of Sheena's overtures of not wanting friends and not having choices, the gesture did seem friendly to her. "I guess…" she sighed, knowing that it was probably the best she could hope for from the situation. "Thank you… but for the record, I still think we could resolve this… at least some— "

"Hey, are you hungry?" Sheena asked quickly, cutting Liane off. "We can go grab some muffins from the street vendor so that we don't have to sit here and wait the whole time?" she suggested, starting towards the door as if to punctuate that the discussion on resolution was closed.

Liane sighed but still nodded. It was clear that the assassin had no intentions of negotiating, but food did sound good – as did the company until Lloyd and the others would come. If they come… a pessimistic voice interjected laughingly into her thoughts, but she shoved the notion away. "Sure…. Just let me put my things away," she muttered, not quite able to manage a smile, but knowing that the option was better than further pushing unwanted topics.

The girls settled on the edge of the fountain a few minutes later, each with an oversized muffing in their hands. As usual, the fountain plaza was filled with children – most of whom hand taken at least one turn to try to get Sheena and Liane to play with them.

"I think I could be happy here… someday," Liane murmured after chewing her first bite of her blueberry muffin, resting her hand back on the thick retaining wall of the fountain and letting her eyes drift to the infinite blue sky above.

"There are a lot of good, selfless people here," Sheena replied quietly, watching the children playing around them. "It's amazing really, especially living in the shadow of a human ranch…."

Liane blinked at the assassin's observation, but then had to nod in agreement. "Iselia is the same, but they used to have a peace treaty with the Desians," she sighed, picking off another piece of her muffin and chewing it thoughtfully, realizing that it might be one more reason why Luin melt a little more like home than other towns. There was a similar tension – a subtle wariness that permeated everything. Even if the people tried to simply live their lives around it, it was still there.

"'Used to'?" Sheena asked, casting a sideways glance to her companion.

"Yeah… let's just say it's not in force any more. Long story…" Liane murmured, trying not to think of how it had been broken – or the results. "Let's just say Iselia is back on the menu… and it scares me. My parents are still there."

Sheena was quiet for a few moments, continuing to watch Liane before she sighed, shaking her head a little. "I don't think I'd trust them even with a treaty," she grumbled sullenly. "There would have to be a benefit to them before they'd ever agree to something like that. They enjoy what they do to the people there far too much to just sign that away."

The anger in the assassin's voice caught Liane's attention immediately. "Sheena… have you been to the ranch? Or one of them?" she asked softly, concerned by Sheena's reaction.

"No… I've done some reconnaissance there, but it doesn't take much to see how horrible it is…" Sheena replied softly before she looked back up to Liane again. "Trust me, all you have to do is talk to one person that's been held in a ranch and you'll never forget that."

Just the simple statement of 'trust me' coming from the assassin was enough to raise one of Liane's eyebrows, but all sarcastic statements to that effect were lost as she realized that Sheena probably didn't speak such words lightly. She seemed to have a code of honor, even if it wasn't always clear to Liane exactly what the code was. "You know someone who was in one?" she asked, her breakfast forgotten in her hand.

The black-haired girl watched Liane measuringly for a long moment before she sighed. "A few, actually. They escaped from the Asgard Ranch a while ago and the people of Luin have been hiding them. I think I've met all of them at one point or another… but they don't come out very often - understandably. But they're scared…" she frowned again. "I think everyone here is… but you'd never know it on the surface. These people are amazing…."

Liane almost smiled as she heard the anger in Sheena's voice melt into quiet admiration. "They are… and there's people like them everywhere. When we were in Palmacosta a while back. The first one to stand up to the leader of the Ranch there was a little boy that couldn't have been more than six," she chuckled quietly, remembering the boy that had made a stand the only way he knew how. She thought the example might make her point better than to once again state what she and the others were and had been fighting for.

Sheena took another bite of her muffin, almost as if it were an apple, and stared out over the gently lapping waves of the lake for a few moments longer. She remained silent, almost making Liane wonder if she was being ignored. Then the assassin drew a long breath and sighed it out, even as her gaze never left the water.

"It doesn't surprise me… it would just be easier if I didn't know they were working so hard…" Sheena muttered quietly before she took another bite of her muffin.

Anything Liane could say at that point would have either come out smug or as a revival of her attempts to convince Sheena to at least talk to the others, so she remained quiet and set about finishing the last of her breakfast.

"You should come back here someday, though. Get your job. Marry Wendall… have a bunch of cute kids to play with these…" Sheena murmured, snickering as Liane's eyes widened and she started choking on her muffin. "What? He likes you…?"

"But he's just a kid!" Liane blurted out, still shaking her head. "Look, I take enough grief from Lloyd and Genis without you, too…" she grumbled defensively. The last thing she wanted was a romantic entanglement, much less one decreed by someone she barely knew.

Sheena nodded, her eyes wide with innocence. "Oh, you like older guys, I see," she smirked before she shrugged. "See, I would have guessed he actually was a little older…."

Despite the flash of annoyance, Liane chewed her lip for a moment. Sheena was right. From how he had spoken before, she was guessing Wendall was around twenty-three… about three years older than she was. I must have been thinking of my dream, she reasoned, once again picturing the black-haired little boy with the toy duck. Why do I blurt out things like that? "I think he is… I just don't want to be told…" her voice trailed off as a building commotion from around the corner of the fountain distracted her, turning her head and noticing that all the children had frozen in place as well. "What the…" she murmured, her eyes trailing up to a thick plume of smoke that was building over the city. "A… fire…?"

Sheena was already on her feet, a heavily inscribed card held between the first two fingers of her right hand as she moved to put herself between the commotion and the children. "It's fire… but no accident…" she grumbled just loud enough for Liane to hear even as a crowd of villagers rounded the fountain, panicked cries escaping from all of them as they bore down on the plaza.

Drawing her short sword, dread settled heavily on Liane as she moved to Sheena's side, bracing against the onslaught of villagers before she spotted their pursuers. Her eyes widened at the sight of the golden-helmed soldiers and her stance went rigid. "Oh, sweet Martel… the Desians…" she murmured, her eyes sliding shut as she realized she might have time to ready her Wind Blade spell before the distance between them was closed.

Sheena waited until the rush of frightened village people had passed before she stepped forward, her card braced out before her as her glare narrowed on the advancing Desian fighters. "Pyre Seal!" she commanded, her voice echoing from the stone cove of the fountain even over the maddening clash of weapons and armor. Her card flared with a surge of mana that exploded outward, a flood of what almost looked to be phantom cards slamming into the closest foot soldier and knocking him back into a pair of his comrades. She ventured a smile as the soldiers toppled, but the amusement in the expression flickered as yet more Desians appeared behind them. "How many of you are there?" she grumbled, drawing her card back across her again in preparation for another attack.

"Too… many…" Liane replied, doing her best to hold her concentration for only a moment longer as she forced another bit of mana into the rune circle that spun around her. Keeping her sword braced out before her as her focus until she could choose her target, her glare fixed on the closest of the advancing Desians – a spearman – and pointed the tip of her blade at her. "Wind Blade!" As the rune circle wafted away, three translucent blades emerged from its mana and flew at the spearman, once again knocking the Desian backwards –

and once again, more simply came from behind to take her place.

"You didn't say you were a mage…" Sheena commented through clenched teeth as one of the foot soldiers lunged towards her. It was an easy matter for her to sidestep the attack and spin into a clean roundhouse kick, connecting easily with the half-elf's ribs to send him sprawling to the ground. "Never saw you do that when you were fighting me…"

Liane pivoted, relieved that the spell didn't seem to take as much of a toll on her mana as she had feared it would. Taking a step backwards, she found herself back to back with the assassin. "Don't be too surprised… it's my only one and I usually don't have time to cast it," she replied, almost unnerved by how quickly they were becoming surrounded. "Demon Fang!" she called out as she dipped her sword back and arced it forward, the slash of mana carving a small path through their attackers until it caught a whipmaster unaware and slammed him back into the fountain wall. The victory was short-lived, though, as the swath closed on the two girls once again.

"Human cows…" one of the foot soldiers snarled as he lurched forward towards Liane and Sheena, his sword flashing out before him in the bright morning sun.

Her eyes snapping wide, Liane threw her sword out before her, bracing the flat of her blade against her palm as she planted her feet and widened her stance. "Guard-"

"Move!" Sheena demanded as she shoved Liane down and to the side, ducking under the foot soldier's leap. Her hand snagged his belt as she dropped and rolled backwards with his momentum, bracing a foot in his gut as she flipped him into the fighters that had started to circle around behind them.

Liane only had barely a heartbeat to appreciate the lethal grace of Sheena's interception of the soldier's attack before she saw a whipmaster closing in from the assassin's side. She took a swift step to place herself between the already snapping whip and Sheena, her sword held horizontally over her head as the leather strap came down and coiled over the blade. Time seemed to freeze for just a moment as she realized how precarious the situation was – one jerk from him and she would be disarmed. "No way…" she growled out, her free hand moving to close over the handle of her sword as she used the increased leverage to wrench the whip back, yanking it from the Desian's hands. Liane snapped the blade, sending the whip back over her shoulder to drop into the waters of the lake before she stepped forward to drive her left elbow into the whipmaster's exposed jaw, dropping him to the cobbled ground of the plaza. "Bastard…."

"I summon thee… let's go Corrine!" Sheena called out, once again shoulder to shoulder with Liane. The command had no sooner left her lips when a burst of pale smoke exploded over a nearby spearman and the three-tailed creature that Liane was sure she had seen at the Thoda Geyser dropped from the burst. The fox-like creature landed firmly on the spearman's helm with what sounded distinctly like a giggle. The Desian's spear clattered to the ground as the yellow-furred being paused for only a moment atop its fallen prey before it hissed, its fur bristling before it hurled into the advancing Desians. "Nice move with the whip," Sheena muttered as she nudged Liane back towards the edge of the boardwalk in an attempt to close off at least one avenue of attack. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you'd had some ninja training," she shrugged before her foot snapped out once again into the unprotected gut of a foot soldier that had gotten just a little too close for her liking.

"Ninja?" Liane blurted, warding off a pair of advancing fighters with an arc of her sword. "You're a ninja?" she asked, distracted only a little as she turned to give herself enough room to gather her mana into her sword and guide the weapon into a figure eight in the air before her. "Double Demon Fang!" Twin slashes of mana collided with another pair of attackers as she exhaled, trying not to concentrate on how for every Desian they defeated, two seemed to appear to take their place.

"Goes well with assassin, wouldn't you say?" Sheena laughed dryly as she once again snapped her card out before her. "Power Seal!" the black-haired girl commanded as a luminescent swirl of blue light seeped from her card and encircled a nearby foot soldier. "Hit that one! Now!"

Liane didn't take the time to question, she simply stepped forward and drove the pommel of her sword into the side of the Desian's head just below his helm, exploiting his distraction at Sheena's glowing attack and sending him crumpling to the ground. "There's too many…" she grumbled once again as she started to turn – just in time to see the silver flash of a sword coming at the level of Sheena's neck. "Sheena!" she shouted, throwing herself forward against the sword bearer's grip, but only enough to deflect the attack lower. The assassin's pained cry as the blade ripped into her side rang in Liane's ears as she continued to tumble forward, catching herself on her knees with one hand braced on the ground before she looked up.

"Right where you should be, scum… on your knees…" a whipmaster snarled as he took a step out of the swarm and planted a boot harshly against Liane's upper chest, pressing the breath from her lungs as she was thrown back down to the ground. The ferocity of the attack destroyed what balance she had salvaged after her fall and loosened her grip on her sword, sending the weapon up into the air. She could only watch helplessly as the short sword flew into the mockingly bright sky –

and dropped into the waters of the lake.

Sheena gasped down a ragged breath as she clenched her side, sparing a moment to stare down dumbly at the sickly warm ooze that was coating her hand and creeping between her fingers. "Dammit!" she growled out, trying to climb to her feet even as she realized that the Desians were filling in the gap that was widening by the moment between her and Liane. It was growing more obvious with every passing moment that they were losing what precious little ground they had. Trying to kick out, Sheena swung blindly in defiance of the odds, but a firm grip on her shoulders was her reward as she was dragged into the crowd of her enemies, receiving stray kicks and punches as she went. "Nooo!"

It was Sheena's anguished cries that drove Liane up to her knees once again, ducking another kick as she reached to her daggers and freed them from their sheathes. She slashed out in quick succession, driving back one of the maroon-clad attackers as she tried to get her bearings. She knew that her only chance was to stay with Sheena – but a frantic survey of her surroundings gave her no sign of the assassin. "Sheena!" she called out, her daggers sweeping out once again to buy herself space as she listened to the chaos around her for some sign… some acknowledgement.

But while there was no such acknowledgement, there was a sudden dazzling flash of light that puzzled her for only the moment that it took for the blinding stab of pain to spider out from the back of her head. She barely heard her daggers clatter to the ground as she fell backwards, her head still reeling from the ferocity of the pain so much that she never felt its collision with the ground. Liane's senses were beginning to slip away one by one – there was no sound, the acrid stench of smoke was but a memory, and the pain was numbing her entire body. All that remained was the smug grin of the foot soldier that stood over her as he spun his sword to shift his grip and slide it into its sheath.

Then, even that began to fade away, the bright morning eclipsing to twilight, and then into total darkness around her.

* * *

_One by one, the stars twinkled to life above her. She exhaled, trying to calm her nerves as she twisted a lock of her tamed brown hair around her finger. It felt like she had been waiting for hours… days… years. Even as she knew that it had to all be in her head, her stomach twisted in anxiousness._

He'll come… _she told herself as she straightened her legs out before her, crossing them at the ankles and smoothing her pale yellow dress over her lap for something to do. She always awaited his return beneath their tree, and that night would be no different in that respect. But in all others, she hoped that everything would change._

_She wanted him to come down the shore of the lake… to see her waiting for him in the place that was theirs. She wanted him to remember that moment for the rest of his life – she wanted to mean that much to him._

_It was then that she heard the footsteps in the lush grasses that surrounded Lake Sinoa, only noticeable because they were rhythmic as compared to the brush of the random breeze. Her heart skipped a beat as the anticipation built within her, and she turned her head, her lips already curled into a smile that she couldn't have controlled if she had wanted to._

_Btu when the gloved hand shot out and closed firmly around her throat, the night shattered around her. She was dragged to her feet, her toes just barely dusting the grasses as she struggled for her breath. Through watery eyes, she beheld her attacker, his golden helm shining in the silvered moonlight even as the sneer beneath it froze her blood._

_"This is her…" her captor laughed to a similarly clad companion that crept from the nearby shadows. "Lord Kvar said that his orders were to catch 'em together, but she can still be bait, right?" he chuckled, squeezing her neck just a bit tighter and grinning at the pained gasp for breath that came from her already-burning lungs._

_At the fuzzy edges of her consciousness, she was aware that the other man was laughing as well. "Yeah… bring her alive… she and the others will bring the traitor…" he spoke in agreement._

_Her vision wavered for a moment longer as her eyes rolled up to find the stars blinking out._

_Why…? Others…? How…_

_Kratos…._

* * *

Kratos sighed as the House of Salvation once again came into view. He had opted for a position at the back of the party since they had left the peninsula for a variety of reasons – chief among them that he didn't feel like assuming the social focus position that leading the group usually entailed. Each day was pushing him further into troubling territory - every victory that the Chosen achieved in the name of the Regeneration bring him closer to success that he didn't want. Liane's departure had been a setback for the morale of the party, but they had still rallied, just as he was certain they would as he had watched her leave. While their disappointment had been a factor, their understanding had helped them through it, so it really didn't seem to be an issue anymore.

What made Kratos hate every step he took since then was embodied by the conversation that he had overheard the night before. Lloyd was beginning to open his eyes to the true cost Colette was paying for her chance to regenerate Sylvarant. It was something Kratos had almost hoped that the boy would not see. Almost. But the boy constantly found ways to surprise him – something that he knew really shouldn't be such a shock to him.

_After all… I know where he got that talent from…._

He instantly chided himself for such a thought, clasping his hand harshly over the angled edges of the grip of his sword to ground himself in reality. Those were exactly the thoughts he couldn't have – not now that the Chosen's journey was beginning its spiral to conclusion. What would happen would happen – and ghosts of the past had no place in the present. They were stepping stones to where they were now… no more. Forward was the only way they could go – the past could not be undone. Not for Lloyd… not for Colette… and not for….

_It was blacker than the night outside within the walls of the Asgard Human Ranch. And that fact suited him perfectly. He slid through the shadows of the prison corridors as if he were one with them._

_He wished he was._

_Instead, that night he would once again call on their help to right a wrong that he had unknowingly fostered months before in a misguided attempt to do what was right. By the time he gave in to what he had seen as a weakness, he had discovered what he had allowed to happen. He had expected to return to Luin to find her in the arms of another – a self-prescribed punishment that he hoped would put her out of his mind for good._

_The exact opposite had resulted from his visit to the City of Hope. He had learned the price that she had paid for his blundering into her life. A price she had paid every day since he had run like a coward._

_His self-loathing was put on hold as he slid by a small pale green light – one of only a handful that punctuated the darkness of the hall. He heard stirring in the cells that he passed as some of the inhabitants caught a glimpse of his presence. But he couldn't help them all – not right away. He had one goal: her. He would not allow them to continue to harm her because of him. Kratos knew all too well where the orders to take her – the plan – had come from. And it simply reinforced his resolve._

_Continuing down the hall, he allowed his instincts to guide him – and halt him before a single, tiny cell. His eyes searched the darkened compartment on the other side of the barred opening, and his heart ached as he spotted the crouched figure curled as far into the corner as possible. It was a heartbeat later that he drew his sword and thrust it into the lock pad of the cell, a shower of sparks and the scream of alarm klaxons destroying the stealth of his visit – but he no longer cared._

_The door popped open and he stepped in, extending his hand to her by the light of the flickering cascade of sparks over his shoulder._

_'Anna… we have to hurry… we –'_

_His voice trailed off as the cell's inhabitant looked up to him. The bright bursts of light revealed the fear in her eyes – but it also showed him something else – something that didn't fit –_

_…traces of earthy green in the gaze that met his…._

_Liane…?_

"Hey, Kratos… are you okay? Do you want to take a break or something?"

The mercenary blinked, finding himself caught in the liquid blue eyes of the Chosen even as the others were gathered around him… the foreboding prison cell of the Asgard Human Ranch gone, replaced with the plains that surrounded the northern House of Salvation. "I'm fine…" he responded before he even thought about it, almost ready to dismiss the vision as another side effect of the duties that he didn't want. But then something caught his eye in the distance… a billow of smoke standing out against the tranquil blue sky of the northwest.

He didn't understand it, but neither did he doubt it. Kratos set his jaw and started down the trail, storming past the others even as he cursed how his abilities had to be fettered for the sake of the mission.

"Kratos?" Lloyd called after him, the younger swordsman's tone voicing the confusion that apparently still held the others speechless.

Kratos froze in mid-step, but found himself unable to look back as his fists clenched at his sides.

"We have to get to Luin… now."


	13. Chapter 14

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Luin is no more – destroyed by the wrath of a Desian raid. Liane's dreams of a new life have been replaced by a simple desire to survive the tender mercies of the Asgard Human Ranch even as the Chosen's party is forced to face hard truths at the root of the Regeneration Journey.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story.

Chapter 14:

Liane began to awaken to a jagged throbbing at the back of her head and lights that she could already tell were far too bright even through her eyelids.

"Uhh…" she moaned as she started to reach a hand to the site of the pain – only to be stopped by her wrists and whatever it was that secured them to her sides.

_What the…?_

Liane tried to center herself, to figure out what was going on. She remembered fighting the Desians in Luin… she remembered being overwhelmed. _Sheena…._ The assassin had been dragged away from her… bleeding… and there had been nothing she could do about it.

_Stupid… _she berated herself as she clenched her fists. She'd seen the sword moving for the already distracted assassin – and her only plan had been to stop it – she'd never thought beyond that. The realization would have made her laugh if she didn't think her head would burst at the effort.

It was all a blur… Sheena had been dragged away… and someone had struck her in the back of her head. _But I'm not dead… I'm pretty sure my head would hurt less if I were…._

Gritting her teeth, she braced herself for the light and cracked her eyes open, the stabbing brightness of her surroundings making her wince in further pain.

There was commotion everywhere around her, the low buzz of voices almost maddeningly distracting. Sniffles, cold-toned conversations, and whimpers filled her ears as her eyes finally began to focus, and voices began to crystallize as well. She was strapped, half-standing to a cold, smooth slab – just like the people that surrounded her… and the people that surrounded them.

_Goddess… they're all from Luin…this is the Human Ranch…._

The realization both horrified and saddened her… no matter the stand she and Sheena- and undoubtedly others - had made, it was clear that they had failed. She leaned forward, looking to either side of her for the woman she would have liked to call 'friend' after what they had been through, but to no avail. She strained against her bonds to see the captives around her. Some seemed vaguely familiar, but out of the dozen or so captives she found herself with, she couldn't spot anyone that she knew by name. _No Sheena… no Wendall. _How one thought could simultaneously encourage and depress her to tears, she wasn't sure. _If they're not here – then they're safe, right?_

"This one is acceptable… get it fitted and ship it to Iselia…"

She turned to the voice… and watched two armored Desians shove a small brown-haired boy towards a table in the corner of the room. Liane was certain that she recognized the boy as one of the children that had been playing in the plaza before everything had fallen apart.

"_Mommy!_" the little boy wailed as one of the soldiers picked him roughly up and tossed him over his shoulder, turning his cry into a strangled choke for breath.

"No! Let him go! Please!"

The anguished howl made Liane wince and she rolled her head to see a sandy-haired woman struggling against her restraints a few slabs down from where she was. Her heart ached for the woman even as anger flexed her arms against her bonds. _To be in trouble yourself is one thing… but to not be able to help your child…._

A cruel laugh and the crack of a whip silenced the woman's cries as the boy disappeared into an assortment of armored and lab-coated forms.

_Sweet Goddess… no…._ It was all like a horrific nightmare. All she wanted to do was wake up, but a sick feeling in her stomach seemed more than pleased to tell her she was awake - that she was seeing all of this with her own eyes… and that waking from this simply would not be happening.

"Which one is Subject J620?" a voice called from across the room.

An armored male paced the row of prisoners, shuffling through a stack of papers before he looked directly at Liane. "This one, Doctor Talas… the dark-haired one," he called out as he moved the sheet he was looking at to the top and pointed to Liane, ignoring the fact that she was glaring at him.

Liane held her glare on the Desian, having to imagine that she was meeting his eyes defiantly as there was no way to tell for sure through the visor of his helm. Her fingers grasped for the fabric of her sleeves in an effort to fidget away the urge to shrink from the fighter, but instead of the comforting softness of her tunic, she found only a scratchy thinness of unhemmed cloth. It took her only a moment longer to fully realize that she and all the captives sported similar wear – the women sporting dingy gray shifts and the men in loose tunics and breeches of the same fabric. _They changed us? _The thought of the violation made her stomach turn, but even that was momentarily forgotten as lazy footsteps approached.

A thin man with tiny spectacles and sharply pointed ears was suddenly before her, scrutinizing her with a cold gaze. A sneer curled his lips as he nodded in what seemed to be approval. "Subject J620, they say you even used magic back at Luin," he crooned. "An impressive feat for a human with supposedly limited resources."

"Let me go and I'll show you impressive," Liane growled, unable to hold her tongue. Before she could draw another breath, the half-elf drew back his hand and smacked her solidly across the jaw, making her vision sparkle and fade for a brief instant.

"You will not address me like that," the almost frail-looking Desian smiled tauntingly. "Subject J620."

"My _name_ is Liane Dale," she slurred, trying to keep from gagging on the blood she tasted in her mouth. "And I'm _not_ your subject."

Amusement lit his eyes and she momentarily wondered why…

"Kerrick… bring me the records…" Talas purred. A smaller, mousy-looking man in an identical white coat ran to him and handed him a green leather-bound tome before scurrying away.

"Hmm… Dale…" the Desian doctor droned as he cracked the thick book open and paged through it. He scanned through the pages one by one, his finger sliding over the pages as he peered over the rims of his glasses, a thin smile steadily growing on his lips.

_No… was that the seal of the Church on the cover? _Liane thought in dismay, momentarily wondering if she was still too delirious to trust her eyes. Then she was aware of a whisper at the back of her mind, a muted voice from a memory… Kratos' voice.

"_The Church has a way of exploiting its resources…"_

She blinked – she would have shaken her head in dismay if she hadn't thought that it would hurt too much. _That… can't be what he meant…._

"Ah. Liane Dale… of Iselia, yes?" the man nodded as he tapped his finger on the page before him. "Well, I can certainly see that they were right about your spirit… interesting." He closed the book and tucked it under his arm, tilting his head thoughtfully as he studied her for a moment before he nodded as if he's made a decision. "Kerrick… fetch Lord Kvar. He may have interest in this one.

Liane saw the smaller man scramble from the room after a quick bow, her eyes following after him as far as they could until he disappeared beyond the row of prisoners.

_Kvar…._

The name sent shudders through her… maybe it was simply the reverence with which the sadistic doctor had spoken it. _But… it sounds familiar… but why? _It wasn't as if she studied the names of the Desians – it was closer to she avoided them as a topic as much as possible. And while the one name she did know – Magnius – still sent shivers through her, at least she knew why. _But Kvar… _somehow that particular name took 'shivers' to a whole new level. Maybe it was the beating she had taken – maybe it was just another symptom of the weariness that she felt grinding on her nerves. But whatever it was, she didn't want him 'fetched' for anything to do with her.

'_Lord Kvar said his orders were to catch 'em together….'_

_That's it!_

Her eyes widened just a little at the memory, but the voice, the context was lost to her. _Where did I hear that? Maybe… back at Luin… before I blacked out?_ She tried to reason. _But catch who together…?_

"As for you, J620… you can still be prepared while we wait for the Lord's arrival," the doctor smiled, his tone full of mocking reassurance that drew her from her thoughts. "You will be ours whether he wants you for his project or not."

"Like hell…" Liane sputtered, her arms straining at her restraints. She no longer cared where she knew names from – all she knew was that she couldn't stay there – she couldn't play the complacent victim. But once again, she was answered with another blow to the jaw, this time drops of her blood falling to the floor near her feet as she slumped back to the slab with another wave of pain.

"Take her," the doctor smiled, gesturing to a pair of armored guards that immediately moved to release her leather bonds, each clamping their gauntleted hands painfully around her arms as they jerked her from the cool table.

She did everything she could to make the guards' job difficult as they pulled her off in the direction that they had taken the boy just minutes before. She braced her feet against the maddeningly slick floor, she tried to kick them… bite them… _anything_. But their only responses were smug chuckles as they continued to drag her away.

Then she saw the boy. His tear-stained face was set in pain as they led him out a side door, the brown-haired boy cradled his left hand in his right, a grossly-enflamed patch of skin on the back of his hand set with a sparkling jewel.

Liane stared at the little boy, her aching jaw gaping open in horror.

_That's… an Exsphere…_

'_Exspheres are harmful to the body without a key crest.'_

The mercenary's words from Triet were so clear in her mind; it was as if he was whispering them into her ear. She drew a deep breath to try to focus… to find a way to not end up like the boy – like she guessed the others in the room were also fated to become. _Think, Liane… think!_

For a moment she relaxed into the grip of her captors – no fighting, simply offering them the submission that they seemed to think that they deserved.

_Come on…_ she was counting on their egos to work for her. She was still dizzy and every bit of her ached – there was no way that she could concentrate well enough for her spell – even if she could scrape together the mana for it. No… they would have to do her work for her.

Then, it happened. Their grip loosened – just slightly – but enough for her to jerk her thin arms from their grasp with one smooth, quick movement. She planted her feet and threw her shoulder into the soldier to her right, knocking him back into the whitewashed wall. As her campaign began to spawn chaos throughout the room, Liane looked for anything she could reach to defend herself – something to throw or swing or…

The crack of a whip preceded its lick of pain across her back as the flimsy fabric of the loosely woven dress split open under the attack.

Liane screamed, more from rage than pain as she grabbed a liquid-filled jar from a nearby counter with both hands and hurled it at the soldier closest to her. As the armored guards closed in on her with their weapons drawn, she saw the lab technicians all fleeing –

all but the one that slammed the needle into her arm from behind.

Her body swam with pain once again as it felt like her arm had been set on fire.

_How could I have not seen him there?_ She chided herself and ground her teeth together as she landed a solid kick to the offending technician's gut, sending him sprawling back into the cabinets behind them. Dodging the swipe of a sword from one of the guards, she grabbed his sword as he fell by her. She backed up against the wall, her newly acquired weapon clutched firmly even as her arm began to go numb and her vision began to waver.

_Dammit… no!_

She edged toward the corner of the room, the soldiers all pacing her like a pack of wild dogs waiting for their wounded prey to drop.

"Keep waiting, you bastards," she snarled, slipping behind the row of Luin prisoners, never breaking eye contact with the soldiers and praying that she didn't look as confused as she felt.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to each of the prisoners as she passed behind them. She wanted to save them, but she knew full well that she would be lucky if she could save herself – especially as her legs started to drag across the floor, despite her concentration to carefully place one foot beside the other as she edged against the wall.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it… a simple door in the wall behind the tables that restrained the other captives.

_Maintenance?_ She thought, but quickly discarded the identification efforts. It didn't matter what it was - it was her only hope. She paused by the door, leaning against it as she steeled her mind and body both against her waning strength, and, after a slight hesitation, she triggered the door latch, falling backwards into the adjoining room. Summoning all of her strength to kick the door shut behind her, her eyes quickly searched the dimly lit room and spotted a broom. She quickly jammed the broom handle under the door as soundly as she could and then drove her sword into the seam beside the hinges, the blade wedging between the door and the wall in an attempt to buy herself as much time as she could. Liane hated using her only weapon as a makeshift lock, but she knew it wouldn't do her much good for long anyway – the strength she did still have was hardly enough to consider standing, much less swinging a sword.

Both legs were wobbling as she barely managed to climb to her feet. She could feel the pummeling from the other side of the door, the angered shouts of the Desians she had temporarily held at bay filtering through to her ears. _Not much left…_ she moaned, stumbling in the small room. Her mind was still relatively sharp – enough to know that she would be in serious trouble soon. The pounding on the door would only last for so long – then they would break it down and she'd have nothing – no defense – no chance.

Then, as if and answer from the Goddess herself, the outline of another door appeared through her hazy vision. There was no thought required – the soldiers would be coming through from the lab any second.

She threw the new door open and stumbled into a hallway, the door slamming shut behind her as her lack of balance carried her across the hall. She rested for just a moment, her back to the wall before she shoved away.

_Have to keep moving… they're coming_….

She wandered further down the hallway as quickly as she dared – passing as many doors as she could manage before she knew that she had to rest – even if just for a moment.

Her weight landed heavily against a door, which mercifully slid open as if in response to her touch. She fell inside, again crumbling completely to the floor and rolling on to her back with a wince as a sharply stinging pain raced across her ripped flesh. She stared at the pale ceiling, wondering if she would ever escape.

Outside the door, though, it sounded more than occupied – footsteps and annoyed voices faded in and out of her hearing as she simply laid on the floor, her breathing echoing in her head.

_I should never have left them… then the people of Luin would have more for their hopes to ride on than just me…._

She began to sniffle, tears quickly rising to flow down her face. Her jaw hurt... her back burned… but all those sensations were fading along with the feeling in her limbs… and vision as well. But she had escaped the lab where they had been held – she was the only hope for the other prisoners. She had to at least try.

Liane reminded herself how to roll over and pull her knees and arms under her to crawl to the door, paying as much attention as she could to the placement of her limbs, seeing as how she couldn't feel them. When she reached the door, she managed to ooze her way to the door and slap her hand over the faintly glowing panel beside the portal.

As the door slid open, a wave of dizziness almost knocked her back to the floor once again.

_No… I have to try… _she told herself, gritting her teeth, and clenching her hands tightly to the door opening.

She edged around the doorway and into the hall, clinging desperately to the wall. Her mind began to splinter, even as her vision neared a fade to complete darkness.

No sound reached her ears, and she could barely feel the wall's stabilizing presence any more… but she still attempted to walk… although it was now simply on instinct as she was beyond being able to offer herself her former coaching. Now it was a chore to remember to breathe… much less walk.

_Can't stop… they'll have… me…._

Liane sensed herself pitching forward, her limp body finally utterly failing her. As her consciousness slipped further and further away, she saw the glint of what her mind still recognized as Desian armor through the black cloud that settled over her sight.

"Please… Martel… help…."

- - - - - - - - - -

"Look at this…" Raine commented softly, pointing the spear she carried in place of her staff to a dark smear across the pale walls of the Human Ranch.

Kratos stepped out of the tight formation they had held between the disguised Raine and Sheena since the gates, crouching a little to look at the streak. His eyes narrowed slightly as he straightened, but his attention was still fixed on the streak. "It's blood," the mercenary murmured quietly with a grimace.

Colette blanched, staring wide-eyed at Kratos. "Blood? Are you sure?" she asked, wringing her hands together as she looked nervously up and down the hallway.

Kratos nodded, looking further down the corridor and seeing sporadic smears down as far as the next intersection. "I've seen plenty of blood in my life, Chosen."

"There's plenty on these walls alone, that's for sure," Sheena murmured, lifting the visor of her help and then glancing cautiously back over her shoulder in the direction that they had come.

"Well, someone's hurt… and it looks like they went that way…" Lloyd sighed, motioning ahead of them, the anxiousness clear in his voice.

"Indeed. Be on your guard," Kratos nodded once again, motioning to Raine to resume her lead down the hallway. He fell in step behind her, keeping the Chosen and the boys behind him as Sheena brought up the rear of the party.

Kratos did not like being at the ranch – in fact, he absolutely detested it. Not that he would accuse any of the others of in any way enjoying it either… but he simply had too much knowledge and far too much experience with the inner working of the ranches – and this one in particular - to be in any way comfortable with the plan. But there were no other options to the group's self-proclaimed quest to save the people of Luin – and he doubted things would have been any different even if it didn't appear that Liane was amongst the missing village folk.

While Genis had been the only one to question his decree that they had to get to Luin, the young mage's silence on the matter since they had reached the remains of the town was something Kratos hoped would last. Because as observant as the younger Sage sibling was, it was still the knowing gaze of his older sister that followed Kratos, silently assuring him that her concerns for his reasons for accepting the job of guarding Colette were far from forgotten. Her suspicions would be answered soon enough, but for now… his reasons for how he knew to send the group to Luin had to remain his own. He wasn't even comfortable with his own response to that question – he certainly couldn't offer it to the Professor.

As they slowly crept through the corridors, Kratos fought the urge to draw his sword. The Desian spearmen with armed prisoners were suspicious enough to jeopardize their mission in his opinion. But blatantly brandishing the weapons outright was probably the furthest thing from what he should do for the benefit of their cover.

_Damn… I hate this… and I hate this place…._ He had to consciously mind his expression, the last thing the wanted to do was explain any reaction to the ranch to any of them

But the blood was unnerving.

_Something's very wrong… they'd never let something this messy out of their control…_

Sounds of far off commotion were suddenly eclipsed by the mechanical 'whir' of a door behind them. Raine paused and spun, pushing past her 'prisoners' to stand beside Sheena to defend them from whatever scrutiny they would be presented with.

Kratos heard the hesitant movement from inside the room, before the intruder's shadow had breached the threshold of the door.

_Surprise be damned._

The first third of his sword was clearing he sheath, but it was swiftly halted by Raine's gasp. The form lurched into the hallway, flailing through the air with a strangled prayer…

"Please… Martel… help…."

He recognized the voice even before his mind could comprehend the whispered prayer's words. His reaction was purely instinctive, and faster than he should have allowed any of them to see, but those burgeoning thoughts were pushed away for later reflection even as he shoved between the Professor and the assassin to dive under the collapsing mass of rags and blood. He caught the limp weight across his arms before it could fully impact the ground.

_No…._

He knew very well who it was even as her body curled into a beaten, shuddering ball in his arms, her chin sagging against her chest even as her cheek rolled onto the front of his shoulder.

"Liane!" Lloyd called as he and the others crowded around Kratos, their cover as prisoners momentarily cast aside at the sight of the state of their friend.

"Back away," Kratos rasped, freeing his left arm from under her and reaching slowly to her chin. He had already seen that her hand did not bear an Exsphere, but…

_No… she doesn't deserve…._

He realized his hand was shaking as he gently pushed her chin up from her chest, leaving the baggy cloth neckline to reveal the unmarred skin at the base of her throat.

Allowing a thin smile to creep over his lips, he turned to look at her bruised and slightly bloodied face as her head tolled limply against his arm.

_You fought them, didn't you? Kratos asked her unmoving form as he shifted her to rest against him in what looked to be a more comfortable position. _Not that he really doubted that she would. He had already seen plenty of the girl's stubborn streak just since he had met her in Iselia. Even if he didn't listen to the voice in his head that claimed that trait was even more familiar than that, he knew better than to think that she would allow herself to be a prisoner.

"She displeased someone," Raine commented from over his shoulder as she removed her helm and tucked it under her arm, stretching her hand out to Liane. "Here… let me…."

"No," Kratos stated calmly, commanding his cool façade to reassert itself over his worry as he dipped his left arm under Liane's knees and lifted her from the ground. "I'll do it."

Raine watched him for a moment, suspicion and concern warring in her eyes before she nodded once and took a step back, allowing him the space to stand with Liane. With a cautious glance around them, she replaced her helm, but not before gracing Kratos with a look full of warning just before her eyes were once again hidden by the golden visor.

Pushing his acknowledgement of the Professor's worry, he bowed his head as he held Liane tightly to him, using her instead of his sword as the focus of his healing magic.

"Hurry, Kratos… someone's coming…."

He barely heard the elven boy's warning as he felt the energy stabilize… his concentration even, surprising even himself. Somehow, it was easy – even in this place that he had come to hate with every fiber of his being. No matter the reality, the loss, the soul-numbing years since he had last been there, or the shaky future beckoning to them all for the moment – just one blink in the progression of time – things were almost somehow right.

"First Aid."

Kratos opened his eyes as the last of the green light faded away, watching his patient intently. Her jaw seemed slightly less discolored – but she still didn't stir.

_Damn…._

"Come on… this way!"

He glanced up to see Lloyd standing beside an open doorway gesturing almost frantically to the open door beside him even as the others were starting to file past him. Kratos nodded and followed the others through the door.

Once they all stood in the apparently automated and blessedly unoccupied control room, Lloyd turned and waved his hand over the glowing pad beside the door, concealing them from the sight of anyone passing by in the hall. As if on cue, a cascade of footfalls echoed outside the door a moment later. Each of them tensed, bracing for the worst, but when the door failed to open and reveal their presence, Lloyd's shoulders heaved with a sigh of obvious relief. "Looks like we're safe for now."

"Something has everyone busy," Genis muttered, looking around the room.

Raine stayed by the door, removing her helm and shaking her cropped silver hair slightly as her protective gaze followed after the mercenary to where Kratos had knelt to prop Liane against the wall. He pulled away from her, studying her expression for another moment before he sighed and let his shoulders relax just a little.

"… or someone," the Professor added to her brother's observation, finally looking away from Kratos and around the room.

"Likely. They're not fond of having their prisoners running free," Kratos nodded.

"Not to mention that I'm sure it's gotten out that the spearmen haven't delivered their prisoners yet," Sheena sighed, removing her own helm and placing it on a nearby console of flashing lights. Her eyes traveled over the contents of the room before she, too, looked back to Liane. "I wonder if she'd the only one that got free…" she mused quietly.

Genis knelt beside the mercenary and gingerly picked up one of Liane's hands, reaching out with his free hand to push her slightly blood-matted bangs from her eyes. "Why didn't she wake up, Kratos?"

Kratos sighed, pushing himself to his feet and crossing his arms over his chest, watching as the group seemed to be gravitating to Liane's side. "They must have drugged her," he answered. "She'll have to come out of it on her own." He was fairly certain that the Desians wouldn't use anything more permanent considering she was obviously still breathing. There was no reason to waste a perfectly good host, _especially if she was going to offer Kvar entertainment,_ he thought bitterly behind his mask of indifference.

"Wait!" Lloyd dropped his small pack to the ground and rummaged through it, pulling a small gray Panacea bottle from its depths. "Here! Give her this…" he held the bottle out to Kratos with a smile.

And once again, the goodness of the boy's heart shone brightly in Kratos's mind, even though he still had to wave the offer away. "It won't help, Lloyd… it's the result of something they gave her… not a curse or a spell. I'm fairly sure it's temporary, but we can't do it for her."

Lloyd scowled for a moment before turning to Raine obviously not satisfied with Kratos' response. "Then _you_ can help her, can't you, Professor?"

Kratos watched the Professor shake her head in silent agreement with his assessment of Liane's condition, silently cursing himself as he turned back to Liane.

_Damn it all… I could heal her… just not with any magic I should be using in front of them…._

He momentarily toyed with trying to find a way to get them to leave him with Liane. He'd only need a few seconds and Healing Stream might have the strength to burn the poison from her system – to at least bring her back to consciousness – but he discarded the thought almost as fast. They'd ask questions. Questions he couldn't answer for them … _not now_. "Be strong… just a little longer," he whispered to her as the others began to talk amongst themselves.

… completely missing that Genis had climbed to his feet and still stood patiently beside him.

"Don't worry, Kratos… we'll find some way to get her out of here," the silver-haired boy quietly reassured him, looking up to the mercenary with a surprised smile.

_I feel like an idiot… I forgot he was there…._

"Yes, Genis… we will," he murmured, keeping his eyes on Liane for only another moment before he stepped back. From what they had seen of Luin, it seemed that she had only given up one battlefield for another. _So much for not wanting to fight._

"Hey, what's going on in there?"

Kratos turned at the Chosen's question, almost grateful for the distraction even as he winced when he saw the blonde girl pointing through a large observation window. One by one they gathered before the glass, only Genis lingering for a little longer with Liane before joining the others.

Inside the next room was a huge mechanical assembly of tubes that crackled with energy and a long conveyor belt that encircled the island of machinery. Kratos held his tongue, determined to do so for as long as he could, even though he knew what every bit of it was – and more importantly what it was for. No… they would have to come to that on their own – it was yet another in a long line of lessons that he didn't want to be their teacher for.

"Are those… Exspheres?" the assassin murmured as she pressed her hand to the glass, her attention fixed on a place near the end of the conveyor belt where a small cauldron of peacefully glowing orbs could be seen peeking out from behind a stand of belted gears.

He remained silent, following the example of the others and turning his attention to where Sheena had indicated as well, waiting and dreading to see what they would do with the observation.

"It looks like this is an exsphere manufacturing plant," the Professor murmured, taking a step back from the glass, her eyes sweeping over the entire display before them as if searching for further confirmation of her theory.

Kratos nodded, stepping, turning from the window. "So it would seem." He could almost feel their thoughts trying to wrap around the information, trying to get this new puzzle piece to fit their knowledge of the situation. It was almost morbidly fascinating… and he couldn't look away no matter how much he wished to.

"These are all Exspheres?" Lloyd breathed out in awe as his eyes darted from his own Exsphere and back to the room beyond. "Incredible…"

_If he says anything about wondering if his was made here,_ Kratos' own thoughts chuckled mockingly at him as he found his hands curled into tight fists in anticipation of the young swordsman's musings. How close did the boy regularly come to the truth without ever realizing it…?

Colette's head suddenly snapped away from the window, her attention fixed on a door further down the wall. "…Shh," she hushed as she backed away from the others and started slowly towards the door. "I hear voices coming from the next room."

Kratos immediately fell in step with the Chosen, pacing her as his hand moved to the grip of his sword. A multitude of beings or creatures could be waiting on the other side of the door – and none of them likely to care to ask questions before attacking and endangering at very least the Chosen herself.

"I don't hear anything," Genis complained softly as his wide blue eyes followed after Colette and Kratos his kendama already in his hand.

Lloyd sighed, shaking his head to his younger friend as he and Raine also moved closer to the doors. "Be careful anyway," he muttered, seemingly to Genis, but more than loud enough for all of them to hear.

Sheena hung back from the others for a long moment of what seemed like indecision before she met Kratos' gaze. While the eye contact seemed to be more accidental than anything, he saw her eyes dart to Liane's form slumped against the wall. He set his jaw, understanding that he and Sheena shared a realization of the value of communication. If they had to leave or fight – or both – concessions had to be made to see to it that Liane was not left behind. As soon as he nodded, he saw the black-haired girl start to move to Liane's side, stooping to drape her limp arm up over her neck and then pull her to her feet. As Sheena bore all of Liane's weight against her, Kratos couldn't shake a feeling of respect for her. He had his suspicions of at least where she was from – and that made it very clear why she would be trying to kill the Chosen of the currently declining world.

But even he could see the shift in the girl's behavior – she responded to Raine's not-so-subtle hostility with the like, but she had also been distressed that Liane had apparently been taken while they had been fighting together. It wasn't much of a leap for him to worry what the outcome would be if they all compared notes – how it would complicate what should have been a relatively simple assignment.

But things as easy as the trip to the Asgard Ranch were already making him question exactly how "simple" his job was to be even from the start. He had no doubts in the sadistic nature of Yggdrasill – that it could be turned on him on a whim was certainly not a stretch.

Such self-centered thoughts were simple to push away as the door whisked open to reveal yet another ghost from the recent past. The Chosen's chakram snapped into place, as did the weapons of her companions as the familiar tuft-haired half-elf in robes stepped into the control room, flanked to either side by helmed guards. And despite the startlement on the part of the Chosen's group, it was clearly mirrored in the new arrivals' stance.

"Hmm!" Botta's eyes snapped wide open at the sight of the Chosen's party. "You!"

It took less than a heartbeat for Kratos to see the man's hands snap shut on a weapon that wasn't present. Battle instincts honed for countless years instantly sizing up his potential adversaries. His hand remained on the handle of his sword, but he did little more than narrow his gaze on Botta and the others. _A reconnaissance mission? Gutsy… this is the last place they probably want to be caught…. _

Lloyd, on the other hand, was more than ready to go on the defensive. His blades were edging from their sheathes even as his recognition of the men began to reason their way from his lips. "Uh-oh, these are the Desians we ran into in the Triet Desert!"

The soldier to Botta's right tensed for only a moment longer before a grin appeared beneath his helm and a dry laugh echoed from the door that had whisked shut behind them. "They still think we're Desians," he muttered, shaking his head a little as he turned to his companion.

"Sir, this is the perfect chance!" the other soldier nodded in agreement as he stepped closer to Botta, his encouragement quiet, but still loud enough to make the others in the room tense in preparation for another battle that they didn't want.

_And I thought Lloyd could be slow on assessing situations… _Kratos mind grumbled even as he denied his head the shake that it was practically begging for. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight to take a step forward. "… Are you looking for a fight?" he asked quietly, tilting his head in silent challenge as he met Botta's eyes. Surely, Botta's position hadn't been earned through such snap decisions on battle engagement as his companions seemed sadly prone to.

"Wait," Botta held his arm out to bar the path of the soldier to his left, his gaze locked with Kratos'. "Kratos is with them. We'll retreat for now," he spoke, his tone firm and leaving no room for debate from his subordinates.

Lloyd blinked, looking between Botta and Kratos even as confusion blazed in his expression. "You know each other?" he asked, his attention shifting between the fighters.

Kratos sighed. _How can he honestly forget such things so quickly? Botta was present for some fairly pivotal battles in the Chosen's journey to this point… not to mention situations that threatened his life… and he forgets…?_ "I suppose, if you mean the fact that we ran into them at Iselia and Triet," Kratos replied calmly, hoping that the reminder might jostle the boy's memories.

"I think it would be in both of our interests for us not to fight here," Botta responded in a tone that mirrored Kratos' own, one that seemed to convey an underlying message to any that would listen.

Kratos wasn't foolish enough to ignore the unspoken urgency to the Renegade's words. The respite they had needed and found to regroup after finding Liane was nearly over – due to either Liane's escape from the Desian's control or something that Botta and the others had stumbled over – it didn't matter. The results were the same. "Do what you will," he murmured, taking a step back and gesturing to the others to do the same as Botta and his men ran forward and past them, making no move to fight any of the Chosen's party as a part of their unspoken and possibly temporary truce.

No sooner had Botta and his men escaped out into the main hallway and the door whisked shut behind them, the group found themselves with but a moment to breathe before the doors opened once again, this time to reveal a trio of Desian sorcerers that were already preparing their attacks.

"It's the prisoners!" one of the mages declared loudly. "Subdue them! Now!"

_Botta wouldn't send them after us – they wouldn't listen to Botta_, Kratos' mind whispered as he began to take defensive measures. It required barely a thought for him to step forward out in front of the group, but everything else became almost maddeningly out of control within the next heartbeat. Colette was suddenly beside him, having stepped out of his shadow and onto the improvised front lines of the oncoming fight.

The attack was launched before he could even reach out to the blonde girl, giving him barely enough time to throw his mana into his Guardian technique in hopes of deflecting most – if not all of the incoming fireballs.

The burst of heat that the attack produced lasted for only a moment, and Kratos was quick to release the protective barrier that had apparently done its job. Looking quickly to his side, he saw the Chosen lowering her arm, her white sleeve singed slightly, but little more than that wrong judging from the weary smile on her lips.

"Colette! Kratos!" Lloyd called out as he ran forward to them, his blades still in hand even as the mages seemed somehow stunned at the ineffectiveness of their attack.

Colette smiled at the swordsman and offered him a small laugh. "I'm okay."

It was the same laugh she always offered the boy's concern, Kratos realized. Had the girl not been numbed by the 'gifts' Cruxis had already bestowed upon her, he knew that there was no way that the girl would have been smiling after taking the brunt of the fire ball attack with no other defenses. He kept a wary eye on the mages, but if only struck him as odd that they hadn't pressed their attack for a moment before he heard footsteps outside the door to the left of the viewing window.

"No time for that," he snapped to get the others' attention. "Look behind you!"

When the door whisked open, true to Kratos' prediction, he felt a shudder run through him and strike into the core of his very being. Truth be told, he and the squinty-eyed Desian had never gotten along, and his defection those twenty years past had done nothing to strengthen the bond. No matter how deeply rooted his position with Cruxis was or had been, he was always no more than a human to Kvar. Kratos was hardly afraid of the half-elf, he was actually far more disturbed by his own reaction to him. Kratos had never had a reputation for being particularly merciful, but the things he ached to do to Kvar in retaliation for the torment the Desian had so gleefully meted out to him – to Anna – gave new definition to cruel.

Lloyd spun, his sabers at ready as his glare fixed on what seemed to be their next opponent. "Huh?"

"Well, this is a surprise," the Desian drolled with a chuckle. When I heard we had some rats, I assumed it was the Renegade, Botta, but instead I find the wanted inferior beings…. But I must say that I'm quite impressed that you're still alive after that attack." He purred his words in a condescending tone as his eyes flashed across the group before they lingered on Kratos.

The mercenary felt his skin crawl even as his fingers began to itch where they closed over the grip of his sword.

"Who are you!" Lloyd demanded of the newcomer, leveling the tips of his blades at the half-elf.

Kvar threw his head back with a raspy laugh of disbelief. "You barge into my ranch and then demand my name?" he continued to snicker as his gaze fell back onto the young swordsman.

That simple action made Kratos want to cast aside all pretense of his presence, cross the room with all the speed he possessed, and choke the life from the Desian. He didn't want him to be anywhere near Lloyd… Liane… any of them.

"Wow, Lloyd. Isn't this usually the other way around?"

Kratos was actually grateful for the silver-haired boy's flippant remark. Even as it evidenced that they had no idea of the depths of evil in the man before them, it still helped him focus his rage.

Lloyd shot his friend a look over his shoulder. "Genis! This is not the time!" he hissed before he fixed his attention back on Kvar.

"He is Kvar, one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals," Kratos stated quietly, his gaze firmly locked on the Desian, knowing it would be an unspoken challenge that the other couldn't resist.

Amusement danced in the Cardinal's eyes, his narrow gaze menacingly keeping Kratos' for a moment longer before drifting pointedly back to Lloyd. "Ah. I see that some of you know me. It's just as Forcystus said. That Exsphere is without a doubt the project of my Angelus Project!" he continued to laughing, gesturing with his right hand as the Desian mages parted to allow a troop of soldiers to begin to file in.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the others starting to edge back towards the door that Botta had come through, and Kratos moved slowly with them, his eyes never venturing from Kvar. It was as he feared – Kvar knew who Lloyd was – perhaps moreso than simply identifying the Exsphere the boy sported. He couldn't fight the impression that Kvar knew more - that he was already taunting Kratos with that. He just hoped that he could occupy the Desian's attention for long enough to buy them all time.

But even ask Kratos kept his sword trained on Kvar, the swift whistle of spinning metal caught the edges of his hearing, the perfect arc of Colette's chakram forcing Kvar to stumble back into his soldiers in avoidance of the girl's offensive attack.

"Good job, Colette! Let's go, everyone!" Lloyd called out from where he stood beside the door, standing back to Colette to follow Raine through and then hurrying through himself so that Sheena could pull Liane through with Genis' help.

Kratos couldn't resist a smirk of approval as he ran after them, instantly seeing the tactical aspect of using the Desians' chaos to aid in their escape. As soon as he cleared the door, Raine threw a nearby switch, activating the manual locks on the door to the manufacturing room.

"That should hold them for a few minutes," Raine murmured, her eyes flashing over the figures that seemed to be obliviously patrolling the path around the conveyor area.

Kratos sighed, approaching where Sheena and Genis had rested Liane against a nearby upturned hexagonal container. He inwardly cringed, not wanting any of them to come in contact with the innocent-appearing containers, but managed to keep the revulsion locked down even as he crouched to scoop the unconscious girl into his arms once again. "But it won't hold them for long…" he murmured, adjusting his grip so that Liane's head rested against his shoulders instead of dripping back over his arm. "We have to go now," he murmured as he led the group towards the narrow path that skirted the conveyors. With as loud as the machinery was, they simply had to hope that the guards weren't alerted to their presence. It didn't make sense to continue to allow two of their group to be absorbed by carrying Liane – and both Genis and Sheena had proven their worth if battle would come. While he would be crippled in his ability to help by carrying her, he simply knew it was how it had to be.

And while he could tell himself that all he wanted, he couldn't deny that there was another reason – that he wanted to carry her out – that he had to know that she and Lloyd – that all of their party was free of Kvar's poisonous grip. Even when he knew that there were others at the ranch that did not deserve their fates – those that he was with at the moment had to be his priority.

"Uhnnnn…."

Kratos looked down as his cloak tightened around his shoulders. He was surprised that Liane was already starting to stir even through he understood that the need to escape the ranch was likely very deeply engrained in her. "Shh… you have to stay quiet," he told her in a whisper as the group made their way into the first nook beside the power nodes to avoid notice. He saw the others' eyes flash on him, but there was little he could tell them without giving away their position.

"Kratos…" Liane murmured as she curled against his chest with a whimper that was all but lost to the ambient noise of the machinery. When she began to squirm in his arms, he saw a flash of pain in her expression and shifted his arms until she once again settled.

He curled both hands into frustrated fists as they all tensed, seeing the shadow of the approaching guard begin to creep around the edge of the machinery. _Why this place… why like this_? It seemed more cruel than even Yggdrasill could orchestrate. Too much chance – too many random events. Kratos had long believed in fate – even as he knew destinies could be shaped. But fate would ultimately have its way.

Something forced him to look to his side at that, only to momentarily catch Lloyd's apprehensive gaze shifting between him and Liane. Kratos watched as the boy chewed his lip for a moment and then carefully reached out to grasp the girl's right arm that had slipped out of his hold and gently draped it over her middle.

It was like fate was snickering to him once again. The boy's caring nature was not something that could be learned… it was a part of his very being… something of Anna that absolutely shone in him. _Even after all she'd been though… she could still spare a smile for a stranger in need… how could the boy do any less for his friend?_

_We're getting out of here. All of us. No matter the cost._

He set his jaw as the shadow of the pacing guard receded once again. "Go…" he commanded in a hushed whisper. They certainly would get any closer to escape if they simply waited to be found.

Liane continued to murmur softly against his chest. It seemed that the sedative the Desians had used was burning out of her system, but not enough to leave her functional. She seemed to have at least an understanding that she had to stay quiet – something Kratos was grateful for as they wound their way in and out of hiding places.

After a few close calls and being forced to leave a particularly perceptive whipmaster in a wheezing pile on the ground. The party finally sported a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel… the path opened ahead of them, offering a taunting possibility of an exit as the conveyor belt descended from the wall to the left of the path.

Unfortunately, the path ended at a large window that displayed a seemingly-endless parade of what could only be ranch captives – all of them weary looking, some obviously beaten. Kratos flinched as a collective gasp came from his companions. _It's always darkest before everything goes pitch black…_ a pessimistic voice whispered in the back of his mind, chiming along with how his senses started to send shivers of sensation through him.

"Wh… what is this!" Lloyd breathed out from where he stood at the now obvious dead-end, watching the procession behind the glass with wide eyes. The boy's gloves creaked slightly as his grip ground against the handles of his blades.

"This is where the Exspheres are removed from the host bodies."

The group spun at the mocking voice from behind them and Kratos groaned softly even as the others all brought their weapons to bear. Their shock had cost them what precious lead – and whatever opportunity they may have had to find another route – that they had possessed and Kvar and his men had apparently taken full advantage of that fact.

Raine was the first to find her voice, staring at the Cardinal with wide blue eyes, before they trailed back to the prisoners. "Do you mean that Exspheres are made from… human bodies?"

Kratos set his jaw, its joints practically aching as he saw the joy that flashed in the Desian's narrowed eyes as he smugly crossed his arms over his chest and kept his guards at bay while he seemed intent on playing with his new captives. It was a truth that they all needed – Kratos knew that. _And now, that truth is right in front of them._ Loathing rippled through him – for how he knew that he had a part in what they were seeing -–if not directly, then by turning a blind eye to it for far too long.

"Not exactly," Kvar freed a hand for an explanatory flourish to the Professor's dismayed question. "Exspheres are dormant at first. They extract nourishment from humans to grow and awaken. Human ranches are Exsphere manufacturing plants. Why else would we spend out time raising and taking care of these inferior beings?"

Genis took a step forward, his Exsphere-laden hand sweeping out before him as if to push back Kvar's claim. "That's terrible!"

"Terrible?" Kvar asked innocently before a sickly thin smile of mock wounding curled his lips. "Terrible is what you've done. Stealing and using Exspheres that we've invested so much time and care in creating," he stated, shaking his head and tsking softly. "You deserve to be punished." With that ominous statement, he gestured over his shoulder, and his guards began to obediently step forward, pressing the Chosen's party back towards the wall behind the stairs that had once hinted at an escape.

"Damn! We're surrounded…" Lloyd muttered, his blades both poised out before him as to ward off the advancing soldiers.

"Liane… can you stand…?" Kratos whispered to the girl cradled against his chest. She moaned softly and her eyes fluttered open halfway as she managed a half-nod. Her eyes were unfocused, but he knew that he couldn't fight while he was holding her. He swung her legs to the floor, supporting her upright with his left arm. "Hold onto me…"

She nodded again, her weight bearing against him as she cowered into his arm.

"Lloyd, your Exsphere was meant to be an offering to Lord Yggdrasill," Kvar stated, all previous overtones of amusement in his voice now gone and replaced by malice. "It's time you gave it back."

Kratos tensed, torn over the Desian's words. If the Exsphere was anyone's, it was Anna's… it was her life force that powered it… and if it couldn't be hers anymore… it was rightfully Lloyd's. From the flickering glances he got from Kvar, he knew the game the Cardinal was playing. He could move to defend Lloyd and risk destroying every bit of his cover and whatever anonymity Lloyd might still have, or he could stand his ground and continue to try to provide the still-dazed Liane some protection. Until they were pushed to the point that he had no choice but to fight. _Lloyd will have to hold his own… for a little longer._

"Yggdrasill…" Raine murmured as if trying to piece the situation together as best she could from the information she as being fed. "I suppose that's the name of your leader."

Kvar nodded curtly, seeming to be growing tired of chatting with his toys. "Yes, now, for the sake of our great leader, Lord Yggdrasill, and for the sake of my own success, I need that Exsphere."

"Again!" Lloyd blurted out in exasperation, swinging his blades as a warning to the still-advancing Desians. "What's so special about my Exsphere?" the boy asked, keeping his eyes on Kvar and his minions as he stubbornly set his jaw.

Kvar's smile slid further into a dangerous sneer. "That is the result of years of time-consuming research. I can finally reclaim what was stolen by that filthy female host body," he spat out as if the bitter words were burning his tongue.

The momentary confusion that danced across Lloyd's features only served to anger Kratos more. Had he possessed even a negligible bit less control, he would have cast everything aside for one quick thrust of his sword into the gut of the Cardinal. But the thread that bound him in place - the tether that kept him to his path – was that while Kvar had been the instigator of the waking nightmare his life had become, Kvar was not the one who had punctuated the final sentence of the story. Adjusting his arm around Liane's waist, he drew a cautious breath. _Maybe… the story isn't over… but it doesn't mean that any bit of this is right…._

"What are you talking about?" the crimson-clad swordsman asked, his voice softening as it was his mind chewed over what the Cardinal had said. Then his eyes widened in horror. "The female host body? You're not talking about…"

"… Hmm, you don't know anything do you?" Kvar chuckled, sparing a quick glance to Kratos before gesturing as if in labored explanation to Lloyd. "That Exsphere was cultured on host body A012, human name, Anna – your mother. She took it and escaped from the facility. Of course she paid for her crime with her life."

Lloyd's jaw gaped open as his breath grew suddenly ragged. Words that seemed to have no desire to form struggling as they were forced to voice. "You killed my…"

"Noooo… Lloyd…" Liane murmured against Kratos' shoulder as she fought the weight of her bowed head to look up.

Even though Kratos could see that her eyes were still far from sharply focused, the tears that trailed from her eyes still somehow surprised him. For only a moment, he once again wished he could see her thoughts – know what she had seen – what sadness it was that would make her cry out even in her current state. Was it the distress in her friend's voice, the story that was causing him such distress, her treatment in the ranch, or… _No. Of all things. Don't remember that…._

"Now, now, don't blame me. I'm not the one that killed Anna. Your father did," Kvar grinned, clearly enjoying every syllable of his torture of the boy.

Kratos shook slightly, the rage building to painful levels within him… one false step, one wrong word and everything would come crumbling down. But even more than his cover being blown, Lloyd's obvious anguish drew his attention to him and away from the sweet thoughts of crushing Kvar's throat in his bare hands… something twisting inside him at the stricken look on Lloyd's face. _But he doesn't deserve this… not like this…._

"Liar!" Lloyd howled, his blades shaking in his hands. His eyes welled with tears of rage and pain, sucking in a stifled breath as his glare of utter hatred burned into the Cardinal.

"Please," Kvar rolled his eyes. "When her Key Crest-less Exsphere was removed, Anna turned into a monster… and your father killed her. Pathetic, don't you think?"

"… Do not speak ill of the dead." Kratos murmured absently, pulled Liane tighter to him with his left arm while he balled his right hand a fist in a desperate bid to not sacrifice everything for a single moment of sweet revenge. Liane whimpered slightly at the increase in the pressure, shrinking into his shoulder.

Kvar threw his head back, his maniacal laugh echoing in the room "Who cares?" he declared with glee as his squinty gaze fixed pointedly on Lloyd and then on Kratos. "They were both just a couple of filthy humans – worthless maggots," he purred, his sadistic grin continuing to grow.

"… Don't you ever talk about my parents like that!" Lloyd shouted, the boy's confusion rolling from him in waves.

_It's all going so wrong… he shouldn't have ever known._

As if taking the boy's pain as a sadistic cue, Kvar and his men began to press forward once again, forcing the group to back further against the wall. Kratos reached to his sword and carefully drew it without disrupting what little balance Liane had. They were trapped. Just like the humans that continued to whisk past the window above them. He knew that Kvar wasn't such a fool as to harm the Chosen, but the rest of them were utterly disposable – especially if they came between the Cardinal and his prized Exsphere.

_That won't happen…_ his thoughts once again whispered as he set his jaw and took one more step to start to ease Liane to the floor at the back of the group, letting her lean on his leg as he moved to stand before her. _Secrets be damned… this has to end_… he swore silently as he began to channel mana into his blade. _What good is an angel of Cruxis if he won't pass judgement on so corrupt a soul_… he thought bitterly, detesting the further truths his actions would bring. He would finally and utterly lose his son when his deception was revealed – both his son and whatever tenuous link Liane bore to his late wife. _But they can still live…_. That simple fact was enough to encourage his sword to begin to blaze.

"I'll handle this."

Kratos' concentration was shaken by the assassin's abandonment of her silent presence in the group as she insinuated herself between Lloyd and the approaching soldiers. _What…?_

"I'm gonna use the last one, Grandpa," Sheena murmured as she produced a card from the folds of the pink sash at her waist. Barely a blink of hesitation later, her hand snapped out and the card disappeared, a burst of smoke blooming before them that solidified into one for the guardian creatures that the assassin had used to fight with them previously. The green-tinted creature hung in the air for a moment, its piercing black eyes skimming over the Desians before it met Sheena's gaze over it's shoulder. Offering her a subtle nod, it simultaneously waved its taloned hand through the air.

Immediately, the air around the Chosen's party began to distort like ripples in a shallow puddle. The effect grew for a few disorienting moments until everything disappeared in a flash of light.

In the next blink, the manufacturing room was gone, replaced by the wooded area outside the gates of the ranch.

Kratos immediately discharged the mana he had been building, resheathing his sword even as the mana drop made him momentarily light-headed. Gritting his teeth, he bent to once again gather the dazed Liane into his arms – all the while well aware of the Professor's piercing blue gaze on him.

"Thank you, Sheena!" Colette smiled as she approached the black-haired girl, looking as if her plan had been to hug her before she stopped short and clasped behind her back almost sheepishly.

"Don't mention it," Sheena waved off the thanks with a flustered half-chuckle. Then she looked around to the group, sobering a little and offering them a shrug. "But what are you going to do now?"

Raine sighed, watching Kratos as she drew a long breath and shook her head before looking around to her companions. "Let's return to Luin first."

Kratos shifted Liane in his arms once again until her slightly pained expression softened. She seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. But concern for her had to come behind the fact that they had to put distance between themselves and the ranch. While the burned out husk of Luin would offer them little protection, it would offer them a vantagepoint over the plains surrounding the town. And with the sun already setting, it was the best they could ask. "I concur."

"Okay." Genis nodded with a shrug and turned to leave, but stopped short as he saw Lloyd starting out ahead of the group. Without hesitation, he ran after his friend. "Lloyd… hey, Lloyd! Wait up!"

Kratos' eyes followed the younger swordsman's form as Lloyd disappeared down the trail with Genis in tow. He could hear the boy's silence despite the young mage's attempts at conversation – and his slumped posture spoke volumes for the shocked desolation that had sunken its fangs into the boy. He couldn't blame him – but he couldn't help him at the moment, either, no matter how he longed to. Lloyd would have to make his own choices – his own decisions on whether to believe all that Kvar said – or whether to seek the whole story. The only thing that truly scared Kratos was what Lloyd would find if he did seek the full truth. He would not deny his son… but he had already let so much go unsaid that – to him at least – it was as good as lying. How could Lloyd not see it that way?

The women of the group started slowly after the boys, shooting him questioning glances to suggest that they were waiting for him. With a sigh, Kratos began walking with them, keeping Liane's sleeping form clasped tightly in his arms. Only when he heard Colette, Raine, and Sheena begin to chatter softly ahead of him did he venture a cautious gaze down to Liane.

_One day soon… you'll have to make your own decisions again. But some things can't be undone. Sometimes you can come back… but you'll never be the same again – no matter how hard you wish…._

- - - - - - - - - -

Liane sighed, stretching out her legs to dangle over the edge of the still-intact piece of boardwalk she had claimed for her own not long after she had felt coherent enough to walk. There were so many thoughts rattling around in her head – so much that didn't make sense. Luin was in ruins, the friendly little town that had opened its arms to her was in shambles and the people that gave the town its warmth were languishing in the human ranch.

The others weren't far away… setting up their camp in the darkening shadows of a hobbled merchant wagon. She simply couldn't be with them at the moment – no matter how much she wanted to be. So many things were warring within her – she had no idea if she would lash out or break down from moment to moment, and it simply wasn't fair to her friends to be caught in the storm.

_Friends… do I deserve to call them that?_

In her stupidity – in her blind rush to leave them behind, she had forsaken the things that should have meant the most to her, and by the time she'd opened her eyes to that – it was too late.

Liane refused to be so selfish as to believe that they had gone to the ranch just for her – she was simply fortunate enough to have been in the right place of the complex at the right time. By all rights, she knew she should be back there with the others – with Wendall, his father, Rodney… all the children… all the nameless people who had offered her even a kind smile while she had tried to call Luin 'home.'

As she had regained her wits on the trek across the plains, she'd heard it all. Those that weren't dead or mortally wounded in the attack on Luin had been taken after the town had been destroyed. Even Sheena had been left for dead – the person that she had practically surrendered to the Desians in her poor planning was only alive because of Raine – certainly not whatever meager resistance she had offered.

_At least it seems she knows that we're really not the bad guys now, _she thought, shaking her head. _All of this had to happen to prove that to her…._

But even through all of that – all that she missed and all that she hadn't – it seemed that Sheena had also proven herself to them. She was right in telling Liane that the group would be there, she had helped them get both in to and out of the ranch in safety.

_They're probably all ready to trade me for her…._

Liane kicked her feet into the icy waters of the lake as if in a quest for punishment for such thoughts. She knew that even if she had hurt them, they'd still give her a place with them. Even as that almost made things worse, she was grateful for it. Luck or not, they had saved her – she owed them beyond the reaches of friendship.

_I could have been like that little boy… like the rest of them probably already are…._

She reached up to absently scratch the skin at the base of her throat and sighed, shaking her head as the cloud-broken moonlight began to define the edges of the waves that lapped around her ankles. _The Desians… they were looking to put Exspheres on all of us… mark us like cattle…_. Her frown was firmly fixed even as she reached down to the boardwalk under her, her fingers grating against the coarse weave fabric of her shredded dress – it was all she had to wear – everything else was gone.

_Quit whining, _she quickly chided herself. _It could have been far worse._ She had her life, her friends, and the ability to go back to try to help those that weren't as lucky as she was.

But no matter the intentions behind returning to the ranch, it still didn't stop the shiver that went through her at the thought – a shiver that had nothing to do with the gashes in her dress or the night breeze around her.

_The doctor… Talas… he sent his helper to get Kvar to look at me… why?_ _And why did they have a book with the Church's seal on it?_

She could still see him and his squinty glare as if he was watching her from a nightmare. Even though she had still been under the sway of whatever the technician had pumped into her blood, she could still recall a mismatched jumble of words, and most of them rang with the Desian's taunting tones. And she also remembered…

… _Lloyd_….

Liane's eyes closed almost mournfully, her head bowing a bit in reverence for what one of her dearest friends had to be going through. For even as Kvar's wordless voice seemed to have already seeped far into her mind and hazy memories, the voice actually formed words when her thoughts turned to Lloyd. _Father. Mother. Filthy female host body…_

'_I'm not the one that killed Anna… your father did….'_

Her heart twisted painfully at those all too clear ghosts of Kvar's words. Liane bit her lip sharply to keep her focus even as her hands curled into fists in an attempt to not lose herself to the misery that her friend was surely in. She had spent the trip across the plains from the ranch in a semi-coherent state, but it was still so clear to her that Lloyd was in pain. It was bad enough that he didn't even remember his parents – but now this? Lloyd had only lingered with the group in Luin long enough to help select a campsite for the night… then he had wandered off with Genis following after him. She hated that she could barely speak when he had left… she hated that she couldn't be there for him.

_What a horrible thing to try to understand… even… even if it is true…._

She bit her lip again. She had to. When she could taste a trickle of blood, she released her lip and drew a deep breath. _Considering Lloyd didn't even know his true father's name… to even know of the possibility of such a thing…._

Gritting her teeth, Liane kicked her bare foot angrily into the water, sending a shimmering rain of droplets into the air.

_Dammit! Even if I do have to go back… I just want to wipe that snide grin off that bastard's face._

A moment later, she forced breath back into her lungs and reminded herself to release the painful grip she had somehow gotten on the partially splintered boardwalk edge. Lifting her left palm up to the pale light of the moon, she could plainly see the tiny blooms of blood that were growing around the bases of a pair of noticeable splinters. Wincing, she plucked the wood from her hand and flicked them into the water. _I don't understand… why is all of this happening now? It should all be about the Regeneration… why are all these things colliding for Lloyd?_

Liane had known about Lloyd's mother for as long as she could remember… and feared her for most of that time – long before the woman even had a name in her mind. Everyone had a mother – but Lloyd's had been taken away by the dark place. _Death always seems dark to children,_ she mused with another deep breath. _But it's never brightened for me… so what does that make me?_

_Scared._

The answer was as simple as it was taunting. Fear knew no age limits- she knew that - but even as she had eventually been taught that death was actually a part of life's cycle, it had always frightened her. Liane knew that she had already stared death down, but while she knew that if she was stronger, she would let that fact reassure her – help her find confidence that she _had_ lived. But she couldn't. She was weak. It was why she had only ever approached the grave of Lloyd's mother once and stood back practically every other time she had ever looked to the elegantly carved headstone. She had always understood that Anna hadn't been as fortunate – the dark had claimed her – she had gone, she had left Lloyd, her family, and her friends behind.

Liane knew that she'd never be able to count the times she had come home from playing at Lloyd's and simply curled into a ball on her bed and cried, giving in to the sadness of wondering what would happen to her family and friends if she had gone, too. Wondering if it would hurt – if they'd be sad – if they'd miss her.

Somehow, this woman that she had never met – nor ever would – had instilled a profound fear of her own mortality in her.

Sighing again, Liane let her feet dangle limply in the water. None of that mattered now – and she knew that she had to once again put it behind her. She was alive – and there were things that she needed to do that didn't involve brooding over things she couldn't change or control.

_New puzzles with old pieces…._

No matter how much she didn't like to think about her friend's mother or her fate, there were too many similarities to things she had heard recently to ignore. _Could the Anna that Wendall was talking about really have been Lloyd's mother?_ The timing was close. If the Luin Anna had actually been taken to the ranch, then she might have been drawn into Kvar's experiment – and if she had escaped as he claimed, then why couldn't she have run away and taken her chances to have a family – to have Lloyd? – before they hunted her down and caused her death?

It all fit. It was so tantalizing to think that she might have stumbled across Lloyd's roots. But she knew that she couldn't say anything – especially not to Lloyd. Even when things seemed to be all too ready to tie themselves into a tidy bow, there was still the chance that it was all coincidence. The only person that seemed to remember Anna – or one of them, if it was the case that they were separate women – was Wendall.

And even if they were the same… there was still a large hole in the tapestry her mind was trying to weave together…

_Who was Lloyd's father?_

If the women were one and the same, he could have been someone she knew before she was captured, or someone she met at the ranch… or even someone she had met after she had fled_. Wendall never said anything about a boyfriend… or a husband… but he was small at the time, too_….

"Hey… there's got to be something in here warmer than those rags…."

Liane looked up, startled by the sudden presence of the black-haired girl that had been her roommate and almost her friend during her brief residence in Luin. "Sheena… what?" she started, but then realized that the assassin was holding something out to her – something fairly large – and a familiar shade of blue. "Is that my pack?" she asked in amazement as Sheena put the oversized bag on the boardwalk beside her. "But the inn… was destroyed…?"

Sheena chuckled and shrugged in the shadows beside her as she sat down. "Yeah, but it didn't burn out completely – it collapsed more than anything. I think there's even a pair of boots – you should be all set to go as soon as you get some rest and everyone regroups."

"You went back for my pack…" Liane murmured in borderline disbelief as she pulled the bag closer and unfastened the buckle to reach in. She found the comforting softness that had to be one of her tunics inside and she smiled. There was an undeniable stench of burned wood, but that would wash away eventually. "Sheena… thank you. But you really didn't have to. I imagine that what's left of the inn is far from stable…."

"You just have to know where to step," the assassin replied, amusement in her tone. "It just seemed right to find your own things instead of having to scramble to find a shop. Besides… that dress is pretty indecent."

Liane sighed, shaking her head slowly. "It was all they had in my size, I guess…" she murmured, trying to keep the conversation light. It was a thoughtful gesture - there was no debating that. She just didn't have the heart to keep the banter going.

They fell into silence for the space of a few moments before Sheena shifted a little, reaching in to the back of her sash. "Oh… these are yours, too…" she smiled as she reached over and placed a familiar pair of matched daggers on top of Liane's pack.

"You found my daggers, too? But… I thought I lost them fighting the Desians…" Liane breathed out in surprise as she let her fingers reach out to the cool metal. "How –"

Sheena shrugged, a slightly smug smile on her lips as she glanced out over the lake. "I spotted them on the ground when we headed off to the ranch. I was hoping they might come in handy for you…."

Liane turned the daggers in her hand, still amazed that they had been found, much less returned to her. The spark of hope now burning, she looked back to Sheena. "I don't suppose there's any chance you found my sword, is there?" she asked, trying not to laugh at how impossible it probably was.

Her smile falling away, Sheena shook her head and looked back to Liane again. "I didn't see it… it might have gone into the lake, but I don't even know where to start looking – and some of the lake is pretty deep," she murmured before she glanced back to Liane. "I'm a decent enough swimmer – I can go down in the morning and see if I can find it…?"

"No… it's okay…" Liane tried to smile, even though she knew that the way her shoulders sank probably gave away that it was a forced effort. "It was long past time to retire it, anyway. I guess this is just a sigh that this is the time to make it happen."

"You were really attached to it, huh?" Sheena asked quietly, turning to watch Liane. "I mean, it seemed like you were getting better with it, but… maybe another sword will be easier for you to work with?"

"It was my grandfather's," Liane replied before she nodded, inwardly reminding herself that Sheena had probably been watching them a lot more than they had realized. "I guess we'll see what we can find at the next town. If I still have my gald, I should be able to get something. Then I'll swallow my pride and beg Kratos to help make sure I can actually use it."

Sheena smirked once again, glancing back over her shoulder to where she could just start to make out the glow of the campfire over the rubble. "You know… I don't think you'll have too much pride to swallow…" she murmured thoughtfully.

"They probably all hate me for leaving in the first place… and now for being such a pain…" Liane grumbled, pulling her damp feet up to cross under her. While they had all seemed to be hovering around her as she had regained her senses, part of her reason for needing this time by herself was that she didn't want to see the disappointment in her friends' eyes… not yet.

"Okay, now you're just being silly," Sheena snorted, rolling her eyes. "None of them… none of us… know what really happened to you other than you were whipped and drugged. We're all worried – even Kratos – if you'll believe that…."

Liane looked up at that, curious as to what made Sheena so certain of her claim. She knew that Kratos had carried her through the ranch and then back to Luin. She also knew that he was quick to find a place to set her down and, after Raine had pronounced her 'recovering,' he had all but disappeared, removing himself to the outer edges of their improvised camp. "Kratos… was worried about me…" she repeated with a note of disbelief in her tone.

"Look, I could have carried you – I did for a little bit with Genis' help," Sheena shrugged, clasping her hands together to loop over her knees. "But he kept you close… he wouldn't even let Raine be the one to heal you. He was really protective over you…" she let her voice trail off until there was little more noise than the waves lapping at the splintered piers beneath them. "It was kind of… sweet…."

"Sweet? Kratos? He really took care of me that much?" Liane asked, looking back towards the camp in amazement, seeking the dark form that she knew would be lurking near the edges of the group. "Are you sure? Maybe it was an illusion or something… or maybe I wasn't the only one that got drugged and was seeing things?"

Sheena snickered. "Don't believe me? Ask any of them…" she jerked her thumb back towards the camp. "Better yet, ask Kratos. It looks like you two have some things to clear up, at the very least…."

Liane knew she was blushing, but couldn't pinpoint exactly why. She knew that Sheena had apparently heard her dreaming and that she had a much more coherent memory of the time that Liane was unconscious, but her mind practically threatened to collapse in on itself at the thought of confronting Kratos about being protective over her. "Not now…" she murmured, ducking her head to allow the loose hair that had fallen from her braid to be a curtain between them.

"Ah, yes… denial. Even more fun…" Sheena groaned playfully. "Your call, but you'll probably want to deal with it at some point."

"Sheena…" Liane huffed, chewing her already-sore lip a bit more. "I just think there's more important things than that. Like going back to get everyone out of the ranch?" she asked, once again recoiling at the thought. But it had to be done… and soon. "Sheena… they're already attaching Exspheres to them… that's what they were trying to muscle me into when I got loose," she frowned. "I know they already got one of the little boys that was playing in the plaza…" she murmured, looking over to Sheena and seeing that all traces of amusement were now missing from her expression.

"Oh, we're going back," the assassin ground out. "Your friends said they'd help me free the people of Luin, and it seems like all of this has made them see how important it is…" she looked back to Liane, her glare stony and determined. "I don't expect you or Lloyd to go back – but I am. With any help I can find. If I have to tear that ranch apart brick by brick –"

"I'm going."

Sheena halted her rant to look over to the dark-haired girl beside her. "Liane… you don't –"

"I have to. I couldn't help any of them in the state I was in," Liane replied quietly. "I owe them, too… for taking me in, but more… I owe them for leaving them behind."

"Kvar won't be any more merciful," Sheena muttered, warning clear in her voice.

"Neither will I," as much as Liane knew that she didn't want to ever see Kvar or his ranch again, she also knew that she needed a hand in his downfall.

With a shrug, Sheena seemed to accept Liane's claim, if for not other reason than to drop the subject. She stood and smoothed her wrapped lavender tunic and then reached down to the pack she had brought for Liane. "It won't be for at least a couple of days. For now, you need to rest and finish healing. Come on… I heard Genis saying as I walked over here that dinner wouldn't take long, so if we want any, we'd probably best get back… if you're ready?"

"If Genis brought Lloyd back with him, we'll be lucky if there's anything left," Liane chuckled dryly as she followed Sheena and climbed to her feet, content to let talk of returning to the ranch creep into the back of her mind for a later final decision. Even though she was already certain that she would visit the halls of the Desian base once more.

_But only once more._

- - - - - - - - - -

Dinner passed quietly, even with the entire group present. Everyone seemed locked within the walls of their own thoughts – and no one seemed willing to even allude to the topics that had to be on all of their minds.

Liane remained braced for one of them to finally corner her and chew her out for leaving them. But it never came, even as she found herself seated between Lloyd and Colette, with Genis to Lloyd's opposite side. The young swordsman was as sullen as she could ever remember him being - not that she blamed him in the least. What she remembered hearing at the ranch was bad enough – but she knew her friend well enough to realize that every single word – every sneer – every moment of their encounter with Kvar had been seared into his memory.

Pushing her plate away, Liane realized that 'hungry' was just not a word that described her, despite the fact that the only thing she was certain she'd ingested in two days was the muffin she had shared with Sheena the morning before the town had been attacked. Her churning stomach simply refused the idea of anything more than she'd already eaten. _Poor Lloyd_… her mind whispered as she glanced to her friend, realizing that he, too, had only been pushing his food around on his plate. She quickly continued to let her gaze slip around the group, not wanting him to feel like he was under inspection if he caught her.

Everyone but Kratos was gathered into the ring of firelight, leaving the mercenary and Noishe to their customary position in the shadows outside the ring – a watchful position where they could see all that was going on around the group. _I guess some things never change…_. But this time, that fact was oddly comforting to her.

"I know this might not be the best time…" Raine's hesitant voice broke the silence that had wrapped around them all, making all eyes snap up to her. "But… if we're going to fight against this… we need to discuss what we know… so we can plan how to proceed, and what other information we need to find."

As if the Professor's words had left them scrambling for a transition from silence to speech, all that any of them could hear for a few moments was the hint of a mournful wind around the dead city.

"We… need to get those people out of there…" Genis murmured, the campfire currently forming the core of their world reflecting in his large blue eyes.

Colette set her plate aside and clasped her hands together in her lap. Her head dipped forward to hide her face in a pale golden veil. "But… what about all the people that we already saw there…? Behind the window?" She murmured softly. "We… we can't save them anymore… can we…."

"From what Kvar said, probably not," Raine replied, shaking her head as her eyes drifted over the rest of them. "But there are still others there. Perhaps it is best to think of them instead… to stop things before they get any worse?"

It was exactly what Liane knew to expect from the Professor. The facts had a tendency to be cold and hard, and the elven woman rarely dabbled with trying to soften any of it. Redirecting thoughts seemed to be her only alternative to glossing over those truths – and it usually worked, even for the largely softhearted group with her. She knew what Colette was referencing simply from her fogged memories, although she had no recollection of the sight of the prisoners. Liane was both grateful and resentful of that – if she had seen, she knew that her helplessness would most likely grow, but since she hadn't… she was certain that the images her mind was concocting might be even worse. "If… they took the whole town… there's still so many people there… people that still need help," she nodded, her voice still quiet. "Raine's right… we have to focus on them."

"But… we've seen what happens…" Genis shook his head, still staring into the fire. "Kvar can't be lying… that… back in Iselia…" he murmured, obviously trying to choose his words. "That was Marble… it was Marble… after they removed her Exsphere." He looked up, glancing over to Lloyd almost fearfully as the young swordsman's previous slouch over his plate had stiffened. Then realization lit his eyes, his expression turning to one of even more horror. "That's what happened to Clara, too, isn't it? The Desians did that to her to threaten Dorr!"

Raine drew a finger across her chin in thought. "That appears to be the case…" she nodded, her placid expression giving way to a deeper frown. "So… brutal… doing that… to use a person as a weapon on people that they care about… much less simply using them for hosts…" she shook her head.

Sheena crawled to her feet from where she had been seated a few feet from Colette, gazing down into her hand with a frown. "…I can't believe Exspheres are made from human lives," she murmured, a faint glow reflecting in her dark eyes.

_She… has an Exsphere, too?_ Liane's eyes widened a little in surprise as she watched the assassin begin to pace a few steps from the firelight. _I never noticed…._

"This is Marble's life…" Genis breathed out, also staring down at his own hand where the crested gem has rested since Lloyd had shown him how to use it after their exile from Iselia. His small voice wavered just a little as he let his fingers drift thoughtfully over the dome that bulged from the ore setting.

"Arrgh!"

The somber mood was broken as Lloyd shot to his feet and tore at the stone that was attached to the back of his glove. The others all jumped at the outburst, staring in shock at the boy that had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had only picked at his food through the entirety of dinner. "This…thing!" he choked out, his voice sounding practically strangled as he closed his fist over the Exsphere, his entire form shaking as his eyes clenched shut.

Colette stood and hurried to Lloyd's side, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "Lloyd, wait. What will you accomplish by taking that off? It's not just an Exsphere, it's also your mother's life, remember?" she told him, leaning in front of him as if trying desperately to gain his eyes and his attention.

_His… mother's life…._ Liane frowned at the girl's words, no matter that she knew the apparent truth in her statement. _In that one little stone… can… it really hold all that a person was? Can that really be all that the person was meant for?_ The talk of nourishing the stones… hosting their growth… filtered through her thoughts as she had to look away from Lloyd for a moment, seeking logic to all of it in the flames that still patiently danced before them. _Those… things… are all that's left of a person? But… what else is there? It takes their life… what it needs of the person's energy… and… that's it?_

"But these things…" Lloyd growled out, shaking his fist that contained the Exsphere at Colette as if to make a point, "…make a mockery of human life!" he continued, his jaw set seemingly painfully as his entire form was now shaking.

"But we would have lost long ago had we not had them."

Liane glance back to see that Kratos had finally taken a step from the depths of the shadows behind them, approaching the group almost hesitantly even as his frame still seemed calm, cool, even. She was honestly surprised that he had even spoken, but she was still glad to have a voice that seemed content to offer some reason into the emotionally charged situation.

Lloyd spun on the mercenary, his grief-stricken expression flowing mercurially into one of sheer anger as his eyes fell on Kratos. "Don't you think I know that!" he snapped, his words somehow echoing off the nearby remnants of the town.

Genis climbed to his feet, looking nervously between the swordsmen for a moment before Liane joined him. Colette had already backed off, apparently startled by the ferocity and the challenge in Lloyd's normally good-natured tone. Liane put a hand on Genis' shoulder, drawing his attention as she shook her head when their eyes met. She wanted to help Lloyd as well… she couldn't stand to think of the pain that had been festering inside him since the ranch, but someone needed to calm him down… and oddly, Kratos seemed to be the one that was willing – and hopefully, able – to do so.

"Do you really?" Kratos asked, tilting his head a little as his bangs shifted, the low-hanging moon silhouetting his form as he crossed his arms over his chest calmly. "If you throw away that Exsphere now, do you think you can finish this journey?"

Lloyd breathed out heavily a few times, struggling with his response to the mercenary before his shoulders finally sagged and he drew his hand up, uncoiling his fingers to look at his Exsphere. "Yeah. I know. Without these things, we're just a bunch of weak humans," the dark-haired teen spoke quietly, bitterly as his attention was fixed on the stone, patiently glowing by the moonlight. "We can fight because we have these. I know that," he sighed before he again looked up to Kratos, his fingers flexing into a shaking grip on the stone once again. "But Exspheres exist as a result of taking someone's life!"

Kratos nodded, taking another step closer, as if challenging Lloyd's thoughts again. "And? Those people didn't become victims because they wanted to, but I doubt they would want to be thrown away after being turned into Exspheres," he shrugged, freeing a hand to gesture almost nonchalantly in explanation.

_Wow…_ Liane breathed out a little, watching Kratos in a small amount of wonder. She knew what he was doing… he hand already proven himself to be proficient in focusing even the seeming-randomness of Lloyd's thoughts over the course of the journey so far. But somehow, she didn't expect such empathy from him… or that he would ever use such a thing as a logical argument to Lloyd's outburst. _Even though he's been so quiet about this… he… really understands, too…?_ Why the thought surprised her, she didn't know, after all… _no matter the bravado, he is still a person_… she quietly chided herself even as she saw Colette once again move to Lloyd's side.

"My opinion may not matter much because I don't use an Exsphere," Colette began, resting her hand gently on Lloyd's arm once again, leaving it there until the young swordsman finally took his gaze from Kratos and looked back to her. When he did so, the blonde girl offered him a small smile – one not filled by happiness by any means – but one that spoke of the support that she had always offered her friends. "But I believe the Desians will defeat us if we throw away our Exspheres now. And if that happens, more people will lose their lives to these stones." She lowered her gaze to their feet with another shake of her head. "I don't want that to happen. I don't want this journey to be meaningless."

Kratos sighed, once again crossing his arms where he remained standing and watching Lloyd. "Colette's right. We can throw away the Exspheres at any time. But right now, we must carry the weight of the hopes and dreams of those victims and fight for their sake, as well as ours," he murmured, his attention slipping down to his side as Noishe moved to sit beside his feet. The green and white creature was also silent as he looked up to Kratos patiently, as if waiting with interest for the mercenary to continue. Kratos continued to gaze at the creature for a moment longer before he raised his eyes just enough to look back to Lloyd, the faint glint of firelight revealing a glimmer of a challenge. "Didn't you say you weren't going to hesitate anymore?"

Liane's eyes widened and then immediately narrowed into a glare at the mercenary. One moment, the man seemed to have Lloyd completely figured out… to have the words to encourage him or guide him, no matter how harsh they seemed on the outside. _But now… not now… that's not helping…._ She set her jaw, ready to step forward before she saw Lloyd move out of the corner of her eye.

The young swordsman had shrugged out of Colette's grasp, this time both of his hands curling into fists as he took a step towards Kratos. "I just can't!" he blurted out, drawing a few small gasps from the others. Then… after a moment, he drew a breath, forcing his shoulders to heave and his gaze to fall back to his hand again. As they all waited, Lloyd uncurled his fingers once again and let his thumb brush over the smooth dome of his Exsphere almost fondly. "I know you're right," he whispered, shaking his head before he looked up to Kratos again. "But…but right now… Let me think by myself for a while, okay?" He first offered Colette a helpless shrug and then glanced to the others before he turned and trudged dejectedly into the shadows alongside the wagon.

- - - - - - - - - -

Lloyd's apparent desire for solitude was honored, no matter how uncomfortably after he had left the group. Raine and Genis had set about boiling water and cleaning the cookware, then repacking it and storing it safely so as not to attract any scavengers in the night. Colette and Sheena had retreated to the edge of their camp, taking a seat on the stoop of what used to be the Phoenix Inn and talking, albeit hesitantly. Kratos had spoken no more after Lloyd's departure, apparently seeking the shadows of the town as well.

Which left Liane a few moments of solitude, herself. While she had no interest in being alone after everything, the quick, brisk, and even a bit stinging bath in the waters of the lake not far from the camp had helped immensely. While the chilled waters singed what she knew had to be the remnants of the blows she had taken from the Desian's whip, they still had a cleansing effect deeper than what they could have accomplished even with the help of the soap. Simply shedding the prisoner's dress grounded her in the fact that she was alive… she had escaped… and that she could still fight.

After Liane finished twisting her wet hair into a braid that fell over the shoulder of her tunic, her nose wrinkled just a little at the scent of smoke. But she shrugged it off and gathered her things back into her pack and started back to the camp. _I don't have an Exsphere… I've never had the chance to wear one other than at the ranch_, she thought as she approached the campfire and stared into the flames for a moment before she looked down to the crumpled dress in her hands. _But… if I did… I wonder what it would feel like… now that I know._ She tossed the ruined fabric into the hungry flames and watched as they devoured the offering, watching until there was nothing left but more red-hot coals that dripped down over the burning logs. _The Exspheres… the people that were used to make them… they would want to fight… wouldn't they?_ She mused for a moment longer before glancing around to her companions. _If… I had been used… if I hadn't gotten away… I would want every last bit of me used against those bastards. _

While she had lost track of time during her trip to get cleaned up at the lake, she still knew that it had been a while – and it was clear that Lloyd still hadn't returned. When Genis looked up to her, he quickly offered her a small smile and a shrug, probably already guessing what Liane was looking for. They were all used to Lloyd's brooding sessions. While he was usually the last one to resort to such moods, he still kept them for the times that even he couldn't seem to put a bright spin on things. Genis, Colette, and Liane had learned to give him space - that he would give up and come back when he was done stewing things over… Liane had a suspicion that he would be taking more time than usual this time. She suspected that Genis shared the thought from the look that he gave her, but she still turned her back on the campfire and started in the direction she had seen Lloyd stalk away from the group. _Even if he tells me to go away… I just have to make sure he's at least safe._ The town was literally crumbling in the wind, and if he wasn't familiar with the town – not to mention distracted, there was no telling what could happen to him.

But as she approached the front of the wagon, her steps slowed to a halt, the sound of a familiar voice, hushed in the shadows to the side, only the barest flickers of firelight differentiating Lloyd's form from the shadows that seemed to hide him.

"Mom… did you suffer… when this thing took your life? Will you forgive me…for using this?"

Liane stood back closer to the wagon, a small gasp slipping from her as his words hit her like a physical blow. She hoped that the angle of her shelter would keep him from noticing her. She couldn't help but feel like an intruder on the solemn moment… it was something she was certain she had only ever seen before Anna's grave. _Now… he knows part of her really is with him…_ she realized, saddened even more by the way she could see him holding the stone, watching it as if waiting for the answer to his whispered plea to somehow emerge from its depths.

"How would you feel?"

She recognized the deep voice immediately as she tried to press her back to the wagon even more. From the wall of shadows that surrounded where Lloyd sat, Kratos emerged, his hand still poised casually on the handle of his sword as he looked down to the teen and awaited his answer.

_Looks like I'm not the only one that didn't like how long Lloyd had been gone…_ Liane thought as she caught the edge of her lip in her teeth and tried to keep her breathing slow and quiet. She knew that she probably didn't have any right to be there… but she couldn't just turn her back either. Her friend was hurting, and she wanted to be there for him if he would let her… that… and she wasn't sure that Kratos wouldn't push the wrong buttons at the wrong time for him at the moment.

"What?" Lloyd asked, looking up to the appearance of the mercenary with a questioning tilt to his head as he swiped at slightly tear-glittered cheeks with his free hand.

Kratos sighed, releasing a very audible exhale and continuing to watch the younger swordsman. "If you lost your life to an Exsphere, what would you want done with yourself?" he asked, slower, making a clear effort to explain his previous question.

Lloyd looked away, his gaze falling back on the pale blue stone in his hands. He was silent for a few moments, shaking his head slowly the entire time. "I…."

Even in that single syllable, Liane could hear his voice wavering. It was a natural extension of the question he had just posed to the Exsphere himself, but apparently seeing it from the side of the forgiver and not the one begging to be forgiven had thrown him.

"…If it were me," Kratos continued as soon as it was clear that Lloyd's reply had died on his lips, "I'd want to be useful to someone with the will to break this tragic cycle." He shrugged, watching the teen through his unruly bangs. "Then…perhaps I could atone for some of my sins."

Liane's eyebrows knit at the comment from the mercenary, unsure of if he was simply drawing out his example and comparing his thoughts on what might be accomplished if he lost his life to an Exsphere… of if there was more. _It… it's like at the water seal…_ she mused silently. _Talking about mistakes and sins…._ She couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than an example, but she knew just as well that the topic would die there as far as Kratos was concerned.

"Your sins?" Lloyd looked up in curiosity, also seeming to key onto Kratos' words. "Like what…?" he asked, sniffling a little.

Kratos shook his head and took a step back. "That's not important. What is important is your decision about the Exspheres," he replied calmly before gesturing to the stone in the boy's hand. He watched Lloyd for a moment longer and then started to turn on his heel. But then he paused as he glanced over his shoulder to the shadows of the wagon before he stalked back into the wreckage of the town, his steps eerily silent as he disappeared from sight

Stiffening a little, Liane sunk back down behind the portion of the wagon that she thought had shielded her from the view of both Lloyd and Kratos. _Guess I was wrong…_ her mind whispered as she edged back after another long glance to Lloyd. Her friend seemed to have no idea she was there, as he had immediately gone back to watching his Exsphere. _Probably has a few more things to ask her…_ she sighed as she started back to the camp as quietly as she could. Lloyd seemed safe enough, physically, but she still worried about him emotionally. Even while Kratos still seemed to want to guide him… even as she wanted him to know that they all supported him, there were things that none of them could do for him.

_I wish I could, Lloyd… I wish I could take it all away… make it so that none of this has been true._ But she couldn't. All of it seemed to now be an undeniable truth. She had seen it… she had lived it. The ranch had been full of horrors, even when they weren't amplified by whatever they had drugged her with. But she had seen the little boy emerge with the Exsphere… she had heard their plans to make her like him. The had seen Marble… Clara… it was all too plausible that what Kvar said of Anna's fate was the truth.

_But… could it have been that simplistic? That… cruel?_

It didn't seem like it could be, somehow. She crossed the camp, offering Genis a small smile and a nod as she passed by him, pausing for only a moment to ruffle his hair before she started towards where she could still see Sheena sitting alone on the stoop of the inn. _If… she loved Lloyd's father… if he loved her… if she didn't want to be… like that… maybe… he could see that. Maybe… he didn't want her to live like that…?_

She joined Sheena to sit in the chilly shadows of what they had both called a home of sorts, watching Colette playing nearby with Noishe. Even with all these thoughts, there was no reason or right to voice them. She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest.

_It's going to be a long night…._

- - - - - - - - - -

Kratos hung back for a moment, clenching his fists tightly. Leaving Lloyd alone seemed wrong… especially now…especially with the truth being the only thing that he seemed to want keeping him company. He had done his best to guide the boy's thoughts, but there was more that he needed to do this night… no matter how long it had already seemed to be, it would be longer still.

He glanced around the scattered members of the group. The Sages sat in silent vigil beside the campfire, clinging to the light amongst the burned out ruins of the once-again-dead town of Luin. Kratos knew that the town would rise again, given the slightest opportunity, but that wasn't the point. The people that had been the lifeblood of the village were all still at the ranch – and the group hadn't been ready for the emotional impact of their discoveries that the day had brought for them.

And he was no different.

Sheena and Liane had taken seats away from the others and seemed to be keeping an eye on Colette. He guessed that they would all probably take positions at the fire with Raine and Genis eventually. Raine and Sheena had seemed to put their differences aside – at least for the time being – probably in recognition that internal bickering was the last thing that they needed.

Colette was keeping company with Noishe, honoring Lloyd's request for solitude, even though it was obviously hard on her, evidenced by her occasional glances back towards where Lloyd still sat, locked away in his thoughts. Now that the swordsman had a much clearer view of the toll her trials were taking on her, there had been an obvious rift between them since they had left the Mausoleum. Neither of them clearly wanted such a division. It had been glossed over by their trip to the ranch – but it was still there – and growing more with every passing moment.

In the night of soul-searching, both old scars and new wounds were opening.

_Some simply bleed more than others._

It was time. Everyone was distracted with his or her own needs and thoughts. He knew his plan was chancy – at least where the Chosen and her party were concerned. But as much as fate seemed to be churning angrily around them all lately, it was something that he simply had to do.

It was an easy enough matter for him to slip out of the broken city's limits, moving between buildings that could still be heard crumbling in the night breeze to put as much bulk between himself and the others. Concentrating for only a moment, he closed his eyes, allowing his mana to take the form he had long ago trained it to assume. An eerie bluish-green light washed over the charred and shattered ruins around him as his wings burst from and solidified on his back, their patient flapping almost like a stretch after such a period of disuse.

He hated them. They were a symbol of all that he had had to close his eyes to. An embodiment of all he had given up and lost. They were a show of good intentions that had decayed into weakness. But they were also still a part of who he needed to be – and at that particular moment, he needed them.

Kratos crept back to the corner of the building that sheltered his transformation, sparing a cautious glance back towards where the group to take inventory of all of them… where they were, what they were doing… and how likely it was that he would catch their eye. Sheena was his biggest worry, the sharp-eyed ninja had volunteered for the first shift of a watch – a watch that he himself would usually take. But not this night. He would take his shift later. After he returned.

He stepped back and flexed his wings, allowing them to draw him up into the night air just barely above the ground as he started out of town, hugging the ground for as long as he knew it would take to get out of range of being seen. It only took a few swift flaps before the town was behind him, and he veered sharply to the south. It would be the first time that he had returned since starting with the group, but he was fairly certain that even if he was discovered and questioned, it would be only a mild dressing-down for leaving the Chosen "unattended" for the short time that he would be gone.

The silvery Tower was visible from all over Sylvarant, providing that there were no mountains or buildings to obstruct the view. But at night… especially when the moon shone so brightly in the sky that it obscured all but the most obstinate of stars… the Tower shone like a beacon, even after all the years, Kratos still had to acknowledge its beauty, even if he knew it was simply a façade.

The mercenary touched down lightly at the entry to the tower, the pale light from his wings shining from the pristine-looking exterior of the Tower of Salvation and illuminating a seemingly-dormant panel that the Chosen herself would activate before much longer. With a grimace, Kratos placed his own hand in the imprint, and the door whisked open without hesitation.

Entering, Kratos started to walk the elaborately carved pathway as he heard the door slam shut behind him. The eerie glow of the interior was something he'd long ago grown accustomed to, even if he made it a point to not look over the edge any more than he had to. So many lost dreams on behalf of so many were memorialized by the floating husks beneath him… so many… and they extended even further than his vision could show him.

Yet he still pushed all that aside as he stepped onto the warp pad and dismissed his wings – they would not be needed until he returned. As the mana welled up around him, he felt his consciousness drift for only a moment until the world once again solidified around him and he found himself at the altar. His expression was still stony as he walked closer and the runes etched into the marble reacted to his presence, lifting a glowing ghost image of themselves just barely up off the ground to await him.

_All these things… will amaze them if they get this far…_ he sighed as he stepped up onto the glowing platform, accepting its offer. _It could well be the last thing that amazes them… if they're not careful._ But he knew things would be out of his hands by that point – they would truly be on their own against odds they couldn't begin to fathom.

The tower around him seemed to blur as it had long since ceased to interest him. Even as the grandeur of the marble tower changed to a narrow, subtly-decorated, and considerably darker shaft that suddenly opened into the Great Hall of Vinheim, Kratos shrugged it all off. He'd seen it; he'd lived it. It was a quiet night, and even the Dark Dragon seemed to be slumbering soundly from the sounds of the great breaths that were issuing from it. As he ascended the curling staircase to the levels above, he saw the lazy shadows of the angel-servants mulling restlessly. It was no different than the last night he'd spent there before he had been sent to Iselia.

Kratos stopped outside the door of the chambers that had been designated as his for countless centuries and pushed the door open. The shadows in the room that revealed itself to him were as thick as he remembered, with only the patient, pale-green glow of occasional gems on the wall keeping the darkness from being anything but a wall of solid black. Closing the door behind him, he passed his hand over a panel nearby, illuminating a series of panels in the high ceiling to bring the room back to wakefulness. He crossed the room, passing the bedchamber and the small sitting room, heading directly to the study.

Leather-bound tomes so old they could no longer be considered true history lined shelf upon shelf in the circular room, all of them forming background to the ancient desk and leather chair that sat at the center. He frowned as he paused to consider the layer of dust on the desk, almost chuckling as he reminded himself to jab Yggdrasill about the cleaning skills of the servants when he saw him again. But it truly had nothing to do with the reason for his visit, and that kept the mirthful thought from ever blooming into a true consideration.

Kratos moved to the shelf to the right side of the desk and knelt at the carved panel at the bottom. Pressing his hand to the top, the panel eased its way forward, displaying an array of blades that he had gathered over his lifetime. There were simple blades, much like the one he wore amongst the Chosen's group – and then there were far more elaborate ones, such as the Flamberge that had been made what seemed like eons before by one of the more skilled craftsmen he had ever met… an offering to a hero that Kratos wasn't entirely sure still existed.

But among Kratos' personal arsenal, there was one that no longer had a place in storage with the rest – he had finally seen that his guardianship of it was at an end.

"_Here!"_

_Kratos tilted his head at the brown-haired girl that had come to bring him his breakfast for the third day in a row. Her eyes sparkled, yet deep, dark circles ringed them dramatically. But her smile was somehow contagious as he watched her draw the long, thin, wooden box that had been strapped to her back with some small amount of effort just from the simple length of the box. _

"_It's three days this morning…" Anna declared proudly as she placed the box on the table before him and stood back. "We promised you… I promised you three days. I kept my promise…" she grinned at him, watching eagerly as he removed the lid from the box._

_When the plain wood was gone, Kratos' eyes widened. The beaten steel sword that he had left in her care had been replaced with a gleaming and polished Silver Sword. It was honed to as close to perfection as he could have possibly asked, which gave a likely explanation for the circles under her eyes. He reached out to draw his fingers over the pommel, now a shining silver orb webbed in fine silver strands. "Anna… you… really did this?" he asked, looking up to her and unable to ignore the pride that shone in her eyes as she nodded._

"_I did…" she grinned, pushing her ponytail back over her shoulder and clasping her hands behind her back. "The pommel was my idea… it's even balanced so that it shouldn't affect the swing of the sword," Anna beamed. "Do… do you like it?"_

_His smile was already spreading across his lips before she had asked, but her question only served to add a laugh to it. "It's amazing. You have done an excellent job, Anna. I see your father has taught you very well…" he told her evenly, noting the pretty blush that came over her cheeks. "Are you certain I can't pay you for this? I know how hard you worked on it…?"_

_She instantly shook her head. "No. All I put into it was my time… you gave me the materials, you don't owe me anything…" Anna insisted, her smile settling back a bit from the excitement of a moment before. "Although… maybe you could answer a couple of questions? Then… we could be even?" she asked curiously._

_It was hard for him to pretend that he didn't hear the nervousness in her query, but it didn't stop him from wondering what exactly she would ask. "I suppose…? What are your questions?"_

_Anna pulled out the seat beside his with a small giggle and clasped her hands in her lap. "Where are you from? I mean… where will you go home to… when you leave here?"_

_Kratos had to mind his expression at that, almost kicking himself as he was certain that he could have anticipated that question. "Honestly… I'm currently from nowhere. I travel. Staying here for three days has actually been a long time for me to stay in one place," he answered with a shrug, knowing that it was the truth and hoping she would accept it as such._

"_Oh… that's…" she frowned, her lips pursing just a bit in thought as her eyes clouded. "That's kind of sad… but… I guess the rest will actually make better sense then…."_

"_The rest?" Kratos arched an eyebrow at her, wondering exactly where her mind was going. "How so?"_

_With a shrug, Anna hooked her feet back around the legs of the chair and twisted her fingers for just a moment before she looked back up to him. "Well… maybe… you can stay here? Or… at least come back here when you're done with your jobs?" she asked softly, hopefully, a cautious smile on her lips. "I'm sure you can work out something with the inn… or the boarding house… so that you always know you'll have a place to stay…" she shrugged._

_He watched her for a long moment. There was no denying that he liked the girl that sat before him, her playful nature something absolutely refreshing to him. But she was so young… and she had absolutely no idea who it was that she had made such a request of. His very presence seemed to him to be like presenting bait to a pool of sharks, especially when he knew that Yggdrasill was still combing the worlds to find him. "Anna… I… don't think that's a good idea…" he started, and instantly regretted his words as he saw her shoulders fall. "I've… made enemies… over the years…"_

"_Then… maybe… we can have Mother talk to the owner of the boarding house… just in case… you ever come back this way?" she asked, forcing a smile that she clearly didn't want to look disappointed. "Maybe… we can have them save a room until a certain time of the day… if you don't come, you don't come. But then… you still know that you have a place…?"_

_Kratos sighed. He knew that he should get up, thank her, and be on his way. It was the right thing to do. But his legs wouldn't cooperate… and neither would his mouth. "I… suppose that would be acceptable…" he heard himself murmur – and then realized exactly why his response had mutinied on him. Her smile was instantaneous, bright, cheerful… all the things he had come to know the girl for in the short time he had been in Luin. _

"_Okay! One more question, then… and… and you can't lie, okay?" she asked, practically bouncing in her seat._

_He somehow kept his flinch under control as the concept of being honor-bound to answer with honesty grated on his nerves. He had become a creature that was held together by secrets over the years… secrets that no one was ready to hear any more. "One more question then…" he sighed, bracing himself for what she might ask of him next._

"_Are you coming back… because you like Luin… or…" she blushed and looked to the floor. "Or because you like me…?"_

_He blinked at the bluntness of her question, but still found a smile for her as he reached out to cup her chin gently in his hand to bring her gaze back to his. While he knew that he hadn't solidly agreed to return, it was now a bond. "I like Luin fine…" he told her quietly, seeing the fear in her eyes as she met his. "But… I'm not all that sure I would return to it – at very least, not for a long time - if you weren't here…."_

Kratos sighed, pushing away the memories that had been forged over the sword that now once again rested in his hands. He had kept his word until the last two days… he had never returned to Luin after she had been taken to the ranch – he'd had no need once she was with him. But he thought that perhaps the circumstances might have changed.

Turning the Silver Sword in his hands he let his eyes linger over the weapon that still shone just as the day she had given it to him. _Anna… someone needs this more than I do now…_ his mind whispered in some further bid for unspoken forgiveness. _But… I think… maybe you know that… don't you?_

Pushing the panel back up to fit back up into the bookcase, Kratos stood and slipped the sword into his belt beside his own sword and turned on his heel, leaving the study and allowing his pace to pick up speed as he returned to the entrance to his chambers. He still couldn't help it… every time he saw the darkened rooms, he wanted it to be the last.

_There is nothing else that I truly need here now… maybe… it can finally be the last time…_ his mind murmured almost soothingly as his hand passed over what had become his normal blade and closed over the handle of the Silver Sword.

When he touched down on the outskirts of Luin, it didn't seem to him that he'd been gone that long, but the moon's position in the sky suggested otherwise. With a sigh, he dismissed his wings and entered the town, his vision keying on the dying glow of the campfire. The others' positions were predictable – Raine remained huddled near the fire, her eyelids heavy but open. Genis was soundly wrapped in his bedroll not far away, as was Colette – still doing her best to mimic sleeping by the looks of it. Lloyd lay on the other side of the fire from the rest of them, sprawled half-in and half-out of his bedroll. Kratos realized that the ninja was no where to be seen – probably on her own patrol – which accounted for Raine's continued vigil and the fact that he could hear something moving in the ragged shadows near the camp.

And, at least as predictable as the others - if not more so – he finally spotted Liane. The girl was tucked into the shadow of a chattered piece of the boardwalk between the camp and the edge of the lake.

Raine glanced up as he neared the camp, and he offered her a nod to promise he would relieve her soon as he continued to walk past the camp, stopping a few feet away from Liane. For only a moment, he wondered how she could be so content to sleep away from the party – why she wouldn't seek the safety of their presence after everything.

Then, he listened for a moment – and he understood. She wasn't sleeping any more than Colette was. Her breathing was measured and cautious, but lacking the relaxed depths of restfulness.

"Perhaps you would feel safer sleeping closer to the others…" he murmured as he sat down with in an arm's reach from Liane's head. He kept his gaze fixed out over the water as he heard her shift in her blanket, probably as she decided whether or not to ignore his presence.

"Actually…" she spoke quietly, almost surprising him that she answered so quickly. "I don't think there are many places I'd feel safe right how. Here's as good as anywhere," she replied as she shrugged deeper into her blanket.

"Hmm…" was the only comment he could offer her as his gaze moved out over the surrounding area. Kratos knew the wisdom in her words, even if he wished that he didn't. One of the strong points that were common to those that had been granted the title of 'Grand Cardinal' was perseverance that drove their ambitions. "You are most fortunate that they didn't place an Exsphere on you. There's still a chance that they won't come after you…" he told her, the best attempt he could muster to try to help her put things into perspective.

Liane sighed out and curled further into her blanket. "Lucky me."

He sighed, shaking his head a little. He had expected her to be sullen, but he still had questions for her that he wasn't sure he had any right to ask. Liane had been quiet for the most part since the sedatives had worn off, but from how she had been lurking and listening, it seemed to him that she was trying to work on puzzles of her own. "Liane… can you tell me what happened?" he asked quietly, inwardly wondering at the odds that she would actually answer him.

She remained silent for a few moments in the wake of his question and he sighed again, practically feeling the walls of her defenses reinforcing themselves against him. He knew that it was a morbid issue, he couldn't help but want to know what they had done to her… what more he had to hold against Kvar and his ranch. It was clear that they had beaten and drugged her just from her physical appearance and behavior, but he well knew that there was more abuse going on in the ranches than what she had endured. Demoralizing, inhumane acts were the pride of Kvar's command.

"How's Lloyd…?" Liane finally asked, her tone flat as if she was standing firm on an internal decision to work through her ordeal on her own.

"Sleeping…" Kratos replied in a tone that matched hers, biting back a sigh to her not-so-subtle evasion of his question.

Liane chuckled dryly at his response. "Should have guessed that, huh? He's had a long day, too…" she murmured, her exhale not quite ringing of relief, but more a quiet plea for one less thing to nag at her mind.

Kratos nodded, turning his head to avoid the urge to watch her. "He has…." It was a truth that he still didn't know quite how to ponder or take responsibility for, so he allowed her another moment to brace her defenses before he spoke again, knowing that she deserved all the honesty he could spare at the moment. "Liane… even if the Desians don't actively pursue you, you have to know that it doesn't mean that they won't seize any opportunity presented to them to take you back. You will have to be on your guard."

"That won't be a problem… I won't let them catch me like that again," she replied, her voice muffled by her blanket. But that didn't keep him from hearing the warily defiant note in her voice.

"See to it that they won't…" he commanded her quietly, shifting to free the Silver Sword from his belt and flipped it to rest on the ground before her. Kratos slowly drew his hand away, his body rebelling at the thought of moving any faster. He was releasing one more piece of her, another link in a physical chain that tied him to _her._ But even in that, it still somehow felt that he was completing some cosmic circle – Anna had perfected the weapon for him to replace a blade that was barely adequate - and now he was returning the gesture to Liane to replace her lost weapon. But he still forced himself to clench his hands over his knees. _There is no other choice… this is the right thing to do,_ his mind whispered to him as he couldn't help but watch her, seeking a reaction – any reaction at all. He knew that she wasn't asleep, and after a few moments, he saw her stir and push herself up onto her elbows.

"Kratos…" Liane spoke softly, her eyes fixed on the gleaming weapon laid out as an offering before her. He could still see a confused frown on her lips as she drew her fingers lightly over the hilt. Kratos couldn't help but study what he could see of her shadowed face. Would she recognize it? After watching her through their escape from the ranch, so many things could be written off as a natural reaction to the Ranch, especially in combination with what they had given her. But another part – perhaps a bit more selfish part – of him wanted to believe that this time when he had carried a young woman from the confines of the Asgard Ranch, maybe he had been in time to avert a repeat of the tragic cascade that he had already endured. _If they had placed an Exsphere on her… could it have all played out again?_ The thought burned painfully within him. While he still didn't know how he had lived through that time – or even if he really had – he was far from certain he could even consider bearing it again. Not with Lloyd or the others, and not with this girl who still felt so familiar no matter how impossible it should have been.

But those thoughts were slammed away to the recesses of his mind when she pushed herself up, curling her legs beneath her as she sat and leaned forward a little in a somewhat-futile effort to meet his eyes. He kept still, content that he could watch her through his crop of auburn bangs without worry that she would be able to read anything that she could see.

"You're… lending me a sword?" she asked in disbelief, her hushed tone still filled with a wariness that he didn't want to read into. "But… why? I mean… isn't that kind of like Raine lending someone her guide to the ruins of Sylvarant?" Liane shook her head, looking back to the sword after a moment, apparently not finding what she had sought in his stoic expression. "Thanks, but I couldn't. Sheena found my daggers… it's not like I'm unarmed…" she shrugged, reaching out to push the sword back towards him.

"Your daggers didn't do you much good against the Desians last time. You're fooling yourself if you think they will do any better a second time," he pointed out coolly, earning himself a glare and a pained wince with his words. "And I'm not lending you anything. The sword is yours. You should start getting used to it as soon as possible – it will fit your fighting style better than your old sword, but you will still have to adjust to the length."

Liane set her jaw, holding her glare on him cautiously for a few more deep breaths before her shoulders sagged in what seemed to be defeat. She reached out and hefted the blade, holding it out horizontally as she shifted it to use her free hand to pull back the sheath, blinking as the moonlight glinted in her eyes from the silvered reflection. "Kratos… I could never afford a sword like this…" she muttered as she shook her head and replaced the sheath before looking over to him again. "I appreciate the offer, but –"

"It's not an offer," he cut her off with a sigh. "I told you that it's yours. Unlike Lloyd, I only fight with one sword at a time and that one is… unnecessary for me to keep," Kratos told her, a frown barely tugging at the corners of his lips. It was only partially a lie. It was true that the sword was unnecessary to his collection as he had many that were more powerful for a variety of reasons, but it was what the sword represented that necessary to him. It was something he could never allow himself to release, a bond that both strengthened and scarred him. That was why he knew Liane had to have the sword… the protection it had offered him once could now be focused on her.

She huffed softly, pushing her ponytail back over her shoulder as she moved to tuck the sword under the edge of her bedroll. Keeping her eyes lowered, she chewed at her bottom lip before she finally drew a small breath. "Thank you. I do appreciate it… and if… I could impose on you further for some more lessons… I'll try to make you not regret this…."

Kratos almost smirked at the humble tone in her hushed voice. He knew enough of her stubbornness to see how uncomfortable she was with his gift even while she knew it was necessary. It still struck him as strange – to be able to read her at some times with such surety. "I had already planned on training you…" he told her, attempting to not sound smug or condescending. "But that can wait until morning. Sleep now…."

Liane's head snapped up as he started to rise, her hand catching his wrist even as her expression indicated she was surprised by the action as well. "Kratos… wait… please…?"

Pausing as she had asked, his weight shifted to one knee as he met her eyes. Watching as she slowly removed her hand from his wrist, he tilted his head in question. What else would she want from him? It was clear that she was hardly comfortable with any of them that night, let alone him – why wouldn't she want the privacy she seemed to crave normally? "Yes, Liane?"

Looking down again, Liane twisted her hands together a little. "Thank you…" she murmured once again before she shrugged and reached up to tuck a lazy curl back behind her ear. "Sheena told me how you healed me… carried me through the Ranch. I'm sorry that you had to… that I was nothing but dead weight to the party. But thank you…."

It was Kratos' turn to blink in surprise, having not expected for the topic to come up again that night – if not ever – again. "You're welcome, Liane," he muttered his response, minding his words carefully as he knew the precarious nature of their relationship. "I did not wish for you to be left there."

Liane sighed softly, shaking her head a little. "Left there… like the rest…" she whispered before she glanced over to him once again. "You asked what happened…? I woke up strapped to a table in a large room with a group of people that I think were from Luin. I saw them… the Desians… take a little boy away and put an Exsphere on him…" her voice cracked a little at the memory of the crying little boy, the look in his eyes as he called out for his mother twisting at her heart. She clenched her hands and drew another breath, her frown deepening further. "Then they came for me… kept calling me 'J620.' I… mouthed off some to him… Doctor Talas, I think? And he had someone bring him a book. I… I swear it had the seal of the Church on it…" Liane sighed, trying once again to meet his eyes. "They knew things about me, Kratos… things they read out of that book – where I was from, personality… maybe more? Talas sent someone to get Kvar because of something he read or put together from that book." She looked straight at him. "Kratos… is that what you meant when you said that the Church exploits its resources?" she asked, her voice ringing with confusion and worry.

It took more effort than he would have guessed at to keep his expression even at her question. He could barely believe that she still remembered his words, especially considering that when he had told her that, they were barely on speaking terms. "Not precisely," he replied, having to momentarily adjust his definition of 'precisely' for the purposes of their conversation. "But an information leak wouldn't be out of the question. You're certain that's what you saw? Absolutely?" he questioned, pressing her even as he loathed himself for every syllable that he crafted to make her doubt what she had seen – no matter that he didn't doubt her in the least. The Church was still the front for the Journey and the institution of the Chosen – it wasn't time to make the party question that – to make the Chosen herself question that.

"I…" Liane started before her words died on her tongue and she shook her head. "I guess I can't be… there was so much going on… and when Talas said that Kvar might want me for his project, I guess… I could have panicked," she shrugged with a heavy sigh. "I know I did when they told me that I was going to be theirs one way or the other…."

"And that's when you escaped…" Kratos murmured, pushing her through the tale so as not to dwell on the thought of Kvar getting his hands on her. He could guess what had been in the book – the tests that the Church had given her had to have included an assessment of her mana capabilities – and possibly even notes on her mana signature. Even if her levels were low, even he could sense the similarities to the signature he still knew all too well. Talas saw her as a candidate for the Angelus project. Anger smoldered within him even as he kept his voice as level as he could manage. "You were fortunate."

"I know… but I didn't see the guy that jabbed me with the needle until it was too late…" she grumbled, shrugging into her blanket again. "But that just goes back to the 'thank you' again. They would still have me if you – if all of you – hadn't helped me."

"They don't - and won't - have you," he stated firmly as he pushed himself to his feet. Kratos knew what she had faced now… and could at least guess at what the Desians sought in her. A return to the Ranch was necessary – at last. The people of Luin needed their freedom, and he would decide later how to explain the ongoing losses of the Grand Cardinals. "Sleep for now. We'll decide on our path tomorrow," he started away from her. Part of him was amazed that their talk had gone relatively smoothly – she had talked to him more than she even had her friends – and now, he was certain of what he had to do – precisely what he had craved doing for years. But before his mind could wrap around the justification, her heard Liane shift in her blankets.

"Kratos?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her soft call, wondering what it was that would make him call out to him again. "Hmm?"

"You didn't go buy this sword for me… right?" she asked and he noticed that while she was propped on one elbow to talk to him, her other hand was curled around the handle of the Silver Sword. "I've only ever seen you carry that one the whole time I've known you… and your pack isn't big enough to hide something like this…?"

He smirked at her observation. It was almost a relief that she seemed to expect him to be evasive… it meant that – at least for the moment – he could remain so without damaging what little ground they may have gained. "I have many swords. I also have places to keep them until I have need of them. Surely, you don't expect me to give you all the secrets of my trade…?" he let his voice trail off, knowing full well that that was most likely exactly what she would want, even if what he had given her was already the truth, however watered down.

She sighed at his reply and collapsed back into the blankets. "Oh, no… of course not…" she murmured, just a hint of sarcasm slipping into her tone. "Just… thank you... okay?"

Kratos turned to face forward again and continued to walk, a thin smirk on his face at her response. "Go to sleep, Liane. We'll be traveling again tomorrow…" he replied quietly, not really expecting or intending for her to hear. The party would have some mending to do… and its growth – particularly to include Sheena – would be interesting in the very least. He couldn't help but wonder how long the ninja would hold her tongue, but for now, at least there seemed to be a truce between all of them – almost as if they were measuring each other.

_They'll need it…_ his thoughts whispered to him as his expression fell flat again and he took Raine's place beside the fire, freeing her to seek her sleep. _Their bonds will have to be beyond strong if they're going to survive…._

- - - - - - - - - -

"Liane! Up high! Behind you!"

With a sigh, Liane braced her weight on her back foot and pivoted, closing her left hand over her right as she swung her new sword up over her shoulder into a high block. She got the blade locked into place just in time to meet Kratos' downward stroke. His motions were slowed, just as the rest of his attacks had been to allow her the time to get used to the feel of the larger weapon. Angling the sword to allow Kratos' to slide off, she shot her friend an exasperated look. "Lloyd… block, spin, thrust… it's what we've been doing the whole time. Relax, okay? You're making me nervous…."

Lloyd blinked, ducking his head a little as a deep breath made his shoulders heave. "I… I'm sorry… I just…" his hands clutched over the handles of his rapiers and he shook his head once more before he looked up to both Liane and Kratos, a defiant fire burning in his eyes. "I just want us all to be ready! It's why we're practicing – we can't win like we are now!"

Kratos eyed the younger swordsman for a moment before he looked back to Liane and gestured to her to sheath her sword. She did so with a nod, seeing that her learning how to deal with her new sword was the least of their worries. When Kratos had suggested that they train in the ruins of the fountain plaza while the others picked up camp, it had seemed like a good idea. But Lloyd's quiet moodiness quickly found an outlet in the opportunity, his attacks on the mercenary growing more powerful as his anger found its edge. She didn't blame her friend – not in the least – she still wasn't sure how to react to the last few days either. But when Kratos forced Lloyd to sit down so that she could have a chance to train as well, the crimson-clad teen had turned to his animated coaching. It was a little unnerving to her, she had to admit, but she was a little more worried for the realization that it had apparently annoyed Kratos as well.

With an eager glance between Liane and Kratos, Lloyd bounced to his feet from where he had been sitting anxiously on the broken fountain wall, his rapiers in hand once again. "Okay! I want to work on my Tempest a little more… and I know that I can do Tiger Blade faster…" he started, swinging his blades through the air as he rocked eagerly on the balls of his feet. "Then I want to try Sonic Thrust – you're way faster with that… I need you to show me –"

"Lloyd… put your blades away," Kratos stated firmly, keeping his gaze fixed on the boy. "We're done for now."

Lloyd's jaw dropped and he took a step forward, his swords accentuating the shad of his hands. "I'm not done yet! I won't be able to beat him!"

Chewing her lip at her friend's passionate outburst, Liane stepped to his side and put her hand over his, gently pushing his blades down from their battle-ready position even as Kratos moved closer.

"Calm down," the mercenary commanded in a calm, even tone that drew Lloyd's attention back to him.

"But…!" Lloyd objected, shrugging off Liane's grip and taking another step forward, only to stop under Kratos' chilling gaze.

Kratos shook his head and moved his hand to rest on the handle of his sword. "You have gotten better, but if you lack clarity of thought, you will be unable to unleash your real strength," the older swordsman countered logically.

Liane stepped around her friend, tilting her head a little to catch his eye. "You're too angry right now, Lloyd," she told him softly, hoping that she could make him understand what Kratos was saying. "If you're like this now – in practice – you or Kratos could really get hurt. But if you let yourself stay that way when you face Kvar again…" she paused, doing her best to repress the thought of the Desian and deny him the power to still scare her just by talking of him. "We can't let him have that advantage…."

Meeting her eyes for a moment, Lloyd finally sighed and allowed his shoulders to sag. "Yeah… you're right. Why do I always get mad so quickly?"

"Because it matters to you?" Liane shrugged with a hint of a smile on her lips. "That's a good thing, Lloyd… to want to make a difference. You just can't let it get to you…."

Kratos stood back, eyeing Lloyd and Liane both before he exhaled softly. "When you are frustrated, take a deep breath and try pausing for a moment. It will suppress your impulses."

Lloyd somehow managed to muster both a nod and a smile for the older swordsman. "All right," he breathed out, tilting his head thoughtfully. "By the way, you're always calm and collected."

The mercenary blinked at Lloyd's statement, one eyebrow arching a little. "I'm older than you… time makes that difference," he offered as if he had interpreted the brown-haired boy's words as a question.

The topic of age made Liane stop, resting back on the nearby crumbling fountain wall for a moment as she watched her companions. It seemed all too easy to believe that Kratos was the oldest of the party, but beyond that, she really found herself at a loss to guess his age with any accuracy. It had never come up – and it was much more a topic between friends – something she wasn't sure she was ready to call him yet.

Lloyd chuckled at the mercenary's response, waving his hand a bit dismissively as his mood seemed to lighten a bit more. "But even if I get to be your age, I don't think I'll be as calm as you…."

"Ah…" Kratos managed something that sounded halfway like a laugh. "I'm not sure about that…" he shook his head and squared his frame, sheathing his sword and once again meeting Lloyd's eyes. "Well, what now?"

The younger swordsman sighed, frowning as his eyes fell to the ground. He shrugged once as if he was choosing his words before he spoke again, finally looking up to the mercenary. "There is one thing I realized," he started hesitantly as his hands clenched at his blades. "I'm certain that my mother must have wanted to live longer than she did. Therefore, I'm going to live…for myself, and for my mom, too."

Liane chewed her lip as her friend spoke, the determination in his tone something she was getting used to hearing. She knew the light-hearted boy that was one of her closest friends wasn't gone, but he was growing up. While she hated that it all had to happen by way of revealing his mother's sad fate, she had faith that he would find the strength he needed to get through it.

Kratos nodded approvingly even though his expression was still an unreadable mask. "In other words, you're going to fight," he stated, still watching Lloyd closely.

"Yeah," Lloyd responded without hesitation, a determined smile starting to tug at his lips. "And I'm going to break this cycle. For the sake of preventing anymore victims like Marble and my mom. I'm going to help Colette on her journey to regenerate the world."

Liane stood up from the wall and moved back to her friend's side, reaching out to put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled when he turned to meet her gaze and couldn't help but be impressed by how thoroughly he seemed to have thought the situation out. It was like she always knew his attention span to be – when it truly mattered to him – to his friends, family, world – there were no limits to what he would do. "We'll make this right…" she told him softly. "I'm with you, Lloyd."

"Yeah. Me too. I'm going to fight on Marble's behalf as well."

Liane barely had time to notice the look Kratos shot her before Genis' voice filtered into the conversation. The three sword-bearers all looked up to find their companions had joined them in the shattered fountain area, Genis leading the way with his fists planted on his hips.

"Me too," Colette chimed in, taking a step forward to stand at Genis' side, a wide smile on her lips. "I'm going to regenerate the world as quickly as I can."

Raine nodded as she stepped around the others, her staff resting back against her shoulder. "I think you've made a wise decision, Lloyd. People are sinful beings. That's why we must continue to bear the burden of our sins for as long as we continue to live."

"Life survives at the cost of another?" Sheena murmured as she stepped into the clearing after the others, shaking her head as she looked around to each of them, waving her hand absently in a gesture of helplessness. "I don't really know how to say this, but I don't think there's a way to justify the lives sacrificed to make Exspheres. They have to be stopped at all cost!"

"Then it sounds like it's time to get moving," Kratos sighed as he shouldered his pack and started back into the town, pausing for a moment to wait for the rest of the group to join him.

Lloyd shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked, falling in step behind Kratos. "But what are we going to do now?" he asked no one in particular.

Kratos shrugged, leading the way over the unstable planks of the boardwalk and out onto the plains. "Kvar will undoubtedly increase the security now. We won't be able to get in easily."

Shrinking back under the weight of her still-dusty pack, Liane's hand curled over the handle of her new sword. She hated that even the mention of the Cardinal was enough to send shivers through her, but she knew that there was only one way to stop that: Beat Kvar. Free the others.

"There was someone who escaped from the ranch," Raine offered with a shrug, her steps halting with the others as they sought a direction. "He may know another way in."

"I know him. His name is Pietro. He should still be in Hima," Sheena stated, standing back a little from the group as if still hesitant in some way to join them.

As they turned to the assassin, Lloyd tilted his head to watch her, his eyebrows knitting a little in confusion. "Why do you know him?"

Sheena blinked, staring back at the young swordsman and then to the others. "I…it doesn't matter, does it! …I have my reasons," she replied defensively before she started to walk past all of them, staying on the path that would take them to the east.

Lloyd's eyes followed after the assassin as he shrugged and glanced around to the others. When no one else seemed to voice an objection, he sighed, running his fingers back through his hair. "Hmmmm. Well, whatever. Okay, let's go to Hima."

_Hima…_ Liane mused as she followed along with the group, drawing a breath in something that felt like relief. They had all seemed to accept her back, even though she was still ready for them to question her further.

"You're with us, hmm?"

Liane glanced to her side to see that Genis was pacing her, watching her with eyes that glittered with mischief. "Genis…?"

"Or is it just until you ditch us for your next hot date?" the young mage's eyebrows wiggled as he burst into giggles.

"It… it wasn't like that!" Liane protested quickly, blushing despite the fact that it only made Genis laugh harder.

"Yeah… his name was 'Wendall," Sheena snickered, having appeared to Liane's other side. "Hot Date just really isn't all that descriptive, you know…" she winked playfully to the young mage.

"Wendall? Oh, Michael will be sooooo jealous!" Genis gasped out, laughing so hard that he had to stop, grasping at his middle as he bent over.

Liane shot Sheena a cold glare even as her cheeks continued to burn. "You're not invited along any more," she grumbled, continuing to walk with the rest of the group even as Genis stumbled along a few steps behind. She would have sworn on any holy artifact that she had ever heard of that she heard snickers from at least Lloyd and Colette, even though they didn't look back.

"Sorry," Sheena grinned with an innocent blink of her eyes. "Fearless leader Lloyd, Colette, and Genis all said I could come," she shrugged, falling silent as she took a few more steps and then tilted her head to look at Liane again. "So… who's Michael?"

With a groan, Liane set her jaw and continued to walk. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she probably needed the banter. But that didn't help the heat in her cheeks. _This is going to be a really long trip…._


	14. Chapter 15

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Asgard Ranch falls into the party's sights as their next target, with Kvar at the center of their crosshairs. While they all have their reasons for being there, some understand them far less than others.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 15:

_More graves…._

Just the thought made Liane shudder as she hung back from the others while they gathered on the wind-worn outcropping of rock that overlooked Hima. The locals called the place 'the adventurers' graveyard,' but to the Chosen's party, it was just another dead end.

But to Liane… more than that… it was yet more death. She still managed to hold her tongue out of respect for those buried beneath the makeshift monuments, even though the trinkets that dangled over them rattled on the wind – a sound that sent a chill through her. _It sounds like old dry bones…._

"I suppose digging up the grave is out of the question…."

The Professor's words seemed to startle the lot of them from their contemplation of Pietro's fate. Even her eyes widened when she realized the shocked looks on her companions' faces, but she was quick to avert her eyes and dip her head reverently to the marker that bore the human ranch escapee's name.

Liane knew where Raine had gotten the notion – from the woman that seemed to have been Pietro's caretaker. The woman had seemed so glad to see Sheena when the party first arrived in Hima, but her mood deteriorated quickly once Pietro was mentioned. It was as if she shut down completely at the mention of the man – her protectiveness obviously growing even fiercer after his passing. She offered no explanation or cause – all that seemed to matter to her was that the issue was laid to rest – just as Pietro had been.

"Anyway…" Colette murmured, watching her teacher for a moment longer before she clasped her hands before her and bowed her head once again. "Let's pray…."

One by one, the party followed her example, the howling wind replacing all words for a few precious moments of peace. Liane followed their example out of respect for the man that had apparently done on his own what she had needed the help of all of her friends to do – escape the Desians' grasp. But even as she pondered that, she still couldn't close her eyes. Waking brought her too much to think about until sleep claimed her at night. The night they had spent camping as they traveled from Luin to Hima had not been particularly restful – not with the creatures that milled about just outside the ring of firelight simply seeking their chance to pounce. But even that was becoming a theme in her life… were the Desians really any different? The seal guardians? Weren't they all just lurking and awaiting the opportunity to stop them – to stop Colette? Liane would remain silent, but that was her only concession. But close her eyes? Not until she was ready.

But it was in that refusal that Liane noticed something else. As the wind tossed their hair and their clothing occasionally, it would also lift Kratos' bangs from his face. He also stood back from the group – a few steps further than she did, even – and just at the edge of her vision. But the wind revealed that his mahogany eyes remained open as well. The realization somehow both relieved her and worried her. Her relief came in the idea that she wasn't the only one to defy what they _should _be doing out of respect. But her worry only pointed out to her the similarity. _I'm… acting like… Kratos?_

Before that thought could wear into her, Liane heard footsteps shuffling through the dirt behind them. She tensed instantly, her hand moving to her sword even as the form of a light brown-haired young man shambled past them wordlessly on his way closer to the markers.

The group watched the man in a moment of dismay before he approached behind the Chosen. Colette watched him, taking a step back as she studied his face. They all seemed to be at a loss at his appearance, but as he hadn't accosted them, no one moved.

"Chosen… mana… d… die."

The next sound that could be heard was Kratos' sword beginning to slide from its sheath. The mercenary was already in motion to reach the Chosen's side when Genis stepped forward, cocking his head at the man, his kendama in hand. But when no attack came… no further words… everything ground to a halt. The man merely stood, looking between Colette and the markers in what seemed to be confusion - still giving no signs of aggression, much less of being armed. "W… what's he saying?" the young mage asked, watching the interloper for a moment longer before he looked around to the others.

"Pietro! I heard you were dead…"

Sheena's surprised declaration quickly drew the group's attention to her as she stepped forward and gently grasped the young man's shoulders, searching his eyes for a moment before stepping back.

_That's Pietro…?_ Liane's mind whispered even as she could tell from the others' expressions that they shared her confusion. _But… if he isn't dead…._

"Here you are…"

The second new voice drew their attention back behind them to see the woman from the inn approaching quickly. She seemed to be carefully avoiding meeting anyone's eyes as she reached out and took Pietro by the arm to pull him towards her.

But the action hardly seemed to calm the young man down in the least. He braced his feet against her pull, looking around to the others in panicked confusion. "Chosen… die… angel… die… Human… ranch… underground…."

"You mustn't come out here," the woman insisted softly, maintaining her grip on his arm as she finally shot the Chosen's party a sweeping glance as if in warning. "Let's go."

Liane took a step back at the look she received from the woman, finding herself in her path as she sought to Pietro away. She wasn't sure what to do – what she even could do – they had no right to force the clearly traumatized man to help them… but they needed him despite all that.

It was Raine that found her voice first, her words clearly audible over the winds that whipped around them. "You lied to us," she stated firmly. "He's the one that escaped from the ranch!"

"Really?" There was an eager hopefulness in Lloyd's voice as he trotted after Pietro and the woman, stopping beside the young man and tilting his head to search him with imploring eyes. "Please tell me, how did you get away from the human ranch?"

The woman's mouth dropped open as if she meant to protest, but Pietro pulled his arm from her grasp and turned to Lloyd. "Boulder… big… underground… jewel… boulder… move… Chosen…."

"What are you saying?" Genis demanded as he moved to Lloyd's side, his tone straining, as it was clear he was trying to repress his frustration – and failing.

Kratos crossed his arms over his chest, observing the situation from over Lloyd's shoulder. "Is that… the escape route?" he suggested quietly as Pietro's eyes widened.

"Please… let him be…" the woman insisted, tugging sharply on Pietro's arm to get him moving down the trail once again.

With a barely contained growl, Sheena ran past the others of the group to place herself firmly in the village woman's path. Her glare spoke of her anger, but she still managed to keep her tone from being saturated with the emotion. "You may be happy just protecting Pietro, but because of this guy, countless people from Luin are dead! How about helping us just a little!"

Liane couldn't help but wince at the assassin's words. Many had died… many had been captured – all in retaliation for an escape. It was clear that the Desians didn't want it known that there were any gaps in their security – but if Pietro's escape had contributed to Luin's destruction, couldn't her own – even that of the whole group that had helped her – easily do the same for any town they visited?

The village woman frowned again and wrapped a protective arm over Pietro's shoulders. "I'm sure Pietro has many things he wants to say as well, but because of the curse, he's been turned into this…" she murmured mournfully, finally looking up to meet Sheena's eyes as if in a plea for sympathy.

"But he's still alive," Lloyd interjected quietly, moving closer to Sheena to make sure he held the woman's attention as well. "The dead can't even tell us that they were scared. Please. Help us."

For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the wind along the red rocks that surrounded the town. Lloyd's talent for finding just the right words at the moment he truly needed them shone through, seeming to stun all of them once again.

"Lloyd's right," Liane murmured, his words striking her deep as she remembered the poor child from the ranch again. "They all deserve a voice, too… some of them still have a chance if we can get back to them in time…" she continued, seeing that the others had all glanced to her. She didn't like the look of pity in some of their eyes, but she hated the look in Lloyd's even more. He's still trying to come to grips with what happened to his mother… I wonder if he'll ever find a way….

Colette stepped up to face the village woman and Pietro, her hands clasped before her. "We want to go to the ranch. If it's possible to get out, it's possible to get back in, right? Please…."

'_Want' is a pretty strong word, Colette,_ Liane almost chuckled as her fists tightened at her sides. She would go with the others – she needed to. But she also knew that it would be like walking into a lion's den with steaks tied around their necks. _At least we'll all be going in under our own power,_ she thought as she had to glance away. _Getting back out that way will be the trick…._

"I'm willing to help you," the woman spoke thoughtfully after apparently considering Colette's plea. She reached out and fondly ruffled Pietro's hair before she turned a determined eye back on the Chosen's party. "But in exchange, lift his curse. The healing technique left behind by Boltzman is in the Tower of Mana. That should be able to cure his curse." Her words were firm, her concession clearly not up for debate.

_His curse…_ Liane's brow furrowed for just a moment at the woman's words. Clearly there was something wrong with Pietro, but a curse? _What…?_ Tilting her head to watch the young man, it only took a moment and a flicker of movement from his hand for her to realize what the 'curse' likely was. Peeking out from beneath his long sleeve was a reddish-purple Exsphere, glinting maliciously in the afternoon sun. She blinked, looking up to Pietro, this time in pity. He hadn't escaped in time. _That… could have been me._ The Exsphere was still attached to him… and it was still leaching his life energy from him.

"All right," Raine spoke up, nodding slightly even as she kept her gaze cool on the woman that had already lied to them. "But infiltrating the ranch comes first. That, I won't relinquish."

The woman eyed the Professor for a long moment before she sighed and looked back to Pietro. "When he escaped from the ranch, he said he came out through the front yard and he blocked the exit with a boulder," she offered with a shrug before her eyes trailed back to the apparently empty gravesite. "His things are in the grave. Take them with you."

"Thank you," Colette breathed out in relief as the woman started to turn Pietro away from the group. "We'll come back when we've acquired the healing technique!"

"Come… let's go…" the woman muttered to Pietro, offering no sign that she'd even heard the Chosen's words as she guided the brown-haired young man back towards the town.

"Wow… friendly…" Lloyd murmured, watching the couple's retreat with a shake of his head.

Sheena chewed his lip for a moment before her shoulders sagged and she looked over to the swordsman. "Look, I'm not thrilled that she lied to us either… but cut her a little slack? Sophia's been through a lot… I'm sure watching Pietro slide is making her life miserable, too…."

_Sophia… so that was her name…._ "It sounds like it's getting worse, too…" Liane observed, watching after Sophia and Pietro until they disappeared back into the town. "If he could give her those kind of details about how he escaped before… he sure doesn't seem like he can now…" she murmured, shaking her head. "That thing is just draining him dry…."

Lloyd kicked at the ground angrily. "Yeah… and I bet it won't stop until he's dead, either…" he grumbled before he spun on his heel and stalked back to the others, grabbing the shovel that rested against the nearby fence, starting to dig into Pietro's grave.

"He's… really mad, isn't he…" Sheena muttered as she glanced over to Liane. "I mean, I heard all of that about his Mom… but this is all going to eat him alive if he lets it…" she sighed.

Liane nodded, the assassin's observation all but completely obvious. There was a time that she would have snapped at Sheena for having been in any way surprised by Lloyd's reaction, but her tone was anything but mocking this time. "Lloyd was so little when he lost his parents… he doesn't remember anything about them," she sighed, deciding that along with the benefit of the doubt, Sheena at least deserved a few details. "Leaning this… even as vague as it all is… has really shown him what kind of horrors his mother… his parents might have faced. But worse…" she sighed, her head dipping just a little. "He doesn't know for sure. The most he's heard is from Kvar. I… I wouldn't want to believe it either if it came just from someone like him."

"I guess it's hard enough not knowing anything… but knowing just a little is probably worse," Sheena muttered, her eyes flickering back over the rest of the group as Kratos lifted a small wooden chest from the hole that Lloyd had dug. "Looks like they found Pietro's things… you're going to be okay, right?"

The question shook Liane from her thoughts with a small, dry chuckle. "Hmm? Yeah… I'll be fine… don't worry…" she brushed off the black-haired girl's concern, starting to walk back towards the others before she was stopped by a hand to the forearm.

Sheena met her questioning gaze evenly. "Hey, I saw how pale you got when they were talking about escaping from the ranch – and going back again. You know none of them – none of us – will fault you if you don't want to go… right? We'll find a way in… and back out… so if you want to wait somewhere, it is okay. It's better than you getting in there and freezing up…" she explained, dropping her tone a little. "There's still time for you to think about it… so don't rush in if you aren't sure…."

Liane found herself only able to stare at Sheena for a few breaths before she shook her head again. "No… I am sure. As it stands right now, Kvar wins. I'm scared of him, I'm scared of his ranch, and I never want to go back there again," she admitted with a sigh before she finally found a ghost of a smile to offer. "But that's why I have to. If I don't go back and at least try to help, I'm going to always wonder if I could have… if I would have been strong enough. I really do appreciate your concern. But I need to go. I have to go."

As Sheena watched Liane skeptically for a moment, a sharp crack snapped their attention back to the others. Lloyd had used the blade of one of his rapiers to break the old lock from the latch of the chest. "Okay…" she muttered, sparing one more glance for Lane before she started over to rejoin the others. "But just remember… you still have time…."

The assassin's words made Liane pause for a moment before she, too, began to walk_. She's really that concerned?_ The thought almost puzzled her. From what she had seen, Sheena's acceptance into the group seemed to be solid, even if trusting her wasn't quite there yet. There was still a good deal of animosity from the Professor, but Sheena didn't seem particularly fazed by the scrutiny. But no matter what the rest of the group thought or had seen, Liane had already seen enough of Sheena's behavior to warrant extending some trust to her. Sheena had had multiple chances to harm her – and she'd taken none of them. She had fought beside her – for her – and Sheena had returned with her friends when they ended up rescuing her. Liane couldn't help that it was in her nature to want to trust the other girl… as far as she was concerned, Sheena had earned it. While she couldn't say what would happen with any certainty if Sheena chose to press her issues with Colette, as things stood, Liane was comfortable with her. _She seems to have her reasons… she seemed to be struggling with them even in Luin,_ she sighed as she stood over Genis' shoulder to watch them unload the chest. _Maybe… if she ends up trusting us enough… maybe we can work this out…._

Genis picked a white orb up out of the chest and studied it for a moment, holding it up to the sunlight before he looked up and around to his companions. "Was there a boulder there?" he asked, his brow crinkled a bit as he seemed to be recalling Pietro's broken words.

"I do recall something that seemed… unnatural…" Kratos muttered as his eyes lingered on the orb in the young mage's hands before he turned back to the chest to scrutinize the remainder of its contents.

_Unnatural…?_ Liane sighed and reached up to tuck a stray curl back over her ear. "Any more unnatural than digging through an empty grave before we go back to a place that the Desians are torturing humans?" she shook her head even as she saw the look that she had earned from Kratos for her comment. "Let's just get going…" she muttered, turning her back on the others and starting back into the town. She knew she was being moody, but she honestly just wanted to get all of it put behind her.

"Yes, let's go check it out," Colette voiced her agreement before Liane heard the girl trot up behind her. A bit surprised by her actions, Liane looked over to the blonde girl and couldn't resist returning her gentle smile. "We can go get supplies while they finish cleaning up…?" the Chosen offered her friend a wide smile as she held up a pouch that jangled with gald coins.

_Back to old habits…_Liane nodded, feeling some relief in the familiarity of the routine. _Gels, food… check their weapons and armor…_ her mind ticked off items to do before the group would once again be travel – and battle – ready. While the latter thought hardly thrilled her, it was the next logical step – and they all had to be ready for it.

* * *

"I can't believe you guys made me trade my rapiers…." 

Genis snickered at Lloyd's grousing, running ahead of the brown-haired swordsman and quickly spinning to walk backwards in front of him. "Aww, come on, Lloyd… Colette and Liane got a good deal for you. The Osafune are longer… and pointier… that's important for a sword, right?" he grinned, clasping his hands innocently behind his back.

Lloyd sighed, pulling one of the matched blades from its sheath and looking down to it. "I guess… but it's just… they feel different…" he huffed with a shrug. "I just don't think something new at this point is a good thing."

"Yeah, that makes two of us…" Liane smirked, speeding up a little to walk beside Lloyd. "At least yours are about the same weight… I'm pretty much starting from scratch here…" she shrugged. "We weren't trying to offend you. We just thought it would be a good change for you…"

"Okay… I'm going to let you guys talk pointy sticks, then…" Genis waved a hand of playful exasperation to Lloyd and Liane and hopped to the side to allow them to pass, offering them only a grin as they both glared at him.

Lloyd's eyes followed after Genis for a long moment before he sighed and shook his head. "Says the kid with the toy…" he grumbled – just loud enough to make the mage snap a quick glare back to him. But it was enough to bring a hint of a smile back to Lloyd's lips again. Then his shoulders heaved with a deep inhale. "I know they're better," he shrugged, tilting his head to watch Liane as they made their way across the plains. The sun was steadily making its way towards the sunset, but they had decided to travel as far as they could that night so that they could be rested to take on the ranch – again – the next day. "I just want to be ready for this. I have to be."

"Lloyd…" Liane murmured, glancing over to meet his gaze as she reached out to place her hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this on your own. We're all going to be with you."

He looked away at that, both of his hands clenching tightly at his swords as he glared at the ground passing beneath his feet. "I should do it myself," he muttered, his jaw set with a stubborn shake of his head. "After Kvar did… all of that to her… I owe her that. I hate that I'm probably not strong enough to do it myself…."

"She wouldn't want you to, Lloyd…" she frowned, her hand tightening on his shoulder in an attempt to bring his eyes back to hers. "I can't believe that any parent would want their child to be alone – especially in something like this." But as Lloyd continued to evade her gaze, Liane felt a deeper sadness. Something was missing in him… there was no sign of his normally light-hearted ways. She almost felt like she should be able to see such a weight since it seemed to be smothering such a vital part of him. _He's mourning… he's probably never really done it before…_ she realized, almost chiding herself for letting that surprise her. "Lloyd…."

When he finally did look up to her, a small, clearly forced smile was on his lips. "Hey… don't do that, okay? Things will be okay. We're going to beat Kvar… we'll help Pietro… then Colette can regenerate the world. Don't worry about me, Liane… okay?" Lloyd shrugged. "We've made it this far. We're not going to stop now."

Before Liane could further object to how Lloyd seemed to be trying to ignore something affecting him so, Genis' voice shook them both from their conversation, making them both pause and look back in curiosity.

"You're lying. Anyone can see you're mad about something," the young mage declared, planting his fists on his sides as Raine and Sheena looked on.

The fact that Genis had turned his attention to someone else hardly surprised Liane. But the fact that the 'someone' was Kratos made her jaw go just a bit slack. Yet even that surprise waned as she watched the mercenary draw himself up to his full height, fixing his partially obscured glare on Genis.

"I am _not_ angry!"

It was as if a jolt went through each of the party members, momentarily stunning them all at Kratos' outburst.

"Whoa…" Lloyd murmured numbly from where he stood beside Liane, the spectacle taking center stage for his attention.

Liane could only stare, awed that something had eaten so far into the normally almost maddeningly collected swordsman. While the obvious element to the situation was that Genis had apparently finally pushed one button too many, the deeper question remained… what nerve had been rubbed so raw to elicit such a response from Kratos?

But even as they all seemed to be pondering the question, Kratos glanced up, even his own eyes widening as he momentarily met Liane's gaze. The contact was brief, but for a moment they both froze.

But once that long heartbeat lurched back into the time stream, the mercenary quickly looked away, his head falling forwards just enough to shroud his gaze in auburn once again. "I'm sorry…" he murmured, his hand resting back to its habitual place on his sword's handle and he started to walk past the others. "Please… let me be alone for a while…" he muttered as he passed by Liane and Lloyd, striding out ahead of the group.

"What… just… happened?" Lloyd muttered, finally tearing his dismayed gaze from the mercenary's back to look at Genis.

Genis shook his head, his hand waving to ward off the question. "Hey… he was looking all grumpy and scary… I'm not the only one that saw it!"

"No… you're not," Raine murmured, shaking her head a little as she shrugged to the others. "He's been quieter than normal since we made it out of the ranch… and that look he's been wearing has only gotten worse since Hima… since we talked to that old woman wandering near the graveyard."

"Hmm?" Liane murmured, the conversation finally distracting her enough from Kratos' retreating form. "What old woman?"

"It was while you and Colette were at the shops," Sheena offered. "An old woman said that the people in the graves had all escaped from the human ranch. She made it sound like Pietro is just like them… 'cursed'… and they all eventually died."

Liane frowned a little more. "I guess 'adventurer' does sound better than 'prisoner' if you're looking for something to name a graveyard…" she sighed, exhaling a bit as she pushed he ponytail back over her shoulder. Could Kratos' reaction have been set off by something like that? Or maybe it had simply festered when the group had confronted him?

"Yeah, that was right after Lloyd turned into a dork when the guy at the top of the mountain started talking about dragon rides…" Genis snickered, grinning even more when the young swordsman shot him an exasperated glare.

As the boys began bickering once again, at least some sense of normalcy settled over them once again and they continued to follow Kratos' lead down the trail. But even the welcome familiarity of the friends' banter couldn't keep Liane's eyes to seek the mercenary. _What got to him so much…? I just can't believe that he'd get this rattled over nothing… or even over an old woman's ramblings…."

* * *

_

_Kratos' eyes shot open to the blackness of the canvas tent that his family had called home for the better part of the last three weeks. Even with his enhanced vision, it still took a moment for him to adjust to the darkness of the canyon near Hima that they had chosen to remain in for a while until they had to move again._

"_Anna?"_

_It was her shivering that had awoken him from his light sleep, her fevered moans something that he hated he was already used to. Sitting up just enough to reach the lamp they kept at the head of their improvised bed, he touched the striker and the tent slowly illuminated around them._

_He then looked down to his wife – and his heart clenched. Her face was contorted in pain and her hands clenched tightly into the heavy blankets on top of them. But despite the sheen of sweat that beaded on her forehead, she still shook as if she was freezing._

It's getting worse….

_His frown deeply set, he reached over and gathered her to him, guiding her head to rest against his shoulder. Allowing his eyes to close, her focused on her, crafting the soothing green rune circle that began to glow around them. "First Aid," he whispered, opening his eyes as he felt the mana slide from him and into her. Anna drew a small, quick breath before she settled against him once again. He sighed out, reaching over to brush her damp bangs from her eyes. When she was awake, she would never let him use his healing magic on her. But at night, it was sometimes the only way to settle her._

_As she shifted in his arms, she threw an arm limply over his chest and nuzzled closer. Almost smiling as he pulled her closer, he glanced down to her – and the expression faded immediately. The neckline of her nightgown bunched just a little with how she had hugged herself to him, revealing the glaring gem fixed at the base of her throat. Angry irritated tendrils of raised flesh radiated from the blue stone – practically daring him to rip it from her flesh. He knew what was happening – he'd seen the reports that detailed the creation of both Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals. While her Cruxis Crystal was growing at a slower rate than the Exspheres normally did, the stone was nearing the end of its need for her. It would have likely been harvested long before if she had remained in the clutches of the ranch._

"_Mmm… Kratos…?" she murmured, lifting her head from his shoulder and offering him a bleary-eyed smile. "Why are you awake…?"_

_He shook his head a little, guiding her head back to his shoulder. He doubted that he would ever cease to be amazed at how she could always muster a smile for him… or for Lloyd… no matter the pain she had to be in. "I couldn't sleep," he replied honestly, feeling her shoulders droop immediately._

"_Oh… you mean I woke you up again," Anna murmured, disappointment clear in her tone. "I'm sorry… maybe it would be better if we slept –"_

"_No." Kratos cut her off before she could finish the offer that he had turned down every time they had a night like that – the offer he would continue to turn down. "But we will need to be moving again soon…."_

_Anna lifted her head and searched his shadowed eyes with concern. "They found us again?" she asked, dread in her hushed voice._

_He quickly shook his head, mentally berating himself for not phrasing himself better. He knew how she would interpret a statement like that, but his concern and determination had ignored that for a crucial moment. He reached over to lightly brush his thumb over her cheek. "No… but we are going to take a chance that my contact was correct in that there's a dwarf living near Iselia. You can't go on like this. We need to get you a key crest."_

_She set her jaw, just as he knew she would. It was what she did every time a trip for that purpose came up in conversation. Anna had been violently opposed to his idea to return to Welgaia to steal one of the devices for her. Her tears had been more than he could bear – the thought that he could be drawn back into Yggdrasill's fold and away from her and their son enough to distress her to the point that she barely spoke to him over the next two days. Even after that, she wouldn't hear of a special trip anywhere for that purpose. Anna clung to her argument that they were already disrupting their son's life enough by being constantly on the run and denying him the stability of a physical home without dragging him off on a 'treasure hunt.' She claimed to be 'fine' – that the measure of going to any effort to find a crest was unnecessary._

_But this time… something was different – something in the depths of her eyes that anyone knowing her any less would have missed. Anna sat up, looking over to where Lloyd slept with Noishe curled protectively around him._

"_Lloyd will turn three on the way there, then," she murmured thoughtfully before she looked back to her husband with a ghost of a smile. "Maybe we can see to it that he gets a real home by his next birthday… if we do this?"_

_Kratos blinked, pausing before he reached out and snaked his arms around her waist, gently pulling her back into his arms. _She… didn't even argue…_. Clenching his eyes closed as he inhaled deeply, he used the combination of his breath and her scent to try to calm his nerves. _She knows how bad it's getting… _his mind whispered even as he denied the thoughts to continue from there. Anna had agreed to seek help, and that would be what they would do. There was a chance that a crest would diminish the crystal's signature, even through his own would still remain distinctive to Yggdrasill. Still, it was all worth the chance – for a real life for his family. "Nothing's impossible, Anna…" he whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead as he reached up to the lamp, extinguishing the light and keeping her pillowed against his shoulder. "Nothing is impossible…."_

The mercenary leaned back against the rock wall that backed the group's campsite for the night, his eyes trailing up to the stars that peeked through the forested canopy above them. Resting his arms out over his knees, he inhaled, gratefully absorbing the relative peace of the night. The others had given him a wide berth all through the evening and the night, sparing him only curious glances and only a few short words to assure that he would once again be taking the first watch. Beyond that, the only one of them that had braved approaching him was Noishe. Kratos looked over to the creature that had stretched out beside him, white forepaws stretched out before him as a pillow for his head, his ears twitching occasionally to the innocent noises of the forest.

_No wonder they call you a dog…_he mused as he reached over to rest his hand lightly on the creature's head. He was grateful that Noise had always been fond of Lloyd. It was some condolence – even if it wasn't much. _At least some part of Lloyd's family got to watch him grow._

How long had it been since he had tried to numb himself to that night's conversation? It was an endless cycle of blame that had already worn ruts into his soul. He simply couldn't shake the irony that the very dwarf that he and his family had set out to find was the same being that had taken in his son and raised him safely in a solid home.

_I don't know that I could have done any better for you, Lloyd._

"So, you're really just going to sit over here by yourself?"

Kratos looked up, trying not to look startled even as he mentally kicked himself for not having noticed Liane rise from her bedroll near the wall on the other side of the camp. "That's the theory behind standing watch alone…" he replied quietly, watching her from beneath his bangs as she approached from his side. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Liane paused, watching him with a tilt to her head, silhouetted by the campfire for just a moment before she walked around him to sit down, effectively placing Noishe between them. "Tried that. Can't shut off my mind for that long…" she sighed, reaching out to scratch Noishe's side as the creature rolled just enough to make her actions easier.

"It's just another battle," Kratos blatantly lied to her, shaking his head a little at Noishe's antics. "You need sleep if you're going to fight with us." It was one of the farthest things from being just another battle, but it had the same requirements as any other now – they only needed to win.

She turned her head, staring at him before she drew a breath and narrowed her gaze on him just a little. "No, it's not just another battle," she murmured, her eyes never wavering from him as if in challenge. "Not for any of us. Not for me. Certainly not for Lloyd… and… if I had to guess… not for you, either?"

He didn't move. He wouldn't allow himself even the slightest reaction to her words. Liane was right – there were few beings in existence that he was certain he would get such satisfaction from unapologetically slaughtering with his bare hands as Kvar. But even when the time came, he knew that he couldn't do that except as a last resort_. Lloyd deserves some measure of it as well – if he would take it_. "Kvar will be difficult to defeat. Just as Magnius was… just as the seal guardians have been… but he is simply another advers –"

"Don't lie…" Liane cut him off, her voice rising only a hint above a whisper to accentuate her accusation. "You knew who he was at the ranch, and you've been moodier than I've ever seen you since then. Considering how moody you normally are, trust me – that's saying something," she grumbled, continuing to watch him. "Your little performance today as everyone on edge… and if you don't want to tell me what's going on, fine. I know that you barely trust me as it is. But you'd best consider your explanations to the others. Because if they ask you what's wrong and you give them the 'just another battle' line… they're going to know that you're lying, too."

Kratos kept her gaze unflinchingly. "You are that certain that I'm lying?" he asked calmly, wondering at the strength of her resolve. There was a very real chance that she could read him infinitely better than any of the others – whether she realized it or not. But that was the true question – how strongly did she feel it? How much did she believe in it? "Are you so sure that I am hiding something that you're willing to disrupt everyone's focus to prove that you're right?"

"If I were, I would have asked you in front of all of them instead of waiting until now…" she sighed, rolling her eyes as she continued to scratch Noishe's side. "I just refuse to be so egotistical to believe that you're this worked up over them capturing me – or the rest of Luin, for that matter. It's not your style."

"You are not the first human they have captured," Kratos replied, the best he could come up with without pausing to craft a better response. "Kvar is evil. He has no respect for humans as anything other than hosts. He will use them… he will throw them away. It makes no difference to him."

"That much was obvious just in what I remember hearing…" Liane fairly groaned, keeping her mind focused on Noishe and not the oddly disembodied voices and words that haunted her as the memories of her rescue. "Well, you're as forthcoming as ever… so let's try this: If you won't tell me what's eating at you, then I want to know something else. You've known about Exspheres the whole time, haven't you? You knew how dangerous they were, you knew where they came from, and you knew what could happen to a person wearing an uncrested one, didn't you?" she asked, her eyes snapping onto him once again. "You barely reacted the other night at Luin… you just stood back and watched…" she murmured, an accusatory note creeping back into her tone. "What are we… just a study to you? An amusement to see when we'll put things together? What else aren't you telling us?"

Kratos set his jaw slightly, meeting her gaze even though it meant he had to fight the urge to stand and walk away. "It was unnecessary," he rasped, keeping his tone even. "You all knew what you needed to. I never lied to you – knowing more has simply made all of you more emotional. And an emotional motivation will not help us in the coming battle at all – if anything, it cripples us even more."

Liane sat up at that, her hands curling into fists against her thighs. "Human brings are emotional creatures… it's what drives us…" she ground out. "Love, hate, happiness, sadness, fear, contentment, compassion – it's what makes us human and what drives us to change our lives… to deny that is to deny everything that makes us what we are," she shook her head, clearly agitated. "There would be no battle against Kvar… there would be no regeneration if we were all apathetic like you sound like you prefer… but just remember – you're human, too –"

"And you sound sure of that as well," Kratos groaned, knowing that the response would probably only anger her more. Rising to his feet, he regarded her for a moment longer, making full not of the glare he was receiving. He knew that if he had simply answered her first question, it might have avoided the whole confrontation, but that was a story he was choosing not to tell. He then turned on his heel and slowly strode away into the forested darkness around them. "It's been a while since anyone accused me of that."

* * *

It was mid-morning when the group cautiously approached the Asgard Human Ranch once again. But even the chirping of the birds in the trees that they passed through did nothing to ease them from their quiet surveillance for any motion around them. 

Liane walked between Sheena and Genis as they filed ever closer to the walls of the compound. Occasionally, she caught a glimpse of the walls looming over the trees ahead of them – and it was then that she found that her only comfort was the feel of her sword's handle. What sleep she had found the night before had been troubled at best – it had been as if the Ranch itself had been calling out to her – showing her a glimpse of the life it had promised her if she were once again kept as a resident. Small, darkened compartments with barred doors and Kvar's squinty-eyed smile – perhaps even his laugh – standing out as her mind seemed to be determined to immerse itself in the new day and erase the troubling dreams. _All I remember of the ranch was white,_ she sighed, shaking her head as she walked. _White walls, white coats… the dream was just my imagination… it was never that dark… that bad…_. Liane set her jaw as she once again spotted the metal and mortar walls ahead, a flicker of guilt funning through her.

_It was never that bad… for me…._

"This is it, the one Pietro was talking about…" Lloyd's hushed declaration snapped Liane back into the moment as she joined others gathered around a large boulder that did indeed seem out of place propped against the hillside.

"So it would seem," Raine muttered, standing back with a finger thoughtfully poised on her cheek before she nodded as if having made some internal decision and then gesturing to the stone. "Let's try moving it."

Watching as Lloyd moved to the side of the boulder and braced his hands against the rock, Liane exhaled, glancing around and halfway expecting to find a Desian patrol waiting patiently behind them. _I can't believe we're actually sneaking back IN…_ she chewed her lip as she looked back to Lloyd and the strain on his face as he tried to move the boulder. _I can't believe I'M sneaking back in…._ But that thought lasted for only a moment as she accidentally met Kratos' cool gaze. Quickly looking away, she set her jaw and concentrated on Lloyd. She and Kratos hadn't spoken all morning – not since the abrupt end to their conversation in the woods the night before. She would have loved to have blamed him for the rest of her restless night, even though she knew how irrational that would be. Every time that it seemed they might have a chance at understanding, it somehow collapsed around them. As much as she hated to admit it… it probably wasn't entirely his fault.

"It's no good. It won't budge…" Lloyd wheezed, dragging his sleeve across his flushed forehead as he stood up, bracing a hand the boulder.

Raine shifted her pack to rest on the ground beside her, kneeling as she opened the buckles to remove the white sphere that they had found in Hima. Hefting the sphere in one hand for a moment, she then stood and held it out towards the boulder. "Then let's try using the Desian Orb we received from Pietro."

As the orb grew closer, the rock seemed to shake, almost as if attempting to uproot itself from the undisturbed ground around it. When Raine took another small step forward, the rock slid to the side, making it seem that a giant, invisible hand had brushed it aside to reveal a metal-framed opening into the hillside.

"But when I pushed it, it didn't even budge…" Lloyd pouted as Kratos strolled by him, leading Colette and Genis into the opening.

It was hard for Liane not to smirk at the wide grin Genis gave his friend before he descended into the shadows of the passageway ahead of her. "Guess you can't fight magic with brute strength, Lloyd…" Liane murmured as she followed after Sheena, glad to have even the momentary distraction to keep her from letting her mind imaging what they were willingly walking into. She wasn't even certain it WAS magic… she was simply sure it would get a reaction from Lloyd.

Even as Lloyd drew a breath for his retort, Raine approached behind him, her pack once again over her shoulder as she grabbed the swordsman's shoulder to push him into the passageway ahead of her. "Let's go, Lloyd…" she muttered, her words echoing in the otherwise quiet hallway.

"Yeah…" Lloyd grumbled, setting off an answering snicker from Genis near the front of the group. The young mage's laughter was almost instantly hushed by Colette, who had paused in mid-step to turn to the silver haired boy, pressing her finger to her lips to silence him.

It only took Liane a heartbeat to understand why: Ahead, the passage brightened and an almost eerie him filled the air. The noise was subtle, but it tickled her memories and sent a shiver through her as she and Sheena stepped into the light.

_We're in…._

Kratos remained beside the opening of the passage until Raine and Lloyd emerged, waiting a moment longer before drawing his sword. "Be on your guard…" he hissed as he watched the rest arm themselves as well. "These halls should be crawling with –"

"Who the hell are you?!"

Liane cringed at the voice from behind them, only sparing a moment to wonder at the mercenary's timing before she joined the others in turning to spot a full Desian patrol staring them down and beginning to spread out as if to encircle the group.

"Follow my orders!! Take them out quickly!" Kratos demanded as he lunged at the Sorcerer, tackling him to the floor just as the Desian's rune circle was beginning to glow and form beneath his feet.

The mercenary's order was accepted quickly, with the rest of the group pairing off to take down the remaining three fighters: Colette and Genis teaming up on the spearman, Lloyd and Raine on the footsoldier, and Sheena and Liane on the whipmaster. Liane was surprised by how easy it was to move against the Desian – to use her memories of the fight in Luin as her fuel to close the gap between herself and the fighter. The act effectively negated the range of his weapon and kept him off balance just enough for Sheena to use her strange cards to blow the whipmaster back against the wall, leaving him to slump limply to the floor.

"That's it??"

Liane's head snapped up at Lloyd's dismayed tone, seeing the young swordsman standing over the fallen footsoldier in obvious frustration.

"If you want to wait around, I'm sure they'll send more," Kratos grumbled, nudging the unconscious form of the spearman with his foot before he gestured down the hall. Come on… our time is limited."

As the group edged along the hallway, Liane found herself unable to sheath her sword. It was almost unnerving how unfamiliar the interior of the ranch was. _Granted, I was unconscious when they brought me here… and not much better when they took me out…_ she reasoned, even though it did little for her nerves. She had expected to recognize something… something specific to fear. Instead, every door they passed or hallway they crossed was more than enough to keep her on the edge. A small nudge to the back of her shoulder made her jump, glancing back to see Sheena watching her with a tilt to her head and one eyebrow arched in curiosity. Liane shrugged in answer to the question she thought she read in the black-haired girl's eyes – _Are you okay?_ – Turning to see that Kratos and Raine had selected a room to enter, Liane sighed. _Not really… but it's too late for that now_… her mind grumbled as she and the others followed the Professor into the room, Kratos remaining to closer the door behind them. A collective exhale issued from the group once they were certain that the room was otherwise unoccupied. Liane forced her shoulders to relax as best she could as they all took in the room, complete with the eerie hum that seemed to permeate every inch of the ranch.

"Let's bring up the ranch-wide map…" Raine murmured, studying a pedestal of brightly lit buttons for a moment before her fingers began to dance over a few of them. After a moment, the hum of the device escalated a little and there was a pale flash of light from the smooth glass-like surface of the top, the light solidifying into a display of a series of linked, transparent boxes that seemed to hover in mid-air.

"Professor, you're fantastic!" Lloyd exclaimed with a wide smile as he approached the display, planting his hands on the edge of the device to lean closer.

Sheena had been approaching with the others, her steps just a little slower as she lagged behind Liane. "Hmm, so there are people on this side who can operate machines too…" she spoke softly. But the acoustics of the smooth-walled room betrayed her as Genis spun from his sister's side to stare at Sheena.

"On this side?" the silver-haired mage questioned as Sheena's eyes went wide, her form tensed before he was even done speaking.

"Ah, um… nothing," Sheena clearly forced a grin and a chuckle as she shrugged to Genis. "Just… talking to myself…" she explained, moving closer to watch the display over Raine's shoulder and pointedly _not _looking at Genis.

Liane frowned as Sheena hurriedly walked ahead, her eyes trailing after the other girl. She had heard her words clearly, and – for a moment – she had to fight the urge to grab Sheena's shoulders and shake her. As much as she found herself wanting to, trust would be difficult to ever justify if it continued to be so obvious that she was still hiding things. But if the group was content to let her keep her secrets at the cost of not trusting her completely, shat could she do? Making a scene certainly wouldn't help anything. She sighed, shaking her head as she started to join the others. _What's a little more uncertainty at this point… _her mind grumbled a little before she caught a glimpse of the look Kratos had fixed on Sheena as well. At least that feeling is mutual. Liane frowned as Raine set to work on the control panel once again. _On this side… of what?_

"This is where we are not," Raine murmured thoughtfully as a box in the glowing display began to blink for emphasis, her gaze not wavering from the control panel before she tapped another button. "And this is where Kvar should be…."

As another part of the map began to flash, Liane heard what sounded like a growl slip from Lloyd as his hands visibly tensed on the edge of the device, looking like he was ready to climb right into the blinking box. She understood, but she still found herself caught between wanting nothing more than to run and to stay and help her friend see closure for what had happened to his mother. She knew what her choice had to be – especially since she knew that running was likely all but impossible. Standing by her friends was the only thing she could do… after all they had done for her. _I'll just have a breakdown later,_ she sighed and shook her head a little as Raine began to speak again.

"It appears that in order to get to the floor that Kvar is on, we'll have to deactivate the guard system," the Professor sighed, a deep frown on her lips as she tapped a few more buttons, a quick series of soft beeps responding to her actions.

Colette blinked, looking away from the map to watch the Professor. "Guard… system?"

Glancing over to the blonde girl, Liane nodded. "Probably more of these machines," she murmured, nodding to the device projecting the map for them. "Something to protect themselves even if they don't have patrols everywhere…" _… or something for them to hide behind…_ a bitter voice in the back of her mind grumbled as another series of beeps issued from the projector.

"Here…" Raine spoke, her blue eyes flickering up to the map again, her hand moving through the transparent images to point out another blinking area near where she had indicated Kvar would be. "If we don't deactivate this guard system, we can't get to Kvar."

There was no mistaking Lloyd's growl for anything other than what it was this time, his arms waving as he stepped back from the pedestal. "What are we supposed to do, then?"

"Calm down," Kratos sighed, tossing his head a little to see Lloyd through his crop of auburn bangs. "There should be a switch somewhere to deactivate the system."

"Yeah… we all know Kvar doesn't just stay in his hole…" Liane grumbled. "If he can come out, there has to be a way for us to get in."

Raine stood back, eyeing the controls for another moment before she turned yet another dial. "Here it is." On the far end of the map from Kvar's lair, two spots brightened and began to blink. "See the two switches at the ends of this left-right passageway? Those are the deactivation switches."

"Okay then…" Lloyd exhaled, shaking his head as his hands moved to his blades. "Let's go deactivate it."

The Professor's hand shot out, catching the young swordsman's shoulder as he was in mid-step, pulling him back to the group. "Wait a minute. I'll bring up the route leading to Kvar's room." The silver-haired woman paused thoughtfully, studying the image before them before she released Lloyd to once again reach into the display near the Cardinal's room. "It looks like the conveyor belt prevents passage through there. In order to stop that, we'll need to stop the conveyor belt control mechanism… but…"

Liane chewed her lip for just a moment. _Conveyor belt…_ it was at the fringes of her memory, but it almost sent a shiver through her anyway. _Those poor people… boxed up like some kind of product…_ her mind whispered even as she ground her teeth together. _But that's exactly what they are… a commodity… a means to an end product…._

"It seems it's constructed in such a way that you can't get close to the control mechanism while containers are on the conveyor…" Raine continued despite the unease of the others over the growing list of requirements to reach Kvar. "Let's see… in order to adjust the container dispatch control system…."

Her voice trailed off as the room lights suddenly began to blink and bathe the room in a crimson glow. But more disturbing were the blaring klaxons announcing danger to the whole ranch.

Raine spun back to the control panel, one hand curled into a tight fist. "Dammit…" she growled softly, her fingers dancing across the buttons once again. "They've detected my access of the main computer."

Genis gaped at his sister for a moment before he spun, his arms waving in the air as panic gripped him, looking up to his friend for guidance. "Lloyd, what do we do?! The Desians will be here any minute!"

"Dammit…" Lloyd echoed Raine's earlier sentiment, his eyes leaving Genis' to search the room, his eyes lingering momentarily on the nearby doors, that seemed to be exits.

"Doing nothing isn't an option," Liane grumbled a little, backing away from the pedestal and map to turn to face the door they had entered from. "Neither is staying here."

The Professor also turned, facing Lloyd with what seemed to be a nod of agreement to all of their concerns. "It looks like we don't have any choice. Let's split into two teams to deactivate the system and infiltrate Kvar's room.

"What?!" Genis blurted out, turning to stare wide-eyed at Raine. "We're going to split up?"

"There seems to be no other way…" Kratos answered the young mage before he stepped forward to face the Professor. "I would like to be in the group that goes after Kvar."

Liane glanced over her shoulder to the mercenary as he voiced his request, one eyebrow arched in mild surprise. _He's not asking to stay with Colette… he really wants a piece of Kvar…._ It simply backed up her growing suspicion that their prior visit to the ranch had made the fight personal for Kratos, even if he wouldn't admit to it, much less say why.

Genis quickly drew his kendama, a bit of a cocky grin spreading over his lips where he stood beside Kratos. "Me, too!"

"And me…" Sheena added herself to the assembly that sought additional time with the Grand Cardinal. Her expression was firm, no amusement present – simply determination.

Raine eyed the group for a long moment before she sighed and turned to the Chosen who was standing beside her wringing her hands nervously. "Colette, please choose for us."

It made sense, on some level, Liane realized after only a blink of puzzlement. It was technically Colette's journey, and her safety as well as that of those that had gathered to travel with her, ultimately fell back onto her shoulders. But despite all of that and the way the girl's eyes widened as she fidgeted with the cuffs of her sleeves, Liane still found it hard to not at least smirk at how uncomfortable Colette seemed to be with such a decision.

"Ah… um… well, then…" the Chosen fumbled for words as she nervously surveyed her companions, her eyes finally settling on Lloyd as her smile instantly grew. "I'll leave it to Lloyd."

Lloyd's jaw dropped as he gaped at the blonde girl's words. "What? Me?!"

Colette nodded with what seemed to be a relieved smile. "I know you'll do a good job of splitting us up."

"He lives only by instinct and intuition," Genis snorted, shaking his head with a playful roll of his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lloyd asked as he raised an eyebrow to his friend. After a deep exhale, he ran his hand back through his hair and straightened his posture. "Anyway, I'm the one that's gonna pick? I'm going to Kvar," he announced, his hands gripping the handles of his blades as his expression darkened. "I want to avenge Mom."

Lloyd began to eye the others one by one, not questioning Colette's decree any further. It was a wise move, whether Lloyd realized it or not, considering every moment of indecision brought them closer to being faced with yet another Desian patrol. Liane glanced nervously back towards the door as the others began to voice their desires for which team they wanted to be placed with. _I don't ever want to see Kvar again,_ her thoughts muttered to her. _But I… I need to know that he won't come after us – after me again, too._ If Lloyd was on the team that went to Kvar, she was certain that either Kvar would fall or that she'd never see her friend again… the latter being something she didn't think she could take.

"You _are_ going to take me along, right?" Genis demanded of his friend planting his feet firmly in front of the red-clad swordsman, his fists balled on his hips.

With a chuckle, Lloyd reached out to playfully shove the younger boy's shoulder. "Be part of the infiltration team."

The younger boy's face brightened immediately as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "That's what I wanted to hear!! I'll reduce Kvar to cinders with my magic!" he proclaimed proudly.

Lloyd patted Genis' shoulder once again, his eyes searching over the rest of the group as if he was unable to share the mage's excitement completely. His gaze scanned over Raine and Colette… Sheena and Liane… before it finally settled on Kratos. He walked to stand before the auburn-haired man, drawing a small breath to speak before Kratos beat him to the act.

"I desire to fight Kvar. Please, Lloyd. Take me with you," Kratos spoke with undeniable sincerity.

And, if Liane didn't think that she knew better, there was also a note of pleading in his tone that truly took her by surprise.

Lloyd eyed the mercenary for a moment, a parade of unreadable thoughts flashing across his features. Then, without blinking, he finally nodded. "Be part of the infiltration team."

Kratos nodded at the invitation, his shoulders squaring just a bit. "Thank you." His eyes remained fixed on the younger swordsman and as Lloyd started to turn back to face Colette and Raine, he spoke once again, sounding almost as if the thought surprised him as well. "Lloyd… let's defeat Kvar together."

The teenager turned to look at Kratos over his shoulder, considering his words before he smiled and dipped his head to him for just a moment before he met the Chosen's bright blue eyes.

"It's too bad I can't go with you," Colette shrugged, clearly trying to smile at her friend as the Professor stepped up and put a hand on her shoulder.

Raine offered Colette a sympathetic smile and then looked back to Lloyd again. "I understand. Leave the other team to me."

"Well, I guess you trust me if you're gonna put me on the other team," Sheena shrugged, catching Lloyd's attention before she nudged Liane's shoulder. "Looks like it's up to the girls then, huh?"

The black haired young woman's words gently jolted Liane from the distraction of her own thoughts. _Lloyd… Kratos… Genis… they're going after Kvar…_ her mind whispered to her. _I don't want to see him again… that stare… that laugh…._ _'Filthy human host body….'_ Her fists clenched beyond her control and she stepped forward, words spilling from her lips before she even realized that she was speaking. "Lloyd. I want to go, too." She could feel the others' eyes on her, but her focus was fixed squarely on Lloyd. Some part of her had decided that she needed this, even if the term 'want' – by definition – wasn't entering into the equation.

"Liane?" Lloyd turned to her, shaking his head slowly. "But I didn't think –"

"No."

Liane lifted her eyes to Kratos, her glare becoming sharp on the mercenary. "I think it's Lloyd's decision…" she murmured, meeting his gaze as coolly as she could. His denial of her somehow made her want it even more, even if she couldn't honestly say why. Pointedly turning away from Kratos, she sought her friend's eyes again. "Please."

Lloyd frowned, looking between Liane and Kratos before he breathed out with a huff. "Liane… I…."

"This fight will be hard," Kratos insisted despite being ignored. "There will be no room for hesitation or second-guessing. Liane is still shaken from being her before and she will be a liability. This is not a fight she should be in."

"That's exactly _why_ I have to fight him. You thin I want to look back on that for the rest of my life and realize that I never had the strength to stand against him?" Liane bit back. "I _know_ I'm not even close to the strongest fighter here… but I refuse to be victimized by him! Even if I'm not the one to bring him down…. I need to help… or he'll haunt me!"

A momentary silence fell in the room, broken only after Kratos shook his head firmly. "No."

"You have NO right-" Liane started to object again before Lloyd moved directly between her and the mercenary.

"Be a part of the infiltration team," the boy spoke, his eyes catching and capturing Liane's complete attention away from the argument.

Liane choked back her assault on Kratos to stare at Lloyd. While it wasn't true relief that came over her, it was a start. She nodded, exhaling a little. "Thank you, Lloyd…." She knew her request could end up getting her killed – but the regrets were something that she couldn't face. She would fight… she wouldn't be scared into inaction. Kratos' jaw set sternly as he shook his head, a faint groan slipping from him that Liane chose to ignore. For better or for worse, she had gotten what she had asked for – now she had to do what she could with it. Taking her place with the infiltration team, she stood beside Genis and then met Sheena's questioning gaze with a small shrug. Even if she couldn't say precisely why she needed it so badly, she knew that she did.

"Let's meet in Kvar's control room," Lloyd spoke, his voice conveying a sense of urgency. They had to be just about out of time… there were probably only a limited number of places that the main computer could be accessed from and the Desians were probably whittling down the possibilities further with every passing moment.

Colette spared a long look at Lloyd before she, Raine, and Sheena turned and hurried from the room. Liane felt a little guilty for not sticking with the plan that Lloyd had made – for pushing his decision to include her. _It's not like you can split seven evenly anyway… it only makes sense for the group going after Kvar to be weighted a bit heavier… _her mind tried to reason as she followed along with Genis. Kratos had opened the nearby door and started through, Lloyd barely a step behind him as she and the mage hurried to catch up.

The room that opened to them made Liane catch her breath – row upon row of containers stacked to the towering ceiling above chilled her to the bone. _All those people… _she shook her head, her eyes fixed on the containers as they walked, the cold unfeeling machines going through their motions as metallic limbs filed the capsules into the hive-like arrangement one after the other, giving no regard to the person that was within.

"Liane…"

She looked down at a small tug at the sleeve of her tunic, finding Genis' liquid blue eyes searching hers. With a sigh, she somehow mustered a hint of a smile for her young friend. "Sorry… a little distracting in here…" she sighed.

"Yeah, I know…" the elven boy nodded as he released her and nodded ahead of them to where Lloyd and Kratos were just turning around the end of the row. "No guards so far… but we have to stay together…" he told her in a hushed tone, the metallic walls of the room even echoing that back at them.

Genis was right… she knew that. _I asked for this… I knew what we'd be seeing…_ she chided herself as her steps sped up to match Genis so that they wouldn't be left behind. Other than the ever-present hum of the machinery, the only noise was their footfalls. Which made the conversation between the swordsmen ahead of them stand out even more as they rounded the end of the first wall of containers.

"Soooo… why did you come to Iselia?" Lloyd was asking, obviously needing small talk as he matched his pace to the mercenary beside him.

Kratos shrugged as Liane looked up to them and she couldn't help but snort softly. _That's probably the extent of the answer you're going to get, Lloyd…_ she started to shake her head before her eyes widened in surprise as the mercenary's low voice began to reply.

"I was hired by a rich individual to escort a pilgrimage. I was near Iselia, so I decided to stop by there to look for a new job," Kratos explained as they paused, glancing down the next aisle in caution before continuing.

Lloyd's head tilted a little as he watched the other man. "And there you saw the Oracle?"

Kratos nodded. "You should thank me. If I had not come, you would have died."

Liane froze in her steps, her hand clenching at her sword as she glared at the back of the mercenary's head. _Arrogant bastard…_ she grumbled, what was becoming a term of endearment for the mercenary somehow not finding voice as she caught Genis' gaze flicker up to her as if he was already expecting it. _It was a 'yes' or 'no' question…._

"You're so condescending," Lloyd grumbled, hesitating in his steps for a moment to shake his head in disbelief to Kratos. "But what makes it worse is that it's true."

As Kratos offered his standard, 'Hmmmm…" Lloyd started ahead of him, continuing to glare at the mercenary until he could no longer comfortably glare over his shoulder at him.

"And I hate it when you do that. It's patronizing…" Lloyd snorted as they started around the end of the middle row of containers.

"Did… Lloyd just use 'condescending' and 'patronizing' correctly in the space of three sentences?" Genis whispered, elbowing Liane in the side, the look on his face not sarcastic, but rather shocked. Liane almost considered chiding Genis for such a thought – and would have, had she not been thinking the same thing. "Raine's never gonna believe this…."

"I guess your dislike for me runs quite deep…" Kratos spoke just loud enough to make it clear that he didn't think the conversation was over with the younger swordsman was over, continuing to follow after Lloyd, but maintaining a small distance between them.

Lloyd paused, turning just enough to shrug back to Kratos. "I don't dislike you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't speak to you like this," he offered with an explanatory wave of his hand as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

Kratos' head lolled to the side for a moment as he watched Lloyd, finally shaking his head a little and continuing to walk. "I see… I apologize for my prior remarks."

"It's okay…" Lloyd grinned back before he turned and started forward again with a wide shrug. "I was pretty rude about it, too…."

Liane and Genis shared another moment of silence before they followed along behind their companions. The brown-haired girl looked down to her young friend with a shake of her head. "What… just happened there…?" she just barely mouthed the question, mindful of the echoes in the room.

Genis shrugged. Even after all of their years of friendship, it seemed that their friend still maintained his ability to keep them guessing. "Bonding?" he replied as close as possible to silently with a small grimace and then grabbed her wrist to pull her along as they hurried to catch up to the others.

The swordsmen had stopped before a machine in the corner, both of them looking over the control panel which appeared similar to the machines that Raine had been manipulating in the control room. "If we stop this… we can prevent the captives from turning into monsters…" Lloyd murmured, chewing his bottom lip as he eyed the buttons closely for another moment, finally deciding on one of them and poking it, jerking his hand back almost as if he was expecting to be shocked.

"Shutdown in progress…" an all-too-calm voice announced from somewhere above them. There was no malice, no real inflection, and no indication that it was anyone speaking to _them_, but it was still unnerving. Liane drew her sword and took a few steps away from the console, glancing down the nearby aisle to watch the machinery that was switching the containers out of their places slowly grinding to a halt.

"Shutdown complete."

Kratos turned on his heel and started away. "That takes care of the containers. Hurry. We still have to stop the conveyor belt before we can get to Kvar…" he ordered, starting out ahead of the other three, not looking to any of them as he walked.

"Wow… I knew we were in a hurry… but…" Lloyd grumbled a little before he started after Kratos. But, in contrast, he waited for Liane and Genis to join him.

Liane sighed, keeping her sword in hand as she walked. "We do have to hurry. Even if he is being a jerk about things, he is right in that…" she grumbled a little, not even bothering to drop her voice – and noticing that he made no sign of having heard her.

"You know… I really don't know what's going on with you two…" Lloyd glanced over to her, shrugging a little. "One day, you two are holding hands all cuddly-like… the next day, you're at each other's throats…" he murmured. "He acted like it was going to be so bad to have you come… you guys really need to work this out…" he frowned. "Besides… I didn't think you wanted to come anyway."

"I… wasn't sure…" Liane hesitated, the young swordsman's assessment of the situation between herself and Kratos taking her by surprise. How was she supposed to explain when his observations were about as close to how she saw things as possible – with the only exception being that she knew she'd never use the term 'cuddly.' "But it doesn't sound like you exactly see eye to eye with him either, you know…"

"Oh, that?" Lloyd laughed a little as they rounded the corner of the last row of containers and spotted Kratos ahead of them, waiting by the door. "Nah, we're getting along better. I'm starting to kinda understand how he thinks… maybe…" he shrugged, running his fingers back through his hair. "Or maybe not…."

Genis groaned. "Yeah… that sounds about right. C'mon, guys… let's hurry. The faster we get to Kvar, the faster we get out of here…" he smirked before he trotted out ahead of his friends, leaving them both to their thoughts on exactly what kind of footing they were on with the mercenary.

* * *

Lloyd sat on the edge of the inactive warp pad with his elbows braced on his knees, his chin resting in one hand with regular impatient sighs. "They knew where they were going, didn't they? I mean, we all saw the maps, right?" he huffed. "After all that running around… trouncing those guards… now… we just sit here? I mean… Kvar's on the other side of _this_ warp pad… and we're just sitting here!!" 

"Maybe they had a few guards to trounce, too…?" Genis offered where he stood against the nearby wall in the alcove that housed the warp pad.

Liane sat back against the wall where she had slumped not far from the two boys, her arms resting on the tops of her knees. "They had to go through hallways… main corridors. I'd bet they ran into more resistance than we did…" she shrugged, feeling a little guilty for leaving Raine and the others to do the initial dirty work of their divided mission. "They'll make it. And we'll know as soon as they do." _I hope…._ She sighed, letting her head roll to the side, absently watching Kratos pace a few feet away in the main part of the room. He had said very little since they had left the container storage area, stepping in to the couple of minor scuffles that they had found their way into and treating the Desians like some form of stress relief. They were all on the edge, and the wait wasn't helping any of them.

"I can't believe that Exspheres are made from human lives…."

Lloyd's soft words drew the attention of his companions, but his own attention was fixed on the pale blue gem on the back of his hand. It seemed that the wait had even bored him away from their situation, at least for the moment.

Genis shrugged, watching his friend for a moment before he sighed. "I… sort of had a feeling about it."

Lloyd pulled his eyes from his Exsphere to raise an eyebrow to the silver haired mage. "About what?"

_Figures…_ Liane smirked, chuckling softly under her breath. Lloyd must have been pulled deeply into his thoughts to miss a relatively easy bridge to Genis' comment.

"When I received power from my Exsphere, it always felt so warm and gentle," Genis explained with a far-away smile on his lips, turning his hand up to the lights to show his own Exsphere, his small fingers tracing over the smooth surface of the stone. "That was Marble lending me her power. I'm sure your mother, too, has been watching over you this whole time, Lloyd."

Liane looked away, studying the burnished grain in the metal of the panel directly across from her. Maybe it was Marble… maybe it was Anna. Maybe it was their influence that was driving them, giving them strength to keep going… to face Kvar again. Even if she didn't carry an Exsphere, maybe it was those presences that were driving them all… a kind of contagious courage. She couldn't say she didn't feel it… even if she wasn't certain that she had a right to.

Lloyd's smile brightened at his friend's words, the encouragement showing in his voice. "You think so?" he asked, looking back to his Exsphere almost as if expecting it to respond to the hopeful thoughts.

"Yeah!" the younger boy nodded, his smile a happy one in spite of their surroundings, his fingers still stroking his Exsphere fondly.

Whatever it took to encourage the boys… the inspiration was welcome and needed. Liane was grateful to it whether it was true or not. But the odd thing was… it was easy to believe. If everything happened for a reason, then it explained much. They had gotten in and out of the ranch before… they had found Pietro and gotten back in again… why wouldn't it have been the will of the lost women to end Kvar's plans? Sheena, Raine, and Kratos all bore Exspheres as well… so wouldn't the people that gave their lives for those Exspheres want to end the cycle as well?

Those thoughts were shaken as Lloyd scrambled to his feet, his blades clearing their sheathes as he practically stumbled trying to spin around. "It… it's working!!"

Only a moment later, a burst of slowly spinning light erupted from the warp pad. Liane and Genis stood as well, flanking Lloyd as they all stared at the device. The way was open – Raine and her party had succeeded. They should only be but a step away from Kvar's room.

"Kvar is waiting. Draw your weapons… he has to be aware of our presence by now. He might not give us another chance once we go through," Kratos muttered from behind them.

Liane drew her sword and turned just enough to see the mercenary standing, sword in hand as his eyes were fixed on the warp pad. With an exhale that did nothing to help her building nerves, she nodded, watching him as calmly as she could manage. "I suppose you and Lloyd want to go first…."

"I don't _want _to go first… I AM going first…" Lloyd announced, sparing one more glance around the other three before he started forward.

It wasn't even a heartbeat later that Kratos stalked between Liane and Genis to step onto the warp pad beside Lloyd. The device responded to their presence and flared once again and before any of them could speak again, the swordsmen were gone.

_He… he looked so determined…_ Liane realized, frowning a little as she glanced down to Genis. "Guess it's our turn… "

Genis and Liane materialized in a room that seemed vaguely familiar to the young woman… calling back to their 'visit' to Magnius' chamber at the Palmacosta Human Ranch. Lloyd and Kratos stood only a few steps ahead, both of their frames tensed as they watched the other being in the room. It seemed that Kvar was ignoring them, intent on finishing the conversation he was holding with the green haired woman in the projector.

"So, this is Lloyd," the woman purred from her transparent image, almost hidden behind a bizarre semi-halo of what looked like embellished banners. "I see, he does bear a resemblance."

Lloyd advanced a step, only to be held back by a quick movement of Kratos' arm.

"So, you've come…" Kvar purred out, turning to follow the green haired woman's gaze, stroking his chin thoughtfully before his head snapped back on her. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't change the subject, Pronyma! It's clear you've been stealing research data from my Angelus Project."

_Angelus Project… Anna was a part of that…_ Liane frowned. It almost seemed that Kvar was flaunting his actions once again… ignoring the four intruders to make sure that they heard every word that he was sharing with the scantily clad woman.

Pronyma shifted in the light of the projector, fixing her glare on Kvar once again. "I grow tired of your accusations, Kvar. As I have told you, I know nothing of it," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kvar snorted with a stern shake of his head. "…Stubborn woman. I suppose I should expect no less from one who usurped the leadership of the Five Grand Cardinals," he grumbled before one arm fell to his side, his hand coiled into a fist. "Take heed, Pronyma. Once I retrieve the Exsphere from this inferior being, _I _will become the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals. When that happens, you'll be begging for my forgiveness," he growled out, sparing another glance to Lloyd.

"How can he act like we're not _right _here?" Genis hissed to Liane, his eyes only leaving the Cardinal for a moment before flashing back to him once again.

"He's showing off… like Lloyd's a trophy. He's just playing with us… trying to show us how insignificant he thinks we are…" Liane murmured, frowning as she saw Lloyd struggle against Kratos' grip, which had moved to his shoulder. The mercenary didn't move, other than the shift of his hand, his attention raptly attached to the conversation between the Cardinals.

"You speak nonsense, Kvar," Pronyma declared with a mocking laugh. "I've also heard that Rodyle has talked you into joining him in one of his schemes…" she continued to laugh, the disdain dripping from the tone of her voice. "But it would be best not to believe that you can deceive Lord Yggdrasill for long…" the woman shrugged beneath the strange wreath that encircled her shoulders before the device flickered and she disappeared, stealing away with the last word.

Kvar stared into the empty space that Pronyma's image had left for just a heartbeat before his shoulders squared. "So the Mana Cannon is no longer a secret. Well, it doesn't matter." He turned just a little, tilting his head to acknowledge his company. "Once I succeed in retrieving that Exsphere, any suspicions I might have been under will be but a distant memory." The Cardinal eyed the four fighters that were advancing slowly on him, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat as he reached to his side and picked up a staff that had been resting against the projector. Casually hefting the weapon, it was easy to see the smug smile growing across his lips as he swept his hand out suddenly. Against the wall behind the projector, a panel slid open and three purple objects hovered out, each set with an angrily glowing red stone at their core – and each crackling with energy.

"Get ready…" Kratos ground out, keeping his free hand planted in the middle of Lloyd's chest and his stance wide as Kvar turned to them, the stone-like objects now flanking him.

But Lloyd was quick to shove the mercenary away, leaping forward before Kratos could catch him again and slicing into one of the stones. "You're _not_ gonna take this from me!!"

It wasn't clear to Liane exactly who Lloyd's enraged declaration was directed towards, but even she could only stare for a moment at the sheer anger that the swordsman attacked with speed she wasn't sure she had ever seen from the boy. His blades were a blur as the stone that had placed itself directly between Lloyd and Kvar took the brunt of his beating. "Sword Rain!!" Lloyd snarled as every one of his hits landed on the defender, the stone flying back past Kvar as the top part of it crumbled to the floor.

"Genis…" Liane grit her teeth as she pushed the boy behind her, hearing Lloyd's growl of frustration as he found that another one of the stones had blocked his path to Kvar. "Can you take that first stone thing out? Whittle them down?" she asked, her grip on the handle of her new sword almost painful as she watched Kratos start after the third of Kvar's defenders.

"On it…" Genis murmured, his concentration clear in his clipped tone. Glancing over her shoulder, Liane saw the pale blue rune circle blink out around the boy as he thrust his kendama out before him toward the stone that was once again advancing behind Lloyd's back. "Drown! Spread!!"

For a moment, nothing happened other than Lloyd and Kratos both connecting attacks to their respective blockers and the first wounded stone's continued stalking behind the younger swordsman's back. Then, barely a heartbeat later, the ground beneath the stone seemed to shatter into an eruption of water not entirely unlike one of the spouts at the Thoda Geyser, tossing the already wounded stone high into the air before it crashed back to the ground and shattered.

Kvar's eyes narrowed on the young mage as he took a step back and casually rocked his staff in his hand. "So good of you, Kratos… to bring back both the boy _and_ the girl you stole from my doctors…" he grinned as the mercenary glanced towards him and then rushed the stone that he had squared off against without acknowledging the taunt.

But Kratos' actions seemed to be how he had chosen to answer the Cardinal, charging forward as wraps of green energy gathered around his sword. "Super Sonic Thrust!!" the mercenary commanded as he loosed the energy on the stone, the blast knocking it back into the wall, shattering it not far from where Genis' prey had fallen.

"Doctor…" Liane snorted, not liking how Kvar had referred to her in the least. Kratos had already spun, locking his sword with Kvar's staff, but Lloyd's blades were singing under the spinning attack on the last of the stones, the Osafune crossed before him as the thing pushed his locked legs back across the floor and away from Kvar. She knew that her techniques hardly earned her a spot with Lloyd and Kratos' assault, she knew that she could at least try to help after she'd put up such a fuss to come in the first place. As she spotted the edge of a rotating ring of pale blue runes peeking out from under her feet, she dipped her sword back, doing her best to mind her stance as her sword arced before her. _Focus… Lloyd's close…_ she coached herself as she kept her eyes on the stone and released the twin crescents of mana towards the stone. "Double Demon Fang!"

Liane's attack halted the stone's pursuit of her friend, giving Lloyd the chance to back step and gather his footing before launching himself into a somersault, both blades stretched out and fairly crackling with mana. "Tempest!" the teen called out, pummeling the stone as chunks fell from its form and it fell to the floor, teetering for a moment before Lloyd landed and planted his foot firmly in its center, sending it crashing to the floor in defeat.

"Lightning Strike!!"

Kvar's chamber erupted with purple light as a column of lightning fell onto Kratos, drawing a pained growl from the mercenary's throat as he fell to his knees, leaving the Cardinal proudly snickering over him. "Pathetic human…" he grinned, taking his staff in both hands as if to swat at the mercenary.

"No! Kratos!" Lloyd called out as he ran past the dazed Kratos slamming his shoulder into the momentarily distracted Kvar and knocking him back from Kratos before he planted his feet and swiped both blades at the Cardinal. The mana from the swordsman's attack shimmered and condensed into the image of a fanged creature that blasted Kvar back even further and off his feet. "Beast!"

"Lloyd… MOVE!" Genis yelled, startling Liane as she turned from Lloyd's hurried retreat to watch the silver haired boy once again push his kendama out, this time directing his attack at Kvar. "Drown!" the boy demanded. "Spread!!"

Kvar had barely climbed back to his feet when Genis' spell struck, tossing him limply into the air with an angered yelp before he flailed back to the ground, his staff skittering from his hand. But the blow had no time to be counted as a victory as the Desian's hand snapped out and pulled his staff back to him, using it to pull himself to his feet, purple runes already beginning to glow in the air around him.

Liane backed off, knowing a spell when she saw one, but also recognizing the opportunity it represented. Drawing her Silver Sword up before her, she closed her eyes as she released just enough of her mana supply to whip around her and form into softly glowing green runes. _Just a moment longer…._

"Air Thrust!"

Kratos' voice startled Liane just enough to make her scramble to keep her concentration on her own spell, but her eyes flashed to where the mercenary had regained his feet and was sending a barrage of pale blades flying at the Desian.

But Kvar merely chuckled as the blades ricocheted from his staff, his posture straightening even as his gaze fixed on Genis, all but ignoring Kratos' attack. "Little fool…" he purred, the air around him beginning to crackle with energy as he advanced a step towards the mage, ignoring the others for the moment.

_He was guarding while he was casting…? _Liane's mind choked before her eyes shot back to Genis. "Genis… get away!" Liane screamed at her friend – but it was too late, as Kvar's malicious show of power coiled around the mage with a slightly growing orb of swirling blue-purple mist.

"Why would _you_ stand against me?" the Cardinal shook his head in mock pity before his staff swept out, seeming to igniting the energy that swirled around Genis. "This is the end! Spark Wave!!"

The boy was thrown back as the spell enveloped him, his cry barely audible over the crackling energy. He didn't even try to keep his feet as he crumpled to the ground, the only sound in the chamber being the dry chuckling of the Cardinal. "Traitor."

Lloyd's anguished howl made Kvar turn his amused smile back to the young swordsman, the teen's blades already alight with mana. "Not Genis, too! Hurricane thrust!" Lloyd ground out through clenched teeth, the attack blasting out and pushing Kvar back across the floor, his staff grinding against the floor as he hid behind the weapon.

Liane glanced over to the still-unmoving form of her elven friend, her heart sinking as she saw the bright runes of Kratos' healing spell begin to materialize in the air around the mercenary. She spun, her braid swinging over her shoulder as she tightened her grip on her sword and scrambled to reclaim the mana her distraction over Genis' assault had almost cost her. _This is for you, Genis…_ she thought as her spell came back to life. "Wind Blade!" she called out, completing the spell and sending a trio of blades at the Cardinal.

Kvar snarled as one of the blades slipped around his defenses and cut into his upper arm, his free hand going to cover the wound as his thin gaze pinned the girl. "You _are_ interesting…" he purred. "Much more interesting than the last time we met. I simply can't _wait_ to get you back into the lab…" he grinned before he spotted Lloyd's movements to his side, his hand moving from his arm fluidly – almost casually. "Not a chance. Lightning Strike!" the Desian smiled maliciously, a column of purple lightning falling towards Lloyd. The swordsman dropped into a roll, narrowly dodging the brunt of the attack with a startled yelp.

_Goddess… he cast that without even blinking…_ Liane gaped, cringing as Lloyd rolled back to his feet and threw himself at Kvar once again.

"Lightning Strike!"

Lloyd had made an assumption – just as any of them might have – that Kvar would need time to mount another attack. The second column of lightning that fell directly on the brunette swordsman proved them all wrong as Lloyd convulsed and dropped to his knees, his head thrown back in pain.

_He's so fast…!_ Liane's hand moved to her belt pouch with a frown as she tried to use the glower that Kvar still held on the dazed form of her friend to find an apple gel and to slip around the Desian to try to get closer to Lloyd. _Can we even do this…?_

"Pathetic, really…" Kvar shook his head. "You have no idea of the power you carry. You don't deserve it… you worthless –"

"Kvar!!"

Liane stopped, her head snapping in the direction of Kratos' voice – shocked to see the mercenary practically airborne, his sword already in mid-slash. _Where… did he come from…? He was healing Genis…? _Her eyes flickered back to the mage, relief flooding through her as she saw that not only was the boy standing, he was once again weaving his mana into the rune circle of a spell.

"Hell Pyre!!" Kratos' firm voice drew her attention from Genis, leveling his sword at the Cardinal as his leap began its downward travel, three fire balls launching from the outstretched weapon and slamming into Kvar, knocking him away from Lloyd.

The attack was timed perfectly, buying Liane enough time to slip in beside Lloyd and press the apple gel into his hand as she slipped under his arm and pulled him back, using Kratos' presence as cover. "Eat fast, Lloyd…" she murmured, looking up to see Genis open his stance and gesture out towards Kvar with his kendama.

"It's pancake time…" the young mage grinned as the mana of his rune circle dissolved, changing into a sparkling current that ran across the floor and momentarily pooled at Kvar's feet. "Stalagmite!"

Even as Genis' spell reared up beneath Kvar, large monoliths of rock erupting beneath his feet and then collapsing on him, the young elf ran to Lloyd's other side, helping Liane drag the swordsman further away as Lloyd popped the last of the gel into his mouth. "Yeah, Lloyd… for once, eat faster…" the younger boy hissed.

"That won't help, you fools…" Kvar snarled, staggering for just a moment before he surged forward again, side-stepping around Kratos in a rush as he approached the three younger fighters. Gripping his staff in both hands, he thrust the end of his staff into the floor and leapt up, hovering in the air as ring upon ring of runes began to radiate from the staff… spreading out and beneath all three of them.

"Go away…" Kvar bit out, landing and snatching his staff back, sweeping it out at them, the act seeming like it uncorked the building spell as the ground erupted in an upward rain of energy. "Guardian Shield!"

Liane, Genis, and Lloyd were blasted back by the very tangible streamers of light, scattering the three friends as Kvar laughed. Liane hit the floor harshly, sprawled face down behind the projector. "Uhnnn…" she groaned, wincing at the sharp sting of her forehead, her sword still clenched tightly in her hand as her mind screamed for her to get up. Lifting her head, she glared at Kvar as she stood, surveying his victims – her friends – as they were sprawled on the floor around her. "Bastard."

"Shut up, J620," Kvar snapped, rolling his eyes over to her in a show of exasperation. "Some discipline will do you all good…" he grinned for only a moment before the expression faltered, angry red tendrils of mana suddenly splintering out beneath his feet.

Kratos stood a few feet behind the Cardinal, his sword braced out before him as red runes spun around him, his bangs floating just a little before a hint of a smirk curled his lips, the runes illuminating his expression. "Ready…? Eruption!"

Kvar's scream echoed from the smooth walls as lava exploded beneath him before he could guard. But the howl encouraged Liane to press past the silent assessment she had been making of her own condition, reminding herself that she still had her sword, and she could still help stop Kvar. Stumbling just a little as she found her feet, Liane used the slight flail in her bid for balance to charge her blade and swing the mana away. "Demon Fang!" she called out, managing to stay upright for just long enough to see her attack strike the Desian before she fell back to her knees. _That's it… no more…._

"Aqua Edge!" Genis' weary voice could barely be heard over Kvar's groan as the Cardinal clung to his staff in a desperate bid to stay upright.

Liane could see a thin trail of blood creeping from the Genis' temple, but other than that, it didn't seem that he could be in too much worse shape than she was – tired, beaten-up, but still determined to finish the fight.

As the three pale discs of Genis' water attack crashed into the Cardinal, Lloyd stepped in closer, his shoulders heaving as he crossed his blades out before him. "Give up… Kvar…."

The Desian snorted, his disdain accompanied by what looked to be a pained cough as his hand swept out again. "Take this…" he wheezed, the air crackling once again around his staff. "Lightning!"

Despite the wobble in the swordsman's stance, he drew his swords protectively out in front of himself. "Guardian…" he commanded, his voice weaker with the bolt of Lightning bouncing off of his mana bubble. Lloyd only waited for a moment for Kvar's attack to dissipate before he ground his teeth and leapt up into the air, slashing at the Cardinal on the way up and then once more on the way down. "Tiger Blade!"

Kvar choked and stumbled forward, his chin dipping forward to his chest and his staff clattering to the ground as he collapsed to the floor. "I was… so… close…" he wheezed out before he slumped to the ground.

Lloyd leaned forward as the form of their adversary went limp, a tired exhale slipping from him just before he sucked it back in, a shimmering green glow absorbing into him as his eyes flickered back to Kratos. Offering the mercenary a quick nod, he straightened his frame and walked closer to Kvar. His expression darkened as he nudged the Cardinal with the side of his foot, both blades still clenched tightly in his hands. "I did it, Mom… you've been avenged…" he murmured softly.

Chewing the edge of her lip, Liane moved to her friend's side, placing her hand on his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Genis shimmer green for just a heartbeat, and she knew that their younger friend was safe. But her concern for Lloyd was still strong. He had fought so hard – taken a severe beating at the hands of Kvar. She could understand his desire to set things right, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if it was just another way he had found to punish himself for not remembering her – that he had lived while she had died?

At the sound of footsteps behind, Liane glanced over her shoulder and turned with Lloyd to see that the other part of their group had joined them. Colette approached to stand beside Lloyd, watching him with a worried eye as she looked from the swordsman and back to the crumpled form of Kvar.

"We've learned of Chocolate's location," Raine murmured a bit distractedly, looking between the members of Lloyd's party and the fallen Desian Cardinal.

Lloyd's posture stiffened at the Professor's words, looking around Colette to search the Professor's expression with an air of disbelief. "Really?"

"Ouch… good thing he's on the ground or I'd say you look worse than he does…" Sheena chuckled softly as she moved to stand with Liane, craning her neck just a little to offer Liane a sympathetic smile.

Liane sheathed her sword and reached up to her forehead, a sharp sting making her wince before she pulled her hand away to find her fingertips coated with a thin layer of sticky red. "Heh… yeah… leave it to me to be the one that can't figure out how to roll with a hit…" she shrugged, certain that she could feel Kratos' eyes on her from across the group. He had healed Lloyd and Genis both, but he hadn't even attempted such a feat for her. Dismissing the thought with a shrug, she tried to smile for the black-haired young woman. _It's not like you've been so receptive to it in the past…_ she chastised herself. "It'll heal fast enough. Maybe even remind me to not get thrown to the ground so much…."

"Oh, stop… you have healers here…" Sheena grabbed Liane's arm and started to tug her towards the Professor. "Hey, Raine – "

"Look out!"

Colette's voice rang out in the paneled room, shaking them all from their individual conversations in time to see the Chosen grab Lloyd and pull him back, spinning her back to Kvar, who had somehow found his feet again. The passage of time seemed to nearly grind to a halt as the glinting head of the Cardinal's staff sliced through the air. It was a deadly whisper in the stunned silence of the room – until the sickly sound of ripping fabric replaced it, Colette's defense of her friend leaving her vulnerable to the attack.

As Colette slumped forward into Lloyd's arms, the young swordsman could only gape at her, stunned. Colette?!"

Bracing herself against Lloyd's chest, the blonde girl looked up, searching his expression. "Lloyd… are you okay…?"

"Yeah…" Lloyd breathed out, staring back at her for a moment before looking over her shoulder to see Kvar wobble and drop his staff. "But you're…."

Liane stared in horror along with the others as a crimson gash began to stain the pristine white of the back of Colette's tunic. Without batting an eye, Colette had taken Lloyd's place before Kvar's attack, placing the importance of her life – the entire journey, even – behind that of her friend's. _No… it… it can't be over… not like this…!_

"I'm fine, really…" Colette protested, puling back just a little further to offer the swordsman and the others an almost out-of-place smile as Kvar turned and started to shuffle towards the back of the room, one hand clutched to his side.

"You bastard!" Lloyd snarled after the Cardinal's retreating form as Raine stepped forward to gather Colette protectively into her arms.

A soft 'poof' and a rush of air puzzled Liane for just a moment before she realized that Sheena had disappeared from her side, reappearing in front of Kvar – her card drawn across her chest and her glare cold on the Cardinal as she blocked his path. Drawing her own sword, Liane followed Sheena's example, moving before she even realized what she was doing to grab Kvar's arm and crank it up behind his back – a harsher version of a move she had learned out of necessity growing up around Lloyd and Genis. "You think you can just walk away?" she demanded, jerking him back closer despite how her skin crawled being that close to him. She spun him back to the others, the Desian's ragged breaths coming out as a hacked cough at the action. But before she could force Kvar back to the others, a sickly noise made her stop. She looked around the half-elf's shoulder to spot Lloyd standing before the Cardinal, one of his swords lodged in Kvar's gut, and hatred like she had never seen in him burning in his eyes.

Before Liane could even react to the sight, Kratos was before her as well, his hand closing over her forearm and jerking her away from Kvar. The mercenary met her eyes for only a moment before he flung her away from the Cardinal with one hand and silently echoed Lloyd's actions with his own sword. Barely able to keep from sprawling to the floor once again, Liane spun, ready to once again protest the mercenary's treatment, but the sight before her killed her angered words long before they could find breath.

"Kratos…" Kvar wheezed out, staring dumbly down at the blades that had pierced him below his armored chest plate before he blinked and glared back up to the mercenary. "You pathetic, inferior being!"

The mercenary advanced on Kvar, the Desian's weakening legs almost buckling as he took a step back, removing himself with a choke from both blades. The movement freed Kratos to draw his sword up, pausing to fix his predatory glare on Kvar before the blade arced back down, cutting into the Cardinal again. "Feel the pain…" Kratos ground out, using the momentum of his strike to follow the collapsing Desian with a second swing, "… of those inferior beings…" he continued as the second swing connected and Kvar crumbled to the ground, "… as you burn in hell!!"

Every part of the mercenary was visibly tensed as he stood over Kvar. Kratos continued to glare at his beaten foe in the stunned silence of the room until a long, tormented breath issued from the Desian and his form went utterly limp, his life skittering away from his grasp. The swordsman glared at Kvar's broken form for a moment longer before he finally drew a long breath and sheathed his sword, turning on his heel and striding to where Liane had been observing. His gaze was still cold as he reached out to push her bangs back, eyeing the raw, bloody scrape for a moment before he closed his eyes, pale runes swirling in the air around them.

Liane was frozen in place, startled by his sudden attention, much less his touch. She flinched as his fingers brushed lightly over the shallow scrape, though not entirely from the sting. Liane had just seen him kill… she could still see the bloodlust in his eyes, but at the same time, she couldn't look away – she couldn't move out of his reach. Any other time, she would have objected to what he was silently offering, but this time, she found herself unable to speak, much less move. Part of it was easily fear and shock – but she couldn't deny that at the moment, she _was_ afraid of him. But there was something else… something oddly reassuring as the runes blazed just a little brighter around them.

"Don't overdo it…" the mercenary whispered as he invoked his healing spell. "First Aid…" he completed the spell, watching for a moment as the steadily oozing wound slid closed before he removed his hand and let her bangs fall back down again. Then, with a sigh, he cast another last glance over his shoulder to Kvar and then stalked back across the room to the warp pad.

"Colette… that wound…"

Raine's concerned tone snapped Liane out of her thoughts, looking over to see that the Professor had turned Colette to inspect the gash that the Chosen had received from Kvar's attack. But even as her friends gathered around Colette, Liane couldn't keep her eyes from trailing after Kratos, watching as he found a place against the wall and leaned back against it, his chin falling forward enough to obscure any view of his face. It seemed obvious that he wanted to be alone – yet, she still felt that she should have said something – even a 'thank you.' Even though she hadn't asked for – nor did she think that she had needed – a healing spell, Liane frowned with guilt before she sighed and turned back to the others. Colette's needs were more pressing than those of the brooding mercenary at the moment.

Genis had already moved to the blonde girl's side, taking her hand in both of his. "Colette, hang on!"

Lloyd had slowly sheathed his blades, his complexion a shade paler than he normally wore as he had allowed his gaze to linger on Kvar's remains. Then he turned, his previously unreadable expression suddenly flashing to concern as he approached the Chosen, his frown deepening as he gently pushed at her shoulder to get her to turn. "Colette! Your wound…."

Quick to shake her head and offer her friends a bright smile, Colette pulled out of Lloyd's grip. "Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm really okay," she shrugged with an attempt at a laugh. "Fore some reason, it doesn't hurt. Strange, huh?"

"You certainly are not okay!" Sheena declared, obviously having her fill of Colette's attempted show of bravery. She turned to the Professor, her hands gesturing in helpless frustration. "Raine, you can use healing arts, right?!"

Raine nodded, but her eyes were shifting between Sheena and Colette as if she was struggling with something. "Yes, but…" the silver haired woman huffed.

Liane stepped closer to Colette, placing her hand on her shoulder, careful to avoid the girl's wounds. When Colette looked over to her, Liane was almost startled. While the Chosen had never liked people to worry over her – to be treated any differently because of her role of the Chosen – there was no pain in her eyes. There was a flicker of frustration, but no physical pain. "Colette…?" she murmured, trying to understand what was happening to her friend. Even if the wound was shallow – which it didn't appear to be – there should have been _something_… discomfort of some sort. Not that she wished it on her friend, but it simply was wrong to be utterly absent.

An exasperated grunt escaped from Lloyd. "Colette, I can't keep it a secret any longer!" he declared, drawing the group's puzzled expressions and concern to him. "Everyone, listen to what I have to say! Colette can no longer feel anything," he stated, blurting out a truth that it seemed he had been keeping painfully pent up.

"What?" Genis exclaimed, planting his hands on his hips, his eyes piercing the young swordsman in challenge. "What do you mean?"

"Colette is growing closer to becoming an angel," Lloyd sighed, offering Genis a helpless shrug before looking back to Colette. "Now, she can't sleep or feel hot or cold or pain or anything. She can't even cry! Becoming an angel means losing her humanity!" she swordsman stood, allowing his revelation to sink in to each of them before he sighed, his shoulders heaving as he met the blonde girl's eyes apologetically.

Liane turned, watching Colette, hoping she would tell Lloyd that he was wrong – that the price she was paying to save Sylvarant wasn't truly that high. But when Colette's gaze merely fell to the floor, she could see that such a denial wasn't going to come. _I… I don't wish her pain… but to not feel anything…?_

"Lloyd, it's okay…" Colette sighed, finally looking up to the swordsman with a smile – but this time, it was much more of a resolute expression – not one for forced reassurance. "I'm okay, so… right now, we need to do something about this ranch." She reached out to take his hand, seeking his eyes as if to guide his focus. "Right, Lloyd?"

Lloyd stared back at the Chosen for a long moment, almost as if he was trying to rally his objection to her words. But when such a stand didn't come, he nodded and glanced over his shoulder to the elder Sage sibling. "Professor, can you destroy it like last time?"

Raine continued to watch Colette, keeping her hand poised on her brother's shoulder before she sighed and turned, her eyes searching the nearby banks of controls. "I'll give it a try," she murmured distractedly, her fingers hovering over a row of buttons before she began pressing them one by one.

"That's kind of extreme," Sheena grumbled before she shrugged and drew her card from the pink sash at her waist, "… but I suppose it is the best idea."

The lights overhead once again began to blink crimson, alarms filling the air as Raine turned back to the group and pointed to the warp pad. "That's it… we have to go… now…" the Professor insisted. "Colette… can you…"

The blonde girl nodded as Lloyd slipped under her arm. "I'll be fine – don't worry. Besides, we have to make sure all the prisoners got out, too."

As the others started to file out of the room, Liane glanced over to Sheena as they waited their turn to leave. "Prisoners? You found them all, then?" she asked as Raine flickered from their sight and they stepped up to take her place as the last pair of the group to evacuate the control room.

"All of them that hadn't been transferred," Sheena answered with a dejected shrug. "It's not everyone… but if we can get anyone out of here, it's worth it."

Liane nodded in agreement and tensed as the pad hummed to life beneath them. As the room began to fade around then, she allowed her eyes to fall on Kvar's shell once again. _This ends here, Kvar. You'll never have me… or my friends._

_- - - - -_

The ground shook from the residual death-throes of the Asgard Human Ranch and Liane finally ventured a look over the boulder that she had chosen for shelter from the blast. Flames still burned around the perimeter of the compound, but the fallout seemed to have finally settled, making it seem at least a little safer to come out of hiding. The others were scattered in the woods nearby along with the prisoners that Raine's party had released.

_It's over…_ she told herself, standing and brushing the dust from her blue tunic. The ranch would no longer offer the Desians a place to torture humans – to grow and harvest their Exspheres. _There's still another ranch…_ she frowned at the thought of the compound that still shadowed her hometown – how the same thing was happening there and likely had been for years. _The journey… it should still stop the Desians… right?_ She tried to nurse the encouraging thought, attempting to distract herself from thoughts of ever having to return to another ranch. Then she spotted Lloyd not too far away, helping Colette to her feet – Genis and Raine gravitating closer to them – and Kratos milling just a little further away amongst the prisoners. _If it needs to be done… we'll do it…._

"There she is!"

Turning at the sound of Sheena's voice, she stopped short when she found herself face to face with a ghost from her recent past. "W-Wendall?" she sputtered as the black-haired girl giggled and patted the weaponsmith on the back as she walked away.

"See? Told ya she was here…" Sheena grinned, offering Liane something similar to an innocent shrug. "You two… talk. I'll go see what's going on with the others…."

"Sheena…" Liane exhaled, shaking her head a little at the other girl's not-so-sneaky attempt at matchmaking. Even through she knew her cheeks were warm, she finally turned to meet Wendall's amused brown eyes. "I'm… glad you're okay…" she managed along with a smile for her new friend.

Wendall laughed a little awkwardly, still doing his best to keep her eyes. "Yeah, Dad is, too… they never got around to doing much with our group," he shrugged. "But I was really worried about you and Sheena – no one seemed to remember either of you being here. When Sheena came in with the other women, she said you were safe, too," he smiled a little, running one hand back through his hair. "I didn't mean to embarrass you… I didn't think she'd just drag me over here like this…."

"Oh, I'm not embarrassed," Liane lied, rewarded for the act with an even hotter burning in her cheeks. "I'm just glad you're safe…" she sighed, her fluster giving way to her memories of Luin's current state. "Luin is going to need your skills if it's going to be rebuilt."

The black haired man's smile faded at her words, exhaling as he turned his gaze to the south. "Luin always rebuilds," he sighted before he looked back to her. "It will just be even better now… the ranch is gone." His smile returned a little as he tilted his head to watch her. "Thanks to the Chosen and all of you."

"Wendall…" she started to protest, but then chuckled. "I told you that you give my fighting skills way too much credit. I was there, but I didn't do much…" Liane shrugged, one hand moving to close over the handle of her sword.

Wendall smiled, nodding as his eyes followed her hand. "I'm sure you did fine… a new sword puts new life into every fighter… I'm certain that at very least, you were safer. A Silver Sword is really a good choice…."

Liane glanced down, kicking herself for being surprised that he of all people would notice her new weapon. With a small laugh, she drew the blade about halfway from its sheath. At least it will hold an edge," she smiled as the smith leaned down a little to inspect the weapon. "A… friend… gave it to me after I lost my short sword," she explained, not entirely certain that her description of the mercenary was correct, but at a loss for finding anything more precise.

"He's good that you have friends like that," Wendall nodded appreciatively as he stood, his eyes moving to a group that was gathering nearby. He was quiet for a long moment before he finally looked back down to her. "Liane… you know… if Luin is as bad as I've heard… there will be plenty of jobs there… both rebuilding and after…?"

She looked up to him, her eyes widening. _Is he… asking me to come back?_ Her mind chewed over the implication, momentarily speechless before she found her smile for him again. "Maybe… once the journey is over, I'll give it another try. But right now…" Liane sighed, shaking her head. "Now, I'd worry about them too much."

Chuckling, Wendall nodded and took a step back. "I think you've figured out that Luin has room for everyone. If you decide to come back, I'm sure you'll find a place."

Liane actually felt bad for just a moment. She had been so certain that Luin was where she belonged… now she was certain that it simply wasn't the time. Somehow, the uncertainty of the journey had become more of a draw to her than a single place to call her own. Her worries, her thoughts, and her heart would be with her friends – it didn't make sense for the rest of her not to be as well. "I'll be back, Wendall…" she smiled. "And if we pass through again before the journey is over, I'll be sure to stop and say 'hello' –"

"Liane. We are leaving."

Jumping at the intrusion of the mercenary's voice, Liane glanced over her shoulder to find Kratos standing behind her, his arms crossed impatiently. "Oh, okay…" she murmured as she turned back to Wendall again. "I guess… I have to go…" Liane sighed, stepping to the side so that the two men could face each other. "This is Kratos Aurion… one of my friends from the journey…" she offered, deciding not to toy with semantics for the moment as she glanced back to the mercenary. "Kratos, this is –"

"Wendall Thane…" Wendall thrust his hand out to the swordsman without hesitation. "Nice to meet you!"

Kratos regarded the younger man for a moment as if searching him for something before he nodded curtly. But he made no effort to accept the greeting. "Yes. Liane, if you are coming, we're leaving. Now…" Without another word, he turned and strode back toward the others, leaving Liane to stare after him and Wendall to chuckle a little as he drew his hand back to his side.

"Goddess… I knew he wasn't a people person, but…" Liane breathed out, almost ashamed for Kratos' behavior. "I'm so sorry…!"

Wendall waved off her concern with a laugh. "When you see as many swordsmen as I do, you pretty much have to expect them to be cold. Don't worry about it." He looked up, watching the other man's retreating form for a moment before he shook his head. "Maybe I've just met him before, though. He seems familiar…."

Liane's frown was beyond her control. _'Cat-toes! Cat-toes!'_ the voice from her dream rang in her memories before she finally recovered enough to shrug. "Maybe… I guess most mercenaries aren't known for their manners, huh?" she tried to laugh as she faced him again. "I guess I have to go… but… be careful, okay? Luin is in pretty bad shape."

"It won't be the next time you see it," Wendall laughed, taking another step back from her. "You be careful, too. Get him to teach you some new tricks to go with that new sword…" he grinned, turning and offering her a wave over his shoulder. "Bye, Liane…."

"Bye, Wendall…" she sighed, watching him walk back to the other prisoners before she shook her head. Liane knew that this was the only decision she could truly make – not being with her friends at that moment was not an option. Squaring her shoulders, she embraced the truth in realization and started walking towards where Lloyd and all of the others stood near the path that led away from the ranch.

"Aww, come on… you could have at least kissed him goodbye," Genis whined as she got closer, his smug giggle answered by a swift snap of his sister's hand to the back of his head. "Owwwww!"

Lloyd snickered where he remained under Colette's arm, starting to guide her as Kratos led the group down the path. "Hey, as long as I get to be there when Michael figures out he's been replaced, I don't care what else she does."

"Michael will be sad…" Colette chimed in with a shrug, her voice still not betraying any sign of pain as she smiled back to Liane before holding her hand to her mouth and giggling.

"Colette… not you, too…" Liane groaned before she shot a glare at Sheena. "You planned all of this, didn't you?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Sheena blinked, her expression a mask of innocence. "He was worried – I pointed him in your direction. Not my fault your friends enjoy the drama this much. I didn't tell them anything."

Liane sighed as she heard Lloyd and Genis snickering ahead of her. "Leaving it to their imaginations is even worse…" she groaned, shaking her head as Kratos led them out onto the plains and then to the east. "We're not going back to Luin?"

"They decided Asgard would be a safer place for Colette to rest," the former assassin shrugged. "Personally, the idea of a roof over my head for the night is sounding pretty good at the moment, so I'm not complaining."

_Here we go again…_ Liane's mind whispered, unable to voice an opinion either way. It was almost as if she'd never left. Other than the new member of their party, everything was falling back into step again after the obstacle Luin and the Asgard Ranch had presented to them all had been conquered. While it seemed that Kratos had wavered for a moment on being kinder to her, she felt completely shut out once again. _And why was he so rude to Wendall? Like he cares who my friends are. I'm just never going to figure him out, _she snorted softly, shaking her head.

* * *

Liane turned in her blankets, packing her pillow closer into the corner in yet another futile effort to get comfortable. She wasn't tired – and closing her eyes was no different from keeping them open – either way, she was simply awake in the dark. 

_It's all so much worse than we thought…._

As much as she wanted to kick herself for it, it was the truth. Looking back, it was so obvious that there would be a price for something so miraculous as the regeneration of an entire world. But just the very essence of 'becoming' meant that something was changed – something was left behind.

_Angels shouldn't have to know what suffering is… should they?_

Maybe Colette was right – maybe once her transformation was complete, maybe she would be better. _But… why would anyone just be born for the purpose of suffering? If she was meant to be an angel… shouldn't she simply have been born one?_ It just still didn't seem right – the welfare of the entire world on one girl's shoulders. It didn't matter that it was how it had always been – that didn't make any better.

The sound of a pillow falling to the floor tickled the edges of her hearing and coaxed her to sit up. Sheena had been sleeping restlessly since the lights had been turned out. The Professor had insisted on Colette staying in her room, allowing Genis to stay with Lloyd and Kratos. _She still doesn't trust Sheena… _Liane breathed out as she reached for her boots and pulled them on. She could hardly blame the elven woman, not when she had been hesitant to trust Sheena as well. But the girl had fought alongside them… he concern for Colette had even seemed sincere enough – even though convincing the Chosen to stop her quest would still go along with Sheena's original apparent motives. _At least it seems we've evolved from trying to kill each other, though… that has to count for something…._

Fastening her sword belt, Liane carefully crossed the room and opened the door as quietly as she could, trying not to disturb her roommate's rest. As the light from the hallway flooded in through the cracked door, she paused to pick up Sheena's pillow and place it carefully back on the edge of her bed before she slipped out of the room and down the stairs to the lobby. Nodding a quick greeting to the weary-looking night desk clerk, she pulled the front door of the inn open and stepped out into the chilled night air.

Glancing to her left, Liane frowned and shook her head, forbidding herself from wandering that way - she still didn't understand what had happened the last time she had given her feet control to wander where they would, and she wouldn't make that mistake again. _I'll go back up to the ruins if nothing else…_ she sighed, tugging her sleeves down around her hands. Liane knew she should be exhausted – the fight had drained almost all of her meager supply of mana, and just the thought of facing the Cardinal was draining. Sure, they had won, but who was to say that the next fight wouldn't be worse – a pattern that could easily carry through to the end of the journey.

It was thoughts like that that kept sleep at bay for her. _If we have to fight, we'll fight…_she sighed. _'You all need to learn to see beyond the moment stop living from fight to fight…'_ Kratos' words came back to her as she walked down the darkened path, what was left of the mom almost entirely obscured by clouds. _'There will always be another fight. A tougher fight… sometimes against things that you never even thought you'd face…'_ she whispered, almost surprised at how cleanly she remembered the mercenary's now almost-prophetic comments. She had never thought she'd be a ranch prisoner – she didn't think she would be back with her friends after she'd left to find her own way. But all of it had come to pass already. _I guess he's right… dreading what could come next distracts us from what will happen in the end… we have to have a goal… not just live in fear…._ While it shouldn't have been that much of a revelation, it still gave her some comfort.

Drawing a deep breath of the cold night air, Liane glanced ahead to see the shadowed arch that seemed to function as the entry portal for Asgard. While she was armed, she didn't think that venturing out of the town alone was probably a wise choice. So she turned, her eyes surveying the silent town that seemed to melt into the rock cliffs by night. _Guess I should head back… maybe I can –_

"When will I finally be able to stop saying, "I didn't know"?"

Liane froze at the sound of the voice she knew all too well, her eyes flickering up to try to spot Lloyd. Not far ahead of her, she spotted two figures sitting on the edge of a small stone footpath that bridged the gap that above the passage back to one of Asgard's famous caves.

_Kratos?_

"Not knowing is not a crime…" the mercenary's quiet voice answered Lloyd's question.

Liane was certain that she never would have heard them had they not been surrounded by stone that saw fit to share the conversation with her.

"Crime is remaining complacent in your ignorance and feeling no shame. Humans are… far too powerless to know everything," Kratos continued, almost swallowed into the shadows beside Lloyd.

The younger swordsman's answering sigh rang out as he kicked his heels back into the stone. Neither of the men showed any sign of recognizing her presence, so she stepped a little closer to the nearby storefront. Lloyd needed guidance at the moment – with all that he had learned and done over the last few days. He had been so sullen as Raine had shooed him from Colette's side, his unwillingness to accept what was happening almost painful to watch.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Lloyd finally cobbled his words together with almost a growl in his tone. "But I still hate the fact that I didn't know. I feel so ashamed for not knowing anything about my parents."

_His parents?_ Liane had been expecting her friend to be brooding over the role fate had cast Colette into… but even at that, she knew that after all this time, she should know Lloyd better than that. It was all falling on him at once – the truths of Colette's duty and their journey, pieces of his own lost past – it seemed almost cruel to not think that Lloyd would be grasping for a way to make sense of it all. _Oh, Lloyd… no one blames you…._ She wanted to go to him, but he was already confiding in Kratos – she didn't want him to pull back into himself.

"Your parents care only that you are well. Even if you don't know anything about them, your safety is enough."

Liane's jaw fell open in surprise at the mercenary's amazingly sensitive reply. After he had been so cold to the boy before when the topic had come up, she was amazed at the words he used – not to mention the fact that he even sounded sincere. _If I hadn't heard it with my own ears…._

Lloyd glanced over to Kratos with a shrug. "I wonder if you're right…" he mumbled, pulling himself to his feet and shoving his hands into his pockets. "I hope so." The teen's voice died on a gust of howling wind that served to shatter the quiet of the moment, and then he chuckled. "I'm going to try to go to bed then… thanks, Kratos…" he murmured before he wandered back across the bridge and hopped down the last ramp to the lower level of the town.

Barely having enough time to duck into the passage to the cave, Liane watched Lloyd pass by, grateful that he didn't seem to notice that she was there. She hadn't wanted to intrude – and making her presence known would have only delayed or denied the swordsman his chance to vent. Waiting for Lloyd to get closer to the inn, Liane started to move to follow after him, planning on staying in the shadows as long as she could to avoid making a scene.

"Haven't we already played out this scene?"

Liane cringed, her head snapping up to see Kratos leaning over the edge of the footbridge and watching her, his elbows braced on his knees and his hands clasped out before him. "I… didn't want to disturb you… or Lloyd… I thought that if he had seen me –"

"I saw you when you wandered by the first time," Kratos sighed, sitting back on the bridge. "It would seem that sleep is being somewhat elusive tonight?"

Liane chewed her lip in momentary indecision, finally turning and making her way up the ramps to the footbridge herself. When Kratos didn't move – or act to stop her, she sat down on the edge of the bridge as well, somehow keeping herself from asking if he was going to try to choke her for eavesdropping. "There's… just a lot to think about…" she shrugged, dropping her eyes to the ground below, almost groaning as she realized how she and her ivory tunic must have been so obvious. _Lloyd must have been really distracted…._

"So it would seem…" Kratos murmured in response. "The assassin is asleep?"

"Her _name_ is Sheena," Liane sighed, shaking her head a little. "And yes… she's asleep, though I'm not sure how with the way she's tossing and turning…."

Kratos was silent as another gust of wind wrapped over them finally drawing a breath when the wind settled. "You haven't been to sleep either?"

"Liane chuckled softly and shrugged, her hands curling over the cool stone edge beneath her. "A lot has happened in the last few days… not exactly sleep-promoting."

"I suppose so."

Frowning as her mind began to formulate a barrage of questions. Liane knew she couldn't push too hard, or things would end up like the night before… with Kratos shutting down and her angry at him for it. So she finally chose one and worked with the wording, deciding it actually could lead into another question that she had. "Kratos… why didn't you want me to go to Kvar? Is it because you think I'm weak?" she asked, careful to keep her voice even and unaccusing.

"I felt that it was unnecessary with what you had already faced in the ranch…" Kratos replied casually, hardly waiting long enough for her to finish her question. Yet, despite answering her, he still didn't look at her – instead, he kept his gaze fixed out over the darkened town. "And I don't think you are weak."

She was surprised enough by his explanation, but, when he continued, her eyes grew wide. "Then… maybe… you can teach me more with my sword?" she ventured hesitantly, knowing that she was already pushing her luck after already receiving the closest thing to a compliment that she had ever gotten from him.

He turned to her, the breeze tossing his bangs just a little – just enough to allow her a glimpse of his piercing mahogany eyes. "Do you think you are strong enough to learn more?"

Liane considered his question, chewing at the edge of her lip once again. Her pride wanted her to answer to answer him, and answer him quickly, but she somehow managed to take a moment to try to construct her answer. "You told me that I have to push – that I have to be ready to press what I know I can do – "

"That's not an answer. I _asked_ if _you_ think you are strong enough."

Hesitating for only a moment, Liane's temper flared just a little at his tone. "I _know_ I am," she answered with a defensive tone she had held at bay for too long. "I need options. Two sword techniques and a wind spell get to be fairly useless pretty quick," she shook her head. "And I want to learn more spells, too." _Might as well nail the coffin shut and give him the whole list…._

Kratos snorted, chuckling quietly as he again looked away. "Spells will be harder on you. You're lucky to be able to cast the spell you have without an Exsphere."

"Then I cast a single stronger spell and don't have to use my sword techniques as much. I'm willing to accept that," she shrugged, setting her jaw. "If I'm going to be here, I'm going to make a difference. And if you won't teach me, I'll ask Genis. But I won't be the token girl with a sword – I want to hold my own. These are my friends – this is my world – too."

The wind blew between them once again, filling up the silence that fell in the wake of her declaration. "We will work on your lessons the next time we get a chance. But you will remember – you asked for it. I never claimed to be a teacher. It is simply better than watching you and Lloyd haphazardly hack your way through the journey."

Liane nodded, inwardly pleased that he had agreed to her request – feeling like she had somehow measured up to whatever standards he was holding for her. She exhaled, glad for the first part of her victory, but the small triumph pressing her further yet. "May I ask you a question?"

He sighed, shifting his weight forward on the edge of the path. "No one can stop you from asking a question, Liane."

'_But it doesn't mean that I'll answer…'_ Liane could easily read the unspoken continuation of his statement in his tone and she sighed. _Guess there's no harm in trying…_. "Why were you so short with Wendall this afternoon? He was only trying to be polite…."

"There was no point in standing around talking when we still had to make it here by sunset," Kratos responded quietly, shrugging beneath his cloak. "No offense meant. I take it that you met him while you were in Luin?"

Liane tilted her head at him, curious at how Kratos was working in questions of his own. "I don't think he was offended – but I was kind of embarrassed… and yes. He worked in the weaponshop in Luin. He actually tried to fix my sword for me… not that that matters any more, I guess…" she sighed. "But he was kind to me… and I just couldn't figure out why you snubbed him like that."

Kratos sat motionless, still staring out ahead of them. "I already told you why."

"Do you know him?" she pressed, sitting forward a little to try to see his expression. While she couldn't say for certain that he wasn't simply being his usual guarded self, there was still something that continued to bother her about his evasiveness.

"Possibly… it's not as if I've never been to Luin before," Kratos shrugged before he pushed himself to his feet. "But I'm not sure what that has to do with this?"

Liane's eyes followed the mercenary. He didn't seem to be avoiding her questions – and it was still very much possible that her mind was simply grasping at straws to prepare herself for whatever attack that he would launch on her. _Wendall did say he was used to mercenaries coming in all the time…_ "You've been there… recently?"

"No," Kratos shook his head, regarding her for a moment longer before he turned and walked past her. "Not for a while…" he muttered as he started across the cliff and down the ramps.

Frowning, Liane exhaled as she watched Kratos walk the road below her, the shadows swallowing him a little more with every step until he disappeared from her sight. _Guess the conversation is over…_ her mind grumbled as she drew her feet up and hugged her knees to her chest. He had agreed to her request – that was as much as she could hope for in her ambiguous relationship with the swordsman. But no matter how he blocked or avoided her, no matter how much she wanted to hate him at times, somehow, things always boiled down to an uneasy truce. Somehow, the aloof mercenary could always find a way to surprise her – usually just before she was ready to write him off completely.

_He talks to Lloyd, he protects and heals the rest of us, he gave me a sword…_ she sighed and released her knees, crawling back to her feet before she dusted herself off and set out back to the inn as well. But as she reached the bottom of the last ramp, she stopped, a particularly frigid wind whipping around her as her eyes widened. As if the wind had frozen her shifting thoughts on Kratos, a truth emerged – something she couldn't justify by any one action or reaction, much less a combination thereof. Despite everything – even the times that she couldn't help but fear for her life at his hands even…

_I… I trust him??_


	15. Chapter 16

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Chosen's journey is drawing to a close, but how does the party feel about that? Their time now short and the Regeneration getting closer with every passing day, how would they all progress after? It's that reluctance that brings their promises back into focus… and buys them at least a little more time together….

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 16:

The decision to return to Hima had been made over breakfast, the campaign led by Colette, Raine, and – in a surprising show of agreement with the professor – Sheena. It was clear that the common theme behind the return to the Village of Adventurers was Pietro's welfare – and Kratos was hard-pressed to offer too much resistance to the idea. While he had no great love of Hima, it was a break that the group seemed to need – the Asgard Human Ranch had taken at very least a physical toll on all of them – if not an emotional one as well.

And – in that – Kratos was no different.

The swordsman trailed along at the back of the party, partially observing his companions, and partially reinforcing his own defenses. Even if none of them had fully realized it, Kvar and his ranch had pushed Kratos. Pushing past his 'breaking point' was redundant – that point had been reached and exceeded years before. That was the only reason that he could continue to be where he was – who he was – considering who he was with and what he was guiding them all towards. But he was still pushed, reminders of _that_ life almost making him consider abandoning the party – facing Yggdrasill and refusing to play his game any longer. Such a play would likely cost him his life, but he had to almost wonder if it wouldn't be better – it would certainly be easier.

He snorted softly at that, plucking his thoughts sharply out of such useless musings and back to his companions. Sacrificing himself would only lend to Yggdrasill's amusement – and would likely only stir the Cruxis Lord's madness further.

And… on top of all that… how else could he stay in a position to still chance being able to see his one time idealistic goals finally come to fruition. Lloyd could still succeed where he had failed – he would simply have to light the way without making the younger swordsman realize that he was actually learning.

_Which would be so much easier if I even knew the lessons to teach in the first place…._

That had been the thought that had drawn him away from the inn the night before in the first place. It had been the thought that had gotten him to separate himself from the others – only to have Lloyd… and then Liane… gravitate to him, each harboring their own thoughts that he could only idly encourage. How it could always be Lloyd or Liane that could find him at the moment that he least wanted to offer them guidance or insight was utterly beyond him – but more and more, it seemed to be the standing rule.

"Mom… I've avenged you…."

The whispered declaration made Kratos' eyes snap open, grimacing at how easily he could lose himself to such thoughts. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder to see that he had walked right past Lloyd – the younger swordsman having planted himself in the middle of the path as it opened to the northern plains of the continent. Lloyd's attention was fixed on the mountainous horizon, a deep frown set into his features.

Kratos sighed and turned, allowing the others to get ahead of them. There was no need to stop them… _not for this._ "Lloyd," he started as he approached the brown haired teen, noting his jump of surprise with a suppressed groan. Lloyd's fierce protectiveness of his friends and family had been stoked beyond belief by recent events. _If that's what it took, so be it_. _He needs it… he can't lose it._ "The one who killed your mother was your father. Are you really able to say you've avenged her?" he asked, forbidding himself the cringe that he felt for even considering asking the boy such a thing.

Lloyd turned, slowly taking his eyes from the far off and unseen ruins that had held his attention, their brown depths gradually regaining their focus before he finally started to shake his head. "The one who created the situation that forced Dad to kill Mom was Kvar. Right?"

_If only it was that simple…._

"Indeed," Kratos nodded, fighting back a jolt of surprise at how Lloyd seemed to have thought things out, especially with as distraught as he had been the night before. Somehow, he had expected to have to offer the boy more reassurance – but Lloyd's words didn't seem forced. In fact… he almost sounded at peace with the explanation. "It was a silly question. I'm sorry…" Kratos murmured with a small shrug, starting to turn to follow after the rest of the party. Lloyd had boiled the situation down to one he could understand and cope with – not laying blame with his lost and forgotten father seemingly by choice. _But what if his father wasn't so 'lost' after all…? I wonder what he'd say to the man that actually took his mother's life…._

"No, don't worry about it," Lloyd shook his head as he slid his hands into his pockets and took a few quick steps to catch up to the mercenary. "Really… I mean, if everything Kvar said was true, then Mom… she was no different than Marble… or Clara…" he murmured, his voice soft as he still seemed to be sorting through all that he had learned. He lifted his left hand, his eyes fixing on the stone that shone brightly back at him in the sunlight. "But… something like that… yeah, I know I was little and all, but I don't remember any of it." He sighed, shaking his head. "I know Mom died… Dad – Dirk – buried her. But my father… my real Dad… he could have died – or been captured… I mean, the same thing could have ended up happening to him. Kvar's gone now, so I might never know."

The boy's solemn reflections were so uncharacteristic of him that Kratos almost couldn't stand it. Yet, he still forced himself to keep his eyes straight-ahead, not trusting himself enough for anything else. He possessed the answers Lloyd sought – at least some of what had happened that day and what had become of his father – but he couldn't help but think that Lloyd would hate knowing far more than he did forgetting. "Sometimes our minds make the decision for us what to remember and what to forget. It's usually safer that way."

With a sigh, Lloyd's shoulders fell. "That doesn't mean it's fair or that I have to like it."

"No… it doesn't," Kratos agreed, chancing a glance down to the boy at his side. _Forgive me, Lloyd… I could give you what you're asking for… but it could only end up hurting you worse - _I_ could end up hurting you worse – if I did…._

"Hey, Lloyd! Come look at his book Harley gave us!" Genis called back, making the younger swordsman jump. "You sure Dirk can engrave all the patterns to make this work?"

Lloyd chuckled, his mood brightening just a bit at his friend's call that seemed to have finally broken his somber mood. "Hey, if anyone could do it, Dad definitely can…" he declared proudly starting to quicken his pace to catch up to his younger friend before he spun, walking backwards for a few steps. "Thanks, Kratos…" he smiled, his grin warming to something more sincere before he quickly turned and hurried back to Genis' side.

Kratos sighed, knowing he had done nothing to earn Lloyd's thanks – he had simply let him vent. And, while that might have been something he needed, it was hardly what the boy deserved. He owed Lloyd so much more. But even as those thoughts simmered beneath the cool façade he had rebuilt, he fell back into his place at the back of the group. He was actually grateful – and a bit envious – for Lloyd not remembering. He had no idea what he would say to the boy if he did remember… just as much as he was at a loss for what to say to Liane.

He could only guess that her episodes were still vague enough that she could write them off. But he was still certain of some of the things she had seen, even if she wouldn't speak of them. Kratos' eyes drifted over the group ahead of him before they settled on Liane, who was passing the trip across the plains flanked by Colette and Sheena. Their idle chatter was quiet, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be if he walked beside her – more uncomfortable silence – or more questions that he simply knew he wouldn't be able to answer to her satisfaction?

So far – and without fail – every time they had visited a place that had played a part in the history he had shared with his wife, Liane had had some form of reaction – as near as he could tell, in the form of dreams or visions. _So what did she see in Luin?_ Not only hand she spent time there, she had been befriended by yet another living link to Anna – and she had been to the weapon shop. Wendall had grown tall and strong from the looks of it, but Kratos simply wondered what he could have awakened – if anything. Anna had been so fond of the little boy – would Liane recognize that on her own – had she?

_She deserves better than this, too…._

From what he had seen, Liane hadn't confided what she was seeing in anyone. Perhaps it was a form of denial that she needed. But the fact remained that he wasn't supposed to know what he she was seeing, either. _There has to be some way to free her from this. _Even if it would never answer his questions of why or how it had happened… _no one should be haunted by a life that was never theirs._

Kratos set his jaw, noting that they were staying to the path that would take them around Luin to the north. _I need to know what she's seen… it could affect everything… if she knows who I am._ The journey was entering a critical stage, and while he truly didn't believe that she did, it was something that seemed could come to her at the correct trigger – and likely at the worse possible time.

_Maybe… there is a way…_ his thoughts whispered with a reluctant tone in his mind. _I'll just need to decide what I'll have to do if it should happen to work…._

_- - - - - _

The sun was just starting to dip beneath the western horizon when the Chosen and her companions started up the worn mountain path to Hima. While there was still light thanks to the golden hue of the canyon rocks, it was unlikely they would travel any further that night.

Their first priority – once again as dictated by Colette – was to seek out Pietro. While they still didn't bear the healing technique they had promised to return with, the Chosen had decided that Sophia and Pietro deserved to know what had happened and that helping the ex-prisoner was next on their plans.

Even with Colette being such a kind girl, Kratos still couldn't shake the feeling that she was stalling. Yggdrasill would say she was – and that Kratos was aiding that.

The mercenary smirked humorlessly. _And I would agree._ He had originally just wanted to get it all over with, but the longer he traveled with the group, the more he realized that they were truly getting stronger – with enough time, he was actually hopeful that they could put a large hole in Yggdrasill's plans. If he could help buy them that time without forcing Yggdrasill's temper to the breaking point, then he would.

As they approached the small village, there was a murmur of excitement that could be felt without the aid of any enhanced senses. Kratos' hand tensed over the handle of his sword as he walked a bit faster, skirting the perimeter of the party to place himself at the front of whatever was happening ahead.

Lloyd paused at the first split in the path, noting the gathering crowd in the area outside the inn. "What's that? It looks like there's something going on in front of the inn," he muttered before he drew his swords and started down the path to the inn.

Kratos almost groaned as he saw the others fall in beside the younger swordsman. A disturbance large enough to attract the whole town was either something petty that would make weapons unnecessary – or a fight that would be severely crippled by the proximity of onlookers.

As the party rounded the corner of the inn, a man in a tattered tunic stumbled back through the gathered crowd. It only took him a moment to regain his balance and then shift his grip on his sword, motioning over his shoulder with a cocky grin. "All right, it's weakening! Finish it off!"

It was at that moment that Kratos could see through the crowd, his eyes widening at the sight of the distorted being that stood cornered against the inn. His hand fell from his own sword as he froze. His more coherent thoughts recognized the creature as Dorr's wife, Clara – but a quiet voice in the back of his mind that he couldn't block out saw more….

_No…._

"Stop!" Lloyd's voice rang out over the anxious murmurs of the crowd as the teen planted himself between the adventurer and Clara. He kept his blades crossed out before him to fend off any resistance he might get as Liane and Sheena moved to his left and Genis to his right, effectively barricading Clara from the villagers as Colette and Raine slipped through the crowd to approach Clara.

The adventurer snarled at the strangers that had turned themselves into obstacles. "Don't interfere!" he barked out, gesturing to Clara with the tip of his sword. "This is _our_ prey!"

Even as Kratos heard the Professor try to reason with the creature that had once been Clara, he was already cursing himself. Clara's instincts were forcing her to wander, but who was to say how much control she had? She was cornered like a wounded animal – anyone could see how easy it was to write her off as exactly that. But Kratos couldn't force himself to move – to protect Clara, to protect his companions, or even to protect the villagers. _Is that what she would have become? Nothing more than a thing to be hunted?_

It was in the next heartbeat that a bone-chilling and distinctly inhuman scream filled the air and Clara rushed forward, slamming into Raine even as Colette stumbled backwards, landing soundly on her backside in the dust. Clara's head reared back as her escape path had been cleared, allowing her to shuffle off down the mountain path with no further sign of aggression.

"Dammit!" the man with the sword spat out, glaring at Lloyd and his companions as they continued to block them away from the creature's retreat. He growled out, gesturing over his shoulder to a handful of other armed villagers. "After that monster!"

Lloyd glanced down the road that led from the town, smirking a bit smugly as he stepped aside to let the riled-up villagers pass. Kratos sighed and resisted a smirk of his own – Lloyd had been buying Clara time to escape – or at very least get a head start. While he could truly only guess at what was going through the teen's mind at that moment, he wondered if it was at least similar to his own thoughts – if he had seen more in Clara this time as well. After the angry men disappeared, he saw the party relax a bit even as the crowd began to dissipate as well. Lloyd turned to check on the Chosen and the Professor, but Kratos noticed that Liane had moved to the side, staring off after Clara and the others pensively as her sword still hung loosely in her grip. With another quick glance to make sure Raine and Colette had made it to their feet, Kratos moved a few steps closer to the dark-haired girl. "Liane…."

Liane's frame stiffened as she jumped at the sound of his voice, and she spun so that her back was to the inn and her eyes were fixed on his. "Huh? Everyone's okay… aren't they?" she asked, clearly stalling as she gathered her thoughts back from their startled scatter.

"Everyone's fine…" Kratos replied, keeping her gaze until she blinked and looked away. Inwardly, he sighed, knowing she was once again walling away any thoughts the situation might have spawned in her. "And you…?"

"Huh? Me? I'm fine…" she blurted, shaking her head with what he suspected was a forced laugh as she sheathed her sword. "I… was just hoping that Clara made it far enough away before they could catch up to her…" Liane finally frowned, exhaling as she turned to glance back to her friends. "She's just trying to survive…" she murmured, starting to walk back to the others.

Kratos allowed his eyes to follow her, his mind taking note of her behavior. While her tone was full of sympathy for Clara, there was something else that struck him as odd – the same sympathy the girl offered her friends and strangers alike was tainted by a note of helplessness – a cold bit of resolve that she might not have even realized was there. He watched as she walked over to stand beside the Professor, her arms wrapped around her middle as she listened to her friends, interacting with them as she worked herself into their conversation.

Once again, it was neither the time or the place to push her, so even while he wondered if he even should consider doing so in the first place, he walked over to rejoin the others as well.

As the mercenary leaned back against the wall of the inn, his arms crossed in a constructed show of indifference, Genis walked up to his sister, his hand outstretched. "Clara dropped this…" he shrugged, watching Raine as if to ask if the metallic object in his had held some significance.

"This is…" Raine's eyes widened a little as she plucked the tarnished key from her brother's hand, holding it up to inspect it by the fading light of the sunset, "… the key to the Tower of Mana."

Lloyd leaned over her hand, studying the key for himself before he stood back. "I see. Clara was the one that took the key to the Tower."

"Clara took the key…" Liane repeated, a note of disbelief in her tone. "Maybe that's where she was heading then?" she murmured quietly, glancing over to Sheena absently as she tried to figure out if there was actually a pattern to the creature's wandering – if there really could be.

"So, wait… Clara… is a human that's had their Exsphere removed?" the black-haired girl shuddered. "But… I thought that when… _that_ happened, the person was lost… that they just became monsters. Why would she have taken a key to something like the Tower of Mana?"

Liane sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe she didn't do it intentionally. Either way, those men are still hunting her. Lloyd promised Dorr that we'd help her, but if she's just going random places, we might not be able to after all. If people are hunting her, she's probably safest traveling alone… without us drawing attention to her. We'll just have to hope we come across her again…."

"I hope she's safe…" Raine murmured as she slipped the key into her coat pocket.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded in agreement, drawing the eyes of the Professor as well as the others back to him. "Let's go to the Tower of Mana and get Boltzman's healing technique, for Clara _and_ Pietro."

_For… Clara?_ Kratos' eyes widened at the teen's words. It wasn't possible – there had never been proof that a human could recover from the Exsphere removal process. _But… what if…._ What if he was right? What if saving Clara and others like her was possible? Something inside of him shook at the possibility – but the fact remained that it was still the idea of a boy that didn't know of the limits that most healing techniques had. _But if everyone relied on just what they knew and never tried something else…_ his mind whispered, finding himself once again in awe of the boy's simple logic.

_Could I really have saved her?_

"It's getting late… maybe we should stay here for the night? Start out in the morning?" Liane offered quietly, lifting a pouch from her belt and holding it up in demonstration. "We still have to get supplies and check on Pietro… we have the money for rooms…?"

Raine glanced skyward and sighed before she started up the steps to the inn, pausing as she pushed the door open to take the bag of gald that Liane had held out. "I'll get rooms…" she murmured, glancing over to the others. "The kitchen should still be open. Let's take care of our business here tonight and get to bed – it's a long way back to the Tower of Mana. We'll want to get an early start."

"Early??" Lloyd whined, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "We get up early _every _day!"

Genis groaned, planting his hands on his hips as he offered his friend a shake of his head. "Yeah, but to you, early is any time before noon. If we went by your schedule, Colette's grandkid would have to finish the journey!"

Lloyd's cheeks reddened, his jaw going just a bit rigid. "Yeah? Well… at least you'd be taller…" the swordsman bit out before he followed Raine into the inn. "Not my fault if I function better later in the day…."

"Boy… good thing you two are friends…" Sheena laughed as she started in behind Lloyd, glancing over her shoulder to Liane. "I'll get our key if you want to get started on dinner."

Kratos saw Liane nod, but he could also see that she had noticed the other bystander to Lloyd and Genis' banter as well as he had – Colette. The blonde girl had deflated almost unnoticeably at their teasing of each other. The girl knew that she was to be the last of her line – that another member of her carefully orchestrated family tree would be activated if she failed – and likely if she succeeded, as well. As quickly as the frown had slipped over her lips, it disappeared, a smile replacing it as she climbed the steps of the inn as well. It was slips like that that would throw the group into chaos if pointed out – he could only hope that his hunch about Liane was right – that her tendency to gather information before she said anything would hold. Reaching out, he caught the door before it could swing shut, watching Liane and Genis. "Shall we?" he prodded sharply, gesturing to the door in an attempt to break up the quiet left in the Chosen's wake.

Liane blinked, looking to the mercenary for just a moment before she glanced down to Genis. "Wait… Genis… will you come with me for a few minutes after dinner?" she asked quietly, waiting until he looked up to her to continue. "I have a favor to ask of you."

The young mage cocked his head at her, a cautious smile starting to curl the edges of his lips. "Is this kind of like the favor where you wanted me to make sure our new clothesline at the town gates was up and ready for when you showed up with the armload of the mayor's… _laundry_?" he asked before he started laughing.

"No!" Liane blurted out, shaking her head and slipping a quick and nervous glance back to Kratos. "No… I want you to teach me another spell! Or… at least start to…" she shrugged. "If we're going to be fighting again soon, I actually want to be useful… or at least have a chance to…."

Somehow, the girl's request managed to surprise Kratos – even though she had basically made the same request of him. It seemed that her resolve had strengthened – and he couldn't help that the fact pleased him.

"You want to be more useful?" Genis repeated, eyeing her as he reached out to close his hand over her wrist and tug her through the door that Kratos still held open for them. "Well, if you're serious about that, I don't know if a spell will do it – but – now, if you want me to teach you to use a kendama… _then_ you'd be more useful…" the boy grinned playfully up at his friend, eliciting an exasperated sigh from her.

Kratos sighed as well, pausing for a moment before he followed them in. It seemed that she was serious in her desire to better her skills. While it had been a momentary relief when she had parted from the group, this path made more sense for what he knew of her. She seemed aware of her weaknesses and – better yet – was seeking to make sure that they wouldn't be a weakness to the group. _Even if she doesn't want to fight… she's realized that she can't make a difference without making a stand,_ he sighed, finally stepping into the inn.

_And… where have I seen this before…?

* * *

_

"Here…" Genis sighed, crouching and grabbing a nearby stick as he balanced his weight on the balls of his feet and started to etch figures in the dirt of the small plateau that overlooked Hima. The elven boy had led Liane up the path from the town and lit a pair of torches to aid in her lessons. "I don't know how the priests taught you Wind Blade, but before you can learn a spell, you have to be able to picture the runes that call on the element you're trying to use…" he murmured as he looked up to her and pointed to his work. "These runes – in this order – call on Lighting," Genis explained, watching Liane closely, smirking a little at the surprise that flickered in her eyes at his declaration. "What? Don't like Lighting?"

Liane looked from the young mage back to the lines he had meticulously carved into the dirt for her. "No… Lightning is fine," she murmured, eyeing the characters and their order as she tried to remember how she had learned Wind Blade. "I guess I was just figuring you'd start with something like… Fire Ball, I guess," she shrugged. She knew better than to think that she would completely learn a new spell that night… _but I have to start somewhere._

Genis snickered at that, standing and straightening his shorts. "Yeah… I'm still not sure I'd trust you with Fire Ball. You already know Wind Blade – and Fire Ball is even easier. I'm not taking the chance that someone would make you mad and that you wouldn't have to even think about it before you set them on fire…" he shook his head, laughing harder when she glared at him.

"Oh, and flash-frying them with Lighting would ease your conscience?" she asked, rolling her eyes before she reached a hand out to trace over the runes. Liane could understand it if he had said something like that to Lloyd… but to her? While she was, in some way, flattered that he had chosen a somewhat more difficult spell for her, his reasoning still made her shake her head.

"No, it wouldn't… but you'll have to concentrate more for Lighting," Genis shrugged. "You'll have time to cool down and consider what you're doing before any harm is done."

Liane huffed and stood again, feeling more than a little strange having to ask her younger friend – a boy that was even one of the youngest members of the class that she had helped Raine teach back in Iselia – to teach her anything. But, despite the teasing, she knew that there was no one better for the job. Genis would either teach her or not be able to, but if it was the latter that came to pass, she at least knew that he wouldn't belittle her for the failure. "Okay… point taken," she finally conceded, eager to move away from his reasoning. "As far as how I learned, I watched the students that the priests _were _teaching – mainly out of frustration for being told that they wouldn't teach me," she shrugged. "I watched… and I paid attention when they were corrected. But… there really wasn't any real method… sorry…."

The silver haired boy shook his head and kept his smile on Liane. "Nah… don't worry about it. I've just never really taught anyone before – I mean, I can study and practice to learn a new spell – but it's different to teach someone else." He turned, eyeing the runes in the dirt below them for a moment before he nodded and looked back up to her. "Okay… you learned Wind Blade by watching… maybe I'll cast Lightning so you can really see how it works… then you can work on memorizing the runes? We probably don't want to cast it too much with it being night and all…" he snickered as he removed his kendama from his belt and took a step back. "The town would probably really hate us for cooking up a lightning storm and keeping them all awake."

"Probably," Liane agreed, sitting down cross-legged in the dirt as she watched Genis dip his head in concentration. "But I think you're giving me a little too much credit… I don't expect to learn this tonight. Wind Blade took me weeks to learn, and at least that long again to be any good at casting. I just wanted to get a start, that's all…."

Genis put one foot forward as the ball of his duel star began to bounce. Slowly, as if gathering bits of the sporadic moonlight, a ring began to form around him, the sparkle of mana gradually brightening and tinting purple as the runes started to resolve firmly.

As Liane watched, she could see the pattern that he had drawn out for her. It was those runes that drew out, held, and formed the mana to the caster's will – she knew that explanation by heart. She had heard it countless times as the priests had drilled it into the other students. It echoed in her mind along with their excuses for why they wouldn't teach her… how her mana supply was far too low – too unstable… for her to ever become a spellcaster. While her stubborn streak had reared its head at their refusal, she still knew that they were right- most humans have had no affinity for using magic, even with the assistance of an Exsphere. Liane knew she was lucky – if not even a bit freakish – for being able to do just what she could. The priests had offered her nothing but shock and a few half-baked theories when she proved to them that she could use magic, the most believable path of reason being that her accident when she was a child might have left her more sensitive to the magical arts. But the 'hows' never really mattered to her. At first, it was simply a challenge because she didn't like to be told that she couldn't do something. _Now… if I can't help… it could cost me more than my pride…._

With a small flash, the runes of Genis' spell locked in place and he glanced over to her, catching her eye for barely a heartbeat before he spun and thrust his kendama out towards the forward edge of the plateau. "Lightning!" The air around the boy crackled as the runes faded, a sharp flash of light and a resounding 'snap' then split the air near the edge of the rock as the bolt of energy struck, sending a burst of small rocks and dirt tumbling into the chasm below. Genis waited only long enough for the echoes of the strike to fade before he turned back to Liane and waved his hand out at the edge of the plateau. "So… do you want to learn that one? Or do you really want to settle for Fire Ball?" he grinned smugly.

Liane pushed herself up from the ground, sparing a nervous glance back to the path that led to Hima, half-expecting a pack of livid villagers to come flooding out onto the plateau at any moment. She allowed her attention to be captured by the shifting shadows for a few breaths before she turned back to Genis and laughed softly. "Lightning will be just fine… I just don't know how fast I'll get it," she shrugged, knowing that he at least deserved one last warning. "Plus, Wind Blade might be a hard habit to break…."

"You'll learn faster this time…" Genis smiled, his chest puffing up just a little by the torchlight. "You actually have someone willing to teach you now… not like that bunch of stuffy ol' priests," he continued with a laugh as he pulled her out into the center of the plateau. "But…if you want to learn more spells, you have to make sure you give yourself room. You've been fighting at the front for a while – or playing defender sometimes, too," the boy murmured, the amusement in his eyes dying back a little. "You're going to need the defender – with whatever spell you use. It's hard to do both – especially if a spell is going to tire you out."

"I know…" Liane had to smile at the boy's concern. He really was trying to cover all of the points of casting. "And I'll probably only end up using spells in certain cases – no matter what I learn. I know that you especially will probably be able to cast it faster and stronger than I can," she shrugged. "But it would just be nice to be able to contribute if an extra spell might end the fight faster – and only being able to do that with more than just a wind element sounds like it could be a good thing to offer." When they had fought the creature at the Asgard ruins, her meager magic had been rendered useless. How many more times could similar situations come up again if she didn't at least try to better her skills?

The young mage nodded as his smile warmed a bit more. "There's more simple spells that I'll teach you. But we'll see how you do with Lightning for now. When you get comfortable using it _and_ Wind Blade, we'll try something new, okay? But we won't try anything harder until you've built up your tolerance to losing mana," his grin widened, "… because having you pass out in the middle of a fight would be worse than having you only knowing one spell."

Liane groaned, rolling her eyes a little. "I know, I know… don't take stupid chances. I've already figured that one out," she huffed playfully, glancing back to the runes on the ground at her feet before she drew her sword and braced it out before her. "Okay, anything else I need to know before I try this?"

"Um… how about just work on the order of the runes for now?" Genis shrugged. "You're probably already tired enough from traveling and I didn't grab any gels for this tonight." He stood back and crossed his arms. "Come on – try it! Start out just like you were going to cast Wind Blade – just concentrate on the new patterns – oh, and don't release the spell… I don't think I can drag you back down the mountain if you pass out…" he snickered.

"Only since you asked so nicely…" Liane sighed, shaking her head as her voice dripped with a light note of sarcasm. As Genis continued to laugh, she closed her eyes and held her sword out before her, bracing the flat of the blade against her palm as she exhaled and drew on her mana, channeling it out and allowing it to flow around her. She frowned a little – finding how easily the rune pattern for Wind Blade came to mind to command the formation of the spell. _Nooooooo_… she grimaced, still trying to picture the rune pattern Genis had given her.

Genis stood back, watching his student struggle with the new concept. Her mana had a first been mere colorless shimmers, but as the runes seemed ready to form, the energy began to tint green. "Liane…" he started hesitantly. "Think of the new runes… come on… you can do it…" he coached quietly, trying not to jar her concentration.

While the attempted encouragement was appreciated, for Liane – it was far easier said than done. The wind spell came to mind immediately, as it had become synonymous with casting a spell to her for the better part of the last two years. She wasn't certain that she would have ever considered herself a slave to habit, but as she struggled to replace the pattern she knew so well with the new one, it became a definite consideration. _Think, Liane… dammit!!_

"Liane… Liane… stop…" Genis shook his head finally, stepping through the purple-flecked rune circle to close his hand around her wrist to get her attention. She jumped at the contact, but when her eyes flashed down to him, he smiled and shrugged. "You're trying too hard. Look, just work on remembering the order of the runes for now? You said it yourself… you didn't expect to learn a new spell tonight, anyway, so don't force yourself."

Liane's shoulders drooped a little, but she still managed to smile for him as she internalized the mana she had been weaving into her spell. "I know… I just know that we're going to end up fighting again soon –"

"Then study the runes so that you can picture them when you need them!" Genis grinned, cutting her off as he took a step back. "If you're not tired, just stay here for a little while where it's quiet and study the runes. You should be safe here – so just get familiar with them… okay? Don't go trying to cast or anything, just…" he shrugged, seeming to be at a loss of other options to offer her. "Just don't be hard on yourself. If it was easy, anyone could do it…" he raised an eyebrow to her. "Even Lloyd."

She couldn't help but giggle at his attempt to lighten her mood, shaking her head as she sat down before the figures drawn in the dirt once again. "I'll stay for a little while, I guess," she shrugged before she looked up to the boy. "Thanks, Genis… I'll keep trying." Liane was grateful for his help, but she also knew that there was only so much any teacher could do for a student. "Would you mind stopping by my room and telling Sheena I'm going to stay out a bit longer? I don't want to startle her too much if I come in after she's gone to sleep."

Genis' smile fell just a little as she watched her. "I can't believe you really feel safe staying in the same room with her. We hardly know anything about her –"

"I know she's helped me… fought beside me… and has had many chances to kill me – to kill any and all of us – and she hasn't take them," Liane almost groaned, not looking at the boy. "I think we'll know if she changes her mind on any of that – but I know she won't just stab us in the back." She sighed, not entirely certain that she knew where such confidence came from. "I guess if you can't trust her, you might have to just trust me on that… okay?"

"Yeah… I kinda figured you'd say something like that," the young mage shrugged, slipping his kendama back into his belt loop before he turned and started back towards the town. "I'll tell her… just… no trying to cast any more spells, okay? You'll get plenty of time to practice soon…" he shrugged, waving over his shoulder to her. "Night, Liane…."

"Good night, Genis… thanks…" she called after him quietly, willing to let the discussion about Sheena go for the moment at least. The ninja had proven herself to her somehow – but she wasn't in any way certain that it was something that she would be able to explain to Genis – or any of them for that matter. So… until their truce ended for one reason or another, Sheena would have to win the rest of them over on her own – and she would probably have an uphill battle on her hands to do so. But despite all of that, Liane couldn't help but hope that Sheena's actions would speak for her – and that they'd find a way to all stay on the same side. _Even if I have no idea how that will happen at this point…._

Sighing, Liane pushed the thoughts of having to fight Sheena again from her mind, concentrating on the scrawled runes once again. _If any of them were the same Wind Blade, this would be so much easier… _her mind grumbled before she saw the idiocy in the sentiment. _It's a new spell, moron… if the runes were the same, the spell would be, too…._ She let her head roll back with an exasperated groan and noted how the high clouds had parted, revealing a partial moon and a glimpse of the star field beyond. _If I did it once, I can do it again…_ her mind finally whispered to her as she leaned her chin forward into her hands as her elbows braced on her knees. The position brought her eyes down and made them widen at what else the sparse moonlight revealed to her… _the Tower of Salvation…._

It seemed so close… it had been getting closer – both literally and figuratively – with every step of their journey. But when had she stopped noticing it? Ever fading in and out of the shadows as it was, it was still amazing – standing out brightly against the dark skies. _Hope… out of the dark… I guess that fits._ It all seemed like it was just barely out of reach – so close. _What will happen to Colette? What will happen to all of us?_ She sighed, dropping her hands to let them fall across her lap. _Will everything just go back to how it was before all of this? Can it?_

Before the thought could settle and allow her to consider the possibilities, a soft fluttering caught the edge of her hearing. It could just as easily have been the wind whipping at the torches – at least, that's what her mind told her – but she still ventured a glance over her shoulder.

_Kratos…._

While the shadows cast by the jutting rocks near the trail revealed nothing to her, she somehow grew more certain of her hunch. "Come to critique my technique… or lack thereof?" she asked softly, feeling silly enough for the possibility that she was talking to herself. But it still didn't _feel_ like she was alone.

"Perhaps you should pace yourself a bit," replied the voice she had been expecting – even though it still made her jump. The mercenary stepped out from behind a rock outcropping, his stance neither tense nor relaxed and he paused, as if he was waiting for her to acknowledge him. "Forcing your concentration in too many directions won't help any of your goals."

Liane sighed, reaching up to push a tendril of hair that had strayed from her ponytail back over her ear as she turned her eyes back to the Tower again. "Thanks, I'll consider that…" she murmured quietly, trying to keep a bitter note from slipping into her tone. "Care to join me? Or was that all you came here to say?"

For a moment, she couldn't be certain that he hadn't left, but then she felt the winds shift around her and she had to glance back, her eyes widening as she found that he had moved to stand directly behind her.

"The boy has the right idea for teaching you, I think," Kratos murmured, never looking down to her. "It will simply take discipline on your part to absorb his lessons."

"I already figured that out, thanks," Liane sighed, seeing the conversation degrading once again. "It's just something that I haven't had to do in a while, that's all." She was silent then, bracing herself for a few more breaths and waiting for him to continue to needle at her. When that didn't come and he didn't leave, it only served to make her more curious. "That's it? Really? You're going to let me off the hook that easily?"

Kratos moved around her, crouching and then sitting down beside her – not too close, but not out of reach, either. He followed her example and kept his gaze forward, seeming to not notice that she was watching him. "Did you like Luin?" he asked quietly, never turning his eyes to her.

Liane's brow furrowed a little at his question. While she was far more used to him avoiding conversations than starting them, the topic jump caught her completely off guard. "Luin was… nice… friendly," she replied, trying to gather her thoughts enough to answer him. "I'm not sure that I fit in there as well as I'd hoped I would… but that could be mostly my fault." She sighed, her shoulders falling a little. "I don't think I chose the right time to try to make a life there…" she chewed her lip as she thought about what she had said before she laughed dryly. "But I guess that goes without saying, huh? I mean… it just wasn't what I was looking for – it didn't feel right. Not yet, anyway…." It still amazed her that small talk was something that he'd even attempt with anyone… much less with her.

Kratos was silent – almost as if he was waiting for her to continue. When he finally drew a deep breath, she glanced over to him and once again cursed how his hair refused to reveal his expression – much less give her the chance to prepare for what might come from him next.

"It has been the better part of twenty years since I've been to Luin…" he murmured, his voice somewhat thoughtful over the whisper of wind on the plateau. He turned his head just a little to her with a shrug. "I remember it being a comfortable enough place, though."

A hint of a frown slipped over Liane's lips at his words. _Twenty years…?_ While at first, the piece of information he had freely offered her pointed to the time that seemed to be a recurring theme in what she had learned of Luin, reality quickly stepped back into the equation. "So you were just a boy," she murmured, somehow disappointed even though she knew that she shouldn't be – the puzzle that had seemed to want to reveal itself to her was old – with Wendall being the only one that held any answers. _Maybe it just doesn't matter…._ It was just such an intriguing thought – after everything, to have stumbled across Lloyd's mother – to be able to offer him something of her… it was just too good to be true.

"Some days that's how it feels," Kratos replied, still watching her. "It doesn't seem that that was what you wanted to hear…."

Liane shook her head. "No… no, it's not like that… it's just something that Wendall told me," she shrugged before she squirmed just a bit, a nervous laugh escaping from her. She knew she could drop the topic then and still walk away with some semblance of respect between them without making him think she had given in to a flight of fancy. "I… thought I might have found Lloyd's mother – some of his roots…" she sighed, casting her caution away. "Wendall – when he was little, he knew a girl named Anna… she would have been the right age to have a boy Lloyd's age. She disappeared from the town along with her parents – Wendall said that the people thought she was taken to the ranch…" she shrugged. "It's probably just wishful thinking, all things considered… I guess… I just wish I could give him something…" Liane mumbled in explanation as she waited for his laughter.

"Do you truly think it could be her?"

Her head snapped up to him, surprised he would ask her something like that with absolutely no inflection of sarcasm. "It could be – just from what he told me of her – even what he remembered from being a small child at the time. She helped take care of him… she worked in her father's shop… the weapon shop… it's… just so easy to picture…" Liane sighed. It was all just a wild hunch – an unfounded theory – it just all made so much sense somehow. "I could never go to Lloyd with all of that – it's too flimsy to get his hopes up – it might even make things worse."

"The weapon shop…" Kratos murmured thoughtfully. "I remember the weapon shop. The Fighting Spirit, I believe?" he asked, meeting her eyes as the wind blew his bangs aside for a moment. "I remember a girl working there – finding it strange that a girl would want to work somewhere like that…."

"You… remember her?" Liane asked, her mouth hanging open just a little. It wasn't like him to tease – but it was possible, wasn't it? _He would have been old enough to at least remember her… a girl working in a weapon shop could be enough to strike a young boy as strange – couldn't it?_ "So… you believe me?"

"I think you're right that it might not be enough to take to Lloyd… but it could be something…" the mercenary replied with a bit of an indifferent shrug. "Perhaps if you had more to go on, her story might fill in a bit?"

Liane paused, her eyes moving back to the Tower for something to focus on. Part of her wanted to tell him that she had more… but she couldn't get past the distinct possibility that her imagination was taking the facts as she knew them and embellishing them as it saw fit. When she had been in Luin, she had been tired and worried – it really was no small wonder that the idea of finding a link for her friend would bring her dreams. "I… don't know where else to look for more to go on…" she finally admitted, deciding it was the safest of replies. "But I guess I can keep looking… if it could be true, it's really the least that I can do for Lloyd…."

"Hmm… it would seem that way… wouldn't it…" Kratos murmured, dipping his head after a moment of silence. "You should get some sleep. Particularly if you're looking to continue expanding your arsenal of attacks tomorrow."

She knew him well enough to recognize a dismissal – and the fact that she was tired and once again had a head full of ideas that she wasn't ready to share with anyone only helped push her to her feet. "What about you? Tomorrow could be exhausting for you, too – especially if you try to teach me anything," Liane shrugged with a half-chuckle.

"Go on… I'll be fine…" he replied without looking to her.

Liane tilted her head at him, wondering about the sullen note she thought she heard in his voice – until she followed to where his gaze seemed to be fixed. "The Tower is pretty by moonlight…" she commented, her smile weak. "It's… kind of… peaceful…."

Kratos snorted softly. "No… not really…" he murmured before he let his head fall back, his eyes trained on the hazy star field above. "But the stars make up for it… wouldn't you say?"

Blinking, Liane looked up, his inquiry surprising her yet again. "Yes… somehow, I guess no matter what's going on, if you can see the stars, you can still find your way. That's probably a more comforting thought than the Tower… they're more constant, anyway…" she replied almost hesitantly. _Oh, this isn't going to help my dreams at all…._ With a sigh, she brought her eyes down and started to turn. "I … should go, but… thanks for the company…" she spoke before a thin smirk curled her lips. "I feel a little less crazy now."

"You're only crazy if you ignore what you know to be true," Kratos responded without moving. "Good night, Liane. Sleep well…."

She paused, staring at him for a long moment before she started to nod due to the lack of anything better to respond with. _I am never going to understand him…_. "Thank you…" Liane murmured, forcing herself to turn and walk away. Kratos wasn't trying to be her best friend or anything of the like – but it almost seemed that he might hate her just a little less. As the dirt trail wound back down the mountain to the town, she tried to put her thoughts to rest one at a time, knowing that she'd never sleep if she didn't. _He… believed me… he wouldn't have had a problem telling me if I wasn't making sense…._

Then, for just a moment, a brief burst of hope flashed through her mind. _Maybe I could tell him what else Wendall told me… maybe he might make more sense of it…_ her mind whispered optimistically before her shoulders fell again. _But if I slipped and told him about the dreams…._

_No… not yet, _she shook her head and pushed the door of the inn open as quietly as she could. _I'm not ready to be called crazy for that… not yet.

* * *

_

Liane thumbed through yet another book from one of the countless shelves that lined the walls of the entry chamber of the Tower of Mana. The late afternoon sun tilled the cavernous room with warm shades painted by the high stained windows as she glanced back to where Genis, Raine, and Sheena still stood on their appointed glowing blue circles. She almost felt guilty for making them stay there and denying them – Raine in particular – the opportunity to look through the ancient books.

_It's probably safer this way… we'd never get Raine out of here. And if there's another fight coming up, we'll need her…_ she sighed, setting aside yet another rambling text praising the deeds of Mithos the Hero.

Lloyd had taken Kratos and Colette up into the Tower what already seemed like too long before. With the rumors of creatures roaming the one-time active Temple, the smaller group made sense – they could all fight, Kratos could heal if necessary, and Colette was there should they encounter the seal guardian. Liane knew that she could have – and perhaps _should_ have gone with them, but the trip from Hima had already devoured more than half the day and they still needed to confront the seal as well as find Boltzman's healing technique that was supposed to be housed in the Tower. _Pietro's getting worse… this might be our only chance to find whatever notes Boltzman left behind… somewhere… in this mess…_ Liane frowned again as she opened another book, its leather spine creaking in effort. As her eyes traced over the page, her eyes rolling before she set the book aside. _A cookbook… there is absolutely no order to any of this… _she sighed in frustration as she reached for another book. _It could take years to find something by Boltzman in here._

A faint hum suddenly filled the air, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up just a little. When Liane turned, she saw the disc at the center of the circles the others were standing on flare to life. Replacing the book she had just removed from the shelf, she turned and drew her sword, her eyes fixing on the shifting light of the disc. _A warp pad?_

It was in the next moment that the light snapped into form, revealing a partially transparent image of a familiar red-clad swordsman to them.

"Lloyd!" Raine called out in surprise. "Marvelous! It must be linked to an apparatus somewhere. Lloyd, can you see this side?" she continued, excitement obvious in her voice as the image of Lloyd turned to her.

The boy laughed in response. "Wow! This machine is cool! Hey there! I can see you, too!"

Liane almost groaned even as she heard Genis start to snicker behind the hand he had clamped over his mouth. _Perfect… both Raine and Lloyd have a new toy…_ she smirked, shaking her head before the grating of stone on stone drew their attention to the north part of the room where an open door now beckoned to them. When no monsters came looking through the new portal, Liane glanced over to the others again. "Raine?"

Raine nodded to her apprentice as she turned back to the ghostly image of Lloyd again. "Lloyd! Can you hear me? The door on this side opened. We're going on in as well. Let's meet up and regroup before we release the seal."

"Okay, gotcha," Lloyd replied with a nod before he turned and disappeared from their sight, the light of the disc fading away as well.

The professor's eyes flashed between the array of discs that they stood on and then the open door before she took a slow, hesitant step back down to the floor. When nothing happened, she exhaled in relief. "Okay… Genis, Sheena… it doesn't look like we have to stay on the circles to keep the door open… let's go." Watching as her brother and the ninja stepped down off the raised platform, she nodded and glanced back to Liane. "Any luck with finding the book?"

"No…" Liane shook her head with a helpless shrug. "We might all have to look when we came back down. There's so many books - and they don't seem to be in any particular order."

Raine sighed, her eyes drifting over the shelves almost longingly before she nodded again. "After we release the seal, there will be seven of us that can look… that should help." The silver haired woman then began to walk gesturing over her shoulder to her companions. "Come on… we have to find Lloyd and the others."

"Yeah… Martel knows that Lloyd won't want to stay in one place for long… I'm sure he's bored with the projector by now…" Genis laughed as he followed his sister through the doorway.

Liane sighed, knowing that she had to agree with Genis. Glancing over to Sheena, she noticed that the other girl was hanging back a little, so she paused, knowing that Raine and Genis probably wouldn't get too far ahead of them. "Sheena?" she asked quietly, trying to keep their conversation as private as possible as she knew that the Sages were both at least a little skeptical of the newest addition to the party. Sheena had been looking around cautiously, following the others without actually keeping her focus on them. "Is something wrong?"

Sheena exhaled and finally met Liane's gaze with a weak smile. "No… I'm… just amazed that a place like this exists… and that it was just abandoned," she replied. "All those books, all the meaning behind the building – given up just because some monsters showed up? If it was built to 'gaze up on the Tower of Salvation' like Raine said… it must have been so important to the people…."

"It wouldn't take more than a few monsters to chase away a few cleric-scholars, trust me…" Liane chuckled, wondering where Sheena's thoughts were wandering. "And yeah… it was important and it is very old… some accounts have it being built as early as the journey of the first Chosen…" she shrugged, remembering all the lectures she had heard on the historical background of the Tower.

"I'm amazed Raine isn't begging to be left behind with some of those books…" Sheena finally sighed out after a few moments of silence. Her tone spoke of distraction, but it was something that Liane was getting used to hearing from her.

"Don't put it past her…" Liane huffed playfully, trying to beat back the dread that was starting to curl into her stomach for knowing that yet another fight was probably coming soon. Sheena once again seemed to want to drop the topic, so she followed along. "Depending on what's waiting for us at the seal, having her curled up with a good book could be a very bad thing." Her eyes flickered forward as she spoke, just waiting for the glare she'd get if Raine had heard her as they moved through the narrow stone corridor. After a moment, Liane realized how quiet Sheena had gotten in the wake of her apparently failed attempt at levity. "Sheena… this isn't your fight…" she murmured, stopping and dropping her hand on the black haired young woman's shoulder. "I know you had reasons for going back to the ranch with us… but this is different. I know that. The others do, too…" she shrugged, having already seen on several occasions how uneasy their truce was.

Sheena shook her head and slowly continued to walk. "No… I want to see this. Plus, we still need to find that healing technique to save Pietro – I still need all of you for that…" she chuckled, even though it was weak in the area of amusement. "Relax. You'll know if I'm your enemy again. I have more honor than to stab people in the back, no matter what you… or the others might think of me."

Liane's shoulders drooped a little as she fell into step behind Sheena. "Sheena… I never said that you didn't," she murmured as the hallway ahead began to brighten. "I just know that this is going to end up being the part that you don't want us to succeed in…."

"Look…" Sheena spun on her heel, planting herself directly in the middle of the hallway and blocking Liane's advance. "Let it go, okay? I'm here because I want to be. I'll… I'll figure out the rest later…" the black haired girl fairly groaned, her words clipped. "Just…" she shook her head and turned her back to Liane again as she walked away. "Let it go."

It took a few moments for Liane to begin walking again – and all the control she had not to hurry after the other girl to apologize. She honestly had no idea why she needed to, but she couldn't shake the feeling anyway. When she finally began to walk again, she stepped into a cavernous room with high balconies and brightly lit windows high above. While the room was a marvel in itself, she couldn't help but wonder if she and Sheena weren't just a little more alike than she had realized before. Could it be that neither of them wanted to fight at all… just as neither could just sit back and watch events unfold without them? _We… can both offer something to this fight… no matter what our reasons are…._

Shaking her head to clear the thoughts for the moment, she watched Raine walk over to a large mirrored wedge placed conspicuously in the middle of the floor. After a few moments of hesitation, the Professor reached out and experimentally pushed at the wedge. When it seemed to slide across the polished floor with relative ease, her head snapped up with a smile.

"Liane… Sheena… you two go see if those other mirrors move this easily," the Professor ordered firmly, gesturing to the far end of the room. "Genis… go see what's behind that red curtain… something must activate those spheres… and we may as well do it now than get further on and figure out that we should have done it in the first place."

"We don't even know what those things do…" Sheena grumbled as she and Liane walked to the far mirrors. "With our luck, the place will flood and let some kind of hungry sea monster in… or they'll collapse the ceiling on us…" she continued to mutter, either not noticing or ignoring Liane's snicker.

"Welcome to the group, Sheena…" Liane shook her head as she took hold of the mirrored block and pushed at it. "We may not know exactly what we're doing every step of the way… but it's rarely boring…."

* * *

"Rarely boring," Sheena groaned as Liane took her arm and helped her to her feet, one hand moving to the throbbing lump that was forming over her left temple. "You could have at least warned me that that meant that I was ten minutes from getting kicked in the head by an irate horse-thing that came out of a ball of light.…" 

Liane had to chuckle despite the fact that she was trying to keep her weight off her right leg – yet another reminder of Iubaris' ferocious attacks. She had done her best to hold her own, but even if she had managed to learn Genis' spell, it wouldn't have done much good. It had been all she could do to keep Genis and Raine behind her, taking her place on the front lines only when Lloyd, Sheena, or Colette had been forced to fall back and await healing. It had been during one of those times that she had been trampled by the charging beast, resulting in a sickeningly wet 'snap' that she had both heard and felt in her right shin. The memory was more than enough to convince her that the quick First Aid spell that Raine had sent her way was the only reason she was still standing. "Oh, you just never know what's going to show up when a seal comes to life. You really should have at least come in and watched at the water seal – Adulocia and her fish friends were a riot…" she rolled her eyes, releasing Sheena's arm with a shrug.

"You… saw me there?" Sheena asked, tilting her head to watch Liane in curiosity.

"Yeah… Noishe isn't the most subtle of critters, so getting caught by him did nothing for your element of surprise," Liane smirked before wincing a little when she tried to put just a bit more weight on her leg. "Hey, Raine… can we trouble you for another healing spell over here?" she called out to where the Professor was helping Colette to her feet and dusting her tunic off.

Raine's head snapped up at Liane's call, nodding and patting Colette on the shoulder encouragingly as she started across the marble tile of what had just moments before been their open-air battlefield. But before she could swing her staff up before her, a voice that Liane was already sure she had heard more than enough from filled the air, drawing the group's attention back to the altar.

"Chosen of Regeneration… you have done well in reaching this far," Remiel's voice seemed to echo from the marble that they stood upon. "Now, offer your prayers at the altar."

"Yes!" Colette responded immediately and obediently as she carefully smoothed her blue and white tunic, stepping forward and pausing for barely a heartbeat to meet Lloyd's eyes before she continued to the raised altar and slowly lowered herself to her knees. With her head bowed reverently and her hands clasped before her, her voice was soft in contrast to the angel's demands. "Oh, Goddess Martel, great protector and nurturer of the earth, grant me thy strength!"

Liane frowned as Colette's pastel wings of light once again unfurled from her back and she lifted into the air. _Another step closer…_ and that thought made the knot in her stomach that Liane had earlier attributed to dreading another fight only tighten more. She had known Colette almost as long as she had known Lloyd – but even though everyone in Iselia knew that she was the Chosen One, she doubted that anyone from the town would have ever guessed at what was happening to her as a result of her journey. '_Becoming an angel' sounds so peaceful… but it's been anything but…._ Shaking her head with no small bit of dismay, she looked above Colette, grudgingly awaiting the imminent arrival of the angel that was guiding Colette from seal to seal. But just as it occurred to her that Colette had been waiting Remiel's arrival for longer than she remembered from the first seals, a flurry of golden energy erupted above the altar – brighter than she remembered any of the angel's previous arrivals being. Liane had to glance away, bringing her hand up instinctively to shield her eyes. When she looked back, she felt her breath slip away from her as she echoed the collective gasp from the rest of the group.

Suspended above the altar where Remiel would normally be to offer his prodding encouragement was an almost transparent image of a blonde woman in a flowing deep blue gown seated on what looked to be a crescent moon. After a moment, she blinked in apparent confusion, her expression mirroring those of the party. "Where is Aska?" the woman asked, her voice soft and almost eerily hollow as her eyes slid over Colette and the rest her companions, lingering for a moment on Sheena before she shook her head slowly.

"Whoa, it talked!" Lloyd breathed out in awe as his blades hung limply in his hands as he stared at the new being before them.

If Liane would have been any less surprised by the woman's appearance, she knew she could still feel the urge to at least glare at her friend. But despite that, her mind continued to spin. _Aska… I've heard that name…_ she chewed her lip as she ventured a quick glance to the others – but it was Kratos' expression that kept her from looking back to the apparition. Kratos… who usually seemed outright bored by Remiel's appearance… stared along with everyone else at the woman – his jaw hanging open just enough to be noticeable. _She… surprised Kratos, too?? _

"Without Aska, I cannot do anything. I cannot form a pact or a vow…" the woman continued, ignoring Lloyd's blurted comment as she continued to shake her head. "Please… find Aska… in order to restore my power."

In the next moment, the woman faded from sight, leaving the only things moving to be the gentle flutter of Colette's wings and a quick breeze that blew over the terrace of the top of the Tower.

"That… couldn't be… Luna??"

Liane glanced to her side, hearing Sheena's quiet comment. "Sheena…?"

The ninja looked up, her eyes wide even though her obvious distraction made it seem like she was staring right through the brown haired girl. "Luna… the Summon Spirit –"

But Sheena's awed comment was broken off by a familiar shower of light before Colette that once again drew their attention up to the clear blue sky to find Remiel descending to the Chosen Once again. "Your journey has been long," the angel commented, his smile more distracted than Liane remembered. "You have done well to reach this far, Colette, the Chosen One!"

"Thank you… Lord Remiel," Colette replied, dipping her head to the angel as she continued to hover just below him, her hands curling into the hem of her tunic.

Remiel tilted his head to the Chosen, watching her for a few silent moments before he squared his shoulders and swept his hand out towards her. "Let us grant you our blessing."

Her hand tightening on the handle of her sword, Liane clenched her teeth as light began to swirl above Remiel's head before it fell in great sweeping arcs to collide with Colette's form. The blonde girl's gasp combined with how her back arched as the light absorbed into her body forced Liane to look away. At first, it had been fascinating, but now the building price of Colette's new abilities as well as the salvation of Sylvarant made the process almost impossible to watch. Their friend was changing before their eyes… _and I'm… we're all… helping it happen_, she thought guiltily, finally venturing a look back up to where Colette had righted herself. _I'm sorry, Colette…_.

Colette's shoulders heaved as she drew another breath and once again looked up to her angelic benefactor. "Thank you."

"You have taken another step closer to becoming an angel," Remiel spoke without acknowledging the girl's gratitude, dipping his wings just a little to hover closer to the Chosen, "… yet you seem anxious?" he commented, eyeing her with what seemed to be curious interest.

"Ah, no," Colette shook her head quickly, offering Remiel a quick laugh. "I'm very happy."

Liane heard a small snort from nearby and looked over to see Lloyd glaring up at the interaction of the two winged beings – and she understood the meaning behind his reaction. Colette always laughed like that when she was answering to please someone with what they wanted to hear – even though it was a clear sign that the girl was usually lying. _And why wouldn't she be anxious? Everything is changing for her – how could she not be anxious?_

Remiel raised an eyebrow to Colette, but quickly shrugged away whatever thoughts he might have been considering voicing to her response. "Now, Chosen One. Your journey is finally drawing to a close. It is time for you to rejoice. The path to the Tower of Salvation is open!" The angel allowed his declaration to settle on the Chosen and the others before he raised his arms above him as if in worship. "Head to the Tower of Salvation and offer your prayers of regeneration. Then, you will be able to climb the stairway of heaven."

"The Tower of Salvation?!" Lloyd breathed out, his jaw dropping.

_Then… it's almost over… she's passed the trials…_ Liane frowned. Part of her knew that the news should be happy – but she simply couldn't find that reaction within her grasp. As strange as it had been just over the past few days to consider how their lives could all change as a result of the regeneration – it still seemed so far away. But now… it felt like they had practically stumbled over it – that the time and the challenges that they had all faced – would all end soon. It should have been good news – but it just didn't feel like she thought it would.

"The world regeneration is finally going to take place…" Genis murmured quietly and to no one in particular. From the notably sedate reaction that Remiel's words had brought from the group, it seemed that Genis was simply voicing what appeared to be an imminent truth in an attempt to understand it – even if his tone suggested that understanding was something he had yet to achieve.

A heavy sigh from her other side brought Liane's attention back to Sheena once again. "Sheena?" she asked softly, refraining from saying any more when she saw the tension in the other girl's frame.

"Is regeneration… really going to happen?" Sheena asked, her voice on the edge of shaking as she looked from Liane and back up to Colette.

_I don't know how to answer her… I don't even know how I'd want to answer… _Liane sighed, hearing Colette begin to speak again.

"I shall do as you instruct, Lord Remiel," Colette responded to both the angel and the duties that were ordained even before her birth.

No sooner had Colette once again voiced her acceptance of her tasks, Remiel faded from their sight in a brilliant shaft of light from above, leaving only his disembodied voice behind. "I shall await you at the final seal, Colette… my daughter," he spoke as Colette began to sink back to the ground. "There, you will become an angel, like me."

Kratos nodded to the Chosen as her wings vanished and she turned to the others, stepping aside so that she could move past him. "The end is finally in sight," he commented in his all-too collected tone, finally freeing a hand to sweep out and urge the blonde girl back to the steps that led away from the terrace. "Let's head to the Tower of Salvation."

"Colette…" Raine stepped forward, dropping her hand onto Colette's shoulder and drawing her eyes up to her own. "Are you sure?"

The Chosen didn't hesitate – not in the least – to offer Raine a smile and a firm nod of her head. "Yes. I'm fine," she replied before continuing to the steps, Raine's hand falling away as the girl moved out of her reach. Kratos fell into step close behind her, leaving the others to stare after them in an uncomfortable silence.

That silence lasted for only a breath longer though as a frustrated growl ground from Lloyd's throat. "Dammit!" the brown haired swordsman grumbled as he stormed after Colette and Kratos, his fists clenched tightly at his sides as Genis hurried to catch up to him.

"Are you okay?" Raine asked softly, causing Liane to glance over her shoulder to her mentor even as the air around her began to shimmer a cool pale green. "First Aid…" the elven woman completed the spell, releasing the healing magic into the dark-haired young woman.

Liane exhaled, realizing that the appearance of the others at the altar had drawn her thoughts from the ache in her leg as evidenced by how good it felt to suddenly be without that pain. "Thank you…" she murmured gratefully, stretching her leg a little, a weak smile growing as it seemed that the leg had truly healed this time. "Sheena?"

The ninja's head snapped up, having been apparently lost in thought as she stared after the others until Liane had spoken to her. When Raine sighed and began to raise her staff, Sheena's eyes quickly focused and she took a small step back, her hands held out before her as a ward. "Huh? No… no, thanks. I'm fine… I…" she rambled before she finally sighed and turned away, hurrying down the steps to the warp pad without another word and leaving Liane and Raine behind without another word.

"She's going to be a problem," the professor sighed with a shake of her head, rewarded for the observation with a quick glare from Liane. "It's no secret that her goals are different from ours. This could just be causing the differences to fester faster," she shrugged.

Liane set her jaw, not ready to give into the possible truth in Raine's words just yet – no matter the merit that it had logically. "Let's not write her off yet, Raine. Please," she sighed as she sheathed her sword. "I don't think any of us were ready to hear that we're this close to being done," she murmured as she started towards the slightly skewed steps down to the exit, pausing to glance over her shoulder to her mentor. "I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out… right?"

Raine waited for a moment before she followed after Liane, reaching out to stop the girl with a hand to her shoulder. "It's admirable to want to see the good before the bad in a stranger. But you have to be careful – especially now. But even if the end is close, it could just be that much more important, Liane. What do you really know about Sheena? Is it enough to not be even a bit more cautious? If not for your own sake, then for Colette's? For Sylvarant?"

Liane bit her lip to keep from answering too quickly, looking down to Raine's hand with a sigh before she continued forward and started to step up onto the warp pad. "Careful, yes. Paranoid, no. I won't take chances, Raine… I'd like to think you'd have that much faith in me anyway," she shrugged as she waited for the professor to step up beside her. "I understand what you're saying… but all I'm saying is that we shouldn't invent problems where there aren't – and might never be – any. We've got enough to worry about without doing that, wouldn't you say?"

Raine merely watched Liane without answering for a long moment before the warp pad finally flared to life beneath them. "I hope so… I truly hope so," she replied before the light whisked them back into the Tower.

Willing to let the topic rest, Liane decided that Raine's last words were sufficient to leave the discussion behind them as they materialized back within the Tower. As the disorientation of warping slowly faded, she realized that the others weren't waiting for them. As a matter of fact, the only one of their companions she could even see was Sheena, and that was only because she looked over the edge of the platform just in time to see the ninja slipping out of the room to head down the stairs of the Tower.

Raine and Liane's trip down the stairs was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Both knew the value of a few moments of peace to right one's thoughts – and especially when events seemed to be spiraling faster and faster to an end that Liane wasn't even certain she'd recognize, they were welcome.

It was that same peace that came to a quick end as soon as Liane followed Raine back into the entry chamber of the Tower. That was when Genis practically tackled his sister, shoving a green leather- clad tome into her arms with a wide grin.

"Guess what Lloyd found while we were waiting for you guys? Boltzman's book! It was even the first book he pulled off the shelf!" the mage declared with a laugh. "Now we can save Pietro!"

The group gathered around the professor as she rested the spine of the book against her arm and opened it. Despite the anxious silence that surrounded her, Raine's eyes continued to scan over the pages, her expression sobering a little more with each turn until she finally closed the book and sighed. "No. It will be difficult for me to use this book with my healing arts," she looked down to her brother first as she hugged the book to her chest. "If we at least had some sort of tool to amplify the body's life force…."

Liane looked up to see Colette's shoulders droop and she considered Raine's disheartened explanation. "So… a person's life force has to be strong enough to accept the healing?" she murmured, glancing over to the unreadable mask that Sheena still wore. _But the longer Pietro lays there… isn't he just getting weaker? And Clara… what if it's already been too long?_

Genis shrugged, his frown growing more pronounced as his hands flailed at his sides in just enough frustration to be noticeable. "What sort of thing do you need?"

Raine's brow creased just a little before she finally shrugged. "Hmm… perhaps if we had a Unicorn Horn…"

The professor's words had no sooner fallen from her lips when Genis' hand snapped out to close over her wrist as he started to pull her towards the doors of the Tower. "Lake Umacy, then," the mage started, leaning a little forward as he pulled his sister's hand harder. "Let's go back there and see if there's something we can do."

"Yes, let's try…" came Raine's response as she glanced over her shoulder to the others, Genis' apparent excitement to continue the task giving them a lead as he dragged her through the doors.

_Lake Umacy…_ Liane almost groaned, but settled for shifting her pack on her shoulders before she saw Lloyd and Colette start out after the Sages. _Maybe I can make a few better choices there this time…_ she frowned as Sheena silently passed her – leaving her to make up the end of the pack once again – with Kratos. She would have sworn that she could feel him at least watching her – if not reading her mind as she seemed to be prone to doing. "I'm not leaving again…" she murmured with a sigh, not looking at him, her guilt for what they had gone through to help her escape the consequences of the poor decision she had made during her last visit to the lake.

"I didn't ask…" the mercenary responded, barely sparing the effort for inflection in his tone as he strode past her, leaving her to stare after him – or follow, but giving no indication that he cared which option she chose.

Liane's hand clenched into a fist for a moment before she forced herself to draw a breath and relax her hand, going so far as to smirk. _Guess that was my allotted rescue…_she sighed as she started to walk. The topic of her leaving and subsequent return had been carefully sidestepped by just about everyone – and she was fine with that. She couldn't tell them that she wanted to be away from them - that simply wasn't true. But she also couldn't tell them how her resolve to make her own life had wavered, either. _It's not like I won't have to do that soon enough anyway…._ But before the thought could turn completely bitter, Lloyd's panicked voice echoed in the great stone entryway.

"Professor Sage! It's Colette's Angel Toxicosis…!"

_Damn…._ Liane's hands went to the straps over her shoulders as she set her jaw and trotted to the doorway of the Tower, pausing as the doors swung shut to watch Lloyd slip under Colette's arm and help lift her back to her feet. If there was anything that she would have to say that she hated of what had become regular events of their journey – what was happening to Colette was surely at the top of that list. She was the reason that any of them were there – bonds of friendship or duty radiating out in one form or another to each of them from her. She was the Chosen of Regeneration… but she was their friend as well… and it hurt to watch what she was going through.

Raine stepped up to Colette, cupping the girl's chin to bring her eyes up to her own before she finally sighed. "I see…" she murmured, looking away to scan the landscape around them. "Let's rest here for today."

But despite the fact that it was both early evening and camping near a seal had become as normal to all of them as releasing the seals themselves, Colette, shook her head, taking a step away from Lloyd and grabbing for the professor's arm as if to protest.

It was a protest that never came, in spite of how the blonde girl's lips moved – or how her eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Colette?" Lloyd asked, moving back to her side again and placing his hand on the girl's shoulder, pushing it gently to turn her to him, frowning more as Colette shook her head and patted at her throat.

Kratos sighed, the exhale bordering on a groan. "I would assume she's lost her voice."

But the rest of the party did not share the mercenary's calm. Colette's eyes flashed to the older swordsman before she dropped her gaze to the ground in a silent gesture of affirmation.

"What?!" Genis blurted out, practically pushing past Raine to get to Colette's side. He took her hand in both of his as he tried to meet her eyes, shaking his head just a little as if begging her to say Kratos was wrong – to say anything at all.

Colette, of course, didn't reply with anything more than a shrug to the silver haired boy. Liane sighed, glancing towards the nearby expanse of rock wall that Kratos would undoubtedly favor for their campsite and moved away from the others to start down the path from the Temple. _She can't sleep, doesn't eat, and can't feel… now she can't speak?_ She shook her head in dismay. _I guess it's a good thing this is almost over… there isn't much else they could take from her….

* * *

_

"Everyone, I have something I want to say."

Liane looked to her side to see Sheena rise to her feet, her eyes scanning over the others almost nervously. Dinner had been particularly melancholy as they had all gathered around the campfire in silence, as if Colette's condition had spread to the entire party. Remiel had directed them to the Tower of salvation next… the journey was almost over. Placing her fork to the side of her plate of risotto, Liane frowned a little, wondering what would drive Sheena of all of them to break the awkward silence.

"Huh?" Lloyd mumbled, still chewing the last bite of his dinner as he also looked to Sheena in confusion.

Sheena paused, making certain that she held everyone's attention before she drew a deep breath, her shoulders drooping a little with the action. "I want to explain to everyone why I was trying to assassinate the Chosen."

The ninja's words seemed to hang in the air over the group for a few moments before Raine sat forward, lacing her fingers together as she watched the black haired young woman with a narrowed gaze. "All right. We're listening. Tell us about your homeland," the professor nodded slowly, not even blinking to give Sheena a break from her measuring gaze. "A land that doesn't exist in this world."

Raine's words quickly earned her the attention that had been entirely Sheena's just a heartbeat before. _Doesn't exist… in this world?_ Liane stared at her mentor, shocked that the normally logical-almost-to-a-fault Professor would come up with such a wild claim, but when Raine's icy gaze never wavered from Sheena, she couldn't resist following the example, turning back to Sheena – waiting for a denial, laughter – something… _anything…._

"You knew?"

Liane's jaw went slack. _Anything but that…._

"No," Raine shook her head, sitting back a little, but keeping her eyes fixed on Sheena. "But you said it yourself that _Sylvarant_ will be saved. That must mean that you aren't from Sylvarant."

Sheena chuckled at that, her hands moving to clasp behind her back as her quiet laughter seemed to hold some small bit of relief. "Yeah. You know, it's really a shame that your intellect's being wasted here," she shook her head before she drew another breath and looked around to the others again. "You're right. My homeland is not here, not in Sylvarant."

"What does that mean?" Genis asked, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone.

The ninja turned to the mage with a small exhale, as if bracing herself for the explanation that she had promised. "My world is called Tethe'alla."

Genis tilted his head at Sheena, eyeing her skeptically before he pointed to the silver orb hanging in the night sky behind her. "Tethe'alla? You mean the moon?"

Sheena laughed, shaking her head at Genis' question. "Of course not. My world isn't on the moon."

Liane frowned, trying to comprehend Sheena's explanation. There really was no need to embellish her reasoning for pursuing Colette – and certainly not to the extent of creating the excuse of another world. But the thought – the very concept – was intriguing. "But how is that possible? I mean, scholars have theorized for years – centuries, even – that there were worlds other than ours. But no one's ever gone beyond the theory – it would be in every book printed if something like that could be…" she murmured. Whenever the idea of it had ever come up before – in books or in conversation – it seemed like a fanciful fable that was fun to consider, but that was all.

"Even I really don't understand the specifics," Sheena shrugged, looking down to Liane. "But there is another world that lies entwined with Sylvarant, as shadow is to light. That's Tethe'alla… my world."

"Two entwined worlds?" Raine murmured, her eyes glazing over just a little as she considered Sheena's claim, her distant gaze still fixed on the ninja, but almost as if she was staring through her rather than at her.

Sheena nodded again, holding both hands out before her, not touching, but simply there as if in explanation. "The two worlds lie directly adjacent to each other. They just can't see one another. Our scholars say they exist on shifted dimensions. Anyway, the two worlds can't see or touch each other, but they do, in fact, exist next to and affect each other."

"What do you mean 'affect each other'?" Lloyd asked, sitting forward onto his knees as he watched Sheena.

The ninja sighed softly, looking over to Lloyd and drawing a long breath, pausing as if she was choosing her words for him. "They vie for the supply or mana," she shrugged, still watching the swordsman. "When one world weakens, the mana from that world flows to the other. As a result, one world is always flourishing, and the other waning." Sheena huffed before her expression brightened a little. "Sort of like an hourglass."

Genis stood up, approaching Sheena with a small frown etched into his delicate features. "Wait, so, right now, Sylvarant is…."

"Yeah," Sheena nodded, taking over Genis' question and sounding relieved that at least one of her companions was starting to comprehend what she was telling them. "Sylvarant's mana is flowing to Tethe'alla. Therefore, Sylvarant is in decline. Without mana, crops won't grow and magic becomes unusable. If there is no mana, the Summon Spirits that protect the world alongside the Goddess Martel can't survive in Sylvarant, either. As a result, the world slips even further down the path of destruction."

Sheena's explanation struck Liane at that point, her eyes falling to the dancing flames of the campfire before her. _Then… that's why Dad's crops have been weakening… why the harvests have been so lean…._ No matter how unlikely Sheena's explanation seemed on the surface – it still made sense.

Raine nodded, the hostility in her eyes dying back noticeably. "Then the Chosen's world regeneration is actually the process of reversing the mana flow?"

"Exactly," Sheena dipped her head, her posture relaxing as the group – or at very least some of them – started to respond with some level of comprehension to what she was bringing before them. "When the Chosen breaks the seal, the mana flow reverses and the Summon Spirit that governs the seal awakens." Her shoulders then drooped as she looked away from the rest of them and into the fire. "I was sent to prevent the world regeneration from happening."

"Sylvarant continues to decline… so Tethe'alla can continue to prosper…" Liane murmured, not liking the theory in the least. After all the build-up… after all the promise… yet another price to Colette's success would be that another entire world would suffer? As all the questions and all of the realization of how unfair it all was tumbled around in her head, Liane blinked and watched the black haired girl again. "Wait… if the two worlds can't see or touch each other, then how can you be here?"

Sheena glanced over to Liane, remaining otherwise still. "I broke through the supposedly impassible dimensional fissure for the sake of protecting Tethe'alla."

Lloyd pushed himself to his feet with Colette mirroring the act only a moment later. His hands rested on the handles of his blades as he cocked his head at Sheena. "In other words, to assure the decline and destruction of Sylvarant?"

"You can say that," Sheena shrugged, meeting the young swordsman's eyes evenly. "But your journey of regeneration is also an attempt to destroy Tethe'alla. We're both doing the same thing."

Liane frowned, hugging her knees to her chest. No one seemed to know how to take the information that Sheena was presenting to them. Now, not just one world hung in the balance of the outcome of Colette's journey, but two worlds' worth of people's lives could change drastically. Sheena's reluctance to fight suddenly made perfect sense - she had lived amongst the people of Sylvarant for at least a while. No matter that she had come with the intention of stopping the regeneration, her conscience was clearly eating at her… or she never would have bothered telling them the truth. Her eyes began to drift over the once again somber party, gagging their expressions and seeing the confusion she felt mirrored in each of them. All of them… _but Kratos_…. Liane caught the edge of her lip in her teeth as she watched the mercenary. He sat silently at the edge of the firelight, only a guess at the angle of his chin hinting that he was watching, listening to their reactions… measuring them all – only maybe Sheena in particular? _He's being paid to make sure that Colette succeeds… _she frowned, her mind grasping at the worst-case scenarios that were eagerly presenting themselves. _She's standing right in the way of his job… no that he knows that she's not just some fanatic… what will he do?_

"It's hard for me to believe all of this," Raine declared softly, shaking her head with a sigh.

Sheena looked back to the professor, shrugging helplessly. "I'm the proof. I possess summoning arts that have been lost from this world." Her voice was firm, even though her word seemed to be all the proof she could offer.

_Summoning arts… Luna… was a Summon Spirit…_ Liane's thoughts whispered to her. It was all so much to put together – another entire world where things that weren't possible or didn't exist in Sylvarant were normal realities? _This is crazy… but… why does it have to make so much sense at the same time?_ She looked up, watching as Colette took a step closer to the ninja, her wide blue eyes speaking volumes of confusion and… hurt?

"Please don't look at me like that, Colette," Sheena groaned quietly, shaking her head as she gestured helplessly. "I know that wasn't your intention. I don't know what I should do, either. I cam here to protect Tethe'alla, but this world is impoverished and everyone is suffering." She huffed, finally dropping her gaze to the campfire at the core of the group, her eyes distant once again. "But if I allow the world regeneration to occur, then Tethe'alla will become just like this."

Genis turned his kendama in his hands, keeping a weary eye on Sheena as her words appeared to be sinking into him. "But right now, you're helping us, right?"

Sheena looked away from Colette with a nod to the young mage. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I can just abandon Tethe'alla!" she sighed out, shaking her head a little as she clenched her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I… I don't know what to do. Isn't there any other way? A way for Sylvarant, Tethe'alla, and Colette to all be happy?!"

"I want to know, too!" Lloyd interjected as one of his hands moved onto Colette's shoulder, allowing the swordsman to lean forward to try to catch the girl's troubled blue eyes.

Raine looked up to the part of the group that was standing, her face a thoughtful mask as she allowed Lloyd's frustrated declaration to settle before she sighed heavily. "Have you considered that perhaps nothing that convenient exists in the real world?"

While the Professor's words were a cold slap of reality, it was hard to dismiss their truth. Liane chewed her lip for a moment, resisting the urge to object – to tell Raine that she was wrong – because, as much as she hated to admit it, it would be far too neat of a bow to tie the journey up in. _But… to just accept it?_ "What good are we if we don't at least try?" Liane shrugged, dreading the cool look that her words earned her from the Professor. She knew that she was probably better off keeping her mouth shut, but even as Raine's eyes snapped onto her, she couldn't help herself. "The journey may almost be over – but who's to say that we can't at least consider it? It's getting harder and harder to write things off as impossible – wouldn't you say?"

"The best thing we can do right now is to save Sylvarant from its current crisis…" Kratos placed himself back into the debate in a firm voice from where he sat back away from the others. While the rest of the party looked over to him, it seemed that he hadn't moved - not even enough to look up.

Lloyd looked between the mercenary and the others with a deep frown set into his features before his shoulders finally drooped with a helpless shrug. "What if we don't regenerate the world and just defeat the Desians?"

An exasperated groan slipped from Kratos as he pushed himself to his feet – almost leaving the possibility that the noise had resulted from the action. Almost – until he tossed his head enough to fix his visible eye on Lloyd. "Although we succeeded in destroying a ranch, we cannot possibly eliminate all the Desians," he sighed out. "The mana will eventually be exhausted."

"_Two_ ranches…" Liane mumbled quietly, unable to stop herself as she looked back into the fire. But he was right. She wasn't so naive as to think that such an enemy would shrivel and die just from what they had managed to do so far – but that only let to more helpless thoughts. Even if stopping the Desians could be an answer – how could they ever find all of them - _fight_ all of them?

"Is mana really that important?" Lloyd asked, cocking his head thoughtfully at the mercenary.

Genis sighed, moving to Lloyd's side and offering him an explanatory wave of his hands around them. "I suppose only magic users and scholars worry about it," the silver haired boy shrugged, keeping his friend's eyes. "But mana is even more important to life than water. Without it, the land will die. Mana is the source material that composes everything. A least that's what I've been taught."

"Unfortunately, the Giant Tree of ever-flowing mana in fairy tales doesn't exist in the real world," Raine added to her brother's explanation, turning back to the fire of their camp and drawing her knees up to her chest. "We live by chipping away at the limited amount of available mana," she shook her head, her voice fading away a bit. "Why do you think the ancient magitechnology was lost?"

"Because mana disappeared from the world," Sheena replied quietly as Genis was still drawing a breath to respond.

Raine nodded at the response, apparently not having a preference as to who would respond to her question. "Correct. Magitechnology consumes large amounts of mana. If things continue the way they are now, Sylvarant will eventually lose its mana just as it lost its magitechnology, and be destroyed."

Liane frowned, shaking her head at the thought. "So not only are the Desians herding and practically slaughtering the people of this world, they're using machines that are burning away the world's mana, too?" she murmured quietly, remembering all the projectors and other seeming marvels at the Ranches.

"Colette?"

Lloyd's surprised inquiry made Liane look up to her friends once again, watching as the blonde girl chewed her lip and began to draw her finger pointedly over his upturned palm.

"R… e… m… i…" Lloyd's brow furrowed for a few moments before his eyes widened. "Ah! You're trying to spell something, right?" he asked, looking up to Colette's face with a growing smile. Colette huffed softly and poked insistently at the center of his palm. "I'll… try… asking… Remiel… if… there's… a… way… to… save… the two… worlds," he relayed, his words punctuated by a nod and a hopeful look back to the others from Colette.

Sheena was silent for a moment before she evenly met Colette's eyes, seemingly intent on carrying on the conversation with the Chosen. "If it doesn't work out, I many have to kill you after all."

"Sheena!" Genis choked out at the ninja's words, staring slack-jawed at the girl.

Liane knew that it didn't take any kind of gift to sense the jump in tension amongst the party. With a sigh, she had to look away, picking up a nearby stick and pushing a partially burned log back into the center of the glowing coal bed. "Genis… relax," she muttered, sparing a glance up to Sheena. "Now we know the conditions of the truce," she shrugged, disappointed yet still relieved by the definition of the group's relationship with Sheena. It was easy to hear the note of regret in the ninja's tone, but it was still the honesty she had promised Liane – and there was no reason to doubt her.

"When… that… time… comes… I… may… fight… back… because… I… love… Sylvarant… too…" Lloyd spoke, Colette's words breaking apart the uncomfortable silence once again. Colette released Lloyd's hand and squared her shoulders, meeting Sheena's eyes with neither a smile nor a glare.

It was a resolve that Liane knew she – that any of them – had rarely seen from Colette as long as they had known her. Normally, she was all too quick to defer to someone else's choices – but there was simply something in her bearing – in her posture – in words she couldn't speak for herself. _So… that's the Chosen…_ Liane almost smirked. She didn't want her friend in that position… but to see a glimpse of the strength that they all had always just had to assume was there, it was reassuring.

"I understand," Sheena nodded in response to Colette's firm gaze. "You intend to become an angel no matter what, don't you?" she asked, shaking her head with a sigh before she turned her back and began to walk away, leaving the rest of the group to watch as she faded into the dark outside the firelight.

The cleanup after the meal and the last preparations for the camp before the party would seek their bedrolls was almost completely silent – even Lloyd and Genis seemed to be locked away in their own thoughts. There was much to consider for all of them: the end of the journey, what would happen to Colette, if Sheena would turn on them in the end, and the existence of another entire world out there somewhere – one that it seemed also had a stake in what they were trying to do.

Refastening the closures of her pack, Liane sat back on her heels and looked around with a sigh. Just outside the aura of light from their fire, she could see Sheena sitting at the top of a small rise in the landscape – right where she had been since she had left the rest of them a while before. It seemed to Liane that she was purposely staying within easy sight of anyone that would think to look for her – maybe a silent reassurance that she wasn't off lurking in the shadows and planning their downfall?

_She doesn't want things to come to that, either… _Liane sighed, remembering the look on Sheena's face when Colette had begun to stand up to her. While her claims were bordering on outrageous, they still somehow made sense. _That… and she has no reason to make up something like that. We all know that she was trying to stop Colette – there are much more believable lies she could have come up with – including insanity._ Climbing to her feet once again, Liane started away from the others. She knew that Sheena could turn to their enemy in the blink of an eye now that her reasons had been stated – but Liane didn't want it to be like that. _There has to be another way…_. "Sheena?" she asked when she got close enough that she hoped not to startle the ninja.

"I was wondering who'd come first – I was guessing it would be you or Lloyd…" Sheena replied without turning. "Lloyd… probably would have tried to talk me out of trying to kill Colette again. But you… I can't really guess what you'll want…" she murmured, finally glancing over her shoulder to Liane.

Liane shrugged and sat down just out of arms' reach from Sheena. "I don't want you to fight Colette… if you do, you'll fight all of us," she replied quietly. "But it might not come to that… so I'd rather not think about it for now. But I was hoping you might tell me about Tethe'alla?" she asked as the ninja began to chuckle.

Sheena watched Liane for a moment longer before she turned her eyes back out over the grasslands around them and the ocean beyond. "Oh, I should have guessed that, shouldn't I? I had thought Raine would go for that question, but it seems she's taught you well," she shook her head, drawing a breath as she rested her hands on her knees. "It's beautiful. Green and lush for the most part – many cities that house many people and schools. There are scholars and artists – and patrons that support their works…" her voice faded away, losing some of its warmth. "There aren't human ranches, and the farmers don't struggle with their crops. The majority of the people can find time to enjoy their lives… not just wonder how they'll survive…" she shrugged, shaking her head as her hands curled into fists. "You probably think I'm a horrible person."

Liane glanced up, already shaking her head. "No… but I don't think I can ever remember it being like that here or ever hearing anyone speak of it like that. We have a few wealthy people – and a lot of people trying to be like them – it's just a hard leap from subsistence to plenty…" she shrugged. It was hard to imagine it – especially after she'd seen her father struggle for so long with his fields.

"Oh, there's always a crisis somewhere," Sheena murmured with a bitter laugh. "When you get more people with less to worry about, they usually tend to turn on each other. That's where our noble classes like to spend their time. They don't have to worry where their next meal will come from, so they invent their struggles," she looked over to Liane. "I'm not trying to say things are better here… but they surely have to be easier to deal with without that kind of petty bickering."

"Noble classes?" Liane repeated, already hating how silly she had to sound. "I've heard that there used to be a King in Palmacosta, but the only leadership we really have beyond that are mayors... and they don't usually do their towns many favors, either. No one tends to even try to keep them in line – well, I guess the only one I can say that for certain of is the Iselian mayor, but I'm a bit biased on that."

Sheena shook her head, a dry chuckle slipping from her lips. "Always trying to rebel against something, huh?" she teased before a sigh tool away any sign of mirth from her. "If there's another way… I want to find it. I know you guys are just doing your best for your world. But so am I. It just doesn't seem like it can be fair – no matter how it works out."

Liane was silent, watching the girl that she wanted to consider a friend before her shoulders sagged a little. "Will you be able to return home?" she asked softly. "I mean… it wasn't a one-way trip for you, was it?"

"I'm hoping to return the way that I came – as long as there's a point in returning," the ninja shrugged, her voice measured and resolved. "Maybe you could come, too… all of you…" she murmured, quietly shooting a look over her shoulder back to the camp.

"Are you kidding?" Liane smirked, starting to laugh a little. "I couldn't even move to another continent… I don't think I could handle another whole world," she tried to laugh it off, turning to look out over the watery horizon with a tug of homesickness. _Could that work? If Sylvarant declines – if it's destroyed… could its people move to Tethe'alla? _It was almost mind-boggling… an entire world's worth of refugees?

Sheena chuckled as well. "Yeah… I guess it was a silly idea. But… I think you would like it there – that you all might find something to like. It's not perfect… but there's food and mana…" Her voice trailed off again before she looked away. "I hope Remiel has some options."

Liane's expression sobered at the mention of the angel. _I don't see him wanting to take the time. _"I guess we'll see at the Tower…" she shrugged before she pushed herself to her feet. It seemed that Sheena still had much on her mind… yet another thing that each member of the party had in common with each other. But it was that thought which made her pause and watch the ninja for another long moment before she spoke again. "I don't want to fight you, either, you know."

"See, it's that kind of thing that will get you in trouble," Sheena sighed, looking up to Liane with a playful smirk that was clear by the moonlight. "And this is probably the part that I should tell you to watch your back 'cause I know where you sleep?"

"You've had your chances before, Sheena," Liane chuckled and started to walk away, deciding it was time to stake out her sleep site for the night and leave the ninja to her own thoughts. "I'm not worried."

* * *

"_You're stuck with me now…."_

_Her voice was filled with a contentment that felt strange to every fiber of her being, the words slipping out of a pleasant fog that made her wonder if it was even her speaking._

_A raspy chuckle tickled her ear just before soft lips pressed to her neck just below it. "I thought I made it clear that I am happy for that fact back on the docks."_

_She shied away from how his whisper made her neck tingle and laughed as she rolled over to pillow her head on his warm shoulder, her hand moving to lazily push stubborn bangs away from the mahogany eyes that she needed to see once again. "After all these years… why me?"_

_There was a long moment of silence before a pair of warm arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "Because you are worth it – because my fate was to wait," he murmured, lifting his head to press a kiss to her forehead. "I could ask the same of you. Not many would be so foolish as to cast their lot with me."_

"_You dropped into my lap… and tried to escape. What's a girl to do but chase her prey when he tries something like that?" she giggled, rolling to tuck herself along his side and allowing her fingers to walk playfully across his toned chest. "Come on… you felt it, too... of…" her smile died back just a little. "Or you never would have come back –"_

_His fingers were immediately beneath her chin, tilting her lips up to meet his before she could say any more. "I will always come for you…" he whispered, pulling back only enough to meet her eyes. "You are precious to me," he murmured, the sincerity in his voice echoed in the depths of his eyes before he dipped his head to trail kisses down the side of her throat. She gasped softly, letting her head fall back as his fingers slid lightly down the bared skin of her side. "My love… my soulmate…" he whispered, his breath sliding over her neck. "My –"_

Liane's eyes flew open, sitting up in a panic as she grasped her woolen blanket to her chest. Her eyes were wide and her breathing shallow as she ran a hand back through her mussed ponytail. _What in the name of the Goddess was that???_

Forcing herself to draw a few deep breaths, she glanced back towards the camp, willing a reality that she recognized to take hold once again. The first pale shades of the sunrise were beginning to brighten the rock wall behind them and it was easy to see Colette sitting beside the fire, keeping it stoked as the others slept.

As she leaned back against the base of the tree that she had slept beneath, Liane attempted a quick count of her companions – and found only one missing.

_Kratos…._

She almost groaned as she allowed her eyes to slide shut once again in exasperation. _Why does it always come back to him?_ There was no mistaking that it had been him in her dream – but even that much surety was no reassurance. _But I don't feel that way… why would I ever –_

"More nightmares?"

Liane sucked in her breath at the simple question that issued from the shadows of a nearby tree, the action followed by a quick grind of her teeth as she mentally kicked herself for not noticing him. The mercenary stood leaning against the trunk of the tree, Noishe curled into a ball at his feet to complete the all-too-calm scene. "N-No…" she answered as soon as she spotted a brief flicker of light from his eyes. But even the moment was more than enough to set her cheeks on fire. "Ah… I mean… yes…I'm sorry for waking you up…" she mumbled, pulling the blanket up around his neck in an attempt to escape his measuring gaze – whether she was just imagining it or not. _Oh, Goddess – please don't tell me I was talking in my sleep on top of everything…._

"Hmm…" came the mercenary's only comment before he fell silent again. If he was waiting for further detail, it wasn't clear, but when she offered none, he pushed away from the tree trunk, leaving Noishe to follow the example, shaking his thick green and white coat as if in preparation for his own departure. "The sun will be up soon. You still have a few minutes to gather your thoughts before the others could think to question you," he spoke softly as he spared one more glance for her and then started back to the others.

Liane's eyes followed after him, but she said nothing. For even as much as she had told him of her observations in Luin, the dream she hand just wakened from was not one that she would confess to easily – or at all – no matter the torture method used on her. Even as the words were blessedly fading from her memories, the rest was still disturbingly clear – there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that the man in her dream was Kratos. And if that wasn't bad enough – no matter how she denied her blush – in her dream, at least… she wanted him there.

_But I don't feel – like that – for him…_ her thoughts objected to the realization. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest beneath the blanket as she sighed and her eyes slipped to the brightening horizon. _Why… would I ever have a dream like that… about him?

* * *

_

The clear blue skies above Lake Umacy seemed intent on casting a far happier mood over the Chosen's party than they were collectively ready for. While the improvised quest for the unicorn's horn was an excursion from their headlong rush for the Tower of Salvation – it was something they all embraced without question – as if none of them were ready for the journey to be over. But the absence of Colette's normally cheerful voice wouldn't let the fact slip away from them – someday it would all be over and their world – if not the _whole_ world – would change.

The party made its way along the shore of the placid lake, picking through the sometimes-thick vegetation that butted to the water's edge. Liane carefully maintained her place in the line between Genis and Sheena, not trusting herself with more than a few necessary pleasantries for the mercenary. Certainly, she knew that sometimes – a dream was truly just a dream. But how was it right that Kratos had simply charged into her dreams – insinuated himself so deeply into her thoughts? Sure, he was enigmatic and – she had to grudgingly admit – handsome. But as much as she could admit that to herself, she also had to recognize the frustration factor – how even under the friendliest of situations, he kept her – kept all of them – at arm's length. _How is that even vaguely grounds for a dream like that?_

"Hey, Liane, are you feeling okay? Your cheeks are awfully red…."

Liane's eyes snapped open wide as she looked down to find Genis' blue eyes scrutinizing her with a mixture of amusement and concern – and, if it was possible, she felt her face get even hotter. "Me? I'm fine," she waved off the question with a hurried laugh as she reached to her water flask. "Probably just need a sip of water… didn't realize how warm it was this morning…" she commented as she lifted the flask to her lips – mostly for show – hoping to put the topic to rest.

"Huh… I was thinking it was a little chilly out this morning…" Lloyd shrugged as she stopped in a small clearing at the lake's edge.

Liane busied herself with replacing her flask on her pack in an attempt to keep from glaring at the young swordsman. _Just let it go, Lloyd… you and Genis can needle at me all you like, but you're not getting ANY of this out of me…._

"Wow! So there are still unicorns left on this side!"

Sheena's exclamation sounded like a gift from the Goddess herself to Liane as she looked up to see Colette and Sheena standing together at the water's edge, the Chosen pointing out where the white creature was still imprisoned beneath the surface of the lake. They were there for the unicorn, so Liane was all too glad to let the topic of her flushed cheeks fall aside. She joined the others in lining up at the edge of the water. "Poor thing…" she murmured softly, glancing to her left where the Professor stood at her side. "I know it's why we're here, but I think I was hoping it might have escaped." It just seemed wrong that a creature of legend shouldn't be so predictable as to be found easily – much less imprisoned.

Raine sighed, crossing her arms as she stared out to the creature, thoughtfully nibbling at her thumbnail for a moment before she spoke. "I wonder if we can make contact with it."

"The Unicorn Horn?" Kratos asked from the Professor's other side.

"Yes," Raine nodded in response, tilting her head as if to get another view of what exactly it was that kept the unicorn prisoner. "In order to use Master Boltzman's healing technique, we need the Unicorn Horn."

Liane frowned. It just seemed that there was something they were missing. The unicorn had gotten to the bottom of the lake somehow – and the enclosure around it suggested that either the creature had willed it to be so – or someone or something had trapped it there. An accident seemed out of the question. _Unicorns are supposed to be ellusive – granted, it's out of reach… but I can't believe it would do that to itself. _"Could someone have trapped it there?" she mused before she had even realized that she had spoken.

"But how can _we_ get over there?" Genis insisted, further focusing their dilemma.

Lloyd took a step closer to the water, running a hand back through his hair with a shrug. "Can't we just swim to it?" he asked after a moment, glancing over his shoulder to the others.

The silver haired mage snorted softly. "You won't be able to hold your breath that long."

Lloyd's helpless frustration swiftly turned to a clenched jaw and a fist as he spun around. "Dammit! Isn't there anything we can do?!"

"Lloyd…" Liane murmured, dropping a hand lightly on her friend's shoulder. "What I was trying to point out was that if something put the unicorn down there, there has to be a way to get it back up…" she explained evenly, trying to calm him down. "Getting angry probably isn't the best approach."

As the younger swordsman's shoulders fell along with a deep exhale, the group once again fell silent. They needed the unicorn's horn to fulfill Colette's promise… and perhaps the unicorn needed them as well. Leaving the unicorn there didn't seem to be an option… but what else did that leave?"

"There is a way."

Sheena's quiet comment drew the party's attention back to the ninja, who stood motionless staring at the water.

"What?" Raine asked, an eyebrow arched skeptically at Sheena.

The black haired girl drew a deep breath. "We could summon Undine, who exists somewhere in this world, to control the water's mana," she offered softly, still not looking back to the others, her tone suggesting her thoughts were somewhere other than Lake Umacy's shore at the moment.

"Undine…" Lloyd repeated, frowning for a moment before his eyes widened and surprise replaced the frown. "You mean the Summon Spirit?"

Genis was already shaking his head before Lloyd could finish voicing his recognition of the spirit's name. "We don't have anyone who can summon the Summon Spirits."

Liane watched Sheena finally turn to them, her expression somber. "Sheena?" It was the stuff of fairy tales – the legendary spirits that were said to govern the elements of the world. "You can really do that?"

"I… I haven't formed a pact yet, but if I can form the pact, then…" Sheena's voice was quiet, almost as if she didn't want to speak the explanation out loud, "… I can summon."

"Now that you mention it, you did say you could use summoning techniques," Genis murmured, watching Sheena closely for a few moments before his eyes widened. "Are you a summoner?"

Sheena looked down to the mage with what looked like it could have been the start of a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm a guardian user!" she shook her head even as she drew a deep breath and momentarily chewed the corner of her lip. "But I can summon, too."

As her brow furrowed, Liane watched Sheena, trying to decide why the girl differentiated being able to summon from being a summoner – weren't the two dependant on each other? _She almost sounds… offended?_ "Sheena… we're just not used to –"

"I'd heard that the art of summoning was lost a very long time ago…" Raine murmured quietly, perhaps not having even meant to be heard as her eyes were fixed out over the waters of the lake. But it was apparently loud enough to draw Sheena's attention from Liane's attempted explanation, her eyes sharpening on the Professor.

"Well, it exists…" the ninja snorted softly, starting to turn her back on the others again as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Anyway, if you're not interested, I'm not going to force you…."

Lloyd was quick to step forward, dropping his hand onto Sheena's shoulder. When her head snapped up to face the young swordsman, he smiled at her. "No, we need the Unicorn Horn," he shook his head in gentle insistence. "Please do it, Sheena."

Sheena's jaw dropped open slightly, either not having expected one of them to pursue the option… _or maybe she's disappointed that we did?_ Liane inhaled and offered Sheena a shrug. "Our options are limited… we can't swim down to it… and there would be no guarantees we could free the unicorn even if we could. If you can do this, it would really help us…" she spoke quietly, seeing doubt flicker in the ninja's eyes. "It would help us help Pietro…?" Liane amended her claim quickly, reminding herself that "helping" the Chosen's party still wasn't an identical path to the ninja's goals.

Sheena looked from Lloyd to Liane and then glanced over to the silently pleading eyes of the Chosen before she sighed. "A… all right," she finally agreed with no one in particular, yet all of them at once. "Then, let's go to the Seal of Water. Undine should be at the Seal."

"The Thoda Geyser, right?" Genis chimed in, sweeping between Lloyd and Sheena to grab the ninja's wrist and tug her away from the shore of the lake. As she stumbled after him with a surprised laugh, he waved over his shoulder to the others. "Let's go!"

Liane watched with a small smile as Colette grabbed Lloyd's arm, following Genis' example as she pulled the brown haired teen away. The decision to seek Undine had seemingly energized them all once again – it was one more thing they could do together – one more thing that might delay conflict between them. _Undine at the Seal of Water… it makes sense… but we didn't see her there before… did we?_ To her, the Summon Spirits had always been the stuff of fables even though she was her almost ashamed to admit that. After all they had already seen over the course of the journey, a Summon Spirit – the very embodiment of an element – could have escaped her notice? _Some scholar…_ she sighed, the thought proving to her that she truly did have a long way to go before she was ready to call herself anyone's teacher. With a shrug, she adjusted her pack again and glanced back to the unicorn again before she started to follow after the others. _Maybe I can stay working with Raine a bit longer… when this is all over…._

"This is quite a detour…."

The quiet comment caught the edge of Liane's hearing and she slowed, glancing over her shoulder to see the mercenary sharing a meaningful look with the Professor.

"Yes…" the elven woman nodded with a sigh before she noticed that Liane was watching. Raine offered her apprentice a quick smile and continued to walk, passing by the dark haired girl without another word.

Liane's eyes trailed after her mentor for a moment longer before she looked back to Kratos. "We're not keeping you from anything, are we?" she asked, actually trying to keep the sarcasm out of her tone. It didn't have to be said that time was of the essence when it came to Sylvarant's regeneration – but a couple of extra days certainly couldn't hurt, could it? It could help a person – and quite possibly more – that had been harmed by elements that the very nature of the world's regeneration would remedy. How could they not at least try?

Kratos met her eyes evenly for a moment before his sigh echoed Raine's. "There simply should be a limit to what we tamper with – before we start doing more harm than good," he replied in a flat tone, gesturing for her to walk ahead. "In addition to delaying the regeneration, it further endangers the Chosen. But it still seems to be her will. There's no point in discussing it further."

"It's a good thing mercenaries aren't paid for their communication skills…" Liane sighed, shaking her head as she continued ahead of him. His points were predictably legitimate, but it was just one more thing that made her wonder why – of all the people in the world – she would have such risqué dreams of him. Of something that should be meaningful… _I guess it speaks for the theory of the 'bad boy attraction…_ she thought as she walked, her hand resting on the handle of her sword as she heard Lloyd and Genis begin to interrogate Sheena. _I should just be grateful that I didn't have that dream about Michael…._

It was some reassurance… but only a little.

* * *

The Thoda Island docks had long since closed by the time the party reached the familiar area, and there had been just enough daylight left for them to stake their camp in the yard of the House of Salvation that doubled as the management of the docks. Other travelers had already claimed the beds inside, but the party was just tired enough to accept the concept of camping without complaints. 

But even as the night should have grown more peaceful, Kratos had been mildly surprised when Liane had approached him after their dinner was over. Instead of stalking off to the outer reaches of the camp as she seemed prone to doing, she pressed him for further tutelage as the others readied themselves for the night. After she had avoided him for the better part of the day, he had figured that that would have been the end of things. But her drive to follow through with what she had asked of him was stronger than he had given her credit for. It was a mistake he had already silently chided himself for – an oversight that could have smacked him at a worse time when any flicker in his resolve would be catastrophic.

_There can't be any surprises… everything will have to happen perfectly…._

"Sonic Thrust!"

Kratos narrowed his focus back on the girl that was rushing towards him, making the last moment decision to both bring his sword up to block the attack and summon his Guardian. From the way the pale ripples of mana wavered around the blade of the silver sword, he was certain that he could have simply blocked the attack with his own blade and shrugged off the effects of the mana wave. He had to guess she was tired – from waking early, from traveling, and from learning to adapt herself to another new technique. It would do nothing for her confidence the night before another potential battle for him to blatantly put on a show at the weakness of the attack. She had the theory of the technique. Now she needed to stay with it so that she would have another option to defend herself. "Guardian!"

Watching as Liane's attack evaporated from the surface of his protective barrier, Kratos watched her shoulders heave with a couple of heavy breaths before he waved off the spell and sheathed his sword. "That's enough. You're tired. You've learned enough for today. You can practice it if we fight tomorrow."

"_If_," Liane snorted, rolling her eyes as she took a step backwards, fairly glaring at the mercenary. "And I'm 'tired'? Don't you mean I'm 'weak'?" she asked, her breathing still affecting her tone. "It's not like you to sugar-coat things, Kratos. Why start now?"

Kratos arched his eyebrow at her a little, watching her in curiosity for a few moments by the almost-faded daylight before he understood. She was tired – probably just a hair's width from utter exhaustion, but she was feeding from the anger his criticism had fanned in her before to push herself. He almost smirked. "If you want to put words in my mouth, feel free. I simply thought that the day might have worn on you…" he crossed his arms over his chest, still carefully controlling his expression. "Especially with you waking up so early this morning…?"

Liane's reaction was immediate and almost delightfully predictable – her stance stiffened and widened almost before he could finish his question and her jaw went rigid as she glared at him. "I'm _not_ tired! I have to learn this… so if you won't help me, I'll go find –"

"Show me the rune pattern for Lightning – like Genis showed you," Kratos cut her off, not budging from his stern pose. "If you're not tired, that should be an easy enough task if you don't follow through to complete the casting."

Something that sounded distinctly like an indignant growl bubbled up out of Liane's throat as he paused for a moment to glare at him before her shoulders heaved and she forced a deep breath into her lungs. He couldn't tell if it was because he had interrupted her or challenged her, but either way, his ploy to push her – to make her push herself – seemed to be working. He remained still as he watched her take a few steps back and draw her blade up before her, her chin dipping as her eyes slid closed and mana began to sparkle around her – faintly at first, and with an obvious green tint.

"Lift your head or open your eyes…" he ordered, seeing her jump a little at the command. "You leave yourself too open like you are now."

"I… I'm trying to concentrate!" Liane grumbled in frustration, lifting her head, her eyes flickering open for long enough to glare at him for barely a heartbeat.

Her reaction made it impossible for him to contain his smirk any longer. He noted that she kept her head up, but her frown continued to deepen even as the runes that were beginning to form and turn around her blazed a little brighter. And still green. "You're still conjuring the wrong element."

Liane ground her teeth and her sword shook as her grip tightened in anger. "Leave… me… alone!!" she hissed as her forehead creased again, the rune circle flashing angrily between green and purple.

She was set on proving him wrong – just as he thought she would be. It was hardly a thought for him to slide forward, closing the distance between them with speed that he wouldn't dare use had her eyes been open or her concentration less forced. He stepped into her rune circle and hovered over her shoulder for just a moment before he leaned closer to her ear. "You left yourself open…."

The quiet whisper wrenched a yelp from Liane as she flailed forward, the mana that she had been manipulating solidifying green the instant before the trio of Wind Blades materialized and shot across the small clearing, slamming into a small boulder and rocking it back before they disappeared. Just before the girl could hit the ground, his hand snapped out and caught her by the forearm, quickly pulling her up so that her back was against his chest, his hands steadying her as they closed over her upper arms.

"Don't ever count on an opponent not taking advantage of you if you leave them the opportunity…" he murmured quietly in her ear again even as he could feel how she had tensed. He held her steady for another breath before he took a step back and slowly released her, awaiting her reaction with interest.

Liane slowly turned, her form clearly taut with anger even as a slight wobble in her balance also became obvious. Btu there was nothing unsteady about her glare as it fixed on him. "Why do you do things like that? Does it amuse you to watch me fail?" she snarled out as her hands curled into shaking fists.

"It bothers me that you might…" Kratos replied evenly. "You can never be completely certain of the conditions you will fight in. When you place yourself in the role of spellcaster, it almost always leaves you vulnerable. If those that would defend you are already busy, your concentration can't be tied up with recalling a rune pattern – your first priority needs t be finding a way that you will still be breathing at the end of the fight." He saw her mouth drop open as if to protest and he quickly picked up his explanation. "You can be better than you are."

His words not only silenced her protest, but they had the added benefit of pushing her angered expression away from him as her eyes fell to the ground between them. She sheathed her sword and turned her back to him after a moment. "You sound sure of that."

The sullen note in her voice kept him silent and till for a moment longer than probably necessary. "If you're not, then perhaps I was wrong," he finally spoke quietly. There was no room for self-doubt amongst any of them – and yet it seemed to be festering rampantly as the end approached. "I suppose the ultimate choice is yours. You won't have time to second-guess yourself soon. Hesitation will do you nothing but harm."

Liane's posture straightened as his words died away on the evening breeze, finally shooting a look over her shoulder to him. "Will we have to fight Undine?" she asked softly, blinking as if the thought hadn't occurred to her.

The question caught him off-guard – truth be told, it hadn't even really been a consideration until then. They would be lucky if Undine would appear, much less speak to them. The trip to the Water Seal would be an exercise in futility… but it might afford them all the best opportunity they would have to prepare themselves for what awaited them. "I suppose that depends upon Undine," Kratos replied with a small shrug.

"Oh…" Liane replied, turning back to face him again. "Look, I know I asked you to help me. I'll practice when I can… but all of this is still kind of new. I know you're trying to make your point, but I'm not used to having options, either. I wasn't trained for that – maybe… maybe you could tell me how you switch between swords and spells – and then between spells?"

Her tone was still just a bit sullen – it made him realize how much he had probably pushed both her and her pride. But it was an effort, in any case. _But… 'how?'_ "It is something that becomes second nature to you with time," he offered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just as it's become second nature to you to conjure wind runes – it will only become easier with time."

Her shoulders slumped just a little at that, her entire form deflating as she glanced away. "It was all I could do to get close enough to where the priests were teaching the others Wind Blade so that I could even get that pattern…" she shook her head. "Maybe I should just stick to the sword…"

"In all honesty, you probably should," Kratos spoke up, choosing to encourage the safest bet for the girl. "Why is that a bad thing?"

Liane's arms fell limply to her sides as she took a few steps away, as if the space would give her the space to find her explanation. "If you can do something… shouldn't you?" she asked with a weak shrug. "I know humans aren't usually particularly strong magic users, but I have some ability – why shouldn't I use it?"

Kratos digested her words for a moment before he decided to push her a little more. "I suppose… you must have some elven blood buried somewhere in your line…?" he murmured thoughtfully, watching her by the faint light of a nearby lantern through his crop of bangs, almost nodding to himself when she began to shake her head.

"No… that was one of the reasons the priests gave me for turning me down for training. With no elven blood on either Mom or Dad's side as far as they searched the records, they said it would be wasting my time as well as theirs," she shrugged. "But everyone wants to believe in magic, don't they? Maybe even the chance that they can actually do it?" Liane laughed dryly and looked away from him again. "Maybe it's just me. They spent so much time trying to convince me that I couldn't that it turned into a challenge to prove to them that I could. But I guess that's just me being stubborn, too. Even when I showed them that I could do it, they still tried to tell me not to – that I didn't have the energy available to maintain spell casting – it's why they wouldn't teach me any more."

"But you kept practicing anyway," Kratos finished the thought with a shake of his head. "They were probably concerned with you losing too much energy too fast…?"

Liane backed up again until her knees bumped into a simple bench that had been placed in the yard, and she then sat down with a sigh. "They said my mana levels are too low to really even consider using them for casting," she leaned forward so that her forearms rested on her thighs. "The priests thought that it might have gone back to my accident… that my mana was too tied up with trying to right itself and keep me alive after that. I don't know… but Wind Blade has been getting easier…" she tilted her head as she looked up to him. "I don't' get tired like I used to… I can do more…."

While it was hard for him to give the priests too much of the benefit of the doubt, that reasoning seemed sound… _especially after what the fortune teller said…._ Kratos hated placing any kind of weight upon explanations that seemed so flimsy – but he had seen no evidence to go against it as yet either – no matter how he had been seeking it. "Most will build their mana levels as they learn to use them, but you should be careful – don't leave yourself depending on your spells or techniques if a fight is wearing on you," he commented quietly.

"I know… I know…" she sighed heavily with her head hung in exasperation. "Look, my goal in being here is not to get myself killed, contrary to what everyone seems to think," Liane lifted her head just enough to see him. "I just want to help – I can't just sit on the sidelines. My friends are risking everything for this journey – I can't do any less."

Kratos watched her, measuring her resolve as he met her gaze evenly. "You'd be safer far away from here." The words slipped out before he could even think to contain them. But they were the truth – at least for the moment. She could still walk away – almost any of them but Colette could. Their lives probably wouldn't change immediately, but they could still have those lives for a while longer at the very least. Inwardly, he cringed when he saw her eyes flare wider, bracing himself to be passive once again as she stormed off in anger. But she merely kept his eyes – not speaking, but eventually pushing herself to her feet in an attempt to bring herself as close to eye level with him as she could manage.

"Then tell me to leave," she demanded quietly.

It should have been so easy – one word even – he could live up to all the cold, derogatory names she had come up with for him since they had met and it could all be over. But somehow, what he 'should' do and what he wanted to do came into conflict – and even in light of this almost ridiculously open opportunity – he gave in to what he wanted. Kratos Aurion, slave to his duty for the better part of four millennia, once again gave into instincts that weren't dictated by anyone but him. Facing down the challenge that was plain to read in her hazel eyes for a moment longer, he finally turned on his heel and began to stride back to where the others had set the camp on the other side of a nearby hedge row. "Get some sleep. We'll start out as soon as we can get passage to the geyser in the morning."

* * *

"Why do I keep letting you people drag me onto these things?" 

Liane somehow managed to contain her amusement to a silent smirk as she and Lloyd each took one of the Professor's arms to help her from the washtub. The woman's distinctly green-tinted complexion was enough to remind her that it probably wasn't funny. _Well… not that funny anyway…._

"C'mon, Raine!" Genis planted himself in front of his sister with a wide grin as he watched her wobble a little. "Even if we had to cross the water, we get to meet one of the Summon Spirits… _the_ Summon Spirits! Isn't that worth just about anything?"

Raine braced her staff on the deck and drew a deep breath, gently shrugging out of the grip of both Liane and Lloyd. She offered her brother a weary glare before she sighed and made the effort to straighten herself. "I suppose the opportunity is –"

"Okay then!" the young mage laughed out, stepping around behind his sister and planting his hands on the small of her back, shoving her up the walkway to the geyser observation area. "Undine's not coming to us! Let's go!!"

The rest of the party stared after the siblings for just a moment – perhaps unwilling to step into the possible crossfire if Raine chose a path of retaliation. When they began to straggle after them, Colette took the lead, her smile replacing her lost voice to encourage them to follow. _It must be a relief… to know that Remiel shouldn't be here to take something more away from her…_ Liane thought with some sense of relief herself before she glanced over to Lloyd. "So Candy wouldn't take our gald for a ride in her death traps, hmm? That's big of her," she snickered, shaking her head. "What did she do – screw up the courage to ask Kratos on a date as payment?"

Lloyd smirked just a little at his friend's question, glancing over to her with a casual shrug and a faint arch to his eyebrow. "Jealous?"

Liane's steps faltered as her eyes widened, her cheeks heating immediately when she heard a small giggle from the ninja walking behind her. "No!" she blurted out, shaking her head as Sheena's hand planted itself on the back of her shoulder, pushing gently.

"Keep walking, or that shocked look on your face will look like even more of an admission," Sheena whispered, amusement clear even in her hushed tone.

She hadn't even realized she had actually stopped – that she was simply staring at Lloyd's growing grin. "Grow up, Lloyd…" she grumbled, shooting a cautious glance back to Kratos to confirm his indifferent expression before she continued up the trail, leaving the young swordsman snickering behind her.

"You _know_ you only look more guilty when you do stuff like that, right?" Sheena sighed as she hurried to keep pace with the other girl.

Liane glanced over to Sheena out of the corner of her eye. The day had been peaceful and bordered on actually pleasant – save for the washtub ride, of course – until this. _Why does everyone have to stick their noses into this? I'm fine with being friends with him – why is everyone digging for more?_ And, at that, she would have sworn she heard her own thoughts snicker at her. _Because they couldn't get a reaction to that…._ She knew the game well – she had even helped to perfect it over the years. It was a timeless recipe for teasing – even she had to admit it. _I just wish I wasn't on the receiving end of it._ Liane knew that she had left herself open for it by even bringing up the desk clerk in the first place. She sighed, shaking her head to Sheena as she nodded ahead of them to where Colette and the Sage siblings were stepping over the makeshift barrier that had been erected around the platform that bore the oracle stone and the end of the green light bridge to the Water Seal. "Maybe… there's more important things to deal with right now than if I look guilty or not, hmm?"

"I guess…" Sheena murmured, eyeing the barrier for a moment as they approached it. After a glance behind them, looking over the translucent bridge from near her feet to the cave opening ahead.

"It's more solid than it looks," Genis offered with a shrug as he made his way to the ninja's side. "We all made it across and back and lived to tell about it…."

Sheena glanced down to the boy and grinned at him. "If it wasn't for Lloyd's weird dog-thing that might have been different," she shrugged, chuckling softly as she took a step forward and began to cross the bridge.

"Hey…!" Noishe isn't a dog-thing!" Lloyd sputtered as he ran past Liane, Kratos, and the others to plant himself on the bridge in front of Sheena. "Look at him!" he demanded in frustration, pointing back to where the green and white creature sat amongst the tourists, one hind leg cranked up around his forepaw to scratch at his ear. "Why doesn't anyone believe he's a dog??"

Genis and Sheena were quick to attack Lloyd's stand on his pet as the three of them led the way across the bridge followed by Colette and the Professor. With one more glance back to Noishe. Liane sighed and started across herself. The mood was lightened for the moment by the bickering at the head of the group, but Sheena had been acting strangely since Lake Umacy – picking on Lloyd and Genis seemed to be a welcome distraction. _She's really nervous… _she frowned, glancing back over his shoulder to the mercenary that followed her. _He seems to know a little bit about everything…. _"Hey, Kratos?"

Her only response was his eyes meeting hers. It made Liane want to roll her eyes, but she still drew a small breath.

"If we have to fight Undine… what will it be like?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her after the girl she had once thought unshakable was seeming more apprehensive with every step they got closer to the Water Seal.

"Undine is said to be a water elemental – the incarnation of the natural powers of water," Kratos murmured his response as she turned forward once again. "I would imagine it would be at least similar to taking a sword to one of those water spouts below… perhaps a bit cooler, but not necessarily," he shrugged.

Liane swallowed hard, but continued to walk. _Fighting the power of water… great…_she frowned. She could have guessed that much… but perhaps if the mercenary would have by some chance been more encouraging, it would have made the journey back through the damp caves easier. _But I guess nothing about the journey has been easy… why start now?

* * *

_

When they arrive at the altar of the Water Seal, everything was just as they had left it before – cool, dark, and dank – giving them no indication that there was any being present in the chamber that didn't enter as part of the Chosen's group.

"Are we sure this is the right place?" Genis asked quietly even as his voice still echoed from the stove walls around them.

Liane squinted a little as she looked around – looking for a door – another warp pad – _anything._ "Well, it makes the most sense that Undine would be here," she shrugged. "Maybe the spirit is outside with the geyser?" she offered helplessly. _All this way and no spirit?_

"I think we would have noticed…" Raine shook her head in response to her assistant's explanation, her eyes searching their shadowed surroundings as well. "Unless it's simply that Undine doesn't wish to be seen – with all this water, one would think that the spirit that rules over it would be able to do just about anything it wanted…."

"Or maybe we just have to tell it that we're here?" Lloyd shrugged helplessly. "You know – like knock or something?" He glanced over his shoulder to where Sheena still hovered near the warp pad at the back of the chamber. "Sheena. Please do that pact thing…?"

Even as it was clear that Lloyd – that none of them, actually – knew quite what he was asking. Liane looked back to see Sheena straighten and her eyes widen a bit at the swordsman's request. "Unless you know something we don't about bringing the spirit out…?" she offered quietly as the ninja started forward. Sheena's reluctance was obvious, and she couldn't help but want to try to aid her somehow.

"Pact… hmm…."

Liane heard the quiet comment escape from the mercenary just behind her as Sheena walked past them, but before she could turn to see what thoughts Kratos was harboring, the black haired girl sighed heavily and approached the altar of the Water Seal.

"Okay," Sheena nodded, facing away from them but her voice still reaching them thanks to their stone surroundings. "I'll do my best. Although… I'm a little scared."

Before any of them could react to the admission that they may or may not have been supposed to hear, the altar exploded into a blinding burst of soundless light. Startled gasps escaped from the members of the party as they scrambled to shield their eyes from the light, even if the damage had already been done. But when the glowing blotches of their recovering vision began to finally fade, they were met by a sight that drew yet another round of gasps from them. Standing at the center of the altar was a pale blue skinned woman with hair of wavering blue and purple that flowed around her as if it had a life of its own. Her long, shimmering skirt was no different from her hair except that it flowed as one, with the edges rippling like waves on a tranquil pond. Her skin was marked by sweeping dark marks over her shoulders and across parts the bared flesh of her chest. But perhaps her most striking features were her eyes – a deep and soulful purple that seemed to fairly glow from within… and that enforced an air of patience that she practically radiated as she observed the party before her.

_Undine…_ Liane's mind whispered as she stared at the being before them in awe. No matter how rude she probably appeared in staring, even she could sense the raw power emanating from the woman. There was no way it could be anyone else. But as she struggled with realizing that she had no idea what to do next – _do… do we bow to a Summon Spirit…?_ Liane jumped when a melodic voice filled the chamber, seemingly coming from all directions at once.

"You who possess the right of the pact. I am one who is bound to Mithos," the spirit spoke, taking a small step closer to the edge of the altar and to Sheena. She tilted her head as if in curiosity as she watched the ninja. "What is your name?"

"Mithos?" Lloyd murmured, his tone betraying his surprise even as he managed to somehow keep his voice to just over a whisper. "The hero of the Kharlan War?"

Genis shook his head for a moment before he turned wide blue eyes up to his friend. "Not only was Mithos a swordsman, he had the ability to summon as well?"

To Liane, the possibility made her thoughts spin. They had all been told the tales of Mithos' bravery for as long as they could remember – children around the world had been raised on them. "Well… if summoning is a lost art… maybe that part of the story wore away over the years?" she offered her friends, keeping her voice low as well – the last thing they needed was to offend the spirit with their insolence.

Raine moved to stand with her students, turning her staff thoughtfully in her hands before her as her gaze remained fixed on Undine. "Mithos is a common boy's name," she murmured. "It's not necessarily Mithos the Hero."

"I am Sheena," the ninja declared her answer to the spirit's question, silencing the speculation of the others as her voice rang out – bearing just a little more confidence than it truly sounded like she bore. "I seek a pact with Undine!"

Undine tilted her head to the other side as she silently watched the would-be summoner, her passive expression soon sliding into the ghost of a frown. "As things stand now, I cannot."

As the spirit's apologetic tone and the meaning behind her statement began to settle over the party, Sheena took a step forward. "Wh… why?!" she demanded, her puffed-up confidence clearly deteriorating into panic.

"I am already bound by a pact," Undine explained gently, clasping her delicate hands before her as she continued to address Sheena. "I cannot form two pacts at the same time."

"You mean your pact with that Mithos guy…?" Sheena asked sullenly as her shoulders sank as she backed off a step from the altar, her head hung low.

Liane couldn't' help but think that she understood – if not shared – the ninja's reaction to the news. _Without Undine, we can't get the Unicorn's horn… and without that, we can't help Pietro – or Clara. And if we can't honor those promises, all that's left is to take Colette to the Tower… then this will all be over…._ They still needed the time that keeping their promises would buy them – to find a way that they wouldn't have to fight Sheena – to find a way for Sylvarant and Tethe'alla to stop feeding from each other – to find a way for them to all stay together just a little longer. "There has to be a way…" she murmured quietly, noticing that her words earned her an almost mournful glance from Colette.

Sheena turned her back to the altar to face the party with a helpless flail of her arms. "What am I supposed to do now?! They never said anything about this at the research institute!"

The group stood silent in the face of their ally's frustration – even Undine taking a step back into the center of the altar as if to give Sheena her space to vent. Then just as the ninja started to draw a breath to speak again –

"Um… hmm. Can't you just ask her to cancel the old pact?"

As Lloyd's words died away, the group's attention snapped onto the swordsman along with Sheena's frustration-driven glare. "How?! We don't even have any idea where this Mithos person is!"

"A Summon Spirit pact requires a vow," Kratos' voice filtered from the back of the group, momentarily silencing Sheena's rant. "As long as the pact-maker upholds that vow, the pact remains valid," he continued, casually strolling past the others and approaching Undine, as if he was addressing her with all the unshakable coolness that the others knew him for.

Undine's smile returned, but only a hint of it with a nod to the mercenary. "That is correct."

_He… he didn't even hesitate to talk to her… he just looked her right in the eye and spoke to her…_ Liane's thoughts murmured to her in amazement. The rest of them had kept their distance, with the exception of Sheena, but… _he's really not afraid of anything, is he?_

"I know about that," Sheena fairly rolled her eyes as she glanced back to Undine. "The Summon Spirit approves the pact-maker's vow and agrees to the pact."

Kratos nodded and took a step closer to the ninja, staring down into her eyes as she looked up to him in surprise. "Exactly. Therefore, all you need to do is follow Lloyd's advice and request the annulment of the previous pact and form a new one," he spoke evenly, carefully forming his instructions to pierce the girl's frustration.

"Whoa…" Lloyd breathed out, leaning closer to Liane. "Did he really just tell Sheena to follow my advice?"

Liane couldn't help but smirk at Lloyd's amazement, but any further response was cut short by a quick glare from Kratos.

"It's possible," Kratos continued with a barely-noticeable shake of his head, once again meeting Sheena's gaze, "… that the previous pact-maker has broken his vow. Or he may have… already passed away."

Genis stepped away from the others, shaking his head in disbelief. "Is it really that simple?"

The mercenary shrugged, glancing down to Genis as he turned and retreated once again to the back of the group. "I suppose you could call it simple," he commented evenly. "But if the previous pact-maker is still alive and hasn't broken his vow, then there's nothing we can do about it."

"He's right," Liane nodded, watching Kratos turn to face the rest of them with all of his calm intact – ever the voice of reason for the group even as they had seen nothing but a wall in their path. "I mean, what options do we even have? The worst that can happen is that she'll tell us 'no' – and that result is nothing different from where we are now, right?"

Sheena exhaled deeply and then squared her frame with a nod to her companions. "Okay. I'll give it a shot." The ninja then turned once again to the sprint waiting patiently on the altar, her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. "Undine! I am Sheena! I ask that thou anulst thy pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact… with me."

Undine's smile brightened even as Sheena's voice wavered a bit by the end of her request. "Before I can allow the formation of a new pact, I must test your worthiness as a pact-maker," she commented, raising her hand before her. The air around her hand began to ripple, finally solidifying after a moment into a large sword in the delicate hand of the Water Spirit. "Draw your weapons."

"Wha…? We have to fight?!" Lloyd blurted out, taking a surprised step backwards even as his hands moved to the handles of his matched Osafune.

Liane's head snapped back to Kratos, who already stood with his sword at ready. _He knew… he knew we'd have to fight….._ Sighing softly at the confirmation of her suspicions – that Kratos knew what they were getting themselves into the whole time – she dropped her pack from her back and kicked it over to where the others had discarded theirs and drew her Silver Sword.

"Let it begin!" Undine declared, drawing her sword back and lunging at Sheena.

As the water spirit's sword sliced towards her, Sheena sprung into a backflip – landing just out of the sword's range. The ninja planted her feet, moving as if on instinct as she swung her hand out before her, one of her cards snapping the air with a faint stream of mana sparkling around it. "Pyre Seal!" the black haired girl commanded as her weapon responded with an outward explosion of its clones, almost all of them slamming into the spirit and knocking her back a few small steps.

"Beast!" Lloyd barely let the effects of Sheena's attack flicker away before he dashed in front of her. He threw his shoulder into Undine to further unbalance her and then sprung back to arc his blades at her, throwing a wave of energy that momentarily flared in the form of a snarling beast's head, the mana knocking the spirit back onto the altar in a sprawl.

Sheena began to warily press forward, stopping for only a moment as the air around her began to shimmer. Her eyes widened in alarm until she glanced over her shoulder, her gaze settling on Raine, who had her staff drawn up before her and her eyes closed in a quiet chant.

"Barrier!" the Professor finished her incantation and released the spell on Sheena, the shield of pure light flaring for only a blink of an eye before it disappeared. Looking up, Raine nodded in satisfaction before she took a small step of retreat.

It somehow relieved Liane to see the Professor cast such a spell on the ninja. Raine had made her distrust of the young woman clear, but this entire battle was in support of the girl from another world, and it pleased Liane to see that even the weaker bonds of their party were strengthening. She gripped her sword a bit tighter and shifted her stance to make sure she was between Genis and Undine, much as Kratos was doing for Raine, remembering her lesson on defense of the magic users until it was obvious that she was needed elsewhere.

The ninja turned back to the spirit that had regained her feet, ready to leap at her again, but stopping short as a pair of fairly glowing chakram whizzed by her, each of them bouncing off or Undine's skin. Each of the weapons drew a pained gasp from Undine before they obediently returned to Colette's hands.

"I shall judge your worth…" Undine stated calmly, her voice betraying no wear from the battle as she turned her free hand in the air before her and a ring of pale blue runes immediately flared to life around her. "Aqua Edge!"

Three glowing blue discs formed from the runes at the spirit's bidding and flew out towards Sheena. The ninja nimbly leapt aside once again, but the discs continued, leaving Lloyd to drop to his knees to narrowly avoid one of them… while another struck the Chosen in the shoulder. The girl's mouth fell open in surprise as her wings flickered and she dropped to her knees on the floor.

"Colette!" Lloyd called out in alarm, climbing back to his feet to run to his friend's side.

"Lloyd! Not now!" Liane called out to get the swordsman's attention. She had seen Raine move instantly to Colette's side – but the battle wasn't over. "Raine's got her…" she muttered as she stepped into the swath that the spirit's spell had cut through them – leaving a clear path open to Undine. "Double Demon Fang!" she demanded of herself as she dipped her blade into a side double sweep, sending twin arches of mana that she was growing more comfortable with slicing across the floor to slam into the water spirit.

Kratos had moved with Raine to cover Colette. Once the First Aid spell had been cast on the silent girl, he charged forward in wake of Liane's attack, darting around the dark haired young woman's retreat. He continued to gain momentum as he used the steps of the altar to launch himself up into the air over Undine and leveling his blade down at her. "Hell Pyre!"

Undine cried out as each of the three fire balls that the mercenary's attack launched at her connected, each striking her with a burst of steam as she staggered back onto the altar.

"Kratos, get back!" Sheena insisted, throwing her shoulder into the mercenary as he landed lightly beside her. Her card was already flickering with a blue aura as she thrust it out towards Undine. "Power Seal!" A moment later, a swirl of glowing blue encircled the spirit, constricting around her until it seemed that it absorbed into her.

"Now, Lloyd! Go!!"

Genis' excited voice rang out and Liane's head snapped in his direction, seeing the young mage standing within a ring of crackling purple, the ball atop his kendama bouncing rhythmically with Lloyd's footsteps as the swordsman ran up to Undine and planted his feet, his blades low before him. A moment later, he slashed up with them – and at the apex of his swing, a blinding flash of lightning fell to accompany the swordsman's downward slice at the spirit. "Lightning Tiger Blade!" the boys chorused as Lloyd's blades redirected and augmented the lightning bolt, sending Undine slamming into the wall behind the altar.

As the spirit once more climbed to her feet, her shoulders heaved a few times before her elegant facial features hardened and the air around her erupted into a mass of swirling blue energy.

"We need to pull back!" Kratos called to the others, backpedaling and keeping his blade up as he backed down from the spirit.

Lloyd stopped, frowning as he looked from Kratos and back to Undine, before he lurched forward towards the spirit, his blades poised out before him. "No! This is the best time! She's casting –"

The young swordsman's technically-correct assessment of attacking a magic user was cut short with a gagging noise as Liane's hand flashed out to snag the ends of the boy's thin white scarf, using them as she braced herself against his momentum and yanking him back behind her. She could see that Sheena had already cast her defensive barrier where she stood to her side – and she could only hope that the others had done so as well, as the energy was building around the spirit more with every passing instant. _She must be incredibly powerful… I shouldn't be able to sense that…._ Liane grimaced, her skin prickling as she drew up her blade and braced it horizontally before her. "Guard—"

"Ready?" Undine suddenly asked in her silken voice. "Spread!"

_No!!_

Liane's defensive spell had only started to form as the spirit's attack solidified and crashed down over her, her half-formed spell only barely breaking the crush of water as it slammed her backwards into Lloyd.

The rush of water was breathtakingly cold, leaving Liane to inhale a searing lung full of water as she and Lloyd tumbled backwards for what seemed to her panicked mind as far further than the room was deep. She struggled to right herself – to draw a breath – to stop both hitting and being hit by Lloyd as they tumbled across the floor her hand fisted tightly around the handle of her sword. Her last instinct was to try to curl into a ball – to roll with the water even as her lungs screamed for air, and just before she could pull her legs to her chest, something caught her around her middle. The impact sent her into a fit of violent coughing, her lungs rejecting the water that had been forced into them a she weakly supported herself on her hands and knees.

Gradually, as she started to understand the assault was over – at least for the moment – she looked up in time to see Colette race past, already beginning to spin with her chakram in her outstretched hands. _They're already fighting again…_ a residual choke shook her as she realized there was still something wrapped around her middle. Lifting her head, her eyes grew wide when she saw Kratos knelt beside her, his arm the steady force that was keeping her from collapsing to the floor. _He… he caught me?_

Another gagged choke drew Liane's attention to the mercenary's other side – to where Lloyd was pushing himself back up to his knees. From their collective positions, it seemed that Kratos had caught them, pulling them from the rush of water that was now but a trickle on the floor.

"Can you fight?" Kratos asked as Lloyd bounded away with only a hint of a wheeze, turning back to watch Liane and keeping his arm out as she was still braced against it.

Over the sounds of the continuing battle, Liane heard herself moan as she pushed herself up and rolled her head to get her ponytail out of her face. "I –" she began to respond, but the effort was met with another rush of water escaping from her throat, doubling her over once again.

Kratos frowned, his eyes flickering from the incapacitated girl that still clung to her sword and back to the others fighting Undine. "Raine!"

The Professor looked up at the mercenary's call, her eyes immediately fixing on the girl at his side. She moved forward cautiously – Lloyd had moved to take Liane's place in blocking for Genis while Colette and Sheena engaged the spirit, leaving the elven woman open to attack if she wasn't careful. When she reached Liane's side, she sat back on her heels and pulled the sputtering young woman's head over to rest against her. "Go… she looked up to Kratos and nodded towards the fight. "I've got her…."

With a nod, Kratos was back on his feet and running, drawing his sword and bracing it out before him, massive waves of mana curling around the blade as he rushed the spirit. "Super Sonic Thrust!" his deep voice echoed as the shockwave he had been building blew out from him, knocking Undine back from both Sheena and the Chosen.

"First Aid…" Raine murmured softly, releasing the mana of the rune circle that turned around herself and Liane into the dark haired young woman leaning against her side. "Liane… can you breathe?" she asked as the green glow faded away, helping Liane sit up. She exhaled in relief as she saw her assistant nod and inhaled deeply.

"Yeah," Liane nodded, managing a small smile for her mentor as she sat back. "Sorry… I didn't mean to be taken off guard like that," she sighed out, somewhat surprised that it no longer hurt to breathe.

Raine shrugged, hovering over Liane as the younger woman pushed herself to her feet. "You swallowed a lot of water – it doesn't leave much room for air… but they can probably use some help…" she nodded back towards the rest of the group and again started to retreat. "Be careful…."

"I will…" Liane agreed as she turned and started to edge back to the battle, stopping short as a trio of fire balls whizzed past her, homing in on Undine.

"Fire Ball!" Genis yelled out just before his attack struck the water spirit, pushing her back a step, but having little more effect other than a few tiny puffs of steam upon impact.

"That's _it_?" Lloyd asked as he glanced over his shoulder, a cross between disbelief and disappointment in his tone. "Come on! Where's the big nasty fire balls like Kratos had?" he continued, shaking his head as he tensed and turned back forward.

"I'd like to see you do better, Lloyd," Genis bit back a grumble. "Magic isn't easy and I bet Kratos has been studying his attacks for way longer than I have mine – give me a break, okay?" he continued to defend himself as his eyes slid closed again, mana flaring around him.

Liane heard her friends bickering as Undine squared herself in the center of the altar. They were worried – they all were – and Liane only grew more worried when she heard Undine's musical laugh.

"Is that the extent?" the spirit seemed to be taunting them as she swung her blade around her – almost as if trying to clear the others from her space than to attack them. The air around the altar began to shimmer once again and the party all began to fall back, wary of the effects of her last attack that built the same way.

_No… not again…_Liane's grip on her sword tensed as she backed away.

"Liane! Guardian! Give yourself enough time!"

Liane shot a glare to the mercenary, fighting the urge to be offended at being ordered to do something so obvious. _But he's right… I messed up last time…_she frowned as she planted her feet and held her sword out before her, focusing on it for just a moment as she could see the others doing out of the corners of her vision. "Guardian!"

The green bubble winked into existence around her almost immediately – Liane's invocation almost seeming to be punctuated by Undine's voice once again. "Spread!"

The spirit's spell crashed down over them all once again, with the most important difference this time being the seven faintly glowing barriers that each encircled and protected a fighter. As the water began to recede, the first sound that any of them heard was rushed footfalls through the water as Lloyd discarded his own Guardian spell and threw himself into a headlong run at Undine.

"Tempest!" the brown haired teen called out as he flew into a forward flip, his blades lashing out at Undine and drawing yet another cry from her.

Liane had to smirk as she let her barrier flicker away. _Another good time to strike a magic-user – after they've cast their spell and are recovering. Lloyd… you are paying attention after all…._

Kratos was quick to follow the younger swordsman's attack, leaping up as Lloyd touched back to the ground, his blade guiding his way up through the air to slash at Undine, his blade clearly gathering mana to course along its surface as it rose above the mercenary's head. "Fierce Demon Fang!" Kratos demanded of his collected mana, slicing down ferociously at Undine as he dropped back to the floor.

"Hey, Lloyd! Is this better?" Genis called from the back of the chamber, an almost wicked snicker escaping him as Liane looked back to see a disturbing grin on the boy's lips. "It's pancake time! Stalagmite!!"

In answer to Genis' command, fingers of golden-brown mana raced across the altar, spider-webbing over the stone surface until the energy erupted upwards around Undine, solidifying and taking the form of a spray of rocks jutting from the previously-smooth floor. The spirit was tossed up into the air, only to fall back to the unmarred floor, the rocks that had pummeled her just moments before gone and leaving her form to crumple severely upon impact.

Lloyd let out a whoop in the wake of Genis' attack. "Genis! That's so much cooler than Fire Ball! Why didn't you do that before instead?" he laughed out, shooting a grin over his shoulder to the younger boy.

"Stupid boy…" Genis grumbled, wheezing a little as he leaned forward, his hands planted on his knees. "Thinks I can cast like that all day long…."

Liane smirked, but laughter was pushed back as she saw Undine once again stagger to her feet, her smile now grim as her eyes sought Sheena once again. With what appeared for a moment to be an effort, Undine flicked her wrist at the ninja, sparkles of blue mana once again obediently gathering into discs that shot out towards Sheena. "Aqua Edge!"

"Guardian Seal!" Sheena countered her pale green shield forming as the spirit's discs of rippling mana reached it. The attack was deflected away from her as she turned the card that she held out before her and returned it to the folds of the sash around her waist, another card already in hand when she drew it back. "Enough! This _ends_…" the ninja bit out in determination, her glare stony on the spirit as she snapped her wrist to set the card spinning, suspended in the air before her as a series of interlocked rune circles began to blaze on the floor beneath her.

_This is it…_ Liane realized as three rings of pinkish-purple energy shot away from Colette, each of them sending Undine reeling in a flurry of glowing feathers that winked away like a candle's flame. _Got to take her down… be useful…_ Liane's mind whispered as she edged backwards, swinging her sword up before her and bracing the flat of the blade against her palm. She dipped her head, focusing the mana she could muster. _Genis and Lloyd hurt her earlier… I can do this…_ she coached herself as she thought back to the ruins drawn in the sand – not comparing them to what she knew- but simply remembering them. When she opened her eyes, a small shiver ran through her when she realized that it truly was crackling purple runes that had answered her – the ring spinning patiently around her, awaiting her command. It was a command that she was all too pleased to give as her eyes snapped onto Undine: "Lighting."

The water spirit arched backwards as the bolt of lightning fell on her, her jaw falling open just a little as her knees started to buckle.

"I summon thee!" Sheena called out, drawing the party's attention back to her in surprise. The ninja stood at the center of the rune design that was now seething with mana. "Let's go Corrine!"

_Summon? She can already summon?_ Liane gaped as the air over Undine exploded in a burst of smoke – a small, pastel-hued fox creature with three tails dropping out of the smoke with what sounded distinctly like a giggle to land solidly on top of Undine. The Summon Spirit collapsed soundlessly under Corrine's assault, a small murmur escaping her pale blue lips as the little fox somersaulted and then disappeared in another cloud of smoke.

"I am… impressed…."

The quiet implied compliment drew the party's attention to Undine once again. Sheena stood frozen near the altar, her frame still taut and her card still in hand as the spirit rose to her feet once again. The silence that permeated the chamber embraced them all for the time that it took for Undine to send a few more moments inspecting her opponents before she held her hand out to release her sword. The instant that the weapon left the spirit's hand, it lost its form, appearing to be nothing more than a gush of water falling to the ground. The spill that never made it to the stone at Undine's feet as it was nothing but a few small wafts of blue sparkle that rejoined with their mistress before their fall was complete. "Splendid," Undine spoke again, her voice showing no sign of wear from the battle they had all just endured, nodding her head solemnly to Sheena. When she lifted her gaze from the floor, it was fixed firmly on the ninja. "Now, swear your vow. Upon what vow do you form our pact?"

_She did it… we did it…_Liane breathed out, feeling her shoulders relax a bit as they were relieved of the though of further battling Undine.

Sheena took a step forward, her shoulders back and her stance proud. "Right now, at this very moment, there are people who are suffering," she spoke, her tone even and clear. "I vow to save those people."

"Understood," Undine smiled to her new pact-bearer. "I pledge my power to you, Sheena!"

No sooner were the words of acceptance spoke, Undine's form once again began to shift and ripple, shrinking even as the glow of her raw mana grew brighter, folding in on itself until it was barely a spot – practically a miniature sun – hovering in the air. Sheena held her hand out to the drop of light and it fell into her palm, the light suddenly all but extinguished in the pale blue stone that the summoner cradled in her hand.

"Sheena, you did it!" Genis cheered, running to the ninja's side and gently tugging her hand down to peer at the gift Undine had left the black-haired girl.

The ninja's eyes trailed down to the elven boy, a stunned smile curling her lips before Colette seized her free hand and began to draw her index finger over Sheena's palm.

"Wow… congratulations…" Sheena read along with the formation of Colette's message, her smile both widening and warming in the face of the Chosen's grin. "Thanks, Colette."

Liane made her way to Sheena's side as Colette backed away, an eyebrow playfully arched as the ninja met her eyes. "Seems to me that you already were a summoner," the brown haired girl teased. "That was really incredible."

Sheena's eyes widened a little as she ran her fingers back through her short ponytail, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. "Corrine… yeah… I guess… but he's much more of a… friend…" she shrugged, choosing her words.

"Okay," Lloyd smiled, planting his hands on his hips as he surveyed his companions. "Now we can finally meet the unicorn… and maybe we can get Colette healed, too."

"Yeah!" Genis' hand moved quickly to hook around Colette's elbow, pulling her towards the rear of the chamber to gather their gear and head for the warp pad. With a grin, he stepped up beside the Chosen and waved the others over as they began to disappear.

Liane sighed as she stooped to gather her own pack, glancing up to watch Lloyd and Sheena vanish on the warp pad as well. _Back to the lake then, I guess…_ her thoughts whispered as she slipped her arms through the straps and she started to stand.

"Kratos, you have an impressive array of knowledge."

Glancing up, but trying not to seem too interested in any reaction that Raine's observation might draw from the mercenary, Liane frowned and glanced back to the altar for something to look at while Raine and the Professor approached the warp pad. _He does, though… _she had to agree with Raine. Kratos had insinuated that they would be fighting Undine for her pact – which had seemingly surprised everyone but Sheena. Sheena had apparently been taught the process for her art – but what was Kratos' angle?

The mercenary's shoulders heaved with a visually impatient sigh as he gestured to the Professor to step onto the warp pad. "I had an acquaintance who knew a bit about Summon Spirits, that's all."

Raine eyed the mercenary for a moment, not even the shadows of the room disguising the flicker of suspicion in the blue depths of her eyes. "I see," was her only comment before she planted her feet on the warp pad, the device responding by dissolving her form in a flurry of light.

Liane chewed her lip, hanging back and hoping that Kratos would forget she was there since his back was still to her. She had no interest in a critique of her failures – or even just what she would like to consider her successes. But as much as she dreaded all of that, she was even more worried about any possible temptation to weigh in on Raine's observation. Liane shared the Professor's observation – Kratos knew too much about too much – being a worldly-wise mercenary accounted for some of it… but only some. _It would be so much easier if he wasn't so –_

"Would you like to continue that conversation, or shall we go?"

… _evasive…._ Liane swallowed hard at Kratos' question, making full note of the fact that he didn't so much as glance over his shoulder to speak to her. She drew herself up to her full height and strode forward, hoping her nonchalance was more convincing in appearance that it felt. "If you shared what you knew, Raine wouldn't have said anything like that," she shrugged as she started to step up onto the warp pad, watching him over her shoulder.

"You give me too much credit," Kratos commented dryly as he followed her onto the warp pad to stand beside her and shot her a sideways glance. "Besides, we don't have time for me to share everything I know."

Liane had to bite her lip to keep from responding, but she couldn't contain her glare as the warp pad flared to life beneath them. _Arrogant….

* * *

_

The sun was perched high in the bright blue sky the next day when the party reached the shores of Lake Umacy once again.

"Okay, go on, Sheena!" Lloyd fairly bounced as he allowed his pack to slide from his back to the ground at his feet. "Ask Undine to take us over there."

Kratos cleared his throat, stopping Sheena before she could respond to the younger swordsman's eager demand. "Wait. That's not going to work."

_Again…_ Liane groaned quietly as she propped her pack against the base of a nearby tree. She wasn't certain if her irritation with the mercenary had simply grown worse since she knew that someone else had noticed how carefully he was doling out his knowledge or that Kratos had done nothing to fix it the entire trip back from the Water Seal. He had all but ignored her completely for the whole trek – not even bothering to critique her lack of planning in the battle against Undine. It still seemed odd to her… _but I guess I should be grateful that it must not have been such a bad thing if he hasn't been inclined to berate me for it._ Standing up from her crouch, she looked back to Kratos. "What now?" she practically groaned.

"Yeah," Genis chimed in, his hands planted on his hips as he glanced back to the unicorn's watery prison. "Why not?"

Kratos opened his mouth to speak, but it was another voice that answered the confusion of the rest of the party.

"The unicorn… can only be approached by a pure maiden."

Raine's quiet comment hung in the air of the clearing as the others digested her words. Liane breathed out in frustration – she had been so ready to blame Kratos for hoarding information that she had neglected her own knowledge of the lore of the unicorn. _A pure maiden…._

The mercenary nodded in agreement with the professor. "At the very least, Lloyd, Genis, and I are out."

Liane felt her cheeks begin to warm and took a few steps closer to the lake to limit the number of her companions that might notice. _A pure maiden… _her mind whispered to her again._ Pure of body… mind… heart… what?_

"Hmm," Lloyd murmured, looking between Kratos and Raine with only a hint of confusion. "So only females can go?"

Genis looked up to Lloyd, a frown etched deeply into his expression. "So then, just Raine and…"

"I'm not going," Liane murmured quietly, not quiet sure she had even actually spoken until she glanced over her shoulder to find the eyes of her companions on her. Trying to not blush would have been a waste of effort, so she simply shrugged as she turned to face them. "A unicorn has always been something mythical to me – being close enough to touch it…" she sighed, glancing back to the creature in question, "... it would make it too real." She wondered if it even came close to sounding legitimate – in truth, she would have adored being able to bring a unicorn into her tangible reality – another chapter of mythology proven true. _But the dreams…._ Liane walked back over to a rock at the water's edge and sat down, attempting to show that the subject was dropped so that the others might move on while she tried to convince herself that she had made the right decision. While her dreams since the first one where she had found herself in the – intimate? – company of the mercenary had been less elaborate… she would have easily sworn that her skin remembered every feathery touch and that her mind remembered every whispered vow and endearment. There was no way that she could remember such things – the only being that had ever seemed to try to claim her as anything more than a friend was Michael. And she would just as soon punched him as let him ever get past simply thinking of getting so close. _I've never even been kissed… why would I dream of how that… and more… would feel…?_ Her eyes shifted to Kratos for only a moment before she had to look away again. _With my luck… after dreams like that, if I came anywhere near the unicorn, it would bolt…._

Raine frowned for just a heartbeat longer, meeting her younger brother's eyes again as he looked up to her and she shook her head. "I'll… pass. But I don't know what we're going to do. We can't send Colette alone while she's like this…."

"Hey!" Sheena snapped as she glared at the Professor. "Are you saying that I'm not qualified?!"

The ninja's exclamation hung in the otherwise tranquil air as a stunned silence brought a rosy blush to her cheeks – the realization of how the others were watching her making her eyes go wide.

"Qualified?" Lloyd and Genis chorused while Colette's confused expression indicted that there would have been one more voice to the question had she been able to lend it.

Sheena snorted, crossing her arms over her chest as her nose lifted into the air in her annoyance. "You don't have to both say it at once!"

Liane quickly turned from the sight of Sheena's embarrassment, as it was quickly becoming her own. The ninja had interpreted doubt in the others' omission of her name, where Liane had merely anticipated her own doubt. Part of her begged to go with Colette and Sheena, but there was an element of safety in not going. _I'm not asking what the 'pure maiden' thing means – that would probably just be worse…_ she huffed softly, clasping her hands in her lap. _But… how can Kratos even take this from me… without saying a word?_

She cringed a little as the answer quickly came laughing into her thoughts.

_Because I let him…._

Kratos groaned as he took a step back from the others, physically distancing himself from them and from Sheena's seething indignance. "Then we shall send Colette and Sheena."

"Why can't the Professor go?" Lloyd asked, looking between Raine and Kratos, one hand ruffling his hair and confusion ringing in his tone.

Raine planted her staff before her and wrapped her hands around it, leaning her weight on it as her shoulders drooped with a sigh. "Because I'm an adult."

Lloyd glanced to Genis as if looking for a translation. "Hmm?" But when he was only answered by a confused shrug, only the clearing of Sheena's throat broke the awkward silence.

"O… okay then," Sheena exhaled deeply, her hand moving to her sash and removing one of her cards as she turned to face the lake, walking slowly ahead of Colette. The ground at the ninja's feet began to glisten, even in the bright sunlight – interconnecting runes glowing brighter blue with every passing moment. A flick of her wrist at the card spinning in the air before her, she bowed her head and her voice echoed over the water: "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist. I summon the… come, Undine!"

While the flash of light that responded to the summoner's call didn't seem as bright as it had been before, the eruption of sparkling mana in the air above the surface of the lake still momentarily outshone the sunlight. The mana gathered and dimmed, finally resolving itself into the Summon Spirit of Water. Somehow, Undine seemed more at ease, a gentle smile on her lips and her hands clasped lightly before her as she offered Sheena a respectful bow.

"Please, Undine," Sheena spoke again, her voice firm but still less than demanding as she gestured to the Chosen at her side. "Take us to the unicorn."

Undine's mild smile was unwavering as her eyes scanned over the rest of the party before she nodded her head in acceptance of the request. "As you wish," the spirit spoke as she waved her hand and Sheena and Colette rose a few inches into the air. "To the lake…."

Liane frowned, sighing as she watched Undine escort her friend over the rippling surface of the lake, none of them touching the water, but a gentle wake still following after them. As the trip approached where the unicorn could be seen beneath the water, the creature began to rise to the surface as well, being called forth by the Summon Spirit's power to meet with Sheena and Colette. She had to stop herself from calling after them to wait… _you made your choice to stay._ Trying to look away, she quickly found how futile the effort was as the unicorn breached the surface to stand directly before Sheena and Colette. It was like something from a fable… a unicorn, a spirit and her summoner, and a Chosen….

"And why was it again that you didn't go with them…?"

Shooting a panicked glance over her shoulder at the sound of her mentor's quiet inquiry, Liane immediately began to silently berate herself for not hearing Raine's approach, much less not anticipating that the Professor would see right through her admittedly flimsy excuse. Noting that the party's males were a small distance away, the dark haired young woman allowed her shoulders to droop a little as she turned back to the scene on the lake. "I didn't want to cause problems after all we went through to get to the unicorn," she replied, satisfied with the level of honesty in her words as Raine sat down on the rock beside her.

"And that excuse will last only as long as it takes for Lloyd and Genis to get just a little more curious," Raine smirked, keeping her voice low as her gaze followed Liane's. "I know you wanted to go… why didn't you?" she asked, frowning just a little as she looked over to her apprentice. "You… and Michael never –"

"No!" Liane hissed back, cutting off even the start of the suggestion. "There is no 'me and Michael' anything…" she fairly groaned. When had it happened that all of Iselia had joined her to Michael Foley with such a casual assumption? _What did I ever do to deserve that??_

A knowing smirk passed over Raine's lips. "And all I caught you doing with Kratos was holding hands…" she murmured innocently. "Or maybe Wendall? But you would have been working pretty fast…."

"I'm leaving now…" Liane growled out through clenched teeth, well aware of how hot her cheeks were as she started to push herself up from the rock. _She passed up the chance, too… why am I the one being tortured?_

"Sit down…" Raine chuckled, reaching out to catch Liane's wrist before she could fully stand. "I'm sure I know you better than any of that… I just don't understand why you would have passed this up – it's not like you."

Liane eyed the Professor and rolled her eyes just a little, but still sat back down. The explanations that were already forming in her mind were even starting to sound annoying to her – if not obnoxiously whiney and immature. _But if I can trust anyone with honesty…._ "I've… been having these… dreams –"

Raine tilted her head to Liane, watching her as she raised an eyebrow to her and seized on the girl's hesitation. "What kind of dreams?"

The question renewed the heat in Liane's cheeks as she looked to her mentor, her shoulders drooping in exasperation.

"Oh… all – all right…" Raine's eyes widened and she nodded. "With?"

Shock made Liane's eyes shoot open – the answer to Raine's question entailing sharing far more details than she was comfortable with – with anyone. But even with that, an instinctively cautionary glance to the mercenary that was beyond her control drew a sigh of understanding from the Professor. Liane realized immediately – but still too late – what had happened when Raine's expression of concern turned to one of simply _knowing_. "No… it's not –"

"Shh…" Raine smirked, hushing Liane with a shake of her head. "You were worried that you couldn't approach the unicorn because of a dream?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

_Kill me now…_ Liane silently begged any deity that would hear her. "It… it didn't seem worth the chance…" she murmured miserably, burying her face in her hands.

The elven woman reached out to pat Liane's shoulder. "Liane… the lore states 'a pure maiden'… not someone with a heart of stone…" she spoke with just the barest hint of a warm laugh.

"Then why didn't you go?" Liane bit back defensively in her embarrassment, only to see the Professor's eyes widen in response to the attack.

"Like I said… I'm an adult –" Raine stammered as a slight tint rose to her pale cheeks.

Liane raised an eyebrow, Raine's fluster a welcome distraction, even if it had already occurred to her that it was one she would soon feel guilty for. "Raine, you're three years older than I am…."

The Professor shook her head dismissively. "That doesn't matter," she spoke hurriedly, her words almost jumbling together. "But if this is something that's bothering you this much – maybe we could talk – or maybe you should talk to Kratos…?"

The younger woman was content to let Raine's change of topic slide as she quickly shook her head. "That's not going to happen… but thanks…" she shrugged, feeling absolutely stupid as she glanced back out over the water. _I could have gone… I_… Her thoughts evaporated as she realized that the unicorn was fading, its practically iridescent coat now but a transparent shade compared to how it had been just a few minutes before. "What's happening? The unicorn -!"

Raine stood, her hands flexing on her staff as she sighed and glanced down to Liane. "Looks like it's time to get moving…" she murmured, her formerly playful demeanor fading to one considerably more somber as she began to walk back to Lloyd and the others.

Liane followed after the Professor, but her attention was fixed on Sheena and Colette, who were slowly being ushered back to the shore by Undine. Her friends' shoulders were both slumped even though Sheena cradled something shining and golden in her hands. She couldn't help that her eyes began to search the depths of the water that had once held the unicorn… _they got the horn, though, so… what…? _Even as she had kicked herself for forgetting her lore before, another part of those same stories began to knock at the edges of her memories and her eyes widened. _Oh… no…._

The crimson-clad swordsman stood at the water's edge as Undine gently deposited the ninja and the Chosen on the shore and then disappeared wordlessly, vanishing into a mist that danced away on the breeze. "Are you two all right?" Lloyd asked, looking between Sheena and Colette.

"Sheena," Genis slowly approached Lloyd's side even as he seemed hesitant to step out of his shadow, "… are you crying?"

The black haired girl sniffled softly before she looked up to Lloyd, pausing for a moment before she held the spiraled horn out to him. "The unicorn… gave us his horn."

Kratos approached where the group had gathered, looking down over Lloyd's shoulder at the horn. "I see. Then the unicorn is dead," he murmured thoughtfully, yet almost eerily without emotion.

The ninja looked up to him, her jaw gaping open just a little even as Lloyd lifted the horn gently from her hands. "You knew?!"

"When a unicorn loses its horn, it dies," Raine commented softly, drawing Sheena's glare back to her. "By dying, a new unicorn is born. That's why the unicorn is the symbol of death and rebirth," she gestured absently with her hand, almost as if giving a half-hearted lecture in the face of how the younger members of the party were taking the news.

Liane's eyes remained on the horn for a moment longer before she shook her head. "The unicorn… is a powerful creature. It's said that the only reason that a unicorn would pass from the world is by choice… the unicorn chose to give you its horn… it chose to lend us its power." She frowned again, looking into the sorrowful eyes of the Chosen. The noble creature had understood their plight… it had entrusted its most precious possession to them.

Lloyd watched Liane, concern clouding his warm brown eyes as if he couldn't help but doubt what he was hearing. "A new unicorn will be born?"

Raine nodded to her student's question, even managing to muster a partial smile for him. "Yes. I'm sure one has been."

Liane managed to hold back her frown, but there was still a deep sadness around the situation. Rebirth was fine… but it had to be taken on faith. Faith in the face of the fact that they had all just witnessed the unicorn's death was difficult, but it was all that they had. "The unicorn still made his choice – we have to respect that."

Turning to Colette, Lloyd nodded and held the unicorn's horn out to her. "The unicorn gave us this horn at the cost of his life. We must make good use of it."

"Yeah, Colette!" Genis chimed in, his smile looking forced, but only for a moment. "Now we might be able to get you back to normal!" While the thought obviously pleased the young mage, his excitement was dampened by a gentle shake of Colette's head.

Lloyd tilted his head at the Chosen's silent declaration. "Why?!" Colette's immediate response was a deep sigh, but it was quickly followed by the girl reaching out to Lloyd's empty hand, turning it palm-up before once again drawing her finger across it. "I still haven't finished regenerating the world," Lloyd sighed, shaking his head a little as Colette continued to write. "So please use this for Pietro and Clara? But Colette…."

Then… for the first time since they had returned to Lake Umacy, Colette smiled – truly smiled – even if it wasn't the ecstatic happiness the girl was known for, it was closer.

"All right. If that's what you want," Lloyd sighed in defeat to Colette's silent plea as the girl released his hand and nodded him towards the Professor. The younger swordsman glanced down to the unicorn's horn one more time before he held it out to Raine. "Professor, here…."

The Professor reached for the offering… and in the moment that the object was solely in her possession, the golden shine seemed to brighten for just the blink of an eye. Raine's reaction lasted for considerably longer, though, her blue eyes widening as she stared at the horn. "It seems I've acquired some new healing arts thanks to this horn…" she murmured to no one in particular as her eyes glazed just a bit in wonder.

_She just… gets it…_Liane frowned, trying not to pout at how easy it seemed. Elven affinity for magic was well known… but she still couldn't help but be just a bit envious.

"Now, with this, we can save Clara…" Lloyd commented, looking up to the Professor as if to ask for confirmation of his words – confirmation that came with a thoughtful nod from the elven woman as her eyes once again focused.

"Yes, with this Unicorn Horn and Boltzman's Book, I'm sure we can save her this time," Raine replied as she placed her pack on the ground and carefully slid the horn into the straps on the side of the pack.

Sheena exhaled, glancing around the party as she swiped at her eyes one more time before she shouldered her own pack. "Where is this Clara person?"

Lloyd shrugged, turning his back on the lake and starting back up the shore. "We'll just have to look for her."

"The only thing we can do is analyze her previous actions and search for her," Kratos commented, breaking his stoic silence as he fell in step with Lloyd, the rest of the party moving into the swordsman's wake.

"Yeah…" Lloyd agreed, glancing back over his shoulder to the others, meeting Liane's gaze almost by accident and offering her a quick grin. She almost returned it – and would have had she not caught Kratos glancing back as well – _ever watching… ever observing. Talk to him? _Her thoughts mused. _Not a chance… not about this…._

"Hey, Sheena… Balacruf Mausoleum isn't too far… you think there's a spirit there, too?"

Genis' words shook Liane from her thoughts even as she welcomed the distraction, looking back over her shoulder, she saw the ninja nod somewhat absently.

"Um… there should be…?" Sheena shrugged, eyeing the young mage curiously. "Why?"

"Another pact!" Genis replied with a bright grin. "Hey, Lloyd! Let's go back to Balacruf! Sheena can get another pact!!"

Liane heard Sheena sigh as the boys began to chatter – and judging from the grin on Colette's face, a trek to the Mausoleum was as good as set in stone. That - combined with a very visible tensing of Kratos' shoulders - made Liane exhale. _I hoped I was off the hook to have to go there again… but I guess I didn't want things to end just yet either…_ she shrugged. _I guess I should be careful what I ask for…._


	16. Chapter 17

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Time is up… the group can no longer stall. The group finishes the last of the tasks they can find to prepare themselves for what could be awaiting them at the Tower of Salvation, and the possible finality of what lies before them strains some bonds of the Chosen's party

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 17

It was a clear night… a dark night… a perfect night for Liane's forbidden trip back to her hometown.

While the rest of the group had bunked down at Dirk's for the night, she was the only one with reasons to go back to Iselia: her parents. Her exile from the town had been voluntary, but she knew that it didn't make it any safer for her to return. As far as Iselia knew, Colette was still pursuing the Regeneration and Lloyd and Genis were still out of sight… there was no reason to shake that illusion.

Even though the whole party seemed to share the unspoken knowledge that everything they were doing was basically delaying the inevitable end of their journey, they had continued even after Sheena had gained the Sylph's pact. They had even gone so far as to utilize a narrow land bridge to head back to the continent that most of them had called 'home' prior to the coming of the Oracle. The theory was that if Undine and the sylph had been present at their respective seals and that they had been willing to forge a new pact with Sheena, then perhaps Efreet would be no different.

But instead of going straight to Triet, the party had veered to the north – a day for restocking their supplies and resting at Dirk's forming the core of their decision.

_It's just and excuse…_ Liane frowned, sighing as she drew her fingers through the chilled water of the creek beside her. _We all know that one way or the other, this is almost over. We get Efreet's pact, we save Pietro, and we save Clara if we can find her… and then it's all over._

Liane had knocked on the kitchen door of her parents' home – of _her_ home – just in time for dinner, creeping through the back paths that she and her friends had established in their many years of trekking from Dirk's and back to the property owned by the Dales. Her father had stared in shock and her mother had cried, but she had been welcomed with open arms. After everything she'd seen, everything she'd done, said, and learned, for a moment, Liane could truly say that she felt at home and at ease. She had done her best to make it clear that her visit was only for the night, but that hadn't stopped her mother from kidnapping her pack and setting about an extra load of laundry. Nor did it stop her father from grilling her about her travels – complete with _the look _when he seemed to simply know that she was holding something back. Somehow, Liane doubted that any father needed to know that his child had been captured by the Desians – and considering that a rescue had followed, she knew – hoped – that the omission could be forgiven.

As the night wore on, Liane had heard her mother come up the stairs after hanging the last of her daughter's tunics to dry in the bathing room of their modest home. Liane knew that she should have gone to sleep – she felt like she was almost tired enough to do so – _almost_. There was one more place – more of an enigmatic friend, really – that called to her. That was what had drawn her from the warmth of her blankets and pillows and out into the brisk night air, her feet carrying her without conscious direction to the creek that crossed the back part of her family's property.

Of all the places in the world that affected her, the spot where the creek narrowed was the one that she was certain _should_ have terrified her above all others. Btu that was only a feeling that she got from everyone else – in all honesty, no matter how she searched her memories, she couldn't remember a time when a bridge crossed the water where she sat. She was told that the small tool shed nearby was what was left of it – that it had been part of her father's attempt to busy himself while his daughter had slept. But in spite of all the somber stories she had been told about the spot – it had always been a place of solitary refuge for her. If she hoped that it would help her reclaim her lost early memories or if it was just a place that she simply had no bad memories of, she couldn't be sure. But it was a pilgrimage that she had to make – for whatever reason.

_What am I doing… is this where I'm supposed to be...?_ Liane wondered silently at the quiet and incessant babble of the creek beside her. _I didn't die here… but… is this what I survived for?_

They were thoughts that felt familiar even if they hadn't found words or voice before… a frame for the thoughts that seemed to follow her closer than her own shadow any more. Even though the last thing that she'd ever call herself was a warrior, she was still standing… she had fought enemies that many had fallen before… she had fought adversaries that might not have been seen for generations… and yet she still remained beside her friends. Even as paralyzing fear had sometimes breathed down the back of her neck, she had found ways to shrug it off. If it was a calling for a greater purpose or just that she was too stubborn to admit defeat and simply tuck her tail between her legs and crawl home was beyond her. _Maybe… this is what I was meant to do… maybe helping the Chosen was part of my fate._

"Must be some deep thoughts… I didn't think I was being that quiet…"

Liane caught her breath and turned, her instincts forcing her up to one knee even as she knew the voice… and knew that she was in no danger. "Dad?" she breathed out, a relieved chuckle slipping from her as she shook her head and settled back onto the small rounded pebbles of the creek bank. "What are you doing out here? Did I wake you up?" the dark haired young woman asked quietly as she turned her head just enough to watch her father out of the corner of her eye. The fact that he was there in the dark of the night beside her was odd enough, but the fact that she knew he hated the place she sat with every fiber of his being made it even more of a puzzle to her.

Her answer came in the form of a scratchy warm weight being draped over her shoulders before Ben Dale crouched down beside his daughter, one knee touching to the pebbles as he chuckled. "You're not as quiet as you used to be creeping out your window…" the farmer sighed, shaking his head by the broken moonlight that filtered through the trees.

She was sure that she could almost see his eye-roll even though she wasn't even looking at him, but Liane still had to laugh along with him as she pulled the blanked around her a little tighter. The coolness of the night really hadn't occurred to her, even though it wasn't much more of a thought for her to realize that it truly was the cusp of winter for Iselia. _I wonder if I'll be home in time to see snow…. _"I didn't mean to wake you up… I just… I had to –"

"I know," Ben headed off his daughter's unfinished apology with a hand to her shoulder. "I can't claim to understand why you feel the need to be here… but I know better after all these years to ask you not to come…" he sighed, the faint amusement that his voice had previously held fading away.

Hanging her head just a little, Liane's fingers curled into the loose stones of the bank and blindly selected a few to absently toss into the water. "I'm sorry, Dad. I know you hate it here… but… I guess… it's still part of home to me. After everything… I really had to come here."

A fleeting silence passed between them, lasting just long enough for a small gust of wind to curl around them both and then disappear again. "We all have places that we think hold the answers, Liane," the farmer sighed, his voice a monotone. "For me, it held answers that I didn't want to hear… but if it's different for you, I can't hold it against you."

"Would it sound weird if I said that I don't think any one place holds answers for me?" Liane replied, her tone somber in response to his. "I hoped things would start to make sense once I broke away from what everyone seemed to expect of me - once I made my own choice to walk ahead instead of follow… but its felt like one mistake after another."

Ben exhaled but moved to sit beside her, draping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer before he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Mistakes… are something that you have to make, Liane. They're the only way you know the right path when you find it. It's like the 'joy and sorrow' and 'good and evil' lessons… it's impossible to have one without having the other to measure it against," he murmured, keeping her close. "Your mother and I have wondered if we should have stopped you from leaving – if we had prepared you enough to do this. But you made your choice. We had to respect that. We can give you a place to come back to… but you have to find your own place in the world, too."

Liane frowned, turning to wrap her arms around her father. She felt as if tears were close, but they wouldn't spill. "That's what I've kept telling myself…" she admitted softly, wondering when it was that she had forgotten what it was like to curl against the soft, worn fabric of her father's shirt. "So, is it weakness to wish that someone would just come and tell you the right path?"

"We already tried that… you told me that I could go ahead and marry Michael myself during one of those shining moments, if I remember correctly," Ben chuckled, hugging her tighter. "Liane, if someone does that for you… they're not showing you your road… they're forcing one on you. It's only natural to want to help someone that you love find their way in the world… but that doesn't make it right." When Liane looked up to him, he shrugged a little. "See? You never outgrow mistakes."

"Dad… I'm sorry…" Liane started, but was quickly silenced by a shake of her father's shadowed head.

"No… you were right. It was just another reminder that you'll make your choices when the time is right. Everything else is just practice," he shrugged. "The choices that matter… are the ones that you can't take back. That means that you need to think your actions through… but don't be afraid of mistakes, but use your choices – good and bad – to focus yourself on where you need to be."

Liane nodded, but stayed silent, letting the creek narrate her response to him as she considered how much sense what he said made even in light of the past weeks that she had been away from her home. She had made mistakes… but it hadn't taken much hindsight to realize them… and correct them – even if that correction had included the help of her friends. She was learning, though… she was preparing better… and she was aware of consequences that she had never considered living in the safety of Iselia. "Dad… can someone's path change? Or… is it set… constant? Can we actually change our fate?" she murmured, looking up to him in question… suddenly feeling very small before him.

Ben met his daughter's eyes… eyes that mirrored his own… and his reassuring smile faltered a bit. "I think a path can change… but the destination stays the same, Liane. Call it what you will. But you'll know it when you reach it. Until then… stay restless. You'll know it when you find your home – whether it's a physical place… or peace of mind. Your heart will recognize it."

"Dad…" it was all that Liane could manage. She had seen something that looked like sadness in his eyes… and it twisted at her that she might have done that to him… that she might have set off thoughts that he didn't want. It was a danger in this place – thus, it had always been the place she had tried not to be caught. But there they were, nonetheless. "Thanks… for having faith in me. Both of you…" she murmured, the words slipping away from her before she could think more about it.

"It's part of what a parent does…" the farmer sighed, reaching out to fondly ruffle his daughter's hair as if she were still a small child before he pulled her into a tight hug. "You believe in your child… you hope that they can do everything that they're asked… that they find a place that they're happy." Ben sighed and squeezed her once again before he released her and stood. "You'll… tell us about your journey… when you come back… won't you?" he asked, looking down into Liane's eyes again, just a hint of a knowing smile turning up the corners of his lips. "You know… where you got that fancy sword and such?"

Liane blinked, taking another step towards certainty that once again, Ben Dale knew more than he was letting on. He had noticed that her weapon had changed… and she had a feeling that that was just the least of what he knew. "Kratos… and Lloyd… they've been helping me with the sword…" she replied carefully, chewing on the inside of her lip, wondering how far he would push her.

"As long as you can use it, sweetheart…" Ben's smile was steady as he started to turn back to the house. "Don't be too long… your mother will want you up early enough to have breakfast before you have to leave."

"I will… thanks, Dad…" Liane smiled, once again pulling the blanket he had brought to her close around her as she watched him walk back into the shadows of the trees behind her. She had questions for him… questions that she had always been afraid to ask him growing up because he wouldn't come there with her… the creek being a taboo that neither would tempt. _Dad… was I someone you could see trying to change the world when I was little? _

_Or… is that just the way my path has turned?

* * *

_

It was just barely past daybreak… and it was still what he had to guess was still at least a short while before anyone else in the humble wooden house aside from Dirk himself would be stirring. But the fact that Kratos had insisted on staying on the covered porch outside Lloyd's room allowed him to move about with relative freedom without disturbing any of the others… a fact that he intended to use to his advantage. The task of leaping over the stout wooden railing of the porch was little more than a thought, as was landing silently and smoothing his cape back over his shoulders.

_Time is growing short… and my options are hardly growing by leaps and bounds, either…._

Kratos knew that Yggdrasill would be creating an all-new definition to 'impatience' shortly… and that the responsibility would likely fall squarely on his shoulders. It didn't matter. There was more at stake than the temper tantrum of a boy that would not grow up despite the appearance he favored. Grief had twisted the boy he had known and cared for… twisted him into something almost unrecognizable. But it was in that disguise that he had found more ways to remove himself from what he was doing. It was easier to believe that the half-elven leader of the Cruxis was someone other than the boy that was almost like a brother to him. And it was far easier than thinking that the boy was capable of the wrongs that had been done against two worlds – as well as to those that had once been like his family.

_You would have welcomed him as family at one time, too… wouldn't you…?_

There was no point in voicing the question. First of all, he had posed it to a stone – elegantly carved and bearing more meaning than he could ever put into words in the first place… but a stone nonetheless. Secondly… he knew the answer.

_You knew the difference between the actions of an individual and the stigmas that an entire race could bear because of a few individuals. You always did…._ Kratos allowed his hands to fall to his sides… a gesture paying homage to the helplessness he felt even now in the face of the all-too-physical proof of what still felt like his greatest failure.

_Anna… I failed you. I failed Lloyd. Now I'm about to fail the rest of the world all over again._ He silently confessed, his chin dropping to his chest in a stab of shame. _I… I don't know if he's strong enough… even with all of them helping him. Even… even with her beside him._

Kratos was almost surprised how easy it suddenly was to differentiate between the two women. No matter how strong the instances of recognition he saw in Liane were, suddenly even thinking the girl's name seemed like the ultimate profanity.

No matter what was going on… no matter what had happened after the mangled form of his wife had fell from the ledge and before he had encountered the Chosen and her companions at the Temple… it didn't change what he had to do. _Anna… forgive me… even if they defeat me… Yggdrasill will be waiting for them. Please… please show me a way to buy them time to get stronger. _

He couldn't help that he felt stupid making such a request… but she had been so many things to him – his friend, his confidant, his guide, his love. There was no one else that he could ask such a thing of.

"Kratos…?"

It was but the faintest of calls… one that he almost doubted he heard himself. His instincts pushed his right hand to the handle of his sword though… even as his intellect laughed at what had to be yet another slip further into insanity. As he spun, though, his breath caught – the sight of a cloaked silhouette in the shadows of the house wrenching at him. _No… it can't… it…._

But when the figure moved haltingly from the protection of the house, the option of insanity quickly stood out from all others. "Liane…?" he asked softly, soundly aware of his position… standing squarely between the dark haired girl and Anna's grave. "You weren't supposed to be back from your parents' until later," he murmured, his calm reasserting itself even as his hand never moved from his sword. He remembered their last meeting in that place all too well… and it was something that he knew he couldn't handle again… not with what he knew was now coming.

Liane edged forward another step, but then stopped, hesitating as her eyes widened in observation of his protective stance. "I thought it would be better if I came back before anyone might see me in town…" she murmured.

She seemed nervous… and he could understand. He wasn't comfortable with her presence, either. He only hoped that her discomfort would distract her from questioning him as well. "That's probably a good idea. Dirk is inside if you want to wait for the others… they probably won't be asleep much longer."

"Oh… okay…" Liane nodded, glancing back towards the house before she started to turn. But before he could even think to breathe out in relief, he saw her stop. "Kratos… why… why are you here?"

It was only years of honed control that kept him from cringing at that, and for making sure that his answer wasn't any slower or faster than it should be. "After everything we've seen… paying my respects seemed like the right thing to do. After all… what she faced… it's what the Chosen is trying to stop, isn't it?" he shrugged as what used to pass as his heart twisted at how he needed to gloss over what the grave meant to him.

The dark haired girl nodded silently as she looked over his shoulder, her head remaining bowed for just a moment as she drew another breath. "It's what we're all trying to stop," she murmured softly. "What she had to have faced… it… it had to be terrifying. But… at least we know… that she had to have had some happiness in her life, right? I mean… she was rescued… she had Lloyd," she looked up, a weak smile on her lips. "I guess I need to believe that it wasn't all bad – for Lloyd's sake, if nothing else."

Kratos tilted his head at her, watching her as the sun began to creep through the trunks of the thick forest that surrounded the dwelling. Her words were reasonable assumptions… but assumptions nonetheless. _Kvar never said anything about a rescue… he merely said that she took it and escaped._ "Perhaps…" he replied with just a hint of nonchalance, studying how she watched the grave… and wishing he could see the thoughts that were behind her distant gaze. But he knew better… such a thing was not a gift he possessed. "We should get started… if we travel early, the desert won't be so hot," he sighed and started away from the grave, only to be stopped by her hand to his shoulder.

"No… I disturbed you… I'm sorry…" she shook her head. "We're all doing this for our own reasons. I'll go. Paying my respects didn't turn out so well last time… so… maybe… you can pass them on for me?" Liane asked with a weak smile, withdrawing her hand and turning away to start back down the walk that edged the house.

He watched her retreat silently, making no move to either acknowledge her request or to stop her. She was drawn to the grave almost as much as he was… and her friendship with Lloyd only answered so much of that. When the girl was safely around the corner, Kratos slowly turned back to the gravestone, his eyes tracing over the precise etching that named the woman resting beneath it. _What… what are you trying to tell me, Anna…_ he questioned with a deep exhale. _Are you punishing me… or… are you still trying to help me….

* * *

_

Breathing out, Liane sat down on the steps that led to the entrance of the Triet Ruins and drew her forearm across her brow as she reached into the bottom of her pack for the canteen of water that she had packed early that morning. "There really is no good time to be in the desert, is there…" she grumbled to no one in particular, leaning back and letting her head fall back, momentarily trying to simply accept the scorching rays of the sun instead of fighting them. Even her ponytail seemed too hot, her dark hair collecting the heat and slowly driving her yet another step closer to insanity. She breathed out, enjoying having her hair back off of her neck for even a moment before a shadow fell over her. Opening her eyes, she saw the cloaked mercenary standing over her, looking down on her with a slight tilt to his head.

"The desert is a place of extremes…" Kratos stated coolly. "You should have prepared yourself better – if it's so hot that we all need to break now, what will happen when we pass through the ruins to get to the seal and Efreet?"

Liane's gaze slowly narrowed on him before she pointedly glanced down to her short-sleeved tunic and then back up to him again. Things had been almost peaceful between them since they had left Dirk's – not that that had exactly entailed conversation, but she was used to that. _And now, again with the criticism…_ she sighed as she tilted her head to watch him again. "I swear, if you're here to give me practical desert fashion tips, I'm going to get up and strangle you with your _woolen_ cape…." Glancing back to the others, who were all taking advantage of their break to attempt to cool off and prepare to enter the ruins, she shook her head. "Everyone is getting read, so just relax…" Liane sighed and reached down to her boots, making sure her daggers were secure before she stood. "Some days, you keep going right past slave driver to machine, you know that?"

His reply was a predictable silence that made her shake her head – and it left her feeling oddly empowered. As she lifted her pack up over her shoulder and turned her back on him, it only took her a step for another thought to solidify itself in her mind and she turned just enough to glance at Kratos over her shoulder. "By now, you should know that we're deserving of just a little bit of faith. We're going into this with our eyes open, plus, we've already fought for and won over two pacts for Sheena… so maybe… maybe you can ease up a little? Just be one of the team… it's not like you have to put up with us for that much longer." She knew that she failed to keep a bitter note from slipping into her tone by the end… _but wouldn't it be good to just go in… fight… and maybe even win without worrying about being chastised?_

Kratos' eyes met hers for just a moment before she turned her head and started to walk. His expression was once again flat and utterly void of reaction – not that she had expected any less. _He'll go on… take another job… guarding the Chosen of Regeneration just another entry on his list of accomplishments._ As Liane walked closer to the others, her thoughts began to quiet, something inside her twisting subtly as she refused the urge to glance back. _He'll forget about all of us._ Drawing a deep breath into her lungs in an attempt to banish the thoughts she didn't want, she focused herself and her thoughts just a few steps ahead of her where Lloyd and Sheena were talking.

"I don't really understand, but it's so cool!" Lloyd was practically gushing as he stood before the ninja, a wide smile curling his lips. "I wish I was a summoner…."

Sheena seemed considerably less excited with the conversation though, her shoulders drooping a little at the blatant admiration of her talent. "Although… I hated being a summoner."

Lloyd's smile disappeared almost immediately as he cocked his head to her. "Really?"

"Hey! Come on! Let's get going!" Efreet's waiting!"

Genis' call made Sheena pause and her jaw dropped open as she seemed to be attempting to answer Lloyd. Liane and Lloyd stopped to look as well, spotting the young mage standing on the steps that descended into the Seal of Fire, waving his arms impatiently with Colette a step ahead of him.

"Coming!" Lloyd called out in response, pivoting and jogging to the opening, passing by Liane as he ran. "Oh, hey, Liane…" he smiled up to her as he glanced back over his shoulder to the ninja that he had left behind. "Come on, Sheena! It'll be great! We'll fight Efreet together and you won't have to worry!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Liane saw Kratos moving towards the seal entrance as well, pausing to let Raine start down the steps behind Lloyd. Turning back to Sheena with a shrug. Liane tried to smile for her. "I would apologize for his attention span, but I think you're probably getting used to it by now," she laughed quietly. "He cares… there's just a lot going on…."

"It's okay," Sheena waved off the apologetic tone as she tugged at the hem of her violet tunic. "It's hard to take offense when he's so into all of this… the regeneration… the pacts," she shrugged. "I just wish I could get as excited over actually making the pact. It would make things so much easier."

Liane glanced to the now-vacant opening to the seal and sighed before she tilted her head and shifted her gaze back to Sheena. "You haven't wanted to make any of these pacts, have you?" she asked, remembering how quick the black haired young woman had been to rescind her offer to pact with Undine after her initial suggestion and her fairly-well disguised hesitance to approach the Sylph.

Sheena shifted beneath the weight of her pack and her head dipped forward just a little. "The right of the pact is a rare gift – that's what I've been told for my whole life," she murmured with a bitter note in her quiet tone. "It's just that no one ever realizes what a short trip it is from 'gift' to 'curse' until it's too late."

"Sheena…" Liane started sympathetically, only to be stopped by a quick shake of the ninja's head.

"It's okay… I'm just whining… really," Sheena shrugged and squared her shoulders. "So far, so good, right?" she commented with a strained tone of excitement in her voice. "Come on… or they're going to try to start without us – you know that they'd try to find a way…."

Watching the ninja for a few moments as she started towards the seal entrance, Liane finally exhaled and fell into step behind her. _No one wants this fight – for Kratos, it's delaying the end of his job, for Sheena, it's a reminder of something she doesn't seem to really want and another step closer to forcing her to decide what she's going to do… and for the rest of us…._ She started down the steps into the heated darkness below, but spared a last look back to the clear blue skies above. _For the rest of us… it's a fight for the sake of a fight - a reason to stall before things have to change._

Liane stopped, planting her feet on the last step as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she began to search the shadows ahead for the rest of the party. _Colette… I wonder how she sees this… she's not trying to stop us, either. If even the Chosen is stalling – even if part of it is for a promise that she made – then what is the regeneration going to be like?

* * *

_

As she stepped off the warp pad and her eyes started to focus on the considerably cooler seal room, Liane frowned at how the scar on her left arm began to itch. Her memories of the fight against the seal's guardians were still vivid in her mind – it hadn't been that long before – just a few weeks, actually. But the circumstances that had led to her choosing the faint scar over being healed almost immediately had hardly changed at all. She was certain that on most days, Kratos would as soon strangle her as look at her – and in those times, she would just as soon knee him as talk to him. _I really should go back and demand my gald back from the fortune teller…_.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot."

The faint waver in Sheena's voice as it echoed in the stone chamber drew Liane's attention away from herself and allowed her a moment to silently berate herself for carrying such a grudge when it obviously didn't matter to Kratos. _He's not losing sleep over it… why should I?_ she coached herself as she lowered her pack to the floor to stack it with the rest of the group's supplies and then started forward to join them. Drawing her sword as she watched Sheena approach the altar, a glowing red mass of energy suspended over the seal flaring into a spiraling burst that seemed to be reacting to the Summoner's presence.

The energy ball began to spin faster, its glowing arms tucking into its core as the light brightened, burning brighter even as the ball grew smaller until it exploded without warning, leaving the party once again blinded and blinking desperately for sight of what was happening.

"You who possess the right of the pact. I am one who is bound to Mithos."

Somehow, the voice was both a dry rasp and a deep bass, one that seemed able to unsettle both the party and the very structure of the seal room with its power. Liane blinked away the bright spots that had been burned into her vision only to gasp at the sight of what had to be the Summon Spirit of Fire. Where as Undine had been the epitome of elegance of elegance and the Sylph practically mirthful in their appearances – reflecting the nature of their elements - Efreet was no different. The spirit's skin was an angered red and the horns that curled from his head left little room for doubt that the creature could have easily clawed his way out of any level of the fiery hells. _He… he looks like a demon…_ Liane's mind whispered as the tales of Efreet's wrath flitted in her thoughts. Facing the creature himself – without the buffer of childish fantasy between them – made it difficult to ignore that he was fully capable of devastating the land – _and much more… much worse._

Lloyd took a step closer to the seal, Colette moving beside him, her wings flaring behind her as they both seemed ready for the fight. "Mithos…" the swordsman sighed, the word half-grumbled as if hearing it for the third time at as many seals was beginning to wear on his nerves.

"I am Sheena," the summoner began, her voice once again even and betraying none of the insecurity it had held just moments before. "I seek a pact with Efreet. I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact with me."

The spirit hovered for a few long moments as if taking his time in considering the summoner's request, his arms crossed menacingly over his chest before he finally nodded. A deep rumble began to build around the spirit, finally forming into words as he floated just a bit closer to Sheena. "I shall test whether you are worthy of forming a pact." Sheena's card snapped at the air before her as Efreet floated closer, his clawed hands flexing out in front of him and a cruel smile curling his lips. "My fire will render everything to ashes!" he growled, looking down at the summoner as his hands began to shine white-hot with power. "Burst Fall!" Efreet's commanding voice once again shook the chamber, his fists slamming to the ground in front of Sheena in a blur.

"Guardian Seal!" Sheena retorted as a bubble of protective green energy flared around her an instant before a bloom of fire burst from the ground beneath her, a low laugh escaping from the spirit as he floated back, eyeing the group for signs of retaliation.

Sheena's barrier flickered away to leave the ninja's shoulders heaving just a bit. Genis and Raine had both hung back at the first strains of Efreet's proclamation of battle, leaving Kratos to fall in just ahead of them and the others to move forward to flank the summoner. _He was testing us – trying to see if we'd jump and run…_ Liane realized as she kept her gaze narrowed on the spirit, her grip tight on her sword. But there was only a moment more of the uncomfortable inaction before a frustrated growl slipped from Lloyd and the swordsman rushed the altar.

"Tempest!" Lloyd's voice echoed as he leapt into the flying forward slash. His blades sparkled with a mixture of the light in the chamber and mana as they found their mark on Efreet, a stifled choke escaping from the spirit before Lloyd planted his boots on his chest and pushed off of him to fall back to the floor.

Colette barely waited long enough for Lloyd's feet to leave the ground to deliver his attack before she spun as well, a pair of streaking swirls of mana condensing and quickly shifting into what appeared to be solidity as they bounced across the distance between the Chosen and Efreet. Striking the spirit just as Lloyd leapt away, a pair of lightning bolts accompanied the contact, making Efreet growl with what sounded more like anger than pain.

But as Efreet's hand snapped out to snatch Lloyd out of mid-air before he could even complete his drop back to the ground, it was not a tone of pain that colored the spirit's rasp as he held the swordsman out like a limp rag doll. "I shall reduce you to cinders," he growled as Lloyd struggled in his grasp, waves of heat becoming visible in the air around him. "Flames of Destruction!"

The air around Lloyd ignited obediently to Efreet's call, leaving the crackle of the flames and Lloyd's scream of pain to howl through the room and in the ears of his companions.

"Lloyd!! Nooo!!" Liane's voice was but one to ring out, but her instincts quickly dropped her to one knee, her sword clattering to the ground, her fingers working without conscious direction to free the dagger from the side of her right boot. It was a smooth action to pull the dagger back over her shoulder and then shoot it forward, sending it into a blurred spin to catch in Efreet's claw. "Let him go!!" Efreet growled at her demand as he flung Lloyd away, the teen colliding with the ground not far from Liane. She barely noticed that the spirit snapped his hand out again to dislodge the dagger as she was already moving to Lloyd's side. It was like a nightmare – but this time, it was one that she understood all too well. _He's not moving…_ she grimaced… _just like last time._

"That's my _friend!"_ Genis' voice drew Efreet's attention just as he threw his kendama out in front of him, a swirl of blue mana churning around him before it charged the Summon Spirit. "_Drown!!_ Spread!!!"

The fire spirit had not time to escape from the barrage of water that surged up around him, the force of the water throwing him up further into the air before it receded and dropped him to the ground. Liane used the resulting steam from the attack for cover to hook her hands beneath Lloyd's arms and pull him back from the altar. "Lloyd… come on… talk to me…" she begged quietly as she would have sworn that the heat in the room rose again.

"Ugh… no one told me he would do that…" the swordsman's cracked voice answered his friend as he started to move his legs to help push himself across the floor. "Maaaan…."

Liane almost laughed – and had she been even a little more relieved, she probably would have. When she finally released him, a quick survey indicated that he didn't seem charred – or really even burned – as she had feared. _Even if it's fire, it's still magic… manipulating mana to emulate an element, _she reminded herself, feeling a bit sheepish for her reaction. The damage looked and felt real… just normally without the appearance of physical damage that one would expect. "Come on… what fun would it be if he told us what he could do," she chuckled dryly as she helped him sit up, amazed that he was still grasping his swords.

"Power Seal!"

Liane looked up in time to see Sheena rush the spirit, her boots sliding just a little as she threw her card out before her, a swirling blue mist snaking out to encircle and tighten around Efreet. "Lloyd, can you still fight? If not, we need to get you back until Raine or Kratos can heal you…" she asked, frowning as she glanced over to where Raine was already encircled by bands of glowing runes – even as the temperature in the room spiked again. _What…?_

"Burn to ashes!" Efreet's command shook the room as he threw his flexed arms into the air above him, the room trembling around them all. "Explosion!!"

Only vaguely aware of her friends scrambling around them, Liane only had time to really see that Kratos had thrown himself protectively in front of Raine – who was still weaving a spell – before their individual shield techniques began to glow around the room. _Too fast… not again…_. Liane clenched her teeth when she realized that her sword still rested on the floor where she had dropped it – and of course… that was well out of reach. But when the floor beneath them began to split and crackle with fire, she drew a quick breath and scrambled in front of Lloyd, her palms out before her. "Guardian!!"

Not even a heartbeat after her spell encircled both herself and Lloyd, the ceiling exploded into a plummeting mass of fire that struck just in front of the altar, creating a howling firestorm that engulfed everything and everyone in the chamber. The fire continued to burn hotter and stronger by the instant until it exploded, blowing the party back and sending them sprawling, scattered around the room, Efreet's deep laughter echoing as the magical fires waned and died away.

Liane groaned as she lifted her head, finding herself just barely out of reach of Lloyd, and the swordsman echoing her sore movements. _Can't… take that anymore…_ she ground her teeth as she looked up, her eyes focusing after a moment – and then snapping wide to see Kratos and Raine still standing where they had been, the mercenary's Guardian spell still shining brightly. _He… they made it through that blast??_

As if in answer to her amazement, Kratos dropped his spell with a flash of his sword and darted out into the cleared area before the altar, leaving Raine to spin her staff up over her head with a flash of light. "Help is on the way! Nurse!!"

Pale green mana flared around the room, creeping out in soothing patterns that spread across the previously fire-scarred floors and misting up around the members of the Chosen's party. Light and mana swirled around each of them as the wounds inflicted so far by Efreet were eased if not healed all together. As the party crawled to their feet once and once again readied their stance against the spirit, Liane blinked away her momentary daze, suddenly aware of a presence directly in front of her.

"Here."

The clipped tone alone would have been more than enough to tell her who it was. But when Liane lifted her eyes, the first thing she saw was the handle of her sword extended to her. _Oh… here it comes…_ she almost groaned as she stood and took her sword back, bracing for the dressing down she could practically feel coming.

"Mind your weapons," was all Kratos spoke before he pivoted on his heel and leapt back towards the altar where Sheena was already pressing her attack once again.

Liane could only stare for a moment, dumbstruck by the lack of criticism. _He's probably saving up for later,_ she thought bitterly before she could shove the sentiment to the back of her mind. Glancing over to Lloyd, her focus shifted comfortably to her friend. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded in answer. "Thanks, Liane… but we have to stop him before he does any of that again… come on!" he offered her a small grin before he took off after Kratos, his blades both drawn back to attack.

He was right. _We'll have time to lick our wounds later…_ Liane told herself as she followed her friend, sidestepping to find an opening that wouldn't place any of her companions in her way. It seemed that battle's fast pace made sense to Lloyd, his instincts guiding him where cautious thought sometimes failed him. But she wouldn't question something that seemed to be working for him – as sad as the thought could be, Lloyd seemed to be in his element. She planted her feet and channeled her mana into her blade, holding it and timing its release through the graceful double arc. "Double Demon Fang!"

Colette flew past Liane a moment later, practically chasing the mana slashes of the dark haired young woman's attack right up to Efreet. She waited only long enough for them to both impact the spirit before she began to spin, slashing into the spirit with her outstretched chakram.

"Yeah… let's try it…"

Sheena's voice tickled the edges of Liane's hearing, making her glance over as she backed away from the altar, finally able to look away after the way Efreet had lashed out at the Chosen after her assault. The ninja was standing nearby, facing Efreet, and Liane caught just a glimpse of Lloyd's few quick backsteps. _What are they –?_

"You ready?" Lloyd called before he sprinted forward, running full speed for Efreet with his sword braced before him and rippling with mana.

"Try this!" Sheena answered Lloyd's charge as she flicked her card out before her, a glittering upright disc of energy flashing in the air in front of Efreet. "Mirage –"

"Thrust!" Lloyd answered as he and his sword crashed through the disc, the sparkling energy that Sheena had provided joining with Lloyd's as the attack slammed into Efreet. The force of the attack was enough to push the spirit harshly into the back wall of the chamber, a guttural growl churning from Efreet before he managed to make his way back up to the altar again.

_So that's what they were working on…_ Liane thought with a smirk as she watched Lloyd and Sheena share a momentary grin. The two of them had disappeared with Genis occasionally from camp a couple of nights on the way back to Iselia – and she hadn't thought much of it, but it seemed to have paid off by the look of the fierce expression that the spirit wore. _I wish my training would pay off like that…._

"Raging Mist!!" Efreet snarled out, his head thrown back in rage as he pumped his arms, his retaliation seeming beyond fast as the floor once again lit up with burning red runes. A fine mist began to float up into the air as the group backed away, their defensive spells springing up around them as the temperature of the temperature rose.

_It's like what he did to Lloyd… _Liane realized in dull horror as she brought her sword up before her. "Guardian!" _… only bigger… much –_

With a roar, the mist ignited, silencing her thought as Liane cringed against the attack. The inferno raged around them for a few more moments – the amount of mana it had to be taking to sustain such an assault baffling to her. But when the blaze began to subside, it wasn't' the sight of the spirit that made her eyes widen – it was that of Kratos, surrounded by a well-established rune circle of crackling purple. _He… he was… casting through that???_

The answer to Liane's unspoken question came when the mercenary's voice rang out, authority dripping from every syllable of his incantation. "Thunder Blade!!"

Efreet reeled as the stab of lightning crashed down into him, electrifying the floor he hovered over and sending writhing tendrils of energy coursing over his skin. But even over the pained complaint of the summon spirit, the considerably calmer strains of Raine's voice could be heard - wordless for the moment - but when healing runes once again flared around the group, the meaning behind her voice was clear. _She's trying to keep us strong… to finish the fight. _Liane smirked, re-energized by Raine's aid and the realization that Efreet seemed to still be reeling from Kratos' attack. _Maybe… I can push Efreet a little further, too…_ she chewed her lip as she started to make her way to the back of the group, bringing her sword up before her and trying to picture the runes she wanted.

Sheena charged up the steps of the altar, pushing past Kratos to throw her card out at Efreet. "Pyre Seal!" A blast of orange-tinted cards blew out at the spirit, pressing him back even more from the center of the altar's pedestal before she leapt to the side, rolling as she hit the ground.

"Air Thrust!"

Genis' voice almost startled Liane from her own spell, gripping her sword tighter as she cracked an eye open to watch the young mage's spell form and encircle Efreet with a flurry of fine blades that whipped around him, slicing into crimson flesh before they disappeared. _Show off…_ Liane huffed softly, returning her concentration to her own conjuring – which would now pale in comparison and effect to Genis'... but her spell had already been chosen… _and it'll still help…_ she coached herself.

It only took the fire spirit a moment longer to gather himself, shrugging off the last of the blades and growling out his defiance as he regained his place atop the altar, his arms reaching high above him once again. "Eruption."

The ground beneath their feet immediately began to tremble and crack, and it lured Liane's attention from her spell once again. _Oh no –_

"Keep casting."

The quiet command came at the same time as the recognition of the fact that she was suddenly staring at the back of Kratos' cape. That thought was followed in rapid succession by the appearance of the mercenary's Guardian spell enveloping them both, and then that the seal chamber was exploding with lava. Even though she cringed, expecting to feel more than the faint heat through the magical shield, she nodded and scrambled to ground her thoughts_. I have my cover… I have to finish the spell_… she coached herself, finding it easy enough to trust Kratos to keep the flames at bay so that she could see her attack through. While she could hear the rush of fire around them beginning to die back, she continued to collect her mana into her spell – holding it, growing it, bending it until she felt a rush of cool air.

"Now!"

Liane didn't question – nor did she doubt the meaning behind Kratos' single word of demand. Without hesitation, her eyes flashed open, her sword directing her mana as her green runes buzzed around her and then launched towards Efreet. "Wind Blade!!"

Her spell flew true, all three blades striking Efreet at the start of a mocking laugh while the others all scrambled to keep themselves from becoming easy marks. Sheena, however, fell back further than the others – beyond Raine and Genis, even. But she seemed to be the least of Efreet's worries for the moment as Lloyd availed himself to catch the spirit's attention once again, drawing back both blades and pummeling at the spirit. "Sword Rain!" Efreet snarled as he swatted at Lloyd, his swing missing as it seemed that Lloyd had anticipated the effect his attack would have on the spirit and leaping back at the last minute with a laugh. "Gotta be faster than that!"

_Yeah… taunt the big bad spirit, Lloyd, _Liane sighed edging closer to the fight and keeping her eyes on Efreet.

"Light! Photon!" Raine called out, her voice splitting the tension in the chamber, shining bands of golden runes springing up around Efreet before they constricted around him and then exploded in a shower of sparks.

"Raine…?!" Liane breathed out, glancing back to stare at her mentor along with her friends. She had never seen the professor use any kind of offensive spell – and apparently neither had anyone else.

Raine shrugged, keeping her eyes forward on the form of the staggering spirit. "What? I'm not allowed to study and learn new spells, too?"

Before any of them could comment – wise crack or otherwise – Sheena's voice began to rise from behind them. "I call up on the maiden of the mist…."

Turning, Liane's eyes widened, seeing the intricately entwined system of rune circles churning at the ninja's feet, a tranquil blue glow shimmering and swirling around her. It was clear enough that it was no ordinary spell – but the fact that her card hung in the air before her, slowly turning as the ninja kept her head lowered only made it clear. _She's summoning -?_

"Undine!!" Sheena's voice filled the chamber, completing Liane's silent question as the blue runes vanished and the air around the summoner shimmered bright blue, the dancing lights finally resolving into the form of the water spirit, standing side by side with her pact bearer to face Efreet.

"Ready?" Undine's smooth voice flowed over the room as she took a flowing step ahead and lifted her arms, power churning around her and three wide columns answering her call, rising beneath Efreet and battering him with a torrential onslaught of water. As Efreet dropped to the floor, Undine turned back to Sheena and offered her a slight bow before she disappeared in a bright flash of light.

_Wow…_ Liane kept staring at where Undine had been, amazed at the show of power that the group now possessed thanks to Sheena and her pacts. "Sheena… that was –"

But before the dark haired young woman could complete her words of breathless congratulation, a primal howl filled the air. Before Liane could even begin to comprehend what was happening, a blaze of fire shot across the room, only resolving itself into the form of Efreet as the spirit solidified before Sheena. One hand reached out to close over the summoner's torso and jerk her up into the air with a strangled scream, holding her up and slowly crushing the breath from her body as the air around the ninja began to waver.

"Flames… of… _Destruction!!_" Efreet enunciated every word as if he was enjoying his torture of the summoner, fire finally erupting to the accompaniment of Sheena's scream.

The room seemed to darken momentarily – lit by only Efreet's flames as they burned around Sheena and by a purplish-pink glow from closer to the altar. In the next moment, three rings of sizzling energy shot out and caught Efreet in the middle of the back, forcing him to lose his grip on Sheena and allowing her to fall to the floor in a heap as he spun, his eyes blazing with fury on the Chosen.

Raine was quick to fall to Sheena's side as Efreet moved to go after Colette, calm pale runes gathering as she pulled the summoner to rest her head in her lap and grasping her staff out over her. "Are you okay?" she murmured softly to her patient as Sheena whimpered in response. "First Aid…."

Liane stared as Raine cobbled her quick healing spell together for the ninja… even as Lloyd and Colette were running as distractions for Efreet. _Goddess… he's still moving… this is really bad…_ she frowned. They had all taken their shots at the spirit… but what if it wasn't enough? _If there's another challenge at the seal in the Tower of Salvation… how can we beat it… if we can't beat Efreet??_ It only made sense to her that if the Chosen was to face another – final – challenge… it would have to be the most difficult that the world had to offer…?

Using Colette and Lloyd's almost playful tactic to keep Efreet occupied, Genis stepped up, blue runes coursing beneath him for only as long as he had to hold them before he threw his kendama out at Efreet. "Icicle!" he ordered, his voice revealing his nervousness even as a spike of shining ice rose beneath the spirit, pushing him to the side before it shattered, pelting Efreet with ice shards and leaving Lloyd to tackle Colette to the floor to shield her.

"Liane!! Follow it up!!"

Liane's head snapped up in surprise at Kratos' call, lost only a moment longer to the chaos that their frantic tactics had brought to the seal chamber before she saw the mercenary's head snap towards Efreet from where he stood a few strides away from her. _What… he…._ She struggled for only a moment longer to comprehend what he was doing before she recognized her stance… and her mind screamed at her that he was already moving. _But… that's Sonic…._ Her eyes snapped wide as her feet began to move, comprehension following only a heartbeat behind as she drew up her own sword to match Kratos' running form… and the ripples of mana that already roved over his blade. _I've seen this before… Kratos and Lloyd…._ She had seen them practice it… but she'd never tried… _he's… he's counting on me…?_ She didn't take the time to question it as she ran, she simply concentrated on what he had taught her… what she had had a few days to work on easing into her arsenal of choices….

"_Cross Thrust!!"_

Kratos' voice joined with Liane's as her mana joined with his, their blades feeding each other and magnifying what would have been two attacks into one. She was startled for a moment by the flare of mana, but she still kept running, narrowly missing Kratos as her path crossed behind that of the mercenary, assaulting the spirit with their combined power.

When Liane came to a stop just short of the chamber wall, she turned in dismay of what it seemed she had managed to pull off by some miracle, catching only a quick, curt nod of what she could only hope was approval from Kratos before a blur of lilac sprinted between them.

Sheena dashed up to Efreet, who still was still wavering in the wake of Kratos' and Liane's attack, holding her card in both hands as she looked like she was about to deliver a physical blow. "Pyre Seal!!"

"Ugh!!!" It came out as more of a forced exhale than a true expression of pain, but Efreet crumbled to the floor at Sheena's feet, barely bracing himself up on one arm. He lifted his head to eye the summoner standing over him, his burning eyes tracing over how her card was drawn back cautiously and meeting her glare that was at least as fierce as his own. "Your power is admirable…" he rumbled, his shoulders heaving for a few more moments before he pulled back and slowly lifted into the air again, crossing his arms over his chest with an approving nod. "Very well… speak your vow."

Sheena exhaled deeply, slipping her card back into the folds of her sash as she approached the altar again, her soft footsteps echoing in the now quiet chamber. "Right now, at this very moment, there are people who are suffering," the ninja began, her voice calm and strong. "I vow to save those people. I ask thou to grant me thy power!"

The fire spirit's chest puffed out proudly, giving the summoner what seemed to be a benevolent nod compared to the rest of what the party had seen of his behavior. "I bestow upon you my raging inferno." Efreet's dry rasp didn't waste time on frivolity, nor did he offer the ninja time for thanks or any other kind of bonding before his form began to glow and shift before it collapsed in on itself and finally settled into the form of a deep red stone. As if to accentuate the transformation, the stone hung in the air for a moment, only a brief glimmer of light coming from it before it dropped into Sheena's outstretched hand.

_He didn't say anything about being betrayed…._ The final words of the fairy-like Sylph still rang in Liane's mind. While it seemed that 'Mithos' had once been master of all of Sheena's new pacts, the Sylph were the only ones of the three to speak of betrayal, much less to speak of Mithos beyond stating their pact with him. _But they've all tested and accepted Sheena… they couldn't do that if their pact with Mithos was still solid… right?_ A new constant in the assistant teacher's life had become that she was soundly reminded on a daily basis of how much she didn't know. The Summon Spirits seemed to be just one piece in that puzzle – and it was like trying to grasp smoke.

"That was so cool, Sheena!" Lloyd approached the ninja as she stepped down from the altar, leaning over her hand to peer at the stone that she held out to her companions. "Man, I wish I could conjure Summon Spirits, too!"

Liane sheathed her sword and pushed her ponytail back so that it could catch on the top of her shoulders, her relief growing with every breath she drew after the fire spirit disappeared. But as she started to walk the few steps over to where the others were gathering around Sheena and an apparently growingly enthusiastic Lloyd, she was stopped by something cold and metallic being pressed into her hand. The surprise wasn't enough to disguise the feel of the familiar form and weight of her own dagger to her, but it was enough to snap her eyes wide on the dark clad man that stood in the shadows beside her. "I… I was going to pick it up in a minute…" she stammered, her voice edging towards defensiveness. She was ready for anything he would throw at her – whatever condescending speech he would find for her once again, whatever sigh or exasperated glare he might offer. She was ready for anything _but_ what he actually did: offer her a small shrug that might have even been a trick of the light before he continued to walk past her to rejoin the others.

_Not a look… not a word… nothing…?_

It flustered her more than she cared to admit, but she drew a breath and continued to a wide spot beside Genis in the circle of her friends. _Maybe he's decided that I'm a lost cause…_ she sighed before Lloyd's laughter distracted her.

"… and say cool things like "Burn to oblivion!" Lloyd's voice dropped into a low rasp clearly meant to mimic Efreet before the teen laughed again, glancing around to the staring faces of his companions as if expecting some sort of reaction.

Genis was the one to finally break the silence with a soft groan. "Knowing Lloyd, he's more likely end up setting one of us on fire."

"Isn't that what you said about teaching me Fire Ball?" Liane asked with a huff, looking down and raising an eyebrow to her youngest friend.

Genis' mouth started to open as he offered Liane an innocent shrug, but he was cut off as Lloyd spun to face him, his hands planted on his hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Genis snickered, a knowing grin on his lips as he turned, tucking his kendama into his belt loop as he strolled back towards the pile of packs.

Lloyd's growl of frustration was cut short by the mercenary, who stepped into the younger swordsman's path before he could run after his friend. "He's right. Our business here is done," Kratos stated firmly. "Pietro isn't getting any better waiting for Colette to keep her promise – we need to return to Hima as soon as we can."

Kratos' reminder banished the glare from Lloyd's eyes as he lowered his head. "Yeah… you're right…" he murmured, finally lifting his gaze. "If we get started now, we can probably be there by dinner tomorrow…" he shrugged, a little bit of a smile curling his lips before he walked to claim his own pack, nudging Genis' shoulder as if to get the last word.

'_By dinner'… figures…_ Liane smirked, although the gesture just felt empty. Pulling her pack onto her back, her eyes wandering over the others one by one. Even as some things seemed almost frighteningly constant – like Lloyd's appetite – the rest of the group, if not their entire world, already seemed to be shifting beneath them. Kratos' silence only emphasized the changes she knew that she – and maybe all of them – weren't ready to comprehend. _I guess this is what we wanted… by helping Colette… we've all helped things to change. _She frowned a little as she silently lined up to use the warp pad. _But what if the changes aren't the ones we wanted?

* * *

_

"Resurrection!"

It was the purest form of light that answered the professor's call, collecting and burning brighter and brighter until Kratos had to look away. His light had long ago become corrupted – selfish and destructive. The disc of light churned over the bedridden form of Pietro, finally bursting to a chorus of gasps around the room. He couldn't help but look – the healing technique had been lost for so long that he was beginning to question if he had ever seen it since the war – since one now known as a Goddess had walked among them.

Her role performed as well as could be hoped or expected, Raine rose from where she had knelt at the foot of Pietro's bed to return to the ranks of her friends. The gesture wasn't lost on Kratos – while she had been the one to cast the spell on the young man, they had all fought to grant Raine the ability to help.

_I fought to give her the ability to help._

As Pietro began to stir with a weary groan, Kratos' mind wandered away again. Somehow, events had conspired to allow the Chosen and her companions to make the impossible once again possible. _But for how much longer?_ Kratos knew the group from the inside – while the percentage of their triumphs that were skill versus those that were pure dumb luck was admittedly on the rise, he still knew their weaknesses. And he would be obligated to use them against every one of them if the time came and they chose to fight him.

_And they will._

There was no doubt in his mind. The next battle they would fight would splinter him from their side and force their blades to clash with his.

_They can't win. Not as they are now._

And Raine's new ability would only ensure that his betrayal would be driven like an assassin's dagger into each of them long before his sword finished the job – and as many times as it took until the Professor could no longer use her new skill.

As the others continued to listen to Pietro gather coherence and share the tales of his imprisonment and escape, Kratos let his eyes wander to where Lloyd and Liane stood, allowing Raine's patient to talk. Lloyd's fists were tightly closed over the handles of his weapons, another version of the standard 'captivity' tale clearly doing little for his tolerance of the situation. _He will be quick to anger – the first to strike, _his thoughts whispered tauntingly. But no matter how he wished he could ignore them, they kept coming. _He's not ready to face the Chosen's loss – it probably hasn't even occurred to him yet. It wall unbalance him more than enough that if another of them falls… he won't recover._

Once again, it occurred to him how much of a monster he truly was – a beast hiding under frigid calm. It was something he had once been so callous as to pride himself on – _and now I'm predicting how I'll watch my own son kill himself_. It wasn't that Kratos didn't know that he would likely be holding the blade that would strike Lloyd down – he simply knew that entering the Tower of Salvation would be as close to a declaration of suicide as a person that truly wanted to live could ever get.

And then there was Liane. The girl that danced the line between outcast and wanting to belong. The girl that had only started to live her own life when her world had started to be muddied by the life – and death – of a woman that she should never have known of in anything more than name.

Kratos had heard the hushed tone Liane had used when talking to the Professor while the ninja and the Chosen had gone to the Unicorn. Even as uncontrollable as human dreams tended to be, he had a hard time believing it was attraction that would drive her to such dreams. _She can't be spared… neither can Lloyd. None of them can if they choose to resist._ It had become a mantra to him – one that was chanted silently & repeatedly whenever his mind began to wander to his own wants instead of his sworn duties.

'_Duties… hah!'_ a musical voice drowned out his thoughts. _'You have a duty to yourself, too, you know. Don't you have a spine of your own – a mind to decide what you should do? What kind of being would follow blindly when the path leads to a place where the innocent suffer? You're a stronger man than that, Kratos – you have to be… or you'd never be where you are… who you are.'_

He sighed, glancing out the window, amazed at how the memory of a voice long stilled could still chide him – could still challenge him. _Anna…._ She had been his strength to follow his instincts, something he hadn't realized that he needed until he had her in his arms. She had shown him a solid reason instead of simply an ideal, proof to enforce his fears that Mithos would not return from his grief-stricken madness – and that the worlds would suffer for it. She was the one that convinced him to follow his instincts… to be who he was without his Cruxis identity to influence and warp his actions.

Glancing out from beneath his bags, his eyes fell on Lloyd and Liane – a physical and emotional link to that which he had lost. With Anna's presence, he had always found a way, she was a guide when he had lost his way….

_How is that any different now?_

Kratos' eyes widened at the realization. With all of his talk of fate, could he really ignore the coincidence of the reminders of his strength entering his life and making themselves known to him? Anna always possessed a strength he couldn't comprehend – time had not changed that.

_There has to be a way… they have their skills… and none of them wants to die…._ It occurred to him that the thought was merely one borne of desperation… but what choice did he have? _Even I can't see the future. _He drew a deep breath into his lungs. The future would come, no matter how they resisted it. Time would not be stopped – but it was a given that fate already had its own plans.

"The Desians are trying to revive something called the Angelus Project. They're also developing a weapon called the Mana Cannon."

Pietro's words brought Kratos back from his thoughts. Paying attention to the adventurer had been the farthest thing from his mind, but it was like an invisible double punch that he had to fight to keep from staggering away from. "Mana Cannon?" he murmured, the calm in his voice even surprising him. "Do you mean Thor's Hammer, from the Ancient War?" Kratos asked, ignoring how his words had suddenly brought the room's attention back to him. _This is bad… I knew Kvar was pursuing his own ends… but…._

"I don't know the details," Pietro shrugged in response, his eyes moving to the mercenary without the surprise that the rest seemed to have for his sudden interest. "They are using things called Exspheres in the sinister experiments," he murmured as his eyes fell to his hands as they twisted together, right over left. After a long moment, he drew another breath and looked up to Colette again. "Please, stop this Angelus Project with the power of the Chosen, and save us all!"

Kratos' gaze followed Pietro's pleading eyes to Colette. Predictably, the girl's blue eyes widened and she nodded in acceptance. _Of course she would say 'yes.' What else would she do?_ The thought was bitter as he sighed again, shaking his head just a little. The girl knew what was coming – she had to. She had to know that her promises were now limited by time. _She'd never take his faith away from him – she of all people knows how strong faith can be…._

"Relax," Genis stepped towards the bed with a wave of his hands and a bit of a smug smile on his lips. "We defeated Kvar. And we rescued the people who were held captive."

Sheena nodded, crossing her arms over her chest with a smile at the surprised look on Pietro's face. It's because of the jewel you had."

"That was the only way we could get in to free the others and destroy the ranch," Liane added quietly with a soft smile, adding to Sheena's comment, Pietro's smile brightening more with every passing moment.

"Is that true?!" Pietro asked excitedly, moving to let his legs fall from the side of the bed as he looked to Colette. "I knew we could count on the Chosen!"

As Sophia and Colette moved closer to the adventurer to help him stand, so too did Raine take a step closer to Kratos' side. "But I'm concerned about the Mana Cannon," she murmured softly so as not to interrupt the moment for Pietro as he threw his arms around the Chosen.

Kratos sighed, teetering between letting the group revel in their victory and Pietro's thanks or reminding them of their remaining responsibilities to the journey. "Yeah, but we won't get anywhere pondering it here," he replied to the Professor, widening his stance and crossing his arms to keep himself from grasping at his blade. The feel of the sword in his hand would urge him back towards duty… _but a few more moments… probably can't hurt at this point._

Genis turned away from Pietro long enough to glance over his shoulder to his sister and Kratos, his eyes alight from his smile. "Could this technique be used to save Clara as well?"

_Twist the knife…._

"Yes, I'm sure we will be able to save that poor woman when we have the time," Kratos replied before Raine could open her mouth to speak to her sibling. It was a pre-emptive strike – one made to halt planning to go after Clara and further derailing the journey – and one to stop thoughts of another that could have been helped.

Raine nodded, taking her cue that the topic was closed for at least the time being. "But, we do need to decide how we're going to get Colette to the Tower of Salvation… and Pietro still needs rest to complete his recovery," she spoke out to gather the attention of the group in the room.

Kratos couldn't help but smirk just a little – the Professor of all of them could at least be counted upon to at least weigh in on the logical side of their journey. He had to believe – with as educated as the woman was combined with her relationship to the Chosen – that Raine knew at very least what was happening to the blonde girl as well as what the end result would be. How much more she knew – he couldn't say for certain. _But for now at least… she's an ally. _Allies… adversaries… he almost cringed as he turned to lead the way out of the room, disappointed by how easy the thought was to classify those around him. Even more disturbing to anyone else would be the underlying thoughts of how fast one could change to the other. But it was little more than a way of life to him now. _Once a warrior, always a warrior…._

He stepped out into the late afternoon sun and moved from blocking the steps, leaning against the side of the log building as the others began to file out. He kept his eyes to the ground in an attempt to keep from classifying each member of the party – to stop himself – for a little while longer anyway – from thinking how he had basically been plotting each of their downfalls from the beginning.

"Well, what are our options, really?" Liane's voice solidified from the murmurings. "I mean, we have to stock up on supplies and go, right? We can't be more than a day's hike from the Tower, can we?"

Kratos could hear a weary note in her tone – it was in all of their voices if he listened close enough. The constantly not knowing what they would be facing was wearing them all down – as was the slowly unraveling truth of their destination. _No… it won't be long now…_ he answered her silently as the Professor began to speak.

"You can get a good view of the Tower of Salvation from the mountain in the back of this village," Raine gestured up the hillside, shielding her eyes with her hand from the sunlight. "Let's have a good look at the Tower of Salvation and think about what we're all going to do."

"Yeah… let's start there," Lloyd agreed, starting out ahead of the others to lead them up the reddish dirt path, the others falling in step behind him.

Kratos looked up as he pushed off the side of the building – just in time to catch Liane shoot a questioning glance over her shoulder to him. He pretended he didn't notice, even as she quickly looked away. He was doing his duty – guiding the Chosen safely to her destination – just as he had been ordered, but he still couldn't miss the look in her eyes: _What now?_

Even as he knew exactly what awaited them in the Tower, there was still enough strangeness around this 'clean cut' assignment that even had she voiced the sentiment, he had to believe that the only answer he could give her was one she'd never believe.

_I don't know.

* * *

_

Liane had been amazed by the decline in Pietro's condition – the last time they had seen him, he had at least been up and moving, even if he was incoherent for the most part. But this time… he had been at death's door. She had – in all honesty – been afraid to approach him, to even be in the same room. But missing Raine's display of her new skills was something she wasn't willing to do, either. Her eyes drifted ahead to the Sage siblings, allowing herself a moment's amazement at the power the two of them commanded. If she hadn't seen it for herself or been around it in one form or another for so long, she was certain that she wouldn't have believed it – much less ever pushed herself to learn even the weakest of spells. It was all for even just a brush with the same magic that they wielded with such ease.

_Elven blood will do that for you…_ she almost chuckled to herself as the party climbed the trail high above Hima. _I should be grateful for what I can do, considering that no one can really explain why I can use magic anyway._ While she wasn't strong enough to make a spectacle of herself, even as she knew that stubbornness alone couldn't give a person even a flicker of magical gifts.

Faint footfalls behind her turned her thoughts outward, a blessing even if they did only settle on another puzzle. Kratos was human – she was almost certain even though the topic had never really been brought up. He bore no outward indication of elven blood, but she – no – they _all_ had seen him use spells that were even outside Genis' grasp. _He has his Exsphere… but isn't that only supposed to amplify one's own abilities?_ Liane had yet to hear a correction to that – even from the mercenary's own words. _So… he has the skills before he has the Exsphere… that wold explain the strength of the spells? _It was an option anyway – one in addition to actually asking him. _Maybe he has charms or some sort…_ she wondered, refusing the urge to look over her shoulder to him. _Or maybe some part of his armor is enchanted… or…_ her eyes widened as the party moved around a few large boulders, his time unable to keep herself from looking back to him. _Could he be a half-elf? I've hard when elven blood gets diluted, it can hide some traits… maybe –_

"Well, there it is… now how do we get to it?"

Genis' voice snapped Liane's thoughts away from Kratos just as their eyes met. She was almost grateful for the distraction, as all of the questions that she suddenly had the urge to ask the mercenary were uncomfortable at best. _I don't think I really want to know that badly._ And with that, she dismissed the thought, pushing the questions to the back of her mind… perhaps to mull them over one day when the journey was behind them… and any answers Kratos would have would vanish from her life along with him. She inhaled a deep breath of dusty- smelling wind and looked away from the mercenary to stroll up to stand with the others. Thrusting up from the jagged mountains and high into the clouds above, the Tower stood before them, a silent siren's call to the end of their journey. "There's a lot of mountains between here and the Tower," she sighed, frowning as she shifted the weight of her pack on her shoulders. "It could take a few days to get there – and that's if the weather holds and we don't run into monsters…."

"Hmm… well, this is the village of adventurers," Raine murmured thoughtfully. "Perhaps there's a guide we can talk to… or we could buy a map… we can't possibly be the only ones that have tried to go closer to the Tower since it appeared. It may take a little more time, but it shouldn't be impossible to get Colette there within a couple of days.

_Couple of days… _Liane sighed as she pushed a few windblown curls from her face and tucked them back behind her ear. That was it then. The journey was now officially finite. While having it last indefinitely was hardly an option, suddenly it was easy for her to admit that she wasn't ready for the end – no matter the results. The wind that swirled around them suddenly felt just a bit colder and the silence that settled over the party made her wonder if she was the only one harboring such thoughts. _What exactly does one do after they've helped regenerate the world?_

"You're the ones from last time…."

The jovial voice from behind them was clearly not of the party. Liane turned to find a spectacled man with a crop of dark curly hair making his way across the plateau where the group stood, his smile wide as he planted himself directly in their line of sight to the Tower.

Lloyd chuckled, the sound odd after the last few moment of silence. "We want to ride the dragons!"

_Dragons?_ Liane's eyes widened at the show of distraction from her friend, much less his words. _Wait… the first time we came here and met Pietro… Lloyd and the others came up here while Colette and I went shopping. They said something about dragon rides._ "Lloyd… is this really the time?" she half-groaned to her friend, knowing full well that something so frivolous would definitely be objected to at very least by Kratos.

"No! Liane… it's perfect…" Genis smiled up to his friend, tugging on the edge of her tunic to stop her protest. "They're dragon tours – to get closer to the Tower – we can fly there instead of hiking over the mountains!"

"Oh…" Liane murmured. _Fly… we'll be there in a few minutes…_ she realized as a knot grew in her stomach. "Good…."

"Great!" the dark haired man smiled as he surveyed his apparent customers. "You have the honor of being the very first customers of the Dragon Tours! Let's see now, seven people…" he paused, eyeing Genis for a moment before he shrugged. "I think we can get by with three dragons, so…" the man stood back and planted his hands proudly on his hips. "Here's a special price available only today! It'll be $6,000 gald!"

The man's smile held firmly even as his potential customers gaped at him in silence.

"That's expensive!" Lloyd finally blurted out, once again speaking for the party as a whole.

Raine shrugged as she turned a little to raise an eyebrow to her red-clad pupil. "But I can't be helped. We have to get to the Tower of Salvation."

"Yeah," Genis nodded to his sister's assessment, "… it's for the world regeneration."

As much as Liane hated to admit it, the young mage was right. "It'll be less expensive to hike… but shouldn't this be what the gald we've earned should be for? None of us signed on to get…" she almost bit her tongue as she glanced to Kratos. _Rich…. _"We should do this, Lloyd…" she sighed as she looked over to Lloyd.

By that point, it was the Dragon Tour proprietor that was staring at the party. "Wha… what did you say?! Are you the Chosen's group?!"

"That's right," Raine nodded in response, grasping her staff in both hands almost wearily as she looked back to the man expectantly.

The man's jaw dropped as his head started to shake almost violently from side to side. "Oh my! No, no, no, this won't do at all!" he declared. "I can't possibly take money from the Chosen! Please put that money away!"

Genis looked up to the man with a skeptical arch to his eyebrow. "We haven't taken it out yet."

Liane snickered softly. _You just couldn't resist, could you, Genis?_ It was clear that the man was a salesman at heart – even for establishing a new business, he had all of his lines ready to use. _I'm sure he'll actually do really well… people will probably only get more curious about the Tower after this…._

"In that case, I'll ready three high-class dragons for you by tomorrow morning!" the man declared, ignoring Genis' words with a gracious flourish of his hand. "Of course, I will not accept any money!" his smile suddenly wavered. "However…"

Colette's smile faded at the same time as the man and she looked up to the Professor with wide eyes. Raine held up her hand to the Chosen as if to stave off any potential panic as she kept her eyes on the tour master. "What is it?" she asked, only the barest hit of exasperation in her voice.

Shifting his weight uneasily on his feet, the man gestured towards the Tower. "I've heard that the area around the Tower of Salvation is dangerous, so…" he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "If you could just… I mean, my cute little dragons are…"

"Not a problem," Raine's expression warmed just a little. "When we reach our destination, we'll return the dragons to you." She turned, glancing over her companions. "Is that a right with everyone?"

Liane shrugged and drew a deep breath. "It seems only fair… he's being gracious enough to lend them to us," she replied as her gut coiled just a little tighter. _Tomorrow morning then… it'll all be over._

"I have no objections," Kratos spoke up from his position at the back of the party, breaking the silence he had held while the others had debated with the man.

Lloyd nodded, his posture straightening when he turned back to the man. "Yeah, we'll figure out how to get back when the time comes.

"I understand," the man gave Lloyd a polite partial bow before he started back to the path that led down the mountain to Hima. "Well then, I shall await you all here tomorrow morning," he waved his hands with a good-natured chuckle. "There are preparations to make, so I'll take my leave."

As the party watched the man disappear from their sight behind the boulders, a heavy sigh issued from Lloyd that could easily be heard over the wind. "We're finally down to the last seal."

His words hung in the air around them all. Liane looked over to her friend to see that his gaze was fixed on the Tower. "It's what we wanted… what we want… isn't it?" she asked, reaching out to put her hand on his shoulder. Her question was less to focus him than she would have liked – and more hoping someone might disagree with her.

No disagreement came though. Finally, Raine's voice once again broke the silence. "Let's split up for tonight. But don't go outside the village. Understood?"

Raine's suggestion was a far more effective form of Liane's prodding question. A night to gather their thoughts – to do as they liked – to make sure going to the Tower the next morning would be what each of them wanted for their own reasons. _And a last chance to decide not to go… if we want it…._

"That sound good," she murmured in agreement. _I'll be there… I have to see this through now…._

"Yup," Genis spoke up, setting into a jog back towards the town. "I'll go check our supplies! C'mon, Lloyd!"

Sheena started down the hill in the boys' wake. "Got it," she muttered, no hint of even attempted enthusiasm in her tone.

_She probably needs this time more than any of us._ Liane frowned as her eyes followed after the ninja. _Even if the last seal has a guardian… it'll be even harder to face Sheena…_.

"We'll be leaving in the morning," Kratos grumbled as he strode past Liane, Colette, and Raine, his steps long and confident as quickly disappeared down the path, not pausing or seeming to notice the glare that his words earned from Liane.

Raine shrugged to Liane and Colette, offering them a weak smile. "Goodnight everyone. Sleep well." The Professor turned on her heel at that, but was topped a moment later as Colette hurried after her and caught the elven woman's forearm in both hands. Raine paused, looking down in passing surprise to the girl's imploring blue eyes for a moment before a sad smile passed over her lips. "You want to thank me?" she asked softly, answered by Colette's nod. "Don't worry about it. Despite knowing what your future holds, this is all I can do for you."

Liane watched her mentor and the Chosen stay frozen in place for a long moment before Colette released Raine's arm and the silver haired woman moved down the path herself, her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. Feeling that there was something she simply wasn't a part of going on, Liane glanced away - but only for as long as her conscience would let her before she looked back to Colette's solitary form watching after the Professor's retreat. With a small exhale, Liane squared her shoulders and walked up to her friend, hesitating to even speak until her conscience kicked at her again and forced her to find words. "Colette… is this really what you want?"

The blonde girl slowly raised her eyes to Liane, a smile slipping into place with a quick nod as she reached out for Liane's hand.

Realizing what Colette wanted took only a moment, and Liane held her hand out. The first gentle stroke of Colette's finger made choke back a laugh, only to get a look of mock exasperation from the Chosen. "What? You know I'm ticklish!" she shrugged, receiving an exaggerated eye roll before Colette's smile returned and she started to scribe invisible letters across her palm.

_I want Sylvarant to thrive. If I can help that happen, then yes._

Liane looked up from her hand and met Colette's eyes again. "Aren't you worried about what will happen when this is all over?" For a moment, she thought that maybe she was the only one concerned with what life would be like after they had all experienced the journey – all they had seen that they had been sheltered from before. But then she saw it – a flicker of doubt buried deep in the clear blue of her eyes.

_When I become an angel, I'll be able to help make sure everything works out, so don't worry. This is all supposed to happen._

With a blink, Liane realized how selfish she was being. She was worried about what would happen to her and to her friends when the journey was over. But Colette was right, when she fulfilled her mission, the world would be saved. Shouldn't that be enough? She hung her head for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts enough to meet her friend's eyes again. It was selfish - but it was still part of her world – they all were. "Colette… you're not coming home with us, are you?"

Colette's expression went blank. Then slowly… she drew her finger over Liane's palm again.

_I'll always be with my friends and family. No matter what happens tomorrow._

It wasn't an admission, but it was the closest Liane was certain she'd get without Colette's voice. Her eyes welled and she pulled her hand from Colette's grasp to throw her arms around the younger girl's shoulders. "Colette… you don't have to do this…" she murmured softly, all of the times they had spent together over the years flooding back to her – the laughs, the tears… the pranks and the fun they had joined in on together. But at that moment, it was all the idiot pranks that they had all played on each other that ate at her – childish fun at the time that could have ended so much worse than it had. And yet Colette had always been the first to forgive – the first to intervene and bring squabbles to an end. Her tension-breaking laugh was now gone, and soon, Colette herself would be, too.

A few sobs later, Liane felt Colette pull away and she looked down into sorrowful eyes as the blonde girl took her hand once again.

_Please don't cry… I'll be around whenever you need to talk… but…_

Liane looked up, swiping at her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "But what?"

A thin smirk curled Colette's lips.

_You might have to be the one to break up Lloyd and Genis' fights. You know how they get._

A snicker Liane couldn't contain slipped away from her, remembering the all-out brawls the two boys would get into from time to time. Even if it always ended with the both of them laughing breathlessly, it was usually Colette that would pull them apart as it was more likely than not that Liane would have been pulled into the tussle. But that had been before she had gone with the Church – before she had had to become the 'adult' of their group. "I promise…" she finally murmured, her eyes still burning just a little. _This has to be what Raine was talking about… she knows what's going to happen, too_. She sighed out as Colette started to write again.

_Please don't tell the others… I want us all to enjoy this time. Please…._

"Colette," Liane started to object, but stopped at the look in Colette's eyes – the seriousness… the pleading. Was this really her friend's last request of her? She sighed heavily and shook her head. "This isn't right, Colette."

_If they know… they might try to stop me… or they might not help me. I can't stop now… and I want my friends with me, even if it's selfish._

"Selfish?" Liane asked, almost backpedaling at the notion. It only took her another heartbeat to nod, admitting her defeat. In return for giving up everything… all Colette wanted was her friends to be with her. Not another chance, not someone to remove her burden… simply to not be alone. She reached out to hug her friend again. "I won't say anything… but I also promise you that if there's a way for us to take you home with us… we're going to find it." _IF… I said 'if'… as long as we don't give up on finding a way to help her… I won't have to break my promise._

Colette stepped out of the hug, the bright smile she was known for back on her lips once again Liane could tell that Colette understood – which now left Liane herself wondering if she ever would. Once of her best friends was getting ready to step out of her life forever. And why? Duty… obligation to some fate that held power over all of them. Sure, Colette had a duty to her calling… _but doesn't she have one to herself, too?_

A soft tug on her hand brought Liane out of her thoughts to realize that Colette was pulling her back towards the path down the mountain. "Sorry…" she chuckled quietly as she hurried her steps to catch up to Colette. "I imagine you probably want to talk to everyone, huh? Not just hang out on the top of the mountain with me…" …_reminding you of that tomorrow could bring_. Colette squeezed her hand in response before releasing it to swing her arms wide in time with her steps. Even if most of it was a show for the benefit of the others… _this is how I want to remember her… happy_.

The only sound that accompanied them was their somewhat shuffled downhill footsteps in the dirt. It was an odd kind of silence, though, considering that they both had at least a clearer idea of what would be expected of them in the next day. But as they neared the adventurers' graveyard, it was a familiar voice that finally broke the monotony of the quiet for them.

"Hey! Liane! Colette! We're going to train! You wanna come?" Lloyd called out, planting his feet and waving to the girls as they approached.

For just a moment, Liane thought that it didn't sound like such a bad idea as it might offer at very least some stress relief. But then she saw Kratos standing a few steps closer to the town than to Lloyd, his shoulders tense - not even looking back to either her or Colette. "Ah… I'm not sure, Lloyd… you might get more time if we sit this one out… right, Kratos?" she raised her voice just a little to make sure the mercenary heard her. She had trained with Lloyd and Genis a good deal since Efreet, but Kratos had seemed to be removing himself from the rest of the group. Maybe it was just what he had to do in his line of work, but they still had to fight as a team for one more day whether Kratos liked it or not.

Kratos did not move at first to her prodding remark. Then he slowly turned his head to watch them over his shoulder. "It doesn't make any difference to me. Come if you like," he shrugged and continued down the hill, making a show of not caring who accompanied him.

Lloyd met Liane's eyes for just a moment and they shared a collective sigh. "Come on… it'll be dark soon anyway…" Lloyd smiled, looking between Liane and Colette. "It'll be fun!"

Colette took a quick step behind Liane and gave her a gentle shove in Lloyd's direction. "Colette!" Liane blurted out, surprised as she stumbled forward and looked back to the Chosen. "Don't you want to come?"

The blonde shook her head, her smile almost playful as she shooed them with one hand and then clasped it with her other before her.

"You want to take some time to talk to the others, huh?" Lloyd asked with a small shake of his head, running his fingers back through his hair. "Okay, but only if you're sure…" he smiled weakly. "We'll talk when I get back, okay?"

Colette nodded and smiled for both of them before she pointed in the direction of Kratos, the mercenary now passing the town and showing no signs of stopping.

Liane had to chuckle. "Okay, fine. We'll go, but we _will not_ run after him. If he doesn't want to wait onus, he shouldn't have stormed off in such a hurry." Colette offered them a grin and a quick wave before she jogged on ahead of them, leaving Liane and Lloyd to their own pace down the hillside.

"Boy, you sure let him get to you," Lloyd commented quietly after a few moments, cringing a little when Liane snapped a slight glare on to him. He laughed just a bit awkwardly and held his hands up in a show of peace. "I'm just saying… you usually start avoiding people when they annoy you this much. Like… oh, I don't know… Michael?" he waggled his eyebrows just a little and took a quick sidestep out of her reach.

It took every last bit of her control to not give Lloyd what he was apparently expecting. Instead, Liane drew a deep, steadying breath and shrugged. "I get tired of being dodged, talked down to, and generally insulted, I guess. It's not like it matters anyway," she turned her eyes forward, not giving Lloyd the chance for one of his moments of uncanny insight into his friends. "After tomorrow, I'm sure he'll be happy to not see any of us ever again."

It was Lloyd's turn to shrug, slowly edging closer to her as he walked. "I don't know. I think maybe he knows his job is almost over… that we're almost done… that's why he's being even weirder than usual." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "After this, he'll move on… take another job. That's what mercenaries do, isn't it?"

"I guess…" Liane replied softly, wondering if the words sounded as bitter as they felt. But why? What did it matter? Kratos had largely shrugged off any overtures of friendship from the group – with only a few exceptions. But it was in those exceptions – Luin and Asgard – that Liane found herself so lost as to what to think about the mercenary. She had all but given up on the silly notion of 'soulmates' with the man - and actually would have if it hadn't been for those times. Every so often, there was a brief flash of concern in him - but it was gone in the next instant, usually so fast that it could be doubted it was ever there in the first place. But, on the other hand, it was just enough to haunt her. Liane sighed, shaking her head a little to brush away the thoughts. "At least he knows what he's doing after… what about you?" she asked quietly to shift the topic. "Are you going home to Iselia?"

"If I can…" Lloyd nodded, glancing up to her. "I mean, it doesn't seem right to not go home to Dad… maybe study with him some more – especially if I can't go back into Iselia for school. But I'm more worried about you and Genis… you guys took exile with me. Maybe I can tell the mayor –"

"To stop being such an ass?" Liane cut him off with a dry laugh. "Lloyd, since when could anyone tell the Mayor what to do, much less you, me, or Genis? The only reason he didn't hate Colette for being friends with us was that she's the Chosen – unlucky enough to be born in _his_ town." She reached to her side, fidgeting with the wire wrap of her sword's handle. "When Colette finishes the regeneration… maybe he won't have as much support to keep us out of town… maybe we can help with any rebuilding left…."

"So you want to go home, too?" the swordsman asked, his words sounding just a little surprised. "You think you'll work with Raine some more?"

Liane shrugged, her uncertainty revealed before one of her oldest friends. "If she'll have me. Maybe if they rebuild Luin, I'll give it another try someday. But I think there's still so much I can learn from her… I don't know if I'm ready for students of my own…" _… or a life without anything familiar._

That seemed to bring an instant grin to Lloyd's face. "I think you'd be a good teacher – you know most of the tricks students would pull to get out of homework and stuff… thanks to us or doing it yourself!"

"Thanks… I think…" Liane snickered as she reached over to ruffle his hair fondly. Sometimes, the three years that separated their ages seemed like such a huge gap – especially since her return from her schooling with the church – but at other times, she knew there was nothing but a fierce friendship for the boy that was the closest thing she had to a brother. But it was that same friendship and its entwining bonds to Colette and Genis that sobered her slowly. "Lloyd… you know that Colette's not –"

"Coming back home with us…?" Lloyd's expression darkened noticeably. "Yeah… she'll be an angel. I've never seen an angel live in a town with regular people." He trudged in silence for a few more steps. "She'll go up to Heaven – where the rest of the angels are…."

Liane could feel the apprehension fall over them both – and it made it just a little harder to breathe. "Are we doing the right thing for her, Lloyd?" she finally asked, knowing from how Lloyd had spoken at the Tower of Mana that Colette must have been confiding in him. "She says she wants to finish this – to regenerate the world. But how much of that is just what they've drilled into her all of her life?" She couldn't help but be skeptical of the Church – not with all that she'd seen and experienced, and at that moment, she couldn't stop it from bleeding over into her words.

Lloyd sighed and turned his eyes up to the sky. "She says this is what she wants. But I guess at this point, it's kind of hard to separate what she wants from what she's been taught. "His hands curled into tight fists as they passed the town and started down the hill to the valley below. "I promised I'd help her… I guess I can't second guess her now."

"That's easier said than done for me," Liane admitted with a frown. "The world will be regenerated, but our lives are never going to the same. I think – if it wasn't for the part of Colette not being around – that I should welcome it. But I'm dreading it. What's wrong with me?"

"Things always change," Lloyd shrugged. "I guess we have to change with them… even if it's frightening. But there are things that don't have to change…" he looked up to her with a half-hearted smile. "I think I speak for both Genis and myself when I say you're not getting rid of us… even if you do try to hide in Luin again someday."

Liane had to laugh as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "How do you do that? How do you go from goof to the wise one in the bunch so quickly?" she snickered, reaching to ruffle his hair again. Somehow, even if it was just the right words at the right time, Lloyd almost always managed to pull through to encourage his friends. It was a gift – even if he didn't realize he had it.

"Wise one?" Lloyd repeated with a laugh before he hugged her back and then stepped away with a sheepish grin. "I think some might not agree with that…."

"Like who? You just _do_ that – make everything seem like it's going to be all right…" she shrugged and straightened her tunic.

"Him… for one," Lloyd stopped at the base of the path, his voice hushed as he tried to banish his smile, pointing into a clearing to the left of the trail.

Liane looked up, smiling for only a moment longer before she saw what he was talking about – Kratos… standing in the middle of the clearing, his arms crossed impatiently over his chest. "Oh…" she murmured before she looked back down to Lloyd with a shrug. "Guess he shouldn't have been in such a hurry, hmm?" she kept her voice low and winked to him before she started into the clearing, forcing herself to meet the mercenary's cold gaze. "It's not like we're in a hurry tonight…" she continued, raising her voice enough for Kratos to hear.

_Go ahead… correct me. I dare you….

* * *

_

Wind Blade… Lighting… Demon Fang… Guardian… Double Demon Fang… Lightning… Sonic Thrust… Wind Blade… Cross Thrust with Lloyd.

Repeat.

_I shouldn't have taunted him… now's he's just drawing things out to make it miserable. Sadist._

Liane swayed a little as every last bit of mana she could pull from herself churned around her.

"You ready?"

Even Lloyd's voice sounded weary as he ran past her, his footsteps falling in time with her heartbeat as she finally opened her eyes. A purple haze fogged her vision for just a moment as her focus snapped onto Kratos – safe behind the sphere of his Guardian spell.

"Liane – now!"

She didn't even question the mercenary's barked command. "Lightning --!" she invoked her spell, focusing the strike at a point just above Kratos – the same point that Lloyd leapt to intercept, his blades reaching the apex of their swing and adding the energy of Liane's spell to Lloyd's own attack.

"… Tiger Blade!!" Lloyd's voice echoed as the brunt of their unified attack slammed into Kratos' protective spell, pressing the mercenary back a step as Lloyd dropped back to the ground.

As the crackle of Lightning disappeared from the darkening clearing, Liane's knees shook one more time before they buckled and she collapsed to the grassy ground at her feet. She was exhausted… drained like she had never felt before. She had argued for – and won – the chance to gulp down an orange gel after the first set Kratos had but her and Lloyd through… _but this time…._ She lifted her head to see her pack resting in the shadows of a tree that was too far away to even consider crawling to. With a deep exhale, she rolled over onto the ground. _I'm just going to sleep here…._ "Come back for me in the morning…" she muttered, not even trying to fight her eyelids as they slid shut.

"Here…."

The huffed word slid across her consciousness as something squishy was pressed into her hand where it lay outstretched in the grass. _A gel?_ She opened her eyes to find an orange gel winking at her by the fading daylight. Pushing herself to sit up, she took a bite of the bittersweet substance and looked up, finding Kratos standing over her. While part of her wondered if he was just going to push them to another round, another stayed quiet in amazement that he had brought her a gel in the first place. But before she could speak to confirm either his further sadism or his act of kindness, the metallic slide of blades into their sheathes made Liane look up and past Kratos to find Lloyd in a half-bow.

"Thank you, Master."

Kratos turned away from Liane as her eyes widened in curiosity, the remainder of her gel forgotten for the moment. _What?_

"Why all of a sudden…?" Kratos murmured, staring at the younger swordsman, his head tilted a little to watch Lloyd.

Lloyd straightened and shrugged as he met Kratos' gaze evenly. "Well, I never thanked you this whole time. And also… you're like my teacher, right?"

Popping the last bite of her orange gel into her mouth, Liane pushed herself to sit on her knees, watching the exchange with a smile she hoped that Lloyd didn't notice. He had already grown so much just over the few weeks of their journey. When added to the fact that he'd never had a formal teacher for his swords, it was somehow endearing to watch him trying so hard to thank Kratos 'properly.'

Kratos eyed the younger man for a moment and then sheathed his own sword with a shake of his head. "I do not have the right to be called that," he replied, his voice low and sullen.

"No, you do," Lloyd insisted stubbornly, his hands open in a gesture of pleading. "I was able to fight this far because of you and the others."

_He's right…_ Liane's thoughts murmured softly to her. Had they not all – at one time or another – been in a position that they most likely would have died without the aid of their companions? She set her jaw and stood, wobbling just a little as she dusted off her tunic and reaching over to make sure her sword was secure in its sheath before she started over to her pack with a thin smirk. _Just accept his thanks, Kratos… you've earned it._

A heavy sigh slid from the mercenary as Liane moved off. "Do not forget what I have taught you, and protect your companions and yourself." Kratos' rasp was dry yet still firm, filled with all the authority they were used to hearing from him.

Lloyd nodded again. "Yeah…" he murmured before he straightened again and offered Kratos another hurried bow. "Ah, I mean, yes Master."

"Hmm…" Kratos groaned softly, presumably reacting to Lloyd and not to the amused snicker that fell from Liane's lips. "You should head back if you have any business to see to tonight. There won't be any sleeping in tomorrow."

"Okay… yeah… I've got to talk to Colette…" Lloyd nodded looking up to watch Liane returning to the center of the clearing. "It's getting dark anyway… you two need your rest, too…" he managed a quick smirk to them before he set off at a trot back to the trail to Hima.

_Lloyd…_ Liane almost groaned. In spite of knowing what Colette on this of all nights could mean for him, he still found time to take a jab at her one last time. Barely containing an eyeroll, she moved to stand at the mercenary's side as they both watched Lloyd disappear up behind the bend in the path. "For the record," she murmured softly, "I'm not calling you 'master.' But I do have to thank you for your help in teaching me the sword techniques…" Liane shrugged, noticing how we made no move to even look over to her. _That's fine… but I have to say this now… he'll be gone as soon as we're done at the Tower…._ The thought had a bitter sting in her mind, but when he didn't respond, she sighed. _What did I expect?_ Liane chided herself, shaking her head and taking a step to follow Lloyd.

"I merely showed you how to focus yourself," Kratos spoke quietly, stopping Liane in midstep.

Liane glanced over her shoulder to him. "Funny. That sounds an awful lot like what a teacher might do," she retorted softly. "Why won't you just accept that? It's not meant as an insult, you know. Being a teacher – an _effective_ teacher – is a gift."

Kratos kept her eyes as she turned, not blinking or flinching. "I failed one that called me 'teacher' before. I refuse to do so again."

"Kratos…" she tilted her head, surprised at the rare insight into the mercenary's shrouded thoughts. He was always so guarded… offering her even this when he could just as easily have walked away momentarily stunned her. "For there to be a teacher, there must be a student… it's not right to say that you failed them because a lesson wasn't learned. Not every student takes to their studies…" Liane told him quietly. _Did his student die in a fight?_ It could explain so much of his coldness if that was the case.

"It doesn't matter," Kratos shook his head, his voice clipped. "You have all learned because you wanted to and you had the ability, nothing more. What you do with that will be your own decision – not mine."

_And the door slams shut._

_No._

With a frown, Liane took a quick step to face him. It was their last night as a party – a last chance to clear the air before all of the 'could haves' and 'should haves' would set in. "Listen to me. I don't know what happened to your other student, but if you won't admit that you've taught us all – and helped us – because you think we're not strong enough or good enough, you're wrong," she told him with far more confidence than she truly felt. "You've pushed me and I've hated you for it… but I'm stronger for it. That's what a teacher does – they challenge their students to be more or to do more than they ever thought that they could."

Kratos narrowed his gaze on her. "Must you always be so stubborn?"

"In this instance, yes." Liane's retort was quick and unwavering. But after just a moment longer, she blinked and glanced down, drawing a breath as if summoning strength for one more battle. "Look, I know that I've been a burden to you and your job. I know that rescuing me from the ranch was another detour you didn't want and I know that you don't trust me… that I'm just a little girl playing in a game where the rules I want to follow don't apply. And I know that this journey would have still happened without me. But this is my world, too." She gestured up towards the nearby town as she looked up to him. "Those are my friends and my place is beside them. Now whether you want to accept my thanks for helping me make that happen or not – it's up to you. I don't understand how you've been able to seem to both hate me and suffer my presence at the same time. But by now if you can't have enough faith in me to know that I'm going to use everything you've taught me to help Colette, then I guess you're never going to." She blinked, almost surprised by the words that tumbled from her as if pressure had been building behind each and every one of them.

"You really think that I hate you?"

The question was the last thing that she expected. Silence would have been predictable and far easier to react to than that question.

"I don't want you to," she admitted, not bothering to filter her thoughts before they turned to words. "I just don't understand. Just when it felt like we took a step towards at least cordiality, it all fell apart. So… look, I'm tired of the game." She looked up almost reluctantly. "At least level with me. You told me once that I reminded you of someone that you didn't hate… so do you hate me for that in itself? Really… is there any harm in at least dropping the 'Ice God' act for a minute to give me the truth? It's… it's not like you'll ever have to see me again after tomorrow." Her tone was bitter by the time she finished speaking, but there was nothing she could do about it. "At least tell me what I did to make someone that's supposed to be a soulmate want so little to do with me… because it's going to eat at me if you don't. Have a little mercy…."

Much to Liane's amazement, it was Kratos that turned slowly on his heel, his head falling forward to protectively shield his expression from her. She half-expected him to just keep walking – to ignore her as if she hadn't spoken. But then….

"I don't hate you."

Liane knew that she should take that tidbit and run – that questioning it might only point out that his words were a figment of her imagination. But she couldn't. Not after everything. "You said that she was your soulmate…" she started, taking a step to follow after him. "Whatever happened to her – I respect that…" she kept her voice quiet, seeing that he still wouldn't look back to her. "I don't want to replace her… there's different kinds of soulmates – I know that," she continued with another small step forward. "I… I was just amazed to be told that about someone that was basically a stranger. I thought maybe… we were at least supposed to be friends -"

He spun on her, closing the short distance between them before she could continue to speak, his eyes burning into hers with intensity she couldn't remember seeing in him outside of the time at the Triet Inn or in battle. This time, there were no blades involved, no contact at all, really… but her breath fled her body all the same.

"Am I really a stranger?"

She blinked, shaking her head a little as she took an involuntary step backwards. "I…"

"You asked me for honesty… perhaps you'd do me the same courtesy," he rasped, advancing another step to counter her retreat. "Don't think… answer. Am I a stranger?"

Her eyes were wide and her lip quivered just a little, but she didn't move, didn't back down. It had become instinct to meet his challenges.

"No."

Kratos continued to stare back at her as if measuring her. "Are you afraid of me?"

_Don't think… answer…._

"No."

Liane didn't blink… didn't flinch. Even after all she had seen and experienced with the sullen mercenary – even after having his blade at her throat – her answer was instantaneous… no thought needed. She wasn't being stubborn… it was just the honesty he had asked for.

The mercenary was silent, not even a breath passing between them in the long pause before he stood back and squared his shoulders. "You should be."

She couldn't read his tone… or maybe it was that she wouldn't. All she could do was stare at him as a chill settled on her… settled in her. He had done it again – maneuvered to eliminate the glimpse of the man beneath the ice. "I'm not," she insisted, her throat attempting to close before any more words could form, but ultimately failing. "Can you tell me why?" She wasn't certain where the question came from, but it somehow felt natural… like _maybe_… for once he could give her answers rather than questions.

"Perhaps. But I think it's something you need to figure out for yourself."

"What?!" Liane blurted out, the odd silence shattering. "How can you do that? Don't you think I know that I should be afraid of you? I've seen you do things that I know you shouldn't be able to… I've seen you dodge every question 'why'… you've held a blade to my throat… and I'm still not afraid of you!! That's just _not_ right!!"

Aggravatingly enough, his response was a dry chuckle. But before she could explode at him further, he held his finger up to silence her – a gesture strange enough that she froze.

"You're asking the right questions," he commented calmly, "… but the only answers that will satisfy you are the ones that you will find for yourself."

"Kratos…" she practically growled his name even though she knew the logic of his words. _How can I possibly expect him to explain my own mind to me? What is wrong with me?_ "Dammit… stop with the games…."

He raised an eyebrow to her – practically a physical reflection of how she had already been silently chiding herself. "I want you to do me a favor," he finally murmured, watching her as his eyes narrowed once again.

Liane's jaw dropped open as her mind scrambled to keep up with the twist in their conversation. "A… favor…?" How does he constantly keep me off balance like this? "What kind of favor?" she asked, her puzzlement leading to a suspicious tone in her voice as she watched his hand move to a pouch on his belt that was partially obscured by his cape.

"Think of it as a favor… and a promise…" he nodded as his left hand moved away from his belt and he extended his right hand to her, keeping it out to await her response in kind. "My promise is that I'll help you if I can when the time is right… if you'll do this for me."

"Help me…?" she met his eyes and repeated his offer, slowly reaching her left hand out to him and blinking as his hand closed over it and gently pulled it closer.

Kratos didn't respond with words, Instead, he released her hand and reached to his other, a flicker of dying light playing over metal as he stretched a short length of delicate golden chain between his fingers and then reached out to wrap it around her wrist.

_A… bracelet?_

She knew that she was holding her breath as she watched his fingers brush over her skin to connect the delicate clasp. The fine golden chain fit close to her wrist and she had to turn her hand to move the clasp to the back of her wrist, the clasp itself consisting of two hinged hooks with a small, pale but brilliant stone hiding the closure of each hook. Liane chewed her lip, the fingers of her free hand curling into the hem of her tunic before he stood back. She sought his shadowed eyes for only a moment before she looked down again, finally allowing her nervous fingers to trace over the links as she sought words. She knew diamonds when she saw them, but it didn't make a dent in her amazement that he had placed such a thing around her wrist. "Kratos…."

"Keep it safe…" Kratos murmured, standing barely a breath away from her as he stared down into her eyes. "It belonged once to someone… precious to me… and what might be coming tomorrow…" he sighed, watching her for another long moment. "I'd prefer that it was in your care.

"Kratos…" she repeated again, even more stunned by his request than she had been by the placement of the bracelet. "You… Kratos… it's the regeneration of the world…" Liane shook her head. "It's what we've all been working for and… and you don't sound like you're planning on being around to see it." The thought made her physically shiver – due only in a small part to the cooling winds of the valley. While they had hardly seen eye-to-eye for the majority of the journey, she knew she wouldn't be where she was – with them – if it hadn't been for him.

Kratos turned his head away – just enough to not have to meet her gaze. "What I am asking you has no bearing on tomorrow's events or their outcome. I have asked a favor of you – just like you have asked of me before," he murmured, his words mingling with the wind.

Liane growled in frustration, her hand moving on its own whim to cup his chin and bring his elusive gaze back to hers. "Just once, would it kill you to give me a straight answer?!?" she hissed out, her anger quick, but she was getting tired of how final everyone was making it sound – hopeless, even. "We're going into this as a team, we're coming out of it that way, too! Kratos – you wouldn't leave me behind… so I don't want to hear anything about some of us not –"

A swift flicker of Kratos hand cut off her rant, one of his hand closing over hers for a moment as he stared back into her eyes – almost staring right through her for what seemed to her to be a span bordering on eternity. Then slowly – ever so slowly – he pulled her hand away from him and guided it back to her side.

"What tomorrow will bring remains to be seen, but it will be as it will," he murmured, his voice a low rasp as she continued to stare at him. "Take care of the bracelet… take care of Lloyd and your other friends…" he sighed, taking a step back from her as he broke contact with her. "And take care of yourself."

She blinked, suddenly startled by the realization of how close they were – close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath with every word he spoke. Unmoving, they both stood silently, their gazes locked. Her hand came up once again to close over the bracelet on her other wrist. "Kratos… don't…" she whispered, her voice falling away as she found that no words would avail themselves to her.

The mercenary stared back at her for a long moment, unblinking as his eyes continued to search hers. She saw herself reflected there, a pale shadow in the moody pools. Then, ever so slowly, she would have sworn that she saw his head dip towards hers.

And her eyes slid shut as her breath caught –

And stayed in her throat even as she heard a soft shuffling in the grass – and the warmth that his proximity had brought faded away.

"I will do my duty," Kratos rasped, his voice betraying no hint of emotion of any kind. "And you'd do well to do the same. Your focus can't waver from your goal. None of you can let that happen for any reason. Not now."

"None of _us_…" Liane murmured quietly, trying to figure out why they were even having the exchange.

Kratos tilted his head at her in curiosity. "What?"

"None of _us_ – can let that happen…" she repeated with some agitation, watching him with her eyes narrowed sharply on him. "Right?"

His eyes bore into her even though the shadows still obscured his eyes. It was almost a physical sensation and her first instinct was to take a step back from him. But even with that, she stood her ground, going so far as to set her jaw defiantly. While Liane was far from certain what had just passed between them, she was certain that she wasn't going to let his tricks of intimidation work on her – not after all they'd been through.

"I see some things will never change," the gravelly comment came almost like crisped leaves on an autumn breeze. He started to turn away, pausing as he actually met her gaze for barely a heartbeat. "None of us can waver from our goal."

She stared after him, thinking he would pause or look back… or something…. But when he disappeared into the dusky shadows, she realized how alone she suddenly was. She resented the fact that he somehow seemed to know something… something she was missing… but she resented that he might not and was leading her on to even consider that he did even more. _He promised he'd help…._ She was almost surprised by the fact that her fingers were still running over the chain around her wrist… but then she realized what it was… if it was a memento from someone that he cared for… he'd be back for it, wouldn't he?

_So why did that all feel so final…?_

More questions… always nothing but more questions.

Liane allowed her shoulders to droop for a few deep breaths before she walked over to her pack and lifted it to her shoulders before she started back to Hima. Her thoughts were her only company as she made her way to the town and then to the inn. Deciding that she wasn't sure that she wanted to do anything other than find a dark corner to curl into and try to prepare herself for what could happen the next night, she entered and spoke to the innkeeper. The pleasant older man directed to the large common sleeping room on the first level of the building since all of the private rooms had already been spoken for that night. Just as well… she told herself, … we may as well spend out last night as a group.

But when she opened the door, she was surprised to find that there was only one other member of the group already in occupation. Sheena looked up when the door swung open, setting her spoon down into the bowl of soup before her on the small table in the corner. "Hey…" the ninja smiled just enough for her lips to betray a small curl, her eyes following Liane as the dark haired young woman closed the door behind her and made her way to the opposite corner of the room beneath the window. "There's a crock of soup that the inn sent for us over here if you're hungry…" she murmured before she turned back to her own bowl. "No one else has come back yet."

_Not even Kratos…._

"Everyone's kind of restless tonight, I guess…" Liane shrugged, trying to ignore her disappointment that neither Kratos nor Lloyd had returned. But what would she say to Kratos around any of the others, anyway? She could barely think about all of the questions rattling around in her head - much less speak of them to anyone else in the group. She placed her pack on the ground, spread out her bedroll, unbuckling her swordbelt and situating her sword and belongings before she crossed the room to join Sheena at the table. "Do you mind company? I can find someplace else to go for a while if you'd rather have some more time to yourself…?"

Sheena shook her head and made the effort to smile for her companion, reaching over and grab a mug and filling it with the thick soup before she placed it before Liane. "Don't you mean 'time to plot how I'm going to derail Colette's journey and Sylvarant's regeneration?" she laughed softly, humor coming no where near the weary tone of her voice.

Liane shook her head and the glimmer from the bracelet winked at her by the lamplight. Slipping her left hand beneath the table with a sigh, she caught Sheena's eyes, somehow needing to see that the ninja hadn't noticed the bauble. She was afraid that it would bring too many questions or too much teasing that she wasn't ready to deal with just yet. "It's not like that… but…" she shrugged, "… I guess I have to admit that I am kind of curious. I really don't want to have to fight you tomorrow, either…."

"Boy, _that _makes everything easier…" Sheena chuckled, sinking back into the low-backed chair. She turned her head, bracing her chin in her hand as she glanced out through the paned window nearby. "I guess we won't know until we get there… until Colette can talk – or whatever – to Remiel." The black haired girl sighed, shaking her head. "Then… I guess we'll know." Sheena looked back over to Liane, watching as she took her spoonful of her soup. "For the record… I don't want to have to fight you – any of you – either."

"It just seems cruel," Liane frowned, dipping her spoon back into the bowl and stirring it absently. "If the worlds constantly wax and wane to balance each other… doesn't it seem that they could at least find that balance and co-exist? I mean… I don't understand how it works in the least, but it only makes sense, doesn't it?" It was almost too much to consider on this of all nights. The next day would be a turning point for so much that affected far more than just the seven members of their party. "But… I guess the thing we have to keep in mind… is it's not over – nothing's over until we all stop fighting for whatever reason.

A thin smile curled Sheena's lips – suggesting that she wasn't entirely convinced, but still liked the notion. "Yeah… I guess that's one way to put it." Her eyes finally drifted back to watch Liane. "I just don't know what it's going to be like to return home. If I fulfill my mission… if I were to… stop… the Chosen… I'd be successful and Tethe'alla would prosper for a while longer. But it just means someone else is going to have to come to do the same time next time. And who's to say that there would be a Sylvarant to even host a Chosen next time?" She saw Liane's shoulders droop a little without lifting her eyes from her soup and Sheena sighed. "I guess… I just never guessed at all the consequences of something that seemed so simple when they asked it of me."

The brown haired young woman was silent, deciding it was much more a musing on the part of her friend than it was something that Sheena probably wanted comments on. It was all going to be a decision that the ninja would have to make for herself. "Tethe'alla… maybe if there is some way to stabilize the worlds… I think I'd like to visit it sometime," she finally murmured. "It would be interesting to see the differences.

"The people here… they're nicer on the whole, I think," Sheena responded quickly. "It might have something to do with the fact that to the people of Tethe'alla, their world doesn't seem to be in immediate danger… that the land still provides for them… making even petty things seem more important. The people here… they're all used to slim harvests… they make the most of their time… they don't take nearly as much for granted."

"Yeah, if you don't count the Desians and the land withering, it's a regular paradise…" Liane sighed before she laughed again. What was happening to Sylvarant was hardly funny – but everything would be decided in the next day. The entire world was wobbling between salvation and destruction – now on that night more than any other – and somehow, it seemed that the members of the Chosen's party were the only ones that had a clue.

Sheena's dry laugh echoed Liane's. "I guess there's all kinds no matter which world you call home, huh?" she let her chin drop low. "I just can't abandon Tethe'alla… there's good and bad in every world, but it's still my home."

Liane remained silent, scooping her last spoonful of soup into her mouth and giving herself a moment to savor the seasoned broth before she looked back to Sheena. "No one would expect you to…" she commented softly, stacking her bowl with the ninja's and then sitting back. If things went badly the next day – if Sheena was forced to fight them all – how would it end? On the surface, it would be one against six. But with Corrine, Undine, the Slyph, and Efreet, Sheena's chances grew exponentially. _How many enemies are we going to be facing tomorrow? She couldn't help but wonder in dismay. We can't even start to be ready for this fight…._

"Hey… " Sheena leaned forward, waving her hand before Liane's face. "Aren't you the one that was just spouting off about how 'nothing's over until we all stop fighting for whatever reason'?" She offered the other young woman a smile, that was clearly clouded, but they both knew that it was at least worth the effort. "Look, I'm not giving up yet… and neither should you. Right now, there's still two worlds depending on us… and right now, there's nothing saying that we can't help both of them. So for now… maybe we can just at least keep that as a goal. Everything else… will be a last resort."

"Fair enough…" Liane nodded, pushing back from the table and standing, bracing her hands on the table for a moment. So many options… so many of them ones that she didn't want. "But for now… thanks. Thanks for not skewering me in my sleep… for fighting for me… and with me. Thanks for telling all of us what we were missing." She saw Sheena's eyes narrow and quickly held her hand up to stop her. "In case, okay? That's all."

Sheena almost groaned. "You just had to try to get the last word in, didn't you?" she shook her head and then finally sighed. "At least you didn't try to say goodbye. That's the one thing I would probably have come unhinged at you for." The ninja leaned back in her chair. "No goodbyes. Not for you, me, or any of us."

Liane smiled… and this time, it was much closer to genuine. "Fine. I like those terms…" she nodded and finished pushing herself up from the table. Glancing back towards the door she shrugged. "Guess everyone else is going to be out for a while longer. I think… maybe I should get some sleep. Doesn't seem to be all that much more I can do tonight without getting all sentimental." She laughed a little as she started away from the table. "Don't need a certain ninja coming after me to beat me down now after everything else that's happened…."

"Ah, there's the fear I love to inspire…" Sheena replied with a satisfied smirk as she watched Liane retreat to her corner and pull the tie from her ponytail before settling into a small pile of her thin blankets. "I'll keep the others quiet when they come back," she measured, turned to lean her elbows back on the table with a deep sigh.

"I'm pretty used to sleeping through any ruckus they can stir up, but thanks…" Liane chuckled, turning onto her side to push one shoulder beneath the thin pillow and letting her left hand rest on the pillow beside her cheek. It was an easy matter to let her eyes slide shut – it wasn't that she wanted to rush into the next day… it was just more a fact that it would come whether she sat up to sleeplessly await its arrival or if she at least tried to rest. She stirred once again in an attempt to get more comfortable, and she couldn't stop her eyes from wandering to the window and the dark skies beyond it. The moon was dark, seemingly unwilling to lent its cool light to the evening. But the stars still twinkled reassuringly, as if to promise some constant in a world threatening to change.

In spite of everything, the thought curled her lips into the best semblance of a mile that she was sure she'd be able to muster for a while. But just before her eyes could fully slide closed once again, a faint reflection of the starlight on her wrist made her pause, scooting her head back a little to focus on the bracelet. _Why would he ask this of me? Does he think I'm going to turn and run… or that I'll stay away from any fighting?_

_No…._

She couldn't believe that. And he didn't ask me to stay out of any fighting. It all seemed so strange but she knew better than to expect any less. _He didn't ask me to keep it… he didn't give it to me… he just wanted me to keep it safe… but… why?_

Liane's eyes searched the metal links that encircled her wrist, knowing better than to expect an answer from such an object. Yet oddly enough, when she looked at it, it brought her some peace. _Maybe things won't be as final as I'm afraid they will be_….

One truth still shone in her mind: Kratos hadn't rejected her claims, sent her away, called her a fool… or even laughed at her. While it was possible that it could have still all been a game to him… it just didn't feel like it to her. _Maybe… since something happened to her… it's why he won't try to be friends with me. Allies, yes… friends, no._ She blinked and her lips curled downward. He must have been so hurt…. It was a sobering thought… but it made sense. Self-preservation was one of the strongest instincts a human had – and while it didn't answer all of her questions about the mercenary, it was enough for her for the moment. He had made a gesture of sorts – a favor that she didn't understand that seemed to have brought some form of truce to them.

She sighed and finally bowed to sleep's beckoning call. Her eyes slid closed one last time before a faintly amusing thought wandered through her mind: _I'm going to need to wear a lot of long sleeve tunics – or gloves – because I can barely start to explain this to myself. I don't think I want to hear Lloyd and Genis' take on me wearing jewelry that I got from Kratos_….

* * *

They found us… how did they find us? 

_It was her first thought, followed quickly by the recognition of wind rushing against her face… and then a sharp sting of pain that felt as if her left shoulder was on fire. Her mind didn't have time to keep up with the sensations – and the resulting reaction was a scream that she couldn't stop._

_"Just a little longer… hold on…."_

_The rasped command could barely be heard over the cool air that was buffeting them in guests. But it was more than recognizable to make her open her eyes when she realized the unmistakable warmth of arms around her. "Kratos…?"_

_"We have to put some distance between us and the Desians… then I can heal you…" he responded, his voice betraying more concern than she knew that he probably meant to show._

_Even though she knew that the situation had to be dire to elicit such a reaction from him, it's still somehow brought a smile to her lips. "Don't worry… I'll be fine… I can wait." She curled against his chest, hearing a deep sigh resonate beneath her ear. Clenching her eyes shut, she tried to block out the pain as the events of the night came back to her through a haze – it had been a peaceful night – just like any other they had shared over the past few weeks since they had gone to Izoold. They moved often, covering their trail carefully – it had all become habit. But when the Desian patrol had burst in on their camp in the dark of the night… it had left them both scrambling for protection._

_"You lost a lot of blood, try not to move too much…" Kratos told her, holding her just a bit tighter and limiting her ability to go against her words._

_She squirmed just a little, attempting to fight his grasp. "I'm allowed to still breathe, though… right?" she half-glared up to him. While she knew that he was only trying to protect her, she also knew that the pain in her shoulder was probably driving her words to be just a little more harsh than she really meant them to be._ Pain… and weakness_. She frowned, remembering watching the arc of the blade that had ripped into her shoulder – remembering how she had cursed herself for reaching for the shield and not Kratos' sword. No matter how he had tried to teach her, defending herself with a sword wasn't something she could grasp the skill for. Instead – she had attempted to hide behind the shield, deferring the fight to Kratos… and earning herself the honor of donating the first blood to be drawn that night and effectively removing any ability she would have had to attack or defend when she passed out._

_Suddenly, the arms around her tightened once again, but this time, there was something tender in the gesture – not simply forcing her to submit through strength. "I'd prefer it if you did…."_

_The words were simple, but they were enough to make her need to shift, hooking her right arm over his neck to pull herself closer, hugging herself closer to his ear as he moved to accommodate her new position. Tears stung at her eyes. "I'm sorry…_ _this is all my fault," she murmured, making sure he'd hear her over the wind. "Kratos… don't… please don't leave me…."_

_Her answer was – at first – silent, but it was a smile that made her catch her breath. Even she considered such a thing rare, but even with that she still knew that she was where she was where she was supposed to be. She hardly noticed that the wind had stopped howling past them as he held her against him with one arm around her back and gently lifting her wounded arm with his freed hand. "This says that I never will," he murmured, stroking his thumb over the bracelet on her wrist and dipping her head to brush his lips over hers. "Now rest…" the wind began to gust around them once again as he wrapped her up in his arms, careful not to jar her wound. "We have a little farther to go…."_

_But his reassurance was redundant. I'm already safe… she smiled as she used her good arm to pull herself up to his shoulder, allowing him to change his hold to cradle her across his arms once again. As the ground skimmed by far below them, she wasn't scared. She knew that she could trust him with every fiber of her being – that he would fight for her, protect her, and see to it that she never suffered._

My own guardian angel, _she smirked, knowing how he rolled his eyes whenever she spoke such words -but it didn't change the truth she felt behind the words. She hooked her chin on his shoulder with a sigh, willing the wind to soothe her body as it tossed her hair back over his shoulder. Being with him like they were didn't bother her, nor did she feel the need to watch where they were going. She didn't have to pick out landmarks that passed beneath them – she knew wherever he would take them would be safe._

_Her eyes lazed open and she sighed, the reassuring and rhythmic flashes of bluish-green energy making her smile._

"Get up! Everyone! We have to go!"

Lloyd's voice jerked Liane from her dream, bringing her to sit upright even as her sleep-daze had yet to fade. _Now what was THAT about??_ She glanced down to the bracelet with a frown before her right hand moved on its own to her right shoulder. _I'm not hurt…_ she told herself almost as if to prove to herself that it really was just another dream. While hardly as risqué as the dream that had convinced her to stay away from the unicorn, it was almost as embarrassing – like 'listening in' on someone else's dream. Shaking her head, she steeled herself against the fresh batch of images and pushed her hair back from her face as the others stirred around her. "You chose _today_ to become a morning person?" she grumbled, noticing that the day was only just starting to brighten outside the window.

"Yeah, Lloyd… it's a little weird with _you_ waking _us_ up… like today isn't going to be strange enough…" Genis yawned, standing from his bedroll with a stretch.

Lloyd stood near the door, his hands planted on his sides. "That assassin came back… he tried to attack Kratos…" he retorted sharply. "I don't want to hurry this, either, but if they're already trying to stop us… we have to get moving."

_Attack… Kratos?_ Liane blinked, wondering if she had really even started to wake up. _Someone targeted Kratos… not Colette?_ It made sense on some level… take out the bodyguard… it would be a much clearer shot at the Chosen. But none of that changed her frown as she turned and started gathering her things into her pack. _Why was he away from the group? Did they single him out or was he just the first one of us they could find?_

"It was weird," Lloyd continued his tale from where he had stooped to help Colette coil her bedroll. "I heard him get up and leave… so I followed him. When I got out there, I saw him with Noishe. But before I got to them, this blue haired guy in a cape came out of nowhere and tried to throw a ball of some kind of energy at him… but Kratos turned and stabbed him…" the swordsman stood and shook his head. "Then the other guy just disappeared."

"So someone really was trying to take out Kratos… huh…" Sheena murmured, securing the pink tie in her hair and then turning back to the others with a sigh. "Guess someone sees him as a threat…."

"When they could have used the fact that he was away from the party to get to any one of us – including Colette?" Raine added, standing and smoothing her orange jacket. "It certainly seems that way."

Lloyd helped Colette shoulder her pack and looked back to the group with a dry chuckle. "Yeah, then after all of _that_, he tells ME not to die…."

Liane's eyes widened. After all of the mercenary's lectures about focusing, had he really left himself so open to attack that – had Lloyd not been there – he would have been the first of them to fall – before the battle even started? She quickly pulled on her long sleeved burgundy tunic and buckled her swordbelt over it, stepping into her boots and scooting her feet into them as she reached for her pack. While she wasn't certain that she could explain the panic that was eating at her, she was sure that at least part of it was anger. _Is he just giving up? After everything… is that why he wanted me to keep this? Why he's so concerned that Lloyd lives… that we protect each other? He's really not planning on being there??_ She lifted her pack, slipping her arms through the straps and heading for the door, catching a quick questioning glance from Sheena. "I'll meet you guys outside…" she murmured, offering as much explanation as she could find for the moment. She knew she'd probably get teased… she simply didn't care.

She heard the door to their room slam behind her and the resulting look that it earned her from the innkeeper, but Liane didn't slow down until she stood in front of the inn. The rocky shelf that held the inn against the side of the mountain was already warming by the rising sun… casting an orange glow all around the valley. But her eyes were already fixed on the figure standing near the fence that guarded Hima's people from a plunge to the valley floor. Kratos' back was to the inn, the points of his cape blowing in the wind. A solemn whisper in her mind told her to remember the sight, but another part cursed the voice for being defeatist and pushed Liane's feet into a brisk walk across the rock.

"That's the game you're going to play?" she asked, anger coloring her tone as she dropped her hand onto his shoulder. "You're going to coach us all to fight, to protect each other… and you're not even planning on living through the fight?" she blurted out, even more infuriated that he wouldn't even look back to her. "I told you… we're going to do this together! So don't go losing all of the precious focus you're preaching to us to keep, because we're going into the Tower together and we're coming out of it together!"

In the next heartbeat, he snapped his shoulder out of her grip and pivoted away from her. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he muttered coldly, not looking back as he started to stalk away.

Liane's hands curled into fists. _Why do I care…? If he's this crazy… this ready to die_…. Her stomach knotted at that and she drew a quick breath. "Fine… you seem so hell-bent on whatever grand plan you're hatching… so try this. _Don't_ die. There. You want to hold us to living and not giving up… you can't die either!"

His steps paused and he turned to glance at her over his shoulder. Time itself seemed to freeze as his gaze felt like it pierced through her. A heavy sigh from the mercenary later, time resumed its headlong rush ahead, and Kratos continued to walk, giving no sign that he had even heard her.

She had to stop herself from running after him, from grabbing him by the collar and shaking him. Her eyes began to burn as reality settled on her: none of them were probably ready for what awaited them. All that Liane knew for certain was that losing any member of the party would quickly equate to failure in her mind. But even beyond all of that, she still couldn't keep a bitterness from creeping into her as she watched Kratos disappear behind the inn, her wide-eyed gaze sliding into a sullen glare. _He's ready to die. After everything… he's ready to give up on himself… on all of us._ She lowered her head so that even if he was looking, he wouldn't' see a pair of warm tears slide from her cheeks and fall to the reddish dirt at her feet. _Some 'guardian angel'_….


	17. Chapter 18

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Tower lies before the group… the physical form that their goal has taken since the party's first steps out of Iselia. But is it an ending… or just a beginning? As the truths begin to unravel, how will the party face things they never even guessed at – amongst themselves, and about their world itself?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 18:

"There's no guarantee we'll return safe from the Tower of Salvation," Raine turned back to her companions, effectively blocking the trail up the hillside from Hima. "Are you ready?"

The question was aimed at all of them – and carried as many possible contexts as three words could bear. Were they ready for any fight they might face? Were they ready for their world to change? Were they ready for their adventure to end – to face the consequences, both good and bad, to the path that they had all pursued until this point? _The sooner the better…_ Liane sighed, her hand closing over the grip of her sword to remind herself that it was all really happening… and that there would be no turning back. _Before we find some way to talk ourselves out of it…._

"I'm ready, Professor," Lloyd answered his teacher, speaking for the rest of the party that had let their presence at that moment speak for itself.

Raine nodded in acceptance of the group's decision and turned, leading the procession up the hillside in the bright morning sun, the tapping of the end of her new Ruby Wand on the packed dirt providing an almost morbid rhythm for their march.

Liane looked ahead from where she walked with Genis and Sheena, watching how Kratos and Lloyd flanked Colette: one guarding her out of friendship, the other out of obligation. She wasn't certain that she could meet Kratos' gaze without fighting down the urge to slap him at that moment and every other that had passed by them since the party had left the limits of Hima. _I guess it's a good thing that he won't even look at me…_ she thought sullenly, feeling her frown deepen a bit more. _I don't care… it's not worth the effort… not when I have my real friends to look out for._ Liane knew that she had tried to reach out to the mercenary, doing her best to honor what now seemed to be a phantom bond that tied them together. But his coldness that morning alone was enough to punctuate the statement of their relationship – she really was nothing to him. He was ready to rush ahead to lay down his life for the sake of his duty – no matter that there could be other options – if the need arose. _I won't cry for you, Kratos Aurion… I won't._

Then, she sighed, her shoulders' droop exaggerated by the weight of her pack. _But I'm not as cold as you are…._

"I've been waiting for you," a slightly familiar voice broke the silence for the group as they came around the last bend in the trail. The dark haired Dragon Tour master stood before them with a wide smile as he gestured over his shoulder to where three dark scaled and golden winged dragons were tethered. "Please, board the dragons in pairs…" he declared before he eyed Genis, much as he had the day before. "Except for the little guy… he needs to ride with two of you… it'll be safer for him."

Genis' form stiffened at the way the man had spoken about him. "Little guy…?" he grumbled, his voice shaking just a little before Liane put her hand on his shoulder. "See who's 'little' after I hit you with Stalagmite…" he mumbled even though his shoulders had relaxed.

"I will ride on the same dragon as the Chosen," Kratos' smooth voice declared, drawing attention away from Genis' plight and all eyes up to him. "Protecting her… is my job."

Colette nodded slowly with a deep exhale as she glanced to Lloyd and reached to give his hand a quick squeeze. She released the young swordsman's hand almost as quickly and followed after Kratos, stepping into his cupped hands and allowing him to help her into the saddle of one of the dragons before the mercenary vaulted into his seat behind her. Reaching around Colette to gather the reins, Kratos turned his head to the Tower, not even glancing back to the rest of the party.

_He's taking her away from us before we even get to the Tower…._ Liane frowned as she caught a quick, sad look from Colette that made her feel even worse. Sure, they could object… but if this was what the Chosen wished, how could their objections stand? If anyone had sacrificed for the journey – if anyone had a clue to what lay before them – it was Colette. Even though she knew that if the blonde girl gave any of them the faintest hint that this wasn't what she wanted, they'd all have her out of Hima and away from the Tower in less than a heartbeat, Liane had a feeling that Colette knew that as well. That had to be why she quickly looked away, following her hired protector's gaze to the Tower.

"Lloyd, who are you going to ride with?"

Liane sighed and glanced over at the young mage's question. It was clear from how Genis had edged closer to the swordsman who the silver haired boy thought he should choose. It made sense… maybe one of the only things left that did at that moment.

Lloyd chuckled and ran a hand back through his hair with a shrug. "I think Genis…" he grinned as the younger boy hopped into place beside him.

"Roger!" Genis laughed, offering Lloyd a playful salute, and then looked over to Liane.

It pleased Liane to see even a hint of genuine smiles at that moment - and that the friends brought such a reaction out of each other encouraged her own smile. _Maybe… we can still face this together…_ her thoughts whispered as she started to take a step forward, planning on offering to be the dragon's third rider as the Tour master had dictated.

"I'll ride with the boys," Raine interjected into the talk of dragon assignments, halting Liane's offer before it could be formed into words. "Liane, you and Sheena take the third dragon…" the Professor murmured as she herded the boys towards the nearest dragon.

Liane stopped and watched Lloyd climb up into the saddle, turning once he was settled and his pack attached to the back of the saddle to help Genis up before the Tour master stepped up to help Raine mount as well. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but she still understood. Genis was Raine's little brother, and the boys were both her students – of course she'd take it on herself to watch over them. _And it's not like she gets along so well with Sheena anyway…._

A soft jab to her side made Liane glance over her shoulder to see an almost apologetic smile on Sheena's lips. "Hey, if it helps, I promise not to be a saddle-hog," the ninja shrugged.

Liane blinked before her eyes widened. "No… Sheena… it's not like that… it's just…" she floundered for her words for only a moment before the black haired young woman laughed and waved off the explanation.

"I understand – don't worry…" Sheena smirked as she turned and strolled over to the last dragon, shooting a quick glare to the Tour master as he moved to help her. The man quickly backed off as Liane approached and Sheena pulled herself up into the saddle. "You guys have a history… I can see that," she shrugged, offering a hand down to help Liane.

Accepting the offer of help, Liane handed her pack up to Sheena and then crawled up herself, settling onto the back part of the saddle as the dragon shifted beneath her. "Yeah, we do…" she finally murmured, watching as the Tour master began to untie the dragons' tethers. "But I think we all have a history now…" she couldn't help that he eyes shifted to Kratos at that point. "Whether we like it or not?"

* * *

Kratos would have been a fool to not notice how irritated Liane was with him. Had it been another time and another place, he would have been scrambling to set things right – to not leave things so badly, considering the situation they were going into. But he couldn't do that to her – to any of them. Each of them would think as they wished of him now – whether or not they would find themselves proven right as events unfolded before them remained to be seen. 

As soon as the dragon he shared with the Chosen was freed from its tether, he pulled its long, graceful neck around and pressed his knees to the creature's sides. The dragon obediently turned and spread its wings, leaping off the plateau at Kratos' subtle command. They were the first to depart – exactly as he wanted it to be. If they could reach the Tower first, there would be fewer questions – there would only be consequences.

_"We all have a history… whether we like it or not?"_

It was not the ninja that Liane had directed her words to – at least not the last part. He almost wished that he could have corrected her when she had tried to convince him not to die. He could have told her that dying was the least of his worries – but that would have thrown the group into turmoil… it would have forced his hand. He would have had to take the Chosen from them, which would have not only disturbed everything the Chosen believed – _had _to believe – but it would have eliminated any chance for the members of the party to change their mind... to go live out whatever remained of their lives.

_"… whether we like it or not?"_

He knew that he had earned whatever hatred Liane – any party of her – bore for him. While he was certain that she either couldn't or wouldn't see what her visions and dreams meant, he was sure that he didn't want her to. Remembering – even through someone else's eyes – what he had been like before… when he still had reasons to fight impossible odds openly… if he sat that contrast in her eyes… he wasn't sure how he would react. Just a hint of shame – something that rarely crept up on him anymore now that it had encompassed his life for so long – was enough to make him pause. _But even if I tried to help them… even I couldn't stand against all of Cruxis on my own. They wouldn't stand a chance as they are now._

_This way… maybe I can still find some way. It's all going to depend on the choices they make._

With a small sigh, Kratos straightened his thoughts and leaned forward to Colette's ear. "You know what will be expected of you once we reach the Tower, correct?" he asked, just loud enough to be heard over the wind.

He watched for her reaction, even though it was hardly unpredictable. Her head fell forward, her golden hair curtaining her expression as she nodded.

"Then you know that the next steps will be ones that no one can take for you," he continued, satisfied that she truly did understand. "You know that it will be safer for them if we proceed before they get to the Tower… that we not wait." As her posture slumped a little more, he hardened himself to her reactions once again. "You know that they'll try to stop you."

Once again, the Chosen nodded, her shoulders still drooping. Some horrified part of him screamed at the injustice of the situation - at the oh-so-carefully orchestrated production of lies that made such a child so resolute in her desire to help the world were unforgivable – when it was more likely that the people would only suffer more. It was too optimistic to hope that it would work – that Martel would accept the form and calm her brother's madness. It had failed before… and Yggdrasill's patience was growing thin.

"You are brave, Chosen…" he murmured, his thoughts finding words for the least revealing path of his thoughts. He knew that no matter how cold his job was to her plight, he still had to sympathize with all she was giving up. While it may not have been the same – he had also sacrificed his life for what he saw as a greater good at the time – a life that had included a family that had brought him into the world – all of it given up to align the world to peace.

_And even that has become so twisted._

He sighed, shaking off useless thoughts of the past and what could not be changed. "It has been an honor to serve you…" Kratos continued, only slightly surprised when the girl leaned back against him as if craving contact or even just grasping for an illusion that someone cared. "I wish you luck, Colette… Chosen One." _You'll need it… even if you somehow find a way out of the Tower.

* * *

_

The dragons were far faster than Liane thought they would be – especially burdened with at least two people and pack each. The mount she shared with Sheena matched an easy pace with the one that carried Lloyd, Genis, and Raine, but the one that carried Kratos and Colette seemed to be the fastest of the three.

_Either that or just the hardest pushed of the three…._

The bitter thought had only continued to fester since Kratos and Colette had left the rest of them behind. Her grip was tight on the handles attached to the sides of the saddle, but it had relaxed considerably since they had lifted off. It wasn't that she was afraid of flying – actually, she found it to be rather enjoyable. But once she had convinced herself that she was fine with getting to the Tower whenever they got there, it was much easier to let deep breaths of the cool air calm her nerves.

_The group has already started to splinter._

Even though the thought carried truth, it still felt strange. She thought that she had been braced for when the cracks would start showing. But so far, she didn't mourn it – it was still at the point of making her angry. _I can't even see where we could have done anything different_.

"I can't see them any more…"

The ninja's words tickled the edges of Liane's hearing and pulled her – at least for the moment – from the mire her anger was dragging her thoughts into. "Hmm? Kratos and Colette?" she asked as she scrambled to catch up to whatever conversation she might have missed out on. "Yeah… I know. I hope they don't rush into trouble before we can get there." _Not that it wouldn't serve Kratos right… but poor Colette…._

"Even if they do, I'm sure they can hold it off until we're there… we can't be too far behind," Sheena replied as she turned her head enough to speak over her shoulder. "Then Sylvarant will be regenerated. And Tethe'alla will –"

"No… don't think like that…" Liane shook her head as she cut Sheena off. "The worlds are joined somehow – what affects one affects the other, right? If Colette's going through with his out of her duty and her love for Sylvarant, it only makes sense to stop this – or even if Sylvarant revives now, it'll just decline again," she reasoned. "This has to stop… Colette knows that," Liane told Sheena. "Saving Tethe'alla from going into decline will ultimately benefit Sylvarant as well…."

Sheena was silent, turning forward once again as they drifted ever closer to the pristine Tower looming before them. "You're right… Colette wouldn't… abandon Tethe'alla," she finally murmured, her words mingling with the gentle winds. "I'll trust her."

Liane knew that such a declaration couldn't be easy on the ninja, given her reasons for even being in Sylvarant in the first place. At that moment, she didn't have the nerve to ask Sheena if that meant that she wouldn't be fighting against them after all. Instead, she decided to accept it for what she thought it meant on the surface: that she trusted Colette – and all of them – and that she knew that none of them were out to destroy her homeworld. "It's all that any of us can do now, I guess," she responded, trying to enforce that even though they fought for the futures of two different worlds – their goals were actually the same. _All we need is balance – some improvement and some decline will probably have to occur… but if the worlds can prey on each other… they should be able to live in balance as well…._

"It's probably at least worth the chance," Sheena nodded in agreement. Quiet settled between them once again, and an odd peace closed around them – between the rhythmic flaps of the dragon's leathery wings, the gentle winds, and the clouds that seemed only barely out of reach.

But all of that shattered when the ninja sucked in a quick breath. "Liane…" Sheena nudged her friend gently with her elbow and pointed ahead of them. "Look…."

Glancing up at the command, Liane's eyes grew wide when she spotted what Sheena had to have seen: the third dragon that the Tour master had brought for the Chosen's party – the one they had last seen carrying Kratos and Colette. But this time, instead of leading out ahead of them, it was charging back towards them. Liane barely had time to tighten her grip once again on the saddle before the creature flew between the two remaining dragons, tossing them gently in its wake as it hurried back towards Hima.

Liane turned in the saddle, noticing that the only thing that the dragon carried was its saddle. Kratos, Colette, and Kratos' pack were no longer passengers on the beast. With a sigh, she turned forward again, only briefly meeting Lloyd's gaze. She couldn't miss the fact that the smile that normally lit his eyes was gone… that his look was just as disheartened as the shrug that he offered her.

_Here we go…._

There was no excitement in the thought. It felt more like she was catching her breath with no idea when she would have a chance to draw another. But before she could look away, Liane caught a quick gesture from the Professor – an indication to look to the ground… the signal to land. Liane swallowed hard and nodded, leaning forward to speak to Sheena over the somewhat stronger winds that churned around the Tower. "Head down… we have to land."

Sheena nodded and tightened her grip on the dragon's reins, pulling the creature's head around to urge it to bank, one wing dipping low as it fell in behind the other dragon. The Tower of Salvation was nestled into a depression in the mountains that seemed to be just barely big enough to hold the circumference of the Tower. It would have been impossible to simply land at the base of the Tower, so the dragons swooped into a graceful downward spiral – one after the other. Liane clung tightly to the saddle, the building forces of the angle of the bank threatening to throw them all from their seats.

But despite the fact that they were all facing the possibility of being hurled out into nothing but air, Liane couldn't help but look over to the Tower. The thought that all she really had to do was reach out to touch the legendary Tower of Salvation, making each marbled ripple in the Tower's skin seem almost hypnotic. _It's right there… it's real… and we're all really here._ There had been so many times that the moment had seemed impossibly far away – nearly drowned out by the matters such as battles… simple survival… even utter frustration. But now… it seemed that everything had somehow come together.

The ground continued to rush up at them for a few more moments before the dragons lifted their heads and flared their wings, slowing their descent with a gentle jerk as the air caught beneath them. Liane almost smiled as the rush that had built through the last part of the ride on the dragons finally caught up to her, her heart pounding in her chest even as she heard whoops of laughter coming from Lloyd and Genis. The sound made her happy – happy enough to ignore the nagging voice in the back of her mind that was wondering if she'd ever hear it again.

The dragons finally touched down in a small clearing at the base of the Tower where the structure rose from what appeared to be a bottomless abyss. For just a moment, they all remained on their mounts, staring in awe at the Tower that seemed to be as infinite as the hope that its appearance had brought to Sylvarant. Neither base nor top could be seen to provide bounds for it – the very nature of the Tower humbling the beings that stared up at it… both from up close and from wherever the Tower could be seen.

_This… the regeneration is so much bigger than any of us… bigger than any of us can even start to understand…_ Liane's thoughts whispered as she finally had to look away, almost afraid that if she stared for much longer, she would hear whatever fate it was that brought the Tower back to Sylvarant laughing at them.

"Where are Colette and Kratos?" Lloyd asked as he jumped down from the dragon's back and looked around. With steep rocks rising around them on one side and the pit and the Tower across from them, few options were left for where they could be hiding.

Raine slid from the dragon and reached up to help Genis down, sparing a quick glance for her older student. "Looks like they've gone in already," she shrugged, righting her brother on the rocky ground beneath them before she reached up to unfasten the packs that she and Lloyd had been carrying. "Let's hurry up," the Professor murmured as she held Lloyd's pack out to him.

Liane felt her temper flare once again as she and Sheena unloaded their mount, her eyes trailing up to the nearby staircase that led up to the Tower entrance. Each step seemed to be suspended in mid-air, no visible force or structure holding them in place or keeping them from plunging into the pit below. _Huh… I think that's even worse than the bridge at the Water Seal,_ Liane frowned, trying to focus on something other than a seething anger that was growing by the moment for Kratos. Not that it was an any less unnerving topic… but it was at least a choice… fear or anger. While neither were appealing in any sense of the word, both seemed more tangible than holding onto hope that Colette would suddenly appear at the top of the stairs – her tasks completed and bearing the news that they could all go home and live out their lives in peace. _I still can't believe how he's rushing into this…._

"The door's open…" Sheena murmured, looking up to the Tower as she secured the dragon's reins to a ring on the saddle and fondly patted the creature's flank before gesturing skyward. The dragon looked down to her for a moment before it spread its wings once again and pushed off, its job done with the exception of returning to the master. "Things might have already started… we're not even going to know what we're walking into before it's too late, are we?"

Liane's eyes followed the dragon up into the almost mockingly blue sky, momentarily envying the beast that was so free to be able to just fly away. _It doesn't matter – whatever's in there… we've promised to face it just by being here…_ she sighed and shook her head, swinging her pack over her shoulder as the remaining dragon lifted off and hovered for a few beats of its wings before following after its companions.

"Yeah… and besides… if Colette had to use the Oracle stone to get in… there's still a chance that that's all there is to it, isn't there?" Genis shrugged, his kendama rocking absently from side to side in his hand, betraying a nervousness the elven boy wasn't outwardly showing. "A last test to prove that she's the Chosen or something?"

Lloyd stooped to load his pack onto his back and stood, shaking his head. "Didn't you hear the Dragon Tour guy? He said there're lots of monsters around… and we haven't seen anything like that yet. Besides, doesn't just walking in sound a little… easy?… after everything else so far?"

"I hate to say it, but Lloyd's right," Raine nodded in agreement. "The regeneration isn't something that will just be handed to the Chosen… or to the world. We probably have to be more careful now than ever…" she continued, starting to walk towards the steps.

"We'll be lucky if those steps don't drop out from under us on the way up…" Liane grumbled as she fell into step behind Raine and Genis and started up the steps, her hands fisting into the sleeves of her tunic as she tried to simply not look down. _Wouldn't that just figure… the Tower has Colette… it probably doesn't need us._

"Wow, aren't' you a ray of sunshine," Sheena fairly groaned from behind her, the tone of her voice not indicating much more in the way of optimism than Liane's. "Just keep your head up. We're almost there."

_Almost there…._ It had been such an abstract concept just hours before. Now she was afraid that if she dared to blink, she'd miss everything. With a deep exhale, she attempted to chuckle without looking back. "I guess you're right… and the last thing Lloyd needs is a reason to play hero right now – he'd be so pumped up that none of the rest of us would get to blow off steam on whatever's waiting for us…." It was safest to assume there was something… it was easier to be prepared for _something._

"Hey! You'd _want _me to let you fall??" Lloyd complained from the back of the group with an uneasy laugh as they paused at the top of the steps, gathering at the open mouth of the Tower. "If I did get to rescue anyone, I'd think it's be worth at least a couple of extra whacks at a monster!"

That particular comment earned him an exasperated look from Raine – one that erased the boy's smile and made him shrink back in less than a heartbeat. "When we step through that door, we all have to be aware of anything: we don't know what we're watching for… so we have to watch for everything. Are we all in agreement on that? There's no other way that we can go in and expect to come out in one piece."

"But Raine…" Genis complained with a small shrug. "You've studied the regeneration for a long time… you really don't have any idea what kind of monsters are here? There isn't anything in the stories… or in anything that the Church has taught Colette that she told you about?"

Raine sighed and shook her head. "No. There's tales from previous Chosen's journeys, but if there are chronicles of the last parts of those journeys – the parts that made them either failures or successes – are non-existent or kept to the Church." She glanced around the whittled group and shrugged at the varied expressions of disbelief. "If you would have known the price that Colette would start paying as soon as she released a seal, would you have found the regeneration so wondrous? Faith is much more powerful when the miracles are a little more incredible, wouldn't you say? The fewer details given, the more fantastic the journey and the more people that will gather to support the Chosen."

Liane's hand closed tightly over the handle of her sword. "So it's just a big game then. Throw a few seal guardians' names into the legends, hide the locations of the seals in old riddles and turn the Chosen loose?" she muttered, shaking her head. "Sounds to me like the Church really doesn't care about the regeneration…" _… or the Chosen._ She bit off the last of her rant, knowing that they were all rattled enough without letting her dislike for the practices of the Church make matters worse.

"Actually…" Raine put her finger to her chin. "Most of the legends don't include names, either. There's a few references to the Summon Spirits… sand the seal guardians in general… but nothing in specific." The silver haired woman shrugged again. "It's most likely all part of testing the worthiness of the Chosen."

_No names…?_ Liane blinked, chewing her lip to keep from vocalizing the thought. _But… Ktugach… Adulocia… Iubaris…? They're all mythical creatures… but those legends aren't told with those of the Chosen – like the Unicorn – and they're all far more obscure…. _In her next breath, she remembered the voice that had named each of the creatures as they had battled them… and she had to grind her teeth. _Kratos._ He could have actually been the student of legends that he claimed… it could have been a series of lucky guesses… or he could have been toying with the impression of authority that he kept wrapped around him like a cloak. _Whatever the case… I'm done playing his games._ She shook her head, her decision made. "It doesn't really matter, does it? No matter what they call themselves – or what the legends do or don't name them, if we have to fight them, we have to beat them. Names don't change anything."

"She's right," Sheena added in, stepping up to Liane's side with a nod. "And standing here talking about what we didn't know doesn't change what we're here for. I don't think any of us were given all the pieces that we need to understand this, but we're here now. We should get going."

Raine eyed the ninja for a moment longer. "Hmm… that's a little more reckless than I normally prefer to be, but you're right," she finally commented, her voice showing only the barest hint of disdain before she looked over to Lloyd and gestured to the silently beckoning door. "Lloyd… I think we're ready to finish this?"

"Yeah… it's time…" Lloyd nodded as he drew his blades and turned his back on the group to lead them into the Tower. They filed in one behind the other, with Lloyd leading and Raine remaining to follow the rest. The bright daylight faded just inside the doorway, its warm rays seemingly absorbed by an eerie green glow that reflected from the smooth and rounded walls of the Tower that encircled them.

The path that they walked on was a practically transparent surface that seemed to absorb the green. It was only wide enough for two to walk side by side with only the barest hint of a ledge to keep the distracted from slipping from the walkway and plunging into the Tower below. The individual panels of the ghostly path were held in place by stout pillars bearing glowing orbs that served to only make the scene that much more unreal.

_This is the entrance?_ Liane wondered absently, still trying to keep her eyes up but unable to ignore that the walkway seemed to hang in mid-air, much as the steps outside had. Illusion or not, the impression of floating was enough to make her wonder even more if the Tower even had limits... how something so oddly massive could have even been built by anything but a higher power.

"What are those?"

With a frown, Liane looked forward to Lloyd, only momentarily alarmed to see him stopped, staring down through the panel that he stood upon into the misty expanse below them. "Lloyd… don't…" she huffed and took a few quick steps closer to the swordsman, joining the others that had gathered in response to his question. But before she could reach out to urge Lloyd to at least move on so that they could continue past the unsettling pathway – she caught a glimpse of what he had seen… and her jaw fell slack. Below them, bathed in a now even more eerie glow of mana, a slow spiral of countless elongated objects churned, suspended and stretching as far as they could see and most likely even further. Even the closest ones were far out of reach, but even as the shapes resolved themselves to her, she heard Lloyd suck in a quick breath.

"They're… bodies?!" Lloyd blurted, his voice revealing a horrified note that propelled him back a step from the edge but still allowed him no escape from the sight.

Lloyd's words only helped to solidify what Liane had started to realize before he had spoken. The shapes were generalized… head and shoulders, torso and legs… with the raised hint of arms grasped in eternal prayer over the chest. "No… there's so many…" she whispered, shivering at the sight, icy fingers dancing up her spine. "Are they… really…" she stammered as her stomach lurched, leaving her barely able to contain the urge to sprint back to the exit.

"Then those must be… coffins," Raine's voice was almost unnervingly calm as she stood back and hugged her wand to her chest with a heavy sigh, her eyes sliding over the reactions of her companions.

Lloyd spun to stare at the silver haired woman, his hand shaking in a sweeping gesture back to the morbid parade of objects. "Why are all those dead bodies here?!" his voice strained at the edges of screaming and already echoing back them from the surfaces that surrounded them.

_The Tower of Salvation… is a giant graveyard?_ Liane heard her friends, their words eating into her consciousness, but she couldn't force herself to look away from the macabre dance of tombs. It seemed to be a crowning irony that in this place of ultimate promise for the world, the first thing that they came across was an endless display of death. _So many people… and they're all dead…._

"Liane?"

The dark haired young woman jumped at the combination of the sound of her name being called and a gentle hand on her shoulder. But it was the concern she saw in Sheena's eyes that made her finally draw another breath and finally look up and away from the display. "Sorry… just fighting the urge to run away screaming," she muttered as the ninja's sympathetic hand fell away. "It… it's just so wrong."

"Twisted is more what I was thinking," Sheena replied, venturing another glance downward. "Who are they? Why would anyone do this… deny them a burial… or pyre…" she shook her head, sighing deeply.

Raine exhaled in quiet exasperation, the gesture enough to gather the others' attention back to her once again. "They may be… all the Chosen that failed the world regeneration up until now," she murmured thoughtfully, almost as if afraid to voice the theory.

"They could all be former Chosens?" Liane gasped, not liking anything about the Professor's claim. The Chosen were hailed as the embodiment of hope for the world… _but this is their fate if they fail?!_ "I… I guess that would account for the lack of information about the end of the Chosen's journeys…" she finally spoke, hanging her head and clenching her eyes against the possibility. _All of them might have been like Colette… smiling, cheerful… carrying so many hopes and dreams… sacrificing so much… only to end up like this?_

"So if Colette fails, she'll wind up here with them…" Lloyd shook his head, his words grinding out as his fists clenched tighter on the handles of his Osafune. "Dammit!"

Genis stepped up to his friend and reached out to grasp the crimson fabric of his sleeve, waiting until the older boy looked down to him before speaking. "I'm worried about Colette. Let's hurry!" the young mage suggested and tugged Lloyd further down the walkway.

Lloyd spared one last glance for the coffins and set his jaw. "Yeah…" he grumbled with a grim nod before he pointedly turned his head away and followed along with Genis.

The party fell into a somewhat staggered single file procession as they continued down the walk, each of them staring straight ahead as if none of them wanted to chance another look downward. Raine once again brought up the back of the group, her wand grasped tightly in her hands, watching over the rest of them. Liane found her mentor's protectiveness both inspiring and enviable – something she wasn't certain she could have done for the group at that moment even if she were asked. She was ashamed for the weakness – but what had started as a journey affirming Sylvarant's will to live had suddenly lapsed into just another reminder of how death could always be nearby – a predator just waiting to pounce. _Kratos… where are you?_ The thought almost startled her, but after another moment passed, it made sense. The mercenary had guided them and pushed them… he would have scorned them all for letting the floating coffins shake them so badly – she was certain that he would have. _Focus… you said we'd need it… and you're right… _she admitted silently as she drew a deep breath. While her nerves were a bit too shaken for the gesture to cure completely, it helped. _Goddess, I hope I don't really have to tell him that…._

"Hey… a warp pad…" Genis spoke from where he and Lloyd had reached the abrupt end of the walkway. "I… guess this is where we're going?" he shrugged, looking up to his sister as what was left of the Chosen's party gathered around the device.

Raine nodded, glancing around them before looking down to the quietly humming pad. "It seems to be out only option," she sighed. "Colette and Kratos had to have gone this way already… so be ready… we might be walking right into the middle of a fight," she told them as she squared her shoulders and gestured to her pad. "Whenever you're all ready…?"

_Ready? Can we ever be ready for this?_ Liane frowned as she watched Lloyd and Genis hop onto the warp pad and disappear without another word, both of them with their weapons already drawn. _Don't think…_ Kratos' voice once again seemed to taunt her as she glanced over to Sheena. _Don't think… act… it's all that's left now…._

The ninja seemed to be awaiting her- and it all made sense: if they were facing a fight, Raine needed to be protected above all others that were left. When Kratos had taken Colette, he had given them no choice but to concentrate on their healer – the one person that could keep their hopes and dreams – not to mention each of them – alive. When had such thoughts become second nature for her? The need to prioritize their very lives dominating even the order that they traveled in? _I'm tired of this… I'm no warrior…._ Had the tension been any less, Liane would have laughed – the sword in her hand and the daggers in her boots suggested that she could battle. Perhaps not as well as others, but she wasn't helpless – and she refused to be weak.

That was it… Liane's decision was made and set. There would be no turning back. She had asked Genis and Kratos to give her the tools – now it was time to prove to them that they didn't waste their time on her. Looking up, her gaze hardened when it met Sheena's and she nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

From that moment, Liane couldn't truthfully say that she had any control over her body. It felt like she could only watch – a passenger in her own body – as she stepped up onto the warp pad beside Sheena and waited for the seemingly drawn out heartbeat until the device flared to life and the Tower and Raine faded from her vision. In her next blink, she found herself once again facing Lloyd and Genis. The room was different, but clearly still within the confines of the Tower. They stood on yet another suspended platform, but the green light was more diffused, brightening the area and the inlaid marble more now that its source seemed to be _everywhere_ – not just somewhere below.

And it was quiet – very quiet as compared to the din of battle they had been braced for. In fact, it was just the four of them on the platform and only a nearby set of stairs to a still higher platform in sight. "They're not here?" Liane asked, stepping down from the warp pad and meeting Lloyd's familiar brown eyes, seeing the same confusion she felt reflected there.

"Nope," Lloyd frowned and shook his head, the tips of his blades resting near the ground. "Just another room. Guess we have to keep going," the swordsman shrugged as he took a step to allow Sheena to move from the warp pad as well.

A huff escaped from Genis as he wandered a few steps closer to the stairs. "Not knowing what's going on is worse than fighting," he grumbled, his shoulders clearly tensed. "If we stay this worked up, we're all going to be too tired to do anything when we do have to fight."

"Then we need to concentrate on one thing at a time," Raine's voice offered before her body had even fully materialized. A moment later, the elven woman stepped down from the warp pad, her eyes quickly darting around and sizing up their surroundings. "We should keep moving… unless anyone wants to go back?"

"No way…" Sheena shook her head stubbornly, speaking up before the others could. "Someone wants us here or they would have closed the door… or powered down the warp pad. We just have to be ready-"

The light in the room suddenly changed, halting Sheena's declaration as their attention collectively snapped up, a golden shaft of light bleaching the green glow and setting them all on a sprint for the stairs without further discussion.

_That light…_ Liane thought as she ran beside Genis, taking the steps two at a time behind Lloyd and Sheena. _It's Remiel… it has to be…!_

When they reached the top of the stairs, they came to a stop, a stunned silence settling over them all as they stared at the two-tiered platform clad in earthen tones with something resembling a large root draped in moss meandering above the upper level. Carved columns similar to the ones in the entry chamber lined the upper level of the dark stone altar, some housing balls of pale light that further drowned out the green. But what further froze them was the sight of their friend – Colette, the Chosen One – knelt in solemn prayer before the raised altar.

"What?" Lloyd breathed out, his attention torn between Colette and the all-too-familiar form of Remiel materializing above her, his wings beating a patient rhythm as he smiled down on the blonde girl.

Liane also found herself staring, even if she couldn't keep from glaring at the angel. It made her skin crawl to think that the arrogant being would be taking Colette with him… but what choice did they have? Colette would be an angel… her new place as the savior of the world would be with Remiel and his kind – wouldn't it? _Even if that is the case… I still can't like him…._ There was just something nameless that would not release her when she beheld the angel – a being that lore proclaimed as a harbinger of paradise – filled her with dread she couldn't understand. But another thought gradually built - one that was strong enough to finally help her look away from Remiel – searching the platform for a place that the Chosen's hired protector might be watching. _Where's Kratos? What happened? Is he hiding… or…_ she chewed harshly on her lip to stop the thought. _No… no, there's no sign of a fight…._

"Now, my daughter," the angel's voice filled the room much as his light did. "Release the final seal! In doing so, you will complete the final sacrifice of your human existence – your heart and your memory," he continued, ignoring their audience, his eyes fixed on the Chosen. "By doing so of your own free will, you will become a true angel!"

As Remiel's voice rang joyously around them, the party fell into a stunned silence that mimicked Colette's own. _No… that can't be… to become an angel… she has to give up every bit of her humanity…? But… _Liane'smind scrambled to make sense of the words, but comprehension refused her. _What?_

"What?!" Sheena blurted out, moving a step closer to where Colette still knelt, showing no reaction whatsoever to Remiel's declaration.

Lloyd's shoulders fell as he shook his head as if to deny what he had heard. "Sacrifice her heart and memory?!" her repeated, his voice shaking as he started to edge towards Colette as well.

"Colette's going to forget about us?!" Genis continued to voice the group's disbelief as he stared around to his friends, his wide blue eyes filled with pleading.

Liane's throat went try. Colette had lost the ability to sleep, to eat, to feel, to speak… it was all she had left – her heart, her memory, and her body. _An angel… has to be heartless?_ It didn't fit… there was nothing that felt right about it. "But… Colette said she'd be around… even if she couldn't come home with us…" she murmured as her eyes began to sting. _No wonder she wanted me to look out for Lloyd and Genis… she… won't remember us enough to even try._

"Colette's human life will now end, and she will be reborn as an angel."

The Professor's words struck like a blow from a sword. For that shocking moment, what was left of the group turned to stare at Raine, and Lloyd approached her, a backhand swing of his hand sweeping towards Remiel. "Professor Sage, what is he talking about?" the swordsman asked, the hurt plain in his voice.

"Lloyd, I'm sorry." Raine hung her head, twisting her want in her hands and unable to meet her student's gaze. "I promised Colette I wouldn't say anything," she murmured, the confidence and authority she normally wielded with such ease melting away more with every word. "Colette will give up her life in order to regenerate the world." When she finally looked up, there were tears in the elven woman's eyes. "Becoming an angel means dying."

"You knew… all along, you knew," Liane whispered, shaking her head. Everything was crumbling around them… and now it seemed that it had been that way from the very beginning. While her mentor had probably not _lied_ to them, they had all still proceeded to help Colette to her end – they may as well have all placed their hands on a sword and driven it through Colette's heart.

Remiel looked up, his smug smile indicating some level of pleasure he was getting from the drama concerning Colette's fate. "That's not quite correct," he shook his head, hovering for a moment longer before he touched down to the upper level of the platform. "The Chosen's _heart_ will die, and her body will be offered to the Goddess Martel. By offering her body, Colette will revive the Goddess. This is the true nature of the world regeneration!" Remiel continued, not hiding the condescending note in his voice in the least. "The revival of the Goddess Martel… is the revival of the world itself!"

"That… that's…" Lloyd sputtered, shaking his head in an objection that seemed to be refusing to form into words for him.

Liane found herself utterly unable to help him in any way – she couldn't even reach out to him. _No…we… we're all going to be forced to… to stand here… and watch Colette die??_ Her knees shook, threatening to buckle as she clenched her eyes shut. _How… how can the Goddess be so cruel…?"_

"Lord Remiel," Raine spoke out, moving to stand at the front of the party to face the angel, her voice reclaiming some bit of calm as she respectfully addressed him, "… we have heard that a world known as Tethe'alla lies parallel to Sylvarant."

The amusement faded from the angel's expression and his eyes narrowed on the Professor with weary disdain. "That is not for you to know."

Raine took a step forward, not backing down even in the face of Remiel's haughty dismissal. "You kept it a secret because it is true, correct?"

The angel was silent, eyeing Raine and the party as he folded his arms in contempt. "From whom did you learn of it?"

_It's true… it's all true… _Liane blinked, watching Sheena out of the corner of her eye. She had no reason to doubt the ninja – she had been honest with them at times that she didn't have to be – and she had always kept her word. "If it's the truth what does it matter who we learned it from?" she demanded, making an effort to not sound _too_ confrontational – but she had quite honestly had her fill of the angel. She wanted to leave… to take all of her friends home… then curl into a ball and pretend that it had all been a nightmare. Liane felt the angel's glare settle on her, but she really didn't care at that point. "It doesn't change the fact that two worlds are affected by this… I bet you never mentioned that to Colette before sending her off on her journey, did you?"

Sheena moved forward, stepping around Liane to face Remiel herself. "Can't Cruxis make both worlds peaceful?" she asked without answering the angel's accusatory question.

Remiel's glare flitted over them all once again before he gestured down to Colette, his wings twitching in what could easily be taken for irritation. "If that is what the Chosen desires, she can lend her power to Cruxis by becoming an angel," he responded, his voice still cold. "Once the Goddess Martel is revived by the Chosen, the two worlds will surely achieve peace, just as the Chosen wishes."

Colette's head suddenly snapped up to the angel, a gasp echoing from the stone around her.

"Is it true, you ask?" Remiel commented with a chuckle. "You _know_ why you have come here."

In the next moment, Colette hung her head, her shoulders falling to accompany a soft sigh.

"And you still taunt her…" Liane glared at the angel. It seemed that Remiel – of all the beings in the world – could still hear Colette. She still couldn't believe that this was how Colette wanted to save her world. Martel would walk the world again – in Colette's form… but Colette would be only a memory to those that knew her… and forgotten and nameless to the rest of Sylvarant.

Sheena growled and approached Colette, earning a sharp glare from Remiel before she stopped, gesturing helplessly, her hands closed into fists as she kept her gaze fixed on the Chosen. "You can't…" she shook her head, her voice crackling just enough to be noticeable, "… are you really planning to die?"

Colette slowly stood and turned her back on Remiel, her eyes wide as she stared at the summoner before a strangled growl slipped away from Lloyd, making them all jump. "Colette, stop!" he called out, demanding the blonde girl's attention. "If you sacrifice yourself, your friends who love you… and your family… and… and me…." The swordsman was clearly struggling with his words as he sniffed, shaking his head in denial. "We'll all be sad. It will be the same as sacrificing all of us!"

"You should be here to enjoy the world that you saved with us, Colette," Liane added quietly. Seeing Colette's eyes flicker to her, she shrugged, a tear slipping down her cheek. "There has to be another way. The world can wait a little longer… we can go and come up with another plan… once that will let you stay –"

But before Liane could finish the thought that was forming even as she was speaking, Lloyd lurched forward once again, making it only a single stride before Genis hurried up behind him and threw his arms around Lloyd's waist, leaning into the hold to stop the swordsman. "Genis, let me go!"

The young mage clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. "I don't' want anything to happen to her either!" Genis retorted, struggling against the older boy for another moment before he looked up to him. "But what are we supposed to do?! The people of Sylvarant are suffering, too!"

"But…" Lloyd started to object, but his tense form relaxed as he drew another breath and stopped fighting against Genis' grip.

"Genis is right…" Liane admitted reluctantly, her voice barely over a whisper. "The world is suffering, I still think there has to be another way… but… Sylvarant is in bad shape. Maybe… bringing Martel back… maybe it is the only way. But…" she looked up to Remiel. "Can't we have more time to find a way that no one has to die?"

Remiel snorted, his nose thrusting up into the air. "The sacrifice of one single person, the Chosen, will save the world," he spoke as if explaining to a group of children, looking at all of them and none of them in particular. "Are you saying that you would choose the Chosen's soul over the entire world?" He tilted his head and then gestured towards Colette. The blonde girl spared once long look for her friends before she finally turned and walked closer to Remiel, the ground at her feet suddenly erupting into a slowly spinning pattern of light when she stopped before Remiel. "Come join your father," the angel murmured, a thin smile curling his lips.

"Wait!" Lloyd called out once again, charging forward before Genis could grab him again. "Is there really no other way? Colette's your daughter. Surely you don't want her to die, either!"

Looking up with a blink, Remiel's shoulders began to shake with a dry chuckle, the smile he had held for Colette swiftly turning into a sneer. "My daughter? Don't make me laugh," he snorted again, shaking his head in amusement as Lloyd stopped short in shock. "When I came down to play the role of guardian angel, you _inferior beings_ just started calling me her father on your own."

'_Inferior beings…_' Liane stared in horror at the angel. Granted, she had never liked Remiel or found anything about him even vaguely parental… but his words… they echoed in her head in so many different voices… the Desian soldiers… Magnius… Kvar. _But… Remiel's an angel…?_

"Wh… what?" Lloyd stammered, his arms hanging limply as if he'd been struck physically by the angel.

Remiel's answer came in the form of a hearty laugh. "I merely placed the Cruxis Crystal upon this sacrifice, who was selected to become Martel's vessel," he continued to chuckle as if thoroughly enjoying the revelation.

Lloyd set his jaw and reached out, his hand closing over Colette's wrist to pull her back from the angel. "Colette!!"

A strange peace filled the room – one that simply felt wrong as Colette stared back and Lloyd and Remiel looked on, his arms still contently crossed and his smile intact as he kept his eyes on the Chosen.

"Colette! If you realized what was going on, then why?"

Liane's eyes widened at Lloyd's words, watching as Colette grasped his hands and a gentle smile slipped over her lips. She looked over her companions, but they all seemed just as confused as she was. It sounded as if Lloyd was replying to Colette – as if she had somehow silently reassured him without the aid of the finger-writing she had used since the Tower of Mana. _Lloyd… he can hear her, too?_ The thought was bizarre, but it made more sense than Remiel being the only one to hear her. _Someone that cares for her… should be able to hear her last words… _she thought sullenly as she hung her head, clasping her hands together as the solemn gloom sunk into her. _She's really going to die… she's not going to fight this._

"Colette… I'm so sorry!" Lloyd shook his head, tears choking his voice. "I couldn't save you… I'm so sorry! I promised I wouldn't make another mistake, but it looks like I have again…" he muttered, hanging his head mournfully, but not releasing her hands.

_No! He… he's going to blame himself!_ Liane looked up and took a step towards her friends only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She couldn't stop the anger that flashed through her when she realized that it was Raine that stopped her. Her instinct was to slap the hand away, for a moment remembering only that Raine had known what would happen to Colette the entire time – and hadn't said a word to any of them. But it was in the next moment that she recognized the deep sorrow in the normally placid blue eyes… and her anger melted away. Colette had known as well… and had asked the Professor to keep the secret so as to put off hurting her friends. _How very Colette…_ she thought sullenly and shrugged out of Raine's grasp, although she did not try to advance again. She didn't even try to swipe the tears from her cheeks. _Raine was only honoring one of Colette's final wishes._ Liane choked again at the thought, realizing that every breath brought them closer to what now seemed to be inevitable mourning. While the world might celebrate… _but it will be so hollow – _

"Colette!"

Lloyd's anguished cry snapped her head up, and Liane reached without thinking to her sword – only to have her jaw drop at what she saw. Colette was slowly being pulled from Lloyd's grasping hands until he finally had to let go. The girl lifted up into the air, her eyes closed and a peaceful expression on her face as sparkling energy wreathed her form. Slowly, she threw her arms and head back, a gesture of absolute surrender as her wings blazed into existence in a glorious flash.

Liane had to look away – the light so bright that it burned the image of her friend accepting her sacrifice into her mind and heart. Hers was not the only sob that rang in her ears, but when she finally opened her eyes, what had been one of the most heart-breaking things she had ever seen quickly became one of the most horrific as well. Colette remained hovering where Liane had last seen her – but it was clear from the blank expression and the deep red that had replaced the blue of her eyes that her friend was gone. There was no reaction… no recognition… there was simply a void where Colette Brunel had once been.

It was laughter – malevolent, unadulterated, mocking laughter – that shattered the stunned silence as Remiel looked up to the Chosen's vacant form. "I've done it!" he announced, shaking his fists skyward in glee. "It's finally complete! With this, I shall become one of the Four Seraphim!"

"What?" Liane blinked, tears still fogging her vision as she could finally look away from Colette. "Four Seraphim… what? What about Colette… and Martel? What are you talking about??" her frustration was pushing her closer to panic – nothing was making sense to the point that she was starting to doubt her sanity.

Remiel continued to laugh, showing no sign that he heard – or even recognized that there was anyone else in the chamber.

"Wait just a minute! What are you gonna do with Colette?!" Sheena demanded with her voice rising in anger.

Even as Remiel wouldn't answer, it was Raine that glanced over her shoulder to the ninja, the usual animosity that she held for Sheena gone – perhaps a casualty of Colette's departure. "He's going to take her to heaven."

Liane shook her head, her ponytail swinging at the action. _It's all wrong… all of it…_ "How can he take her to heaven – or anywhere else – when she's already gone?" She knew that the Professor was most likely merely repeating what she had been told – _but… can't she see what's happening?_

But even as Remiel's laughter continued, a breaking point was reached – one that was announced by the sound of a crossed pair of swords – and a snarl from the teen that wielded them. "You _bastard_!" Lloyd growled out, his grief boiling over into anger. "You'll pay for this! Cruxis, the angels, the Goddess Martel… it's all a bit lie, isn't it?" He advanced on the angel, his blades deathly still and his eyes absolutely fixed on the angel. "Let her go, _now!_"

Remiel's laughter faded away with a sneer as he looked down on Lloyd. "That, I cannot do," he shook his head, his voice holding no sign of the mad glee that had just moments before driven his laughter. "For she is Martel's vessel. This is Martel's new body which took years to complete." He finally huffed and rolled his eyes. "I have no use for any of you! _Be gone_!"

In the next moment, a pair of arrows comprised entirely of light streaked into the group that stood before the angel, and a flick of Remiel's wrist sent Lloyd flying backwards, knocking both Genis and the swordsman to the ground. Yet another maniacal laugh rumbled from the angel as he slowly advanced on the group, his wings suspending him just barely over the floor.

_He… doesn't even have a weapon…_ Liane frowned as she charged forward placing herself between Remiel and the boys as she dipped her sword tip to the ground and sliced up at the angel, loosing the energy arc on the angel in an attempt to buy Lloyd and Genis time to get up. "Demon Fang…" she growled out, inwardly kicking herself. _After all this time… our enemy was right under out nose… guiding us along…._

As Lloyd and Genis scrambled to their feet, a careful shuffle began to take place around them, with Raine inching back away from the fighting and Sheena running forward past Liane to challenge Remiel herself. "Power Seal!" the ninja barked out, slapping her card into the angel as a swirl of blue mist wrapped around him, momentarily making his shoulders slump and drawing a groan from him as Sheena dodged back out of his reach.

"Help is on the way!" Raine called out to her comrades as she thrust her wand up into the air, the mana of her rune circle fracturing and spiraling out into the chamber, seeking her friends and shunning their enemy. "Nurse!"

Liane sucked in a quick breath as Raine's spell washed over her, recharging her still relatively rested body. It was wise on the part of the Professor, though – preventative at this point more than anything else – to heal all of them. None of them had ever fought an angel before…_ beside one… but not against one…_ her thoughts whispered as her eyes slipped to Colette. What was left of their friend was hovering just outside or what had quickly become a war zone. Her wings beat patiently – and just enough to keep her body aloft, but that was the extent of her reaction. Colette showed no sign of will to fight – for either side. _What did you do, Kratos? Drop her at the door and leave?_ She thought sullenly, but having no grounds to dismiss the disappointing thoughts. There had been no sign that he had even entered the Tower with Colette – for all they knew, he could have been outside and hiking back to the safety of the outside world, his job to deliver the Chosen to the Tower of Salvation complete. _I gave him too much credit – he had no plans to die or endanger himself in any way. _She huffed and looked away from Colette as a blur of red rushed past her, her bitterness needing only a moment longer to seethe. _To the hells with him._

"Hurricane Thrust!" Lloyd demanded, his blades surging out ahead of him with a faint green shockwave that blew Remiel back, leaving the angel's wings scrambling to right his form and stop him from tumbling out of control.

But once the blonde angel grasped that control, he began to laugh once again. "None of you stood a chance from the beginning!" he gloated as a rain of golden sparkles began to dance around him and he swiped his hand out towards them all. "Holy Lance!"

A pulse of white light radiated from the angel, seemingly igniting the ground around him and beneath the feet of the party into an array of blues and purples before four glowing orbs materialized and quickly began exploding. Out of the corner of her eye, Liane saw that Genis was in the middle of casting, his expression scrunched in concentration as green runes flared brighter around him. _We need that spell… _she thought as she started to move, the air around her exploding as she spun and drew her sword up before herself in an attempt to shield both herself and Genis. "Guardian!" she bit out, her spell deflecting an orb's explosion, but not disguising the blinding flash that was building at the heart of what the attack had already brought them. _It's… not over…?!_

The next instant answered her as a stab of light seemed to solidify and drop directly onto Sheena before the ninja could scramble out of the way. Her scream rang through the chamber long after she hit the ground, mingling with Remiel's satisfied chuckle.

"Hey, Remiel!" Genis called out, reaching out with his free hand to push Liane out of his way. "Come get some!" the young mage grumbled before throwing the dancing ball of his Duel Star out towards the angel. "Air Thrust!" The mana of the boy's spell responded immediately, flying out and surrounding Remiel with a flurry of sparkling blades, tossing him up into the air and away from Sheena. Genis chuckled dryly for only a moment as he glanced up to Liane and gestured to the angel. "Your turn?"

Liane looked from Genis over to see that Sheena was staggering to her feet and already turning her card in her fingers as she took advantage of the precious moments Genis had bought her with his spell. Breathing out, Liane took a few small steps backwards. _Genis is right… if I'm going to do this… it should be now…_ she coached herself, picturing bright purple runes in her mind and hoping that what was materializing in reality mirrored them. _Not much time…._

"Life Seal!" Sheena charged up to the angel once again. This time, fingers of dark energy snapped around Remiel and then rebounded back to the ninja, disappearing into her body almost as fast as they had grabbed onto the angel. It left the winged man reeling for only a moment and Sheena's posture a little more upright before she turned and dashed away.

The ninja's departure timed about as perfectly as Liane could have asked. Liane could sense that she had gathered enough mana for her spell – and as her eyes opened, she knew that it was time. Without any more hesitation, she flipped the point of her blade out to Remiel, only barely taking note of the energy that crackled around her. "Lightning."

Remiel snarled as the bolt of lightning stabbed down at him, lasting for barely a blink, serving to startle him and send him just a little further back from the party… and his glare to snap firmly on Liane. "Go away, little gnat…" he ground out, almost casually flicking his wrist at her. "Punishment. Photon!"

She had no time and no where to run as golden bands of energy snapped around her, leaving her barely an instant to contemplate what the angel had wished on her. Then the energy bands constricted on her, burning and crushing the breath from her before they exploded in a wash of pain that dropped her to the floor. The pain momentarily took all of her senses from her – leaving them to gradually return one at a time – blinding pain first, stabbing at her as she tried to not fully collapse to the ground. Then… she thought that she heard someone call her name… and a hand on her shoulder. _Kratos…?_

"Liane… come on… we have to beat this guy…" Lloyd urged his friend, glancing over to Genis only once he got a nod from the dark haired young woman.

_Not… Kratos…_ Liane silently chided herself. _Kratos is gone… _she looked up, seeing a flurry of angry red sparks dancing around Genis and Lloyd dashing towards Remiel again. Kratos had gone… but her friends hadn't abandoned her… it was finally how it always should have been… _except for… Colette…._

"Stay still," Raine murmured, approaching behind Liane before she waved her wand out over the girl, her blue eyes still cautiously fixed on the battle as healing runes formed around her assistant. "First Aid!"

Liane exhaled as the pain rushed away from her – not disappearing completely, but leaving her at least not fighting for every breath and movement. "Thanks," she murmured as the Professor offered her a hand to climb to her feet. After only a heartbeat of dizziness, Liane tightened her grip on her sword and looked up to see Sheena dodge another flurry of light arrows from Remiel with a graceful series of flips. She spared barely a thought in wonder of when it had happened that she had learned to cling to her weapon, even in the face of an attack, but the musing was cut short by Lloyd's voice.

"Here we go!" the swordsman called over his shoulder as he ran at the angel again.

"Go!!" Genis responded to Lloyd's call, the ground at his feet beginning to waver with red-tinted mana. The silver haired boy stood amongst the swirling runes he had called up on, keeping the mana restrained only until Lloyd drew closer to Remiel before he threw his arms wide. "Fiery-"

"_Beast!" _Lloyd practically screamed to complete the incantation, ducking his head and slamming his shoulder into the angel's middle, using the room that the attack bought him to slam his blades to the ground as Genis' spell caught up to him, setting the mana-beast's head aflame as it engulfed Remiel.

Even as it occurred to her now sadistic it was, Liane chuckled at the pained scream that tore away from Remiel. But she only spared it only enough thought to try to remember to decide if she should feel bad for him later, drawing her sword back and running at the angel, sidestepping Lloyd to get a clear path to swing her sword. "Double Demon Fang!" she grumbled, feeling satisfaction as she watched both waves of her attack pummel the already dazed angel.

With another enraged howl, Remiel's wings slowly lifted him from the ground where her had almost fallen. "Get out of my sight!" he demanded, growling as mana began to once again churn around him, his arms moving to whip the sparkling torrent up over his head. "Judgement Ray!!"

But before the angel could direct his attack on the party, golden run bands not unlike those that had assaulted Liane moments before snapped tight around him, the mana he had gathered for his attack dissipating with but a single word from Raine: "Photon!"

Remiel struggled against his bonds for a moment, shattering them finally with a flex of his arms, the spell serving to apparently anger him more than damage him. But it also had the advantage of not only disrupting his spell, but also giving the party the opening to get in closer.

Sheena was first in line to exploit the momentary advantage, sweeping in and sliding to only a brief pause directly in front of the angel. "Pyre Seal!" the ninja invoked her attack, slamming Remiel with punishment that was far more from the damage end of the spectrum before she sprung out of the way.

"Sword Rain Alpha!"

Liane looked up, quickly realizing what had inspired Sheena to move so quickly. Lloyd had swept in, using the moments after Sheena's attack to get in close to the angel and delivering the technique she had seen him working on with Kratos. He skewered Remiel with a blurred rush of blade strokes before the matched swords joined their motions and swept up, striking the angel once more in what seemed to almost be more insult than injury. It was the momentum of that final strike that pulled the swordsman away from the angel just as the ground beneath his feet began to quake.

Genis' spell was already taking hold in the chamber as he stood at the center of his spell, brown tinted runes glimmering as they refined themselves, and a slight grin on the boy's lips. "It's pancake time…" he drawled tauntingly even as the ground beneath Remiel began to sparkle as well. "Stalagmite!"

Had the situation been any different – less intense, perhaps – Liane knew that she probably would have rolled her eyes at Genis' fondness for his invocation of the spell. But the end result was more than worth any fun that the boy would get from the spell – but the end result was more than worth any fun the boy would get from the spell. _Remiel played with us… _she reasoned as the first few shimmering spires of rock reared up beneath the angel. _Payback can really be a –_

But then, even as a strangled groan of pain started to gurgle from Remiel, he suddenly disappeared, avoiding the brunt of Genis' attack and materializing behind the party. "Stay away!" the angel commanded, his voice calling their momentarily confused attention back to him before his hand swept out once again, another pair of light arrows sweeping out at them once again.

"Dammit, we could use Kratos…" Sheena growled out, tugging Liane out of the way of the more erratic arrow. "Cover me?" the ninja spoke, stepping in behind Liane, the inflection of her words somewhere between a request and command.

Liane could only nod in agreement – to everything the ninja had said. Sheena's pacts could make certain that they kept the advantage in the fight, so keeping her from harm had to be a priority. Yet even as she drew her sword up before her defensively, she knew that Sheena was right – in losing both Colette and Kratos, the group's ability to simultaneously attack and defend had been severely crippled. Their saving grace at that moment seemed to be that Remiel was still struggling with the wounds Lloyd had dealt him. Genis had even fallen back into a support role, his hands braced out before him as he projected his Force Field out to protect both himself and Raine, who was also absorbed in casting. But she could still see that the young mage couldn't be expected to uphold that capacity for long without draining his reserves.

"Liane… come on!" Lloyd called out with a wave of his blades towards Remiel.

For just a moment, Liane was torn – at that time she really was one of any two fighters that _could _actually attack Remiel – _but if Sheena got hurt…._ It was clear that Remiel was rallying his strength – they had to stop him if they wanted even a chance to restore Colette.

"Go," Sheena's voice was clipped, but it was still somehow a response to Liane's silent indecision.

Liane looked down first, finding herself row standing on a ring of glowing runes. She quickly glanced over her shoulder to the ninja and received a nod of confirmation for her trouble.

"Just be sure to get out of the way… fast…" Sheena murmured as Liane started running at Remiel, her steps finding a sympathetic rhythm with Lloyd as they rushed the angel.

"You ready?" Lloyd asked, veering away from Liane but still advancing on Remiel. He didn't even look to his friend as mana waves began to wrap back over his swords.

Liane's response was only what she had been taught in her drills with Kratos and Lloyd – there was no time or reason to elaborate now as she saw her own mana rippling over her sword: "Cross –"

"Thrust!" Lloyd finished for them as they both came at Remiel from different angels, leaving Remiel with no escape as they passed by him – dual attacks from a combination of three blades battering him and forcing his arms to flail in a useless attempt to ward off the attack.

"I summon thee!" Sheena's voice rang out, reminding Liane of Sheena's request to get out of the way and sending the dark haired girl running even faster so as not to be an obstacle to the summoner. "Let's go Corrine!!"

Even as a cloud of smoke obediently bloomed over Remiel's head, Liane and Lloyd both paused to look back when they reached opposite sides of the stairs that flanked the outer reaches of the platform's upper level. Liane took the appearance of the fox spirit as a moment to draw a breath and momentarily assess the situation. Even though the force of Corrine tromping down on the angel's head had grounded the angel with an angered cry of protest, Remiel was still moving. _Goddess… he was to give up soon… please…_ she silently begged even as she saw Raine thrust her wand up into the air. But it was in the next heartbeat that her expression hardened. _The Goddess won't help us… stop begging,_ she chided herself. _If Martel is going to take Colette's body… she's as much our enemy as Remiel._ While fighting against angels and goddesses was the last way she thought she'd see the journey ending, battle had somehow made things almost stupidly black and white.

"Nurse!" the Professor invoked her healing spell once again, sending delicate waves of mana dancing out across the floor, practically a backup squad of support for the already weary fighters as they braced themselves for yet another wave of Remiel's abuse.

Remiel sneered as Raine's spell dissipated, drawing back his arms and letting his head fall back in laughter. "Useless!" he crowed before he crossed his arms over his chest in a show of nonchalance that conspicuously didn't quite hide the telltale dark smudges on his robes from his wounds. "Judgment Ray!!"

Lloyd, Liane, and Sheena planted themselves where they were staggered around Remiel while Raine took her place as her brother's protector. Each of their protective shields blinked into existence even as the air around them began to brighten and crackle in response to Remiel's call, bolts of light streaking down from some unseen source high above in the Tower. Even though Liane cried out when the brunt of one of the beams fell directly onto her shield and pressed her down to one knee – even though she struggled just to keep her concentration to outlast the attack – she still managed a slight smirk. _Useless, huh?_ The bravado was too much to ignore… too telling to ignore. There was strain showing in the angel's posture – in his voice – and in the ferocity of his attack. _This is all he's got…_she thought as the attack began to wane, giving in to a flicker of hope. _We just have to outlast him… that's all…._

"Get him!" Genis called, having used his sister's defense as an opportunity to build his attack, blue runes whipping at the air around him, tossing his sliver hair as he thrust his kendama out toward Remiel. "Ice Tornado!!"

An undeniable chill rushed through the room as the mage's ice storm enveloped Remiel's form, lifting him up into the swirling vortex of frigid air and ripping at the angel with jagged shards of ice. Liane stared for only a moment, amazed that her friend had added yet another spell to his arsenal – before she took a small step back and drew her sword up. Her reserves of energy were shrinking, but for the chance that she could help with the final assault on Remiel, it was worth it. _I can manage this… I know I can._

"Tiger Blade!" Lloyd's voice carried through the chamber as the swordsman leapt into the remains of Genis' spell, the upward swing of his attack clipping Remiel, but the downward swing truly connecting and sending Remiel flailing to the ground with a snarled yet wordless protest.

Liane opened her eyes at the sound, feeling what had once been her only spell stabilize around her. She was growing annoyed by the voice that was gnawing at her for casting without someone watching out for her – but Remiel was wobbling badly. "Wind Blade!" she swept her sword out towards the angel, breathing out just a little as the mana fled her and reformed into the trio of green blades, somehow finding the sensation of weakening just a little more satisfying than she probably should have when the spell reached Remiel.

The angel staggered forward, looking up with no trace of his former confidence as Sheena closed in on him, her card in motion before she slid to a stop before him. "Pyre Seal!" the ninja spoke as the force of her attack seemed to actually draw Remiel back to his feet for an instant before dropping him to his hands and knees before her. His wings – once pristine and practically shining by any available light now draped limply over his shoulders like a dingy cloak. The angel looked up to his attackers with a shuddering inhale when he realized that Sheena no longer stood before him. His eyes widened when they fixed on the crimson-clad swordsman that stood just outside of arm's reach, but he had no chance to react before Lloyd dipped only one of his blades to the floor.

"Demon Fang."

Lloyd's voice was oddly quiet as he drew his blade up and released the single slash of mana that knocked Remiel onto his back. The sight of Lloyd's cool demeanor would have disturbed Liane far more if she didn't understand – if she hadn't seen the look in her friend's eyes – the cold that had been forged when they had watched Colette sacrifice herself under the angel's apparently self-serving guidance. Even more surprising was the full realization of the simplicity of Lloyd's final stroke – practically an insult in toppling Remiel with the most basic of the swordsman's techniques.

The chamber fell into silence as the party slowly gathered around, the only sound for a few more moments being the fallen angel's labored breathing. After a few heaving rises of the angel's chest, he started to sit up, watching his enemies with weary eyes. "How could… the ultimate power… lose…?" he choked out before his shoulders slumped weakly, accentuating his defeat even more.

No one moved – no one chose to grace his still condescending nature with an answer, but the members of the group still looked to each other. _That's it… that's all there was to it…?_ Liane thought as she met Sheena's gaze and then Raine's – seeing the same confusion she felt mirrored in them. _It feels so… empty…_.

"Impossible…" Remiel rasped again, his head hanging and shaking in his continued show of disbelief. "How can an angel, the ultimate being, lose to a group of _humans_?"

Somehow, it amazed Liane that Remiel still had the strength to show such contempt even in his words. "You underestimated us from the start," Liane murmured, finding herself oddly grateful that she had never found herself in awe of the angel… no matter what had – at one time – seemed to be his glorious presence or purpose.

But Lloyd had already lost interest in Remiel. The brown haired teen instead turned on his heel, his Osafune hanging limply in his hands as he approached Colette. "Colette," Lloyd breathed out, stepping into her blank stare and hesitating for a moment as if he expected her to reply, "… come back to us! I'm going to restore you back to your normal self!" He reached out for her hand, shaking his head as his voice dropped. "I promise."

Liane exhaled, her helplessness weighing on her as she watched the pitiful scene, her eyes starting to burn. It wasn't that she doubted Lloyd's resolve where his friends were concerned… everything just suddenly seemed so… final. _Where can we go from here, though? Who will help us save Colette? Remiel won't… even if he lives._ She frowned, knowing that there had to be something… someone somewhere… but who? _Phaidra? She's worked with the priests… or… or maybe there are more books at the Tower of Mana that can help…._ She looked up to Raine and her frown deepened. _Even Resurrection probably can't help now… not if she's just a shell…._

"Colette," Lloyd breathed out, his voice little more than a broken whisper. "Have you really forgotten me?"

"You're wasting your time."

There was only a hint of a cynical note in an all-too familiar voice, but the words were enough to leave Colette unnoticed for a moment as all eyes snapped up to the upper level of the platform. Kratos stood watching over them all, his arms crossed indifferently and his cool demeanor as obvious as it had ever been. "Not only did she lose her memory, but she has lost the soul to listen to your words," he murmured, turning his head towards Colette… making it almost seem to me a question of if he was speaking to them or musing to himself. "Now Colette is merely a puppet standing before death's door."

"Kratos!" Genis breathed out, the first to find his voice after the mercenary's reappearance. He took a single step closer to the altar, but was quickly halted by his sister's hand on his shoulder.

Lloyd eyed Kratos for a long moment of silence before his leather gloves tightened over the handles of his swords.

"Where have you been?!" the younger swordsman asked, the polite niceties he had offered the mercenary just the night before buried in an agitated growl. "What are you saying?!"

Liane stepped up behind Lloyd, his confusion and anger washing over her as well as she glared up to Kratos. "Did you enjoy the show?" she asked with as much calm as she could force into her voice. "I'd almost hoped that you'd left. I guess protecting Colette wasn't quite as high on your list of priorities as we had thought if you just sat back and let Remiel do this to her." She tilted her head to watch him, trying to remember exactly what it had been that had made her think he had enough honor to fight for – if not even die for – a cause. "I guess Frank and Phaidra didn't pay you enough to actually care." The chill in her own words surprised her, but Liane found herself unable to even consider apologizing. He had abandoned them – abandoned the Chosen. She watched as Kratos' eyes slid back to them, and Liane would have sworn that his glare lingered on her for just a moment before he squared his shoulders to address the group again.

"The Chosen desired the regeneration of the wold and chose this path herself," he spoke, his voice still infinitely calm. "By the summoning of the Chosen to Derris Kharlan, the seal will be broken and the regeneration will be complete."

_The holy ground… what?_ Liane blinked, shunned into silence by the mercenary's words. _Derris Kharlan…._

_'I will never return to Derris Kharlan….'_

Liane clenched her eyes shut, disturbed by the whisper in the back of her mind. _Return… where did that come from?_ She shook her head in slow disbelief. "Colette was supposed to be summoned to heaven… to the rest of the angels…" she murmured with a frown.

"Kratos? What are you talking about?" Lloyd demanded, glancing from Liane and back to Kratos, frustration driving s wide shake of his arms as his fists clenched.

"It is what _you_ wanted as well," Kratos continued, ignoring Lloyd's insistent question before he gestured to Colette. "We will take the Chosen as the new body for Martel."

Lloyd ran forward, doing his best to plant himself firmly in the middle of Kratos' attention, glaring up to the taller man and refusing to be further ignored. "What are you talking about?! Kratos… answer me!" Lloyd growled out, his tone only barely less than yelling.

"_We_…" Liane repeated softly, a thick fog settling on her senses that was threatening to steal her breath. _He… he doesn't mean us…_ that much made sense… even as his claim sounded so familiar. Her eyes flickered to the still quivering form of Remiel, and her chest constricted again. "That's… what Remiel wanted… to take Colette for Martel…" she murmured, somehow suddenly unable to look up to Kratos.

_'I will never return to Derris Kharlan… my place is here….'_

A heavily labored groan disrupted the tension building between Kratos and the members of the party as Remiel forced one arm beneath himself and lifted his head, holding one hand – shaking with pleading – out towards Kratos. "Lord Kratos…" the angel rasped, gagging just a little, "…have pity on me. _Please_… lend me your aid."

Remiel's choking cough was the only sound in the chamber as the group all stared at Kratos. The angel himself was inconsequential – but his words and the fearful respect they bore were enough to bring their world to a halt.

_Lord… Kratos… _Liane could still see the look he had given her when she had mockingly used the title once before in some moment of exasperation – something she might never have thought about again had he not questioned her later.

Kratos, however, seemed utterly unaffected and disinterested by both the stunned silence and Remiel's plea. It was a frigidly chilled gaze that he fixed on the angel, his arms still crossed over his chest. "Have you forgotten, Remiel?" Kratos spoke, his voice low and calm. "I was once of the inferior race… a human," he tilted his head just enough for a shift in his bangs to reveal a curious arch to his eyebrow. "Does the ultimate being seek help from that which he despises the most?" the indigo clad swordsman asked, a note of mocking sarcasm finally coloring his words.

The exchange was like something from yet another nightmare – but one that every fiber of her being told her that she wouldn't be waking from. Liane was certain that she was seeing everything through her own eyes, and that the sick feeling in her gut was entirely hers as well. It didn't take a doctor or a healer to recognize Remiel's death rattle before his body fell silent and unmoving. Kratos – no one – had lifted a finger to help him. And even as disturbing as that could have been, the only thought that truly churned in Liane's mind was if Remiel's betrayal of the Chosen was even an issue. _'I was one of the inferior race… a human.' _His words cut deeply – and not even a fraction of the implications had found realization yet. To hear such a thing from Kvar or Magnius – it frightened her. To hear it from Remiel… angered her beyond words. But Kratos… that he had even spoken them – even in conversation with Remiel – hurt. They came out too easily… _he's used them before._ She blinked and took a step back. Certainly, there had been times that he had frustrated her to the point of screaming but this….

_'I was once….'_

_But he's not anymore…._

Kratos barely spared a pitying sigh for Remiel's husk before he turned towards Colette – only to find his way blocked by Lloyd, who glared up at the elder swordsman – his expression stony and his blades drawn. Kratos tilted his head, considering Lloyd's stance for a moment. "Move out of the way," he grumbled, his voice showing no sign of warmth or patience as he advanced another step on the brown haired teen.

Liane felt her grip tighten on her sword and heard a subtle shuffle of Sheena and the Sages around her. _How… how can this be happening…?_ _It… it can't…._ They had fought together… he had taught them… Kratos had saved them all at one time or another. Even if it was just another twisted lesson… surely he couldn't be so cruel? They had lost Colette already… what was he playing at? Out of the corner of her eye, a reflection caught her eye and she couldn't help but glance to her wrist. _He… told me to protect it… to protect them._ She looked up to Lloyd again and her eyes widened. _He told Lloyd not to die…._ It was yet another blow to what she had thought was reality. _No… please no…_.

"Kratos… who are you?" Lloyd murmured, his voice quiet yet clear in the silence of the Tower.

The auburn haired swordsman froze at the question, but he didn't even blink in reaction. Slowly… almost painfully slow… his arms uncrossed and his hand casually fell to the handle of his sword. "It was a gesture they had all seen before and the sigh that slipped away from Kratos echoed with something more than exasperation yet as wordless as the breath. In the next instant, the air began to gently shimmer around his form. A moment later, what could have almost been mistaken as a trick of the chamber's light shone brighter and burst into coalescence, taking the form of a pair of blue-green wings not entirely unlike Colette's. "I am of Cruxis, the organization that guides this world," Kratos spoke slowly, his voice deep and calm as his true nature was revealed to his companions. He seemed to pay no notice to the startled stumble that sent Lloyd backwards, and he slowly turned so that it was clear he was speaking to all of them. "I am one of the Four Seraphim, sent forth to keep close watch over the Chosen."

"Kratos is an angel, too?!" Genis blurted out as he stared at Kratos, his kendama hanging limply in his hand.

Liane couldn't even form a thought coherent enough to voice as she, too, stared up at the being that stood before them – measuring them… practically daring them to move… to even speak. _Wings… he's… he's an angel…_. Somehow – impossibly – she couldn't say that she was surprised. That fact scared her more than how her every instinct was telling her to run – to grab her friends, run, and never look back. No matter that when she had sassed him and called him 'Lord'… when he had questioned her, it never really left her mind that it sounded familiar. And then there were the wings… wings that her dreams had tried to show her… wings that had carried her to safety. _But… an angel…_ one of the Four Seraphim that Remiel had seemed to hold in such high regard? "You… you're the one that was pushing us…" she finally breathed out. "You never cared about Colette… Sylvarant… all you wanted was for her to sacrifice herself…" _You never cared about any of us… that's why you never wanted to be a part of our group._

Sheena stepped out ahead of the others, her fists shaking as she glared up to Kratos. "You deceived us!" she shook her head, not shrinking back in the least when his eyes slid to her.

"Deceived?" Kratos murmured as his gaze narrowed onto the ninja. "If the Chosen merges with Martel, she will awaken, and the world will be saved." He shrugged as the silken edge to his voice faded into the silence. "Is that not what you wanted?"

"Don't turn this around on us!" Liane snapped before she could stop herself, her anger flaring. "You knew this whole time what was happening – you lied to us! You knew Colette would die – you… you just let us help you to kill her…" she shook her head, her eyes burning as all of the implications started to come into focus. Because they hadn't asked, Kratos had only revealed as much as he had absolutely had to. It was probably the easiest of tasks for Kratos – but it was the bitterest of stings for Liane. After all the time she had spent trying to justify her need to befriend him… _how could I have been so wrong?_ All of the signs were there – but she never paid them heed – opting instead to pursue some glorious vision of breaking through his shell – befriending the man that struck her as being so very alone. "There won't even be any blood on your hands, will there…?"

"Once her body is taken by the Goddess Martel," Raine began to murmur from behind the others, her voice heavy with sorrow, "Colette will truly die."

Liane glanced back over her shoulder to Raine and then looked to the red eyed girl that had been her friend for almost as long as Lloyd. _She's not dead yet…_her mind whispered in what she knew might very well be futile hope. _Then there still has to be a chance? But… if that's true…_ she winced as she finally looked back to Kratos. If what Kratos said was true – if he was of Cruxis – he was their enemy… _we'll have to fight him…._

Kratos turned to face the professor's assessment with a curt shake of his head. "No. She will be reborn as Martel."

"It doesn't matter!" Liane objected, taking a step forward and turning her sword in her hand. "She won't be Colette! She won't be the girl that walked into this Tower! She'll be dead – someone else will just be wearing her body – it's _not_ the same!"

"Dammit!" Lloyd growled out as he crossed his blades and slowly sidestepped to place himself directly between Kratos and Colette. "You think I'm going to let you do that?! Colette is our friend!"

The words had barely left the younger swordsman's lips before he lurched forward, his blades a shining blur as he threw himself at Kratos. But just as his blades should have connected with some part of their former ally, a streak of bluish-green whisked across the room faster than any of them could follow it, their eyes catching up barely in time to see Kratos materialize from the flash. A grim smile curled his lips as he raised his blade to the closest being to him – Raine. "You earnestly believe you can defeat me?" he rasped as he brought his sword sweeping down without hesitation.

Raine barely took the time to blink before her wand was already in motion, the protective bubble of mana following in its wake just in time to deflect the blow of his sword. "Force Field!" the professor bit out, glaring at Kratos through the shield as he retreated a step. "I should have known…" she murmured, her blue gaze icy on the angel.

"Back off from the professor, Kratos!" Lloyd demanded as he ran at his former friend, his blades already high in the air and slashing down at Kratos. "Beast!" The anger in his voice made it questionable as to if it was an insult of simply the invocation of his technique as the mana wave that blew out against Kratos glowed and then momentarily formed into a snarling beast's head, forcing the angel back yet another step.

Liane could only watch as Sheena ran forward to grab Raine's shoulder and drag her back and away from the clash of the swordsmen. She had seen Kratos move on the battlefield – she had seen him do things that she simply _knew _he shouldn't be able to… _but I never pressed him. I should have, but I didn't…._ She was as much to blame as any of them, allowing her naivete to convince her that everything was as it was promised. With a sigh, she reached to the pouch on her belt and pulled out an orange gel. As she popped it into her mouth, she started to feel sorry for the others… they were all probably better suited for a second battle in such a short time – but she had to try… _or Kratos will kill us all…._ The thought was bitter, but she couldn't afford to think any other way now – they were fighting for all of their lives now… not just Colette's. She drew her sword up before her and began to carefully construct her rune circle. _I can do this. I… I just don't want to have to._

"Light Spear!" Kratos called out as he leapt up, his sword leading a blazing spiral up into the air that left Lloyd scrambling away to evade the attack's range. The angel came back to the ground slowly, his wings making his descent almost deathly elegant as his eyes scanned over the party, ready for their next attack. "You'll have to do better than that."

The taunt didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular, but that made it that much easier for Liane to take it personally – to further remove him in her mind from the group… from the ranks of her allies. "Okay… try this!" she almost growled out as she swung her sword tip to him. "Wind Blade!" As she watched her mana take form and fly away from her, she was grateful that he was relatively close – even though a flash of his sword deflected two of the three blades, the third connected. She had seen him shrug off stronger attacks, but she was sure he would have evaded all of her attack had he been any further away.

The angel's glare fell on her, reading more of annoyance than anger or pain, but before he could speak, it was Genis' voice that rang through the chamber. "Drown! Spread!!"

Kratos' head snapped to the command, but only just before the deluge of shimmering water fell down over him from above, momentarily obscuring his form and buying the party a moment to draw a breath. But that was all they were allowed as the water shimmered and faded away, revealing the apparently unfazed angel to them once again. Then, in a show of inhuman speed, Kratos turned and lunged at Lloyd, who had been trying to edge to Kratos' side. "Fierce Demon Fang!"

Lloyd's swords snapped together above his head, blocking the downward blow with what had to have been sheer instinct, effectively locking their blades together just long enough for Sheena to slip in on Kratos' side and thrust her card out to him. "Power Seal!" the ninja commanded as blue lights responded to her call, encircling and tightening around the angel.

_He's… he's really fighting us…_. Liane stared at the scene before her in dull horror. Kratos was fighting against them as fiercely as he had ever helped them fight any of their previous opponents… if not with even more precision. _He's had all this time to study us…_she thought dismally as a wave of refreshment washed over her and the others before the green light of Raine's spell faded away. If there had been time, she was certain she'd be retching. _What did I do to deserve this… of all the people in the world to be bound to… I get the man that's trying to kill us._ As childish as she chided herself for allowing her thoughts to be – it still ached. As much as she wished that she could say that the fortune teller was wrong, deep down, she knew that she was right. Soulmates might not have to have any kind of romantic connotation, but to have her attempts at friendship constantly thrown back in her face… _and now this_….

Kratos only surrendered a single step back to the ninja's efforts, his sword flashing up before him as mana started to seethe an angry blue-purple around him. "Lightning Blade," were his only words before he shot forward at Genis, a shockwave blowing the young mage back only a few feet before a stab of lightning fell on him, his cry almost drowned out by the sound of the lightning.

"Genis!!"

Lloyd's scream resounded in Liane's ears as she could only watch their young friend stumble backwards and then fall to his knees. Kratos' strikes were so far almost surgical – striking first at their only remaining healer and then in defense – it made cold sense to remover the casters from the battle. _I'm still beneath his notice –_

Before the thought could affect her any further, Lloyd's angered howl filled the room as he launched himself at the angel, his blades spinning around him and barely giving Kratos the time to bring his own sword up in an attempt to block. "Tempest!!"

_Not good… so not good…._ Liane almost cringed as her eyes flickered back to see Sheena propping the wounded mage up and placing a gel in his hand. Lloyd's attack had pressed Kratos back, but its obvious fuel was rage – exactly what they didn't need – not against Kratos. _Genis will be okay… he has to be… _she told herself, trying not to listen to the grim laugh in the back of her mind. She dipped her sword back and arced it before her – just as her target had taught her, providing cover for Lloyd as he touched back down to the ground. _I'm sorry it has to be this way…._ "Double Demon Fang," she commanded without enthusiasm, setting her jaw as she watched the twin mana arcs find their mark on the angel.

There was almost no reaction from the angel as Liane's attack struck and pushed him back barely a half step. No anger, no pain – no guilt or regret. Nothing. There was only a cold that put every other definition of the term he had given them over the path of the journey to shame as he drew back his sword to the side and fixed his gaze on Lloyd. In the next heartbeat, he rushed forward, a shockwave blowing Lloyd off his feet and up into the air as the angel followed after him in a silent scream of pain: "Victory Light Spear!"

Liane choked, unable to breathe as she found her feet already in motion before Lloyd hit the ground and crumpled. The attack had been vicious – unnecessarily so. Never before had it been so clear how outmatched they were on their quest – but what she was seeing was a price she never – _never_ – wanted to consider paying. Her knees hit the ground in a slide as she arrived at Lloyd's side, her mind racing as she saw the razor-thin slashes in his clothing and heard how he fought for every breath. She was only vaguely aware of Sheena rushing past to confront Kratos as she moved to carefully cradle Lloyd's head against her leg. Her eyes were burning – it had all happened so fast – he had been practically swatted down by the person he had come to look up to. _It's not fair… it's not…._

"I'm sorry… Dad…."

Lloyd's words tore at Liane, threatening to further rip her apart as the brown haired teen's body went limp, his head lolling to the side. "Lloyd!! No!" She shook her head against what she was seeing… her friend… the closest thing she had to a brother… her –

_'I want to name him Lloyd…'_

Liane almost gagged as the words from her vision hit her like a club as she clenched her eyes shut. _No… no, not now – _

_'You'd make a good father….'_

"No…" she ground out, shaking her head as she clenched Lloyd tighter, shaking her head against the disembodied voices.

_'Look… he doesn't want to crawl…'_

'_Heh… it's too slow for you, isn't it Lloyd?'_

The voices were almost overpowering now – leaving her no room to block them out. _I'm going crazy… and we're all going to die…._

"Liane… Liane, get back…."

This time, the voice was much closer… much more tangible. It was something that helped her pull herself together just enough to look up – and see Raine standing over them, the head of her wand blazing a bright white. "R-Raine…?"

The Professor nodded once to the recognition and then once again more pointedly at Kratos. "Give me time?"

Liane spared another glance down to Lloyd, who was not framed by dancing healing runes and she moved to slowly rest his limp form back on the ground. _I'm sorry, Lloyd…._ She sniffed once again before she stood and looked back to Kratos. She had to trust Raine… she had to give her time. "Damn you!" she snarled as she planted her feet so that she was firmly between Kratos and Raine. "Demon Fang!" her voice demanded as the arc of energy slid out across the room, Sheena dodging away at the last moment as the attack struck Kratos. The angel hadn't even tried to deflect it, a further insult as hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "He _trusted _you!!"

"Then that would be _his _mistake, wouldn't you say?" Kratos asked, tilting his head as a thin smirk curled his lips, a decidedly bitter note in his tone that made Liane cringe even as light erupted behind her.

"Bring back his soul from purgatory!" Raine's voice rang out as the chamber momentarily brightened as if it had been revealed to the sun. "Resurrection!!"

The next sound that echoed in the room might have seemed so insignificant any other time, but just Lloyd's simple sputtering cough seemed to momentarily right the world for Liane as she glanced back to see him struggling to his feet with Raine's help.

"Do _not_ take this fight so lightly…" Kratos rasped out, drawing the group's attention as purple runes only momentarily flickered around the angel. "Thunder Blade!"

The air began to crackle immediately – some thing that Liane simply knew shouldn't be right. Spells required time – to gather the mana, to bend it to your will – _how could he…?_

It was in the next instant that she realized what she was seeing – Raine grabbing Lloyd by the shoulders and shoving him at Liane. The force of the shove sent them both sprawling to the floor as the air above the Professor ripped open to allow a gigantic sword of crackling mana to stab down into the ground – directly through Raine.

Liane pulled Lloyd close, turning her back to shield them from the blinding flash, protecting him for a moment before the chamber darkened once again and she looked back just in time to see Raine complete her fall to the ground. "Raine –" she choked out, starting to her feet before she remembered that Lloyd was hardly in prime shape himself. She ground her teeth together and fumbled with her belt pouch for an apple gel, holding it out to Lloyd as she glanced up to Kratos. The angel was casually advancing on them, almost as if it was amusing him to see what else they would try to retaliate with. _It's all going so wrong…._

"Liane… cover Genis! I've got Raine!" Sheena called out as she backed up, keeping a weary eye on Kratos as she knelt by the Professor.

While it wasn't the most subtle of commands, only a quick glimpse of the young mage showed Liane what the ninja was talking about – Genis had retreated to the back of the platform, a large red series of runes spinning around him. _With Lloyd down… Sheena and I are it for attacking…_ she thought with a grimace as she looked down to Lloyd. "Hey…."

"Go…" Lloyd shook his head, waving off Liane's concern as he put the last bite of the apple gel in his mouth. "Just give me a second… I'll be fine…" he made a show of trying to smile and then started to his feet. "Go!"

Liane was moving before the swordsman finished his command, edging back to cover the young mage as he gradually grew louder. She braced her sword before her as she saw Kratos begin to turn towards Raine and Sheena. Lloyd was moving as well, having gathered his blades once again – but he was moving sluggishly – something Kratos was certain to exploit.

"Burn!" Genis cried out, anger tinting his voice as he pushed his kendama up into the air. The runes that responded to his call dissolved into a shower of red sparks that shot across the room and fell at Kratos' feet, smoldering for only a moment before red cracks radiated across the floor around the angel. "Eruption!!!"

Kratos was instantly tossed up into the air on an exploding wave of shining magma that kept him a loft for several moments before dropping him harshly back to the ground. The group collectively seemed to draw a breath in the precious heartbeat Genis bought them – somehow, enough time to find all of them back on their feet. Sheena made her way to the back of the platform, separating herself from the others before stopping and pushing her card out before her, pausing for only an instant as she flicked her wrist and set the card spinning in mid-air.

"Won't work…" Kratos barked out, his blade flashing out before him as he stalked towards Sheena, tendrils of purple energy once again racing over the surface of the honed sword. "Lighting –"

"Photon!!"

It was the professor that halted Kratos' command, her staff high above her head as bands of light winked into existence around Kratos and quickly constricted around him, shimmering brightly for a few moments before exploding sending Kratos staggering back even as it – more importantly – distracted him from his spell.

"Kinda looks like it's working to me!" Lloyd snickered with very little amusement as he charged forward, using the lingering effects of Raine's spell to slash at Kratos as he leapt up into the air. "Tiger Blade!" he called out as he slashed out at the angel once more before touching down to the ground and springing back out of range of any quick retaliation.

Just as Kratos steadied himself and began to once again raise his sword, it was Sheena's voice that distracted the angel. "I call upon the Red Giant, the Ruler of Hellfire!" the summoner called out, her voice steady even as the rune pattern at her feet roiled with sparks and waves of heat. Only a moment later, she threw her arms wide and then snatched her card out of the air, thrusting it skyward. "Come! Efreet!!"

It was completely out of Liane's comprehension how Sheena – how _any_ of them – could still be fighting as hard as they were. Remiel had been difficult… but Kratos was so far proving to be the hardest opponent they had faced yet – both physically and emotionally. He was one of them – _was_ – and so far, he was showing no signs of anything more than slightly annoyed amusement. But even as hope began to weakly flicker with Efreet's slow materialization before the angel, the demon-like being already raising his flexed arms before he was completely solid. _Why… why does it have to be this way?_ She had to look away as Efreet snarled ferally and slammed his fists to the ground on either side of the angel, the ground beneath his strike responding by exploding in a giant bloom of fire that obscured both Kratos and the spirit.

"How you like that?" Sheena wheezed out, leaning forward to brace her hands on her knees for a moment before she reached to her sash and pulled out an orange gel, popping it into her mouth as she kept watch on the fading fires of Efreet's attack. After a moment it was clear by the silhouettes against the flames that Efreet was gone, and Kratos's form was slightly slumped – although still standing. But when his sword once again snapped out before him, wrapped in energy that was almost searingly bright as compared to the red flames, Sheena caught her breath and took a quick step back, swiping her card out before her. "Guardian Seal!"

"You cannot oppose fate," Kratos growled as he shot forward, going so far as to dodge around Lloyd as he closed on the ninja. "Super Lightning Blade!!"

Sheena's incomplete defensive spell was wiped away with the force of the crackling shockwave that blew out from Kratos' sword, giving her barely time to cringe before a jolt of blinding lightning fell on top of her. Her form went absolutely rigid for what seemed like unnecessarily cruel moments as the mana coursed through her before it suddenly blinked away, leaving the ninja to crumple to the floor with a whimper: "Damn…."

Liane gagged slightly, horrified by the cruelty of Kratos' attack… and how nothing gave Liane the impression that her friend had even survived. _Sheena… no…._

"Liane! Watch him!" Lloyd called out, pulling her attention back from the mire that Sheena's defeat had pulled her into.

The dark haired young woman nodded and drew her sword up before her, inching back to stand before Genis, who was already assembling another spell. Lloyd had moved to do the same for Raine, but it was Kratos that worried – no, _terrified_ – her at that moment. The angel stood at a point where he could reach any of them with equal ease, and he was simply standing there… as if giving them a chance… _or… he's just playing with us_. The thought seem so dismal as she pushed what she could find of her mana into her sword, hoping she could be quick enough to form her Guardian. Her knees were already weak… and she couldn't even look over to where Sheena still lay motionless. _We're all going to die… aren't we…?_

Then, as if in defiant answer to the thought that was only growing more overpowering a flash of green light washed over the room. Swirls of what could have almost been human forms danced around the platform, visiting the remaining members of the party and imparting the energy they bore to each of their 'patients' in time to Raine's command: "Nurse!"

But while the spell served its purpose of rejuvenating her allies, the Professor's single word also drew Kratos' attention. In less than a heartbeat, the angel rushed at the elven woman, moving so fast that they could barely see him, much less stop him from coming to a halt before the professor. He offered her only a wave of his sword before a barrage of shimmering green blades swarmed around her, lifting her up into the air as they cut at her. "Air Thrust," Kratos rasped, his eyes following the assault on the Professor for only as long as it took her to drop to the floor.

"… I… wasn't strong enough," Raine wheezed out, a cough rattling from her before she fell as still and silent as Sheena.

"Raine!" Genis screamed out as he thrust his kendama out at Kratos. "Stalagmite!" the boy cried, grief for his sister's fall coloring his tone from the usually almost-playful invocation he offered with the spell, the rocks that his magic summoned slamming up around Kratos even more forcibly than usual.

_One healer turned on us, the other unable to help… Sheena and her spirits can't help… Colette…_ Liane shook her head, gripping her sword tightly. Raine's last gift to them would be what they had to work with… but whether or not it would be enough… she was beginning to doubt. She didn't want to fight – she wanted her friends back… and she just wanted to go home. _But you won't let us… will you…?_ she asked silently as the effects of Genis' spell began to waver away and allow Kratos to once again start to climb to his feet, the cool light of his wings cutting through the lingering haze. "Did… did you plan this all along?" she spoke before she thought about it. "Is this why you helped us – trained us – armed us? So this _game_ would be more interesting for you?" She saw his eyes flash onto her, and she momentarily feared that she was only placing herself in his sights. As much as she didn't want to see her friends fall, nor did she want to die either. Somehow, she suddenly felt the delicate weight of the bracelet even as she drew her sword back, unable to stop herself. "I hate you… for everything you've done to us – for letting us trust you! Why did you bother??" she demanded as her blade slashed up. "Demon Fang!" she ordered as her attack slammed into Kratos. He never flinched – never made a move to defend himself, he simply watched her as a tear tumbled over her cheek and fell to the floor. _I… I can't do anything to stop him… he's showing me that…._

Lloyd growled as he ran, planting his feet as he faced off with the angel, his blades already in motion. "Sonic Sword Rain!" the teen demanded as he continued to strike at Kratos, but the other swordsman met him blow for blow. "Dammit… she's right… you've been playing with us all along!"

Kratos sighed as he rushed forward, getting behind Lloyd and wrapping an arm up and beneath one of Lloyd's. "Do you even _want_ to win?" he asked in a rasp as he eyed the others, his voice loud enough for both Liane and Genis to hear as well. "I told you what you had to do… weren't you listening?" In the next instant, he moved again, nothing more than a blur that suddenly solidified near Genis. "Grave"

There was hardly any lapse in time between Kratos' word and when a spire of rock jutted up out of the ground beneath the young mage, hurling him up through the air with the force of the attack. Then the rock disappeared, letting him fall back to the once again smooth floor of the chamber with a pained cry before either Lloyd or Liane could reach him. He lifted his hand – the one adorned with Marble's Exsphere – and for just a moment, it seemed that he was going to attempt to get back up. But then, his hand fell limply over his side. "Sis…."

Liane stumbled to her knees, the bodies of her friends strewn all around her. She choked down a breath, having to force air into her lungs. How could they have failed so miserably? Was this what the regeneration had promised them all along? Death? Had they all been too foolish to see it? A sob slipped from her lips, resounding both around her and in her own head as she felt Kratos cold glare on her once again.

"Protect each other," the angel ground out, taking a single step over Genis' fallen form before Lloyd rushed forward, crossing his blades before him to stand in defense of his friend.

"Genis never did anything to hurt you – none of us did!" Lloyd shook his head. "_Why_ are you doing this?"

The frustrated pleading in Lloyd's voice shook Liane out of her daze. It wasn't even a consideration to attempt to stand, but Lloyd was already placing himself in danger for her… and no one else was moving. _I… I can't let Lloyd fall… not when I can still… fight…_ she grit her teeth as she drew on every last bit of mana she could muster and began to channel it into runes she was only still learning.

Lloyd flexed his arms with just a bit of a bounce, forcing a clash with Kratos for the sake of the momentum he could get to buy himself room. "Sonic Thrust!"

The wave of energy that blew away from Lloyd was weaker than its usual form, but it was still enough to shove Kratos back even further… just as Liane pushed herself up to one knee, purple runes swirling lazily around her. _Have to try… for Genis… for all of them…._ "Lightning!"

The bolt that answered Liane's call was a direct hit… striking Kratos just as he came to a stop from the backwards force of Lloyd's attack, the timing perfect, but also serving to do little more than draw his attention back to her. She saw it in his eyes… her own death… her own fall. Time seemed to slow as her every instinct told her to get up… to get away… to run. But even as she weakly stumbled to her feet, she couldn't' tear her eyes from him – or from the crackling purple energy that coursed over his blade. "No! Kratos, please don't –"

"Lightning Blade."

She barely had time to hear his words before the blast of energy from his strike blew her back against the nearby stairs. The action left her no time to react before the promised lightning bolt struck her with the power she could only have dreamed that her spell would have carried for him. All at once, every bit of her was on fire – alight with the strength of his attack. But it was a sensation that was still somehow familiar – just as familiar as the image of Kratos' blade rushing towards her. That moment had frozen in her mind and still somehow overpowered even the realization of pain.

_Lloyd… don't cry…._

She thought she heard her friend's scream – or maybe it was the ringing in her ears – as she fell back to the floor. "Kratos… don't kill... please…" her words hurt… forming them even made her head hurt worse. But they wouldn't stop coming, no matter how she grasped for control. "Kratos… please… kill –"

The breath was yanked from her as her collar tightened at the back of her neck and her unresponsive form was suddenly hanging in the grip of something – someone – far stronger.

"Don't… die," Kratos growled out, his voice so close and so loud to her ear that she cringed, only a gasp escaping from her before a sharp pain struck the back of her head. The blow plunged what was left of her already wavering vision into blackness, the rest of her senses slowly following as the force that had suspended her disappeared and she fell….

"Is what I've asked of you – any of it – really that difficult?" Kratos asked, his tone dry as he stood over the prone form of the dark haired young woman a moment longer and then began to advance on Lloyd once again.

But his footsteps fell only lightly into Liane's world, sounding in time with what seemed to be a straining heartbeat.

_A heartbeat… a precious heartbeat that she recognized as her own._

_For a moment, the pain flickered away – or maybe she just got used to it – but for just that moment, she opened her eyes… looked down to her hands…._

These… they aren't my hands….

_Yet the grotesquely elongated appendages still flexed to her command as if they were hers, one hand opening to reveal a placid blue orb that seemed so familiar, even though it was caked with sticky red ooze. And the other hand…_

_She felt a senseless rage flare within her as she stared at the hand, the anger feeling so… seductive?… but it was the sight of the hand – of the delicate pattern that the fine raindrops were making in the crimson that coated that hand – that made her scream out._

_The scream hurt her ears, yet she couldn't stop it._

Blood….

_Sneering smiles mocked her in her fractured memories, as did the feel of her hands – claws – catching the delicate flesh of a screaming child…_

No….

_She opened her eyes once again – and her mind stilled once again as she met anguished mahogany eyes – eyes that were searching her – looking for some sign._

Kratos….

_His chest bore a series of bloody slashes that she instinctively recoiled from, but it was his sword that raptly held her attention._

I'll… kill him… if….

_Another howl tore away from her throat as she threw her arms back in an attempt to keep the fire that was racing through her at bay for even a moment longer. Thinking was growing more difficult with every ragged breath – and speech was beyond her comprehension once again. But as she won yet another moment of control… she met his eyes once again._

It's over….

_It had to be. She was lost… her bloodlust was boiling to the point that she could barely think to stand it. There was no more time. She clenched the stone in her hand, silently begging it for one last moment with all that it had taken from her, took a step closer to her only hope._

"_Kratos… please…" her voice only bore a wispy resemblance to what she could recognize as her own, "… kill me…."_

_She saw the pain in his eyes… and knew it was her fault… but it was the one chance… the only chance she could still see._

It's over….

_Another wave of searing pain took her… and again she screamed. Every last bit of herself was being torn away… it was almost gone. Staggering backwards, she clenched her hands to her head, her scream growing more savage with every passing moment. "Pleeeeeease –"_

_The scream stopped abruptly, and for a moment – once again – everything was quiet… even the throbbing of her heartbeat slowing as she looked down…_

… _to see the tip of a rain-soaked blade buried into her chest, the tattered remains of clothing around it quickly staining red._

_The pain began to fade almost immediately as she looked up, her eyes following the blade to the hilt, then to the hand that held the sword… then… to the eyes of the man that had done as she had asked. Even in the rain, she could see his tears as clearly as if it were a summer day without a cloud in the sky._

"_Don't… cry…" she rasped as she started to stumble backwards, her body shifting… changing… as she started to feel the cold replace the fire that had been threatening to consume her._

It's over….

_Suddenly, all she could see was the gray-white sky above… and all she could feel was air rushing up at her back._

It's over.

"It's over."

Liane choked at the sound of Kratos' voice… her senses telling her that it was so much closer than what she had just seen and heard. Pain had once again worked its way back into her world, this time once again centralized at the back of her head. _I'm… alive?_ When she had closed her eyes, she had thought it was for the last time, the hellish dreams even convincing her that she probably didn't really want to wake up and carry them with her, either. _It… was it… really… a dream?_ Grinding her teeth together, she started to sit up, one hand moving on its own to cover where she knew she had been stabbed… but when nothing but the pounding pain in her head made her wince – no blood, no holes – she blinked. _But… how?_

"D… dammit!"

The dark haired woman's head snapped up – a move she immediately regretted as she could barely hold herself up on her hands and knees as another wave of dizziness washed over her. "Lloyd…" she murmured, fighting to lift head only to see Lloyd on his knees before Kratos – the angel's blade extended and hovering dangerously close to the younger swordsman's throat. Every fiber of her being screamed out to her to move – to fight for her friend – but her body wouldn't… couldn't… respond any more than to allow one hand to move closer to her sword. "No… please…."

_'Kratos… please….'_

She clenched her eyes tight for a moment - hating the weak waver in her voice… hating how even in her dreams, she had begged the mercenary for anything at all – hating that the angel that had deceived them. Then she set her jaw and reached for her sword, forcing her eyes open – only to see something she wasn't expecting. There was a slight shake in the light that glinted from Kratos' blade as he lifted it up into the air… and then the almost-disgusted sigh that issued from the angel as he started to lower his sword.

_He's backing down??_

Before the amazement could settle back into confusion, a bright light that made Remiel's look like a candle's flame flooded the chamber. Liane's first instinct was to shield her eyes, her mind still too numb to even consider what was happening, but her thoughts were just clear enough to be stunned when Kratos quickly dropped to one knee, his head bowed in reverence. _What…?_

"I guess not even you could bring yourself to fight against such an opponent," came a smooth chuckle filled with dry amusement.

Kratos sighed heavily, letting the wordless sentiment settle before breaking the silence. "Lord Yggdrasill."

Liane looked up once again- only a little slower this time – not only at the weary tone in Kratos' voice, but also at the words he had spoken. _Yggdrasill. _She had heard the name – it had been imprinted on her mind by Kvar to the point that she doubted she would ever forget it. But even as her eyes searched the golden haired being that stood before them, she couldn't stop her mind from picking up speed and desperately trying to put the pieces together. _Kvar… he served Yggdrasill… does… does Kratos serve him as well? _It didn't make sense – none of it did. _Then… he killed Kvar… saved us… just to fool us some more?_ Her stomach churned at the emerging depths of the deceit she – they all – had fallen for. She couldn't deny that some part of her had feared him – been intimidated by him. At the same time, though… another part trusted him implicitly. _Why??_ She looked to the ground with a rattled, dry sob. _I'll never know… will I? This is –_

"Who's that?"

A small voice asked from somewhere nearby, and Liane lost her thought as she lifted her head again. _Genis?!_

"Another angel?!" Sheena groaned as she slowly sat up, her slightly unfocused gaze fixing on the blonde man.

_They're alive… we're all alive?_ Liane's thoughts were grateful, but still shocked as she finally looked back up to the apparently elven man that stood before Kratos. Raine had pulled herself up to her knees with the aid of her wand and pale green runes were already starting to flicker around her, and Sheena and Genis had both managed to stagger to their feet – it was like a miracle – but Liane still couldn't look away from Yggdrasill. His lean form stood proud as his eyes slid over all of them, a thinly –disguised sneer on his lips as his wings of light fluttered patiently on his back, the wings themselves longer and more elegant than those of Colette or even Kratos. The being wore an air of power and authority that sent a shiver through her as she realized the utter lack of benevolence in her glower.

"Are you Lloyd?" Yggdrasill asked, lowering his gaze to the slump-shouldered teen and tilting his head in what seemed to be amused interest.

Lloyd grimaced as he pushed himself to his feet, but still mustered a chuckle as his hands grasped tighter at the handles of his blades. "Give me your name, and I'll give you mine!"

"Lloyd…" Liane groaned as she struggled to her feet as well. The boy's bravado had a certain charm to it for her, but it wasn't the time – not in the least. She was weak… they all were… they couldn't hope to live through a third battle. But even as she reached to her belt pouch for her last apple gel, she saw Kratos rise to his feet as well, his hand tight on the handle of his sword as his steely gaze was fixed on the interaction between Lloyd and Yggdrasill. _He's… Yggdrasill's servant…_ her mind whispered in disappointment as she tried to imagine the power Yggdrasill could have to enforce such an arrangement.

Yggdrasill threw his head back in a show of forced laughter. "People need not introduce themselves to a dog…" he snorted with disdain, his cruel smile still in place.

"What did you say?!" Lloyd snapped, drawing his blades up before him as Genis and Sheena began to close in behind him to face the unflinching angel.

Liane glanced nervously back to see that Raine seemed to still be struggling with her healing spell – a fact that didn't bode well for them. Her apple gel was barely enough to help her stand without her knees buckling – how were they supposed to fight? Nothing made sense any more – everything was shades of gray that she simply couldn't comprehend. At that moment, only two things in her world seemed to be even close to clear – that Lloyd seemed to be at least willing to fight… and that Yggdrasill wouldn't humor them with survival as Kratos had. While Kratos had fought and beaten them all by himself and with apparent ease, there wasn't the hatred in his eyes that Yggdrasill already fixed them with.

"Fine…" Yggdrasill purred as his wings flapped forward quickly, lifting his white and gold clad form up into the air as the party took a small collective step backwards. "I shall tell you my name, wretched human," he smirked, the chill never wavering in his piercing blue eyes. "I am Yggdrasill, Leader of Cruxis… and the Desians!"

"_What?"_ Liane's eyes flared at the angel's claim – no matter how she couldn't bring herself to question it further. It made sense… it was the link – no matter how mind-bending: It explained how Remiel and Kratos were linked – and how Kvar had been so anxious to please his precious Lord Yggdrasill. But beyond that, everything fell apart. _But… Cruxis… guides the world… and the Chosen… and the Desians… they stand against all of it… don't they??_

Time for pondering the twisted puzzle's time ran out with the sound of Lloyd's angered growl as he threw himself at Yggdrasill, his blades poised to his sides as he started to jump. "Temp—"

At first… Liane could only see a smile tainted with something unpredictable on the lips of Yggdrasill – something that bordered only on glee that the young swordsman was pressing his attack. But then… then, she saw Kratos take a step back, cross his arms over his chest… and look away. _He… he won't help us…_she realized even as Lloyd started into the air, his body barely into the first flip before Yggdrasill spoke again, raising his arm out before him almost casually.

"I'll show you the meaning of true power," Yggdrasill murmured, his eyes on Lloyd… almost as if he was stalling – waiting for the moment that they were all closest… "Outburst."

The invocation was so simple – so easy – and the fury of Yggdrasill's spell instantly answered, blooming as a bubble of blue tinted energy around his feet that expanded so fast that none of them could hope to escape and throwing them around like a child's toys after a tantrum.

"Ugh!!" Liane grunted in complaint as she fell against the steps near Colette once again, her head striking the smoothed stone before she could choke down a gasp of air. Her eyelids were trying to open, but it was a struggle to take much more than quick glances around, her friends scattered once again… he friends barely moving once again. _No…._

"How sad…" Yggdrasill tsked, shaking his head as he gestured once again and the inner circle of the platform flashed in response, a sword appearing to hover above it in the next moment.

Liane's chest ached from the force of the blows she'd already taken, but she couldn't stop the pained gasp that escaped from her at the sight of the pulsating sword… and the fact that Lloyd was once again struggling to pick himself up from the floor. Tears were blurring her eyes, but she couldn't feel them slip down her cheeks and the only reason she could watch any of the proceedings was that she was propped against the steps. "Lloyd… don't…" she rasped before a rattling cough shook her, the taste of blood remaining in her mouth.

Suddenly, the sword pulsed with a wave of power that threw the group all back even further and sent Lloyd flying back into a nearby column, the crack of masonry resounding loudly in the chamber.

_Lloyd… no…_ Liane felt cold creeping around her as her head fell back against the steps once again. The pain was fading… finally… the battle was almost over. It was all she could really ask… just for the punishment to stop.

"Kratos… I trust you have no objections?"

_More words… why… why can't it just end…._

Something inside Liane wouldn't let her embrace the darkness that seemed so welcoming… not yet. Yggdrasill's question somehow allowed her eyes to open – to seek the mercenary that she and the others had tried to befriend. Was Yggdrasill really leaving their fate up to Kratos? "Kratos…" she managed a dry whisper, but no further plea would come… not when his eyes met hers once again… and then shifted away.

"Farewell."

At Yggdrasill's single word, Liane's shoulders slumped… and the darkness took her without any further fight.

_It's over…._

It's over….

_It was still raining… she could still feel it… but not for much longer. She didn't have to look to recognize the soft fur behind her… or the sobbing bundle of warmth that curled against her side. She couldn't look… or cry… she could only wait… and word her silent promise as she clutched at every last bit of strength she could find… and at the orb that was still closed tightly in her hand._

I'll protect you, Lloyd… I'll find a way… I promise….


	18. Chapter 19

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Chosen of Sylvarant's journey to the Tower of Salvation was successful. But the definitions of success, as well of 'Salvation' are now in question. In the wake of a betrayal none of the party could see coming, they gather what is left of their ranks… and make a desperate bid to help the Chosen.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 19

"Lord Kratos… Lord Yggdrasill will see you now…."

He didn't even bother looking up at the hollow female voice. Returning to Vinheim after being relatively free to roam with the Chosen's party was more than enough to remind him how much he hated the angels that seemed to lurk in every shadow around him. They were Yggdrasill's eyes and ears – and even though Kratos knew that they had probably been keeping track of him and his progress with the Chosen, it did little more than make him hate them even more. They had become fixtures of his existence – and grating reminders of what awaited the world if Yggdrasill's plans came to fruition.

"He'll see me when I'm ready," he replied tersely, his fingertips pressed together before him holding more merit for his gaze than the angelic servant, who he immediately heard flap her wings and hover her way out of the chamber. _The game begins again…_ he leaned back in his chair with a sigh and finally let his eyes fall shut. The angel would undoubtedly obediently return to her master and then faithfully relay Kratos' response. Yggdrasill would then proceed to throw a fit and send her back to Kratos with some elegantly-worded threat of pain… and so the evening would progress until Kratos' curiosity would get the better of him and he would report to the throne room to enjoy the final act in person. It was all so predictable that it was sad. But after so long - what else could it possibly be?

But there _was_ a new element to their game this time – one that Kratos knew full well Yggdrasill would be sadistic enough to exploit. And that had him far more worried than anything Yggdrasill could have tried before.

_Before… I knew that Anna and Lloyd were dead… but now?_ He couldn't help that the implications made him nervous. Even he hadn't dreamed that his son could have survived. But everything that had happened in the Tower _could_ have been taken in so many different ways. While it wasn't like him to be paranoid, what options did he have? He couldn't bring himself to kill Lloyd… to kill any of them… but what had he subjected them to in his hesitation?

_'I guess not even you could bring yourself to fight against such an opponent…'_

How many ways could he take that? Yggdrasill knew Lloyd's name – as twisted as his life and the world around him had become, he knew that was the name of Kratos, son. Did he know? Did he see it? Or was he just playing at further jabbing one of his oldest companions about a past that – perhaps – never should have been. It wasn't all that unlike Yggdrasill to twist the proverbial knife for an act of rebellion that Kratos was still torn over whether to regret or not – maybe moreso now than ever before.

But they were alive – all of them were. He was certain of that. Yggdrasill had been robbed of his opportunity to finish them off – even as Kratos himself had been brought face to face with his inability to save them. He simply couldn't get around a handful of issues – what would he have been saving them for? To be hunted down? Yggdrasill's triumph would have to be total – he would have it no other way. And then there was the question of if they would have even allowed him to save them. He had seen his betrayal reflected in their eyes – he still remembered every strike he had launched against his former companions, loathing how cowardly it had been to fight them after they were already weakened from fighting Remiel. But he had merely brought them the truth – finally, after all the silence that had been as good as lies. They had pressed the attack – almost as if his defeat would bring Colette back to them.

_I don't have that kind of power,_ he sighed as he pushed himself from his chair and began to stalk across the small sitting room of his chambers. At one time, it had seemed that he and his former companions had embodied every aspect of that power. They had good intentions – the very best of intentions. But that had only made the fall harder – not to mention harder to see. It had been so easy to write it off as grief for the passing of a sweet soul like Martel – any of them would have done anything to bring her back – and that simple, heartfelt truth had exploded on all of them.

_Martel wouldn't want this… especially not in her name. She'd be so ashamed._

All of the precautions they'd taken to ensure peace had somehow gained life of their own – snaring them in traps they hadn't even considered… traps their pride had blinded them to. The world had gone on without Martel… but they hadn't.

Kratos had tried to fight it – once. He had tried to remove himself from the cycle, but even that had turned on him, drawing him back into the madness – and now held him stronger than ever. He had no fear of dying – it was beyond long overdue. But now, there was a new band of fighters trying to achieve peace – a goal not at all unlike his own before things had tumbled out of control.

_And they might be the only hope that Sylvarant and Tethe'alla have…._

He couldn't even guess what had inspired the Renegades to suddenly become so 'helpful' to the Chosen and her party, but the old bit of wisdom 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' still danced in his thoughts. Botta and his men clearly felt that they had some use for them, or they never would have chanced coming face to face with Yggdrasill himself. It could either be the most fortunate of twists for the group – or the most dangerous… there really was no middle ground.

It was easy enough to guess where the Renegades may have taken their captives – but a rescue was out of the question._ They'd probably just as soon die as let me rescue them now anyway,_ he thought, making the effort to push the urge to let the words become too sullen even for his own head. But once again, he knew exactly how powerless he was – and how precarious his path would be. Colette's captivity at the hands of the Renegades would only be a momentary obstacle. Yggdrasill was undoubtedly nearing a plan to retrieve Martel's vessel – and Kratos knew full well that he would likely be sent to once again collect the Chosen back into Cruxis' fold.

_They will be on their guard… they won't let me close again._ Kratos sighed, setting his jaw as he opened the carved wooden wardrobe just inside the door of his seldom-used and largely unnecessary bedchamber. "Good," he murmured, answering his rhetorical statement vocally as if it would shore up his resolve. He would confront them again – that was practically a given. The Renegades needed the party for their own ends, so Lloyd and the rest would likely not be killed or harmed until that purpose was achieved. _And when we do meet again… the field will be far more even – they'll have at least a hint at the scale of what they are involved in._ He reached into the wardrobe and removed the pale uniform that he honestly despised, but still knew he would be required to wear all the same. The understated stealth that the deep indigo of his current garb afforded him would no longer be necessary – not now that the battle lines had been drawn. _Yggdrasill will not be subtle when it comes to the Chosen and her party now – he'll do anything he can to prove to them that they are nothing but a petty annoyance to him and to his goals._

Tossing the white and purple garment onto the deep red coverlet of the bed, he loosened the clasp of his cloak at his throat and draped it over the wooden bedpost before starting to peel off his detached sleeves. The light that glinted from the multiple polished buckles of what would be his clothing seemed to mock him, almost as if attempting to prepare him to face Yggdrasill. It was all too garish for him, but didn't it simply mirror what he had become to the world? He served an overbearing power that spanned a pair of worlds. Fueled by its master's madness, it had come to pass that Kratos was starting to believe that the only hope that the worlds had left really _was_ Martel's revival – no matter how unnatural the crusade had become. Yggdrasill would listen to nothing but his own ambitions any more… perhaps Martel really would be the only one that could calm him.

_The only other option… is defeating him._

Yet, the chances for that appeared to be slim to the point of non-existence. Yggdrasill had been a great power even before his lapse into madness. _But now…._ Kratos refused to even attempt to fool himself that he could stand on his own for long against the Cruxis leader's fury… and even if Yuan had been more dependable of lade, it was still unlikely they could stop their former friend even together. Yggdrasill wouldn't hesitate to unleash every last bit of his wrath on them – to not stop until he had eradicated any sign that they had even existed.

_"I warned you what would happen… if you ever left me…."_

_Kratos winced at the sounds of the first words that had actually been spoken to him since his retrieval from Sylvarant… the first words he had heard since the last words of his wife. He hadn't even fought the angels when they came to collect him… there had been no point. They had placed him in shackles and beaten him wordlessly, although none of their blows were strong enough to rival the soul-searing ache that consumed him. But now… the new presence in the room was almost interesting enough to take notice of… how the child-like voice wavered on the edge of tears for almost long enough to be convincing. Almost. Kratos lifted his head, his shoulders screaming their complaint at the awkward angle that the shackles held him to the wall. He couldn't help it – the words held malice, but the voice still reminded him of the bright-eyed hope that they had all once shared. But once his almost swollen shut eyes fell on the speaker – and the sadistically mocking glare behind the eyes of the being he almost didn't recognize anymore - he knew that hope was dead beyond hope of revival. "Then just kill me…" he heard himself wheeze. "Do it."_

I don't want to live. I'm tired… I've seen enough death….

_Another sharp blow to his jaw slammed his cheek over into the cold marble of the wall behind him. And for a moment – just a blink of time – he thought his request might be honored._

_Then came the laughter._

"_And send you off to the arms of your dead human whore?" Yggdrasill balled his fist and hit his prisoner once again, knocking Kratos' head back the other way. "I think not. How better to remind you of your foolishness to go against me – to play at being something you were never meant to be with that pathetic wench and her mewling brat? No… no, I don't think so." The blonde angel reached out a single finger to tip Kratos' face back up to him with a smile. "No, no, I think you'll serve me even better now. You know what will happen to anything you touch if you stand against me again – and you know I won't let you die, my dear friend," he purred, pouting just a little before he laughed and took a step back, allowing Kratos' chin to fall back to his chest. "Humans don't come back. Be glad you're not one of _them_ anymore," Yggdrasill rasped as he pointedly turned his back on his errant friend and started towards the door. Take a few days to mourn… or whatever," he shrugged, sparing one last cold glare over his shoulder. "Then… we won't speak of it again."_

Sliding into the sleeves of his uniform, Kratos sighed again. There was no one that he could be certain could be depended upon within Yggdrasill's ranks – at least no one that he could be certain wouldn't turn his fall into an opportunity for their own rise to power.

_But Lloyd… and the others… they could be strong enough… if they have time._ He finished tightening one of the belts that crossed his thigh. _They already have an idea of their enemies – that that I'm one of them. That should give them all the drive they need._ He had that much faith in them – even if they had lost all of theirs in him. Even with that though, he was certain he'd never forget the way that they looked at him when he had revealed himself – but he had to do it. He could have struck them down with but a spell – perhaps even while they had fought Remiel. But they deserved to know that things weren't as they seemed… they needed to have their reality shaken. He couldn't be so cowardly as to strike them down from the shadows.

Just like he couldn't bring himself to finish them off. It had been a last, desperate attempt to find another way that the Renegades had no doubt inadvertently helped. _I still raised my sword to them – to all of them. That can't be forgiven._ He turned to the mirror in the corner of the room and felt another piece of himself slip away at what he saw. But there was no other way. To attempt to openly befriend them again would only make them a larger target than they already were. _No… the rest… I will do alone… if it can even be done. And the more I can do away from them… the better._

He squared his shoulders and glared at the mirror again, doing his best to recapture the image of the cold seraph of Cruxis. While he knew it should be easier, he also knew it was his only chance now: To use the identity that Yggdrasill had crafted for him to his advantage, and to truly become the enemy of his former companions as far as they were concerned.

There's no going back. Each of them saw me betray them. None of them will have a reason to doubt their own eyes. But despite the truth in his own thoughts, two things still haunted him. First, the hurt in Lloyd's eyes… while it wasn't something he had asked for, being seen as a hero once again after so long had brought him back to a time then he had been proud of the path he had chosen for himself. And while the boy himself had come from that path… he was one of precious few things that Kratos could take any pride in now – even though another being was more of a father to him than he was.

And the second ghost was almost even more troubling. _Liane_…. She had reached out to him even after he had struck them all down. The hurt was still there... just like Lloyd and the others, but there was something else. She might not have seen him as a hero… perhaps not ever… but somehow, she still believed in him enough to doubt what she had seen… and lived through. Some part of her still saw through his actions… something still allowed the stubborn girl to reach out. _I wish I knew what you saw, Liane_… he shook his head, his rough-shorn auburn hair falling into his eyes. He shook his head, his rough-shorn auburn hair falling into his eyes. _But you should forget it... listen to your friends._ It was for the best. It had to be now.

"Lord Kratos. Lord Yggdrasill says he will see you now."

Kratos once again didn't react to the silent return of the angel, but was still somehow impressed by the magnitude of the tantrum Yggdrasill had to have thrown to get her to actually add emphasis to a word of her message. "No," he answered simply, deciding that if he was going to be forced back into the role of the unwavering Cruxis enforcer, it had to start somewhere.

"Lord… Kratos…?"

It gave him just a tiny twinge of pleasure that one tiny word seemed to disrupt the angel's purpose for returning to him. "Tell him that I will see him when I decide it's time." _If he wants his cold right hand back… he'll have it… but it's going to be on my terms._ His gaze turned into a glare on the angel as he pointed to the door. "Leave me. Now."

The angel nodded with all the respect her soulless shell could muster and then she turned, once again hovering her way back to the door.

_I'll play along… but I won't let you hold all of the cards._

Gathering the swordbelt that now held his Flamberge, he tightened that final buckle and then simply stood in silence at the center of his chamber, letting his heartbeat time the precious moments that it would take Yggdrasill to work into his frenzy. He wanted to arrive for its pinnacle… to see the grown man once again acting like the boy he truly still was emotionally.

_This will end… and I swear… this time, I won't let you have your way_, he vowed silently as his brisk steps carried him across the room to follow after the angel. _Lloyd… be smart… protect your friends… and don't die. I can't do that for you anymore…. It's your turn to be the strong one….

* * *

_

"Owwwwww…." Liane groaned as her senses once again began to speak to her, drawing her out of the darkness and reminding her of a particularly sore spot on the back of her head. Sitting up slowly, she let her eyes start to open, but what her eyes showed her made no sense. She was on a crimson-plush sofa in a room that only vaguely started to look familiar… and Raine and Sheena were both standing over her, concern etched into their expressions.

She blinked as her mind was still trying to catch up with her.

_Oh… they're talking… _she realized numbly as the noises around her started forming into words.

"Are you okay?"

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Can you move?"

"How's your head?"

Liane couldn't help it. She glared at them as she finished sitting up on the sofa, sighing as she rubbed her head gingerly. "I'm fine…" she grumbled, venturing another glance around the room. "Where are we…? What hap –" her eyes widened as she noticed Colette standing a few feet away – unmoving and expressionless as she seemed to be observing them all – her eyes an unnerving shade of red and utterly devoid of anything that Liane would have associated with her friend. "Oh, Goddess… Colette…" she murmured, her voice wavering a little as she clamped her eyes shut – a flashing review of chaotic images playing out for her – Remiel – Lloyd saying his goodbyes to Colette – then… then there were the angels. Yggdrasill… and… and…

… _Kratos._

With a sigh, Liane buried her face in her hands as if trying to block the lingering touch of a bad dream. _He… he betrayed us… he played all of us for fools._ She opened her eyes and her teeth involuntarily ground together. _And Colette paid the price._

She felt the cushions beside her depress just a little and she forced herself to draw a steadying breath and look up - meeting the steely gaze of Sheena. Liane couldn't entirely read her expression - which almost worried her for only a moment before the ninja spoke again.

"Why didn't we see this coming?" Sheena murmured, her tone speaking of dismay even as her posture was a testament to the anger she didn't seem to know what to do with. "I mean… he didn't even blink before he raised his sword to us! I… I thought we were all starting to fight for the same thing! But –"

"He blinked," Liane muttered miserably as her eyes followed Raine's silent crossing back to where Genis sat on the foot of the bed that Lloyd had been placed on. "He just didn't stop," she sighed, shaking her head before she groaned. _There are other things to worry about… for now._ "Is Lloyd okay? Where are we? Why are we _here_?" _Why aren't we dead??_

Sheena shrugged helplessly, glancing around the room in clear frustration. "Don't really know… the doors are sealed and no one has come in since I've been conscious. I'm sure we're being watched… we just don't know by who." Then she glanced over to the bed, watching their companions for a moment before she shrugged again. "And Lloyd… well, you know how he sleeps – he doesn't look too injured. None of us do, amazingly enough."

Liane frowned at that, unable to keep herself from looking down to find sign of the sword strike that she could still feel… some sign of her lifeblood escaping her. But her clothing was clean and intact, if not just a bit rumpled. "This place is awful nice for a prison," she finally murmured, trying to distract herself from what seemed to once again be little more than a dream and simply thinking out loud more than anything. "Maybe whoever our hosts are… maybe they have Healers, too?"

"With everything else that's happened, I guess that wouldn't be such a surprise, the ninja huffed as she flopped back against the cushions of the sofa, her arm draped over her forehead. "But it doesn't change the fact that we're under someone's control... and that's the last place we want to be right now."

"Yeah…" Liane muttered her agreement as she attempted to keep her eyes open, dreading what she'd see if she let them close. Colette… Kratos… blood dripping from claws… or a sword that answered a plea she could only remember the words for, the circumstances slipping from her grasp. None of it was anything she wanted to see… or remember. Nothing had tuned out as it was supposed to. _Colette is still with us... so even by the version of the regeneration that she and Raine seemed to believe in… it hasn't happened… _she reasoned silently, even though it made her head spin just a little more. "So… where are we supposed to go from here?" Liane sighed, her eyes lowered to the bracelet on her wrist as she absently hooked a finger beneath the delicate clasp. The design now looked somehow even more familiar than it had before. _Wings… it… looks like a pair of joined wings…._

"Lloyd, you're finally awake!"

Genis' cheer dissolved Liane's questions for the moment and interrupted the breath that Sheena had been drawing to apparently answer her, both of them on their feet without hesitation and moving towards the groaning swordsman along with the others – save for Colette. _Lloyd… he's okay… Kratos really didn't finish any of us…._

"Ugh…" the brown haired teen grunted as he sat up with Raine's help. "Where are we?" he murmured, the confusion in his voice fading slowly even as his eyes quickly cleared from their groggy haze. "Where's Colette?"

Liane and Sheena glanced at each other for a moment before they took a step away from each other, clearing a path so that Lloyd could see Colette. "She's here, too, Lloyd…" Liane replied softly, although having to add a helpless shrug. "But –"

"… she doesn't respond to anything we say," Sheena completed Liane's reluctant news as Lloyd pushed himself from the bed to walk past them, his legs seeming to be just a bit shaky for the first few steps, but steadying the closer he got to where Colette stood.

He approached slowly, as if trying to give the truth in Sheena's words time to wear off. But when he finally stood face to face with her, his eyes searching Colette's blank expression, Liane felt her chest constrict and twist. It was different now – they were away from the Tower… momentarily away from those trying to kill them… the icy reality could finally solidify its grip on him… on all of them. _She's gone… how long until we follow?_ Liane's thoughts whispered, somehow finding that having stared down death from so many angles in such a short time left her oddly numb to the concept after years of fearing it.

"Dammit!" Lloyd snapped through clenched teeth as he hung his head, his tight fists shaking visibly as Raine approached and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Lloyd…" the professor spoke in a gentle tone, waiting until Lloyd raised his eyes to her after a few long moments, giving her sullen recognition before she continued. "Do you remember this place?" she asked, tilting her head to him. "We're in Triet Desert. Remember? This is the base where you were captured before."

Liane's eyebrows lifted in surprise as she glanced around the room. It did seem familiar to her, although her first visit there had been as quick as she could have made it – getting in, grabbing Lloyd, and getting out. _But she's right… it was an office of some sort we were in before… but the walls… and the décor… is the same…._ All of that - coupled with the fact that their packs and weapons were all piled neatly by the door across the room - confused the situation even more. "None of this makes any sense…" she muttered, shaking her head in dismay as the sentiment was echoed in Lloyd's tone when he finally found his voice again.

"The Desian Base?!" the swordsman sputtered, his gaze narrowing on Raine and lacking any semblance of understanding.

Sheena took a step closer to Lloyd, shaking her head with a deep sigh. "These guys aren't Desians."

Lloyd's eyes, as well as those of Genis and Liane snapped onto the ninja as Colette continued to look on with unnerving indifference. "What?" Lloyd blurted as he combed his fingers back through his hair in frustration. "What do you mean?"

"So many things happened at once…" Genis murmured as he moved to Liane's side, looking up to his sister and then to Sheena with a hint of an almost-ashamed shrug. "I'm confused, too."

"You're not the only one…" Liane sighed as she looked down to the young mage. It seemed that Raine and Sheena had found the time to start piecing together their predicament while she and the others had slept. _At least someone's had the chance…._ She took a few steps backwards to sit down on the foot of the bed that Lloyd had occupied. "Okay… then I'm really not the only one that seems to be missing something…."

Raine turned, her eyes sweeping over her companions as she gestured as if in explanation. "Then why don't we go over everything we know about the situation as it stands now," the silver haired professor made a show of holding up her index finger. "First, our current situation. When we were about to be killed in the Tower of Salvation, we were rescued by the organization on this base that resembles the Desians," she continued, turning her hand to summarize the start of her lecture. "They call themselves the Renegades."

A thoughtful silence fell into the wake of Raine's words. Liane frowned as her hands closed tighter on the edge of the mattress. _So we were rescued… but why? _She chewed the edge of her lip, trying to tie what the professor said into what she already knew. _It's not like we made friends when we were here last time…._

"Uh…" Lloyd breathed out, his eyes trailing around the room for a moment before he looked back to Raine. "So what you're saying is that the people here are called Renegades and not Desians?" he finally asked, exhaling as he shook his head. "Okay, I really don't get it, but go on."

The professor eyed her student with a look of veiled frustration, but finally sighed and nodded. "It seems that the Renegades oppose the Desians. They probably have a reason for intentionally trying to look like Desians."

It was clear that Raine was trying to break things down as much as possible to make the story coherent, but it was still overpowered by how everything else had seemed to have collapsed around them. As much as Liane knew her position as Raine's assistant should have necessitated a better understanding and ability to tie things together, she had to admit that she was struggling. _Desians are bad… they run the ranches that enslave humans…._ It was a fact that was deeply rooted in each of them… especially growing up in the shadow of a Human Ranch… it was almost impossible to get past there… to even start to understand why someone that wasn't at least as bad would want to resemble them. She looked up, accidentally meeting Sheena's eyes. "So… does that mean the Renegades… are on our side…?" she ventured, seeing Raine's eyes slide over to her quiet question as a frown tugged at the corners of Sheena's lips.

"All right… I think I get it now," Lloyd murmured, saving Liane from questioning Sheena's expression. "We were saved by an organization called the Renegades that looks a lot like the Desians," he rambled, repeating the bare facts Raine had given them as if he had worked to memorize them before his eyes lost their slight glaze and he shrugged. "So then who was that angel guy… Yggdrasill, or whatever?" Then he drew a deep breath and his frown deepened. "And what about Kratos…?"

Raine hesitated, eyeing Lloyd for a long moment before her shoulders sank and she drew a long slow breath. "Do you remember Yggdrasill's words?" she asked softly, her hand clutching at her wand. "This is just pure conjecture, but Cruxis, holy beings worshipped by the Church of Martel, and the Desians may in fact be the same organization."

Lloyd took what appeared to be an involuntary step back, his head shaking almost violently from one side to the other. "Whoa, wait… what?! How could that be possible?!"

"Lloyd, hear me out," the Professor started to reach out to the young swordsman's shoulder, but then stopped, lifting her hand to rest a few fingers on her forehead with a sigh that almost masked an exasperated note. "If we think of the Desians as a part of Cruxis, or perhaps their pawns, everything makes sense."

Clasping her hands in her lap, Liane chewed the edge of her lip as she studied how each finger rested over the next. _It does make sense..._ her thoughts betrayed what she wanted to believe – but too many pieces fell into place if they were arranged as Raine suggested. "When I was at the ranch… at Asgard… the doctor that seemed to be in charge of selecting subjects for Exspheres… he knew that I had limited magic abilities… and…" she swallowed harder. "He was reading something about me from a book that I… I know I saw the seal of the Church on…" Liane continued, trying not to let her thoughts run too wild – not yet. "Something he read in that book… made him send for Kvar. But just from what he was saying… it was information that the Church would have had on me from my schooling with them." She finally looked up, her gaze lingering on Lloyd before moving to Raine. "It does make sense…." _And now… so does why Kratos made me question what I had seen._ The realization made her sick – but it also made her question why he had done things – why had he gone so far as to rescue her… to arm her… and to warn her almost from the beginning about the Church's exploitation of the people.

The others watched Liane for a long moment of silence, uncertainty flashing in their expressions that she felt guilty for… her brief stay in the ranch had been something she had chosen not to speak of in light of everything else that was happening. After all… she had been lucky enough to be rescued quickly…. _Lucky… I… wonder why…._

"I remember one of the Desian Five Grand Cardinals said that their boss was Yggdrasill," Genis offered quietly, breaking the moment of uncomfortable silence with a small shrug.

_Kvar…_ Liane nodded wordlessly to Genis, both in thanks for taking the focus off her and in agreement. The Cardinal's words and visage still floated in an odd haze in her memories, but Genis was right.

_'…for the sake of our great leader, Lord Yggdrasill, and for the sake of my own success, I need that Exsphere.…'_

"And Yggdrasill said that he was the leader of Cruxis and the Desians when he appeared before us," Raine nodded to her brother's observation, her reasoning coming full circle.

Liane found her thoughts being tugged in so many directions, but the worst part was that everything fit – everything could be tied up with one ugly ribbon into a package that made too much sense to ignore. Her eyes fell again to her hands, noting how white her knuckles had become and finally releasing what had become such a painful grip. _The Church… Cruxis… and the Desians… it's… we're all part of some big game…._ But what she found almost as disturbing… was that she wasn't surprised if she was perfectly honest with herself. _I… I should have more faith than this…_ a guilty voice whispered in her mind as her eyes slipped back up to Colette. _I… just can't…._

"If the Desians and Cruxis are the same," Lloyd murmured, running his hand back through his hair, clearly struggling with the implications of the words, "… well, then what about Kratos? He obeyed Yggdrasill's orders," he continued, his jaw taut. "That means…"

Before Lloyd could finish and before anyone else could speak, Sheena stepped forward, her fists tight at her sides. "That's right… he's our enemy!" the ninja declared, her gaze cold but not focused on any of them. "He deceived us! He admitted it himself. He's one of Cruxis' Four Seraphim!" she continued, the anger burning in her words as she spat them out.

Liane's head snapped up at Sheena's words, her jaw dropping open as if some part of her was going to protest but simply couldn't find the words to complete the act. She had to look away – needing to do so before Sheena caught her, but it was where her gaze fell that trapped her breath in her throat - the bracelet that encircled her left wrist. Her right hand crossed slowly to it, her index finger gingerly trailing over one of the polished stones. Sheena was right… she couldn't debate any part of the ninja's anger… but why did she hesitate in voicing her support for her newest friend? Liane had found herself at the end of Kratos' blade twice and generally at odds with him more times than she cared to even try to count… it should have been easier. She knew that she was hardly the most patient person… she should have been far more willing to join with Sheena's rant – adding her own to it, even….

But she couldn't.

Hooking her finger beneath the silvered clasp, Liane sighed and her eyes slid shut. _Am I really so weak that a few out of place and uncalled for dreams can distract me so easily?_ For just a moment… she was disgusted with herself – how she could think that she actually remember a gentle touch she had never felt – and ascribed it to Kratos…. But then there were the moments she knew were hers – when she found him holding her hand, when he had brought her the Silver Sword instead of a lecture… when he had charged her with keeping the bracelet – and her friends – safe….

Then there was the utterly lost look in his eyes as her dream-self had begged him to end her pain. Even as he was fighting them, showing them all how insignificant they were to him and to his goals – her mind still found a way to cast him in the role of the merciful.

_I'm going insane…._

The thought was bitter as she fought off a wince and again focused on the bracelet – a physical link to the man that had betrayed them. It was an option to rip it off and leave it on the floor – to sever that bond that tied her to him. It would be so easy to twist and break the delicate silver – and for just a moment, she lifted her finger, just to the point of starting to strain the links.

But it was somehow even easier to release the tension and let the clasp fall back against her wrist, eyeing it for a moment before she sighed and pulled her sleeve down over it, obscuring it from her own sight as well as that of her companions. _No… I promised… I won't stoop to his level and break that…_ Liane chided herself silently. _He attacked us… but didn't kill us… he could have, though… he proved that so often…._ She couldn't side with him, but somehow even in light of his betrayal, she couldn't condemn him, either. While she couldn't' count the ways the others could probably hold that against her, she sighed and dropped her shoulders, voicing neither support nor opposition for Sheena's stand. _I can't… not right now… I just…cant…._

"Kratos is likely a subordinate of Yggdrasill," Raine commented, looking up to the angered ninja's words. "He probably joined us to make sure Colette didn't stray from the journey to regenerate the world."

Lloyd straightened, his hands once again finding the handles of his blades, his gloves crackling a little as his grip tightened. "So we were deceived from the very beginning," the brown haired teen shook his head in dismayed disgust. "By Remiel, the Cruxis, even Kratos!"

"He could have killed us whenever he liked," Liane murmured without looking up, not really even thinking about speaking out loud. "If that's what he wanted – either to kill us or to get us out of the way – it would have been easy for him – "

"Great, so he toyed with us, too, " Sheena snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "_That_ makes everything better…."

Liane glanced up, stunned by how her words had pressed Sheena to confrontation and drawn the ninja's glare to rest on her. "No… I didn't mean –" Liane shook her head quickly, flustered as she realized that it probably did sound like she was trying to defend Kratos' actions. "That's not –"

But Liane's still-forming defense of herself was cut short by the mechanical whisper of a nearby door as it whisked open to admit a silver helmed solder to the room. "Ah, you're awake," the man murmured, nodding as his helm turned as if to survey the room's occupants. "Then please, come with me to the next room. Our leader awaits you."

For a few moments, the party remained silent, pondering the soldier's presence before they looked to each other. Liane pushed herself to her feet, deciding that studying the soldier was easier than even thinking about meeting the eyes of her friends. She had spoken without thinking – and without knowing where she stood – it was a stupid mistake. But when Lloyd offered the apparently unarmed soldier a cautious glare and then started to cross the room to start to gather his pack. They were actions that the others mimicked, following in his wake with the unspoken understanding seeming to be that they had to stay together, especially considering that the situation that they found themselves in was so shaky.

The soldier didn't seem bothered in the least to lead them through the short hallway in silence once the party was ready, waiting only long enough for them to gather before tuning on his heel and striding away, leaving them to follow at their own pace. It felt somehow natural and more comfortable for Liane to fall in step at the back of the party, even if Colette's presence beside her was beyond strange. As if things weren't odd enough, it was an unmistakable fact that the girl that paced her was her friend in appearance only – no smile graced her lips, and she was absolutely silent – not even her breathing making a noticeable sound. _But she's still here… maybe there's still hope. Kratos… the Renegades… they haven't killed any of us… so maybe there's still a way._ Yet it wasn't much in the way of comfort – things had already changed – for better or worse was the only question still to be answered on that front.

Liane looked up to find their soldier-guide waiting beside an open doorway as Lloyd led them into the room. While it seemed that they could have overpowered a single, unarmed guard and escaped – it stood to reason that his leader knew that as well. _He wants something… or none of us would even have to be alive._ She frowned as she followed Sheena and Genis into the room, seeing that Lloyd and Raine were already stopped before a bulky man in robes that she recognized from the temple at Iselia… and from the base during her last visit. And another man with a distinctively aqua-colored ponytail draped over the shoulder of his cape.

Both men eyed the party that gathered before them evenly, the aqua haired one wearing a hint of contempt in his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're finally awake," he commented, his words just short enough to betray a note of exasperation.

"Are you… the Renegades?" Lloyd asked, moving so that he was squarely at the head of the party between the men and the group of his friends.

The ponytailed man tilted his head to Lloyd, eyeing him in curiosity as a smug smirk started to curl his lips. "Correct," he nodded, the gesture just enough to shift his sleek hair and fully reveal the telltale point to one of his ears. "We're an underground resistance dedicated to fighting the Desians… or rather, the Cruxis," he continued, his voice bearing a low rasp as he kept his eyes fixed on Lloyd.

Somehow, Liane was grateful for the puzzle that the elven man presented to her – he was at least something tangible – and perhaps even someone who would offer answers instead of questions for once. _Someone has to have a better idea of what's going on than we do… maybe he wants our help… maybe that's why we're still alive?_ While that was a decidedly optimistic thought that almost made her cringe by itself, she couldn't shake the feeling that the cloaked man was testing them. That no matter what he needed from them… as far as he was concerned, they were playing by his rules – and that only served to make her that much more uneasy. _Maybe we should have run when we had the chance… haven't we already been played with enough?_

"So Cruxis and the Desians really are the same organization!" Lloyd breathed out with a groan. For a moment, his shoulders dropped – as if hearing the same fact from yet another source made it even more real to him.

"Correct," the robed man nodded, one hand on his hip as he kept an eye of interest on the party before him. "Cruxis controls the Church of Martel in the open, and operates the Desians from behind the scenes," he continued, his words measured and precise. "The Desians are a subordinate organization within Cruxis."

"Wait…" Liane stepped away from the others to look directly at the two Renegades. In some abstract way, it all made sense… but the sadism was so wrong…. "So… the Church of Martel… the institution that brings hope that there's more than just existence to people around the world… is actually in league with the Desians… who would just as soon turn us all into lab rats as look at us?" she shook her head. She had seen proof with her own eyes… lived it… but that it truly was the rule instead of the exception….

The aqua haired man turned just enough to fix a narrowed gaze on Liane with an indifferent shrug. "The Church of Martel is nothing more than an instrument created by Cruxis to rule the world. Those who call themselves angels are half-elves, who've evolved by using a special type of Exsphere called Cruxis Crystals," he continued before he glanced back over the others, his face wrinkling a bit with some emotion that seemed tied to disgust. "They aren't gods or anything of the sort. Of course, the Church of Martel and the Chosen know nothing about that."

Liane stood back, her anger backing down just enough to keep a logical grasp on what he had said. _So… the Church… the priests… they're pawns, too… we're all being used._ She felt like that should have helped on some level… but it didn't. The Church was being used by Cruxis… and all it had the awareness to do was lead the worship of the gamemasters.

"They're half-elves, too?!" Sheena blurted out at the caped man, drawing yet another exhausted sigh from him.

The robed man nodded to the ninja. "Yes. Some of the Desians, as well as Cruxis and ourselves, are half-elves."

_Botta… 'Lord Botta'… that's what they called him at the temple…_. Liane's thoughts prodded her further on why the pointed-haired man was so familiar. He had shown up at such random times throughout their journey already. At the start, in Triet… and she was sure that she vaguely remembered him from the Asgard Ranch. _Is there anyone that hasn't been keeping tabs on us? The Church, Cruxis, the Desians, the Renegades…?_ She frowned and huffed a little. "What does that matter?" she murmured with a sullen shrug. "I'm more concerned that everyone else seems to have a better idea of what we're up against than we do… and we're all just stumbling in the dark to their whims… who cares if they're half-elves or not? We're still being used." She noticed the quick looks that she got from the Renegades – and from members of her own party as well, but didn't have the time to question it before Lloyd spoke up again.

"What is Cruxis trying to do? Are they doing all of this just to rule the world?" the swordsman asked, earning the glare of the aqua haired man once again.

"Do you intend to have us explain everything?" the caped man snapped, his grip on his upper arms where his arms crossed visibly tightening as he glared at Lloyd. "How about using your own head a little."

Lloyd took a step forward – one hand already closed into a fist – only to be stopped by Raine's restraining hand on his shoulder. "Do they wish to revive the Goddess Martel?" the professor asked, further halting any protest Lloyd and his pride might have been constructing. "They send oracles to those of the mana lineage and control their marriages to create Chosens who become the vessel," she continued, slowly releasing Lloyd from her grip. "It seems meaninglessly drawn out and complicated."

Botta tilted his head at the silver haired woman and offered her an approving nod. "Well, well. I am impressed."

"Impressed that we can see that if this has been going on for generations, there's either something really wrong with the plan or that someone is just enjoying the game way too much?" Liane grumbled. "It's really not that much of a stretch after what we've seen… you really don't have to be insulting on top of everything else."

The ponytailed man smirked slightly at that as he leaned back against the desk behind him. "There is another world beyond Sylvarant that competes for mana."

"Tethe'alla," Lloyd nodded, cutting off further explanation that had already been established for them.

"Yes," the caped man nodded, his gaze fixed on Lloyd. "And the one that created this twisted world was Cruxis' leader, Yggdrasill."

Liane straightened, her reaction silent while small gasps escaped from some of her companions. _Yggdrasill… created… Sylvarant and Tethe'alla?_ She had been in the presence of a being with that much power? It seemed crazy… _but… Kratos… even kneeled before him._

"Create a world?" Genis shook his head in denial, fixing a skeptical glare on the caped Renegade. "That's ridiculous! No one can do that!"

The aqua haired man pushed himself up from the desk with a disgusted sigh, glaring down at Genis before he turned on his heel and started toward a nearby door. "If that's what you believe, then our conversation ends here."

"Wait," Lloyd called out, slowing the caped man's steps before he moved beyond the desk. "If Yggdrasill was the one that created the two worlds himself, what can you possibly hope to do against someone like that?" he asked with a helpless shrug, one hand going to rest on the handle of one of his blades as he watched the man turn. "And that's not all. You tried to kill Colette and me. You're certainly not on our side. Yet for some reason, you saved us. Why?"

Liane was momentarily stunned by her friend's words. Once again, his uncanny knack for getting just the right grasp on the situation at the best possible moment reared its head. _He's right…_ she silently agreed as she watched the Renegade. _We've already proven that we're no match for Yggdrasill… what use does he have for any of us but… Colette…._ She turned, seeing the blonde girl still standing in quiet observation of those that surrounded her, her expression betraying no interest of any sort. _But… she's still the Chosen… a shell waiting for Martel's presence…_ her eyes widened. It still didn't explain why they were all rescued, much less still alive, but…. "They need leverage…" she murmured, looking up to the Renegades as her hand moved to the handle of her sheathed sword.

The aqua haired man snorted condescendingly as his gaze swept out and finally settled on Lloyd. "You're not as stupid as you seem."

"Excuse me?!" Lloyd snapped back, advancing a step on the caped man.

Liane heard a metallic rustling around the room and suddenly realized that the handful of guards that had been standing quietly around the room since their arrival had started to close in on them. She turned, forcing herself to not draw her sword – yet. If there was more information to be found, it was clear that they needed it – but if they would be allowed to leave with it seemed to be another matter.

"Our goal is to stop Martel's revival," Botta interjected, the ease in his posture fading as he watched the party begin to defensively shrink on itself, shielding Colette at their core as they moved to press their sides together. "Therefore, the Chosen, who would become her vessel, was an obstacle."

_Was? What?_ Liane frowned as her shoulder bumped against Sheena's, her eyes fixed on the soldiers that continued to edge closer.

"Unfortunately, the Chosen completed the angel transformation," the aqua haired man commented with a shrug and the hint of a smug smirk on his lips. "The Chosen is now a lethal weapon whose only goal is self-preservation. We wouldn't dare lay a hand on her." He sighed and shook his head to chase his ponytail back over his shoulder as he took a step l closer to Lloyd, his smirk growing a little more. "But now we have the key to stop Martel's resurrection. We no longer need the Chosen!"

"What?!" Lloyd exclaimed as his swords cleared their sheathes and he took a step back towards the others.

The aqua haired man matched Lloyd's backstep with his own step forward, his smirk now almost predatory. "What we need is you, Lloyd Irving!"

Liane's head snapped up at that, glancing over her shoulder to where Lloyd stood on Sheena's other side. _Lloyd? They want Lloyd now??_ Grinding her teeth together, she squared herself to the nearest approaching Renegade soldier. _It must be that damn Exsphere… they still want it…_her thoughts grumbled as she drew her sword and braced it before her. _That… that… thing's brought him nothing but trouble!_

Lloyd stopped edging backwards once he was with the others – side to side with Sheena and Genis. "Me?! What's so special about me?" he demanded in frustration.

"That's none of your concern!" the camped man rasped as his hand flicked out in front of Botta. "Get him!"

The party tensed at the Renegade leader's command and they tightened their formation around Colette. Out of the corner of her eye, Liane saw a flash of pink-purple light and the ponytailed man's words came back to her. _'The Chosen is now a lethal weapon whose only goal is self-preservation.'_ With a frown, Liane drew a breath and turned herself a bit more, closing their circle just enough to include Colette in their ring instead of enclosing her within it. _She might not see us as friends… if she's pressed, it might not occur to her._ It was a thought that made her wince, but being attacked once again by one of their own wasn't something she was sure they could take at that time.

But even as the soldiers closed in on the party, Lloyd suddenly lurched forward with a choked growl, driving his knee up into the aqua haired man's gut and sending him staggering backwards to collapse to one knee.

"Lord Yuan!" one of the soldiers called out as he rushed to the leader's side and helped him slowly straighten from his pained crouch.

_Yuan…_ Liane blinked as the impending battle hesitated, allowing her a moment to step forward just enough to see the crimson gash spreading across the Renegade's middle. _Why does that sound familiar… and how did Lloyd hurt him like that?_

Botta moved to Yuan's side opposite from the soldier and carefully helped the cape man stand from his stoop. "No! It's his wound from Hima!" he grumbled, his attention fully on Yuan.

"Ugh…" Yuan grunted, holding a bloodied hand over the oozing red splotch on the front of his vest. "Kratos… how many times must you get in my way?!" he snarled in a perfect mixture of pain and anger.

"Wound from Hima?" Lloyd murmured, staring at Yuan in dismay as he allowed his blades to drop to his sides. "Are you telling me the one who attacked Kratos was…?"

Liane was suddenly jerked out of her fascination at her friend's fluster by a small, firm hand closing over her wrist and tugging her towards the door. She looked down as her mind scrambled to right itself only to see Genis' determined expression. "Genis?"

"Talk later… run now…" the elven boy snapped back as she started to keep pace with him. "We have to get out of here… this might be our only chance."

With a frown, Liane glanced back over her shoulder to see Sheena pulling Lloyd from the room as well. Raine was leading them on their break-neck run through the corridors along with Colette. _So… Yuan… was in Hima? He's the one that Lloyd said tried to attack Kratos and disappeared after?_ It fit… as much as she hated to think about it. If the Renegades were fighting against Cruxis… and Kratos was truly one of the Four Seraphim as he claimed, it explained everything… or at least gave her proof to shove at the voice in her head that was still holding onto hope that none of it was true. It was Kratos that had guided them and practically delivered them tied in a bow to Yggdrasill's feet. _But why… he didn't have to take any of us with him… he could have refused._ It didn't make any sense. Genis finally released her arm as they ran, turning around random corners as the overhead lights flashed red. But she was almost grateful for the randomness of their flight… she wasn't certain that she had the concentration for anything more. _He could have taken Colette at any time… forced her through her trials… then handed what was left of her to Yggdrasill. _

Liane suddenly choked, her eyes widening even as she hoped that her ragged breathing would have covered it to the rest of them. _He… either hates us as much as the Desians seemed to… or…._ She could barely stand where her thoughts seemed to want to go… in light of everything… how could _that_ even occur to her?

_Maybe… was he… really trying to help us?_

In spite of everything to the contrary, he had trained them when he could have let them falter – he had healed them when he could have let them die. Those were facts as much as it was that he had betrayed them to Yggdrasill. _But… why???_ Why go to all that trouble? No matter his reasons – hatred or duty – wouldn't his job have been infinitely easier if her has found some way to leave them behind?

"In here… quick…."

The professor's hissed command drew Liane out of her mire of maddeningly circular thoughts. Looking up, she saw Raine braced in the doorway of a room, waving the rest of the party past her. _First thing's first… have to deal with what we know… what we can do something about, _the dark haired young woman coached herself. Choking down the puzzles for the comfort of some semblance of logic, she slipped in to the room with the others and turned to watch Raine allow the door to their presumably temporary sanctuary close.

"Dammit!" Lloyd wheezed, leaning his hands forward onto his knees with a raspy growl. "What's so special about me?!" Those Renegades need to hurry up and make up their freaking minds about whether they're our enemies or not!"

With a shrug, Liane tilted her head to watch the swordsman. The only thing that made sense was probably the one thing that he didn't want to hear. "Well, they seemed to want your Exsphere before, right? Maybe… the Renegades have a way that they want to use it against Cruxis?" she offered as Raine turned a thoughtful gaze her way. "If Kvar… and Forcystus… wanted it so badly to put a reward on Lloyd's capture… then maybe it's as much a threat to them as it is an advantage?"

"Maybe… it's all we really have to go on…" Sheena murmured in agreement as she looked over to Lloyd. "But… it was his mother's…" her voice trailed off when Lloyd's shoulders heaved just enough to be noticeable. "He… shouldn't have to give it up… to anyone… especially considering it sounds like it could only make things worse."

Genis huffed and ran his hand back through his hair, glancing nervously back to the door and then to the red-clad swordsman. "Lloyd, what are we going to do now?"

Lloyd looked up, his expression clearing just a little but the cocky smile the teen was known for was nowhere to be found. For just a moment, his eyes flickered down to the back of his left hand, but then his posture straightened and his gaze settled onto Colette. "We've got to save Colette somehow," he stated quietly. "She's going to die if she's made into Martel's vessel."

Liane wasn't surprised in the least by Lloyd's response – they were all alive and relatively safe for the moment, but Colette the one closest to the edge. "What the Renegades, the Desians, and Cruxis want now… it has to come after we find a way to help her," she shrugged as she leaned back against the wall beside the door. As she started to roll her head up – practically a silent prayer for guidance to fall from the heavens, she couldn't help that her eyes settled on Lloyd's Exsphere. The stone had undoubtedly helped him – helped all of them – over the course of the journey. _But… how much trouble has it brought him? His mother died for it… and it cost him his birth family, now he's being hunted like an animal for it…._ She shook her head, the peacefully shining blue stone glimmering innocently at her. _The damned thing… no mother – no parent – would want this for their child…._ It was a decidedly bitter thought… but enough to tear her eyes from the thing and look away again.

"But what can we do?" Genis flailed his arms helplessly, letting them fall back to his sides with a huff.

But the only answer that came immediately to the young mage was an uncertain silence as his companions shifted their weight from foot to foot, fidgeting as they found themselves forced with the same wall – and no answers to give.

"Sheena… where did you get your Exsphere?"

The professor's question broke the silence, drawing curious glances to her even as her blue eyes were fixed solidly on the ninja.

"Huh?" Sheena blinked in stunned surprise that only lasted long enough for her blank expression to slide into a curious smirk. "Well, _that_ came out of nowhere," she commented before she held up her hand, the light of the room flickering off the stone that was set in the back of her mitt. "I got this before I came here. They attached it to me at the Imperial Research Academy."

Raine nodded absently and took a step closer to the ninja. "Is it normal for people to equip Exspheres in Tethe'alla?" she asked, almost as if addressing the crested stone more than the girl that bore it.

"No, not at all," Sheena shook her head quickly. "The technology was originally brought over by the Renegades. Nowadays, Exspheres are mainly attached to machines."

Lloyd stepped forward, shaking his hand between Raine and Sheena to physically break into their conversation, his forehead creased in confusion. "Wait a second. So Tethe'alla and the Renegades are on the same side?"

The ninja shook her head and huffed softly. "I'm not sure if you could say that," she fairly groaned, taking a moment to draw a breath as she crafted her response. "But the Renegades were the ones that brought us information about the nature of the two worlds. And the plan to assassinate the Chosen was their idea. They talked the King and the Pope into it." Her frown deepened as her eyes slid over to Colette. "'If you desire for Tethe'alla to prosper, kill the Chosen of Sylvarant.'"

"That's horrible!" Genis blurted out, recoiling a step closer to Colette.

"But the reasoning is sound," Liane murmured, pushing off from the wall to place her hand on Genis' shoulder. "The Renegades are simply offering Tethe'alla something they want in return for doing them a favor…" she shrugged. "If Colette were eliminated, it sounds as if Tethe'alla would continue to prosper, and the Renegades would rob Cruxis of Martel's vessel – for whatever purpose that serves their ends." She looked over to Colette again, amazed and saddened by how many people that had never even met the girl were plotting her death. "It's… really not personal… Colette's just stuck in the middle."

Genis relaxed under Liane's hand, his shoulders drooping just a little before Raine drew another breath and looked over to Lloyd.

"Lloyd, I suggest we go to Tethe'alla."

Liane's head snapped up at the professor's words. "Go to Tethe'alla?" she repeated, the idea coming out of nowhere. Of course she was curious about this _other_ world… but shouldn't their first priority be to get away from the Renegades? To find somewhere safe… someone that could help them find a way to bring Colette back to them? Tethe'alla would still see Colette as the enemy, wouldn't they? "Raine… I don't –"

"Why Tethe'alla?" Genis asked, speaking at the same time as Liane. He glanced up to her with a startled look before he offered her a sheepish grin and turned back to his sister.

"Don't you remember what Yuan said?" Raine replied calmly, turning her wand in her hands. "Angels are half-elves that evolved using special Exspheres called Cruxis Crystals."

Lloyd's expression suddenly brightened, and he started to bounce a little on the balls of his feet. "Oh, I get it! Colette's current condition is caused by the Cruxis Crystal!"

Raine nodded, a hesitant smile on her lips as she glanced around to her companions. "Since Tethe'alla is studying the Exspheres, they may know something about Cruxis Crystals as well."

"That's a good idea," Sheena nodded appreciatively. "I'm pretty sure that they're studying the Cruxis Crystal that belongs to Tethe'alla's Chosen at the Imperial Research Academy."

Genis turned to watch Sheena, his jaw hanging open just a little. "There's a Chosen in Tethe'alla, too?"

Sheena glanced down to the mage with a half-smirk and a nod. "Of course. The world regeneration ritual is carried out in Tethe'alla as well. The Church of Martel exists, too."

Liane chewed her lip, the entire situation making her more nervous with every passing moment. Perhaps Sheena hadn't felt the need to clarify facts of her homeworld before, but the similarities she spoke of were almost unnerving. "I guess it shouldn't be that much of a surprise… if Yggdrasill created the worlds and their balance, the rituals to change the supply of mana would at least be similar… and the organization guiding those rituals would be easier to control if they were the same…." It seemed to her like a cosmic game of 'tug-of-war' with Yggdrasill at the center, watching the Chosens and their people pulling frantically for his amusement. Then her eyes widened. "This… has been going on for so long… longer than Sylvarant's history…."

"But if they've been carrying out the regeneration that many times, why hasn't Martel's vessel been completed already?" Lloyd asked with a confused shrug, looking from Liane to Raine and then back to Sheena.

The Professor nodded her agreement, planting the base of her wand in the floor and wrapping her hands around it. "I'm curious about that myself. Perhaps those corpses lined up in the Tower of Salvation were…" her voice trailed off with a shake of her head just before she straightened. "No, never mind."

But Liane knew where her mentor's thoughts had gone. The discussion from the Tower was still sharp in her mind, the sight of the spiral of coffins one she was certain that she wouldn't soon forget. _Maybe… they weren't just Chosens that failed the regeneration… maybe… they failed to be acceptable vessels… and… were discarded…._ The thought made her stomach curl into itself. _No wonder… no one seems to know much about the late stages of the regeneration… the Chosen is taken away… but… it's not to heaven… and if they don't become Martel's vessel… they're just… kept in the Tower. _She had to take a step back, her hand moving to find the wall behind her to steady herself. _That's… so not right…._

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded with a frown as he looked over to Colette, his voice soft, yet still bearing determination. "There are too many things we don't know: Cruxis' objective, the Renegades, the method to save Colette…" he ticked off each item on its own gloved finger before he shrugged and looked around to his companions. "So let's just start with what we can do now."

Sheena tilted her head to watch Lloyd, a skeptical gleam in her eye. "So we're going to Tethe'alla?"

Lloyd planted his fists at his sides and nodded to the ninja, this time not sparing a look to the others. "Yeah, that's the only lead we have right now." He turned and walked to face Colette, all of his attention focused on the girl's blank stare. "And this time, I'm going to fulfill my role. I'm not going to let Colette bear the burden all by herself anymore."

Liane once again pushed herself away from the wall, drawing a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves before she spoke again. "We got into this together… we'll finish it together. You and Colette… don't have to bear it alone, either…" she murmured, trying to convince herself to catch even a bit of Lloyd's spirit. There was nothing left for them in Sylvarant at the moment – no where they could turn for help – and no where that Kratos wouldn't know to look for them. It wasn't' a chance they could take – not with Colette in the state she was in – and not with Cruxis and the Renegades after them. "Maybe… we can at least buy ourselves some time by going there…."

"Wait a minute," Genis waved his hand in the air to gain the others' attention. "That's great and all, but how are we going to get to Tethe'alla?"

Liane realized that the silver haired boy had found a rather glaring flaw in their plan – and it made her cheeks warm a little. _How could we miss that? It can't be easy… or Sylvarant would readily know about Tethe'alla…._

"I'm sure Sheena knows how to get there, correct?" Raine asked, raising her eyebrow to the ninja.

Sheena smirked, half-chuckling at the professor's question and the group's fluster, almost as if she had been expecting it. "My understanding is that you can travel to Tethe'alla by passing through a distortion in space," she replied with a shrug. "As far as I know, crafts called Rheairds are the only things that can do that."

"Where are they?" Lloyd asked with a groan at the concept of yet another obstacle rising in their path.

"The Renegades should have them," the ninja answered with a shrug and a vague gesture to their surroundings. "They should be somewhere on this base."

Lloyd drew his blades and turned back to the door, sparing are last glance to Colette before he motioned over his shoulder. "Okay then! Let's get going!"

Liane followed her friend's example, drawing her sword and shifting her pack on her shoulders as she fell in step with the others, cautiously making their way out into the corridors once again. Raine joined Lloyd at the head of the group, offering silent gestures of direction as they navigated the hallways. She could only hope that Raine possessed the memory that she thought she did – watching the elven woman work the controls at the base before had been just short of mesmerizing. That was the main reason that she followed without questioning some of the turns that she was certain they had made before. "Sheena," she whispered over her shoulder, never entirely taking her eyes from those ahead of her - or how gently Genis was leading Colette by the hand just in front of her. "If we go… can… we come back?"

The ninja snorted softly behind her. "Are you serious? I was sent here to kill the Chosen and stop Sylvarant's regeneration. You think I wouldn't have a plan to get home?" Sheena shook her head, watching Liane for a moment before her expression sobered, never missing a step with the group. "You're really serious, aren't you…" she finally murmured, her smile softening. "If and when you guys want to come back – we'll find a way. I promise."

It wasn't as if Liane hadn't already felt the tug to leave Iselia behind. But it was never a consideration to never see her parents again. With all of her friends there with her, Ben and Dora Dale were really the only draw that Iselia had for her – but it was enough. She believed Sheena's promise… no matter where their flight took them, one day, she'd come home again – whether Sylvarant was regenerated or not. Beyond that, she knew there could be no promises – or at least none that anyone could be held to.

_No promises…_ she mused sullenly as they rounded another corner. _I should have made you promise, Kratos… promise that you'd fight with us… not against us._ The thought was bitter – moreso when she realized that it had never occurred to her to ask that… and it had never occurred to her that he – that _any_ of their party – would turn on them. _So stupid… so naïve…_ she chided herself before a large set of double doors whisked open ahead of them and derailed her thoughts. The room was similar to the storage buildings that the farmers of Iselia kept for their crops – but on a much, _much_ larger scale. As she and the others ran in, she saw Raine stop and spin back to a panel beside the doors, throwing down a T-shaped switch that slammed the metal doors shut behind them. The act effectively afforded the group at least a few more moments of relative safety. "What… is this…?" Liane asked, her eyes following the soaring arcs of metal up and over the cavernous room before she started to look around the scattering of machinery. _So many machines…._

"It's a hangar…" Sheena murmured with a frown, walking slowly out into the middle of the room, her head shaking slowly from side to side. "The Rheairds… they should be here…."

"Maybe the Renegades are using them," Genis shrugged from where he and Lloyd flanked Colette. "What are we going to do now? We've got to be as far into the base as we can go… they're gonna catch us if we try to go back the way we came!"

Liane glanced over to her friend with a sigh. "Genis… not now…" she shook her head. Panic wouldn't help anyone – even if it was an easy option to trying to stay calm. It did seem that they would probably have to fight their way through each of the Renegades to get out – and then… would they be any better off? Chewing her lip, she watched Raine start over to one of the numerous panels of lights and buttons… and for just a moment, hope flickered a little brighter. _Maybe she can find where they're keeping – huh?_

It was just a flash of color against the drab metal, dodging between the crates and machinery. But it was the color that startled her the most – a meadow-green flanked by pure white – and it was slowly edging behind a pile of nearby boxes. "N-Noishe?" she stammered, edging closer to the boxes.

"Huh? Liane, what are –" Lloyd started, turning to give the girl a look before his eyes widened and he dashed forward, passing Liane and sliding to his knees to wrap his arms around the neck of the cowering creature with a laugh. "What are _you_ doing here??"

Liane and Genis exchanged puzzled glances as the swordsman pulled his pet out into the hangar. They hadn't seen any sign of the creature since they had been in Hima, even though she was certain that he would have wanted nothing to do with the dragons that had brought them to the Tower. "How… did he get in here?" Liane murmured, shaking her head in amazement. "Did the Renegades capture him and bring him here, too?" It seemed like a stretch, but they had brought the group's supplies and weapons from the Tower… none of it made sense, but what was before their eyes couldn't be ignored, either.

"Who knows…" Genis shrugged helplessly. "Wherever Lloyd goes, Noishe is only far enough back to avoid monsters…."

_'He's my companion… he's never far away….'_

Liane straightened, her eyebrows knitting as she tried to remember when Lloyd had told her that – when he had ever called Noishe anything but his dog. But before she could ponder it more, a mechanical whirring filled the room at various places in the floor, metal irises spun open, elevating six odd metallic shapes up into the air. She took a step back to avoid the edge of one of the circular pits, her eyes wide as she could make out what seemed to be control handles, a small platform for a person to stand on, and upswept wings protecting further details of the craft from closer inspection. Then, all at once, the wings swept down and seemed to lock into place, the whirring of the floor panels being replaced by the whine of the engines of the crafts.

"So these are the Rheairds," Lloyd commented, hooking a hand through Noishe's collar and dragging the creature closest to the craft that seemed to be at the head of the others.

As the brown haired teen experimentally stepped out onto the wing of the hovering machine - dragging his faithful dog along with him, although clearly without Noishe's consent – the other end of the hangar spiraled open, much as the ports in the floor had to open a long, light-lined hallway. As soon as the doors retracted, Raine ran from the console she had been working at and led Colette to one of the flyers as everyone else moved to another of the unclaimed crafts.

"Hurry!" Sheena called out as she leapt onto one of the Rheairds, her fingers dancing across the few buttons before her. "They'll catch up to us!"

Liane stepped onto the craft nearest to her with a frown, eyeing the softly glowing lights on the panel before her, finally pressing a green button that seemed to be the logical choice to start the machine even though she couldn't understand the symbol pressed into it. Jumping as the engine beneath her came to life, she glanced over to see Raine claim her own flyer, leaving Colette astride her own Rheaird. _Is that wise? s_he questioned silently, not used to second-guessing the professor's judgement, but finding it a bit easier after the Tower of Salvation. _The Renegades said that the Chosen's goal was self-preservation… and the controls do seem pretty easy…._ She turned one of the handles and felt the engine respond by revving a little louder. _This can't be too bad…._

"All right, then!" Lloyd called out as he looked back over his shoulder to the rest of the party with an excited grin. "Tethe'alla, here we come!"

It was the battle cry that rallied them all once again, Lloyd finding his way back to offering them the inspiration they needed to make the leap to another world entirely – to help their friend, and maybe – if they were lucky – to save their world. _Okay… we can do this… no turning back now..._ Liane's mind chanted as the machine she stood upon began to move – slowly at first, but as she tried to keep pace with the others, the speed increased to the point that her grip on the handles turned into almost as much just staying on it as it was steering. When the tunnel ended abruptly and the group burst out into the sunlight, she caught her breath, the sight of banking against the desert cliffs sending her heart up into her throat – but all that would come out was a breathless cry that bordered on a laugh. The adrenaline rush was just enough to keep her thoughts from slipping into the past – they could only look forward now.

And that was the thought that pushed her as she fell into formation behind Lloyd and Sheena as they leveled out, heading for a glowing ball of energy suspended above the base. One by one, they disappeared into the glowing orb – a blinding flash absorbing them…

_Bye, Mom… Dad…_ Liane thought as she clenched her eyes shut and the light burst around her. _I'll be back….

* * *

_

The rush had lasted for a while after the light released them - ice-topped islands in an expanse of sapphire seas were her first glimpse of the new world – followed quickly by rolling hills of lush green. But even as she let her eyes slide closed for just a moment… willingly losing herself to the wind that had already destroyed what was left of her braid to simply enjoy the taste of a new kind of freedom… the peace shredded itself.

First there were the hollow 'popping' sounds.

Then came the panic as the Rheairds changed course on their own into an unmistakable dive at the ground.

That dive was followed by the screams of her friends. Maybe hers was one of them, but she couldn't be certain.

Finally, there was the ground that suddenly seemed to reach up to grab them.

_I'm going to die… after everything… this is it…._

The blackness came quickly – faster than Liane could truly consider it. But the darkness receded almost as fast, leaving a few spots – one on her shoulder and one on her hip to be exact – that she was certain were already starting to bruise. The realization was easier considering that the pain meant that she was still alive.

"Ugh…" Liane grunted as she turned, wincing as her shoulder rolled over the ground, but the jab of pain made her eyes open to a field of blue sky with clouds so close that she was certain she could have reached out to touch. "And I thought I liked flying…" she groaned as she pushed herself up from the ground, reaching up with her hand to push her hair back from her face.

"Flying's fine," Sheena's voice came from just behind Liane and the dark haired girl turned to find the ninja dusting herself off with a disgruntled kick at the smoking pile of metal and wings beside her. "It's the falling that really stinks."

Liane shifted to her knees and then stood, her legs shaking until her hand flailed and caught the control handle of the machine she had been flying. It was smoking as well, but still looked relatively intact. Sheena said something about the seals of Sylvarant being broken and there not being enough mana… she was sure she had heard that, but it had been in the chaos of crashing. "You sound like you've done it before…" Liane smirked, noticing that the others were stirring around them, relief flooding through her. She didn't think they had been going fast enough by the time the mountain had risen before them to do a lot of damage, but if they were all safe… then their trip was successful – kind of.

Sheena rolled her eyes. "Let's just say, I've come to figure out that technology isn't always that reliable…" she smirked as she started to walk towards the others. "Rheairds aren't exactly natural transportation, even if they are convenient."

Nearby, Lloyd sighed heavily as he crouched beside his crashed flyer, watching Noishe run off into a patch of nearby boulders before he stood and shrugged to the others. "I think we managed to avoid destroying them completely."

"But they're useless unless we get some fuel," Genis grumbled, leading Colette closer to the others in the small clearing at the heart of the wreckage.

"What's the fuel? Coal?" Lloyd asked, his eyes shifting to Sheena in curiosity.

"Coal?!" the ninja blurted out before she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, geez… how do you guys manage to actually live in Sylvarant?"

Liane looked up, surprised by Sheena's words… just the inflection in her words made the dark haired young woman wonder if she should feel insulted. "You've been there… you know how we live…." Liane shrugged, trying to keep from sounding too defensive - but it had already been a long day between the Tower, the Renegades, and crashing on their trip from Sylvarant – the last thing she really wanted was to have to defend herself from someone else that she considered a friend.

"Then magic, I assume," Raine murmured, stepping up to Liane's side to look over to Sheena. "Perhaps the lightning that Volt produces?"

Genis' head snapped up at the mention of the lightning Summon Spirit, his eyes dancing with excitement. "Then all we have to do is have Sheena summon Volt."

The ninja shrunk back at the mage's assessment, exhaling before she shook her head. "I… haven't made a pact with Volt."

"Oh…" Lloyd sighed and then shrugged as he glanced around the clearing. "Then I guess we'll just have to leave these here," he commented. Running a hand back through his hair he finally stooped to pick up his pack of supplies.

The mage followed his friend's example, his shoulders already drooping before he strapped his pack over them. "And here I thought magitechnology was infallible."

Liane pushed her sword down into its sheath and then knelt to secure her daggers, the weight of her pack making standing up a little harder than she liked to admit, but gritting her teeth and following through anyway. Leaving the Rheairds behind complicated matters some – mainly in that their quest to help Colette might not go as fast… _but… we'll need them to get home, won't we? _Before her frown could form completely, she shook her trend to clear it away. _If we can't use these, there have to be more, right? We'd just have to find them –_

"Hey, what's that?"

Liane looked up from her vaguely reassuring thought at Lloyd's question, her gaze following his indication to spot the tall, thin structure on the distant horizon. Her eyes widened and a chill swept over her at the sight. _No… not again…._

"That's… the Tower of Salvation!" Genis exclaimed, trotting over to the edge of the rocky platform and shielding his eyes with his hand from the sinking sun. "Why is that here? This is Tethe'alla, right?" he asked, shaking his head before he looked back over his shoulder to Sheena.

"Of course," Sheena strolled closer to Genis. "The Tower of Salvation appears in the flourishing world. The Tower also appeared on your side after Colette received the oracle, right?"

"Two worlds. Two towers," the professor murmured, stroking her chin before she looked to the ninja. "What about the Holy Ground? The Church of Martel is also over here, correct? Is the Holy Ground called Kharlan?"

The ninja nodded, clasping her hands behind her back. "Yes. The place where the Tower of Salvation lies is the Holy Ground of Kharlan. The same as yours."

Moving to tie her loose hair back with a leather strap from her belt, the wind momentarily whipped around Liane again.

_"I'll never return to Derris Kharlan… my place is here… with you…."_

The words sounded familiar now, but mingled with the wind, it was what she imagined it would be like to have a ghost whisper in her ear. Liane had to look away from the Tower, finding even Colette's empty gaze preferable to seeing the soaring testament to how it seemed that everything she and her friends had believed in and fought for had been a lie. _He never said that… he never said anything about Kharlan… _she shook her head once again. _And he never said anything like that to me._ Liane was almost surprised by how bitter the thought was, but after a moment's introspection, she realized that it applied to all of them. _He never said he'd stay with any of us… he always had his job… his assignment_. He made no secret about that… but everyone simply assumed that he meant the job given to him by Phaidra. _We never thought - never questioned - that there was more to it._

"The Holy Ground of Kharlan is where the peace treaty was signed to end the Ancient War!" Genis' voice rose a little louder over the winds. "There can't be two of them!"

"Are you sure yours isn't a fake?" Sheena replied evenly. "We have records in our museums that depict how the Hero Mithos called the two ancient kings to the Holy Ground of Kharlan in order to forge a peace treaty."

Liane sighed, her eyes sliding closed at what already seemed to be an argument in the making. _It's all petty now… we're not playing by the same rules as we were before._ She glanced back over to the others, studying them all one by one as the professor turned and took a step between Genis and Sheena. If they had ever truly had a grip on the true situation, Liane decided she would be surprised – she would have been even more surprised if they weren't actually even further behind in that now. They had all seen it for themselves – Kratos could have finished any or all of them at any time, had he so chosen. But he hadn't. _Does that mean that we're of some use to him… or…?_ That made sense… the most of any of the options both known so far. But she still wanted to believe that there was more. If she was truthful with herself, the only thing that truly surprised her about Kratos was that he had turned on them so swiftly. His strength… his power and speed… none of that surprised her in the least.

_Not… not even the wings…._

"And such records exist on our side as well," Raine commented, dissolving Liane's thoughts and drawing her attention back to the others for the moment. "Instruments used to sign the treaty can be found in the Palmacosta Academy."

Lloyd exhaled and ran a hand back through his hair. "So either one side is fake… or maybe they're actually both real."

Genis spun on his friend, his hands going to his hips with a huff. "Lloyd, that's _not_ possible!"

"Any less possible than two worlds tied together… or two Towers of Salvation?" Liane murmured with a shrug as she walked back closer to the discussion. "I don't think we can rule anything out just yet."

Genis looked up to Liane with a roll of his eyes. "But – that would mean that there's two of _all_ of that! That's just crazy! The kings didn't use two pens and sign two of everything just to split it between –" he shook his head again. "That's just _crazy!"_

"Don't get mad," Lloyd held his hands up, chuckling awkwardly and taking a step backwards. "I was just… kinda… saying stuff." With another laugh, he turned, jostling his pack and starting away from the edge. "Anyway, let's get going."

Sheena paused, looking back to the Tower once more before she turned to follow after Lloyd. "It's true we aren't gonna get anywhere by pondering about it here," she shrugged, her eyes meeting Liane's with a weak smile before she continued on.

"Wow, it's our first adventure in Tethe'alla!" Genis added in, running ahead to walk with Lloyd as they started down the mountain path.

With a groan from where she had stopped beside Colette, Raine gently urged the girl to follow along with the rest of the group. "Genis, this isn't a field trip."

Liane smirked at the siblings, shaking her head as they all began to file onto the narrow path that looked like it might be passable to get them down off the mountain. _I wish it was a field trip… that would make things easier,_ she sighed, trying to control her expression and not betray her thoughts. _People come home from field trips… and usually wiser for the experience._ She spared one last glance to the Tower before she turned herself just enough so that the view wouldn't be possible without turning away from the path before her. _I just hope we can all come out of this that lucky….

* * *

_

The setting sun had seemed to speed its descent as the party navigated the switchbacks of what Sheena informed them were the Fooji Mountains. As the temperature continued to drop, one alcove in the pat presented itself as shelter to the growingly weary travelers. The decision to set camp as an easy one considering that there were already creatures milling about – any one of which might get curious at the right time and push the group even closer to breaking. They would continue on their journey in the morning with the sunrise – but after all that had happened – that night at least – they would rest.

Genis' cabbage rolls were as welcome a treat as any of them had ever had, judging by the speed at which they disappeared. And then the night darkened completely around them, leaving their fire as their only source of heat and light. The party gathered around the flickering warmth, but an odd quiet kept them all in a tight embrace, making conversation minimal at best.

The sky was moonless, and – as Liane quickly discovered – simply wrong. As she leaned back from the fire and allowed her eyes to adjust, she was surprised to find that she actually recognized constellations… but it was the wrong time of the year for them to be were they were in the sky. _Sheena did say that Tethe'alla lies parallel to Sylvarant… I guess it follows that they could share the same stars._

But even that realization wasn't enough to keep the fact of exactly how far from home they were away from her mind. It was too early to be homesick, she told herself, although not nearly as convincingly as she probably would have liked. Drawing her knees to her chest, Liane rested her chin on them and stared into the fire. _There's so much more…_ she sighed, starting to marvel at exactly how ignorant they had all been – whether they had ever had any other option or not. Perhaps the old adage had been right… perhaps it had been bliss. But it wasn't as if they could go back – ever – to that state. Even as Liane teetered on the edge of letting the thoughts suck her in completely, she heard the professor's voice. The words were soft over the crackle of the fire, but perhaps that as what made Liane turn to her side to watch her mentor, leaning a little closer to make out her words.

"… can't believe he was really our enemy…" Raine shook her head, her hands tightening on her knees as she sat cross-legged, her head hanging.

"Kratos?" Sheena asked, turning to look to the Professor, her eyes snapping to the woman beside her after she had been watching Genis guide Colette over to the side of the camp against the cliff face to help her prepare her bedroll.

"Yes…" Raine nodded without looking up – without even attempting the mistrustful glare she had kept just for the ninja for so long. "I did think he seemed to know too much, but…."

"He had all the right answers," Liane shrugged, relieved to finally be talking about the mercenary – _angel_ – instead of just listening to the thoughts rattling around in her own head. "A mercenary was the perfect cover. He's been using it for –" she stopped, blinking for a moment before she shook her head. "He seemed like he's been using it for long enough to fool anyone," she corrected herself. "We just happened to be the ones he fooled this time." She ignored the look she got from Raine, passing it off as a combination of weariness and paranoia.

Lloyd dug the toe of his boot into the dirt where he sat beside Liane, his hands mimicking the act as he clenched at handfuls of rock. "As we blindly went ahead with the journey of regeneration, he was just laughing at us the whole time!" the swordsman ground out bitterly, practically growling at the dancing flames before him.

"I wonder…" Raine murmured thoughtfully. "The things he said… especially…" she leaned forward to look around Liane and fix Lloyd with her troubled blue gaze. "Lloyd? I felt a gentleness in the words he spoke to you."

The swordsman looked up, his eyes wide before he snorted and shook his head, looking away once again. "Kratos, gentle?" he huffed again, the sound bordering on a laugh. "You've got to be kidding."

Liane frowned at his reaction. Lloyd had to be hurting… he was the least likely one of all of them to turn his back on someone, but the situation seemed to have forced even his limits. _He called Kratos 'master'… told him that he was like a big brother. _She chewed the inside of her lip, trying not to make her troubled thoughts too obvious. She was no stranger to the feeling of animosity and distrust towards the older swordsman… but Lloyd – Lloyd, who could see the good in anyone – was so hurt. "People can be placed in situations they don't want to be in, Lloyd. Maybe that's what happened to Kratos," she offered, reaching out to place a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. When he shrugged out from under her hand, she stopped, hardly expecting her oldest friend to react so. "I'm not saying not to be disappointed, Lloyd –"

"Still, it's true," Sheena added, wrapping her arms around her legs where they were folded before her. "It's hard to believe the things he said to us after we saw the Exsphere manufacturing at the Asgard ranch were spoken by a cold-hearted angel of Cruxis."

"Then why did he take Colette?" Lloyd bit back, no longer making the effort to look at any of them as he glared into the flames.

Silence settled over the four of them, leaving only the crackling fire and Genis' soft voice as he spoke to Colette in the shadows nearby. "I don't know," Raine finally murmured, her words speaking for all of them to answer Lloyd's question.

"Right," Lloyd spoke quietly, but still more than loud enough to reveal the tension in his voice. "All we know is that his goals and ours are _not_ the same." In the next heartbeat, the swordsman pushed himself to his feet and stalked away into the darkness outside the ring of light cast by their campfire.

Sheena sighed, shaking her head as Lloyd departed. "Yeah," she murmured her agreement far too softly for Lloyd to hear, but just enough to punctuate how Kratos' betrayal had struck them all.

Liane remained still for a few long moments – but only as long as she could stand it before she turned and climbed to her feet as well. "Raine… I…."

"Go…" the elven woman looked up with only a hint of a smile. "Lloyd doesn't need to be out wandering in the dark when he's upset," she told her assistant, nodding in the direction Lloyd had gone.

Nodding in response, Liane was grateful that Raine understood. She had always seemed to. Even when Raine had enforced her parents' concern and decision to sent Liane off to study with the Church, upon her return to Iselia, Raine never made her question her loyalty to her friends, no matter the time that separated them in age. She only placed Liane in a position of authority over the others when it was absolutely necessary to minimize the awkwardness… and all that even while still encouraging the girl to follow her own path in life. They were some of the many reasons that Liane respected Raine so much – and they also lent to the reason she had been so disappointed with her mentor at the Tower. _I… still can't believe that she knew what would happen to Colette all along._ But the worst part was that Liane could almost understand why… and it probably played a part in why Raine was content to leave Iselia with only Colette and Kratos. She would be able to soften the blow of Colette not returning by simply leaving out the details of what the girl had given up. _We… never would have known._ Raine would have kept her promise to Colette… and no one would have ever thought to question her. As far as anyone would have been concerned, Colette would have gone to be an angel in heaven.

_I wonder… if Kratos would have still taken Colette – if he would have struck Raine down if she had tried to help…._

The thought made Liane freeze. A sullen side of her whispered that Raine – having known Colette's fate – might not have been hurt at all. Her curiosity wouldn't have let her stay away from the Tower, but she probably wouldn't have taken on Remiel… and maybe Kratos wouldn't have had to reveal his true nature.

_Maybe. What if. None of that matters. It's not what happened._

She set her jaw and grounded herself in the moment she was living, spotting Lloyd's silhouette sitting on the outer edge of the mountain path. He needed someone… he didn't need to be alone. It was enough for her. "Hey…" she whispered so as not to startle him. "Scoot over… you're hogging the good view." Her smile was already weak at the attempt at levity, but when he didn't react, it almost faded completely.

Finally, after an uncomfortably long moment, Lloyd shuffled to his left just a bit. "View's not that great," he mumbled. "It's too dark to see anything but the stars."

"You used to love the stars," Liane replied, sitting down beside her friend, gripping at the crumbling dirt of the edge to keep herself from reaching to his shoulder again. He was right – the landscape before them had all but disappeared, leaving a vast and twinkling star field before them.

"I do… at home…" the teen almost grumbled his response. "They're weird here… this isn't home."

She couldn't really disagree with any part of what he had said. It didn't surprise Liane that Lloyd had noticed the difference in the stars as well – he might not have always been the best student, but he paid meticulous attention to what mattered to him. "Sheena says we can go home Lloyd… that she'll find a way –"

"_Not_ until we help Colette," Lloyd snapped back, his voice just a little deeper than a hiss. "I abandoned her before… and I'm not gonna let it happen again!"

"Lloyd…" Liane blinked, surprised by the anger in his voice. She had known him to get frustrated, but anger was never anything that the boy achieved easily. "It wasn't like that… you can't blame yourself –"

He turned to look at her, the campfire in the close distance glinting in his eyes to accentuate the emotions in his glare. "How can you say that? You were there! For a second, I let her go! And look what happened to her! I chose everyone – anyone – in the world over Colette!" A disgusted grunt slipped from him as he suddenly looked away. "_He_ told me not to make a mistake – that was the only time I probably ever should have really listened to him… and I messed that up, too…."

Liane watched him for a few cautious heartbeats longer before she also stared out into the starry void. "Lloyd… it's not over," she finally spoke, softly so as not to agitate him more. "Kratos was coaching us to look after each other… he… he fought us, but he did leave us with at least a chance –"

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd shot her a weary glare that struck her as almost a physical shove. "_He_ taught us stuff so we could amuse him more when we fought. And we're only here because the Renegades saved us – _he_ didn't do anything to stop Yggdrasill from killing us!" He ground his teeth together and snapped his head away. "He's our enemy… I... I don't even think… I want to hear his name right now… maybe not ever…."

Liane clamped her mouth shut. She had been starting to object… but the mixture of anger and sadness in her friend's voice made her stop. How could she object? Everything he had said was either true or could easily be true. But despite all that – hadn't they all already seen how easy it was to only see part of the story? There has to be a reason why Kratos hadn't followed through and finished them. "Lloyd, I think maybe… _he_… was trying to show us the way… to help us without making it obvious – to Yggdrasill or whoever. I don't think he wanted –"

"He _deceived _us. No matter what his reasons were," Lloyd bit back. "I hate him… what he's done to us… and Colette, especially," he turned, drawing his legs up into a crouch to meet Liane's wide eyes evenly. "Look, I get that you liked the guy… I… I thought he was okay, too – but remember that he attacked you just like he attacked the rest of us."

Meeting his eyes, she felt hers begin to burn. It was something she would have denied vehemently at any other time, but arguing over something like a technicality at that point seemed stupid. She did like him – in at least equal parts with letting him infuriate her. But then there was the fascination… the pull to see what was hidden away beneath the cold demeanor he wore like armor. She was certain there was more – but she didn't have the first idea on how to reach it. Certain she had seen glimpses at Luin and Hima in particular, Liane wasn't' sure she could be so quick to let the mystery go. "Lloyd…."

"No…" Lloyd shook his head. "I don't want to hear about him. I can't forgive him…" he stood up and watched Liane for a moment longer. "Maybe… sometime. But not now." He huffed and turned his back on her, trudging back towards their camp. "I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow, we're gonna help Colette."

Liane hung her head, listening to Lloyd's receding footsteps until they disappeared before she allowed a small, choked sob to slip away from her. She had tried to help her friend, but it had backfired on her – perhaps making Lloyd feel even worse – and pushing him away at the same time. But she felt so strongly that there was more to the deceit – yet, when she was honest with herself, all she really had to rely on for proof was her gut… and her unnervingly growing paranoia over how much she – no, how much _they_ were all missing.

_But… it all comes down to Kratos…._

She couldn't rely on him – it would endanger all of them to do so. Even harboring a little faith in him had already hurt Lloyd. How much had she turned her back on – refused to see – just because something drew her to Kratos? No matter what he had done to her, how he had pushed her away… something still made her so curious. It wasn't attraction – at least not _all _of it – but there was something that compelled her to keep finding another chance for the mercenary.

_Lloyd's right… he toyed with us… I should hate him, too. But…._ She swiped at her cheeks, but not fast enough to keep a tear from slipping from her cheek and splashing down onto the thigh of her breeches. _Lloyd doesn't understand… hells, neither do I… but… he'll think I'm crazy if I use dreams as a reason for wanting to believe that Kratos isn't evil._ Hooking her finger beneath the bracelet that hung on her wrist, she sighed, exhaling deeply into the cool night air. _None of them will understand… none of them will want to._

Turning her eyes up to the strange arrangement of stars – for a moment, it seemed as if she was floating, suspended among the flickering lights. For those precious few heartbeats, she found peace… and the ability to push everything else away. _We'll help Colette, then we'll go home. Whatever consequences we have to face… we will. But… we're taking Colette home. There's nothing for us here. Sylvarant's our home… there's got to be a way to help it without sacrificing anyone…._

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a quick flash of bluish-green, gone as fast as she noticed it. _A shooting star?_ She blinked away her daze, looking for some sign of the streak only to find none. Then, with a small huff, she closed her eyes, knowing she couldn't ignore even the childish of bids for luck at the moment. "Goddess…" she whispered softly, finding old habits difficult to break – still unable to decide if they should be broken at all. "Please… hear my wish… guide us home… or at least to the path we're supposed to be on… give us the strength to follow it… please."

* * *

The next morning dawned clear and beautiful – a stark contrast to the collective mood of the party. Colette showed no improvement. Not that – if everyone was truthful with themselves – anyone expected any less. But it was disheartening in any case. 

The trip down from the Fooji Mountains was kept somewhat interesting by the monsters that seemed content to attempt to block their path – each of their opponents serving to do little more than allow them to blow off some pent-up frustration.

_I… can't believe Lloyd's avoiding me…_.

Liane couldn't even start to count the number of times the thought had wandered through her mind that morning. Lloyd was one of her oldest and dearest friends – practically a brother. Before Genis had arrived in the village, it had been them against the world in their childhood antics… with Colette joining in the mischief when she could evade the watchful eyes of… well, _everyone._ But no matter what, when the sun set, they knew that they each had at least one person in the world that understood them.

But that didn't change the fact that all they had exchanged that morning were the most base of pleasantries… and no one else seemed to know what to say or do about it, either. Liane knew she had probably pushed Lloyd too far… even though she hadn't meant to. As much as she just wanted to understand – what was happening to them, what had happened to make Kratos betray them… even why it was that she couldn't bring herself to hate him – it seemed that he had pushed them all too far. Her usual avenues of talking things out until they made sense were closed, at least for the time being.

_Maybe it's a good thing. Maybe… they'll burn themselves out._

She set her jaw. No matter the puzzle, no matter how she wanted to tell them what she had dreamed – with some exceptions, of course, no matter how much she wanted them to finally tell her that she was crazy or that it was just her imagination… she wanted some kind of validation. They could all laugh it off… and them maybe she could be on her way to finding the anger for Kratos that she knew she should have.

But it didn't appear that any of that would be happening any time soon.

And until it did… Liane decided that silence would be her best option. It wouldn't rub salt in the wounds of her friends… and it wouldn't turn her into their enemy as well – she hoped – for even attempting to justify Kratos' actions. _It's for the best… this way… I can tell myself to stop wondering about him… and none of them will ever have to actually tell me that I'm crazy._

Yet, even though it strengthened her resolve, she wasn't quite sure when she had ever felt so alone. It wasn't just Lloyd – she felt more isolated now from her friends than she ever had. And even though she knew she was being selfish in feeling that way, she also knew that the others were each at least as lost as she was. _An entirely different world… no idea what we're going to do here… no idea how we're going to get home… no idea if we're going even be able to reverse what's been done to Colette. _That was it. That was the common thread that tied together their thoughts and kept them silent. What if there wasn't a way. What if Colette really was gone? They had all aided in one way or another… their silence merely served to keep them from having to admit it outright to each other – and to themselves. It was a way to focus… even though they all had the urge to look back… to see where they had gone wrong.

Liane kept to the back of the party for the majority of the trip across the plains that separated the Fooji Mountains from a city that Sheena called 'Meltokio.' From what she heard the ninja telling Raine and Genis, it was the seat of power for all of Tethe'alla… ruled over by a king and his court. It all sounded like a fairytale to Liane, but then, how was traveling between worlds and interacting with angels any better?

But Meltokio would be where they would find the scholars of the Imperial Research Academy – and their best chance for understanding – and perhaps fixing – Colette's condition. Liane couldn't help but hope that the new society would be a distraction that would help her center her thoughts once again – too keep a grasp on what had to be important… and what needed to be put behind her as quickly as possible.

Once the walls of the city began to rise before them, practically blinding white in the bright sunshine of the early afternoon, the party's pace slowed.

_Sylvarant… doesn't have… anything like this…._

Liane's awe was echoed in the quiet murmurs of the others before her as she stopped in the middle of the cobbled path that led to gigantic city gates, lifting her eyes to the towering walls as she shielded them from the sun with her hand. Gold-detailed scrolls topped the perfectly smooth walls, making the town seem that much more luxurious - that much more fantastic – to a group that had haled a port city with small, narrow streets and a large plaza as the 'jewel' of the cities they called their own. But as they continued to approach, Liane spotted a pair of armored guards – one to either side of the gates – and she stopped once again. Would the guards stop them? And if they needed to identify themselves… would the guards even believe them? She wasn't sure how common knowledge of Sylvarant was… and if they were trying to kill Colette to save Tethe'alla…. _Sheena said that the King and the Pope had been the ones to decide to try to assassinate Sylvarant's Chosen. So… what does that mean for the rest of us? Are we endangering Colette even more by being here?_

"Sheena… will you show us where the Academy is located?"

Liane looked up at Raine's question, venturing a bit closer to where the group had gathered around the ninja. How else would they be finding their way around a world none of them had even known to exist before just a few days earlier?

But, as if the Powers that Be had to get just one more laugh at their expense, Sheena shook her head, ducking her chin a little before she spoke. "Sorry, but I'm going to part ways with you here."

"What? Why?" Genis started, staring up to Sheena with wide blue eyes that danced with confusion.

"Have you forgotten?" Sheena shrugged, sighing a little before she straightened her posture and looked around to each of her companions. "I was trying to kill Colette. I have to report my failure to the Chief."

_She 'failed' because she's trying to help us…._ The thought saddened Liane as she took a step closer to her friend. "Can't you just explain the situation? That Colette and the rest of us are trying to find a way to balance the worlds… so that both worlds can prosper? Surely, they can understand that goal… couldn't they?"

Sheena met Liane's question with an almost blank look, exhaling for a moment before she answered. "I can't answer that. For now… I had an assignment… and I didn't carry it out. That's all I know for sure."

Genis reached out, taking a small handful of Sheena's wrapped tunic in his hand and tugging it to get her attention. "Is this Chief person in this city?" he asked, the frown on his lips indicating that he was also trying to find a way to keep the ninja among their ranks.

"I'm from Mizuho," Sheena replied with a hint of a sad smile. "The people of Mizuho were chased from his land. We all live in hiding."

It was a tidbit of information that the summoner had never shared before. The fact that she was an outcast of Tethe'alla society and still being used for her skills by the leadership made Liane even more uneasy of their chances of success.

"If you go make that report, are you going to be all right?" Raine asked, eyeing the ninja suspiciously, as if she was actually concerned that Sheena was playing down the situation for their benefit.

The Professor's subtle concern was a far cry from the treatment she had given Sheena when she had first joined their party – it was a good sign… that the Professor had accepted Sheena as a member of the party… but was it too late? "Sheena… if you're going to get in trouble for helping us, then stay…" Liane murmured. Even as she was concerned for her friend, she still couldn't help but wonder what would happen to them now – they were stronger with the ninja… especially in Tethe'alla. With one less to their party… would they even have the slight chance that they had convinced themselves to grasp for in the first place?

Sheena's smile brightened, even though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Don't worry about that," she laughed dryly, shaking her head. "Anyway, I'd like you to deliver this letter for me," the ninja sighed as she removed a folded sheet of paper from the folds of her sash and held it out to Lloyd. "Please give it to the King in Castle Tethe'alla. Tell him it's from Sheena of Mizuho. He'll grant you an audience right away."

Genis' eyes followed the letter as Lloyd turned it in his hands before he looked back up to the ninja. "The King wants to kill Colette, right? Are you sure this is going to be all right?"

"In order to stop that, I've written out the details of everything that's happened and requested that they help heal Colette," Sheena shrugged, mustering one more smile for the young mage.

_So that's what Sheena was doing last night while she sat up on watch…._ Liane had stayed on the cliff edge for a while after Lloyd's departure the previous night, and when she had returned to the camp, she had seen the summoner hunched over a sheet of curled and slightly rumpled paper. She hadn't even thought to question her… or to really bother her any more than a quickly mumbled 'good night' in fear of accidentally saying something to set off another of her friends.

"I see…" Lloyd murmured, folding the note in half and carefully placing it in the pocket of his trousers before he looked back up to Sheena again, a ghost of the boy's usual grin on his lips. "Thank you!"

The ninja blinked, staring at Lloyd for a moment before she laughed and shook her hand out before her. "Ah, no, y…you don't have to thank me. It's nothing. Don't mention it…" her words came out almost jumbled before she cleared her throat and glanced away, up to the city walls. "The Imperial Research Academy is under the control of the royal family. There isn't any other way, that's all!"

Genis moved to stand directly in front of the ninja, his hands planted on his hips as he observed her for a moment longer before a bright grin spread over his lips. "Are you embarrassed?" he asked in an almost taunting voice before he snickered. "You're funny, Sheena!"

Liane looked over, her eyebrow arched just a little at Genis' words… only to find the slight tint to Sheena's cheeks being a bit more telltale than she had realized before. _She… she is embarrassed…_she realized in awe, staring for a moment before she also looked away, although the smile on her lips was easily the first that had graced them that day. _So… she doesn't take compliments or gratitude very well… or… is it Lloyd? _It was a funny thought… the concept of Lloyd sweeping a girl off her feet with a simple polite statement and a smile. The boy was adorable, that was something she couldn't deny… but he'd always be like a brother to her – so maybe it was something she just couldn't see. In any case, it was still a stretch to keep from snickering along with Genis.

"Sh… shut up!" Sheena rolled her eyes before she sighed and started to turn. "I'm going now."

The levity of the moment was lost with the ninja's turn away from them, even as Lloyd moved a step to follow her. "We'll see you again, right?" he asked, his smile now gone in favor of a much more earnest and much less playful expression.

Sheena paused and tilted her head, considering the swordsman and his question for a moment before she shrugged and smirked slightly. "Hmmm. We might meet again," she sighed, shaking her head a little, "… and we might not."

"Then let's not say our good-byes yet," the professor suggested, wrapping her hands around her wand as if to give them something to do.

"Yeah…" Lloyd nodded, his smile returning just enough to be noticeable as he looked back to Sheena. "See you again."

"Yeah," Sheena nodded, her shoulders going back a little as she returned Lloyd's smile. "See you again… someday!"

Liane watched Sheena turn and walk towards her, going back in the way they had come up the cobbled path, and she noticed how the others all glanced away with the exception of Colette, who had remained silently staring ahead the whole time. None of them had wanted Sheena to go either. But just as the ninja started to pass her, Liane turned, starting to reach out to her friend's shoulder… to ask her to stop… to put off her return to Mizuho. "Sheena…."

The summoner paused, tilting her head to Liane for a moment before she glanced over her shoulder to the others a few steps away. When she looked back at Liane, there was no sentimentality or mirth in her gaze, only seriousness that bore into the brown haired young woman. "Liane… forget what I said to you before," she spoke, her voice barely loud enough to be considered a whisper. "Forget him. It'll be better for you… for all of you."

Freezing before she could finish her reach to Sheena, Liane let her hand fall. Locked in the ninja's stare, Liane knew that there was no other way to interpret the softly spoken suggestion that bordered on being an order. She meant Kratos. The ninja had teased her about the mercenary from when they had first started actually talking in Luin… but now….Liane hung her head, unable to form a response to Sheena's words.

Sheena didn't speak again. But her footsteps retreating off behind Liane only served to remind the girl from Iselia how much had been shattered… how much had changed… by just the short time they had spent in the Tower of Salvation. While Liane couldn't speak because she knew better than to promise that she'd forget Kratos… she recognized the wisdom in the idea. _Sorry, Sheena… I… I don't think I can do that… _she thought after the friend she knew she might never see again as the seemingly ever-shrinking group moved closer to the gates of the town. _I think that choice… is out of my control…._


	19. Chapter 20

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The Tower of Salvation is behind them, along with the betrayal of one of their own. Before the party lies an entirely new world… with new possibilities and new challenges. Their friendships are driving them on, but their past still shadows them – sometimes more literally than any of them realize.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 20

_"Bring me the Chosen. Immediately. Kill the rest. Do it now, or I'll make you sorry you were ever born."_

Kratos sighed at the way Yggdrasill's words still echoed in his head. _Too late for that._ He frowned again as he stood in the doorway of the Tower of Salvation, looking out into the dark Tethe'allan night. Once he had excused himself from Yggdrasill's dressing down, it had been an easy enough matter to track the Chosen's mana signature to the base hidden in the cliffs of the Triet desert. He would have started his search there in any case, but the echo of energy from the Cruxis Crystal stood out like a beacon to his senses. But the closer he drew to the base, the more clear it became that the trail he was following truly was just an echo – one that was strong even though it was fading, but it was fading nonetheless, disappearing completely at the dimensional vortex that hung over the base.

_I shouldn't be surprised that they came here…._

He knew they would be desperate – grasping at any chance they could find… but Tethe'alla? It seemed a bit on the radical side, but there was logic behind it that he guessed could be attributed to the Professor. She would probably be curious enough about the promise of a new world to endorse the journey both for her and for her students. _Where else would they go?_ He chided himself as his mind issued the subtle command to his wings to unfurl on the brisk night breeze. _They know that the Church isn't safe now… and the only ones with any experience with Exspheres – much less Cruxis Crystals – are the Desians._

As he lifted up into the air, he made a lazy spiral around the exterior of the Tower – high enough to the point that even to his keen eyesight, the landscape was a blurred mass of darkness punctuated by the occasional late-burning light of a stray dwelling. His flight towards the icy continents of the north helped to clear his thoughts. _Sheena… her stories of the technology and advances of Tethe'alla had to be a draw._ He had been unable to predict the effect the ninja would have once the party absorbed her. It surprised him that the Pope would have been involved with a plot to eliminate Sylvarant's Chosen without Cruxis' knowledge – in his years of observing the man, 'subtle' would never have been a term he'd use to describe him. _It had to be part of the Renegades' plot… their guidance fed on the leadership's fear of decline._

Kratos knew that he could have dispatched the ninja easily – and most likely long before her conscience convinced her to reveal her origins to the others. Why he hadn't… he couldn't say for sure. Maybe he just wanted to see their reaction to knowing more of the grand scheme of their world – to see what their righteous journey would become when they knew that their success would actually bring suffering to people they had never even pondered being in existence. _Maybe I wanted to see their solution… and how hard they'd fight…._

Perhaps it was sadistic – he'd been accused of worse. But another part of him was proud. Just the fact that he'd tracked them to Tethe'alla told him that they hadn't run to cower in a corner. _As blind as they may be to their path – they're pressing on._

Pausing to hover in the sky over the ice-crusted Tethe'allan Base, a thin smirk curled his lips as she once again could sense the presence of the Chosen's mana signature emanating from the vortex of energy. The trail was there, weakened by the passage of time, but still recognizable. He could only assume that the party had stolen Rheairds from the Renegades. While the Cruxis Crystal's essence was what he was tracking, he knew that the Chosen would not be motivated on her own to flee – nor would the party allow her to go without them even if she were. _No… they're all still together._

As he changed his trajectory to follow the invisible trail across the sky, Kratos found himself grudgingly admitting how good it felt to stretch his wings – something he hadn't allowed himself to recognize in longer than he could remember. The speed they brought him still gave him a rush, even if those same wings were a constant reminder of how things had gone so very wrong. Even if he hated them – for the night anyway – he would revel in them just a little.

_All of this… it means that they live. I have more time… there's still a chance._

He would be watched – of that he had no doubt. Yggdrasill was already well beyond suspicious and Kratos' show of bored refusal to answer the Cruxis lord's accusations didn't help that in the least. But any other reaction would have given him away even faster. Kratos had carefully crafted his calm façade – using anything else would have probably prompted Yggdrasill to torture – if not kill - him on the spot – immediately.

_My plan… it has to work. But I'll have to be careful to stay away from them… if I help them or get too close, Yggdrasill could go after them himself._

It would be a careful balancing act – but one that couldn't start until he knew where they were. Once he had a feel for the plans the party had hatched since he had departed from them, he could decide where to start himself – and how long he would have to act before Yggdrasill would once again lose what little patience he had.

As the Grand Tethe'allan Bridge came into view, Kratos' thoughts dissolved and he slowed his traverse of the night skies. _They didn't head to Meltokio?_ It had been his first guess on the party's destination, but the trail veered to the south, bypassing the Imperial City. _Their first goal… their only goal at this point… should be to find help for the Chosen… where else could they have gone?_ The trail was still present, though, so he continued past the city, his speed slowing as his mind churned over how he couldn't predict what they had done. He had taken it for granted that he knew how they thought – but what benefit was there in waiting to seek help?

Intrigued, Kratos flew on, eventually nearing the Fooji Mountains – and he had to pause once again as the faintest hint of acrid smoke tickled his sense of smell. _Smoke? They… crashed? All of them??_ The relatively leisurely pace he had kept since reaching the continent a thing of the past, Kratos found himself standing in a small clearing on one of the higher peaks within a few heartbeats. As he had pieced together, the cooled wreckage of half a dozen Rheairds littered the landscape, but there was no sign of death or wounding. Crouching beside one of the crafts, he sighed and placed his hand against the smooth metal hull. _Still warm…._ It was just barely noticeable – the crashes had occurred a while before, but not long enough for a group of tired humans to make it far.

_They must have set out for Meltokio – set camp along the way…._

With that, he dismissed his wings and started down the mountain. Part of him had to know if all of them were truly uninjured as the evidence suggested. _Six Rheairds… six riders. They all came._ Not that it really surprised him… _their experience at the Tower must have bonded them even tighter. _Kratos shoved away a twinge of guilt at that thought, instead focusing on the path and the facts before him. The Rheairds appeared relatively intact – and all together – suggesting that their landing had been at least somewhat controlled. _The engines must have failed…_ he reasoned. _The mana shift to Sylvarant has started with the breaking of the seals… if Sheena was the one that guided them to the machines, she might not have realized how the change would have affected Tethe'alla just yet._

Continuing down the path, he kept to the shadows, certain that stumbling into their darkened camp would be one of the worst things he could do at that time. But at the next bend in the path, he hesitated, backing up a step as the golden glow of a campfire against a pocket in the cliff face illuminated the darkness. Edging forward, he searched the ring of light around the fire, counting five bedrolls – four of them occupied as he could make out Sheena crouched close to the flames, presumably on watch. It was an easy guess for him to realize which member of the group had separated herself from the rest – it was just a question of where. Scanning his eyes over the camp and the shadows surrounding it, he allowed them to linger on the tufts of brown hair that stuck out from one of the bedrolls. From the tight curl of blankets, it was easy to tell that the young swordsman's sleep was fitful. _Lloyd… you never should have found out like that – about Colette… about my agenda. I deceived you…._ They were words he wished he could speak – only the start of them, actually. But why? After everything, forgiveness was certainly not something he was entitled to. Lloyd was better off in the life he had found… of that, Kratos was sure. To take that away from him – like it seemed everything else down to his very identity had been once already – was a cruelty the angel was prepared to do anything to avoid.

Forcing his eyes away, he sighed quietly and continued to search the shadows. It was a thought to attempt to speak to Liane – knowing that if anyone might be able to one day convince Lloyd of his regrets, she was the one. _But wouldn't I have to convince her first?_ It seemed an explanation would not help him – not to any one of them at any time.

_She'll keep dreaming…._ It was yet another thing he was certain of. Liane was getting worse at hiding them – or at least hiding that she was trying so hard to figure out what they meant. She had never asked for his help, never truly confided in him. That told him that she still didn't have enough confidence in what she was seeing – remembering? But what saddened him was the thought that she might remember – that she might grasp the contrast between memories of him she shouldn't have and the reality of what he had lapsed into since those memories were fresh. _Maybe… now that I won't be with them… she can forget again._

In the next moment, he spotted the solitary figure seated on the edge of the path – close enough that if he had taken only a few more steps towards the camp, he might have walked right past her. But there were no blankets near her, nothing to suggest that it was simply where she had chosen to spend the night… and that brought a frown of concern to his lips – especially when he realized the hunch to her shoulders. As much as Liane clearly cared for her friends, it was difficult to miss the solitary streak that had been developing since he had met her. What she had been like before, he couldn't say for certain, but it struck him as strange she would choose solitude over the presence of her friends on that of all nights.

Suddenly, Liane leaned back from the edge and stood, drawing a deep breath before she started to turn. Kratos edged back into the shadows, but continued to watch her. While not much of the firelight reached her, there was plenty to reveal her puffy eyes and a lost air around the girl that he had only seen her wear once before. It had been at the Asgard Ranch, when she had fallen helpless before them, her bid for escape denied for all she knew as her consciousness faded.

But as she turned to start back towards the camp, a quick flicker of silver on her wrist caught his eye. Only a small part of him was truly surprised that she still wore the bracelet. It was a tie to the one who had so heinously betrayed them all. But maybe… it was more to her – as he hoped it would be. A link to a time when someone like her had no doubts of his loyalties. It was a silent promise, just as it had been then… but this time it was a vow that he would do what he could to set things right… even if Liane didn't understand that – even if none of them could or would ever see it that way.

Watching as she made her way past the fire and to the outer orbit of the group where she pulled a blanket up around her shoulders and then curled into a ball on the ground, her back to the fire and to her companions.

Squaring his shoulders, Kratos slowly backed away and started up the path again, making his way to the switchback that overlooked the small camp they had set. He sat down on the edge, careful not to disturb the dirt and pebbles at the trail's edge that might alert any of them to his presence. Kratos had achieved his goal… he had found the Chosen and her party. His next actions would be dictated by theirs… and once he could judge that, he would part ways with them again. _There's much to be done… finally… I might be able to accomplish what I started then…._ Kratos sighed, turning his eyes skyward. It was time for the cycle to end… for the world to progress.

A sudden warmth tickled the back of his mind and though Kratos didn't take his eyes from the sky, a bit of a smile curled his lips and he lifted his hand from the ground. He only had to wait a moment before a pelt of warm fur slipped beneath his hand and a furry mass settled around his back.

"Lloyd got you to fly on a Rheaird… hmm…" he murmured in amusement that he hadn't expected to find that night. When a faint whine answered his dry chuckle, Kratos shook his head. "You've been a good friend to him, old friend. Just watch over him – over all of them – just a little longer…."

The feeling of teeth closing quickly yet still gently on his hand - not enough to break the skin, but plenty to send a message - halted his quiet request. Having been one of the last things he expected, Kratos looked down to meet a particularly pointed glare from the green and white creature. After a few long moments fixed in the creature's gaze, he sighted and slowly pulled his hand from Noishe's jaws before replacing it on the top of his head. "I can't… not now. You probably know that better than I do."

Kratos' claim was answered by a low growl even as Noishe curled tighter around Kratos' back, never moving out of range of the angel's scratch. "They might never understand – but this is what has to happen…" he continued, starting to wonder who he was trying to convince even as he sighed and dropped the reasoning before he had to justify it further.

Noishe answered with an emphasized huff as he curled around enough to rest his head on the angel's thigh.

"Lloyd will set things right. I'll help him as much as I can…" Kratos quietly promised the loyal creature. "Please continue what you've been doing for him, Noishe. We're going to put things right… finally."

He continued to scratch the long, soft ears and his eyes slid back to the stars once again as if seeking some constant to attach his promise.

_Then… maybe I can finally rest….

* * *

_

"Colette… _kicked…_ a _dog_?"

The stunned statement couldn't be contained to a mere thought as Liane watched the startled creature slink away into the streets of Meltokio. As if wandering into the city wasn't distracting enough, Colette had released her wings at the gates, earning them all strange looks as well as a wide bubble of space around them that the bustling town's inhabitants wouldn't encroach upon. But Colette's practically automated response certainly didn't help make them any less of a spectacle. "Come on…" Liane fairly groaned, trying to block out the stares of passers by as she nodded towards the side staircase ahead. "Let's keep moving…." As the group began to move, gently herding Colette along with them, a sudden nasally voice began to laugh nearby. Liane frowned and glanced up to see a robed man with a thin face and tiny spectacles that she could help but classify as weasel-looking approaching. _What the…?_

"That's a violent young lady there…" the man commented with a sneer and another laugh as he passed by the party with out slowing in his path to the city gates. "That's _marvelous…._"

The party stopped, momentarily stumped by the man's behavior – except for Colette, of course, who remained utterly unaffected by either the dog or the stranger.

"Who in the world was that man?" Raine asked with a shake of her head as she watched the man disappear from view.

Lloyd shrugged, running his hand back through his hair and then continuing towards the stairs. "Who knows… he has kind of a mean sense of humor, though…" he commented as he glanced over his shoulder to the others. "Come on… that guy over there said that the castle is on the top level of the city… up these stairs."

Liane waited with the others as Lloyd guided Colette out ahead of them, following along beside Genis even as a faint hit of disgust churned in her stomach. _Do we really stand out that much?_ Just the looks they were getting – even from the children – were making what could have at least been an interesting trip into an example of simply wanting to keep her head down, get their goal accomplished, and get out.

"Maybe… Colette thought the dog was going to hurt her…."

Glancing over at the soft voice, Liane shrugged to Genis' observation. While conversation that morning had been minimal at best, she was grateful for even the smallest option to talk about something other than the day before. The one thing that became clear after her talk with Lloyd was that they all needed time to heal on their own before they could come together an move on. "Another could probably be taken as a threat in her state," she murmured in response. "I'm actually surprised at how compliant she is… I mean, she still follows along… she actually fights with us without hurting any of us. Maybe she still knows that she can trust us… even if it doesn't show…." The thought was a reach – but if Colette's instincts knew that they weren't enemies, maybe there really was something left of their friend in there somewhere.

Genis nodded as they reached the top of the steps, a hesitant smile starting to curl his lips when he pointed to where Colette's steps were already picking up speed across the paved plaza of the town's second level. "Look at her! Maybe she knows that the faster we get to the King, the faster we can fix her!"

"Maybe… we'll have to ask her when we get through this, hmm?" Liane looked down to the young mage, her smile a reflection of his optimism. For a moment, they all paused, glancing around the bustling city, taking in the atmosphere. But Colette continued on past them, continuing on their mission without the element of awe that the others shared. Liane glanced up, her eyes following after the Chosen even as she realized that she wasn't slowing… that she was leaving them all behind. "Wow… you're right… she is in a –"

But Liane's statement was cut short as she could only stare at the catastrophe in the making: Colette was charging ahead, seemingly ignoring that her path was obstructed by a small flock of elegantly clad young people. Without hesitation, the blonde angel continued, slamming into a blonde girl in a red dress, almost knocking the girl over and sending a shriek into the air.

_Oh… no…._

"H… hey, watch it!" the blonde woman squeaked at Colette, her perfect ringlets bobbing with her outrage.

One of the young woman's friends rushed to her side, practically petting the offended girl's forearm as she turned her glare to Colette. "Watch where you're going!" she barked out, her cold glare fixing on the winged girl as Lloyd and the others approached behind the unflinching Chosen.

"Now, now, settle down my darling hunnies!" a decidedly more masculine voice crooned from the flurry of satins and laces just before a thin man with long red curls emerged, patting the assaulted girl's arm even though his sparkling blue eyes were already fixed soundly on Colette. "Hi there, my little cool beauty," he purred as he stepped out of the flock of women, stooping in a little to meet the angel's eyes. "Are you hurt?"

Liane blinked, unable to tear her eyes from the confrontation – all the squeaking and dramatics were almost enough to make her laugh out loud – and she probably would have, had another thought not overpowered her and almost made it even harder to keep her laughter contained: _That's a guy?? He… he's prettier than the rest of them combined…!_

But Colette didn't appear to share that amusement or – predictably – any reaction whatsoever. She simply stared blankly back at the young man. The Chosen's lack of a response drew a snort of contempt from the girl that Colette had bumped into to start with, the girl's nose thrusting into the air. "_Well!_ Master Zelos himself has deigned to speak to this girl, and yet look how she acts!"

"Just look at her!" a brown haired girl in a green dress from the other flank of the young man's entourage spoke up with an indignant sniff. "It's not even festival time and yet she's dressed up in an angel costume," she snickered, making a show of lifting her hand to her lips to hide her amusement. "How stupid are you?"

A black haired girl at the back of the pack chortled along with a disbelieving shake of her head. "Can you believe the nerve of this hag?"

"What did you say?!" Genis burst out, taking a step back and spreading his glare over the group of young women.

Liane couldn't do much better. Her glare came just a little too easy even as she reached her hand down to Genis' shoulder. The arrogance of the decked out girls was astounding, but it didn't stop the smile from gently curling her lips. "Sounds to me like they feel a little threatened…" she shrugged. _They think Colette's wearing a costume?_ The thought was vaguely amusing on its own as long as it didn't go so far as to consider what Colette had gone through to get her "costume." It was probably for the best not to correct them. "They're probably just upset that their costumes are scarier than Colette's."

"Genis… Liane. Let it go," Lloyd murmured from behind with a sigh, his hands resting on his blades as he shrugged. "She's obviously never looked in a mirror."

How Lloyd – dear, sweet Lloyd – managed to pull off such a comment with a straight face, Liane was sure that she'd never know. But she still forced a sympathetic sigh and a pitying shake of her head. "Wow… now, I just feel sorry for them…" she managed, barely keeping her snicker contained.

There was a collective insulted inhale that threatened to draw all the air from the plaza as the blonde girl balled her shaking fists. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" she shrieked, her voice soaring impressively up another octave.

"Huh… you could call dogs with a squawk like that…" Liane commented with a shrug as Genis snickered beside her. While she couldn't quite understand the pleasure she was taking from the exchange, she couldn't deny it, either. After everything, a brief regression to simpler times when she, Lloyd, and Genis had polished their torment techniques on the more stuck up girls of Iselia seemed to be just what she needed. Granted, it had been a contributing factor to her being sent to school away from her home, but this time… just this once… she didn't feel so bad about it.

The professor's heavy sigh filtered up to the rest of them even as the blonde girl's face reddened in her outrage. "You're all behaving like children," she groaned.

Liane wouldn't let herself look back to her mentor. She knew better – just as she knew that the Professor was right. It was just that – at that moment – with her glare and that of the blonde girl's locked together – she really didn't care.

"Now, now, settle down," the red haired man laughed softly, stepping up to Colette with a smile that practically oozed charm as he pouted playfully at her. "Are you upset, my little angel?" he asked softly as his hand moved to cup her chin. "You know, I bet you're as cute as a button when you smile…?"

But just as the man's hand touched Colette's skin, the angel reacted immediately, her arm flying out, connecting with the man's jaw and sending him flying across the plaza. For a moment, everything was a blur to Liane – the speed and strength of Colette's reaction to what she had to have seen as a threat and the redhead's acrobatics as he flipped in the air only to land on his feet with a surprised look on his face.

"Ahhhhh! Master Zelos!" the blonde girl swooned, the back of her forearm going to her forehead as the other girls rushed to her side.

Liane groaned at the display. "Give me a break… even dragging around that much satin can't make you that much of a wimp…." It was clear that the young man could handle himself – the theatrics on behalf of his fan club were just getting to be too much though.

"Whoa!" the man that the blonde insisted on referring to as 'Master Zelos' laughed a little breathlessly as he flipped a handful of curls back over his shoulder and adjusted the white hairband that he wore against his forehead. "Wow, that was a surprise," he commented as he once again started forward, ignoring the whimpers of his girls, his hands up in a show of peace. "You sure are strong, my little angel. You certainly startled me!"

"Wh… who are you?" Lloyd asked, a frown etched deeply into his features as he watched Zelos' approach… his eyes following after him and widening as the redhead made a show of avoiding both him and Genis as he continued to walk towards Liane and Raine.

"No offense," Zelos laughed dryly, not even looking at either of the boys, "… but I'm not interested in talking to guys."

Genis spun on his heel to follow the redhead's confident stride past them. "I hate this guy already…."

Liane heard her young friend's grumble, but found herself unable to react as she was pinned by Zelos' blue gaze. Her cheeks began to warm as he reached out a finger to thoughtfully draw it along the edge of her sword's handle.

"Hmm… is her blade as sharp as her tongue… hmm?" he purred, a low laugh making his eyes dance. "Oh, but my feisty Warrior Goddess would be so much prettier without that harsh braid…" he beamed at her, starting to reach out to where her braid hung over her shoulder. "Something a little softer… and I bet you'd shine just like that sword…."

Speech didn't quite make it as her highest priority as she stood – stunned by his overt flirting, but not enough to keep her hand at her side as it moved to block his. "I'm no 'warrior goddess,' I assure you… but I'd really appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself…" she finally murmured as she pushed his hand away, noting how his expression never really changed except to look a bit more amused.

"And she's modest, too…" Zelos winked at her, chuckling as Liane's cheeks burned a brighter shade of red even as his eyes slid to the professor. "Ohhhh," he breathed out, blinking wide eyes at her. "What's your name, beautiful?"

Raine rolled her eyes, smirking a little as an eyebrow arched at the young man. "Give me your name and I'll give you mine," she shrugged, her voice ringing with a note of amusement.

"Hey, you copied Lloyd!" Genis laughed as Raine crossed her arms over her chest and Zelos took a small step backwards as if he'd been struck.

Lloyd, however, wore a small frown for just a moment before a grin broke through. "Now that I've heard someone say it, it sounds kind of arrogant."

While Liane wasn't entirely sure where Lloyd had picked up his response to inquiries on his identity, it had become a signature of sorts for him. To hear him call the professor's usage of it 'arrogant' was enough to bring a smile back to her lips once again. The man's flirting had flustered her completely – he seemed quite skilled from what she could tell from his bevy of groupies as well as how he didn't hesitate to flirt with any woman he set his eyes on. _Michael was always so clumsy when he tried to flirt…._ The thought made her stop, almost shivering at the notion. _Thank the Goddess they'll never meet… this guy could have easily become Michael's idol…._

"Oh, my, you don't know me?" Zelos clutched at his heart as he stumbled backwards a step, finally straightening when he reached the protective shelter of the semi-circle of his flock of young women. A labored sigh accompanied a shrug and another playful smile. "Well, well. I guess I still have a ways to go."

Liane knew it would be an easy matter to patch the man's apparently wounded pride by telling him that they weren't from the area, but somehow, she was sure his ego would survive. _He won't even remember he met us five minutes from now…._

"Master Zelos! Let's go!" the blonde woman demanded with a whine, hooking her arm around Zelos' and thrusting her nose back into the air, attempting to tug the redhead away even though he seemed to remain rooted where he was, a pleasant smile still fixed on his lips.

"Oh, yes, yes, of course," Zelos blinked, shaking his head after a moment and clearing his throat. "Well, then, I'll see you again, my lovely lady, my warrior goddess, my cute little angel, and… uh… you other people." He waved his hand dismissively towards Lloyd and Genis and spared one more wink and a dazzling smile for the women of the party before he allowed himself to be dragged away. The chattering mass of fawning young women continued to shoot assorted glares back over their shoulders at the Chosen's party until they disappeared down the staircase to the first level.

"Okay, what just happened…?" Liane murmured, shaking her head and feeling as if she had just been caught up in a tornado of some sort. Between the arrogant women and the flirtatious man, she almost felt like she needed a nap – or at very least room to breathe. After practically being ignored for the better part of the morning, the sudden rush of attention was almost embarrassingly tiring.

"What was that all about?" Lloyd asked, scratching his head as he stared after the strange man and his women.

Genis drew a quick breath and shook his head, his pause just enough to make it clear that the normally eloquent young elf was practically shaking as he struggled with his words. "What an _ass…_" he finally blurted out, wide-eyed as if the declaration had almost even surprised him. "He was grinning like an idiot the entire time. What's _wrong_ with that guy?" he continued to rant even as his face flushed in frustration.

Liane couldn't stand it. She burst into a giggle that she didn't even try to hold back, encouraged by the fact that she heard Lloyd doing the same thing. It felt good to laugh, even if she knew that it wouldn't last. Just the fact that Zelos had pushed Genis so fast was something she knew that she might have to remember. "Aww, come on, Genis – if you were surrounded by twits like that, you'd probably hit on anything that moved, too," she continued to snicker as her eyes began to water.

"Yeah, Genis…" Lloyd snorted in a futile attempt to keep his laughter bottled up. "Be glad that there were four of them or he might have been hitting on us, too!" the swordsman grinned before doubling over with yet another fit of laughter.

"He had an Exsphere on him…."

Raine's quiet observation answered any potential questions as to why her young sibling hadn't been smacked for his language, but it also sobered the mood, quelling the laughter as Genis blinked at his sister and then stared off in the direction the man had disappeared. "What?! No way!"

"So that's how he reacted so fast…" Lloyd murmured, his smile fading as his hands once again found their way to the handles of his blades. "Just who is that guy?"

Liane shrugged, already missing the laugher of a few moments before. "We could probably ask someone, but does it matter? I'm betting he's not the King," she sighed, noticing that Colette was starting forward once again. "If we run into him again, maybe we can ask, but Colette seems to be eager to get going now…." For some reason, the redhead struck her as the type that would love to know that he was still the topic of conversation even after he'd disappeared from sight.

"He acted like he was the King…" Genis grumbled before Lloyd reached out to ruffle the boy's hair, earning the swordsman an indignant glare before he started to follow after Colette. "C'mon, Lloyd… at this rate, Colette's going to end up fixing herself before we catch up to her."

Lloyd nodded and followed along, glancing over his shoulder to Raine and Liane. "Come on, Professor…" he started, pausing for a mischievous grin to spread over his lips, "… bring the 'warrior goddess' with you!"

Freezing in mid-step, Liane cringed at the name, already hating how her cheeks warmed and how it encouraged her friend's laughter. "Shut up…" she murmured, ducking her head and starting to walk forward, her feet practically scuffing the ground as she walked. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"Not likely – not when it gets a reaction like that," Raine replied calmly, although her amusement was still clear. "Maybe… as insufferable as he seemed," he professor dropped her voice and nodded ahead to where the boys were still snickering as they followed Colette up the next flight of stairs. "If that's what it takes… maybe it's worth it?"

"I suppose," Liane replied with a nod, her cheeks cooling a little as she recognized the wisdom in her mentor's words. "I'd rather see them laughing… even if it is at me," she shrugged before she raised an eyebrow to the Professor. "Lloyd's probably too afraid of you to tease you anyway…" she sighed, deciding that she shouldn't be the only one getting teased after Zelos had – in fact – targeted both of them.

Raine's expression didn't change in the least even as she met her assistant's gaze, her eyes betraying a sparkle of amusement. "Lloyd Irving is far more afraid of homework than he will ever be of me…" she sighed as they started up the stairs side by side. "Fortunately, that's an attack I can save just for him."

Liane couldn't block out the sudden mental image that bloomed in her mind of Raine hurling a book at Lloyd and she started to laugh once again. She was starting to realize that she couldn't remember the last time that they had shared a good laugh. The journey had already worn them down long before they reached the Tower of Salvation. While she knew that nothing that had happened since then would soon be forgotten, it was a relief to see even a flash of hope that they might someday find their way back to some semblance of 'normal.' _Lloyd doesn't hate me…_ she smiled softly at the thought. _That's a good enough start for me._

But a few steps later, she and Raine found themselves stopped on the top level of the city behind their companions – each of them staring in various levels of amazement at the structure before them. As if Meltokio's walls and intricate layout hadn't been enough to stun them, they should have been able to guess that its castle would be the jewel in the city's crown. Soaring towers and gilded window frames shone brightly in the sunlight that seemed to be falling down over the castle only to show off the architectural marvel.

"Whoa…" Lloyd breathed out, taking a few steps forward, still staring up. "It's huge!" Then he looked back to the professor, pointing a finger towards the entrance on the other side of the paved pavilion. "Is that the castle?"

"Lloyd…" Liane sighed, noticing the looks they were already getting from an all new parade of people passing by them who appeared perfectly oblivious to the grandeur of the buildings – probably because they saw it every day. "Close your mouth… you're starting to drool…" she smirked as she planted her hands on the back of his shoulders and gently pushed him out ahead of her.

"H-Hey!" Lloyd protested, stumbling along with Liane's prodding. "I am not!!"

Liane snickered a little and removed her hands from his shoulders with a pointed nod to the armored guards that stood at attention at the top of the small set of steps before them. "Good. Don't start now, oh fearless leader…" she spoke, actually grateful to be on the receiving end of one of his eyerolls for once.

Lloyd continued to mutter quietly under his breath, squaring his shoulders as he led the party up the steps and then stopped midway between the two guards, considering them both for a moment before one of the armored men broke the silence for him. "Who are you people?" he demanded gruffly.

Taking a small step back, Lloyd moved quickly to reclaim the confidence he had mustered to approach the guards in the first place. "We want to meet the King," he announced, foregoing any particular formalities, even faced with the two rather intimidating figures.

"His Majesty is ill and is not granting audiences," the second guard stepped into the conversation with his sharp declaration. "Now that you know, please leave."

_Ill?_ Liane blinked, meeting Raine's calm gaze with wide eyes. _And go where? This was our only plan!_ She frowned, but still managed to draw a slow breath. Sheena was their only link to how Tethe'alla worked – and everything hinged on getting help from the Imperial Research Academy. They had no idea of any other paths that would lead them to that goal – and without that help – without Sheena – _we… we can't do this?_ It was such a helpless thought – but could they really be stuck?

Lloyd advanced on the guards, his fists shaking but noticeably not moving to his blades. "No! We have to see him!" the brown haired teen insisted, his voice wavering ever so slightly between anger and desperation.

"I'm sure you do," the first guard sighed as if he'd hard the argument before. "But until His Majesty is well, there is nothing that can be done." His tone softened a little as he raised a gloved hand to indicate the area to the west of the castle. "The Church of Martel is preparing a prayer ritual to pray for His Majesty's recovery, so try asking the priests in the church to ensure that he gets well as soon as possible."

Before Lloyd or the others could further object, another pair of identically armored guards approached, paying no mind to the party whatsoever. "Your shift's up," one of them announced, leaving the group to slowly turn and start back down the steps.

"What now?" Liane let her hands fall to her sides with a sigh. "Maybe there's someone that can speak for the King? She offered. "I mean, neither of them said what he's sick with… maybe it's a cold… or –"

"We can't wait!" Genis insisted, shaking his hand at Colette. "Look at her! She doesn't even respond to us now! What if she gets worse?"

Lloyd's shoulders drooped for only a moment before he turned and nodded towards the ornate structure to the side of the castle. "I guess we'll have to go to the church," he sighed, reaching for Colette's arm and starting to guide her away from the entrance and the guards.

"Sure," Liane frowned, shaking her head as she followed along with the Sages, keeping an untrusting eye on the church. "Why not? I guess it's an option. Besides… It's not like we can say to a castle guard, 'oh, we can't go there – the Goddess might try to keep our friend," she grumbled. She knew that the church probably wasn't entirely corrupt – that there probably were _some_ good people there. She simply didn't have much faith that those people would be the people they would come across.

"Sarcasm isn't helping," Raine chided quietly when she looked over to her assistant and then forward to where Lloyd and Colette were waiting at the door of the church. "But you're right to some extent… we need to keep Colette behind us as much as possible – if anyone is going to recognize that she's not wearing a costume, it's going to be the people of the church."

Lloyd nodded, glancing over to Colette with a sigh. "Right… I think she'll let us lead her in…" he motioned for Genis to come closer and then started to push the door open. Liane and Raine fell into place behind Colette and the boys led the way into the darkened church that smelled of ages and incense, making their way to the inlaid stone of the central aisle.

They walked slowly – or at least too slow for Liane even though she recognized the need to show reverence. The inside of the hall was simple, allowing the small touches of elegance to explain how the people worshipped their Goddess – while golden statues and inlaid designs were everywhere and carved rows of pews, the place simply _felt_ holy… even to one whose faith had been shaken. _It's so big… but it doesn't seem any different than our churches._

"Welcome to the Church of Martel," came a soft, warm voice from beside the group as they approached the altar. A smiling man in the vestments of the church walked up to them slowly, opening his mouth as if to speak again before something behind them caught his eye and distracted him. Taking a small step back, he held a hand partially cupped to the side of his mouth. "Oh, Presea. The prayers are to take place in the royal chambers," he called out, making an effort to keep his voice from echoing in the cavernous hall. "Please carry the sacred wood to the castle."

Liane and the others turned to spot a girl with pink pigtails and wide blue eyes standing at the back of the aisle, a rather large ax strapped to her back and her hand resting on a brace attached to a large stump of wood. _She… she's so young to be dragging that around…_.

"Yes," the girl spoke softly and nodded her head as she turned and tugged on the handle to start the wood moving once again over the stone floor.

_Maybe she's a ward of the church,_ Liane reasoned with a frown, recalling how the church in Sylvarant was known to adopt orphans and take them into its care, putting them to work on menial tasks as soon as they were old enough. _But hauling wood? That's extreme for someone so young…_her nose wrinkled a little, her dislike of the church flaring once again. _I bet they made her chop it with that ax, too…._

"She's cute."

The soft comment disrupted Liane's silent rant and she looked down to find Genis staring towards the back of the church in a glass-eyed daze. "Genis…?" _Did… did he say what I think he did?_

Lloyd almost completely turned his back on the pastor, looking from the doors that had swung shut with a deeply hollow '_thoom _'after the girl's exit. "That girl he called Presea has an Exsphere, too," he murmured to the Professor. "Is that a standard custom over here?"

"Sheena said that it wasn't, Lloyd," Liane stated, sparing a quick glance to the curious look they were getting from the pastor. _But that Zelos had one… and now this Presea girl… there's no pattern._

"Yeah. She's really cute."

With a huff, Lloyd looked down to his friend and reached out to shake his shoulder. "You're not listening at all, are you?" the swordsman asked with a chuckle as Genis looked up, his cheeks tinted a faint pink even in the dim light of the altar.

"_Finally!_" Liane breathed out, knowing full well that the church was hardly the place to start a bout of all-out teasing, but after the grief that the young mage had dished out to her and Lloyd both over the years, the promise of opportunity was too good to pass up comment.

Raine shook her head just a little and looked over to the pastor, squaring herself to him to make sure it was clear she was speaking to him and perhaps distract him from any questions they didn't want him asking. "You mentioned prayers," she started, tilting her head to the man. "Are you praying for the recovery of the King?"

"Yes," the pastor nodded, his voice still bearing a small hint of confusion. "The Chosen and the Pope will pray before His Majesty and receive the assistance of Martel."

Lloyd's head snapped up at the pastor's words. "You said the prayers will take place in the royal chambers, right?" he asked, his frame tightening just a little.

_He wants to go… pray?_ Liane blinked, glancing over to find a small frown on Genis' lips as well. They both knew Lloyd well enough to recognize when he was hatching a plan. But for something that came to him so quickly, she couldn't help but be worried. Their position was tenuous as it was… they didn't have the luxury of floundering in how they would proceed.

"Yes, that's correct, but…" the pastor started, but could get no further before Lloyd spun on his heel, grabbed Colette's hand and pulled her away down the aisle.

Pausing after a few steps, the swordsman paused and looked back over his shoulder, an afterthought apparently getting the better of him. "Okay. Thanks!" he grinned and then continued to run at the door.

Genis offered the pastor a quick shrug and a grin before he turned to trot after his friend.

Liane almost groaned as only she and Raine remained. Lloyd was acting rash, which meant that things were probably going to begin to spiral towards a frenzy soon, but having the pastor get suspicious wouldn't help in the least. She quickly bowed her head to him and then once to the altar as she had been taught. "Thank you, pastor… we… are very worried for his Majesty," she murmured respectfully, her words not a lie: the monarch held their only hope for helping Colette… and ultimately, for getting them home.

"Ah, yes… we all are, child," the pastor smiled warmly, raising his hand in the sign of a blessing. "Have faith in the Goddess… she will show us the way…" he sighed out and then turned away, moving back into the shadows of the large columns that supported the ceiling.

The professor watched the pastor for a moment before jerking her head towards the door. Liane nodded and turned to join her and after a few steps, Raine leaned closer to whisper, "I suppose we really do need to talk to Lloyd about his tendency to draw attention to himself, hmm?"

"Yeah, especially when we could probably be arrested – at best – if they found out who we were," Liane answered in a hushed tone. "But he's got something in mind… something to do with the prayers…." She glanced over to Raine, quiet for a moment before she decided to speak. "Did you hear him? The Chosen will be there to pray for the King… if we go – with Colette – Tethe'alla's Chosen might know her? Recognize her from her Cruxis Crystal or something?"

"It wouldn't likely matter if we get that far," Raine shrugged. "To make it to the King's chambers… we'll have to be in their hands anyway. To get what we want, we'll have to reveal ourselves… and to get away, they'll have to release us. It's a huge leap of faith."

_But faith in what?_ Liane swallowed the cynical question as her mentor pushed the door open to the bright sunshine outside, stepping through and then pausing to wait for Raine, she saw Lloyd a few steps away – practically shaking as he waited for the door to close.

But as soon as the aged hinges halted, the swordsman sprung forward towards the women in his excitement. "Guys! I've figured out how we're going to see the King!" he announced, grinning proudly.

"What?" Genis asked in exasperation, reaching out to grab Lloyd's sleeve. "What are we going to do?"

Lloyd's grin widened proudly. "We'll pretend to carry the sacred wood and sneak in," he answered as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Raine groaned softly and shook her head. "I thought you'd say that. But how are we going to get sacred wood?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrow to her student and his plan.

"Let's have that Presea help us," Lloyd shrugged, gesturing back out to the street between the church and the castle where the pink haired girl had stopped to apparently talk to a large man clad in a leather vest.

Genis did a double take, his eyes shifting between Lloyd and the girl in the distance. "What?!" he choked out, his cheeks already turning red at the suggestion. "R-really?! I agree!" he quickly nodded, making an effort to keep his expression even. "That's a good plan! Let's do that!"

"Yeah, and it doesn't hurt that she's '_really cute'_ either…" Liane shrugged, tapping every last bit of her willpower to keep a straight face even as she saw Genis' embarrassed glare flash onto her. "And it does make the most sense – after all… she does have the sacred wood that we would need to make the plan work," she added in an attempt to back up Lloyd's plan. It was a chance – no matter how slight.

"Well, all right," Raine nodded, still sounding like she wasn't entirely convinced, but not offering alternatives, either. "Let's try talking to her at least," she shrugged and turned to start down the steps to the street.

Lloyd nodded to the teacher and glanced back around his friends. "Then let's catch up to her," she shrugged, walking back over to Colette to urge her to move again. "Besides, it sounds like Genis _really_ needs to introduce himself anyway," he dropped his voice and grinned at Liane.

"Lloyd!!" Genis cringed, sputtering for a moment before he huffed and ran down the steps, passing his sister and cupping his hands over his mouth. "Hey! Hang on a sec!" the young mage called out. "Um… Presea!"

Liane made a show of sighing deeply as she hurried down the steps with Lloyd and Colette. "Lloyd… was teasing him _really _necessary?" she asked, clicking her tongue as she chided him. "Come on… he's never shown interest like this in a girl before…."

"Any more necessary than pointing out that she's _really cute_?" Lloyd sassed back with a smirk and a shrug. "Probably not. But it's fun anyway, huh?"

But before Liane could even laugh to respond, they reached where Genis had stopped the girl. Seeing no real need to humiliate their friend in her presence, she settled for reaching out to ruffle Lloyd's unruly hair fondly and offer him a quick smile as Raine approached to address the girl as well.

"Could… we have a moment of your time?" the professor asked, receiving a look of extremely vague interest from the pink haired girl for the effort.

Lloyd stepped forward, one hand to his chest. "I'm Lloyd, he started before he turned the hand to point to the group around him. "This is Colette and Raine and Liane and…."

"I… I'm Genis!" the silver haired boy announced, raising his hand as if he had been called upon in class.

The swordsman started to speak again, but before he did, he cocked his head at Genis, his eyebrow arched in a show of innocent confusion. "Hey, Genis, why are you all flushed?" he asked, his voice dripping with just a little too much concern.

_Oh, Lloyd… not now…._ Liane tried not to groan. She really did. But as close as the boys were, she also knew how brutal their retaliation could be for such teasing,

Genis' momentary glare for Lloyd seemed to only put an expression on Liane's fear before the boy sighed and looked back to the pink haired girl. In just the time it took to shift his gaze, the boy's features softened, even if his cheeks remained pink. "Would you let us help you carry the sacred wood?" he asked, a shy smile gradually spreading over his lips.

But the pig-tailed girl merely stared at Genis in silence – unmoving and unresponsive until she finally blinked and turned away, continuing to drag the wood away without speaking a word.

"W… wait!" Genis called out in panic, stopped from chasing after the girl by his sister's hand dropping onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," the professor spoke up in a voice just loud enough for the girl to hear. "I know this is a bit strange, but please hear us out," she continued only when the girl's steady steps began to slow. "The truth is, we have a letter we wish to give to the King."

When Presea came to a complete stop but still kept her back to them, it was Lloyd that stepped forward. "Our friend's life depends on it," he told her in a tone that was both gentle and pleading. "But we have a problem because the King is sick and refuses to see anyone." The swordsman drew a deep breath and let his hands fall to his sides. "It would really help us out if we could carry it for you."

"We don't mean to take your work away or make trouble for you," Liane added, noting how the girl seemed frozen in place and hoping that their pleas were reaching her. Honesty seemed to at least be keeping Presea there… she could only hope that they could convince her to help them even in the smallest way. "Please… we've come a long way for his help… we… we really don't have any other choices."

But Presea remained silent and unmoving – almost as if she hadn't heard a word that had been spoken.

"A… are you listening?" Lloyd ventured after a moment, taking a step closer to the girl.

The pink haired girl stayed frozen in place long enough to perhaps draw another breath before her long pig-tails bobbed once and only once over his shoulders. "Understood." Then, without sparing further words, sentiment, agreement, or even a glance back to them, she began to walk, leaving her wooden burden on the ground behind her.

The party exchanged puzzled glances and Liane met Raine's eyes with a quick shrug. The girl seemed so utterly disinterested in helping them, but she could just as easily have denied them by continuing to ignore their pleas, couldn't she?

"Um, Presea?" Genis called out quietly, his eyes darting around the people that milled about on the streets, trying not to make a scene.

At the boy's call, Presea stopped once again and then turned. She observed the group for just a moment before she lifted her hand to point to the stump of wood. "Please carry that."

"Oh!" Lloyd smiled, nodding eagerly as he grabbed Genis' arm and pulled him forward. "Okay! Leave it to us!" The boys both moved to the handle that had been mounted on the wood, offered each other a grin… drew a breath… and….

Nothing.

Both boys strained against the handle and the weight of the wood, both of their faces scrunching under the strain. Liane's eyes widened at the sight – stunned that for as much effort as the boys seemed to be exerting, the wood didn't even rock. "Come on guys…" she sighed, shaking her head. "Stop fooling around –"

"Oh my g…" Lloyd grunted out, straining for one last tug against the handle before he let his hands fall away with a gasp for breath. "W… wait a minute! Arrgh…" he groaned, looking to Genis at then over to Presea where the girl had paused to watch them. "This thing is heavy!" the swordsman complained, pointing accusingly at the stump.

The pink haired girl's face revealed no reaction to Lloyd's declaration or the pained gasps from both of the boys. She returned, took hold of the handle with one small hand, and once again began to pull the sacred wood towards the castle, leaving the party to stare after her.

"I've… lost all confidence as a man," Lloyd shook his head in dismay, exasperation ringing in his tone as he watched the young girl walk away.

"Me too…" Genis nodded in agreement even as his bottom lip pouted out, staring forlornly after the girl he had dubbed "cute."

Liane lifted her hand to her mouth. She knew that she should have been more concerned with the girl's strength, perhaps even finding some way to soothe her friends' bruised egos… but their deflation was just too much. They had long ago learned that putting her down for being "just a girl" was a bad choice – and it had spurred her to many decidedly un-ladylike stunts over her years with Lloyd in particular. But having Presea oh-so-deftly take a large chunk out of their masculine posturing – it was so much more than she could have asked for. Even when her snicker slipped out of her control, Liane could only shrug at the twin glares she got from her friends. "What? I'm just excited over how long it's going to be before you make you make fun of girls again…" she told them before she innocently squared her shoulders and stifled another laugh.

"Anyway…" Raine cleared her throat to gain their attention. She failed to banish all traces of her amusement from her expression in time, though, still wearing just a hint of a smirk as she nodded towards Presea and how quickly she was approaching the entrance to the castle. "Let's follow her."

There was no further discussion as the group set into a run to catch up to Presea, who had actually paused at the base of the steps for them. As they hastily arranged themselves around the sacred wood in a procession, Liane couldn't help but feel grateful that the guard had changed – that the first pair's presence at the doors would have instantly shut down their desperate plan as soon as the party approached. Yet even as Raine and Presea managed to talk their way past the guards, explaining only as much as they had to in order to get past the guards. She glanced over to Colette where she stood patiently across the stump from her. She had put away her wings on her own and had continued to follow the group in quiet obedience. _That's why Presea seems familiar…_ she realized, her eyes sliding up to the pink haired girl as she began to lead them into the castle. _Presea acts kind of like Colette… except that she talks once in a while._ For a moment, Liane felt bad for simplifying the girls' behavior as such, but then it began to make more sense. _Presea had an Exsphere… maybe it's taking its toll on her, just like Colette's Cruxis Crystal has on her?_ While she was far from certain of the differences between the stones, the thought of both girls suffering and being unable or unwilling to show it saddened her.

"Are lumberjacks all women and children these days?"

The comment and snide snicker that answered it snapped Liane from her musing and gave her just the instant before the double doors slammed shut behind them to glare at the green-armored guards. Not that she could really argue… she was simply sick of the condescension that seemed to ooze from every corner of the town. _Even Sheena… the things she said…_. She frowned and shook her head. _Maybe we are in over out heads… maybe we don't understand… but we can learn, can't we?_

"Well, we managed to make it inside," Lloyd breathed out as he rubbed his hands together, glancing around the extravagantly hush surroundings with wide eyes.

Ivory walls and jewel-toned accents lent a warm feel to the hall even while its simple enormity spoke to Liane almost as harshly as those who had already looked down upon them. _We don't belong here…_ her mind whispered as she spotted a pair of golden thrones at the far end of the hall behind a quartet of slowly pacing guards. She bristled a little at the realization, silently cursing how her own mind seemed to be continuing what the aristocratic snobs with Zelos had started. _Now… if only it wasn't so easy to believe…._

"What do we do with the sacred wood?" the young mage asked as their young guide turned back to them, her eyes falling on the wood instead of on the boy who had spoken to her.

Presea continued to stare at the wood for a few more moments before she looked up, her gaze looking through them more than at them. "Leave it here," she murmured, her soft voice practically disappearing in the massive hall.

Lloyd nodded to the girl's instructions, his hands falling easily back to the handles of his blades. "Okay, now, let's go look for the royal chambers," he sighed, his eyes darting first to the guards and then to the series of doors that lined the hall.

"What, we're just going to start trying random doors?" Liane frowned, not liking how casual Lloyd made their task seem. His optimism was normally something she treasured, but things were getting more dangerous with every step they took. "There's got to be a better option than that," she sighed, her eyes trailing up over the walls to the sweeping balconies above. "This is some sort of an audience hall – I don't think the King would have his chambers easily accessible from somewhere so… public?"

But before Lloyd could respond, Genis approached Presea again, leaning out in front of her in an attempt to catch her attention. "What will you do, Presea?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Yes, sending her back alone would be suspicious," Raine frowned, stroking her chin with the tip of her finger for just a moment before she sighed. "Let's have her some with us."

Lloyd turned at the professor's suggestion, regarding Presea with a curious arch to his eyebrow and then started to smile. "Would you do that for us?" he asked, his smile creeping into his tone as the girl met his eyes. Once again, she didn't speak – but neither did she object or make a move to walk away from them.

"Wait…" Liane smiled just a little as she approached the girl on her own for the first time. Stooping to meet the girl's blank expression, she hesitated for a moment and then drew a quick breath, deciding to simply ask. "Presea… you were supposed to take the wood to the royal chambers, right? So… could you maybe show us where they are?" She knew she was asking a lot of the girl that clearly owed them nothing, but to her, it was a better option to going door to door through the castle. _Besides… she could always say 'no'… leave us standing here and be done with us…._

Presea's only response as a slow blink as she seemed to spend a moment silently measuring Liane before she turned and started towards the door closest to them. Liane stared after her, thinking that she might have pushed the girl too hard – exactly what she had tried _not _to do. But when Presea started to push the door open and then paused to glance expectantly back to them, Liane's smile returned. _She's going to help us!_

"She knows the way!" Lloyd laughed, jogging alongside Genis to follow Presea's lead. "This is great! Now we can find the King right away – and fix Colette!"

Raine waited for the Chosen to follow after the boys and then nodded to her apprentice. "Good thinking," she smiled to the younger woman approvingly. "I suppose we should be glad that Presea seems to understand more than she lets on."

"Or maybe she just has a good heart – our story is a little bizarre," Liane shrugged. The look in Presea's eyes had bothered her. They weren't lifeless as Colette's were, but they were almost clouded, dulled. She couldn't say if it bothered her more or less than the Exsphere that the girl wore at the base of her throat… or how angry the flesh that surrounded it seemed. From what they had learned of Exspheres, the two points could be related – but there was probably nothing that could be done for either at the moment. "Either way, it was better than stumbling into the dungeons, either by accident or after we got caught wandering the halls," she shrugged, smiling a little as she glanced ahead to the others, her hand moving absently to scratch a faint itch at the base of her throat.

Presea led them away from the audience hall without comment and guided them through a narrower hallway, choosing a staircase that carried them to the next floor, proceeding into a smaller and clearly more private corridor. No one seemed inclined to speak – but the castle itself proved to be enough of a distraction to the point that the silence didn't seem so strange. Liane felt admittedly smaller with each painting or elegant sculpture they passed, the quality of the work – the attention to detail in each of them – and then the sheer quantity of the works… _Mom, Dad, and I could all work a lifetime and not be able to afford even one of these,_ she shook her head with a sigh. _Not that we'd have a place for it…._ But the thought led her to a deeper truth – her lifestyle had no place for such finery… while she could appreciate it, it wasn't part of her world. _But to Tethe'alla…. _It had to be an expression of exactly what it meant to be the flourishing world. _No wonder they're afraid of decline… they wouldn't fit into our lifestyle any more than we fit into theirs…._

"Hey, you," came a sudden bark from ahead of them, yet another green-armored guard squaring himself protectively in front of a doorway. "Who gave you permission to be here?"

The grouchy voice snapped Liane's attention onto the guard, keeping her from lapsing completely into a bout of homesickness for the simple life she had apparently given up when she volunteered to leave Iselia with Lloyd and Genis. _He's guarding that door? Then that has to be it!_

Lloyd moved to the front of the group with a shrug, putting himself between Presea and the guard as he chuckled awkwardly and ran his band back through his hair. "We brought the sacred wood," the swordsman offered and then shrugged again. "But then we were asked to aid with preparations for the prayers."

"It was an order from the Pope," Raine added in, her voice taking on an edge of authority that she usually used only when she was challenging someone to disagree with her.

"The Pope?" the guard asked, turning the helm that hid his eyes from view to the elven woman as if to consider her words. "Just a moment," he held up his hand and started to turn. "I'll ask."

_Ask?!?_ Liane's eyes widened in a moment of panic as she looked over to her mentor – almost more worried when she saw a similar reaction mirrored in the professor's eyes. _The Pope is here??_ Raine's bluff had been called – and they were out of options. _Oh, Raine… you're a bad liar… _she cringed as her hand tightened on the handle of her sword.

The group stood frozen, watching the guard turn and start to open the door he had been guarding. But just as the door began to swing back on its hinges. Lloyd lunged forward, planting his feet and driving his fist into the gap in the soldier's armor just over the small of his back. "Sorry about this," the young swordsman breathed out as the soldier collapsed with a yelp of pain. Lloyd looked back to his companions and motioned over his shoulder for them to follow him into the room.

_That's it…_ Liane cringed, a deep frown on her face as she and the others slowly followed after the brown-haired teen. There wasn't any going back – not if the Pope truly was in the room, much less joined by the King. They had attacked a royal guard – _they'll never just let us walk out now,_ she sighed as they filed into a plush room with dimmed lights. Judging by the first furnishings she saw, it was a bedchamber. _Maybe we would have been better off stumbling into the dungeons on our own after all._

"What's going on?" a rotund man with a small mustache and gold-adorned robes stepped in front of Lloyd's advance, his face growing red as he glared at each member of the party in succession.

"Huh? It's you people…."

Liane looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, startled to find the redheaded man they had met on their way to the castle approaching from the shadows of the room. _Zelos?_

"Ah!" Lloyd jumped a little at Zelos' appearance, looking away from the angered man in robes in hi surprise as he pointed at the redhead. "You're the one we met in –"

The holy man slowly slid his gaze to Zelos, one eyebrow arching almost accusingly. "Chosen, do you know them?"

"Chosen?!" Genis started, staring slack-jawed at the red haired man, his arms falling limply at his sides.

The mage's outburst merely vocalized Liane's own reaction – and judging by the expressions her companions wore, she wasn't the only one. _Sheena said there was another Chosen, _she reasoned, trying to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing. The pastor said the Chosen and the Pope would pray for the King… so if Zelos is really the Chosen… she looked back to the large – and growingly irate - man. _Then… he's the Pope?_

Zelos chuckled a little at the question and flipped his fiery curls over his shoulder with his hand. "Well, I dunno if I'd say I _know_ them," he shrugged to the Pope and looked back to the group again. "Just what are you people doing here?" he asked, a note of amusement smoothing over the sharp edges of his demand.

"So you're Tethe'alla's Chosen of Mana…" Raine murmured, observing the redhead with a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"What?!" Lloyd and Genis chorused, spinning to stare at Raine as Lloyd jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Zelos. "This guy's the Chosen?!" he choked out in disbelief.

Zelos tilted his head, watching the group's strife before he planted his hands on his waist and sniffed indignantly. "What do you mean "Tethe'alla's"?"

Liane breathed out, shaking her head a little at the chaos that was blooming in the room. To her, it was already a given that they were prison-bound, all the questions and insults wouldn't change that. But for the moment at least, she watched the red haired young man with interest. She was starting to understand why Sheena rolled her eyes when she spoke of the Chosen that she knew. _He's so different from Colette…._ Her eyes flickered to her friend's shell, frowning just a little more. Zelos was bordering on obnoxious and had an ego that seemed to thrive on attention where Colette was shy and seemed to want to simply blend in. It seemed that if their qualities could be averaged, they'd both be normal – but it also didn't appear that being 'normal' was something a Chosen could have.

"Are you… from Sylvarant?"

The Pope's question momentarily silenced the bickering in the room, and Lloyd stepped forward with a nod and a defiant glare that clearly challenged the holy leader. "Yes, we are."

"These are people from the declining world?!" a decidedly feminine voice chimed in from somewhere behind the Pope.

Taking a small step back, Liane could see over the Pope's shoulder to a girl not much older than herself – piles of perfect golden-brown ringlets falling over her shoulders – and sunken eyes that spoke of weariness and sleepless nights.

"Princess, have no fear, Zelos smiled to the girl, motioning his hand to her in a sign to be calm before he turned back to the group once again and squared his shoulders to Lloyd. "Um… what's your name?" he asked with a shrug as if he was coaching himself to make a very conscious effort to start from the beginning.

Lloyd eyed the Tethe'allan Chosen suspiciously for a moment before he drew a small breath to answer. "Lloyd."

Zelos nodded. "Lloyd," he started again with a coaxing edge to his voice, "for what reason have you come here?"

While Liane could still tell that Zelos had no desire to be talking to any of them – that he was merely playing an expected role – she couldn't help but agree with how he was going about it. With so much confusion apparently attached to their presence, the faster everyone had the facts, the better. Yet the Princess still partially held her attention – while she still appeared exhausted, there was still fear in her eyes. _She's afraid of us…? Because we're from Sylvarant?_

"We've come to deliver this letter," Lloyd replied, removing the folded piece of paper from his pocket. "It's from Sheena of Mizuho to the King."

"Sheena?!"

The new voice was weak, but at the same time, strong enough to wing with surprise, sending the Pope spinning in the direction of the voice with a placating smile and a bow. "Your Majesty! Please forgive us for causing a disturbance in your presence."

Liane felt a knot form in her throat as she held her breath. _The… King… he's here?_ The Chosen, the Pope, and the Princess had captured their attention upon their rushed entrance – and she suddenly felt so stupid for not even looking at the ornately canopied bed behind them – or the figure that had been silently hidden in its shadows. For a moment, she was at a complete loss – having never been in the presence of royalty and having no idea what to say or do. _Do I bow? What do we say…_ she cringed a little and exhaled. _It's probably too late now anyway…._

"Lloyd… give me the letter," the King rasped as the shadows of the bed moved, gradually revealing a bearded man with longer brown hair. He moved to the edge of the mattress, shifting the covers enough to reach a thin hand out to the crimson-clad teen. There was no malice in his voice, but there was a distinctive note of worry despite the waver of weakness.

Zelos and the Pope exchanged glances before they parted to allow Lloyd closer to the monarch. The swordsman swallowed hard, but quickly nodded and approached the bed, extending the letter to the King. "Here it is," he murmured, placing the paper in the King's outstretched hand and then taking a slow step backwards.

A long, uncomfortable silence filled the room that no one seemed willing to break. Liane clasped her hands behind her back in an attempt to not fidget, but between the anxious looks from her friends, the hostile glances from both the Chosen and the Pope and the worried sighs issuing from the Princess, she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. _We delivered the letter… it's the only chance we have… now… it's up to him… I guess…._

The crinkle of paper being refolded finally broke the quiet, and the King shifted back into his pillows. "People of Sylvarant, wait in the other room for a while," he rasped, gesturing weakly with his hand to the small party of strangers.

It was almost enough to give Liane hope. The King hadn't sent for guards or given any sign that there was a problem. But when the Pope rose from his deep bow that answered the King's words, his smile was more than enough to rattle that hope.

"Pastor, show them to the Crimson Chamber," the Pope spoke, summoning a young man clad in the robes of the church from the other side of the room with a wave of his hand.

_Crimson Chamber…._ The words floated in Liane's mind for a moment as she met Lloyd's gaze almost on accident. But the unease that she saw there she knew well as she was certain that she shared it. _Oh hells….

* * *

_

It felt like hours. Probably not days, but hours had definitely passed.

Liane sat on the windowsill of one of the narrow windows of the aptly named Crimson Chamber – everything was a rich red – everything. Carpet, furniture, walls, and draperies – everywhere – nothing but a wash of red. After the first few minutes, the unnerving hues had sent her to the window where she had remained, only half-listening to the discussions of her companions. Grim assessments of their chances for escape had been bad enough, but as desperation pushed them into growingly obnoxious plans to fight their way out, she had lost interest and left Raine to play the role of voice of reason on her own.

_We weren't executed on the spot,_ she silently tried to reason with herself. The King – and the Chosen – both clearly knew of Sheena, but the party's exile to the Crimson Chamber after reading the ninja's letter left her to wonder about how Sheena herself was a resident of a town of outcasts – and if anything could really help their plight any more.

She sighed, her eyes sliding over the sunlight-filled garden below the window. _It's beautiful here… I wonder if Sylvarant was ever this lush._ Intellectually, she knew that the landscaped garden was a reflection of hours of labor on the part of a talented gardener. She had grown up watching her mother tend her precious flower beds and her father at work in their fields – but everything seemed a bit brighter in Tethe'alla… a bit stronger….

_Everything but our chances…._

As if to punctuate the morbid thought, something on the far side of the courtyard caught her eye: a row of small, square windows, each of them divided by two pairs of horizontal and vertical bars that did not shine in the sunlight. She chewed her lip for a moment and then forced herself to look away, but not before one last thought could form. _We're never leaving here, are we?_

"They may be preparing to kill us," Raine murmured, leaning her weight forward onto her Ruby Wand. "To them, Colette is an obstacle," she continued, nodding to where the blonde girl stood at the center of the room, staring blankly into the space before her.

"Then it comes back to what we all started on the journey for after all," Liane sighed, turning her eyes back to the others. "Our lives for the chance to save hers…" she clasped her hands in her lap as she leaned against the side of the window frame. "They left us armed… if the letter didn't sway the King, fighting our way out might be all that's left." Liane hated it… hated how pathetic it sounded, but by voicing it, she couldn't help but just want someone to correct her – to tell her there really was another way.

"If things turn out like that, what will become of Presea?" Genis asked quietly, his blue gaze fixed on the pink haired girl that once again appeared to be ignoring them.

Lloyd's shoulders sagged just a little. "We'll have to find some way to let her escape," he replied sullenly, the optimism that the boy was known for once again fading away.

Genis slid from the edge of the couch and slowly approached the girl that had helped them gain access to the castle. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Presea," he apologized softly, frowning at how the girl didn't even look at him.

Liane stood from the window and stretched her arms up over her head, trying to rid herself of the nervous ache in her shoulders. "Genis, no one is blaming you… we asked Presea for her help as a group… we won't let her suffer for trying to help us," she told her young friend with what she could manage of a note of encouragement. _We'll do what we can… then, we'll just have to hope that it's enough._

The room then fell back into silence, as if everything that needed to be said had been spoken. But before the members of the party could have time to move too far into their own thoughts, the door to the Crimson Chamber swung open, admitting a small croup consisting of the Pope, the Chosen of Tethe'alla, and a pair of green armored guards that flanked them. Lloyd stood as the Pope came closer, the tension of the moment showing in the boy's rigid posture.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, travelers from Sylvarant," the Pope nodded cordially to them, his eyes finally settling on Colette.

Lloyd tilted his head to the portly man, his gaze narrowing a little. "So you read the letter."

"You want to use Tethe'allan technology to save the Chosen from your side… right?" Zelos asked, gesturing to the blonde girl that stood before the Pope.

Liane moved to stand at Lloyd's side, her arms crossed over her chest. "Sylvarant knows very little about Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals – they are much more of a curiosity than an object of study there," she tried to explain, hoping to convey the necessity for their trip to Tethe'alla. "No one has hid the means or the need to study them… so the knowledge of how to help our friend just isn't available to us there…."

"Colette has lost her soul," Lloyd nodded in agreement before he sighed and set his jaw. "She'll lose her life as a human if she stays this way."

The Pope's smile seemed oddly fixed as he nodded along with what he was hearing, stroking his chin thoughtfully until he finally sighed. "But as long as the Chosen lives, our world teeters on the brink of destruction," he told them, his smile barely holding out through the end of his statement and vanishing completely when he tamped the base of his staff into the floor. At the signal, both of the guards closed in on Colette.

"It's just like Raine said…" Genis groaned softly, reaching to his belt to free his Kendama.

_Here it comes_… Liane ground her teeth together as she started to draw her sword. _The two guards first then… head for the door as fast as we can_…. It was rushed and it was crude, but it was the only strategy they would probably have time for – and escaping with their lives would be the best they could hope for.

"Wait, please!" Lloyd exclaimed, taking a step forward and pushing his arm out in front of Genis and Liane to stop them. "Listen to what we –"

"I don't want to hear it!" the Pope snarled, all pretense of pleasantries gone as he waved his staff towards the group. "Get them!"

The guards responded to the Pope's demand and closed in on Colette, each of them reaching for one of her arms with one hand and lifting their blades with their other hand.

Lloyd growled in frustration, his hands finding the handles of his Osafune blades. But before he could draw them from their sheathes – before any of them could advance to Colette's defense – the blonde girl spun, her arms outstretched, connecting with the chest plates of both guards and sending them both flying back from her.

The Pope instantly retreated a step, his face red with rage. "Damn!" he snarled. "They can't even scratch her!"

Liane looked between the guards and their master, her sword still held at ready before her. _Her only goal is self-preservation_…. Neither of the guards was moving any more than to slowly roll to their sides, their weapons knocked from their grasp. Perhaps Colette didn't need them, but her actions made their chances for getting out of the castle look marginally better. She opened her mouth, about to suggest that they take their leave, but then she was stopped by an out of place sound… a dry chuckle. Looking up, her eyes widened a little when she discovered the source: _Zelos?_

"See? I told you," the red headed Chosen chuckled, his arms crossed in what almost looked to be boredom. "They have Exspheres. Of course they're powerful," he sighed, shaking his head as the Pope turned his glare onto him.

Genis hesitantly hooked his kendama back into the hook on his belt, raising an eyebrow to the redhead. "Hmm…. You're not as dumb as you look," the boy smirked, casually waving the hand that bore his Exsphere at the man.

"Impudent little brat," Zelos glared back at the boy before he drew a dramatically deep breath and rolled his eyes.

Liane cocked her head to the red haired man as she sheathed her sword, watching him with a touch of disbelief. "So… you just came along for the show?" she asked, noting how he had never even moved to attempt to join in the aborted confrontation. Much to her dismay, he quickly answered her with an innocent shrug and a playful wink.

"What would you say to making a deal?" Raine asked firmly, imposing herself beside Colette to stare down into the eyes of the Pope, stilling the other conversations with her suggestion.

The Pope seethed for a moment longer, glaring at the woman in open hostility. "A deal?" he snapped, waiting for her to continue.

Raine nodded, he eyes never leaving the pontiff. "Colette lost her soul because she was being reborn as an angel in order to save Sylvarant," she began to explain. "But as long as she does not become an angel, Sylvarant will not be saved."

"Raine…" Liane started, bothered by how casually she broke down the situation. Did saving Colette really have to mean that Sylvarant would be lost? Were they giving up? Did they really have to make that choice? When she caught sight of a quick and sharp look from the elven woman, she frowned and nodded. "If she fails to complete the ritual, Sylvarant will continue to decline…" she murmured. She knew that Raine was trying to save their lives, but it simply brought everything into sharper focus. _We can't give up this easily… we can't… Sylvarant is our home._

Zelos' smug smile faded back even as he moved forward. "I see… so if we save the Chosen, Tethe'alla will be saved as well," he nodded in a vague show of approval.

"That means you'll be abandoning Sylvarant," the Pope commented suspiciously, interpreting the professor's words and watching her closely.

Raine held the Pope's glare evenly, not looking away or even blinking in the face of his challenge. "I don't care," she replied coolly.

"Professor!" Lloyd sputtered, reaching out to pull Raine's shoulders around to meet her eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Our priority right now is to save Colette, is it not?" Raine asked calmly, looking down at her student, not flinching or apologizing in any way for her answers or logic.

Genis hung his head, silver chunks of hair swaying just a little. "But… abandoning Sylvarant…" he murmured sadly.

Liane understood – and shared – his reaction. But their choices were growing frighteningly slim. But if they took things as they came – _maybe other chances might reveal themselves?_ She glanced up to Raine, admiring how convincingly the woman could convey her resolve. _Raine wouldn't write off an opportunity to save Sylvarant if it came up, would she?_ Swallowing hard, she straightened her back and set her jaw. "Raine's right. Colette is the one we can still help… and we can't do it on our own. We need Tethe'alla's help. So if that's the price…" she shrugged, hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt, "… so be it."

"All right," Lloyd sighed, not sounding entirely convinced, but still watching Colette with a sad nod. "That's fine."

With a frown, Genis turned to his friend. "Is it okay to decide something like that so easily?" he asked, his voice showing that he had already decided on the answer from his own point of view.

Lloyd shrugged, a frown still on his lips. "Right now, the most important thing is to save Colette," the swordsman turned his hand in explanation, almost as if he was hoping that his words would convince himself as well. "That's why we came all the way to Tethe'alla, right?"

The pope raised an eyebrow, listening intently to each speaker as if waiting for them to slip. "Is there internal discord?" he asked in a prodding tone.

Unable to stop herself from glaring at the man, Liane fairly growled. "You're fighting for the survival of your own world – surely you can't think that it's easy to realize that you have to give up on the place you call home…." She chose her words carefully, trying not to admit that giving up was the last thing she would resort to – exactly what she was hoping Raine and Lloyd were doing as well.

Lloyd glanced over his shoulder and nodded once to Liane before he once again looked to the Pope. "No… we'll do as the Professor suggested and make a deal," he told the man, showing him nothing but seriousness. "Please tell us how to save Colette."

"Say, Pope," Zelos took a step few confident strides to walk around the robed man, turning his back to the party with a flourish of his hand. "If these guys don't go back to Sylvarant, then it doesn't matter if they're alive or dead," he shrugged. "They can't complete the regeneration ritual. So I'll go along and keep tabs on them. That should be fine."

Liane's eyes widened at the suggestion. If it would get them the help they needed, it wasn't as if they could complain, but if the Tethe'allan Chosen was hanging over their shoulders and watching – reporting – their every move, did it mean that they really wouldn't be able to go home? She chewed her lip sharply in a reminder to keep quiet. _We just have to wait_… she reminded herself, trying to cling to the memory of how they had claimed the goal of saving both worlds. _Colette first, then… then we can see what else we can do after that?_

The Pope groaned, eyeing the strangers from Sylvarant before he shot a sideways glance at the redhead. "If you insist, Chosen One," he sighed, shaking his head enough to display his dislike of the situation.

"Then you'll save Colette, right?" Genis stepped forward, eyeing the redheaded Chosen with his challenge as he clarified the terms of their deal.

Zelos shrugged as he looked over to Colette, his cocky smile dying back. "Well, we'll do what we can anyway," he commented, for just a moment, his voice losing the smooth calm that it had carried in his speech to the Pope. "I swear on my name as Zelos, the Chosen," he continued, sliding back into the character he had already shown the party.

_Colette would never say something like that._ Liane bristled just a little as the redheaded man's ego resurfaced, apparently just as strong as ever. He struck her as slippery… difficult to take seriously. While she gave him credit for probably knowing the power that the right words held at the right time, so far she had seen nothing that made her want to trust him… except for his title… _but that's from Colette. To her… it carried weight… to him_… she almost snorted, … _it sounds more like a pick-up line._

"I'll give you permission to travel Tethe'alla," the Pope finally nodded with a labored sigh, "… but only under the Chosen's observation."

Lloyd nodded, looking between the Pope and Zelos, his brow furrowing just a little as he considered the terms that had been presented to them. Even Raine turned an eye of interest to him, awaiting his response before the swordsman finally spoke. "I guess we don't have much of a choice," he nodded again. "Okay, that's fine."

"Then it's settled!" Zelos grinned, clapping his hands together as if the resultant slap sealed their deal. "I'm going to go get ready, so we can meet up later?"

_He probably has to make rounds of farewell for his frilly little friends_, Liane almost snorted before her eyes widened in a flash of horror. _Oh, Goddess… please don't let him think that they're coming along…!_

"Where do you want to meet?" Lloyd asked with a small waver of uncertainty in his voice as he watched Zelos.

Zelos shrugged nonchalantly. "Hmm… how about the Martel Cathedral?"

_Well, at least he chose some place we know_, Liane sighed as she leaned back against the nearby bedpost as the others continued to finalize their plans. Even if it was under observation, they were being allowed to leave – it was something anyway. The fact that it truly seemed to irritate the Pope pleased her on some strange level, but she tried not to question it too much. _If we're lucky, we won't have to see him again,_ she sighed again and pushed her braid back over her shoulder as she looked up to watch Zelos pull the door open. _Maybe this won't be so bad_… she thought as she gratefully inhaled a quick breath of the gust of fresher air that wafted in from the hallway.

"You got it," the red haired Chosen nodded with a wide grin to the Pope before he turned to face the others - his eyes scanning over each of them - starting with Raine. "See you later, my gorgeous lady, cute Chosen, tiny rosebud, warrior goddess… oh," he waved his hand with a snicker as he stared into the hall, "… and you servant boys."

Liane cringed at how he addressed them – and how he addressed her in particular. _Now that… just has to stop….

* * *

_

It had been a serious consideration for Liane to actually decide to return with the others to the cathedral after they had been so graciously escorted from the castle by the Pope himself and a handful of the castle guards. Stepping out into the evening air of the Imperial City, it was easy for her to hope that they wouldn't have to return, the possibility of curing Colette's condition and then running far away from Meltokio making her oddly giddy. After remembering how Zelos had acted around the Pope, she finally decided to just go along – hoping his behavior was a show for the holy man.

"Yo, Lloyd!" the boisterous call rang in the stone walls of the cathedral as soon as the door closed behind them. "You're finally here," the redhead commented, standing from the pew he had been seated in, his hands on his hips in a show of subtle impatience.

_Yeah. Should have stayed outside_…. Liane shook her head as she stayed in the shadows of one of the columns. The bravado in the redhead's voice just set her on the edge. _If he thinks he's going to step in and order us around like slaves_… she clenched her hands into idle fists, unsure of quite how to complete her silent vow. He knew where they had to go – how to get there and with whom to speak. They were pretty much at his mercy, even if the Pope hadn't placed him as their observer. _And he knows that_….

Lloyd walked up to the redhead and nodded. "Ah… Zelos, right?" the boy asked, only a small hint of exasperation in his voice to suggest that he wasn't entirely excited about the other man's presence.

"Yep yep," the other man nodded, his chest pridefully puffing out as he flipped a handful of red curls back over his shoulder. "I am the great Zelos Wilder." Then, after a dramatic sigh, he chuckled. "But you can just call me Zelos." His bright blue eyes slid over the party as if he was searching for some reaction, but when none came from his declaration, he shrugged and laughed again. "We're going to be traveling together for a while, so, um… let's be friends, mmmkay?"

"_Now_ he wants to be friends," Liane breathed out in a soft whisper, her eyes trailing up over the high arches of the cathedral's ceiling. _Yeah, because he can be our friend because he says so_….

Genis glanced up to Liane with a shrug and a shake of his head. "He sounds like he doesn't take anything seriously," he whispered back, rolling his eyes to emphasize his statement just before Zelos cleared his throat again and walked out of the row he had been seated in, clasping his hands behind his back as if performing an inspection of some sort.

"Let's see, putting aside the two guys," Zelos murmured as he strode past Lloyd and stopped before Raine, his smile blooming once again, "… this gorgeous beauty is Raine, right?" he asked, offering the professor a quick bow, his hand folded to his chest. But when Raine only offered him an eyebrow arched in vague interest, he shrugged and moved on to stand before Colette. "And then this cool cutie here would be Colette…" he tilted his head to watch her for a moment as if expecting her to react. But when the blonde continued to simply stare through him, he finally sighed, his lip pouted out as he turned to Liane.

It was a very conscious effort for Liane to not cringe as she felt his eyes fall onto her – and it was made even more difficult when her indifference only seemed to draw out his grin again.

"And the feisty warrior goddess –"

Liane ground her teeth together as he started to speak – just knowing what he would say. "It's Liane, okay?" she snapped, cutting him off. "Call me Liane." She was barely a warrior – even by the widest of definitions – and after everything else, being called a 'goddess' wasn't her idea of a compliment at the moment. She saw his eyes widen for barely a heartbeat – and for that brief moment, she thought she might have gotten through to him. But then we quickly winked at her and chuckled as he took a step away. _Damn… I couldn't be that lucky, could I?_

"And then who's this little one?" Zelos asked, showing no sign of a confrontation with Liane as he crouched before the pink pigtailed girl, placing himself at eye level with her.

Genis moved protectively to Presea's side, his eyes fixed on the redheaded Chosen. "Presea," he answered for her a slight bite to the tone of his voice. "She helped us sneak into the castle."

A frown slowly turned Zelos' lips down as he looked directly at the young mage. "The little one isn't from Sylvarant?" he asked in confusion.

"Ozette," Presea murmured softly, her cloudy blue eyes settling for a moment on Zelos, following after him as he stood up.

Zelos continued to look down at the girl as he rose, a deep frown now set on his lips. "Ozette! That village out in the boondoc-" he stopped, his eyes slipping over the others for a moment before he chuckled again. "Ah, I mean, out in the forest?! Oh, that's so sad." He clutched a hand over his heart with a woeful shake of his head. "You're being used by these uncivilized barbarians."

"Okay, I'm leaving…" Liane groaned, spinning on the heel of her boot only to be stopped by a hand to her forearm. Her eyes followed the orange-sleeved arm of restraint up to meet Raine's eyes – and receive a single, firm shake of the professor's head. _We shouldn't have to take this_… she grumbled to herself as she turned and the elven woman released her. _He might be watching us, but he doesn't have to be so… so…_ she huffed. _So obnoxious_….

"Who are you calling uncivilized barbarians?!" Lloyd demanded as he glared back at the red-haired man, his hands twitching on the handle of his blades.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't get mad," Zelos laughed, shaking his hands and rolling his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest with a self-assured shrug. "Especially after all the trouble I went through to contact the Imperial Research Academy for you." He made a show of pouting just a little, even through his eyes still dancing with amusement.

Lloyd eyed the other young man for a moment before his shoulders relaxed and he drew a steadying breath. "Not bad, Zelos."

"I know," the redhead answered quickly as if he had been expecting praise. "Using the Research Academy requires permission from the King, but when the great Zelos speaks," his grin spread over his lips proudly, "… His Majesty listens."

Genis snorted and propped a hand on his waist, not hiding his glare for the Chosen in the least. "Since you're going to be keeping tabs on us, I'd certainly expect that much."

Zelos chuckled and made a show of leaning down to ruffle Genis' hair. "You're an obnoxious brat, you know?" he grinned with just a hint of maliciousness, his teeth practically barred. He then relaxed into more amusement as the silver haired boy swiped at his hand to push it away.

"Oh, so you know that word… huh…" Liane groaned and sat back on the end of one of the pews, her fingers gripping tight at the carved wood beneath her. While she bristled a little when the redhead looked up to her and smirked, she quickly glanced away with a huff. It was all a game to him – _and I'm just playing along, aren't I_….

Raine sighed in exasperation, finally leveling her gaze on Zelos. "Going to the Imperial Research Academy is fine, but can we have you free Presea?" she gestured to the pink haired girl and shook her head. "Surely you don't need to keep tabs on her as well."

"No," Zelos shook his head casually and then shrugged. "The Imperial Research Academy and Ozette are both on the continent across the sea. So we can just drop her off when we go."

"I… I agree!" Genis chimed in, sounding almost as if he surprised himself in agreeing with Zelos. "That's a great idea!!"

_Traitor_…. Liane rolled her eyes at how quickly Genis had been to agree with the flirtatious redhead who seemed to be settling nicely into his power over them. _Dangle a pretty girl in your face and you turn into a mushball, too_…. Not that she blamed him, really. It was sweet to see, but she simply hated knowing that they were basically in Zelos' custody – and how he seemed to have no problem reminding them of the fact.

Lloyd reached out to place his hand on Presea's shoulder. "Is that okay with you, Presea?" he asked with a warm smile for the girl.

Presea slowly turned her head, her eyes trailing up to meet his in mild curiosity. After a moment, she nodded, her pigtails bobbing. "Yes."

"Okay then, where should we go?" Lloyd nodded as he looked back to Zelos once again.

Zelos shrugged and stifled a yawn. "To Sybak. It's on the other side of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge," he replied, sounding generally bored. "It's northeast of here."

Lloyd laughed at the response. "The Imperial Research Academy… I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Let's go, everybody!" he called out, starting to back down the aisle toward the door, a distinctively Lloyd-like grin on his face once again.

_Bridge… I remember a bridge… a big one… when we flew over last night_…. Liane sighed and stood, swinging her pack over her shoulder. "Heh… Lloyd excited about some place with the word 'research' in its name," she murmured to Raine, smirking a little as she heard Genis snicker as well. "I think he might have rattled something loose in the crash."

"Whoa whoa whoa…" Zelos shook his head and ran ahead of Lloyd, throwing the door of the cathedral open to the dim light of evening in Meltokio. "We wouldn't even make it to the bridge before it gets dark…" he told them with a dry chuckle. "We'll start out in the morning… 'kay?"

"You just don't want to camp, huh?" Genis groaned, eyeing the Chosen accusingly.

"When I can stay in my nice cushy bed like a real person?" Zelos raised an eyebrow to the young mage. "Not a chance. We leave in the morning."

"Well, that's good for you," Liane sighed, reaching to the leather pouch that was strapped to the side of her pack, freeing it to shift their small treasury of gald in his general direction. "But as for us 'uncivilized barbarians'… an inn isn't an option…" She was trying not to glare at him as she put the pouch away. "So it seems we have a problem."

Zelos blinked, striding through the group to look down into her eyes, standing close enough that it seemed to be a silent challenge to her to back down. "Ah, but you see, my frisky warrior goddess, _that's_ where having Zelos the Great as your benefactor works in your favor." He blinked innocently at her and then slowly took a step back, looking around to all of them. "My place is just on the other side of the castle… you can all stay with me for the night." Zelos turned and gestured for them to follow him. "C'mon…" he goaded them with a laugh. "See how the other side lives!"

The party stood on the porch of the cathedral and watched Zelos walk away for a few moments.

"It does make sense to start fresh in the morning," Raine commented wearily. "A free roof over our heads can't hurt…."

"Sure… hurt nothing but our pride, that is…" Liane shook her head as they started to follow after the Chosen. While she knew that things were probably going as well as they could ask under the circumstances, she couldn't help but think that she'd rather sleep in a monster-infested field than owe the Chosen for room and board.

* * *

It hadn't been quite as bad as Liane had imagined. Zelos had only asked her and Raine each once if they wanted their own room or if they'd rather try out his – but he seemed to understand the basic concept of a glare well enough, so the episodes passed relatively quickly. 

Liane had agreed to room with Presea, seeing no need to accept the offer of a private room considering that she was still planning on sleeping on the floor as it was. Sleeping indoors just didn't seem right without the feel of something to her back. While she knew that it was a rare occurrence that she had even been forced to wake in the night to something that would make the security necessary, it had still become a habit that she saw no reason to change.

But as much as she had grumbled about staying with Chosen, she had to admit that she doubted even the inn could be anywhere near as nice as their accommodations that night. A spread of various meats, cheeses, and breads had been left in the kitchen with Zelos' explanation being that his butler's shift had ended, but he always arranged for sufficient food to be left in case he brought home company. Liane had actually fought off the urge to glare at Zelos for the multiple interpretations of 'company.' She knew he was actually being quite generous, even if he made no attempt to play that down in the least.

It was only after they had settled in their rooms and set about eating and basically readying themselves for the night ahead that Liane found herself most grateful for the splendor that the Tethe'allan Chosen lived in. The bathing room down the hall from her bedroom boasted a shower – the first_ hot_ shower she had taken since the Phoenix Inn in Luin. It seemed like it had been so long before – and then it felt like so much longer as soon as she stepped into the soothingly heated waters. As she stood with her hands braced on the tile wall before her, she would have sworn that she could actually feel layer by layer of the grime washing away. It was a new world – a new hope – and a new start.

That thought seemed to melt into her along with the warmth of the water. It was the most optimistic thought she could remember having for so long… and simply going back to bed only to find it faded and gone with the morning light seemed like such a waste. So after dressing, twisting her damp hair into a tight braid, and leaving the sanctity of the shower behind, she wandered downstairs. Raine was curled into one of the overstuffed chairs with a book… it was probably easier than watching Colette stare aimlessly out the nearby window into the darkened streets of the Imperial City. For just a moment, Liane considered sitting down herself… to enjoy a few idle minutes that it seemed they wouldn't actually have to fight for their next breath. The mansion was extravagant – luxurious in every detail – and it was also oddly calming. _They certainly treat their Chosen differently here_… he mused, watching Colette for a moment longer before she continued through the sitting room. Raine appreciated her solitude... just as Liane did... and no one had had much of that since the journey had begun.

Hearing a pair of voices she knew almost as well as her own, Liane smirked and continued through the house, passing through a formal dining room and heading towards a pair of swinging doors at the back of the room. _A kitchen… figures. Where else would they be?_

Zelos had left them no stated boundaries other than suggesting that leaving without him 'might not be the best of ideas.' When she spotted Lloyd and Genis huddled around a small wooden table in the corner over what looked like what was left of dinner and a pile of cookies, she realized that not locking his pantry might not have been the best of ideas on the part of the Chosen. Liane watched her friends by the dim kitchen lights in silence, sure they hadn't heard her come in. They were smiling… laughing… exactly how she wanted them to be. Who could say what their journey to Tethe'alla could bring… but for the moment, while they hadn't achieved their goals, they had found a brief respite.

She saw a pair of glass doors on the wall to her side and she quietly strode over to them, curious as to what she might find beyond the walls of the mansion. But when she got close enough for her hand to rest on the scrolled doorknob, she blinked in surprise. Through the pane of glass, she could see a smoothed stone terrace that was sporadically lit by elegant lamps and surrounded by a lush expanse of flowers and trees that filled the area encircled by the walls of Zelos' mansion. Pushing the door open wasn't even a conscious thought, and she stepped outside into the cool night air, letting the door swing shut behind her.

While she would never claim to be the most feminine-acting of women, there was no denying the solace that such a place had always brought her. Her mother's flower gardens had always been a haven to her – a peaceful place to go and read or simply be – a place where she could lose track of what she probably should be doing instead, if only for a few minutes.

As Liane walked what she guessed would be a circular path into the garden, she inhaled deeply, invited to do so by the night-blooming flowers that twined over the thin branches that occasionally arched over the path. It was a calming distraction – one that was well-suited for a moment to step back from the twists their lives had taken… if only for a few moments. While what had happened at the Tower hadn't really been an issue with all that had happened since Sheena had left them, it still felt like the foundation that everything was building on – one more blow on top of all of the others. When the onslaught of blindsiding catastrophes and general chaos would subside, she didn't know. Having no clear sight of their path was unnerving… but it was what they had at that moment… there was no other option.

On the brighter side, Lloyd had gone so far as to joke with her that day – which was easily the high point of her day. It almost seemed to be a strange thing to be grateful for, but to her, it at least meant that things weren't damaged beyond repair – even if it meant that she couldn't talk to her closest friends about something that still troubled her deeply.

_How selfish is that…._

Liane stopped, shaking her head in disgust with herself. Kratos' betrayal had touched all of them – but it was because of that that he had become a taboo subject. None of them were dealing with it the same way – and none of them wanted to be told how to go about doing so. It was still so raw… just the fact that one for their own could betray them had been such a blow. _Maybe… we all have to learn to trust each other again…_. No matter how sad the thought, it still made sense. Kratos hadn't been with them for long, but he had earned their trust in one way or another… and then he had tossed it aside. It would take time to put faith back in trust again… but they could work on it. For Lloyd and her friends, Liane had no doubt that the challenge would be worth it.

_I just have to forget._

A flash of color beneath the closest lamp disrupted the dismal thought. While the distraction was welcome, her eyes still widened as she froze and turned to the waist-tall bush of blossoms. Each of the blooms was a striking display of pinks and magentas against pointed white petals – and while she knelt to inspect the flower that she had never seen before, somehow, she was certain that they were still familiar. Liane couldn't resist the lure to lean closer, cupping her hand under the thick-fleshed flower before she inhaled its spicy scent deeply. At that moment, the blossom soared beyond familiar and her eyes slid shut… the heavy scent creeping into her and wrapping itself around her senses.

The spicy smell… _on the cool sea breeze…._

_She turned at the strange addition to the ever-present aroma of woodsmoke and salt, relief flooding through her at the sight of the man that stood where the wooden planks joined to dry land. She had been worried, she had been angry, and then she had been sad beyond words when the afternoon had come and gone, giving way to sunset. But one look at the auburn haired man that was slowly advancing on her pushed all of that away. She laughed out, tears building in her eyes as she threw herself into his arms. "I… thought you'd changed your mind," she murmured, holding him tightly for a moment longer before she finally pulled back to look into his mahogany eyes._

_"Never," he answered in the deep voice that could instantly soothe her soul. He kissed her forehead and took a small step backwards, pulling his other hand from the folds of his cape to hold out a trio of white and dark pink blooms – stems wrapped together with a fluttering white ribbon – to her. "I can't give you what you truly deserve today… but a proper bouquet seemed the least I could do."_

_It was the scent that had alerted her to his return… the heavy spice that set itself apart from every other scent in Izoold and near the sea. But combined with the striking colors of deep pink on white made her stare, she found that she had no control over the hand that reached out to the almost waxy-thick petals of one of the flowers. "They're… they're beautiful…" she breathed out her awe, stunned by both the flowers and the fact that he had brought them for her. "I… I've never seen anything like them…."_

_He shook his head, a pleased chuckle rumbling in his voice. "They don't grow on…" his eyes flashed cautiously to the uniformed man that still stood patiently at the end of the dock before he met her eyes once again, "… this side of the world. Btu I thought they were appropriate." His smile returned a little brighter as she reached out to cup her chin and keep her eyes with his. "They're called Stargazer Lilies."_

_She understood what he meant. He had crossed over to the other wold… just to bring her flowers. But even as her tears began to build, she noticed something by the painted sunlight as it reflected from the water around them – a thin line of red across his cheek that hadn't been there that morning when he had left her at the inn. Frowning, she reached out to draw the pad of her index finger over the line. "You got into a fight… all to bring me these flowers?" That's why he was late… he got caught. "Kratos, no… no chance like that are worth it," she chided him, hr hands curling into the soft white shirt that he wore belted over dark trousers._

_"It was worth it… to see that smile," he chuckled, placing the flowers in her hand and spinning her before him to face back out to sea. "But now… we're just keeping the good captain waiting, wouldn't you say?" he rasped in her ear as he gently urged her to walk before him. "I think I like the idea of a sunset ceremony… don't you?"_

"You know, if you want those, pick 'em and take 'em back to your room. I have more."

Liane blinked, starting at the voice that shattered the seaside sunset around her. As her reality settled again, she looked up to find the red haired Tethe'allan Chosen casually leaning back against the nearby lamp post, one leg crossed over the other and arms crossed over his chest. Frowning as she pushed herself to her feet, she scrambled to put some order to her thoughts. _It was like on the dock at Izoold… I saw those flowers there, too… they were the ones that floated away_…. "Zelos…" she murmured, admittedly stalling for more time to remember the vision – and maybe make sense of why her heart was pounding so hard, "… I'm sorry if I shouldn't' be out here… the doors weren't locked and –"

"Hey, hey…" Zelos shook a hand at her to cut off her apology and pushed himself up from the post. "Stop with the apologizing already… I just found everyone but you and figured I really had to be a good host and find you before you got too lost…" he chuckled dryly and shrugged to her. "But the offer stands. Take some. I have plenty."

"No, we'll only be here for the night… that's not right," she shook her head, venturing a hesitant smile for him. "Thanks, though." _If he's actually trying, I suppose I should meet him halfway_….

Zelos shrugged. "Or we could just cut them and put them in my room if you like them so much, then you could just stay with me," his smooth words slid out as the grin spread over his lips.

_Or… not…._

Liane rolled her eyes and looked away, kicking herself for even considering giving him the benefit of the doubt. "They'll live longer where they are, but thanks…" she almost groaned. Then the flowers caught her eye once again. _Oh, why not_…. She was curious, and with anyone else in the party, they might not have the answers – or they might ask her why she wanted to know. "These are Stargazer Lilies, aren't they?"

"Dunno…" he shrugged again, running his fingers back through his hair. "Star-something-or-other. That could be it. I only usually pay attention as long as it makes the ladies smile – and the flowers usually do that better than their names."

Shaking her head, Liane let her eyes fall away from the flowers. _Maybe it was just another dream… now I'm making things up_….

"All I really know is that everything in this garden is a special strain developed in honor of either the King… or the Chosen. Botanists from all over Tethe'alla bred them as gifts…" he continued, strolling across the path and reaching up to causally pick an apple from a low-hanging branch, shining it for a moment on the salmon colored vest he wore before he held it out to her. "If not flowers, then maybe an apple?" he waggled his eyebrows just a little. "I guarantee it's the sweetest one you've ever had…?"

"Ugh…" Liane cringed at the seemingly innocent offer – his grin and the sparkle in his eye more than enough to blow the pretense. "No, thank you," she murmured, starting to turn away, but then stopping as his words caught up to her. "Wait… so… these are all special breeds of plants that are only found here… in Tethe'alla?"

"Nope," he shook his head and took a bite of the apple, chewing it thoughtfully before swallowing and grinning back to her. "I mean _here_… they're only found _here_… in my garden or in the garden of the castle," he snorted and chuckled again. "The rest of Tethe'alla should be so lucky."

_"They don't grow on this side of the world…."_

How could she have even started to make that up? Sure, her mother had experimented with hybrid roses for years, but some thing on this big of a scale… and species that didn't exist anywhere else? "They're… beautiful… really," she murmured with a sigh. _Kratos… but he never brought me lilies at the dock… there was no one else there… I… I'm making it up… I have to be._ "I'm sorry… I shouldn't be out here, should I?" Liane turned, offered him a nod and started back toward the house. "Thank you for your hospitality. Good night." She heard him take another bit of his apple and shrugged a little. _Guess he's done talking to me anyway_….

"Hey, Warrior Goddess –"

Liane bristled yet again and spun back to face him. "That's_ not_ my name!" she blurted as she recognized the grin on his lips.

"Nope, but you answer to it and your cheeks turn the cutest shade of red…" he chuckled before he took another bite and chewed it as he watched her fume. "No one answered me back at the castle. What's Lloyd's – or any of your relationship to Sheena?"

As much as she wanted to glare at him and storm away, his question caught her interest. He had asked with the smirk still on his lips, but the tone of his voice changed just a little. _He's our host… and he's been good to us_… she reasoned before she sighed. "She's our friend. We helped her make a few pacts, and she helped us try to find a way to save both worlds. We fought together… and we wouldn't be here – or possibly even alive – if she hadn't helped us. We owe her a lot."

"Huh," Zelos commented, shifting his eyes back to his half-eaten apple before they slid back to her. His expression froze – but only for a heartbeat before his eyebrow arched playfully at her. "Is she still hot?"

"Good night, Zelos…" Liane groaned, turning her back on the snicker that slipped out of him apparently in appreciation of his own wittiness. For a moment, she had actually started to think that he might have been concerned for the girl that had gone to Sylvarant in an attempt to save her own world – on behalf of that world… _but all he wanted was a chance to be a pig?_

_Oh, well… it's another distraction_… she sighed as she started into the mansion. _Keeps me from wondering why I was daydreaming about marrying the man that stabbed us in the back….

* * *

_

"Listen and be amazed, bumpkins. This is the greatest drawbridge in the world. It connects the continents of Altamira and Fooji. Its control system incorporates three thousand Exspheres."

The morning up until the Chosen had spoken those words had passed relatively peacefully. Btu after his prideful declaration, everything seemed to flicker back into its darker focus of the day before. Not only were they – at very least – temporarily stranded in a strange world with strange names and people that held no particular love for them, but the truth of the Exspheres continued to haunt them as well.

_To go from where the people's hopes hinged on Colette's survival to where those that know of her only wish for her death_…. Liane chewed her lip as they followed Zelos' lead up the coastline of the continent he had called 'Altamira.' For all of them, it was guilt by association… even children on the streets of Meltokio had seemed to understand that they were outsiders. It was taxing – pretending not to see – and even moreso when Zelos insisted on referring to them by such terms of endearment as 'bumpkins.' Conversations were kept simple – but that was all she could honestly ask for at that point.

Kratos had continued to haunt her dreams after she had turned off the lights. But all of it had been familiar this time… his wordless voice… the looks she received when she was certain he'd been on the verge of smiling… and the look when she was sure he'd been on the verge of killing her in Triet. While it all tugged at her, it was when her mind saw fit to take her back to the Tower that she had forced herself to awaken. There, in the dark of the room that she had been given to share with Presea, she did her best to commit what she had seen to memory. _He was leery of all of us in Triet – any of us could have been a threat to Colette as far as he knew – his job had to be to protect her at all costs_, she had reasoned as she had curled into the corner of the room. _But the look in his eyes in the Tower… when he knew he could overpower us… when our attacks were already weakened… the look in his eyes was different_…. Liane was certain of it, even if she didn't know if she could trust her own memory completely enough to even try to bring it up to the others. Defending Kratos seemed to be one of the dumber things she could do – and not for the sake of a hunch. _They don't watn to hear it… I tried… I won't be the one to bring it up again._

"Well, then," Zelos suddenly blurted out as he strolled alongside the group. "I'd like to take this opportunity to decide everyone's nicknames."

Lloyd's head snapped up to allow him to stare at the redhead. "What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"He doesn't handle silence very well, I'm guessing," Liane groaned, shooting a look of her own at the Chosen from where she walked beside Raine. "Again with the nicknames? What is it with you and nicknames?"

Zelos took a few quick steps to assure he was walking at the front of the group before he spun to face them and continued walking backwards. With a wide grin, he planted his hands proudly on his chest. "You can call me, "Mr. Zelos." One hand swept out to where Presea and Colette walked on the outer edge of the group. "Presea will be "Little One." Colette is "Miss Angel." His eyes shifted to Lloyd and Genis at the heart of the party and glittered mischievously. "Lloyd is "Hey You," and Genis is "Brat," he snickered, leaving his grin perfectly intact.

"Gee," Genis rolled his eyes, the single syllable dripping in sarcasm. "You must have spent a long time thinking up Lloyd's and mine," he continued in mock enthusiasm.

"Don't mention it," Zelos laughed and shrugged off the boy's mocking gratitude before he looked over to Liane and Raine. "Liane will be "Warrior Goddess" –"

"Zelos…" Liane groaned. "Enough… really…."

"Nope!" Zelos shook his head. "I saw how you took care of that Rogue back by the bridge. It stays," he grinned, winking at her and finally looking to Raine. "And then, Raine will be "Gorgeous Ultra Cool Beauty."

Raine stared at him, pink tinting her pale complexion. "I don't want to be called something like that!"

"Welcome to the party," Liane groaned, but still found herself silently enjoying that she wasn't the only one embarrassed by Zelos' overtures.

"Huh?" Zelos blinked in confusion, twirling a red curl around his finger in though before he shrugged. "Then, "Her Highness."

"Zelos," Raine sighed heavily, shaking her head before she looked up in exasperation, "… can't you come up with something a little more normal?"

Lloyd shrugged, clearly enjoying the exchange, but struggling to keep a laugh under control. "The Professor is the Professor. What else would she be?"

Liane nodded in agreement to her friend's logic. "Some already have nicknames that suit them… others…" she sighed, "… never needed one in the first place --?"

"Hmm…" Zelos cocked his head as if to prove he was really thinking about it. "Hmm… Professor… that does have a nice ring to it," he nodded, his smile brightening the longer he considered it. "The bewitching female teacher…."

Zelos' pleased snicker almost drowned out the gagging noises Genis made as his small hands clutched at his throat. Oddly, though, Raine's only reaction was to let her shoulders slump as she shook her head and waved her hand at Zelos. "Oh, fine, whatever," she groaned defeatedly. "I don't care any more."

"Okay then!" Zelos clapped his hands together once. "Professor Raine" it is!"

Raine's steps suddenly quickened, carrying her out ahead of the group and pointedly past the Chosen. "Whatever," she grumbled, keeping her head down so that her silver hair curtained her still-pink cheeks.

Zelos stopped, a low whistle slipping from his lips as he watched Raine storm up the rolling hill before them. "Huh… maybe I should stick with "Cool Beauty"… brrr…" he made a show of shivering and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he started to walk with the others again, efficiently taking the professor's place in their formation.

Instinctively, Liane took a step away from him, but stopped herself before she thought it was too obvious. "It's… kind of embarrassing, Zelos," she shrugged, almost feeling bad for how dejected he suddenly seemed. "You really don't know us well enough to give us nicknames like that without having them sound… well…" she searched for the right word for a moment, "… mocking?"

"Wow…" Zelos breathed out, turning his head to watch Liane with wide eyes. "Your boyfriends must be sooo mean if you can't take a little compliment like my nicknames."

Liane's eyes widened, but before she could sputter her way to a response, it was Genis' voice that spoke up.

"Oh, they don't have boyfriends," he snickered. "I mean, Liane's got Michael _and_ –" he looked up, catching the piercing glare he got from Liane for even that much and then quickly looked away. "Um… yeah… not … boyfriends…."

Her cheeks blazing, Liane frowned at her friend for a moment longer before she realized that Lloyd wouldn't look at her either. At that moment, she knew that she didn't want to hear how the boy had planned to finish his declaration. "No…" she shook her head and turned her eyes forward, wishing with everything that she was that she could melt away, "… no boyfriends."

Only a moment of awkward silence passed as they topped the hill and started to catch up to Raine before Zelos chuckled again. "Umm, okay! Well, that means the position's open then!" he grinned, sidestepping to nudge Liane with his shoulder and waggling her eyebrows. "How about it? We can skip "Warrior Goddess" and go straight for "Hunny," maybe?"

Liane exhaled and mustered one more glare especially for Zelos. "Warrior Goddess" will be fine… thanks," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and speeding up a little to catch up to Raine faster. It was retreating… she knew that and she hated it… but the teasing that had been good natured was starting to rub a new hole in her defenses – and that wasn't something she was ready for.

"Wow…" Zelos murmured as he watched Liane move away, glancing over to the boys. "Is it me or did the temperature just drop a few more degrees around here?"

"Must be you," Genis shrugged, watching after Liane and his sister with a sigh. "This is pretty much how it's been for us for a few days…."

* * *

"I hate… this city. Hurry… to Ozette…." 

The lack of emotion in Presea's voice compared to the strength of the words the girl chose was enough to stop the party at the gates of Sybak.

"I… I'm sorry, Presea," Genis apologized, shrugging helplessly to the girl before he looked back up to Lloyd in a silent plea for help.

Zelos crouched down before the girl, tilting his head to offer her a boyish smile. "Wait just a minute, little one," he crooned. "We'll be done in a jiffy," he nodded before he, too looked up to the red-clad swordsman. "Right, Lloyd?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, setting his jaw a little before his expression softened and his shoulders fell. "I'm sorry."

While the great brick buildings that suddenly seemed to rise between them and the ocean held Liane's attention for a few long moments, the males of the group trying to reassure the youngest female helped her remember to stop gawking and look down to the pink haired girl as well. "I understand, Presea… it seems like there's always one more place to go before you can get where you want to be, huh…" she shrugged and offered her a hand before she thought about it. "It won't be any longer than it has to be… we'll get you home," she told her with a smile.

Presea's eyes shifted to the hand that stretched out to her, considering it for a few slow blinks before she reached up and closed her hand over Liane's with a silent nod.

Liane had realized that she might have been pushing friendship on Presea as she watched the girl consider the offer, but she couldn't help but be warmed by the fact that she had accepted it. _It's good to know that you're not alone_… she reminded herself as Zelos spun on his heel to lead them through the town, hearing a huff of frustration puff from Genis as the boy wrung his hands together in what looked like nervousness. She only had to watch him for a moment longer to fully understand his apparent discomfort… and as sadistic as it seemed, she smiled just a little. _Come on, Genis… if you want to hold her hand, you're going to have to step up and do it_…. But that would have to be something he would figure out for himself – and until he did, she decided it was okay for her to enjoy it… just a little. After years of being teased about Michael, it was a small taste of justice.

After passing through the open gates of an apparently old brick compound, Zelos pulled the door open and handed it to Lloyd to hold open with a meaningful, sweeping glance to the females of the party. Only when it appeared that the younger swordsman got the hint did Zelos chuckle, ruffle the younger swordsman's hair, and then stroll into the building to lead the party up to a mousy lab-coated woman milling near the door with a clipboard clutched to her chest. "Yo! There should be word from Meltokio," he called out with casual familiarity as he approached the woman, who jumped just a little at his voice.

"Ah, Chosen One," the woman partially bowed to him and smiled, pushing her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose as she turned to the door behind her and gestured back over her shoulder. "Please come this way."

Zelos followed after the researcher, glancing back over his shoulder only once to make certain that the others were as well. Liane knew that it really was all that they could hope for – his loyalty was with them only as far as his word took him, his own agenda not really linked to theirs in any way. The detachment was awkward, but probably necessary. _None of this probably matters to him in the least… his world is still strong… and he doesn't share Colette's condition_. But she kept those thoughts bottled away, trying to focus on their task and listening only to the senses that didn't distract her – the scent of old books and knowledge somehow soothing to raw nerves that were additionally set on edge by the sight of the researcher's pristine white coats. Grinding her teeth just a little, she shook her head once in a show of physical defiance – thinking back to the ranch wouldn't help where she was now… it would simply give them more power.

The researcher stepped around a desk as the party followed her into a room off of the corridor and picked up another notebook off the desk to start to flip through the pages. "Upon receiving the report of Colette's symptoms, we found out attention on research data regarding the Chosen's Cruxis Crystal," she murmured, looking over the rim of her glasses at the blonde girl.

"Well now," Zelos chuckled proudly. "So my crystal was useful. When Colette returns to normal, I'll need to make sure she thanks me generously," he grinned, his eyes following the researcher's to Colette.

"That's just good sense… if your crystal is like hers and you're not wearing it, I'm not sure those are grounds for a date." Liane sighed, shaking her head and ignoring the amusedly-annoyed glare she got from the redhead as the researcher passed her hand over a metallic pad on the surface of the desk.

A glowing sphere appeared and hovered above the desk, blue energy rippling over its form as the researcher gestured to it. "Cruxis Crystals are thought to be evolved forms of Exspheres. Both Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals are lifeless beings."

"What did you say?!" Raine asked in surprise.

Lloyd looked up, his eyes shifting from the researcher and back to the professor in confusion. "Life… less? What?"

Raine drew a long breath, composing herself and choosing her words at the same time as she looked back down to Lloyd. "Lifeless beings," she repeated the researcher's phasing. "How should I put it? Basically, Exspheres are alive, though not in the same way we are."

"They have a life of their own… just not in a way that we would recognize it…" Liane added, her eyes fixed on the image that hovered in the air before them. The explanation sounded familiar… but it also seemed to be a simple enough logic.

"Yes," the researcher nodded. "Both of these crystals are like parasites fusing with other life forms."

Lloyd made a face, lifting his left hand to stare at the Exsphere mounted there. "Parasites… hmm. That's not a very pleasant thought."

"So… an Exsphere or a Cruxis Crystal… while it enhances the life form's abilities… it feeds off their energy as well?" Liane asked, tilting her head. "So... the life form ends up using energy… and the crystal feeds of yet more…" her voice trailed off as her frown grew more pronounced.

The researcher nodded quickly. "When this happens, the mana within the body loses balance and goes out of control without a Key Crest."

Genis' shoulders sank as he looked down to the Exsphere that he wore. "So that's why Exspheres without Key Crests turn people into monsters."

"Exactly," the researcher agreed and turned her eyes back to the glimmering sphere before them. "In other words, since Cruxis Crystals possess the same qualities as Exspheres, we surmise that Colette is suffering from a parasitical infection by the Cruxis Crystal."

"I see…" Raine murmured distractedly, her finger on her chin in though as she turned to stare at Colette. "In which case, the ritual of releasing the seals may be promoting the fusion with the Cruxis Crystal…" she continued, her eyes widening. "Fascinating…."

Lloyd frowned and took a quick step to place himself between Raine and Colette in a bid to break the elven woman's concentration. "Professor, don't talk like that after all the bad things that keep happening to Colette…" he pled, keeping his gaze firm on the teacher.

"Lloyd…" Liane glanced down to Presea and gently slid her hand from the girl's, walking over to stand to the side of both Raine and Lloyd. "It's not pleasant… it can't be. But understanding what's happening is important… even if it's hard to hear," she shrugged. If helping Colette meant facing the ugly truth about what her Cruxis Crystal was doing to her, they had to face it – there was no other way.

"Then, if she had a Key Crest, she'd return to normal, right?" Zelos asked the researcher nodded in confirmation, tapping her fingers on the control panel again to dismiss the sphere into a shimmering shower of light.

"A Key Crest, huh?" Lloyd muttered, his forehead creasing a little. "I wonder if we can get one somewhere."

* * *

Liane looked up from where she sat against the wall in the entry hall of the academy, fairly glaring at Zelos as she strolled back to the corner that the party had staked out. Lloyd had been gone for a while with the Key Crest they had gotten from a seller in the bazaar outside – _'conned him out of' is more like it_… she sighed as the Chosen's happy whistle filled the hall on his way back from yet another female siting. True, the dealer had tried to con them first, but it was a business… and the marketplace hadn't exactly been bustling either time she had been through it – even if it was shady, he was probably just trying to make a living. "You really have no problems throwing around your title to get what you want, do you?" she asked as the redhead turned against the wall beside her and slid down into a cross-legged crouch. 

"What's the point of having something you don't use?" the redhead shrugged innocently as his eyes followed yet another female student crossing the room behind the large skeletal creature that formed the centerpiece display for the academy. "It got us in here, it got our cute little Colette her Key Crest…" he turned his grin back to her. "Besides, the ladies really like it…."

"Yeah… and look at where that same title has gotten Colette," Liane grumbled, her hand sweeping out to where Colette stood motionless and silent a few steps away.

Zelos chuckled, although not with the ambition he had the last time. "Well, Tethe'alla's a happier place than Sylvarant, I guess. You'll see. When Lloyd gets finished, even Colette will like Tethe'alla way more… you'll see."

Liane's hands clenched tighter around her legs as she huffed them a little closer to her chest. "Colette loves Sylvarant… that's why she's like this in the first place," she replied sullenly. When Colette recovered – _if_ she recovered – would she hate them for bartering any chance they had to return for her safety? If she recovered, how sad would she be if she had to call Tethe'alla home as well?_ At least she wouldn't have to be the Chosen any more… Tethe'alla already has this joker_….

"Yet another benefit of being the Chosen of a flourishing world!" Zelos shrugged in amusement. "Everyone loves a hero… or at least the guy destined to be one…."

"Just not one from another world… yeah…" Liane nodded as she heard the nearby door unlatch and quickly scrambled to her feet as Lloyd emerged. "You're done?" she asked her friend with a relieved smile – both for Colette and for the fact that she could escape from the discussion with Zelos.

Lloyd smiled weakly as he saw the others stand and gather, his hand clutching at something that winked with a dull metallic luster through his fingers. "Um… I think so… it's probably as good as I can make it here," he breathed out and approached Colette. Slowly, he reached out to brush her hair back from her shoulders and then stretched his hand out to her so that her blank gaze could see the carved pendant that he had carved for her. "I didn't think I'd be giving you your birthday present like this," he told her softly, almost apologetically as he could put the Key Crest on her crystal. "I've attached a Key Crest to your necklace. It's late… but it's my present for you," the swordsman murmured solemnly before he took a step back and tilted his head to watch the girl, his eyes searching hers for some reaction… any reaction. "Colette? Can you hear me?"

She didn't move… she didn't even blink her cold red eyes. Liane exhaled in disappointment and looked down to the floor. _That's it then? That's the only option the researcher gave us… but there has to be something else… something they missed – or something we missed_….

"How is it?" Genis asked anxiously, pushing himself up onto the balls of his feet to peer around Lloyd.

The swordsman sighed and shook his head, finally casting a glance back over his shoulder to the young elf. "It doesn't seem to work," he replied with a dejected slump to his shoulders.

"You did what you could, Lloyd," Liane told her friend as she stepped to his side. "We'll just have to try something else," she offered, trying not to think about how intricate she knew the carved charms to be. Lloyd took his work seriously… especially where his friends were concerned. He would have taken all care with the Key Crest. "Maybe the researchers have another suggestion."

"How about asking Dirk for help?" Raine shrugged, wrapping her hands – one on top of the other on her staff and resting her weight against it.

Genis huffed, looking up to his sister with a small flail of his hands. "But Dirk's in Sylvarant. And the Rheairds are out of fuel…" he complained with a frown set on his lips.

With a shrug, Lloyd glanced around the hall, his chocolate eyes pausing as if searching for hope at each of the Academy's natives that he saw. "Maybe the people here at the Academy might know of a way."

Zelos threw himself in front of the swordsman with a stern frown and a wave of his hands. "Hey, hey, hey! Wait just a moment!" he waved his hands as if trying to wake Lloyd up. "Aren't you forgetting something? I'm here to keep tabs on you! I can't let you go back to Sylvarant!"

"Are you forgetting that our deal was to help Colette?" Liane fixed a weary glare on the redhead with a sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against a nearby column. "The researcher said that a Key Crest might help. That was the Academy's suggestion. Maybe Dirk can tune the carvings a little more… we're only doing what we were told," she shrugged, tilting her head so that her braid caught over her shoulder. "As a matter of fact… I think you actually suggested the Key Crest to start with…?"

Lloyd glanced over to Liane even as a hint of a smirk curled his lips and he slowly turned back to Zelos. "Well then, just come along with us, oh compassionate Chosen One," he shrugged innocently, his voice thick with challenge.

"What?" Zelos' jaw dropped open in a show of shock. "Are you serious?"

Raine shrugged, her expression just a little too nonchalant. "You're kind to girls, right?"

It was one of the finest examples of teamwork Liane could remember seeing outside of battle in so long… and she couldn't stop her growing smirk for anything. Zelos' calm control was being tested, and the fact that his cocky grin was missing was a shade of victory in her book.

"Yeah, it's to save Colette," Genis swept in to deliver his part of the attack on the Chosen, sweeping his hand out to indicate Colette, his eyes wide and pleading. "You'll keep quiet about it for us, right?"

The Chosen's eyes flickered with indecision, and he looked as if he tried to form a reply at least twice before he sighed and propped his hands on his waist, shaking his head as his shoulders drooped in an exasperated shrug. "Great, how am I supposed to snitch after hearing that?"

Lloyd's eyes lit up at Zelos' words, a laugh finally rattling out of him as he clapped the redhead on the back of his shoulder, eliciting a slight glare from the Chosen. "Okay, then all we need now is fuel."

But before that plan could be further fleshed out, there was a shuffling of mental from a nearby alcove, followed quickly by the glint of emerald over silver by the light of the overhead skylight. A pair of armored knights approached them, walking directly up to face Zelos. "Chosen," the closer of the knights began to speak, leveling his spear as they came closer. "We heard what you said just now. We hereby declare you and your companions to be traitors attempting to destroy Tethe'alla."

"Humph," Zelos rolled his eyes and tossed his hair over his shoulder in a show of disinterest. "Well, that as perfect timing, Mr. Papal Knight," he groaned, his voice mocking.

The first knight stopped to face Zelos, keeping his weapon trained on the Chosen while his companion circled around behind the group, placing himself between them and the exit to the Academy. "By the Pope's orders, we are to watch you for suspicions of plotting against the throne."

The redhead threw his head back with a hearty laugh that ended all too pointedly soon as he looked back down and fixed his glare on the knight before him. "Now that's amusing," Zelos spoke evenly, his glare obvious even in his voice. "I'm the one that's plotting against the throne?"

Liane shook her head s she spotted another pair of knights approaching from behind them. "That's not right!" she blurted out. "We mean no harm to Tethe'alla… or the throne!" she pulled back closer to the others as she warily watched the two knights that were closing in on them, and closing off their access to the exit. "We're just trying to help our friend… the King knows that… or he never would have released us from Meltokio, would he?"

The knight that had confronted Zelos turned his helm to her, but only for the moment before he motioned to the other two knights. "Restrain them and take a sample," he barked, not acknowledging that there had been any complaint and offering no further justification. "Don't touch the angel, if you approach her carelessly, she'll kill you."

"Ow! What are you doing?!"

Liane looked up at Lloyd's pained demand and started to take a step closer to his when a firm hand closed almost bruisingly over her own arm. "Huh?" she turned, but before she could speak again, the knight that had grabbed her shoved a needle into her upper arm. "Oww!" she growled, jerking away from the needle, even though the knight's restraint kept her from drawing her weapon. "I am so sick of people sneaking up on me and jabbing me with needles!" she growled as the knight looked down to the device in his hand and moved towards Genis.

"Criminals undergo biological tests before they are arrested. It's because of the caste system here," Zelos sighed, turning to offer the others a shrug, his eyes and expression both missing their usual playful gleam. "Some half-elves don't look any different from humans. It's necessary to detect them."

_Half-elves? Like the Desians?_ Liane frowned as she heard Genis whimper. She turned to watch the knight that had tested him stand and lift the needled device so that he could read it through the visor of his helm. _So… they're paranoid enough about Tethe'alla's decline that they're just watching for Desians before there's even a problem?_ She was struggling to put logic with the practice – especially after the leadership had obviously accepted the help of the Renegades – when she heard a sharp gasp echo from inside the helm of the knight behind Raine.

"S… sir!" the knight stammered, holding up the device in his hand. "We found a match!"

_A match?_ But… Liane's eyes snapped wide. _But… they're…._

"Genis! Professor!" Lloyd gasped, starting towards the siblings only to be stopped by the hand of the first knight.

"So you're half-elves!" the knight declared, a sneer in his voice as he pulled Lloyd back.

Zelos sucked in a quick breath as he took a small step backwards. "Half-elves?" he murmured softly in surprise that appeared legitimate. "Is that true?"

Raine hung her head just enough for her hair to fall forward even as her posture remained straight and rigid. "That's right."

"Raine!" Genis blurted urgently, struggling against the grip of the knight that had tested him as he looked up to his sister.

The Professor shook her head, fixing her brother with a quick yet stern gaze. "There's no point in trying to hide it now…."

_They're half-elves_… Liane's mind whispered even as her throat went dry. Raine and Genis were both half-elves. She was stunned, but not for the fact of their race being revealed. Raine and Genis had hidden something so basic from all of them. Granted, half-elves didn't' have the best of reputations on Sylvarant, either – thanks largely to the Desian presence. _But… they couldn't even tell us?_ It hurt, even as she struggled not to let the emotion degrade. She looked from her mentor and back to Genis, whose head hung sullenly while his arms hung limply at his sides. _Could he… they… really have thought we wouldn't like them… that we'd reject them – if we knew?_ She chewed her lip, wondering what could be said – if there was anything to say. _Weren't we worth the chance?_ She looked back to Raine, who seemed to be avoiding looking directly at any of them. _First Colette… now this. Raine… don't you trust us with anything?_

"These pathetic half-elves have engaged in shameless caste deception," the knight beside Zelos spat out in disdain, shifting his spear in his gloved hands.

Lloyd took a step towards the knight, the leather of his own gloves creaking as his fists curled around the handles of his blades and shook. "What did you say?!" the swordsman snarled defensively. "The Professor and Genis are much better people than you! Who cares if they're half-elves?!" he continued his voice ringing out in the old hall.

Zelos glanced over to the brown haired teen and shrugged, his easy posture of his hands resting on his hips unchanged. "I don't know what it's like in your world, but over here, half-elves are at the bottom of the caste system," he told Lloyd and the rest of the party, his voice bearing an oddly somber tone.

"Half-elves guilty of crimes are all executed without exception. "The knight that appeared to be the commander of the troop stated coldly.

"That's insane!" Lloyd cried out, his anger clearly creeping into his voice as it grew louder in response to the worsening situation.

But Liane had a hard time condemning Lloyd for that reaction when she shared it. "I thought Tethe'alla was supposed to be so civilized," she bit out, noting how the hall had slowly emptied of students and researchers alike, leaving the few that remained to cower in the darkened corners to watch the proceedings in morbid interest. "And I suppose you'll be the ones to judge their guilt for some made up charge," she growled out. They were still surrounded, with no real room to fight – and worse, not only did Raine and Genis not even seem willing to speak in their own defense, where could they go?

The lead knight chuckled dryly before he swept his hand out to his companions. "Take them away," he muttered, not bothering to defend their actions against Liane's accusations.

"Professor! Genis!" Lloyd growled out, ducking from under the knight's grasp and drawing his blades in one fluid motion as he rushed at the guards that were starting to muscle the siblings away. But on the knight's second attempt to stop Lloyd, his foot swept out with speed that appeared impossible in the bulky armor, catching Lloyd in the shin and sending the teen sprawling to the floor, his blades skittering out of his reach.

Liane quickly moved to the blades and knelt to pick up the weapons, lifting one hand to show that she didn't mean to use them as she carefully tucked them under her arm and helped Lloyd to his feet. She made full note that while Raine and Genis both stopped with the knights, neither turned to see how the boy had tried to reach them. _Are… you really so ashamed of who you are?_

"Change in plans," the first knight sighed, his visor still turned to watch Liane and Lloyd. "Half-elves can use magic so we must keep them under heavy guard…" he muttered before he gestured to Lloyd. "And get some cuffs on this one.

The knight that originally accompanied the first into the confrontation stepped forward and obediently snapped a pair of lightweight cuffs onto Lloyd, who still seemed just a little bit dazed from his collision with the floor. "We don't have any spare forces," he grumbled, looking back up to his commander and then pointedly back to Raine and Genis.

The first knight was silent for a moment before he nodded. "We'll return to the bridge and call for reinforcements," he spoke firmly. "As for the Chosen and the others…" he shrugged. "Just lock them in the basement or something."

Liane felt Lloyd tense under her hand, but when the commander led the other two knights along with Raine and Genis from the building, she also felt his shoulders slump… an action she knew that she mirrored. As the remaining knight jerked his spear toward a darkened stairwell in the corner, she sighed and fell into step behind Lloyd, leaving the knight behind to herd the others. Behind her, she could hear two pairs of gentle footsteps, the insulted grumbling of the redheaded Chosen, and the resulting chuckling of the knight. _Lloyd and I… we're all that's left from Sylvarant to save Colette… now we have to save Raine and Genis… somehow_…. Presea had proven she could hold her own… and Zelos… well, she had to believe that he'd abandon them the first chance he got until he proved her wrong.

"This isn't right…" Lloyd grumbled as they followed the narrow corridor, his head hung forward over his shackled hands. "We can't be here… we have to do something."

"I know," Liane nodded in agreement, keeping her voice quiet. First they had effectively lost Colette and Kratos, then Sheena… _and now… Raine and Genis?_ It wasn't acceptable. "Watch for a chance… the bridge is still a good distance away… if we see an opening… we have to take it."

"Hey!" the knight called out from the back of the group. "No talking. Keep walking."

Liane shot a glare over her shoulder but continued to walk, chewing her lip to assure herself that what had needed to be said had been. With the exception of Lloyd, they hadn't been disarmed… and Lloyd's situation could be remedied easily. She hadn't used her magic in over a day – the surprise factor of a well-placed Lightning bolt could be the distraction they needed. With Colette's help, they might be able to gather enough momentum to push their way past the knight and out of the Academy – any help Presea or Zelos might offer would help, but she knew better than to count on it.

_Watch for an opening, Lloyd_… Liane silently pled with her friend. _We didn't come all this way to lose our friends one by one… we're stronger than that…_

_… we have to be._


	20. Chapter 21

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The group has been hiding secrets amongst themselves… and old friends return to introduce yet more questions. More enemies… more complications… and more glimpses that maybe… maybe… the party has a chance at its goals… but at what price?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 21:

As much as he honestly hated moving by daylight, Kratos had to admit – for flight, it provided far more cover for him than the night. Teleporting simply wasn't an option at this point in the game, the party's movements were still unpredictable enough that there was the slightest chance he could anticipate incorrectly and then lose time tracking them down again.

Lightly touching down on the roof of the inn in Sybak, he crouched behind a colorful banner that was rippling on the peaceful sea breeze. He had to admit he was impressed by their industriousness in gaining the King's permission to contact the Academy as well as the Pope's blessing to travel. But he wondered if they knew what they were truly doing in their dealings with the King, the Pope, even with Tethe'alla's chosen – how easily they could be demoted to little more than pawns in a game they didn't even know was being played.

_They must be inside the Academy._

Kratos shifted his weight in more unease than discomfort as his eyes scanned over the people going about their everyday lives on the street below. He had to wonder how many of them had even the smallest notion of how their lives could possibly be changing in the near future. At very least, the cracks in the political system could fracture any day into a power struggle or…

_… or a power they can't fathom that sees these people as little more than a resource could end everything._

As much as it bothered him, he knew that the world teetering on the brink of chaos was hardly unusual – a calm and trouble-free existence was far more unusual. In fact, he wasn't certain he could ever remember such a thing occurring for more than a few moments at a time. It was that tension that held the world together – it was that tension that simply became the background noise of everyday life.

_But it was those times when the world did fall silent that pushed everything into focus… made seeking those times worth it…._

"_It can't really be all that fascinating to you…" Anna murmured quietly where she rested against his side, tucked under his arm as they stole a moment to relax against the trunk of a tree before they made camp for the night. She moved her hand to rest on top of his as it slowly stroked over the barely discernable bulge that sat low on her belly. "In four thousand years, surely you've seen a pregnant woman before," she laughed, shaking her head without moving from his shoulder._

_He looked down to her for a long moment, enjoying how comfortable she was with him – in awe of it, really. She took every bit of his reality in such graceful stride – first that he was a traveling mercenary… then that he was an angel… and then that he was older than the events in almost every history book she had ever read. Every bit of that information had been the price he'd paid to earn back her trust after she had been taken by the Desians – and every bit of it had already been more than worth baring his soul to her. Necessity had forced his wife to become more guarded – the carefree girl that he had met in Luin had been left in the past. But in her place, a confident and cautious young woman had stepped in. Her trust wasn't easily won, and while he partially cursed himself for allowing that trait in himself to bleed over into her, she knew it was for the best in their nomadic life. "This is different," he finally replied softly and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the tree while keeping his arm protectively around her… and his hand protectively over their tiny child. "It was never you before… it was never our child before."_

_She laughed again and laced her fingers over his hand, turning to nestle her head beneath his chin. "You have an answer for everything, don't you?" Anna shook her head._

_"Four thousand years should be worth something," he smirked, pulling her closer and turning to place a kiss against her temple. He inhaled her sweet, clean scent as he found himself once again grateful for those four thousand years that had brought him to that moment and every other he had shared with her…._

_Kratos blinked and pushed the door to those memories shut once again. It was a silent invitation that his mind had taken him up on… practically a challenge to recall the times that met his definition of peaceful. He knew that it shouldn't surprise him that she was tied to most – if not all of them – in her own right, or through their son…_

… or even through Liane.

That realization troubled him for only as long as it took his logical side to kick in. The one moment that he could classify as truly peaceful in the recent past - that they had been the only two present for and not absorbed with fighting off the sting of their usual hostility – had been on the docks of Izoold. As sacrilegious as it could have been, for those precious few moments, it had been the two of them – and the memories. If he thought about it – freed his memories of his senses… he wondered if he would have considered it – if he wouldn't have felt _her_ presence. Things he had seen and heard since then made him think that he would have.

But it was gone… over… lost… the moment and all that it might have whispered to him – just as fleeting glimpses of peace tended to be.

He closed his hands over the ledge of the inn, needing the firm grip on the tangible. The angel's eyes once again drifted over those that milled beneath him. The party was still nowhere to be seen, and with going into the Academy to find them at the moment being out of the question, he was left with no other option than to wait. As much as he wished he could believe otherwise, he doubted that the researchers would be of help in curing Colette's condition. He had played his role in inflicting it upon her, there was no point in denying it. But never had it been so clear as the night before when he had stood face to face through the window with the empty shell of the girl that had carried the hopes of a world on her slender shoulders. Her hollow gaze had stared through him, but she hadn't reacted – it was his only reprieve – she didn't see him as a threat. He had simply needed to make sure that they were safe for the night – all of them.

It had been a momentary thought to approach Liane in the Chosen's garden, but the Chosen himself had made that decision for him with his appearance. He couldn't say for certain that she wouldn't have reacted badly to his presence – but as she had been unarmed, it could have been the perfect time to decide how much help he would still be able to give them. From what he could see, the girl was still leaning towards withdrawing from the rest of the party when the opportunity presented itself. He knew how arrogant it was of him to think that he was any part of the reason, but he couldn't help but wonder when she paused at the bush of lilies.

_If I could reach only one of them…._

Kratos frowned. If he could reach one of them, it would mean using them, but the alternative would be confronting all of them and chancing that they would defy him in bitter spite for his betrayal even if he could convince them that what he brought them were options worth considering. Neither of the choices truly appealed to him, but everything would hinge on them and their choices now.

Suddenly a gleam of bright green against the relatively earthy tones of Sybak caught his eye and drew his attention to the doors of the Academy. A trio of guards began to shuffle stiffly out into the streets, and at the heart of their formation –

_Oh no…._

He could only guess at what had transpired within the old brick building that would have revealed what the siblings had seen fit to keep a closely guarded secret – even from their own friends. But the fact that the half-elves were in custody of Papal Knights and the others were nowhere to be seen set Kratos' mind into action. He could stop the knights easily… but freeing Raine and Genis could endanger the others… without understanding the situation, it was difficult to act.

_And if Yggdrasill happened to be watching, there would be a fine line drawn._ Helping the Sages could be taken as aiding half-elves, but what then? One wrong step after that point and it would turn the situation back to aiding Colette's escape from her fate.

_Dammit… I have to wait._ Kratos grimaced, drawing back from the edge of the roof as the small procession passed by below, unwilling to reveal his presence just yet. _Lloyd and the others must still be together… they still have time._ The guards clearly had no Rheairds so their return to Meltokio would be relatively slow… it would buy the remaining group time… and push Kratos' rescuing Raine and Genis to a secondary plan.

_Whatever happened, the question of their race couldn't have sparked this… they would only have been tested as a result of being arrested for something else._ Kratos sighed, shaking his head. Coming to Tethe'alla had clearly been a desperation move, but without Sheena – or someone that had an interest in guiding them around what those from Sylvarant would see as political quirks that they weren't used to watching for…. He groaned quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

* * *

"They are criminals," the blonde researcher from the first floor who had greeted them so eagerly snipped as she held the thick wooden door open for Lloyd and the others. She stood back to allow each of them to enter the dank and somewhat musty-smelling stone chamber in the basement of the Imperial Research Academy. "Hold them here until we return for them." 

Liane turned after a few steps into the room, entering only far enough for the others to gather within as well. "Gee, thanks for all of your help," she grumbled her sarcastic gratitude, foxing the blonde researcher with a cold glare. She watched the woman meet her glare and then chuckle as she gestured to the Papal Knight that had herded them to the basement to leave. Offering the party a haughty smile, the researcher turned to follow after the knight, allowing the chamber door to slam shut behind them. _Arrogant cow…_.Liane barely kept the insult silent. The woman had seemed so ready and eager to aid them…_but this is where it got us… arrested and Colette no closer to a cure than she was when we came to Tethe'alla._

"Criminals…" came a soft voice from the side of the room where a teal-haired woman watched them warily, her arms crossed defensively over her chest where she leaned back against a desk, her white coat contrasting sharply with the darkness of the chamber. "If you've had the good fortune of being born human, don't throw it away like that," she continued, reaching to tuck a lock of hair that had escaped her bun back and then pushing her glasses back up onto the bridge of her nose.

Lloyd turned, the cuffs that kept his hands bound before him rattling almost musically to the action. "W… we haven't done anything!"

The redheaded Chosen crossed his arms indifferently and shot Lloyd a sideways glance. "_Well,_ you did try to go back to Sylvarant…."

"Sh… shut up," Lloyd snapped back, turning his head stubbornly away from Zelos with a snort.

Liane growled softly. "Yeah, and I seem to remember that you agreed to help us… it's done. Let's stop the finger pointing and figure out what we're going to do, hmm?" She watched both of the young men sulk for just a moment and she had to shake her head. _Goddess… when did I turn into Raine?_

But even as the two swordsmen argued, the teal-haired researcher wordlessly pushed herself from the desk and started to approach the group, leaving a dark-haired male hunched studiously over the desk. She continued to advance, passing under the lights mounted in the ceiling that revealed the telltale point of elven ears poking though her hair. But she didn't meet their eyes; instead she stared through them – straight to the pink haired girl that lurked at the back of the group.

"Get away…" Presea murmured softly, quickly turning her back on the woman to face the wall even as her hands curled into small fists.

"Presea?" the woman asked with a note of disbelief in her already-nervous tone. She stopped a few steps away from the group and straightened. "You're Presea! Why are you here?!"

Lloyd sidestepped quickly to place himself between the researcher and Presea. "You know Presea?" he asked suspiciously, his voice just loud enough to demand her attention.

And it was apparently just enough to rattle the researcher out of her surprised daze as she blinked and stared at Lloyd… and then shifted her eyes away. "Ah… I… she's…."

Liane frowned and turned to watch Presea. The girl that seemed so utterly unaffected by almost everything was simply staring at the stone wall behind them, but her stance displayed a stubborn refusal to even acknowledge the researcher's presence, as if Presea couldn't see her, then she wasn't really there.

"A half-elf in the Imperial Research Academy is acquainted with a human child?" Zelos questioned, stroking his chin as he eyed the researcher with obvious distrust. "That's strange."

Lloyd looked away from the woman with a small tilt of his head in Zelos' direction. "Why?"

Zelos rolled his eyes in a show of exasperation. "I _told you_, half-elves are treated like garbage in this world," he shrugged, his eyes never moving from the woman. "The half-elves that work at the Imperial Research Academy never leave their labs… ever."

_She's a half-elf, then?_ Somehow, Liane was surprised even though she knew she shouldn't have been – not after comments about 'good fortune in being born human' – but her frown still deepened. _Raine and Genis never said anything like that_ "So… it's not possible that she would have met Presea somewhere else… because she stays her _all _of the time?"

"That's insane…" Lloyd grumbled, shaking his head in refusal of Zelos' statement.

Zelos shrugged and looked back to the researcher with an interested arch to his eyebrow. "Let's put that aside for now. How _does_ a half-elf that can never leave here know Presea?"

"Presea said she hates this city… she's been here before…" Liane murmured, looking between Presea and the researcher "So if you couldn't' come to Presea outside of the Academy…" her gaze settled on the researcher, "… then Presea had to have come to you…?"

The teal-haired woman nodded, crossing one arm over her middle to cup the opposite elbow in her hand. "This child is my team's research sample," she admitted softly, once again looking past them all to Presea.

"Research?" Lloyd repeated, his hands straining at his cuffs. "What kind of research?"

"Research to manufacture Cruxis Crystals inside the human body," the woman replied calmly, as if absolutely removed from the meaning behind her words.

Liane felt a chill slip down her spine and she looked down to Presea once again. _The… Angelus Project…._ The woman hadn't stated it, but it made no difference. The effect was the same. _Oh, sweet Martel…._

"_You_ can make Cruxis Crystals?" Lloyd asked, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper as he stared at her.

The researcher responded with an eager nod. "Yes…" then she shrugged. "Theoretically, they are no different than Exspheres. By allowing them to slowly feed on a human body –"

"Wh… what?!" the young swordsman blurted out, making the researcher jump in surprise as she was startled from her explanation. "That's the same way the Desians made Exspheres!"

"What?" the researcher fixed a stern frown on Lloyd and shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

Lloyd advanced on the researcher a step that sent her scrambling back two. "I'm _saying_, how can you treat people that way?!" her demanded, anger blooming in his voice.

"Children, even…" Liane added to her friend's rant, shaking her head as she frowned at the teal-haired woman's seeming obliviousness to her work. "How can you refer to a child as a 'research sample'… how can you possibly be so cold?" At least adults could resist… or fight back… not all children were as strong as Presea, whether it was the effect of the stone or not. _If she's this removed from one child… how many more were – are? – being used this way?_ She blinked, trying unsuccessfully not to see the small boy at the Asgard Ranch. _He couldn't resist… not many of us could…. _

The woman's eyes narrowed on Lloyd and Liane, her features shifting to reveal just a touch of anger. "I could ask you the exact same thing," she replied, her tone clipped. "How can you humans treat half-elves the way you do?"

Lloyd's eyebrows knit in confusion. "I treat them the same as everyone else," he responded with a slow shake of his head. "There's no difference between the lives of humans and half-elves!"

"He isn't from Tethe'alla."

The disembodied voice came from nowhere, but it halted the argument that it took for a burst of smoke to explode in front of Lloyd. As the smoke dissolved into the form of a familiar pastel-colored fox-like creature, the room's occupants stood in shock, giving the creature ample opportunity to leap at the young swordsman, his paw flashing out to easily break his shackles apart.

"He's a strange one who was raised in Sylvarant with half-elves and a dwarf," the same voice from before spoke once again, this time from very nearby – the back of the group to be exact.

Liane's head snapped to the voice, recognizing it instantly. _Sheena…._ She almost laughed in what could have been unfounded relief – the ninja had used Corrine's appearance to cover her own. Finally… instead of another party member disappearing… one had returned.

Lloyd spun as well, a half-chuckle breaking the previous tension in his voice. "Sheena! How did you know we –"

Sheena waved off Lloyd's question and shook her head. "I'll explain later. Genis and Raine are being taken to Meltokio," her eyes flashed over the new roster of the group before she looked back to Lloyd. "If we go after them now, we should be able to save them!"

"Ah… Sheena?" Liane frowned. "We're not here by choice… please tell me you have an idea of how we can get out of here…" she chewed her lip. "I mean, we don't exactly know your ninja tricks… and unless you're planning on getting us out one by one –"

"Are you planning on running away?" the half-elven woman interrupted, eyeing the larger group with distrust.

Sheena's eyes locked on the woman and – within two strides – she stood face to face with her, one of her cards resting between her fingers. "Are you going to try to stop us?" the ninja asked with a distinct edge to her voice.

The redheaded Chosen chuckled and crossed his arms, nodding towards Lloyd while he kept his eyes on the researcher. "He's going to save his half-elf best friend. What are _you_ going to do, Miss Half-elf?" he practically purred in amusement.

"Right now, if something happens to our friends, it will be your fault if you try to keep us here…" Liane added in, seeing the researcher's expression growing more nervous with each of them that challenged her. "We can still help… but if you'd really rather leave our friends to the mercy of the Papal Knights…" she sighed heavily. "I guess that's your choice."

The researcher set her jaw and shook her head. "I… I won't let you trick me," she ground out her denial. "There's no way a human would save a half-elf," she snorted stubbornly, her expression continuing to twist into a glare.

"But Kate…" came a meek voice from the side of the room where the dark-haired male had been quietly observing the debate. "I did hear they arrested two half-elves up above."

Kate turned at her assistant's words, once again touching her fingers thoughtfully to her chin as she turned back to the prisoners. Her gaze was still cold, but her shoulders revealed even more tension.

"There's no time," Lloyd groaned, looking to Liane and reaching for his blades that she had kept for him while he had been shackled. He shifted them in his grip and then looked back to the teal-haired woman. "If you're going to get in our way, we'll just have to fight you!"

The researcher's eyes widened at the swordsman's threat, but she still held her ground, watching them with an air of forced calm. "Fine," she finally spoke. "I'll let you go if you promise that once you've saved your half-elf friends, you will come back here," she tilted her head and her eyes narrowed just a little behind her spectacles. "If what you've said is true… I'll release Presea from her experiment."

Liane sighed and shook her head. "Why is it that we have to prove something to everyone we meet here," she murmured. She understood that things were bad between humans and half-elves, but nothing that she had yet seen of Tethe'alla even started to meet her definition of what a thriving world should be like. _That's because I think of 'peaceful' when I think of a more perfect world… that's my fault… no one else's…._ "So if we bring Raine and Genis to you – to prove they're our friends – you'll stop the experiments on this girl… how… _kind_ of you…."

Lloyd's shoulders straightened and he watched Kate for a long moment of silence. "You promise?"

Kate nodded and solemnly raised a hand without offering any sign of apology or remorse. "I swear up on the name of the Goddess Martel."

"Okay," Lloyd nodded. As he began to speak, Kate was already moving to cross the room.

"Then… come over here," she gestured over her shoulder to them, her voice just a little uneasy. "There's a hidden passage." She continued to the wall and pressed lightly on a brick that looked no different than the others. With the sound of stone grating on stone, a part of the wall swung back, revealing a passageway lit only by the dim light from the chamber they were in. "You can escape to the surface through the door," she commented, taking a step back and wrapping her arms around her middle.

Lloyd paused beside Kate as Sheena guided Colette and Presea into the passage. "Thanks," he offered her a weak smile before he started into the darkened escape route with Liane.

"Hurry!" Sheena demanded in a hiss that echoed from the darkness ahead of them. "We need to head for the bridge."

Liane stepped into the shadows, her hand closing over the handle of her sword as the dark seemed to move to swallow them. _Sheena's back… that improves our chances right there…._ She almost smiled, feeling like something had fallen back into place… perhaps the first positive thing that had happened to them in the new world.

"By whose order was Presea's experiment carried out?"

Zelos' voice echoed into the passageway, stopping Lloyd – and in turn, Liane – to look back to the chamber.

Kate took a step back away from the Chosen and shifted her eyes away. "I… can't say."

"The Pope, then," Zelos answered for her, confidence strengthening his bitter tone as Kate continued to look away.

_The Pope ordered that Presea be experimented on… that Zelos be arrested along with all of us…?_ Liane frowned. _He's supposed to lead the Church… where people look to for guidance… but he's dabbling in all of this?_ Her jaw tightened just a little as she found herself reminded of how her faith in the Church had already been shaken by the discovery of its link with the Desians. _It doesn't matter, does it? The only help anyone can have only seems to benefit someone else._

"Zelos!" Lloyd called out, his voice amplified by the stone lining of the hallway. "Come on!"

The redhead watched Kate for a moment longer before he shook his head and started after the others, throwing his hands up in surrender. "I know, I know!" he sighed heavily. "Sheesh…."

"Hey… if you liked it there, you could have always stayed…" Liane sighed over her shoulder as she ran with the two swordsmen towards the end of the corridor. There was now a bright shaft of sunlight that showed them their destination – and a ladder that Colette and Presea were ascending. _It's not too far away…._

Zelos snorted. "Are you kidding? You know what all that moisture would do to my complexion?" When Liane shot him an annoyed glance over her shoulder, he snickered and shrugged. "What? Isn't that what you expected me to say?" he smirked innocently. "You shouldn't glare so much. You'll wrinkle… and that would just be sad…" he tsked sympathetically.

"Raine was right… you don't' take anything seriously," Liane grumbled as they reached the ladder and she stood back, gesturing Lloyd and Zelos to go on ahead. "It'll be safer if you two go first," she stated, doing her best to keep her tone even.

Lloyd laughed and grabbed the ladder. "In case you missed it, Zelos, she wants us to go first so you don't make comments about following after her."

The red haired Chosen snickered and winked to Liane before he started to climb after Lloyd. "My poor warrior goddess… you must have been _so_ ignored by some poor fool somewhere along the way."

Liane had no chance of containing the groan that slipped away from her as she reached for the ladder. "Yeah… I kinda miss those days, actually," she sighed and climbed up into the sunlight, accepting Lloyd's hand to step away from the manhole before Zelos kicked the cover back into place.

"Okay, come on… we have to hurry," Lloyd set off in a jog out of the brick-walled alleyway they had emerged in. Presea hurried after him, apparently true to her claim of how she hated Sybak and wasting no time in trying to leave.

Zelos nodded and bowed with a flourish of his hand to Colette to go ahead, getting no acknowledgement for his gracious act other than simply walking past him. His shoulders drooped for a moment in what could have been discouragement before he hurried after her. "Colette…!"

Shaking her head, Liane looked over to Sheena as they brought up the back of the group. "Wow, he never stops, does he?" she smirked, glad to see her friend again, even if the circumstances could have been far better.

"Never has, probably never will," Sheena shrugged, glancing to her side to where Corrine bounded over the pavement alongside her. Then she turned back to Liane, her expression losing the hint of amusement it had carried just the moment before. "I take it the Academy was no help for Colette?"

"It looked like they were going to be," the dark haired young woman sighed. "But their first – and maybe best – suggestion didn't work. Then the knights caught us talking about going back to Sylvarant." She shrugged. "You can see how that ended up."

"Cooooooleeeeette!" Zelos crooned ahead of them, drawing both Sheena's and Liane's attention for a moment as he spun to walk backwards in front of the blonde girl, bending down so that he was almost nose to nose with her.

"_Idiot…_" Sheena groaned, shaking her head and looking back to Liane. "Well, if nothing else, it made you guys a lot easier to find in Sybak. Papal Knights don't hang around here regularly… and they stand out, fortunately."

"So that's how you found us…" Liane murmured, satisfied that at least part of the mystery of their rescue had been solved. "I guess Sybak was king of a given, huh?"

"She really doesn't respond to anything…."

The ninja shot another quick glare to the pair of Chosens and shook her head as her jaw tightened and she forced herself to nod to Liane. "Yeah, you guys aren't exactly subtle… especially when you're traveling with – " her eyes shifted ahead once again… and they flared wide. "Hey! You aren't doing anything funny to her, are you?" she snapped and Zelos stood up, almost forcing Colette to walk into him.

"What?!" the redhead's eyes widened in innocence. "Of course not!"

Sheena stormed up to him, her arms crossed sternly over her chest. "'Cause it wouldn't surprise me at all if you did something like that," she growled her accusation, glaring directly up into his eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Zelos demanded, his voice heavy with insult as his hands clenched on his hips.

"_You_ tried peeking at me in the shower before!" Sheena ground out through clenched teeth, not noticing that Liane had crept up beside them to gently take Colette's arm and pull her back from the confrontation.

_Sheena's really angry…_ Liane tried not to stare at the ninja and the Chosen, but it seemed like something that was hardly new to either of them. Then she heard Zelos chuckle, and she had to look up. _That just can't be a healthy idea._

"_That_ was just natural curiosity toward the unknown," Zelos grinned down at her, apparently having no difficulty with continuing to push the ninja.

Sheena shook for just a moment, her cheeks turning red. Liane was certain that Zelos was at least going to get a boot to his gut… but she still couldn't look away.

"Oh brother…" the ninja growled as her hand snapped out and snagged Colette's arm, dragging the blonde girl off after Lloyd and Presea, leaving Zelos and Liane to stare after them.

Liane couldn't help but wonder if the awkward silence was a good thing, and momentarily considered trying to ease away. _Maybe he won't even notice I'm gone…._ But before her feet could comply with the plan, the Chosen drew a deep breath that froze her in place.

"This angel transformation definitely doesn't look like something I want to go through…" Zelos murmured, his voice quiet and noticeably lacking the boisterous qualities that seemed to be a cornerstone of his personality.

"I can't see anyone _wanting_ it," Liane replied quietly, unsure of if he had really wanted or needed any commentary. "If Tethe'alla doesn't go into decline, then it shouldn't be an issue for you, should it?" Helping Colette had become their focus out of necessity of making a choice, but that alone would assure Tethe'alla's continued prosperity, wouldn't it?" _Now, if we could just say the same thing for Sylvarant…._

Zelos tilted his head to watch her, allowing for the mischievous sparkle to flicker back into his eyes. "I should hope not!" he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets and his back curving into a hint of a casual slouch. "Pink and purple wings would clash really bad with my hair!"

Liane exhaled, shaking her head as she silently chided herself for even thinking he was being serious, his self-satisfied chuckle grating on her nerves. Just when she found herself attempting to give him the benefit of the doubt, he'd take it and throw it back in her face. _I'd be scared… seeing that it could be me… but he just jokes._ And while she knew that it could have just been how he reacted to having a glimpse of what his fate could have been, Liane found it next to impossible to not be offended – even if only for Colette's sake.

* * *

The distance between Sybak and the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge passed considerably quicker on the trip back, a fact that was almost a surprise considering the quiet that accompanied it. Sheena had found her place between Presea and Colette, conveniently buffered from Zelos' occasional attempts to slip closer. Liane found herself pacing Lloyd at the head of the party as they reached the bridge – a relatively new position for her in the party's travel formation, but it felt right – needed. Genis' absence weighed heavily on both of them – left an uncomfortable hole in their friendship. He was younger than both of them by several years, but he was their friend… practically their little brother… and more often than either Liane or Lloyd wanted to admit, he was a voice of logic for them. 

"I can't believe they didn't tell us."

Lloyd's words were lightly winded by their pace, but Liane blinked in surprise when he spoke… hearing her own thoughts find voice from her friend while she was struggling with them as well. "I guess they were just being careful… for all the people that it would matter to?" she shrugged, offering the brown haired teen the only option she could stomach. "Maybe they knew it wouldn't matter to us… just like they knew it _would _matter to others… like… the mayor?"

The swordsman's frown deepened even more. "They didn't think we could keep it a secret…."

There was a truth in Lloyd's words that stung her as well, but she knew that they both had to look around that… for the sake of their friendships. "Lloyd… some secrets are harder to share, I guess. When your life could depend on it… it's probably safer to just not let it become an issue?" Raine and Genis both had to know that there were those in their lives that it wouldn't' matter to… just as they knew that there were those that it would. "We'll just have to make sure that they know which side we're on?"

"I guess…" Lloyd replied, his jawline tightening noticeably as he kept his eyes forward.

Liane understood – all of it. It was all something they couldn't' expect their companions to share. But a glimpse – no matter how fleeting – of their friends would at least give them hope. _We have to save them… we have to get them back…._ Losing Raine & Genis would mean losing yet another piece of home. _There's not much left as it is… just me and Lloyd._ Colette was there, too… but she was just a reminder of the price that was continuing to build.

"So Raine and the kid are really half-elves…."

Lloyd continued to storm ahead, his steps speeding him away from the Chosen's observation. But he still shot an annoyed glare over his shoulder to the redhead that strolled up behind them. "What, you going to discriminate against them, too?" the younger swordsman practically growled.

"Zelos, we just want our friends back," Liane sighed, frowning as she looked back to the Chosen whose long legs made their pace look maddeningly easy for him. "I know you're used to being listened to and all… but we really don't' need you condemning them right now, okay?" she shook her head, slowing a little to let Lloyd get ahead… maybe to buffer him a little in case Zelos continued his tendency to let his mouth run.

Zelos shrugged, his smug smile conspicuously missing as he pulled his hands from his pockets and held them up in a casual sign of peace. "I'm sure it sounds like that, but you've got to understand, I've been educated this way since birth," he continued, his voice calm. "Half-elves are stupid, savage, filthy creatures."

Lloyd stopped and spun on the Chosen, his hands closed into tight fists. "You!"

"Lloyd…" Liane's hand shot out to close around her friend's wrist even as she kept a glare on Zelos. "There isn't time for this now – we can debate it later…" she ground out, her jaw starting to hurt from how it was clenched. "Now… of all times. If you don't like them, fine… but that's really –"

"Don't get mad," Zelos shook his head, his lips actually drooping into what seemed to be a legitimate frown. "I'm just stating the common view." He kept his hands up but nodded ahead as if to keep them moving forward. "Well, I haven't been around them very long yet, but I can tell they're good people, not any different from us."

Glaring for a moment longer, Lloyd spun away, pulling his arm from Liane's grip. "Good," he mumbled, starting ahead at a stiff trot as if to reclaim lost ground.

Liane watched her friend storm away and then glanced back to Zelos as she started to walk again. "They are good people. They're kind and intelligent…" she sighed, a troubled frown still on her lips. "They don't deserve this."

Zelos caught up to her with a pair of long strides. "Knowing that, but still being unable to shake the feelings, is what discrimination is all about, though," he murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Hating that combination of facts that he was still being serious and that he was right, Liane forced her shoulders to relax as much as she could. _A whole world… where it's natural and acceptable to judge first… on something so inconsequential…._ "It doesn't make it any easier to accept. But I can see what you're saying… it… it's hard to fight against something you've been taught to think – what everyone's been taught to think – "

A sudden, deep rumbling beneath their feet destroyed the thought behind anything further she might have been ready to say as the group collected to stare at the path before them as it started to steadily rise into the air.

"Damn! They're trying to cut us off!" Lloyd choked out as he drew his blades and used them to gesture ahead. "Come on, we'll have to jump it!"

"What! Wait!" the redheaded Chosen sputtered, breaking out of the moment of shock that had gripped all of them as Lloyd started to charge ahead. He sprinted ahead, planting himself directly in Lloyd's path. "Time-out! Are you nuts?!" Zelos demanded with one hand flailing behind him towards the drawbridge. "We'll _die_ if we fall from here!" he continued as if yelling at the younger swordsman would push sense into his actions.

Lloyd merely glared at the Chosen and sidestepped him, continued to run at the rising slope. "And if we abandon them, they'll die, too!"

Sheena and Colette passed by the redhead without words, their speed quickly bringing them to Lloyd's side.

Presea paused only long enough to mumble," Let us continue our pursuit…" before she charged after the others, paying Zelos' hesitance no mind.

_They can't die… not if we can help them… not if we can stop this…._ Liane hadn't even realized that she was running. Barely a step behind Presea and but a heartbeat behind the others, Zelos' objections faded to the back of her mind. _If we don't try… if I don't try…_. She stopped the thought, realizing that those particular considerations of 'what if' weren't going to help anything… and certainly not with the angles the bridge was reaching. Zelos did have logic on his side… it was undeniable. But logic took a step back before the realization that they had to do all they could to help their friends. It was that instinctive truth that obscured the fact that there was suddenly nothing but air beneath her feet….

But that lasted for only a moment.

Then, all she heard was a scream. It sounded like Lloyd's, but for all she knew, it could have been her own as she looked up. Time slowed as she saw the other side of the bridge was just barely out of reach and getting farther away with every heartbeat. _No… we… didn't make it…_ her mind whispered to her, practically a sarcastic laugh as she looked down to the water below. _We lost… we…._ Liane looked back up to the sky… how her hand floated above her as she fell… grasping for help that simply wasn't there. For just a brief instant, she recognized Colette's form suspended above them, her hollow gaze showing neither pity nor amusement for her companions before a blaze of pinkish-purple clashed against the blue skies. The blonde Chosen's wings flared behind her and caught her on the gentle breeze, jerking her up and away from the rest of them.

_Angel… my angel… will save me…._

The exact wording of her surety had eluded her for years – ever since the fall from the tree house. It had been buried under the colder truth that was once again proving itself true:

_No angel is coming for me…._

But this time, Liane didn't close her eyes. She watched Colette lift up higher and higher, crossing the gap to the other side just as the rest of them had hoped their momentum would help them cross. _It wouldn't be right anyway_… she thought as the air rushed past her. Somehow, something indefinable snapped into place deep in her mind. _Colette's wings_…. When she had first seen them, she had thought that they looked wrong… the wrong color… the wrong shape.

_But they weren't wrong… Colette was never the one I expected to see with wings…._

The realization made it okay for her eyes to slide closed… the futility of hoping for rescue absorbing her thoughts and obscuring the puzzle of why she ever thought he would come for her, much less why she would think he would do so before they had ever met.

_It's better this way…._

The wind continued to rush past her and it was all she could do to focus on a single wish – and this time, it wasn't one for rescue.

_Please… please just let it be quick…._

"Undine! Help!!"

Sheena's shrill plea rang from somewhere below Liane, and her eyes snapped open as waves of shimmering energy wrapped around her. It was a warm sensation – and a very physical one as well – that slowed them and reversed their fall, slowly lifting them all up and over the edge of the open drawbridge. Ever so gently, they were placed on the deck of the bridge, and the warmth disappeared, leaving them all in varying stages of shock as Colette touched down before them.

"Safe landing due to an unknown force," Presea murmured, her eyes turned skyward as if trying to see the source of their salvation. "No damage detected."

Liane choked softly as her knees went weak and she stumbled forward, catching herself on one knee as her head bowed forward. It was becoming an odd habit – beating the odds – but what pressed the air from her lungs and burned at her eyes was the fact that he had been the last person she had thought of. "Why…?" she whispered miserably, her eyes opening only to be drawn to her wrist where it rested over her left thigh. _I never asked for this… I never wanted this_, she sniffled softly, knowing full well that she didn't mean the bracelet. Why couldn't she forget him… hate him and write him off as an enemy as some of the others already had? What gave him the right to have such a thrall over her?

"Phew…" Zelos wheezed out, hastily smoothing his white trousers before he tossed a chunk of his red curls back over his shoulder and glanced down to where Liane was crouched beside him. "I thought I was going to die," he chuckled uneasily and extended a hand to the dark haired young woman with a shrug when she looked up to him.

While Liane was surprised that it was the Tethe'allan Chosen that offered his aid, she still accepted it and stood. But even though she offered him a nod of thanks, she still couldn't meet his eyes. She drew a deep breath as the redhead withdrew his hand, and set her hand to her sword's handle to be certain it was still in place. It was a stall tactic… but it gave her the heartbeats she needed to reconstruct the walls around her thoughts. As frustrating as it was, she knew that she wouldn't be able to put Kratos out of her mind – not when her thought seemed set on finding ways to link back to him. _But the others don't need to know_… she coached herself as she finally looked up and cleared her mind enough to recognize Presea's voice once again.

"Excuse me, but Professor Sage and Genis are…."

The pink haired girl's words were gently prodding, but their effect gripped the party as soon as she spoke. Lloyd spun and snapped one of his blades out before him as he started to run again. "That's right, we have to save them!"

Trying not to notice how it seemed that the swordsman had to be reminded of their goal, Liane kept such thoughts to herself and started to run along with the others. _You really can't hold it against him_, she chided herself. _It's not like Raine and Genis were at the front of your thoughts as you were falling either_…. The realization didn't help – it served only to make her angry before she could stop the thoughts. _Raine and Genis could die… and I'm thinking of him… dammit…._

"Give us back our friends!" Lloyd's demand split the air and snapped the party's focus onto the figures moving in the distance – three Papal Knights… and two silver haired half-elves that spun to stare in what could only have been surprise.

One of the knights snorted with contempt as the party edged closer, and he leveled his halberd at them. "Silence!" he sneered, gesturing to his companions to advance, placing themselves between the group and their half-elven prisoners. "They're not worth taking back to the dungeons… damned half-elf sympathizers," he growled out in disgust, drawing his weapon back and then turning it to swing it forward. "They can die here!"

Lloyd's only vocal answer was an angered growl as he threw himself at the knight, hesitating only one critical step to miss the halberd's arc as he gathered his balance and launched himself into the air. "Tempest!" the swordsman's voice rang out over the whipping of his blades through the air in front of the knight.

Her grip on her sword tightened as she started forward to aid Lloyd, her thoughts already committed to the fact that they were going to have to fight for their friends' – and for their own – lives. It was almost a relief, she would have to admit if she was truthful with herself… to finally be able to forego the niceties necessary due to unfamiliarity… to finally not have to worry about making the first wrong move. They were all criminals now… the rules were theirs to write again. And even better, it left to time for thoughts she didn't want.

"Uh-uh…" a second knight chuckled mockingly, stepping into Liane's path and leveling his weapon at her, cutting her off from aiding Lloyd. "Put it down… maybe we'll go easy on ya…."

Liane could hear the piggish sneer in his voice – and it made it that much easier to draw back her blade. "Too bad I won't make an offer like that…" she mumbled as she dashed forward, her blade braced out before her as she began to feed it just enough mana to ripple over its shined surface. "Sonic Thrust!" she growled out the invocation as the shockwave rolled from her weapon and slammed into the knight, shoving him back a few steps. Over his shoulder, she saw Colette hovering to Lloyd's side, facing off against the first knight as her hand snapped out to retrieve her chakram. _Guess that works_… her mind whispered, moderately comfortable that Lloyd wasn't fighting alone and cut off from all help.

"Here… this ought to take him down a notch," came a low snarl as a flash of lavender swept past Liane, solidifying before the second knight in the form of Sheena, her hand already in motion to slap her card into his armored chest. "Power Seal!" her voice rose as a flurry of angry blue sparkles swirled around the knight, drawing a muffled groan from inside his helm. "Picking on the girls isn't always the best idea," the ninja chided him with a quick glance over to Liane. "Shall we make sure he doesn't forget?"

"Woo! Now there's the ninja hunny I know and love… and even teamed with the Warrior Goddess!" a bright laugh came from nearby. "Shows you who not to – whoa!!" Zelos' taunt came to a shrill halt as he lurched forward, narrowly ducking under the swing of the third knight's weapon.

Presea stood directly behind the redheaded Chosen quickly adjusting her stance after having planted her foot behind his knee to send him stumbling forward and out of harm's way. No emotion flickered in her eyes as she wrapped her hands around her ax and swung it out before her with speed that didn't seem to match her slight stature. "Punishment," the girl murmured, allowing the combination of her momentum and strength to carry her forward to connect with the knight's chest plate and send him reeling back. "Zelos needs to focus," she continued in monotone, glancing calmly to the redhead.

"Focus?!" Zelos repeated as he sprung back, the sting of the young girl's criticism tinting his voice as he landed with his sword braced before him. "I'll show you focus…" he murmured as the air around him began to churn with purple runes. His eyes opened a moment later, a bit of a crueler smirk flickering in his eyes as they snapped onto the third knight's attempts to steady his steps enough to back away. "Oh, no… don't run…." He smirked as his sword flashed with power. "Thunder Blade!" The knight screamed out as he fell to his knees, the air around him sizzling as the Chosen's spell dropped onto him from above in the form of a crackling sword of lightning. "See?" he looked down to Presea, pointedly grinning before he shifted his eyes back to Sheena and blew her a quick kiss. "Fo-cus."

"Idiot…" Sheena groaned, tossing her head to make it clear that she wasn't paying attention to the Chosen. She met Liane's gaze for a moment and then nodded toward the knight that had taken them on. "Think you can use Lightning on him? Zelos might have actually stumbled onto something."

"Lightning? I… I'll try…" Liane nodded, raising her sword without further comment as the ninja moved between her and the knight in question that had begun to advance on them again. _And I won't even tell him you thought it was a good idea._ She almost smirked as she pieced together the runes to draw Lightning to her command. _It makes sense… all that metal… just isn't safe with lightning around._

"Beast!" Lloyd called out as his shoulder connected with the fist knight, startling the armored man with the up-close attack. It sent the knight back just far enough for the swordsman to bring his blades crashing down, sending a massive, snarling wave of energy slamming into the knight and leaving him wobbling on his feet. "Okay, Colette… now!"

Lloyd quickly threw himself to the side, removing himself from a defensive position for Colette and opening her line of attack as the blonde girl threw her arms skyward, sending a flurry of pinkish-purple rings of energy flying away from herself to home in on the already staggered knight. All three rings struck a heartbeat later… and in the next, the knight was on his back on the ground.

_My turn…_ Liane coached herself, having just opened her eyes in time to see Colette's attack strike in the back of her field of vision. But that knight wasn't her target… but the one that was getting ever closer to her and Sheena was. While his pace had slowed with the defeat of his companion, Liane used the moment's hesitation to pour just a little more energy into her spell. "Lightning!" she called out when she knew she had no more time, thrusting her sword to the sky as her spell answered her by returning to the ground through a strike to the top of the knight's helm.

"Time to finish it…" Sheena breathed out, rushing up to the knight once again. "Pyre Seal!" her voice cracked just a little with the rush of her attack, her card flickering with mana for the moment before it exploded into countless duplicates of itself. The force of the explosion blew out into the knight and knocked him onto his back not far from his companion.

A second impact of metal on the paved surface of the bridge deck rang out along with Zelos' voice. "Fierce Demon Fang!" the Chosen called out, his voice even and confident as he loosed the final component of his attack… the shockwave that pressed the remaining knight down further, forcing him to plant both hands on the ground in a last attempt to fight collapsing all together.

But his efforts were quickly proven futile as Presea approached from Zelos' side at a trot, her ax held out to her side before she began to haul it up before herself. The speed of the ax as it arced up into the blue sky fairly lifted the girl from her feet as she slashed out at the knight, cutting into his armor with a crisp slice. "Infliction," she murmured as the crescent-shaped gleam from her weapon momentarily blinded her companions, landing lightly back on the bridge as the last knight crumpled with a groan.

"_Where_ does the Pope get these schmucks?" Zelos demanded loudly, making a show of shaking his head as he sheathed his sword. "And _why _would her think that _they_ could take _us_ out? _Seriously!!"_ That seemed to be all the fake exasperation he could manage, though, as in the next moment, he threw his head back with a loud and hearty laugh.

"Lloyd! Everyone!"

The group turned from their fallen adversaries to see the Sage siblings approaching from the end of the bridge. Liane released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as she saw the smile on the young mage's face… as well as the one his sister wore. _They're safe… _she assured herself as she sheathed her own sword. _We saved them… we did it…._

Raine approached behind her brother and dropped a hand onto his shoulder, leaving a buffer of space between them and the others. Worry clouded her blue gaze as she watched them… the people they knew before their capture… before the truth had been revealed. "You came to rescue us," she stated with only a shade of surprise affecting her tone.

"Of course!" Lloyd declared as he sheathed his blades and tilted his head in curiosity to the Sages in general and the professor in specific. But he still remained where he was, not disturbing the invisible barrier between the parts of the splintered party. "You're our friends!"

"But…" Genis started in half-hearted objection as his eyes flashed momentarily up to his sister and then back to Lloyd, his shoulders drooping just out of Raine's grasp, "… we're half-elves."

Lloyd snorted at that, crossing his arms over his chest with what seemed to be a playfully –defiant arch to his eyebrow. "So… what's your point?"

"Lloyd!" Genis' jaw dropped at the other boy's seemingly reckless question.

Liane giggled. She couldn't stop it and she didn't want to. It was a flash of something familiar in spite of everything else – the fact that some things just never seemed to seep into Lloyd's sometimes apparently thick skull. But this time… it was different – it wasn't that Lloyd didn't 'get it' – he understood perfectly, as evidenced by the sparkle in the boy's chocolate eyes. "His point is that it doesn't matter, Genis…" she shrugged and stepped up to Lloyd's side to face the silver haired siblings. "You're our friends, you're part of our group… and we can't to this without you," Liane continued, her smile slight but still feeling warm. Then she sighed and shrugged again. "Well, that may or may not be true… we might be able to do this… but we want you with us when we do." She knew it was a loophole that either of the Sages could have grabbed for… and seeing s how it seemed that something almost always seemed to come through for them at the last possible moment, it was always a chance that they could blunder to their goal. "Come on… you know us better than to doubt us… don't you?"

A hint of a smile started to curl the professor's lips as she shook her head. Crossing her arms over her chest, she rested her staff in the crook of her elbow as her gaze slid away from Lloyd and Liane to look to the others that had gathered to their sides. "What about the Tethe'alla half of our group?" she asked softly yet insistently. "Do you mind if we join up with you?"

_Our group…._ Liane heard the words and exhaled in relief. _They really are back…._

Sheena approached Liane's side to face Raine and Genis with a small shrug and a dry chuckle. "I'm from Mizuho… we're not exactly mainstream, either. We're not that different," she gestured casually across the gap between the parts of the party.

"To tell you the truth, I can't say I'm really kosher with this," Zelos' voice broke the building moment of healing, snapping the others' eyes onto him even as he kept his eyes averted from them all. "Then again, people have always treated me differently, saying that I'm a descendant of angels," he sighed dramatically before he flipped his hair over his shoulder and finally glanced back with a nonchalant shrug. "So in a way, we're a lot alike."

Liane's jaw tightened, as her glare sharpened on the red haired Chosen. "You would be so much easier to take seriously if you stopped all the double-talk, you know," she grumbled, almost falling into anger in the wake of the relief of having their friends back. When his eyes shifted back to her, she forced her words before he could speak again. "If you don't like it, you can always –"

"I… just want to go home."

Presea's quiet declaration was more than enough to make Liane's angered words fall apart. _All of us… have given up something to be here now, _she realized as she clamped her lips shut and swallowed her further assault on Zelos. _Our homes… status, goals, or secrets… all to fight for something more important._ Zelos had come with them under his own suggestion… his reasons were his own, just like the rest of them.

"I see…' Raine murmured and nodded, shifting her stance to straighten and grip her Ruby Wand in both hands. "All right then."

Genis trotted forward with a smile, finally breaching the gap to approach the others. "By the way, why is Sheena here?" he asked, looking up to the ninja in curiosity.

The black haired young woman's posture straightened as she chuckled nervously. "I have orders from m chief," she answered as her eyes drifted over the rest of the party. "I'm supposed to observe your activities."

Zelos snorted, crossing his arms over his chest with a knowing smirk. "That's typical of Mizuho. They're trying to decide if they should side with the King or you guy," he murmured, rolling his eyes and pointedly ignoring the glare he received from Sheena.

With an exasperated huff, Genis looked back up to Sheena, his lips twisted into a touch of a sarcastic smile. "So now we have _two_ people keeping tabs on us."

"But I'm not trying to do anything or get in your way or anything!" Sheena shook her head in objection, her wide eyes clarifying her fluster at the young mage's words. "So… so…."

"We know that already," Raine sighed, halting Sheena's stammered defense of herself and her directive. "You're an honest person… perhaps to a fault."

Raine's calm voice of reason seemed to soothe the ninja enough to relax her shoulders just a bit. But Liane stumbled over the meaning behind those words – if not for Sheena, would any of them have ever even heard of Tethe'alla, much less come there? Where would it have left them after the Tower? Would they have simply accepted Colette's sacrifice for Sylvarant, never knowing that it affected another whole world? What options would they have had to help her even if they had gone against Remiel… Kratos… and Yggdrasill? _Would have… could have… should have… _she silently chided herself with a sigh. _We can't go back now… even if we wanted to. That's not how things were._

"At this point, I'm okay with anything," Lloyd shrugged, indicating that he had had enough of the debate. "Now we just need Sheena to form a pact with Volt and we can get those Rheairds working!" he grinned in satisfaction of his evolved plan.

"It's lucky you came back, Sheena," Liane started, turning to her friend. "We were going to ask the researchers for help with how to power the Rheairds, but now we can use Volt – " but further words failed her at the sight of Sheena's wide eyes.

"Volt?!" the summoner blurted, looking between Lloyd and Liane and then around the others, her voice wavering with nervousness with just the single word as the group turned to stare at her.

Presea edged a step closer, the only movement the party boasted at first as she stopped and fixed her wide-eyed gaze at the ninja. "Sheena?"

Sheena blinked, her expression sliding quickly from one of dull shock to one of weak amusement when she shook her head. "Ah… nothing," she chuckled, waving off the attention her reaction had earned her from the others.

"Then shouldn't we go get the Rheairds first?" Zelos spoke up, drawing the curiosity away from Sheena with a flourish of his hand back in the direction they had come from. "Either way, Volt's temple is on the other side of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. It'll be faster if we pick up the Rheairds, since the bridge is closed off right now," he shrugged, his expression betraying only a bare minimum of interest.

Lloyd rolled his eyes and turned to watch Zelos for his plan. "Pick up? How are you planning on moving these things?" the younger swordsman asked, the doubting challenge subtle in his voice.

"I was kind of under the impression that they needed power to move," Liane shook her head in agreement with Lloyd. "That had a lot to do with why we crashed in the first place?"

Zelos threw his head back and laughed, a jolly sound that rang of being forced. "Just leave that to me! I prepared a secret weapon just in case something like this happened," he declared proudly, his hands propped at his waist.

"What secret weapon?" Genis asked, not even attempting to hide his skepticism as Zelos strolled by him and waggled his finger at the boy.

"It wouldn't be any fun if I spoiled the surprise!" the redhead declared with a laugh, drawing his sword and pointing it out ahead of them. "Now let's get going! To the Fooji Mountains!" he continued, never even looking back to see if the others were following.

Liane frowned and shook her head. "_Weapon?_ We don't need a weapon! We need to power them, not destroy them!" she grumbled, dipping her head forward to pinch the bridge of her nose with a groan. "What an –"

"Idiot? Yeah, I thought that I covered that already…" Sheena sighed heavily.

"Well, idiot or not, he's right… we can't go back across the bridge and I'm not swimming," Lloyd shrugged and gestured after the redhead. "We might as well go see what we need to do… and what he's got planned…?"

Raine nodded and waited for Colette and Presea to walk ahead of her. "We have to keep moving in any case. Even the mountains have to be safer than being anywhere near here right now."

Lloyd groaned as the party began to move as a whole to follow after Zelos. "I can't believe we're going to have to climb that mountain again."

"Then came up with a better plan before we get there," Liane shrugged, patting her friend on the shoulder. "Otherwise… it seems we're at the mercy of the guy with the 'secret weapon'…."

* * *

The shadows of the Fooji Mountains had already shifted to shade the path that approached its jagged pass by the time the party reached it late in the afternoon. The journey from the bridge had been highlighted by carefully avoiding the Imperial City of Meltokio and whatever miscellaneous creature had thought that it would be the one to take down the party of eight. 

Every one they had come across – so far – had realized the error of those thoughts, though. Liane wasn't sure if she should get too comfortable with the smugness that grew inside her with every victory, though. While none of the fights had been particularly difficult for them – not all of them even got a chance to contribute in most of them. There was welcome sense of security to being a part of a large group that shared the same goals – even if it was only a passing coincidence.

Another fortunate side effect of the larger group was that it allowed time for bonding – or attempted bonding in most cases involving Zelos and Sheena – just as it allowed time for Liane to gather her thoughts. Raine seemed to embrace the time as well, offering the others wary glances once in a while as if she was waiting for banishment. But it was that wariness that kept Liane away from her mentor – if the silver haired woman was already braced for rejection, her opinions might not be tempered as normal… and Liane wasn't certain that she could handle much more blunt honesty. _Lloyd… he's one of my best friends… and he won't even talk to me about it… what would it be from someone that can't even decide if we're worth her trust?_

With a sigh, she reached up to her frayed braid and untied it, working through the imposed waves with her fingers before she worked them back into a ponytail and secured it. It was an absent action, one that did little more than give her the appearance of doing something more than stewing over thoughts she honestly didn't want to share anymore.

_I didn't even want them anymore… _she sighed, hating how she couldn't even feel strength in the resolve of her own thoughts. _It probably doesn't matter… we probably won't ever even see him again anyway._

"Zelos… you hate half-elves, right?"

Genis' voice surprised Liane at first… followed immediately by shock at who he was speaking to in the first place. Her head snapped up to see that the young image had caught up to the Tethe'allan Chosen. Anyone could see that there had been no love lost between the two from their first meeting… so she couldn't help but stare at his choice for a conversation partner. _Oh, Genis…_she frowned, but knew that she couldn't really chastise him – not when he was only doing something minutely different from her… only more destructive. His hushed tone told her the conversation wasn't hers to listen in on, so it followed that it wasn't her place to butt in. But while she was doing her best to bottle her own demons, it seemed that Genis was looking to validate his – seeking the one opinion that could convince the boy that he really was as bad as the general view of half-elves in Tethe'alla said he was.

Zelos glanced down and barely hesitated before he shrugged. "I don't like them, anyway," he answered, shifting his gaze back ahead of them to the scattered formation of the party.

"Then why are you coming along on our journey?" the silver haired boy asked, his voice showing no sign of the contempt it usually held for the Chosen.

Liane clenched her hand over her sword's handle and forced herself to keep walking. The conversation was taking place to her side and only barely in range of her hearing… any attempt to get closer might disrupt their chance to clear the air. Yet, she still couldn't help but wonder the same thing – Zelos really had no reason to be with them any more… _he could probably go home and use his position to get out of whatever charges might be against him… why is he staying with us?_

The redhead shrugged to the boy's question. "Well, in the end, we're of the same lot, really," he answered with the barest hint of a bitter chuckle in his voice.

Genis stopped staring up to the redhead. "What do you mean?"

Zelos' pace didn't even slow when Genis fell behind. But he did manage one more shrug as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "No one wanted us to be born," he answered as if it was the simplest thing in the world. He continued on without another word, making it a point to flip his hair and offer Liane a wink as he passed by her. It seemed almost as if he was trying to both flirt and make it a point that he knew she had heard them – and then proceeded over to where Lloyd was walking with the other females of the group.

Liane frowned, unsure of how to react – either to being caught listening or to the words he had spoken so casually. _But… he's worshipped here! He's a Chosen! Of course people wanted him to be born!_ Her mind objected, flustered by the fact that she just knew that she had heard him correctly. But when she looked back to Genis, the look on his face snapped her out of the thrall of the Chosen's words and carried her to the boy's side. "Genis… it's not like that…" she insisted, doing her best to meet the boy's eyes and not be bothered by his blank expression.

"I… never really thought it was…" the boy murmured in distraction, looking _through_ his friend instead of _at_ her. "But… why would he say that? He's a Chosen… I… I'm just a –"

"Stop." Liane couldn't keep the bite out of her tone as her hand fell onto his shoulder, demanding his focus as she stared into his eyes. "You're a person… just like the rest of us – one that's trying to set things right for our friend and for two whole worlds. How many people can claim that? And you're going to let the people that are just sitting back and letting all this happen to their worlds tell you that you're something less?" She couldn't help that what he had been about to say made her mad – he didn't deserve that stigma – neither did Raine. "Genis… you know better than that…?"

Genis sighed and turned his eyes to the ground. "I… I guess…" he murmured, sounding far from convinced.

Liane huffed and squeezed his shoulder again. As much as she hated to think about it, it probably wasn't a new thought for him – or for Raine. A few kind words wouldn't erase how he had been taught to think for years – or maybe even for his whole life. "Just don't be so sure that they're right… okay?"

The smile he offered her was weak, but it was an effort anyway. "Yeah," he nodded as his eyes shifted up ahead of them to where Sheena and Lloyd had just cleared their path of a pair of orange-furred hares. The silver haired boy smirked as he started ahead, drawing his kendama from his belt loop. "But if we don't hurry. Lloyd's going to talk all night about how he saved us all from the big bad monsters all by himself…" he laughed as he gently pulled out of her grasp.

"Good point…" Liane had to agree, even when she knew that the topic wasn't dead. _Everything has its time and place… and now isn't either of those. _She silently reasoned as she hurried her steps to join up to the others.

"So monsters really started to appear," Sheena was groaning as Genis and Liane approached, gently nudging the closest fallen hare with the side of her boot. "But the regeneration ritual wasn't complete, so what's going on?" she asked, her eyes and therefore her question settling on the Professor.

Raine tilted her head in a long moment of thought before she drew a breath. "If it's not caused by a decline in mana, then it may be the work of Cruxis," she shrugged.

"To try and hurt Colette?" Lloyd asked with a frown. He finally took his gaze from the creatures they had fought just moments before as the rattle of his blades betraying how his grip tightened on their handles.

Liane shrugged, her eyes trailing up to the shadowed path ahead of them. "They're trying to specifically endanger the Chosen? When she's like this?" she frowned. None of it made sense. _Besides… with Zelos here… they're endangering both Chosen…._

Genis moved to Colette's side, watching his sister the whole time. "Can they do something like that?"

"It's just a conjecture," Raine sighed and started forward again, starting to climb the path that would take them back to the summit of the mountain. "We can't say for certain."

"If they can keep two worlds in this sadistic balance… I don't think we can rule anything out," Liane sighed, shaking her head as thy negotiated the first turn in the path and began to climb higher. _The power that could do that…._ She shook her head. _No wonder Kratos didn't defend us – or side with us. When you're on the winning team, why switch in mid-game?_ Unable to feel bad for the bitterness in the thought, she tightened her jaw. _He was so out of our class the whole time – why didn't we see it? __Exsphere or not... no human should be able to do what he could…._

_"Exspheres are used to amplify the body's own talents – sometimes even ones that are latent… or even potential…."_

"_But… I've never been able to use magic before…" she spoke in awe, the faint glimmer of mana dancing around her fingertips dazzling her._

_Again, his chuckle sounded, this time against her back as he shifted her to rest against his chest as he moved his hand to gently enclose hers, momentarily hiding the sparkles – but only for a heartbeat. Then they returned – but tenfold this time, his own mana mingling with hers. "You have the talent somewhere… it's just being drawn out. It's yours to use now."_

"_Kratos…" she started nervously, clenching her fist a bit tighter as if to hold in the mana._

"_Don't worry…" he whispered in her ear, sending a tingle down her spine that resembled the one in her hand as she pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll show you how to use it. It's a part of you now…" he continued, holding her hand just a little tighter. "Breathe… draw it in… you control it… don't let it control you."_

_There was a note of pleading in his voice, but instead of questioning, she nodded and clenched her fist a little tighter, relaxing and pulling her mana back until the tingling began to fade._

"_Good…" he murmured, releasing her hand to that she could see the mana was gone. "It's mana that fuels magic… and the ability to control it can be in your blood," he continued, gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "But… I think once you've felt it… it becomes a part of your soul… yours to use… no matter where it came from."_

Liane gasped, but somehow didn't miss a step on the precariously narrow path she suddenly found herself on. _What -?!_

"Liane…?" Sheena glanced back over her shoulder to the dark haired young woman, a hint of a frown on her lips. "You okay?"

Sparing a quick glance over the sharp drop to the coiled rock path below, Liane hurried nodded and looked back up to the ninja. She could hear footfalls behind her… _but how did I black out most of the trip up the mountain??_ No matter who was behind her – whether new companion or old friend – she knew that none of them would let her fall. Yet none of them noticed her distraction? "Yeah… sorry… just surprised at how fast we made it up here, that's all," she quickly chose the half-truth and mustered a smile.

Sheena eyed her for a moment, but finally sighed and turned around again. It doesn't sound that way when you listen to Lloyd," she chuckled, the altitude making her words only a little heavier than usual.

"Hey! I'm not a mountain goat!" Lloyd's complaint rang from somewhere ahead of them, pulling a sharp snicker from the ninja.

Liane smiled, but the blackout still worried her… as did a gentle throbbing at the back of her head. _Great… daydreaming… and now I have a headache, too… I'm lucky I didn't walk right off the edge._ It was an unnerving thought that she was happy to push away from the distraction of the sight of the top of the mountain… and the stray metallic wings that jutted out from behind the rocks.

As the path curled around the last cluster of boulders, Lloyd ran ahead a few steps and then stopped, taking inventory of the scattered flyers. "Hey, Zelos…" he started as he glanced back over his shoulder to the redhead behind him. "How are we going to carry these?"

"With as narrow a path as that was to get up here, I'm kind of hoping the plan is to shove them off the edge and hope they land in one piece," Liane frowned, smoothing back her ponytail.

"Oh, I'll show ya," Zelos grinned as he approached and then passed Lloyd into the clearing, gesturing over his shoulder for the group to follow. "Come over here for a sec."

The party started after Zelos, moving out onto the small plateau that they had last seen two days past. Liane glanced over to Sheena, who only shrugged in response to the questioning glance. With a half-smile, Liane shrugged in return, silently kicking herself for thinking that the ninja might know what the Chosen had planned. _It might even be an insult to her to suggest that…_she sighed and moved another step with the party –

- only to have a sudden crisp snap in the air around them that was accompanied by a flash of orangish-yellow. Sucking in a quick breath of surprise, Liane stumbled back a step, one hand flailing out to catch her fall. But the instant her hand came into contact with the glow, a shock of pain raced up her arm and forced her back with a small yelp. _A… barrier… this is a -_

"You've walked right into my trap, fools!"

The voice both answered Liane's assessment of their predicament and spun the party to watch the approach of a familiar aqua-haired half-elf as Yuan stepped out from behind a rock, a smug smile gracing his lips.

Lloyd huffed, eyeing the Renegade for a moment before he arched his eyebrow and turned his head just enough to fix an exasperated glare on Zelos. "He just called you a fool."

Tilting her cherubic face up to the Chosen, Presea blinked wide blue eyes at him. "Zelos… is clumsy."

Zelos swooned for just a moment, her forearm moving to drape over his forehead with an exaggerated sigh. "I am _so_ sad now…."

"Sad?!" Liane growled out, shaking her head in disbelief of his theatrics. "We just walked right into a trap! We're caged up… this is the last thing we need! This is _bad_!" she would have continued… but that was the moment that something else caught her eye. "Colette…." The blonde Chosen – _their _Chosen – was on the outside of the barrier… all by herself… with Yuan and a troop of armored soldiers that were scrambling to follow Yuan's orders to retrieve the Rheairds. _Oh… no…._

"This time, you're mine, Lloyd…" Yuan purred, his lips drawn back into a satisfied sneer as he lifted his double-bladed weapon to tap menacingly on the barrier in front of the brown-haired teen, a small shower of sparks answering the taunt.

Lloyd drew his Osafune blades and widened his stance, his focus completely on the half-elf on the other side of the wall of energy. "Damn!" he growled out, starting to sound every bit like the caged animal that he and his companions were at the moment.

"You have to let down the barrier to get him," Liane murmured, drawing her own sword. "You want him? We go with him…" she grumbled, noticing that the others were readying their weapons as well.

Yuan's eyes flashed to her with malicious amusement as a chuckle shook his shoulders. But as his lips parted as if to speak, a rich, musical laugh came from above, drawing all attention both inside and outside of the barrier upward.

"Oh? Lord Yuan. What brings you to this place?" a woman with elegantly restrained green curls asked as she gently touched to the ground, a halo of metallic panels wreathing her as if to emulate long, graceful feathers ruffling a little as her flight came to an end.

Genis breathed out, his eyebrows knit as he watched Yuan turn to the woman. "I think I've seen that lady somewhere before…."

"Yeah," Liane nodded in quiet agreement. While she couldn't say when or where, she was certain that she had seen the green-haired woman before as well. And when the pseudo-winged woman turned to cross her arms and face Yuan, the first colors of sunset breached her ring of "feathers" to highlight the tips of her ears. _She's elven, too…._ It wasn't a surprise… oddly, nothing seemed to be much of a surprise any more. She gripped her sword tighter to stave off the growing ache around the back of her head. _Oh, just flirt or bicker and get on with this… if someone wants to fight, let's get it over with so I can get some rest…._

Yuan's glare chilled, losing all signs of amusement as he turned to the woman, his posture speaking clearly of challenge. "I should ask you the same, Pronyma!" he growled, his annoyance as his hands clenched at his upper arms. "The role of you Desians is to wreak havoc up on the _declining_ world!"

Pronyma smiled pleasantly and bowed her head to the aqua-haired half-elf. "I have come here on Lord Yggdrasill's order to retrieve Colette," she spoke, her voice firm and confident as she gestured to the blonde Chosen. "Please turn her over to me."

"Fine," Yuan snorted with a dismissive wave of his hand before he raised a questioning eyebrow to her. "But in exchange for handing over the Chosen, I am taking custody of Lloyd. I trust you have no objections?" he asked, his tone making it clear that it was not a request.

"I have received no orders in regards to him," Pronyma responded in a bitten tone, folding her arm to her chest in a somewhat strained show of respect, nodding her head deeply and then straightening once again. "So, please do as you wish, my Lord." But before her velvety words had even faded on the wind, she had already turned, starting to approach Colette.

A shower of sparks exploded as both of Lloyd's blades slammed off the barrier, his attention now fixed firmly on the Desian woman. "Colette!" he yelled as if volume might pierce the Chosen's daze. "Don't go!"

Liane ground her teeth, her hand closing almost painfully over the handle of her sword. Lloyd's words were so close to actually physically hurting her – but it was only because she agreed – and the helplessness of being trapped and being able to do nothing but watch was smothering. _It's all up to Colette… she's her only defense now._

Pronyma laughed, her deep voice adding another level of malice to the sound as she shot an annoyed glance to the young swordsman. "A futile effort," she shook her head in mocking pity. "Your words cannot reach a Chosen who has lost her soul." She clucked her tongue for a moment and shook her head as she shifted her gaze back to Colette. Then… for just a moment – her smile faltered as she leaned closer to the blonde girl, her "feathers" ruffling in what seemed to be annoyance. "What is this? Why is there such a crude Key Crest upon the Cruxis Crystal?" she demanded before she sent a cold glare back to the captives inside the barrier-dome and started to lift her hand to Colette's throat. "How pathetic. I shall remove this _ugly_ thing at once."

"N…no!"

The voice that responded to Pronyma's advance was dry and startled, but still recognizable to the party that had come from Sylvarant. Yuan's presence suddenly became a particularly low priority as a collective gasp rattled within the barrier as the group's eyes were fixed on Colette – and how she backpedaled away from Pronyma. The once-again blue eyed Chosen blinked and slapped the woman's hand away while her other hand lifted to protectively cover her crested crystal. "This is a birthday present that Lloyd gave me!"

Genis took a step closer to the barrier… as close as he could get to Colette. His jaw was only a little slack as he stared and finally managed to breathe out. "Colette… spoke!"

"Lloyd… you did it…" Liane murmured, glancing over to him in what she was almost ashamed to admit was awe. She had been right – when it came to the boy's friends… his skills shone brighter than any star in the night.

The swordsman looked up, meeting Liane's gaze for a moment with surprise that seemed to mirror hers before he set his jaw and looked back to the blonde Chosen, his jaw set and stony. "Colette!" he called out. "Are you back to normal?!"

Colette blinked, turning away from Pronyma at Lloyd's call. She tilted her head and a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. "What? Why is everyone… inside that thing?"

"Impossible!" Yuan breathed out, shaking his head in quiet denial. "There's no way that pitiful Key Crest could restrain the Cruxis Crystal!"

Zelos chuckled and took a step closer to the younger swordsman, clapping him on the back. "Wow… not bad, Lloyd," the Chosen murmured with a grin.

Anger flashed in Pronyma's eyes as she swept her hand out as if to push aside what had happened right before her own eyes. "How could this happen?" she ground out, reaching out to Colette once again. "Still, in the end, it is but a worthless bauble. It shan't last long! Now, come with me!" she demanded as her hand snapped around the girl's wrist.

But Colette was quick to step back, snapping her wrist from the Desian's grip and dripping her chakrams from inside her sleeves. With two fluid swings, she slashed at Pronyma, her gaze hardening on the green haired woman. "Let me go!" she demanded forcefully before her words were punctuated with a surprised squeak. Her panicked momentum combined with what she found to be uneven footing to send her flailing to the ground, landing squarely on the metallic device that had helped to trip her. "Whoops…" the girl murmured as she rolled from the metal dome, her eyes widening when smoke and sparks began to fly from it. "Oh… oh, no! I broke it!!"

What the blonde Chosen so quickly wrote off as 'broken,' however, was hardly something the captives inside the barrier could complain about. Even as Colette mourned the destruction of the device, the trap's energy dome flashed and fizzled, exploding into golden-orange shards that never reached the ground. It seemed to be luck on their part – and lack thereof on the part of those that had set the trap – but Liane wasn't about to question it as she quickly moved out of the ring that had held them captive. "Feel free to break as many of those as you can find…" she laughed, but not with as much amusement as she would have liked as she braced her sword out before her and kept a wary eye on Yuan and Pronyma, placing herself between them and Colette. "Uh-uh," she shook her head once, seeing out of the corner of her eye that Presea had moved to stand at her side, strengthening her position at least a little. "You stay there… you're not touching Lloyd or Colette."

Liane's stand was as firm as she could make it, doing her best not to wilt under the collective glares of both Pronyma and Yuan. She knew in her heart that she probably couldn't hold back either of them for any amount of time on her own if they chose to press her – but perhaps she could milk a few more moments out of the situation with Presea's help. The standoff was fueled by the reunions going on behind them – with each of the other party members' reunions with the blonde Chosen. Despite the tension, there was relief – if not amusement – in the words of concern and welcome… and Colette's voice itself was just a small taste of victory on its own – their reason for coming to Tethe'alla in the first place realized at last.

But all of that changed in the space of a heartbeat was the Professor spoke out, alarm tainting every bit of her two simple words: "Behind you!"

It had happened all too fast – Liane was certain that she ever saw Pronyma move, but she suddenly appeared behind Lloyd, the boy spinning at Raine's warning. The reunion was over – and judging by the smirk on Yuan's lips, he was enjoying every bit of the group's fluster. _Dammit…_ she silently cursed as she tensed from the aqua-haired half-elf, almost certain from how his arms were crossed over his chest that he merely wanted the show.

"You impudent…!" the green haired woman snarled, her right arm snapping out to the side as the air shimmered around her hand, solidifying into a golden staff. "Prepare to die!!" In the next heartbeat, Pronyma launched herself at Lloyd, rushing him for a few quick steps before she planted her feet and drew back her staff with both hands. "You will pay for making a fool of me," her deep, musical voice growled as she swung for the swordsman, a barrage of golden mana blowing out at him, shifting in midair into the form of a snarling lion's head. "Leonazium!"

Liane saw Lloyd quickly backpedal and brace himself, his protective green Guardian bubble forming barely in time to disburse the attack. _She'll take us out one by one for keeping her from Colette…_ she realized, noting how the boy that had given the Chosen back her soul was the first on Pronyma's rampage. Dropping he sword down and back, its blade quickly arched up through the air in an efficient double arc, feeding the attack her mana to take advantage of Pronyma's focus on Lloyd. "Double Demon Fang!"

"A distinctly unrefined grunt issued from Pronyma as the first wave of Liane's attack hit her squarely, but the delay until the second wave gave her the time to dodge its full brunt. A sneer curled her lips for only an instant before movement beside her made her turn – directly into the initial swing of Presea's ax. "Punishment," the pink haired girl murmured as she continued to spin with the momentum of her weapon, her attack sending Pronyma reeling backwards.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory!" Colette's voice sounded out over the shuffling of her companions as well as the wordless complaints of their foe as Pronyma sprung back to her feet. "Angel Feathers!!" The completed incantation made the girl's wings blaze against the falling shadows of sunset as the trio of pink tinted energy rings shot away from their mistress and slammed into the green haired woman.

A labored groan from the side of the battlefield accompanied Pronyma's collision with the ground. "That would be a light-based spell, Pronyma," Yuan sighed in boredom from where he stood in observation of the fight, his arms crossed as he made no effort to join it. "It would be wise of you to avoid those…."

Liane glanced over to the aqua haired half elf and found herself almost disturbed by his behavior. _Aren't they… allies?_ It had seemed that there was at least some form of cooperation between them when Pronyma had appeared, but Yuan was giving no sign of having any inclination of helping her. Despite how outnumbered she was… he still seemed to be taunting her. _Either they don't get along… or…._ She swallowed hard, the other option forming in her mind one that she liked far less as she looked back to where Pronyma had climbed back to her feet, flickers of shadows scattered around her form as the ground began to glow at her feet. _Or… we're the ones that are outmatched?_

"I am aware of that, Lord Yuan…" Pronyma bit back without looking to him, her concentration showing in her eyes as she glared at Colette. "Take this!" she finally called out proudly, thrusting her staff up into the air. "Dark Sphere!" The spell of retaliation collected immediately around Colette, enveloping her in a black mist laced with angry runes that pulsed purple and green.

Colette's pained yelp split the evening air as the mist constricted around her, smothering the light of her wings and dropping her to her hands and knees on the ground. As Pronyma threw back her head and laughed, Liane edged closer to her victim, keeping a cautious eye on the faux-winged woman as she grabbed the blonde girl under the arm to help her to her feet. "Are you okay? Can you breathe?" she asked as she pulled Colette to the back of the party, worried by the wheeze in her breathing.

But the blonde Chosen was quick to smile in response, nodding even as her wings flared on her back once again. "Yup, she just took me by surprise… don't worry!" Colette smiled and turned her chakrams in her hands. "Come on, let's go! We have to help the others!"

It was like nothing had changed in the least. _Even after an attack like that, she can still be cheerful…_. Liane almost shook her head as she watched Colette start back to where the others were warily circling Pronyma. _It's like she was never any different._

"It's pancake time! Stalagmite!" Genis called out with what was becoming his trademarked snicker after the invocation as spires of shimmering rock rose from the ground and slammed into Pronyma, momentarily burying her in the debris.

Lloyd edged closer as the mage's spell began to wear away, pausing only when the green haired woman started to rise from the fading stones. As Pronyma brushed at her shoulders to rid herself of the residual magic – almost like one would brush away a dusting of snow – and Lloyd leapt at her before she could bring her staff up to defend herself. "Tiger Blade!" the teen ground out, lashing at the woman with the up and down slash that sent her staggering back away from him.

Sheena dashed in alongside Pronyma as she finally caught her footing again. "What's the matter? Afraid?" The ninja practically purred as she snapped her card out at the woman. "Power Seal!" she demanded as a swirling mist of twinkling blue lights wrapped around the green haired woman, pulling a growl that was more angered than pained from her throat.

Pronyma snarled and then threw herself into a flip that arched her body up through the air and landed her back behind Genis and Raine. Once again, the woman's expression was a mask of calm confidence as another black mist-wrapped rune circle appeared beneath her. "Ready?" she purred maliciously, her staff flashing out toward the young mage that had buried her just moments before. "Bloody Lance!"

The young mage cried out in pain as Pronyma retaliated on him, four shafts of shadow piercing up from the ground below him only an instant before a column of darkness plummeted down onto him, crushing him down to his hands and knees.

"Oooh, gotta watch out for that," Zelos muttered as he ran past Genis, his gaze already fixed on Pronyma as he leapt up into the air, his flashing sword leading the way. "Fierce Demon Fang!" his voice sang out as he slashed down at the woman, stopping her before she could recover enough to cast another spell. The large shockwave of his attack struck her and sent her stumbling back a few steps, her vocal response sounding more like a curse on the Chosen than the pain.

But no sooner had Pronyma regained her footing when the air of the plateau brightened, the source being the core of light that had been growing around the Professor since Genis had been singled out for the green haired woman's last attack. Raine thrust her wand up into the air even as she lifted her hand to direct the power of her attack. "Light! Photon!!"

Bands of rune-inscribed golden light flared around Pronyma, a knot of power that quickly tightened around her and dropped her to her knees, her jaw clenched tightly over a feral snarl.

"One would think it would hurt less if you'd stop letting them hit you," Yuan commented from where he now casually leaned back against one of the more upright boulders. "And stop looking so surprised when they do – it's not befitting to one of your rank," he continued, a note of amused disgust coloring his tone.

Liane was starting to think that her theory that Yuan and Pronyma didn't get along was closer to the truth, but she knew that it could wait to be pondered later. Yuan still wasn't helping – _and right now, that's a blessing…._ Drawing back her sword, she ran at the woman that still appeared to be disoriented by the fading lights of Raine's attack. Mana gathered in rippling waves over the blade until she stopped and thrust her sword out at Pronyma. "Sonic Thrust!" The force of the attack landed about as perfectly as she could have asked, sending Pronyma sprawling to the dust a few steps behind where she had been.

"Stay… away…" the green haired woman rasped, locking her elbow to brace herself up on one arm while she held her other out towards her opponents. But what had at first looked like the first signs of surrender quickly shifted to grounds to back away as the rock below her began to darken, the shadows twisting into runes that quickly gained a sickly purple-red haze to their color. "Acid Rain!"

The air above the party quickly followed the example of the ground below where Pronyma now crouched darkening into translucently into dark clouds that immediately split open to shower the party with drops of rain that mimicked the color of the runes that had summoned them exactly. Startled gasps sounded around the group as the stinging drops barraged them, burning not only their skin, but sending waves of pain through the party members as well.

Presea was the first to shake off the effects of the waning storm, her tiny feet gaining speed as she charged Pronyma, her ax tight in both hands. When she grew close, she drew the ax up over her head, gathering her feet under her at the apex of her swing and launching herself into a forward flip. "Devastation." The girl's quiet voice contrasted starkly with the lethal grace of her attack, her ax's momentum carrying her tiny form up and over as she guided the ax up and over, arching it down directly at Pronyma as a rush of mana followed the curve of the attack.

While Pronyma allowed the wave of mana to wash over her, it was her sacrifice to be able to draw up her staff to block the girl's ax from doing even more physical damage. She flexed her arms to absorb the force of the attack as Presea touched back to the ground, but then used that grip on her staff to shove the girl stumbling back away from her, almost knocking over Colette as well when the blonde girl tried to catch her. With an angered growl, Pronyma pushed herself back to her feet, her metallic 'feathers' chiming together gently. "I hope that's not the best you can do…" she taunted, composing herself and reconstructing her former calm as she advanced on them again.

"Not a chance," Sheena snapped as she ran at Pronyma getting almost close enough to collide with her before she dodged and threw herself into a forward roll, springing to her feet behind the woman and slamming her card out at her back. "Life Seal!" the ninja called out as her weapon obeyed and sent a flurry of dark tendrils out to momentarily embrace Pronyma. In the next instant, the green haired woman gasped and the tendrils retracted back to Sheena with a pale green flash of light before vanishing completely. "Thanks!" she smirked and then dashed away, ducking under the angered swing of the other woman's stuff.

Pronyma took another swing as she started to chase after the ninja, but stopped quickly, her eyes widening as the air around her began to twinkle in a swirl of pale blue. "Cool off!" Genis demanded from where he stood at the back of the party, the ball of his kendama dancing angrily on the end of the weapon before he threw it out in Pronyma's direction. "Ice Tornado!"

"What?" Pronyma murmured more in surprise than confusion before the twinkles turned into a violent vortex of ice shards that lifted her up off her feet and spun her, slammed her with a barrage of icy chunks before tossing her across the battlefield like a discarded toy. But while she flailed for a moment, the distress didn't visibly last for long. She gripped her staff in both hands before her and twisted, landing lithely on the ground with a wreath of shadows already seething around the weapon as she held it up in the air over her head. "Agarazium!"

The ground at Raine's feet suddenly began to quake as a purple circle drew itself in the dirt. Just as the circle closed itself and immediately flared brighter, the Professor tucked herself around her staff and tumbled to her side barely avoiding the brunt of the rush of dark energy circles that erupted from the ground. But the first ring did connect, sending her tumble momentarily out of control and bringing her to a stop near Lloyd's feet. "I was just careless," she grumbled, climbing to her feet and quickly nodding Lloyd toward Pronyma. "I need some time, though…?"

"Yeah, I can do that…" Lloyd replied to the Professor just before he broke into a run at Pronyma, maneuvering to place himself directly between the women and to make himself much more of an immediate threat than Raine. Pronyma threw her staff up to defend against him, but his blades were already in motion, a blur of quick thrusts that easily avoided the stationary defense. "Sword Rain Alpha!" he called out as he finally dipped both blades low before him and pulled them up, pushing the woman even further back from the group.

A 'tsking' sound from behind made Lloyd turn to look over his shoulder as Zelos strolled by shaking his head, his sword hanging casually from his hand. "You _are_ a barbarian," he sighed, his steps gaining speed as he began to run at Pronyma. "You have to use some grace with a lady… some elegance…" he bent his knees and sprung up into the air directly in front of the green haired woman his sword glowing the faintest of pale greens as it spiraled with him up into the air, slashing out at her and occasionally contacting her sword to make the metals sing. "Light Spear!" Zelos proclaimed proudly as he touched back down, his hair over his shoulder and shot Lloyd a smug look. "Class… all the way."

"Help is on the way… Nurse!"

Liane looked over to watch Raine complete her spell, watching as one streamer of almost human shaped mana ran at her. She was past the point of being startled by the technique, but the rush of energy was certainly welcome. Not that the battle had been particularly taxing yet – but it was more the confidence that she would be able to complete the battle alongside her friends.

But the moment of reprieve that Lloyd and Zelos had purchased for the Professor ran out quickly after the healing spell faded on the evening winds. It was all the time that Pronyma needed to once again summon her own magic and set it loose on her foes. "Take this! Spread!" the woman called out with just a hint of angered frustration as flecks of blue mana gushed form the ground around her and flooded towards the party.

It was Raine that cried out the loudest as the magical wave slammed into the group and sent them scattering backwards with the force of its impact. It was Presea that was the first to press forward once again, her tiny form easily timing a vault over the wave before she landed and ran at Pronyma. She used the wake of the woman's attack to get in close and pull her ax up in a diagonal slash against her that appeared to singe the air that it cleaved through. "Infliction," the young girl murmured with a calm that was almost unnerving in the midst of the battle as a few of Pronyma's feathers rang in complaint against each other before an assortment of rune-scribed chunks of them clattered to the ground.

Pronyma stared in outrage at the girl before her hand snapped out towards her neck with an enraged growl. But it was enough to allow her to miss the ninja that once again had dashed up alongside her. Sheena was already in motion – her torso in mid-swing as her prey's eyes flashed onto her in alarm – too late to do anything more than raise an arm in defense behind her broken wing-feathers. "Pyre Seal!"

As the flurry of card-mimics blew out at Pronyma and sent her flailing back a few steps, the air around the woman began to glitter, the sparkles solidifying into bands of runed light that snapped tight around her. "Light! Photon!" Raine commanded as the green haired woman's form went rigid, her arms pinned to her sides as she cried out in pain.

"Fool!" Pronyma's snarl accompanied a loud 'snap as the bands of light that had restrained her shattered and faded away. From how her shoulders heaved, it seemed that the effort had cost her… and from the flash in her eyes, it seemed more than possible that the power to break the spell had come directly from anger. She shoved her arm out, a stream of blue flickers of energy snaking around its length as she aimed at Sheena. "Aqua Laser!"

The stream of blue energy fired away from Pronyma and slammed into Sheena's back before the ninja could spring out of the way. Sheena's eyes went wide as he started to flail forward, her body moving faster than her feet could carry her thanks to the force of the attack. But before she could hit the ground, Zelos dove in front of her fall, wrapping his arms around her and taking the brunt of the stream of energy. He hit the ground first, rolling to a stop with Sheena tucked into his protection a few feet away as the energy bolt faded away.

There was an annoyed grunt only a moment later as Zelos stumbled back, leaving Sheena in an almost animalistic crouch. "Next time you play the hero, try not to go for your _reward_ before you figure out if your _victim _is even alive!" she snarled, standing and smoothing a wrinkled corner of her card.

Zelos snickered and pivoted, but not before he could blow a kiss back to the ninja. "Yeah, hunny… love ya, too…" he grinned, drawing his sword once again as he charged back to the fight, circling around the edges of the battle line his companions had formed. "You can thank me later!!"

"Ah… yes… attack the one that annoys you instead of the one that hurts you," Yuan nodded appreciatively as he paced the edge of the plateau, carefully separating himself from the battle. "As usual, your tactical prowess astounds me, Pronyma…."

"Lord Yuan," Pronyma practically growled as she defensively threw her staff out towards the other and shot an annoyed glance to the aqua haired half-elf. "If you wish to criticize, I suggest that you – "

"How's this for astounding?" Genis called out, interrupting the woman's snappy tone as he pushed his kendama up into the air. "Air Thrust!" Yuan's comment's had distracted Pronyma just enough to keep her from paying attention to the boy at the back of the party that had been constructing his spell since before Sheena had been taken down. The air around the woman began to glitter green and churn, picking up speed as the bits of green began to slice at her, lifting her up into the air in the cone of wind that splayed her feathers out away from her.

"Lloyd! Let's begin!" the Professor called out to her student as the boy began to run, his blades both held out before him as Genis' spell began to dissipate. A ring of golden runes span around her for a few heartbeats longer until Lloyd leapt from the ground to hurl at Pronyma. "Photon –

"Tempest!" the young swordsman completed as the rings of his teacher's spell formed around him instead of their foe, lending their power to his own as he slammed into Pronyma as soon as she touched back down to the ground. The light rings exploded on contact and the waves of Lloyd's own attack sent her tumbling backwards, having never had the chance to regain her balance.

There was no mistaking Pronyma's cries… there was pain painting every angered grunt and moan as she pushed herself back up to her hands and knees to finally glare at the party. Her long limbs were scratched and bruised already… and a thin trail of blood led from the corner of her lip to her chin. But she still sneered, stubbornly making the shaking effort to rise once again. "Stay… away…" she rasped, clenching her teeth and locking her knees to stand, thrusting her palms to face the ground as if bracing them on something physical to make her final stand. Slowly, ever so slowly – the twilight-darkened air around her began to glow… and golden runes flickered around her as if protesting their presence.

_That's… a light spell…._ Liane stared even as she started to edge backwards. _After all the damage she took from light spells… now she uses them?_ It went against all she had been taught of magic theory, but the evidence was right before her as Pronyma's spell circle grew brighter.

"Prism Sword!!" Pronyma ground the words out, directing her staff to the teen that had just struck her, a maniacal gleam in her eyes as a barrage of glowing swords fell down at Lloyd. "You won't defeat me so easily!!"

Lloyd yelped as he was besieged by Pronyma's spell, and he hurriedly crossed his blades over his head and crouching down as the attack grew even more fierce. "Guardian!!" he called out, desperation fueling his single-word command as the shield responded and enveloped him - barely in time to counter the final sword – one that blazed with all the power of its predecessors. The sword collided with Lloyd's Guardian, exploding with a roar that shook the stone they all stood upon.

"Lloyd!" Liane called out, her voice mingling with similar calls and gasps from the group and with Pronyma's laughter. Her friend had been consumed in a flare that was blinding against the sunset. She started forward towards where she had last seen him, her instincts demanding that she make sure she was all right. But she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder, and met Raine's firm blue gaze when she turned. "Raine?"

"Quick… that was a big spell for her…" the Professor murmured. "If we hit her hard now, maybe we can end this before she can do that again?"

Glancing around, Liane could see that Raine had the right idea… that Zelos and Colette were both already working spells of their own – and as Pronyma's spell faded, the comforting green of Lloyd's defensive spell began to stand out once again. _She's right… she and Genis have done their part… now, I can, too._ She shrugged out from under her mentor's hand without another word as she noticed Sheena and Genis both starting to move towards the subtly swaying Pronyma. _Don't have a light spell… but…_ her mind quickly began to construct a now-familiar purple rune pattern even as she heard Zelos chuckle. _Hurry… hurry!!_

"Don't run! Thunder Blade!" the echo of Zelos' boisterous voice could be heard for only an instant longer before the ground beneath Pronyma's feet crackled to life. There was barely enough time to note the color of the angrily seething circle before yet another sword fell from the sky – this time dropping squarely onto the green haired woman's head and ripping a distressed scream from her throat.

_Everyone knows Thunder Blade…_ Liane silently groused before she flicked her sword forward to target Pronyma. _Oh well… insult to injury, I guess…._ "How about a little more… Lightning!!" she called out, sending her comparably smaller attack of the same element as Zelos' down at their foe. _It's not much… but it's what I can do for now…._

Pronyma grunted as the second charge ran through her, her tall frame swaying and stubbornly refusing to fall even as her staff clattered to the ground. A sharp metallic ring sounded from the weapon before it vanished just as it had appeared in her hand – the chaotic yet musical noise obscuring the only other words being spoken at the moment, and fading away only to reveal two words…

… spoken by the very Chosen that Pronyma had come for:

"Angel Feathers!"

The green haired woman's eyes went wide, but she made no attempt to block, defend, or even evade the attack. The first two rings slammed into her and ricocheted into the evening sky, rocking the woman from side to side, but she refused to fall, her jaw set and clamped tightly over any sounds of complaint or protest as she eyed the third and final of Colette's attack. It slammed directly into her chest, breaking her silent resolve with a gasp as it rebounded from her, its energy spent.

As the last of the pink-purple mana rings faded, Pronyma staggered back a few step, finally falling to one knee with a groan of pain. "I'm sorry… Lord Yggdrasill…" she wheezed out, her shoulders drooped in defeat as her head fell forward.

Liane breathed out, amazed by the difference it made to fight with a larger group – even after two attacks and a spell, her knees weren't even threatening to shake – and yet, their foe had still been defeated. Ignoring the still-present throb in the back of her head, Liane drew her sword up, ready to guide it back into its sheath when the reflection of sunset colors flashed in her eyes. _What…?_

"This is the perfect opportunity!" Lloyd's voice broke the silence that had come on the heels of their victory over Pronyma, both of his blades spinning to target Yuan, who had remained quiet in his observation of the battle. He had stayed to the outer reaches of the confrontation with the Desian woman, aiding neither side, almost being too careful to not make himself a factor. "Yuan! I'm going to settle our score right now!" the young swordsman declared in obvious anger as he charged forward to attack the aqua haired half-elf.

There was no time to stop Lloyd… he dashed out away from his companions' reach too fast in his blind rush to fight another battle. Liane let her sword fall away from its sheath again, sucking in a quick breath and offering a silent prayer that their numbers would be enough to keep the second battle as quick as the first.

The only answer that came for that prayer, though, was the clash of metal on metal and a flash of light that was only faintly tinted with mana's green. Liane blinked and turned her head, shielding her eyes from the flash with her free hand, wincing at how the light seemed to hone the pain in her head even more.

"Kratos!"

Lloyd's single word, drenched in shock , made Liane catch her breath and fight against every instinct that had closed her eyes in the first place. The scene was so very much like the first time she had seen him… his sword extended protectively… her head ringing… and the startled gasps from her companions. Yet so much had changed… Kratos faced against Lloyd this time, his protection defending Yuan and not the party and his clothes were an elaborate array of while and pale purple, criss-crossed in every direction by belts of leather and buckles of gold. Liane drew herself up to her full height, but her sword hung almost limply in her hand. _That… that's not… Kratos…_ her mind whispered stubbornly as her eyes fixed into a glare on the man.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Yuan demanded with a snarl at the man that now separated him from Lloyd and the others.

Kratos never took his auburn-veiled gaze from his former companions, even as he sheathed his blade. "Leave, Yuan," he murmured, his voice a low rasp. "Lord Yggdrasill has summoned you.

_That's not Kratos…._ The proof was before her eyes, but the voice in the back of Liane's mind wouldn't quiet. _It can't be…._

Yuan growled in response with anger flashing in his eyes to Kratos and the way his presence held what had been almost certain battle at bay. "Are you taking the Chosen?"

The party tensed at the Renegade's question and Raine moved to pull Colette back behind her. But Kratos was quick to shake his head. "No… we shall leave her for now," he answered, still not looking away from the party. "It's the toxicosis."

_So cold…._ Liane frowned, looking over to the wide-eyed blonde girl as she could feel a sharp tug in her chest. It had been such a fleeting moment of victory… Colette's return to herself. She slowly turned her eyes back to Kratos, almost as if giving him time to disappear like just another horrific dream. _It can't be him… he swore… he'd never return… to Yggdrasill…._

"I see…" Yuan replied, his battle stance relaxing as he stood and spared one more glance for the crimson-clad swordsman. "Lloyd, our battle will have to wait." By his tone, it was both a promise and a threat… but in the next moment, purple wings of light burst from his back – wings not at all unlike the ones that Kratos had revealed to the party at the Tower of Salvation. As if to punctuate the silent statement the fairly glowing appendages made, Yuan's glare slid over all of them one last time, lingering on Lloyd for an instant longer than on anyone else. He then turned and lifted up into the air, his wings showing precious little strain as the aqua-haired half-elf disappeared into the twilight-stained sky.

"He's an angel, too?!" Sheena ground out in frustration as Lloyd dodged around Kratos and ran to the edge of the plateau as if to chase after the retreating Renegade.

Lloyd slid to a stop at the edge of the rock, small puffs of dust billowing out into the air ahead of him as he angrily slashed at the air that separated him from his foe. "Dammit, Yuan! Wait!"

Liane watched as Kratos calmly turned, his arms crossed over his chest in a pose that reeked of almost-interested boredom. He watched Lloyd's display with a tilt to his head, his back to the others. It was that cold confidence that made her stomach churn in recognition… there was no way that he could be anyone other than Kratos… but it was the oaths she remembered him speaking that bothered her most at that moment. _He… never spoke those words… no matter how I wish he had. So why can I still hear him so clearly?_

"What are you doing?" Kratos asked, sounding vaguely like he might start chuckling at any time. He watched Lloyd intently, keeping his back to the others as if he was focused on awaiting the second half of a performance.

Lloyd spun on the angel, his eyes alight with anger. "What?" he snapped as his blades slowly started to move to a ready pose.

Kratos sighed, but otherwise did not move. "Why have you come all the way here to Tethe'alla?" he asked, a weary kind of patience revealed in his words.

"I'm here to save Colette." The answer fell from the younger swordsman's lips too quickly to leave any doubt that it was anything but the truth.

"What good will saving the Chosen do?" the angel responded, a prodding note in his voice. "The relation of the two worlds vying for each other's mana will not change. Their positions have merely been reversed by the regeneration ritual."

Liane's frown deepened. "Colette is our friend," she murmured, a troubled glare fixed on Kratos even though the sound of her own voice almost surprised her. "We took her out of the ritual… nothing should have changed between the worlds since Colette released the seal at the Tower of Mana… the ritual isn't complete…."

"Has Tethe'alla begun to decline?" Sheena asked as she took a step closer to Kratos, perhaps seeking his confirmation for what they had theorized upon on their way up the mountain.

The angel turned, sweeping one arm away from himself to gesture to the orange-tinted tower shining in the distance. "The Tower of Salvation can still be seen from this world as well. As long as that exists here, it means that this world is still flourishing. Although, in the event that the Chosen becomes Martel's vessel, Tethe'alla will surely bid farewell to it's era of prosperity."

There was a brief moment of extremely uncomfortable silence as Sheena glanced over to Colette… and the blonde girl fidgeted, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands clasped behind her back. But this time, the mention of Tethe'alla's precarious fate didn't seem to fan the stubborn anger in the ninja's eyes that it had when she had first met them. This time… it was most definitely a sadness that dulled her chocolate-hued eyes. _Will Sheena fight us again? What about Zelos… and Presea?_ The maddening question once again rattled Liane's thoughts. The odds were evening… especially with Kratos in his ambiguous position – if he took Colette, it would be technically work on the side of Sylvarant's salvation… but that would put him no closer to being their ally, either. _Damn…_ she cursed silently, her fist clenching as she heard Lloyd draw a ragged breath.

"Dammit, isn't there anything that can be done?!" the brown haired swordsman angrily demanded of his former would-be mentor. "Yggdrasill's the one that built this twisted world!"

"_Lord_ Yggdrasill does not consider it twisted," Kratos replied tersely, his emphasis doing its part to declare his allegiance. "If you want to do something about it, use your own head," he continued, gripping his arms a bit tighter as his lips pressed into a thin hint of a smirk. "I thought you weren't going to make any more mistakes?"

Liane had to glance away. She couldn't have uncoiled her fingers from the handle of her blade even if she had wanted to. _He's taunting Lloyd… pressing his buttons… he.…_ Her eyes widened and she looked back to the angel – particularly how he seemed to be awaiting the teen's response. _He _is_ pushing him… he's just waiting for Lloyd to push back!_ It was either just another round of Kratos' sadistic mind games… or was he actually still trying to guide Lloyd… and the others through him? "Lloyd can do it…" she murmured, her eyes narrowing in challenge to the angel. _But you already know that, don't you?_

"Yeah, I'll do it!" Lloyd nodded with his voice at last filled with more confidence than anger. "This stupid system of two worlds stealing mana from each other… I swear I'll change it!"

Kratos paused for a moment before a dry chuckle rattled its way from his throat and he shook his head. "Well, do your best," he shrugged, doubt heavy in his voice as he glanced over to where Pronyma still crouched in shamed defeat. He snapped his head in the direction Yuan had left and she immediately rose to her feet. Her wings flared slightly and she rose up into the air, silently obedient to Kratos' unspoken command.

Frowning once again, Liane could only watch as Kratos' eyes drifted over the group and he turned. But when his eyes met hers for just the briefest of instants – something made them both pause for just that partial heartbeat before he turned and lifted off, his wings flaring and catching the evening breeze as he followed after Pronyma. His departure reminded her to look away as well as she set her jaw and tried not to interpret what she had seen in his eyes. _He's here… he's in Tethe'alla, too…._ It shouldn't have surprised her – not when she knew that he was affiliated with a power like that of Cruxis and its leader, Yggdrasill. Yet, somehow none of that mattered at the moment. While his objectives were still unknowable to them, once again he had allowed them to walk away, making no attempt to stop them and going so far as to seem to give them hints – even though they were minor if that's what they truly were. _What are you playing at, Kratos…?_ she silently questioned the air beside her, unable to watch him fly away. _And why can't you make me angry like the others?_

"I remember!" Genis suddenly blurted out, shaking the puzzled silence that had settled on them in the wake of Kratos' and Pronyma's departure. "That Pronyma was the one on the projector at the Asgard ranch!"

Sheena nodded slowly, her eyes wide as Genis' recollection spread to her as well. "That means she's a Desian!"

"At least that's one thing that Yuan didn't seem to be lying about," Liane murmured, glancing over to the ninja with a shrug. "He didn't seem all that pleased by her presence here."

Genis looked around to his companions and shrugged helplessly. "Now that Kratos came to interfere and all, it looks like the Desians and Cruxis really are the same organization…."

_And another truth I'm starting to wish was a lie…._ Liane sighed and leaned back against a nearby boulder, puzzled for a moment by how her headache seemed to be receding ever so slightly. _Apparently, I just wasn't tense enough before all of that…_ she almost chuckled bitterly. _Dammit, Kratos… you're just not going to let me forget about you, are you?"_

"It would appear that Yuan is connected to Cruxis as well," Raine murmured, tying yet another thread through the twisted knot of relationships between those that seemed to be plotting their failure.

Lloyd clamped his hands around his head and clenched his eyes shut with a groan. "This is all so confusing!" He dropped his hands to his sides and looked back up to Raine. "In other words, they're all our enemies, right?"

The Professor nodded in agreement and wrapped her hands tighter around her wand. "Yes. That means we must be careful of everyone, including the Renegades."

_Why can't it be that simple?_ Liane sighed and hung her head as she heard Genis start to talk to Colette. The Chosen – their friend – was back with them – it _should _have been an encouragement after what they'd all been through. But she was more worried about how it was that she couldn't share Raine and Lloyd's all-encompassing summation of their enemies' ranks. _He… he struck me down… he didn't kill me, even when he could have… and he fought us… turned on us… so why can't I hate him? Why can't I call him my enemy, too?_ It would have been so much easier… everything would have been so much tidier.

A flash of pink-purple scared away the bitter thoughts for the moment as Colette unfurled her wings and shrugged to Lloyd.

"It looks like I still have my wings, though," the blonde girl murmured almost apologetically as the appendages in question fluttered gently against her back.

Lloyd's shoulders drooped at the revelation as he made a visibly physical effort to keep smiling for his friends. "Oh…" was his only comment, sounding far less than thrilled.

Liane moved back closer to the group – and particularly to Lloyd – and finally released her sword into its sheath to clasp her hands behind her back. "But that's okay, Colette… you control them… just like you control your Cruxis Crystal now… not the other way around," she offered, trying to guide her friends back to being happy that they had helped Colette, even if it hadn't been how they had expected it. When Lloyd's smile brightened with a touch more sincerity, she exhaled in relief.

"Hmm," Zelos hummed thoughtfully, approaching Colette and tapping his cheek with his index finger until his own smile widened. "Just like I thought. Colette is definitely cuter when she smiles!"

As Colette turned to the redhead to respond, Liane heard another sound… one that was soft, but considerably less than pleased. She looked to her side to find Sheena appearing as indifferent as she could possibly manage, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes searching the strips of sunset clouds in the sky above them. Indifferent – save that her jaw tightened just a little more each time that the Chosens spoke to each other. "Sheena…? You okay?" she asked, wondering at her friend's behavior for a brief moment longer before Colette giggled… and Zelos declared something about Chosens sticking together… and then she saw Sheena bristle. _She's… jealous?_ It hadn't really occurred to Liane before that – not with how Zelos seemed to have a goal of flirting with every female he saw. But she hadn't even stopped to consider Sheena's reaction to that habit. "Are you - ?"

"Tired of standing around waiting for whoever else Yggdrasill wants to send after us? Yeah, I am…" Sheena declared hastily, glancing over to Liane for just long enough to reveal a faint pink tint to her cheeks that _might_ have been able to be attributed to the sunset.

Raine suddenly cleared her throat to assert some control over the scattered conversations in the group. "Now what shall we do?" she asked to open a discussion, just as she would have done in her classroom. "Since Colette has regained her soul, there's no need for us to head immediately back to Sylvarant, but -"

"We know what we have to do!" Lloyd interrupted the Professor, no doubt showing in his tone. "We're going to search for a way to save both worlds in order to prevent any more Chosen like Colette!"

Colette nodded and moved to Lloyd's side, nervously twisting her fingers together before her. "I agree with Lloyd," she murmured and turned back to look at the ninja, a weak smile playing on her lips. "I promised Sheena, too."

"Colette…" Sheena breathed out, her tone so much softer than it had been moments before in the odd half-conversation with Liane, almost as if she had expected the blonde girl to have forgotten.

"None of us are safe as long as things continue like they are…" Liane shrugged, still silently amused by her observation of Sheena. "It's not just for the Chosens – it's for everyone that suffers when the land weakens… when the mana leaves. There's two whole worlds full of people that don't even know that this is going on…."

"What about Presea?" Genis demanded, his voice rising over those of the others with his insistence. "It's not fair to keep dragging her around like this!"

The pink haired girl batted wide blue eyes at Genis and then at the others. "I… want to go home."

Zelos groaned and rolled his head back. "Oh yeah, that's right, we need to bring Presea back to that Kate chick," he exhaled and looked back down to the girl in question again.

"Unfortunately, I doubt we can use the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge any more," the Professor commented as a small crease appeared across her forehead.

Liane chewed the edge of her lip for a moment. "When she released us and told us to come rescue you and Genis, she had to have known that the knights would do their best to separate us," she murmured. "But she promised… so there has to be another way to get back there… somehow…." _Either that or Kate's a liar… but she didn't really have a reason to lie. What we were trying to do didn't affect her… she didn't have to make that kind of an offer… just like she didn't have to release us…._

"Hmm… I have contacts in Meltokio," Sheena spoke thoughtfully and shrugged. "Let's ask them for help."

Genis looked up to Sheena with a frown. "But we're wanted traitors. Can we even get into Meltokio?"

"Leave _that_ to me," Zelos shook off the young mage's worry with a flick of his wrist. "I know Meltokio like the back of my hand," he grinned proudly.

Lloyd nodded, a smile curling his lips as he glanced over to Colette and then back to Zelos. "All right. We're counting on you, Zelos."

"You got it! You can always count on me!" Zelos laughed and spun on his heel, heading back toward the path down the side of the mountain and waving over his shoulder for the others to follow. "Now, my hunnies, we're off to Meltokio!"

Colette was quick to fall in step behind the redhead, laughing as she dragged Lloyd along by his hand. But Genis hesitated, his eyes following Presea and how slowly she moved to join the others. Liane smiled softly at the reminder of the fiercely protective side of her friend's nature – but their plan was currently forming around helping Presea… he had to remember that, too. "Did you hear that, Genis?" she asked, just loud enough to get his attention, waiting only long enough for his eyes to turn up to her before her smile widened mischievously. "He called you a hunny."

Life instantly sparkled in the boy's eyes as an eyebrow arched at her, shrugging before he shoved his hands into his pockets and started to walk away. "Yeah. But he called you a 'hunny,' too, Warrior Goddess…" he finally snickered and broke into a run that carried him to the protection of the rest of the party.

Liane cringed at how quickly he had turned her own jab on her, but started walking nonetheless. _At least he hasn't lost his sense of humor…_ she mused, falling in with Sheena and Raine as they started down the mountain. _It'll be dark soon… _she frowned just a little as she realized how much darker the path was than it had been when they had climbed it earlier. _We'll never make it back to Meltokio tonight… we'll have to set camp soon…._

Then, she smirked, a dry chuckle rattling her breath.

* * *

_"Oh…."_

_The pained groan slipped away from her before she could even think to stop it. Her next instinct was to open her eyes, but that proved to be a huge mistake as soon as her eyelids cracked open. Her gasp echoing in her ears as she slammed her eyes shut and rolled her head to the side, the blinding white light that had assaulted her still blooming into spots before her eyes. _Where… where am I? _She tried to move her arms only to find them restrained… and when she tried to lift her head, a thick band of resistance around her neck refused her as well. Panic began to close its grip around her as she started to remember…_

_… the ambush…._

_Her eyes clenched tighter as it started to come back to her… _the plains near Iselia… they came out of nowhere…_. She could see the flash of Kratos' sword and a blur of green and white that had rushed by her heading for the treeline as she had worked her rune circle to aid them against the overpowering numbers… and then…._

… _darkness._

"_Foolish little human. How long did you think you could run… how could even you possibly be so stupid as to think you could get anywhere near any of the human ranches without being caught?"_

_It was a woman's voice that taunted her, deep and rich with laughter… and she quickly sucked in a breath and braced herself to open her eyes. While it was still painful, she spotted her companion easily… a green haired woman partially shrouded in a ring of metallic strips. The woman stood just out of her reach – had she been able to reach – a sickly sweet smile on her lips. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice dry and cracked. "Where are Kratos an-"_

_The green haired woman moved faster than her eyes could follow, her hand flying out to connect violently with her captive's cheek. "How dare you speak his name," she snarled, the pretense of pleasantries gone as she leaned over the table to glare ferociously downward. "How dare you… you worthless, pathetic…."_

_She blinked, the woman's outburst setting her back for only a moment in thought before she chuckled and quickly sucked in a small drop of blood from the corner of her mouth. The sight of the assault hurt… but her captor's anger was more fascinating… and she glared once again at the woman. "Where are –"_

_A second slap struck her other cheek and her vision blazed once again as her world spun. She had expected no less… but she knew that she would keep asking her question until she finished it… and then until she got an answer._

"_You filthy, wretched human…" the green haired woman growled again. "His kind are eternal – like gods to your pathetic kind." Her voice dropped into a deep rasp as she leaned over the table. "You are _nothing_… nothing but a speck in the eye of eternity. What do you think that you could possibly offer him?"_

_Her eyes widened at the sharpened insults, but somehow all that would form as a response was a dry laugh. "More than you could, you Desian whore…" she murmured, fairly certain in her assessment of the woman's identity. Her split lip curled into a gentle smile as she tried to be subtle about bracing for another slap when she saw the anger flare in the other woman's eyes. "And… I guess… more than you could understand."_

_The green haired woman's hand snapped out again, but this time, it latched onto something at the base of her captive's throat. Fingernails sunk into already-sensitized flesh and started to pull._

_The scream was her own… there was no doubt… the pain something she could never have braced for._

"This_ is the only value you have, you pathetic little lab rat…" the woman hissed and tugged again to make her point, laughing as the human's back arched up off the table, her mouth hanging open in silent agony. "And it has taken almost everything it needs from you. You will barely be a memory to him, and the whelp… he'll be as worthless as you. Neither one of you will hold Lord Kratos back from his destiny any more… and there's nothing… _nothing_… you can do about it…."_

Liane awoke with a start from a sleep of pieced dreams and nightmares. A thin film of sweat made the cool night breeze goosebump her skin beneath her thin layered tunic. She rubbed her eyes and sat up halfway, glancing down at the camp below the small rocky rise she had selected for her bedroll that night. The fire had burned low and she could just make out Sheena's form pacing along the edge of the camp. A smile tugged at her heart as she saw Colette – asleep for the first time in what seemed like weeks – snuggled back to back with Lloyd in their sleeping bags.

_They're both old enough to start thinking about a future, _she thought with a contented sigh. _Perhaps Colette will have one now._

Her smile faded as she laid back down on the rock to rest on her side as she continued to watch her companions. Her hand absently closed around the bracelet that encircled her other wrist and she sighed wistfully.

"I would have thought you would have thrown that away by now."

Liane's heart clenched at the whisper from behind her, but she strangely found that being startled wasn't part of the reaction. Something had pulled her from her sleep – his silent presence on the rise could easily have been that something.

"My friend gave it to me. It meant something to him…" she responded in a hushed whisper that sounded remarkably calm to her ears. She knew it was him – she didn't have to turn to see that. She also knew that she didn't have to fear him – but what she didn't know was why he was there.

"It still does," came the cool reply. "Your daggers are in front of you beside the rock if you feel that you need them."

_He armed me? _she thought in disbelief glancing down to see the blue silk satchel, as promised, within an easy flick of her wrist.

"I don't need the daggers, Kratos. You know that," she sighed. "Why are you here? How could you do this to us? To Lloyd? He idolized you –" She kept her voice low, knowing that any excitement from her perch over the camp would surely draw at least Sheena's attention.

"He has gotten stronger," Kratos replied. "But he doesn't need an idol. He needs to believe in himself. As far as the rest of them – as well as you and Lloyd – I never went into this trying to make anyone trust me. The more of you that ended up tagging along… well, let's just say you all escaped the Tower alive. It could have been worse."

_Not likely_, she thought, only slightly surprised with the bitterness that churned in her stomach.

Liane remained silent, only the soft noises of the night breeze tickling the edges of her hearing. She refused to turn – she didn't even know if he was still there. But, truth be told, she didn't – no, _couldn't_ – see him like _that_ again. His uniform was no longer the familiar deep blue, but now it was a gilded reminder of the knife of betrayal that he had driven into each of them. And – no – she wouldn't even think of the wings.

With a deep sigh, she shrugged her blanket up around her shoulders.

"So, you won't even look at me."

She wanted to think that she heard a measure of hurt in his hushed statement, but, surely, the one that had left them to the mercy of the Renegades to survive wouldn't be hurt by a 'pathetic human's' indifference to him.

_Would he?_

"I can't…" she whispered, holding herself to her creed of honesty that she had always endeavored to keep.

"I see…."

She heard a slight shuffling in the dirt, and she realized that he was going to leave. Part of her wanted him to leave, his presence a reminder of her blind faith in the good that she would have – not all that long ago – sworn resided in him.

But part of her didn't.

"… not now." She concluded her statement before she even realized she had spoken. He stopped and turned back to her, his stride audibly broken.

She heard him turn and kneel beside her head.

"Then when?" Even through the whisper, the voice that haunted her sleep shone through, making her almost want to scream with frustration at how he could break even her wound-strengthened defenses.

"When I'm not mad – or when I can figure this out."

"Then… what would you have me do until then?"

She clenched her eyes shut and willed her heart to slow. Thoughts swirled in her head. There was the slightest of chances that she could subdue him – perhaps Lloyd or Sheena - or even Zelos? - could get there to help her. The struggle played out in her mind in a flash – even if they could take him and rob Yggdrasill of a Seraphim, but what would they do after that? No one would trust him. She _could _tell him to go away – but that thought had already been discarded.

Which left only one option.

"Stay."

She fought down the urge to choke on the single word. _That came out soooo wrong… what a tramp… how much more forward could I be?_

A long pause was ended by a trademark, "Hmm…" and then, "Why?"

Liane truly hated how precise he could be with simple grunts or single-syllable words.

_But I guess I left it open for him…._

"I… I haven't slept well since the night before Hima," she whispered, half-hoping that he wouldn't hear her. A nearly inaudible rasp of a chuckle dashed those hopes.

"You trust me enough to sleep?"

"I trust you enough that I haven't alarmed everyone by now…."

"Indeed."

She felt him settle himself on the rock behind her, safe from Sheena's gaze in the shadows.

"I'll be gone when you wake…."

"I know," she replied, with a pang of sadness.

"Will you tell them I was here?"

She sighed, settling back into her wadded-blanket pillow.

"If they ask," she answered honestly, unsure of the reaction her response would generate from the others, but seeing no reason to lie to him.

"Then I will give them no reason to ask."

A sad smile crossed her lips. It was a truce, then. She knew she should feel like a traitor… _What if he hurts one of them… Colette?… while I sleep? _The thought opened her eyes once again to glance out over her friends. Slowly, she started to roll over to look at him – to make him look her in the eye and swear not to hurt them…. Then she stopped and settled back into her blanket with her back still to him.

_No. He won't. He wouldn't. _She wasn't sure where it had come from, but the burst of blind confidence was enough. Her breathing slowed as a sense of calm began to carry her back to sleep.

"Liane?"

"Hmm?"

"I… haven't slept well since the night before Hima, either."

"You don't sleep, remember?" she responded, smiling drowsily as her eyes slid shut.

Another half-grunt answered her.

_It's not like_ _before_, she chided herself, forcing the memories of the day back to the surface of her mind… the climb to the peaks of the Fooji Mountains, the trap, Pronyma, Yuan… the angel Kratos stepping between Yuan and Lloyd….

_Pronyma._

"Kratos?"

"Yes?"

"Pronyma… she's… associate with Cruxis, too… right? You and Pronyma –"

The silence had fully settled before an unmistakable dry chuckle sounded again.

"She wishes. Go to sleep, Liane."

* * *

_So many loose ends… the chaos is maddening…._

The Pope paced the hallway of his private quarters, glancing up at the clock on the wall of the darkened parlor as he headed towards the door. It was almost midnight – _the darkest hour for the darkest deeds_. Night had served him well so far, away from the watchful light of day. Each night's retirement had brought him another day closer to his destiny –

_…_ until the Chosen of Sylvarant arrived and played to the addled King's sympathies_…._

_That little harlot… she disrupted everything, _he growled softly as he slipped out of his quarters and started down the candle-lit spiral staircase from his quarters. He was careful of his robes, knowing he would need all the authority he could muster for this new addition to his plan… but it was necessary. He had feared that their own obstinate Chosen would be swayed – if by nothing else than by the promise of just a little more excitement, but he hadn't anticipated that the King would allow that news to leak so quickly. The Chosen was an effective tool to mold the affections of the people of Tethe'alla… but his defection to the side of the strangers of Sylvarant would be difficult to play down_. More information on the world that is trying to leech from our own will need to spread… and the person that brings the girl that could bring destruction to Tethe'alla to judgement will be an unstoppable hero._

His lips began to curl as his footsteps echoed through the abandoned hall of the cathedral. _It's perfect, really… almost better than before,_ the Pope continued to silently reason as he reached the wall and brushed aside a tapestry to place his hand on a subtle square set in the masonry. At his touch, a doorway slid open before him, one normally hidden in plain sight by the carvings on the walls of the cathedral. _Dispose of Sylvarant's Chosen and her misfit protectors, villainize Tethe'alla's own Chosen and finally have the grounds to do away with his line… the final stroke will be the death of the King… and Tethe'alla will finally have the king it deserves._

Making his way through the narrow corridor that had joined the Cathedral to the castle in secret for so long, the Pope couldn't help the light laugh that fell from his lips. It was almost better now – before he would have still had to work around the enigmatic Chosen, Zelos. _Now…_ he almost threw back his head and laughed. _Now, that fool has negated his own usefulness… it's perfect!!_

But there were still the loose ends… he had to keep reminding himself to check his excitement. His plan had to be flawless. Even with as many opportunities that seemed to be parading themselves before him, he had to bide his time… weigh the temptations.

When the sloped passage leveled out, he almost had to fight to keep his pace even when he looked up to see a pair of his own guards standing to either side of a nondescript doorway – each bearing a spear in one hand and a torch in the other. The only other light came through the small barred window in the door, a pale flickering of a third torch. The Church and castle had used the interrogation chambers for countless generations alike. They had only falling into disuse really during the reign of the current king due to his insistence on conducting trials in the interest of 'fairness' instead of having the guts to simply pronounce sentence, as was his right. Such weakness would be done away with… but for now, the forgotten chambers suited the Pope's needs perfectly as they were.

"Your Holiness," one of the guards spoke as he approached, bowing his helm quickly. "All is as you asked. But are you certain that we shouldn't accompany you?" he asked, his voice still full of respect, if not just a touch of fear.

The Pope chuckled and shook his head, waving his staff before him in a silent order for the guards to step aside. "That won't be necessary," he commented, his soft words still ringing from the stone walls of the corridor. "Simply wait for me to come out. That's all I will ask of you for now," he commanded as the other guard stepped over to push the old wooden door open for him. His guards were hand-selected from the most loyal… the most devout. And while even the most trusted knew some part of his plan and supported him completely, having any one of them know too much was a liability he couldn't afford. In this case, it was unnecessary… the Pope did not fear this meeting… not when it had the distinct ring of being 'mutually beneficial.'

He stepped into the small room that he knew to only contain a table and two chairs, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light as he pushed the door closed behind him and reached up to close the slats behind the barred windows. He knew that he wasn't alone in the room even if he hadn't looked – he could hear the slow, steady breaths of the one he had summoned. He drew a long breath and fixed the calm smile that he always wore for his subjects on his lips as he began to turn. "I can assume you came willingly to my invitation tonight, or I would have heard about it from my guards, so I won't waste your time," he spoke in a low, calm voice as he sat down in the closest chair and stared into the backlit shadow across from him. "I know you to have a keen mind for business, so I've come to offer you a deal."

When only silence met his declaration, his smile faded back and he stared a bit harder into the shadow – gauging where the other's eyes would be hidden in the forest of wild blue hair. Then he chuckled dryly. "Ah, yes, there was no question for you to answer, was there? The terms of my offer, then," he nodded, remembering how he had been told that the other man was known to only speak when necessary. "It would seem that a certain Exsphere broker has been engaging in some… questionable?… activities that have brought him to the notice of the Church and the Throne."

"Vharley."

How one rasped word could be filled with such hatred almost baffled the Pope, but he didn't let it show. He nodded, a more serious expression falling over his features as he settled against the back of his chair. "Yes. I see you remember him," he couldn't resist digging at the other man just a little. "It has come to my attention that a part of your surrender for your crimes was your plea to bring this Vharley to justice."

Again, only silence answered him, but the Pope knew that the prisoner was listening… his breathing was coming faster, and he could see how the shackled hands that rested on the tabletop had curled into fists.

The Pope smiled once again. "Ah, yes. The offer. If you should run a little… errand… for me, then I will put a troop of my own finest guards to finding Vharley and bringing him to justice… bumping him up on our priorities just a little," he shrugged. "For the good of the world, of course."

Judging from the tense silence, it seemed that the prisoner liked dealing with him as much as he enjoyed dealing with a murderer that was foolish enough to bloody his own hands. After a few more moments of quiet, the Pope sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Eight years… and I'm certain that this is the only time anyone has offered you what you want. Consider it carefully…" he leaned closer on the table. "As you well know, it isn't the King or court's practice to negotiate with a confessed and convicted murderer."

The shackled hands unfisted in silence to rest against the table. The Pope smiled a little more – the hook was set, now it was only a matter of time until the fish landed himself.

"What's the errand?"

The question even sounded torn from the prisoner's dry throat, making it sound even sweeter to the Pope's ear and to his ambition. "Retrieval of a girl named Colette. She is the Chosen form the world that seeks to destroy our own. She has ensnared our own Chosen and has a pack of defenders. Bring her to me. The others don't matter."

"Why me?"

The Pope was almost surprised that he had spoken again, but it made his smile grow just a little thinner, his eyebrow arching as he leaned yet closer to the shadowed man. "Did I say I wanted her alive?" he asked in a low purr. "Dead or alive matters not to me… it seemed to me that you wouldn't have a problem with either, where my guards still have a code of honor to adhere to." He heard the other man suck in a quick breath, but managed to keep his own breathing even. "We've even arranged for help for you. Really, if our sources are correct, all you should have to do is wait – she should come to you…" he shrugged. "A few nights out of your cell… I've made the arrangements, so you won't be missed. Come now… a breath of free air, a chance to do your part to save our world, and the justice you've asked for for eight long years… is it really even a choice you have to ponder?" His grin grew wider… tainted with another degree of chill.

"After all… worse case… is there really any comparison between the survival of our world… and that of a few expendable criminals?"


	21. Chapter 22

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Tethe'alla has been less than welcoming to the travelers from Sylvarant, but even as they continue to discover the depths of how much they aren't wanted in this new world, the lines between foes and friends blur just a little more….

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 22:

It amazed him to remember how easy it was to keep track of time after years of having no need to do so. When every moment was precious, it had been so easy to count them… to treasure them even when a sense of security had assured him that there would always be more. When those moments were gone… lost… perhaps even stolen?… it was almost a necessity to lose track yet again – to fill the void left by appreciation with bitterness.

But for just the night, Kratos decided he could forgive himself for counting down the hours by the dance of stars overhead. The night would end and he would have to be gone to once again take on the role of their enemy. But for the night… nothing would be harmed by a quick indulgence in fantasy – as long as he knew it wouldn't last.

Camped with his son – and their companions – as they set out to finally do the same thing he had once dreamed of doing… finally setting the world right again and pulling it out of the chokehold of madness that he had helped to place it in years before. It could only be a dream – one necessary by the fact that he could not openly help them – at least not without giving up the advantage he was to them. For the time being, he had to anger them on to the right path, he would do so without hesitation.

Yet knowing that there was a chance that any of their numbers might understand – and not hate him for the betrayal he couldn't avoid – it was enough.

_It's more than I should be entitled to._

Kratos looked down at the young woman that slept on the stone beside him, her back still stubbornly turned to him even in the deepest sleep. It was more than he had expected that she had spoken to him that night, much less not alerted the others to his presence. It was staggering to him that she had asked him to stay. Not that he would have gone far even if she hadn't… but just that she still trusted him that much – after all he had done to sever his ties with the group.

It had been an easy matter to tote Pronyma back to Yggdrasill's throne, leaving her to answer for how she failed to retrieve Sylvarant's Chosen. There was no secret of how strong the woman's ambitions were… and she made no secret of the fact that she saw herself as the one who would at last fill the empty position of the fourth seraphim. But what she failed to realize was that the fourth seraphim had always and _would_ always be Martel – as long as Yggdrasill would scheme how to return her to his side. It was the same madness that Pronyma went out of her way to cater to that would deny her glorious dreams of power.

As dark as the thought was, Kratos couldn't help that it brought the slightest of smirks to his lips. No matter the evolution of Pronyma's plans – to use duty, campaigning, or sometimes even blatant lust – she would be denied. She was the perfect focused soldier… doing as she was told to the best of her ability… and she never made a secret of the power she wanted. But where she failed utterly in her arsenal was when she would try to use her body to sweeten her bid. She never stopped – she never learned – not with Yuan, Yggdrasill, or even with his own rejections.

It still baffled him how she would bat her eyes at him – knowing full well that at the core of his being, he was that which she hated just as she had been taught: a human. He and his position reeked of power to her… power she wanted or herself. She never made the mistake of referring to him as a human – and neither did the other underlings that Cruxis kept. Yggdrasill would not hear of it – and retaliation would be swift. Perhaps he didn't like being reminded that he kept a human as one of his closest allies… perhaps he didn't like being reminded that at one time he, too, had sought to close the gap between humans and half-elves in the name of peace. Whatever the cause, Yggdrasill wouldn't tolerate it – and Pronyma followed that mandate – and then some.

He sighed and glanced back down to Liane again. If he was honest with himself, he barely identified himself as a human anymore. He wasn't treated as one by those he served or those he served with, but for the first time in years, it occurred to him that there was no shame in it. The others – Lloyd and Liane in particular – had reminded him of that.

_Just like _she _did,_ he mused silently, forcing his hand to stay still in wake of the urge to reach out to her. If he wasn't careful, but the dim light of the campfire in the distance, he could still see _her_ lying beside him on the rise. He refused to be fooled by sentimentality… he knew that was – and would forevermore be – impossible. But over the millennia, he had grown adept at sensing those around him… the combinations of energies that made every being unique. It was why he knew Lloyd's identity as soon as the distracting heat of battle had passed – his name and resemblance to his mother only a fringe confirmation. But it was also how he knew that, while Liane absolutely was her own unique person, she bore some piece that had made Anna unique as well. There was just a hint… like the lingering scent of perfume after a ball… of _her._ But to the one that would have given up eternity to at last grow old and die with her if he had been given the chance, it was unmistakable. In a blur of years that had paraded more opportunities for companionship than he could remember before him, only one had called out to him on that deep of a level – how could he _not_ see it?

Yet, perhaps the worst part of the situation was that he grew more certain with every time they met that she felt it, too. It struck Kratos as cruel… yet another joke of fate at their expense. He and Anna had been meant to be – it was evidenced by the role that their son was growing into. But for this girl to be saddled in any part by a life that was never hers… he simply couldn't comprehend what it meant. When Liane murmured in her sleep, when she came to a place that should have held no meaning beyond simply being a place… even when she simply looked at him… he had always seen the confusion.

And what ate at him most was that he could probably give her the answers to banish that confusion. He could tell her of the wedding in Izoold… or the child's birth in Asgard. He could tell her of the day he had fled Luin to protect the young village girl from himself… or he could even tell her of the day he had carried that same village girl away from the Asgard Human Ranch. He could even tell her of the day he had ended his love's life with a single thrust of his sword because it was the most merciful thing he could do.

_But any of that… all of that… would be selfish._ In the fourteen years since that time, Liane had grown into her own life, with no apparent reliance on anything that had happened before that time – just as Lloyd had – almost as if what seemed to be a link wasn't there at all. Her dreams, nightmares, and other flashes were unwelcome and out of place glimpses to something that wasn't hers – a burden she should never have had to carry.

He was certain that the influence of what she saw was why she had always seemed to struggle with her choice to trust him. But he wasn't sure how to convince her that she was right – that he would do what he could to not hurt them – without relying on the factor he couldn't explain… or without giving it more power over her. She could be the only one that could be willing to take the information he could bring them… without discarding it out of hand on principle.

_Yet telling her what I know of the truth… would it even be fair? Would that be forcing her to live someone else's life?_ No matter what she knew or remembered, she wasn't – nor would she ever be Anna… not his Anna.

There were more questions than he wanted to recognize at that time – all the theories of fate and punishment that were trying his defenses had to be pushed aside until they could be properly dealt with. He sighed and shook his head, allowing his eyes to roam out over the camp that the group had set in an attempt to clear his mind. They would be strong together – a noteworthy power even without his aid.

_But if I could help… wouldn't that be a fitting tribute… to Anna?_

He knew that there would be no answer to his silent question, but it didn't stop him from wondering how pleased she would be… if it would balance what would had have to have been her disappointment in him since the last time he had seen her.

As the distant horizon began to brighten with the new day, he drew a small breath and pushed himself up to his knees behind the rock that had shield him from the others' watches through the night. It was the time to keep his promise to be gone when Liane awakened… and he looked down to her one more time.

"We'll talk soon," he whispered softly as he recited the ancient words of the teleportation spell, a flash of light quickly answering his call as the dark world at the foot of the Fooji Mountains blinked away from him.

* * *

"Chosen One, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to pass." 

Liane groaned softly at the words of the gate guard. _Like we didn't see that coming…_ she silently groused, the maddening debate that had raged as they crossed the plains from the Fooji Mountains still ringing in her ears. Zelos had been so certain that he could get them into the Imperial City even over the doubts of the others, particularly Genis and Sheena, that his ego only seemed to grow every time he repeated his only assurance: "Trust me."

While the first guard's refusal seemed to weigh squarely into Genis and Sheena's argument, the redhead still seemed utterly unshaken - even when the second guard moved to cross his spear with that of his partner… effectively barring the party from even approaching the city gates. "While it pains me terribly to say this, you and your companions are currently wanted," the second guard added to the first's declaration, his words echoing within his helm even though they actually did seem to contain at least a touch of the regret he spoke of.

Lloyd turned to look up to the tall redhead, his lips pressed into a thin, yet somehow humorless smirk. "What now?" he challenged the other swordsman. "You said leave it to you."

"Um… maybe this isn't the place to discuss this?" Liane asked softly, keeping her gaze fixed on the guards. Didn't it follow that if they were wanted, the guards might be under orders to bring them in? _Maybe that's all Zelos' status can do for now… keep us from being captured by those that respect the role of the Chosen?_ She was sure she was missing something – Zelos barely seemed to take his status seriously or at least not as seriously as Colette did. But after the comments Zelos made to the knights in Sybak, it seemed that there was more going on than anyone seemed to want to comment on. _Something to ask if he ever has a serious moment to catch him in, I guess. S_he sighed as her hand slowly moved to close over the handle of her sword. "Maybe we might want to be moving along before they change their minds…?" she added insistently.

Zelos chuckled, waving his hand as if to dismiss Lloyd's doubt as well as Liane's concern. "Now, now, just hang on," he murmured, his smile still bright and his voice betraying no sign of worry. "I told you, leave it to me. For my cute hunnies, I'll show you a special entrance," he shrugged as he turned, still managing to somehow waggle his eyebrows at each of the group's females with a single sweeping glance as he waved over his shoulder. "Follow me."

Liane hesitated, watching the redheaded Chosen start down a narrow path beaten through the lush grasses to the left of the city gates, seemingly paying no mind to the guards that still made no move to stop any of them. Colette was quick to follow after Zelos… and Lloyd and Genis wasted no time following in her wake, leaving the others to straggle at their own pace. With as high-profile a figure as Zelos seemed to be, he seemed almost too comfortable dodging the edges of the rules – and normally, with the excuse of 'for the hunnies.' _Oh, well, I guess everyone has to have their reasons, _she told herself as she saw Presea and Sheena start down the trail, pausing only long enough to get a nod from Raine that said she would follow before starting down the gentle slope as well.

"Whoa, what is this place?" Genis asked from his place near the front of the group where Zelos had stopped to allow everyone to catch up.

Zelos gestured to the sweeping arch and barred opening behind him, pausing to indicate a few missing bars to one side of the dark tunnel. "The underground sewer," he shrugged in answer to the young mage. "Waste water from the city flows out from here."

The group fell silent, each of them inspecting the area with various levels of interest. Liane took a step closer to the channel that ran along the center of the arch and disappeared out into the field. She felt her stomach waver on the edge of turning, but the water didn't look particularly unclean, nor were there any smells she would expect from his description. _It can't be that bad… not with Meltokio being the crown of Tethe'alla's civilization, _she coached herself and forced her eyes back to their guide.

"This is a pretty good way of sneaking in," Lloyd nodded appreciatively, walking closer to inspect the opening in the bars.

The redheaded swordsman shrugged, the gesture decidedly nonchalant. "Well, Meltokio's gate closes at night, so I used this a lot to get back home.

A moment of silence settled on the group once again as they digested his words, the quiet broken by Colette's voice just as it started to get uncomfortable. "Why don't you go home until night?"

Unable to help the cringe that gripped her at the blonde Chosen's innocent question, Liane looked to Raine. She knew it was jumping to conclusions, but she also knew how many possible answers there were to the question – not all of them particularly explainable in what only had the time to be a quick conversation before they might be caught if they didn't hurry on.

Zelos turned and tilted his head to the girl with a smirk. "Hmm, if you'd like me to show you, I'd be happy to educate you tonight," he replied to her question with just a little too much innocence in his tone.

_He… didn't…._ Liane blinked and then simply stared at Zelos, making full note of how his expression didn't waver – and how the playful gleam in his eyes didn't flicker in the least. _What a – _

But a quick and low growl from Sheena stopped Liane's thought… and drew Zelos' gaze to the ninja as well. He quickly chuckled and held his hands up in a sign of peace. "It was just a joke!" he defended himself with a laugh. "Don't get jealous now, Sheena," he raised an eyebrow to her, not a bit of remorse in his playfully chiding tone.

The ninja's jaw dropped and her hands balled into fists as she stood for a moment and shook. "You've got to be kidding me!" she snarled before she pivoted and stormed towards the opening in the bars without another word.

"Why is Sheena upset?" Colette asked softly to no one in particularly as she watched Sheena's form disappear into the shadows.

Raine strolled up behind the blonde Chosen and dropped her hand lightly onto her shoulder. "You'll understand when you're older," she murmured with a ghost of a smile for the girl.

"Sheena… wait…" Liane called out, not really wanting to discuss Zelos 'teachings' or when Colette would be ready to understand them. Colette would always be like a little sister to her, and it was hard to even consider being present for _that_ talk with her. The Church had sheltered her from many aspects of life – keeping the Chosen as innocent as possible for her role as the savior of Sylvarant. _Must not be much of a concern for the Chosen of the flourishing world,_ she thought with just the slightest bite of bitterness to the notion as she left the line of daylight behind her and paused to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the tunnel. "Sheena?"

"I just can't believe what an ass he can be," came an exasperated sigh from the nearby shadows. As Liane's eyes started to make out shapes and dim lights on far off walls, Sheena turned and took a step towards the dark haired girl. "Colette's had enough going on in her life without being scarred by that idiot's yammering…" she grumbled.

Liane nodded in agreement, a faint smile starting to curl her lips as she heard the chattering of the others approaching behind them. "I'd rather not be the one to translate, that's for sure," she murmured, the shadows finally revealing a glimpse at Sheena's expression and especially the tight line of her jaw. "But you know… you running off… probably only gave her more questions…."

Sheena stared at her friend for just a moment before her lips started moving, finally forming words after a few moments. "I… I wasn't jealous!" she protested with a hiss, lifting a finger to point back towards the tunnel entrance. "Over _him??"_

"Shh…" Liane almost laughed, enjoying being on the other side of the argument with the ninja for once. "All I'm saying is talk to him… smack him… whatever you do, he seems to like it. Just…" she tried to choose her words carefully. "Running off like that made him look right," Liane shrugged helplessly. "We don't want that now, do we?"

"But -!" the ninja tried to protest again, but a quick flash of her eyes back to the others froze further argument in her throat. "Fine," she finally grumbled as the others approached and she crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest. "But he's flattering himself if he thinks that I'm jealous over him…" she grumbled and started a few steps away.

"Denial can be so much fun, hmm?" Zelos laughed as he ran past Liane to catch up to Sheena, draping an arm over her shoulders. "But, you know… I am worth it…" he grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her when she turned her glare to him.

Sheena glared at the Chosen, then down to where his hand hung over her shoulder, and then back up to him before she slapped his hand away with a huff. "Worth ripping your arm off and beating you with it if you ever drape it over my shoulder like I'm one of your floozies ever again…?" She shook her head and continued walking. "I'll have to remember that. Thanks."

As a dramatic sigh issued from the redhead, the others caught up to where he stood watching Sheena walk away. For just a moment, Liane actually felt a flash of pity for the young man, even while another part of her was sure that Sheena had good reasons for her actions. "So let me get this straight," she murmured, trying to get his attention as she reached his side. "You don't like to camp, but you have no problem using the sewers to creep home after a night on the town? Sounds a little strange to me…" she jabbed at him with just enough playfulness that she hoped it might help things from getting any more awkward.

Zelos casually shrugged as he looked over his shoulder to Liane, his calm mischievousness back in place. "You mean a night _out_ of town," he corrected her with a smirk. "And hunny… these are _nice_ sewers… like I'd slink around some nasty, smelly –"

"Hey! It's once of those Sorcerer's Ring things!"

Lloyd's excitement and eager footsteps cut off Zelos' continued explanation, and for that, Liane was grateful even though she had opened the conversation for just such comments. But, as the group made its way to where Lloyd and Genis stood eagerly over the glowing ball of energy on the pedestal against the hallway of the tunnel, it did give Liane time to consider Zelos' reasoning. _A city like Meltokio has to have some kind of treatment for its water… or Zelos would never venture here, right?_ It was what she made a conscious decision to believe… just as she chose to try to ignore the rats that scampered all around them in the shadows.

"I wonder what it'll do this time," Lloyd murmured, glancing around to the others gathering around him before he nodded as if some internal decision had been made. "I can't wait to find out!" he grinned almost wickedly as he thrust his hand that bore the ring out to the device. "Hi-yah!"

The glowing orb pulsed once… and a wave of disorientation washed over Liane, making her gasp and clench her eyes shut. _What… was that?_ she wondered as she heard similar gasps around her. She steadied herself and opened her eyes, glancing around hesitantly. All of her companions were there… but the room had changed around them. _Another room?_ She looked to the ground – the stone beneath them looked the same… the rough-hewn texture was more pronounced though. _What?_ Her eyes widened as she looked to the nearby column that soared into the air before them – and the bright glow somewhere on the other side of the ledge the column supported. _The pedestal…? No…._

"Hmm?" Colette murmured, looking from side to side around them. "It looks like the path got wider…."

Genis shook his head, his eyes following Liane's up to the orb that they had been looking down upon just moments before. "No, we got smaller!"

"I guess so," Presea murmured absently, shifting her weight from one foot to the other with unease.

Colette giggled softly – the first reaction of its kind as she took a few steps back to look around the room. "Really?" She spun a little, her arms flying out to her sides as if to make sure the perspective was consistent. "You're right!"

"You shrunk us?!" Liane blurted out, unable to keep the panic out of her voice entirely. She took a step forward, her hand already moving for Lloyd's. "That does it… give me the ring…." Had it been a trap that they had just walked into? Normally, Lloyd's eagerness was endearing, but… _even the rats could tear us apart like this!_

Lloyd laughed uneasily, backpedaling and pulling his hand out of her reach. "It's not my fault!" he protested, his smile fading with a bit of worry as he looked down to the ring. "It's always helped us before… but we can't do _anything_ like this!"

But even as the reality of the situation was settling on Lloyd, Zelos' grin of revelation could actually be heard in his chuckle. "Oh, I see!" he exclaimed, holding his hand up before him, turning it as if it were an inspection. "Now I can do this and that without anyone finding out it's me…" he murmured before he actually jumped when Sheena spun on him, her arms flailing.

"Oh, brother," the ninja partially groaned and partially growled. "_How_ can you be thinking about something like that?!" she demanded, glaring openly at the snickering Chosen.

_Oh, Zelos… you just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you?_ Liane sighed and shook her head. "I'd think the laughter would give you away in any case, Zelos…" she shrugged, glancing back up to the orb for a moment. "But Lloyd's right… the ring has always helped us before now… so what are we supposed to do when we're this small? There has to be a reason…." _I hope…._

"But how do we get back to normal?" Genis insisted, stamping his foot to make his point the primary focus.

Raine glanced around before her eyes stopped on the floor a square away from where they stood. "Now that you mention it," she murmured as she started to walk, hesitating for a moment at the edge of the faint blue tinted stone before stepping onto it. "This panel…." The instant the Professor's weight rested on the stone, there was another quick flash… and when the light faded, the silver haired woman towered over them, nodding to her previously unspoken theory. "I see. It appears that stepping on these panels will restore us to our normal size," she smiled down at the miniaturized companions. "I saw a few panels like this on the way in… so it's reasonable to assume there are more scattered around the sewers. Let's get going and see how we can put this to use."

One by one, the rest of the party stepped onto the panel, breaking the spell of the Sorcerer's Ring. "Let's hope there's more of these panels… it could be a long run back to this one when we're six inches tall," Liane sighed as the group started away from the device that had once again changed the Sorcerer's Ring's function.

"Hey…" Genis snapped, elbowing Liane in the side with a small laugh. "Some of us should be so lucky to be six inches tall when he uses that ring!" he rolled his eyes but then quickly snickered.

"Yeah, have pity for poor short-stuff, here," Zelos chuckled as he strolled past the young mage, reaching out to ruffle his silver hair as he walked by, earning a fiery glare from the boy.

"You aren't allowed to make short jokes!" Genis retorted, hurriedly smoothing his hair as Presea walked past, apparently unfazed by the topic or the conversation. Then, he took a few quick steps to Lloyd's side, jerking a thumb towards the redheaded Chosen. "Hey, Lloyd… think you can use the Sorcerer's Ring on just one person?" he laughed conspiratorially.

Liane shook her head as the boys huddled, muttering to each other as they walked. It was another glimpse of the fact that their friendship didn't seem to have changed in the least since the Sages had been revealed to be half-elves… just as she hoped it would be. Raine was still hesitant around the rest of the party though… and that couldn't help but be a disappointment to Liane. _It's like she's just waiting for us to send them away._ Time would be the only thing that would prove her wrong… Liane knew that. _But is a little faith really that much to ask… after everything?_ But that was the thought that made a small, bitter laugh slip away from her. _I guess we could all use a little more faith – _

"That's a pretty bracelet. Aren't you afraid it'll get broken?"

Starting at the quiet words before her, Liane's head snapped to the side to find Colette pacing her, the girl's blue eyes fixed on the silver bracelet that she wore on her left wrist. Why she blushed, she couldn't say, but she hurriedly shrugged her sleeve down until it obscured the bauble. "No… not really," she answered softly, hoping not to draw the attention of the others. She had never really been one to favor jewelry… and Lloyd, Genis, and Raine would all pick up on that. "I don't do much with my left hand anyway – so it really shouldn't get caught on my sword or anything," she shrugged, trying to pass it off as casually as possible.

"Oh… maybe you could get some gloves or something…" Colette shrugged, glancing forward to where Zelos was guiding them over the narrow walkways. She took a few more steps in silence and then drew a small breath. "I don't think he's evil, either."

Liane tried not to look surprised when she turned to stare at Colette. She met the blonde girl's eyes and then forced a chuckle, refusing to read into what she said. "No… not evil… Zelos is much more of a walking, raging hormone," she shook her head, laughing softly.

Colette clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "No…" she murmured after the giggles subsided. "You were sad last night… and everyone keeps saying he's our enemy… but I don't think it's like that… or maybe it's just not that bad," she shrugged, her voice quiet to keep it from carrying up to the others.

"He…." Liane sighed. _Kratos. Now we don't even say his name._ "He has plans that may or may not go against ours… and he was ready to hand you over to Cruxis," she answered like she knew that she should – with facts, not the interpretations that she wanted to make of his actions. "Even if he's not evil or our enemy… we can't count him as our friend," the dark haired young woman sighed, wishing she had more to argue with than a hunch from deep inside.

"I guess…" Colette nodded with a frown, her eyes falling to the ground before them. She didn't sound convinced, but she accepted Liane's half-hearted argument like a spoonful of bitter medicine before she shrugged and looked back up to her friend with what she could manage of a smile. "I guess we'll see, huh?"

"I suppose," Liane replied in a tone roughly matching the blonde Chosen's. While the girl might have a different perspective – having been the only one to truly witness Kratos' last moments as 'one of them,' it wasn't the time or the place to ask. _Plus… Colette's not known for her skill at keeping things to herself… we'll both end up on everyone's bad side if they hear her saying things like that._ She couldn't help that the thought was bitter, but until she could bring them a nagging feeling as proof, it simply was how it had to be.

"Huh?" Lloyd grunted softly from the front of the group where he tugged on the wheel-shaped handle attached to the center of the door that blocked their advance. "This door is locked," he sighed, stepping back and drawing his sleeve across his forehead before he looked back to the redhead.

Sheena sighed, shaking her head and fixing an accusing glare on Zelos. "Zelos! Didn't you say you knew this route well?" she demanded, tapping her foot insistently.

Zelos sighed, flipping a handful of curls back over his shoulder. "Huh… that's weird," he murmured, staring at the door and avoiding looking at those gathered around him. "It was never closed when I came through…."

"Maybe it was closed along with the sealing of the city?" Presea offered softly from where she stood beside Genis, her voice betraying no worry, presenting the option as fact and not fear.

Raine took a step back and glanced around the dimly lit tunnel around them. "Hmm, someone may have expected us to come this way," she frowned as her grip on her wand tightened.

"What?!" Genis shook his head in disbelief and pointed to the wheel-locked door before them. "Then we can't go this way?"

Liane shrugged and shifted the weight of her pack on her shoulder. "There have to be only so many ways to get into the city," she sighed. "Even if we go back out and try to find another way in, there's no guarantees the rest won't be locked just like this one." It was pessimistic, but it was the truth. It didn't seem wise to plan on anything being easy now that they were labeled as wanted criminals by the leadership of Tethe'alla.

"Let's try to think of a way to open this door," Lloyd sighed, resting his hand on the wheel that had denied him access already. "If it's locked, there has to be a way to unlock it, right?"

Colette nodded, her smile once again bright and genuine. "Yeah! I'm sure we'll manage something!"

* * *

'_I'm sure we'll manage something!'_ Liane's thoughts groused silently as she tried to keep herself from glaring at the blonde Chosen. The optimism the girl had proclaimed as they stood before the locked door had been nothing if not inspirational – but now, it just grated on her nerves. 

_Shrink, run, fight the eighty foot rat, grow run shrink, surf the sludge lagoon, grow fight the snake, shrink duck into the mouse hole, fight another eighty foot rat, grow, shove the garbage around, shrink again…._

_I'm going to make Lloyd eat that ring if he shrinks us one more time._

Her mood had continued to deteriorate as she tired of their jaunt through the sewers of Meltokio, and her stomach's lurching protests to the apparently endless cycle of growing and shrinking didn't help matters in the least. Genis and Sheena both seemed to be excited by the stashes they had found in their last hiding places as they had tried to dodge the sewer dwellers, but the group continued to press on, not giving them time to even inspect their treasures. _The end has to be coming soon… please…_she begged silently to whatever deity or spirit might give them guidance. _Just a little sunlight would be great right now…._

It was at that moment that the shadows ahead of them shifted, almost as if in answer to her plea – or perhaps it was a laugh as three forms solidified from the darkness and began to advance upon them. Three men – two bald and one with shaggy brownish hair prowled closer to where Lloyd and Zelos had brought the group to a halt, effectively cutting them off from a nearby set of stone steps and their possible escape from the sewer.

"What's goin' on?" Zelos murmured thoughtfully, his hand moving to the handle of his blade as the party tensed behind him.

Presea stepped to the outer flank of the party, dropping her axe from the sling on her back and resting its blade lightly on the walkway before her. "I sense… danger."

"We've been waiting for you, travelers from Sylvarant," one of the bald men purred dangerously, tapping what looked like a simple wooden bat in the palm of his other hand with a sneer on his lips.

_They know who we are…._ Liane's sword was drawn in her next breath. The men were all clad in dirty, shredded cloth, not one of them looking at all out of place in the sewer. _Raine was right… they were expecting us to come this way._

"The Pope promised to lighten our sentences if we got rid of you," the man with hair continued his cohort's explanation with an almost-apologetic note in his tone. "We've got nothing personal against you, but we need you to die!"

The men rushed at the party, their seemingly improvised weapons already swinging as the party scattered. Liane rocked back onto her right foot and dipped her sword back as one of the bald men got closer. _The Pope is sending prisoners after us??_ The proof encircled their wrists and their ankles above their bare feet – cuffs of dull black metal branded them just as their words implied. "Demon Fang!" she called out as the mana slice zipped out and collided with the bald man, sending him staggering back. "Sorry, but I am _not_ dying in the sewer," she ground out, adrenaline pumping through her. _We have to get out of here… there's no room to fight._

As the others separated off to block the nearest prisoner, the bald man that had taken the brunt of Liane's attack pushed himself upright once again and sneered at her. "Two broads and a kid… this is gonna be too easy," he grinned and advanced again, his bat waving out in front of him.

_Two broads…? _Liane blinked, starting to turn before a flash of violet stopped her. She hadn't seen Sheena behind her when the convicts had rushed them, nor had she noticed that Genis had slid behind her as well. She set her jaw and planted her feet, set to defend the boy as she had been taught as she watched Sheena slam her card into the convict's chest.

"Pyre Seal!" the ninja called out over the sounds of nearby battle, the flurry of glowing cards blowing the bald man off his feet with a yelp. "Going to be as easy as you thought?" she taunted him, drawing her card back across her body.

"Maybe easier…" the convict retorted, springing back to his feet with agility that was surprising, slashing at the ninja with a wild swing of his bat. Sheena dropped into a low crouch, avoiding the swing as her foot slipped out to catch him in the gut and press the breath out of him.

Genis took a step forward, flashing purple runes still spinning around him as he moved to Liane's side and fixed his eyes on the convict. "I am _so_ tired of being called a kid!" the mage grumbled and thrust his kendama out at the man. "Lightning!"

The convict's form convulsed as the blinding stab of energy shot through his form, his jaw open in a hoarse scream as his bat clattered to the ground. "That would be what you get for pickin' on the little guy with all the magic," Liane mumbled, drawing her sword back and running at the convict, mana ripples quickly appearing against the surface of the blade. "Sonic Thrust."

The impact of her attack knocked the bald man back even s the tunnel flared with golden light as Raine's Photon spell faded from her foe and Lloyd's voice rang out quickly after, naming the assault, 'Tiger Blade' over the distressed calls of the brown haired man. "Colette was helping Lloyd and Raine while Presea and Zelos were left to the last attacker. _Looks like everything is under control,_ Liane nodded as she started to turn, drawing her sword for another attack on her own enemy -

- when that same enemy connected with her, shoving his shoulder into her stomach as he dove for his bat.

Liane dropped to her knees, gasping for breath even as the convict rolled to his feet and sprang at Sheena once again. _Stupid! _she screamed at herself as she struggled back to her feet. _Got distracted… stupid!!!_

"Oh, yeah, you're tough," Genis' voice snickered from where he was blocked from Liane's sight by the convict. "Try this! Wind Blade!"

Sidestepping was instinctive as Liane saw the green glow of Genis' attack. If there was one spell she knew the quirks of, it was Wind Blade – and the last thing she needed was to wander into the path of an unconnected slice of the spell. _The others know what they're doing… focus on dropping this guy… then worry about the rest…_she coached herself.

The convict stumbled to his knees once again as all three parts of Genis' spell connected with him, his bat once again skittering to the floor as he wheezed. Sheena quickly ran to the weapon and, with a quick flick of her foot, she flipped it into the nearby channel. As the wooden bat dropped into the water, the ninja spun, her feet covering the scant distance to the convict. "I really can't believe you thought we'd be easy," she snorted in insult as she snapped her card out to him once more. "Life Seal!"

Watching as the bald man's form shuddered beneath the swirl of blue tendrils, Liane exhaled in relief, but the flash of energy beneath Genis' feet reminded her that their fallen prisoner was just one of three. Glancing over as Lloyd's form flashed green with one of Raine's healing spells, she saw the ground at the feet of the brown haired convict began to crack and tremble. _Looks like he's under control, too…_ she decided as she and Sheena broke into a run at the remaining bald convict that Presea and Zelos were fighting. "Double Demon Fang!" she called out, the attack working better than she had hoped while she was still in motion. Both energy arcs slammed into the convict as he staggered back from Zelos' Light Spear.

"Hunnies to the rescue!" Zelos beamed as the woman approached. "I _knew_ you two loved me, but no fighting over me, mkay? There's plenty of me to go around!"

"Get over yourself," Sheena grumbled as she ran past the Chosen, her eyes fixed on her new target. "Pyre Seal!"

The convict staggering back, raising his arms to defend from the flurry of cards, swinging wildly at Presea with his knife when she was his closest target. "Stay back!!"

Presea didn't bat an eye to his flailing attempt at an attack. She merely shifted her grip on her axe and lifted it into a spin that the man was woefully in range of. "Punishment," the girl murmured, her axe's blade catching the fabric of the man's shirt and leaving a shallow crimson slash across his chest.

The man looked down in horror for a moment before a scream tore itself from his throat. His knife clattered to the ground and he stumbled backwards, his hands moving to cover the gash.

"See what you get for messing with Tiny Rosebud?" Zelos laughed as he turned, his sword flashing with a mixture of the minimal tunnel light and mana. A few quick steps gave him time to build his attack, a massive wave of mana curling over his sword. "Super Sonic Thrust!"

The shockwave of the redheaded Chosen's attack threw the gasping convict back against the nearby wall of the staircase, leaving the bald man to slump to the ground with what almost sounded like a whimper.

"Thanks for making me look so good," Zelos snickered, watching the man's unmoving form for a moment before he shrugged and turned back to the others. "Everyone got things under control?" he asked, laughter still in his voice as he sheathed his sword.

"Everything but you," Sheena sighed, walking over towards Lloyd and Genis were standing over their fallen convict, the brown haired man hunched over onto the ground.

Liane shook her head, sliding her own blade into its sheath. _He's such an egomaniac… but I guess if that's what he needs to feel good about himself… he can have it._ The fight never felt like a real threat, but she would have rather skipped it in any case. _The Pope used these men to get to us…._ It was sad… and frightening at the same time. Sad that the men really didn't ever seem to have the skill to stop them… and frightening that it seemed like the Pope was willing to turn criminals loose to catch criminals.

"Maybe we should just hog-tie them for when the Pope comes looking for his garbage…" Zelos sighed, walking over towards the convict that he had finished off. "Hey… Sheena, hunny? You ninjas always have rope, don't you?" He asked before he started to crouch near the fallen man. But before the smugness in his voice could carry his words any further, the shadows on the stairs above them lurched, giving up a hurtling form that landed squarely on Zelos. The Chosen let out a startled cry as he was thrown to the ground, pinned there by the boot of the blue haired man that had stood over him.

For a moment, the only sound was that of the water rushing out of the nearby pipes. The party froze, staring in shock at the scene before them. Then the figure moved, the long, loosely restrained blue mane of hair shifting over the man's shoulder as he fixed a cold blue-eyed glare on the others. "Don't move… if you move, the Chosen dies. Understand?" he muttered, his voice a deep rasp as he shifted his weight over the struggling Chosen.

It was a combination of factors that kept Liane frozen in place with the others… the man's threat, the sound of his voice, the look in his eyes… and the fact that the man's wrists were bound by thick metal shackles where they rested over his knee. _Another convict…_ her mind whispered as a shiver ran through her. This one had hung back… letting the others fight the party first… sizing them up? _Is… he their leader?_

Zelos fought the leverage the other man held over him to lift his head from the ground and glare up to him. "Whoa whoa whoa! You think you can get away with doing something like this to the Chosen?" he demanded indignantly.

The man snorted softly and turned his eyes back down to his captive. "One who plots the destruction of the world can no longer be deemed the Chosen," he stated, a sharp bite in his smooth tone.

The red haired man's eyes widened at the convict's words, the previous cockiness missing form his expression as he glanced back to the party. "Oh, hey, Lloyd! If you abandon me here, I swear, I'll come back to haunt you!"

Lloyd blinked at the other young man's claim and then shrugged. "I just had the sudden violent urge to abandon you," the brown haired swordsman murmured, revealing the hint of amusement in his voice.

_He really thinks we'd take off and leave him?_ While it did sound like just another chapter in the banter between the two swordsmen, it made Liane wonder if he really thought that they would run away and leave him to die? She didn't appreciate his obnoxious flirting, but she didn't want to see him killed – he certainly didn't deserve that. Liane chewed her lip as yet another dimension to the power in Tethe'alla revealed itself… _the Pope… he's willing to have the Chosen killed… without even hearing his side of the story? He… he's the Chosen - _but her puzzlement shattered as she saw a flash of pink move beside her. She looked down, barely having time to comprehend that Presea was pressing her own attack on the blue haired man, much less that her axe was already in motion. "Presea! No! Wait –"

But her words were too little and too late. The convict looked up, his eyes wide with surprise as he leapt back to avoid the arc of the girl's swing. Zelos wasted no time in scrambling back to the others, gripping Lloyd's shoulders and squaring the crimson-clad swordsman directly between himself and the convict. "Phew!" the redhead breathed out, his shoulders heaving as Lloyd rolled his eyes and shook his head.

The convict made no attempt whatsoever to stop Zelos, much less to pursue him. He merely stood frozen, staring at the pink haired girl that had stopped a few steps away, her axe primed for another swing. His mouth dropped open just enough to be noticeable in the dim light of the tunnel. "You're…"

The man started to life his bound arms in Presea's direction, his hands just leaving his waist when a trio of fireballs shot at him, cutting him off in a warning from the young mage that had pushed his way to the front of the group. Genis stood firmly, his small hands curled into shaking balls as his eyes followed the convict's hurried hop away from Presea, the silent challenge burning in the boy's eyes.

The blue haired convict seemed momentarily confused, his eyes flashing from Genis to Presea, lingering on the girl for a moment longer and then to his beaten companions who were helping each other to their feet behind him. He blinked and drew a breath, his shoulders squaring as a result, and he turned to glare at the party once again with a grunt of what sounded like frustration. "Retreat for now."

"Damn, these guys are too strong," the brown haired man grumbled as he shouldered the weight of one of his bald companions and helped him to turn and hobble up the nearby steps.

The party continued to watch as the convicts retreated, the blue haired one waiting until the others were up the steps before his gaze slid over the group one last time. He then followed after his companions, taking the steps in just a few leaps before he disappeared from sight as well.

"Looks like its over for now…" Lloyd finally breathed out after a few moments, almost as if he had been waiting for the convicts to change their minds and return.

Colette clapped her hands together and exhaled. "Thank goodness everyone's okay!" she declared in relief as Zelos stood and made a show of dusting himself off.

"No need to worry, my cute little Colette… I had him right where I wanted him," Zelos chuckled, straightening his salmon colored vest and waving off her concern.

Lloyd snickered as he watched the Chosen start to stroll towards the stairs. "Right where you wanted him – pinning you to the floor?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest skeptically.

"It's called giving them a false sense of security, bud!" the redhead laughed and gestured up the stairs to the rest of the party. "Really, you have to give me some credit once in a while!"

Liane, however, stayed where she was. While she had released her grip on her blade, she still eyed the steps to the walkway above with hesitation. "So… we're just going to go after them? What if they're waiting for us up there?" she asked, shaking her head. _He said 'retreat for now'… that sounds more like a threat than a surrender to me…._

Lloyd glanced back over to Liane's question with a shrug. "Then I guess we have to beat them again if they're really wanting that. But… seriously, the first three were all barely walking, so if they wanted to fight us, it would really be all of us against the blue haired guy." He sighed and ran his fingers back through his hair. "It wouldn't end much differently…."

"Or, we could stand around, wait for them all to get better, and then come back for another round," Genis groaned, pausing where he had started to follow his sister and Presea up the stairs. "Come on! Let's get out of here!"

It was simple logic – and easy to agree with – but even as Liane followed along with the others. Some thing didn't feel right – yet more questions surfacing where there were already too many. _There are people trying to kill us for where we're from… for the fact that we have half-elven friends, for having Colette with us… and Goddess only knows if they only want Lloyd for his Exsphere…_ Liane thought dismally as she started up the ladder to the beckoning sunshine above. _One moment, we're trying to save our world – and the next, we're an enemy of an entire other world… did we really do something that wrong?_

As the party gathered around the manhole that had finally granted them access to the Imperial City, Liane couldn't help the wary glances to the backstreet area that surrounded them. It was bright and open, especially in comparison to the dark caves of the sewers. But most importantly, there didn't seem to be a place to ambush them from. It seemed that the convicts had crept away – presumably back to the Pope. _So is he just going to send more? Are attacks like that going to just keep coming until they catch us… or worse?_ She sighed… and chided herself for even trying to phrase yet more questions that would not be answered – at least not at that point. There were already too many to keep straight – so many that would reach the point of madness before much longer.

_So many questions… and no one to answer them. It's like some… game…._

That was the thought that tainted her frustration with anger. Even though she knew it wasn't logical, it was still so easy to want to blame Kratos. _He's strong enough… none of this would probably even be an issue if he'd help us… if he'd just stayed with us…._ It was utterly unreasonable to be thinking in such a way – he had chosen his path long before he had joined up with them, most likely. And even though it seemed like they were blindly stumbling through their days at the moment, he was no longer responsible for their guidance – or lack thereof.

_Then… why did he come back?_

Liane set her jaw as Sheena began to lead them through the streets. There was little talking, and meeting the eyes of the citizens on the streets seemed to be out of the question as they clustered around the high-profile redheaded Chosen. None of it was outright planned… it simply seemed to come instinctively. They were wanted criminals… hunted, even… who was to say that even the next child to pass by them on the street wouldn't turn them in? If it wasn't Cruxis and the Desians – and maybe even the Renegades – then it was the King and the Pope and whoever they decided to send after them as well. Help was looking like something that was getting further out of reach with every step… and it already seemed like the only ones they could count on was each other. _Maybe that's how it should be_… she sighed as she and the others stepped through the doors of the building that Sheena had called the "Elemental Research Laboratory. _It's our lives that are at stake… we shouldn't try to depend on anyone else…._

"Sheena! It's you!"

The party stopped just inside the heavy doors of the Laboratory, confronted by a man clad mostly in red with a black mask disguising the lower half of his face. Sheena remained at the head of the group, holding her hand out to show them that it was okay before a chuckle warmed her voice. "Kuchinawa! Why are you here?" she asked, approaching the masked man with a smile.

The ninja crossed his arms, his eyes shifting beneath his hood to eye the group gathered behind Sheena. "I'm on a top-secret mission," he answered her, his mask adding just a hint of a rasp to his voice. "What about you?"

Sheena fidgeted a little, her fingers curling into the hem of her wrapped tunic. "Ah, I'm in a bit of trouble, actually," she admitted with an uneasy chuckle. "My friends and I need to get across the bridge."

"Friends?" the ninja sounded puzzled as he glanced back to the others. "Hmm, they're not from Mizuho."

Liane bristled a little with how he spoke, but managed to hold her tongue even if her gaze sharpened on Kuchinawa. He was stating a fact – a clearly obvious one – but why did it matter? _What is it with this place and labels? Where you're from, half-elf or not a half-elf… why does it have to matter?_

"They're from Sylvarant," Sheena shrugged, paying no mind to the blonde woman with pointed ears observing patiently behind the nearby counter as she turned back to the party with a weak smile. "Lloyd, and everyone! This is a friend from Mizuho. His name's Kuchinawa," she told them with a small wave of her hand back to the ninja in question.

Kuchinawa bowed slightly at the waist to them in a stiff greeting. "Sheena and I grew up together," he offered with just a little more warmth in his voice. "Pleased to meet you."

Lloyd's form straightened, the teen nodding in response to Kuchinawa's greeting. "Pleased to meet you," he smiled.

Sheena looked between Lloyd and Kuchinawa, a flash of anxiousness in her eyes as she rocked back on her heels. "I'll go talk to the people in the laboratory," she stated, sounding a little awkward as she smiled for the party and then pivoted to walk towards the nearby stairs. Kuchinawa watched her walk by and start silently down the stairs before he nodded as well, almost as if excusing himself as he turned to follow after Sheena.

The party looked to one another in silence, the blonde woman behind the counter offering them precious little more than a pleasant smile. _Well… this isn't uncomfortable… no… not at all_… Liane sighed as her fingers absently traced over the twisted metal of the handle of her sword. Voices could be heard filtering up the stairwell, but nothing coherent, thanks to the distance.

"Let's go along and listen, too…" Lloyd finally suggested, walking towards the stairs at the same time as he spoke, his curiosity apparently getting the better of him as he waved over his shoulder to the others.

Liane glanced up to the woman behind the counter, noting that she made no attempt to stop them or to encourage them. With a shrug, she started down the stairs with the others. _I guess if we were doing something wrong, we'd hear about it…._

"That's insane!"

The frustration in Sheena's voice pushed their pace to the base of the stairs faster and sent Lloyd leaping down the last three steps to land in a small, dimly lit room filled with bubbling beakers and a few labcoated half-elves that were shrugging to Sheena. "What's wrong?" Lloyd asked with worry, hesitantly approaching where the two ninjas stood.

"Listen to this!" Sheena blurted, shaking a hand towards the teal haired researcher in front of her. "They want us to cross the sea in and Elemental Cargo!"

Lloyd tilted his head to her and the room fell silent for a moment. "An elemen what?" he finally asked with a pained frown, shaking his head in confusion.

Glancing over to Lloyd, Lane almost groaned. Not that she knew exactly what Sheena meant, much less why it had Sheena so agitated either, but… _Lloyd… you could at least try_… she sighed, noting the green-tinted pallor that slipped over the Professor's complexion at the mention of crossing the sea.

"Elemental Cargo," Presea responded to Lloyd's question before the researchers or the ninjas could, "… typically called EC. It's a compact transport vehicle controlled by Exspheres. Its maximum load weight is 1400 kg and maximum speed is more than three times faster than an upgraded Exsphere-equipped carriage. They are currently used primarily by shipping companies for delivery." The girl blinked as her words faded, seemingly not noticing how her companions were staring at her.

_She… just spouted that information… like some kind of dictionary._ Liane exhaled, unnerved by the revelation on some level. Not that she doubted the girl's intelligence, but it seemed that while she was in her normal, quiet state, she was observing – absorbing? – everything. _I wonder what else she could tell us… if we asked the right questions…._

Zelos, on the other hand, was quick to prop his hands impatiently on his waist and glare at the teal haired man standing in front of Sheena. "Hey! What are we, packages?" he demanded in his agitation.

The researcher took a quick step backwards in response to the hostility that answered his suggestion. "The Elemental Cargo absorbs mana from the atmosphere and ejects it into the air, producing a counter-reaction that propels it forward," he babbled quickly as if it would dismiss their complaints and nodded his head pointedly towards Sheena. "So if we can use Undine for that, we get an EC that can surf."

Raine took a small step forward to place her hand on the table, at least making the effort to look casual. "S…sure…" she sighed, the stammered word part whisper and part sickened groan.

Liane didn't mind the water, but even she had to admit her unease with the theory. _At least the washtubs were wood – and generally meant to float… kind of_…. "So… you want us to climb onto this thing that was designed for land use… on the assumption that Undine's power _should_ keep us afloat?" she asked with a frown, knowing it might only make Raine feel worse, but having to point it out anyway.

"Isn't there any other way?" Lloyd asked quietly, gradually shifting his eyes from the Professor back to the researcher, his reluctance showing in his tone, perhaps on behalf of the others.

The researcher shrugged and crossed his arms in what almost seemed to be indifference. "The bridge is closed. You don't have the necessary identification to use an ocean liner," he stated flatly and then nodded towards Raine and Genis. "And on top of that, there are two half-elves with you."

Genis groaned, shaking his head as his shoulders slumped. "Not that again."

"That's the kind of world Tethe'alla is," the researcher shrugged as he pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. "We, too, hardly ever get to leave this building."

Colette sighed from where she stood beside Liane. "I wonder why everyone can't get along…" she murmured sadly.

Liane glanced over, her frown quickly echoing the blonde Chosen's. "Because it would make things too easy," she answered the perhaps-rhetorical question bitterly.

Zelos exhaled loudly, the gesture bringing the attention of the others back to him. "Ah, well, there's no point in getting all gloomy," he shrugged and looked back to the researcher. "So will you make that modified EC for us?"

The teal haired man nodded quickly, jumping just a little when the Chosen addressed him. "If you'll wait a day, we'll have it ready," he told the redhead before he turned to another of his companions and quickly gestured to him, an urgency in the flick of his hand that suggested it was to get the project started.

"Okay. Well, then, lets go rest at my mansion," Zelos commented with a sweep of his hand back to the stairs that had brought them to the basement.

"Aww, no camping tonight?" Liane smirked as she and the others followed his suggestion to climb back to the first level, earning a sarcastic smile from the Chosen for her effort.

Sheena and Kuchinawa started to pass by Zelos as well, and Sheena paused and tilted her head to watch the Chosen. "The Pope's minions aren't going to be waiting for us there, right?" she asked with her eyebrow arched as if to punctuate a challenge.

Liane stopped when she was a couple of steps above the landing and looked back. _Sheena's right… if they were expecting us to come in through the sewers… and those prisoners ran back to report to the Pope… Zelos' mansion might not be the safest of choices…._

Lloyd slowly walked past both the ninjas and Liane to start up the stairs. "We're going to have to spend the night in this city," he commented sullenly. "So it doesn't matter where we are, it'll still be dangerous."

Sheena's eyes followed after the young swordsman for a moment before she started climbing the stairs as well. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she murmured, offering the researchers a quick wave before they were out of sight and then meeting Liane's gaze with a shrug.

_What else can we do…?_

The thought was clear in the ninja's expression before Liane turned her attention back to the steps, seeing that Kuchinawa was the last of them to leave the lab. All that was left was to hope her gut was wrong… and that they might be able to sleep instead of fight that night. If everything worked out, they would be back at the Research Academy the next day – once again practically walking into the waiting arms of the Pope or the King.

_This is going to get tiresome if we have to fight our way everywhere_, she sighed even as she stood amongst her friends as Kuchinawa bid them all farewell and disappeared in a plume of smoke that seemed to thoroughly impress particularly Lloyd, Genis, and Colette. She heard Sheena's amused snicker, and might have shared it at any other time.

_So… we take Presea home… then what? Blunder along blindly until we accidentally save the world?_ Liane almost snickered at that, the stifled noise earning her a questioning glance from Raine. I

* * *

The Chosen's mansion was a little more crowded that evening – not that it was a bad thing. Sheena's presence made things seem just a little more 'right' and Zelos' manservant, Sebastian, was entertaining if for no other reason than his tendency to call Lloyd 'Sir Bud,' much to the swordsman's dismay. 

Liane and Presea were set to share their room with Sheena for the evening, as Raine still seemed to have no intention of letting Colette out of her sight. No trouble had come to visit them since Zelos had slipped them into his home that afternoon, but they were all still nervous and on edge even if some seemed content to bury it under weak laughter. Each of them retained their weapons and each of them seemed to crave escaping the confines of the city – no matter the opulence of the mansion, it was still little more than a cage that they dared not leave until they had to.

But Liane still found a loophole. While the walled garden wasn't quite as safe as being indoors, it was a little bit of rebellion that she had to indulge in. With the sun still hanging low in the sky, but not quite ready to give in to the night, it gave both a glowing life to the warm-colored blooms and leaves that lined the cobbled trail and a peace that seemed to be working to counteract the gloom of the sewers earlier in the day.

_"Retreat for now…."_

She ground her teeth together in frustration. Liane had stopped counting how many times those three words had floated through her thoughts since the sewers… the voice haunting her as it came to embody the reality of exactly how uncertain their situation was. Their lives were beginning to depend on keeping an eye over their shoulders at all times.

_But shouldn't we be watching ahead… for some sign of what we should be doing next?_

One more person to watch out for, one more adversary that could appear anywhere and at any time. It seemed to be the last thing they needed, but the last two days had seen fit to continually add to the roster: … _the Pope's Knights… Yuan… Pronyma… Kratos… and now the convicts._ The ranks of their enemies were growing – and that meant, logically, that at some point, the party would slip… that they would fail just as so many people were waiting for them to.

_What would be the price if we did?_

The morbid thought stopped her in the middle of the path. She wouldn't allow herself to grip at the handle of her sword, so she stubbornly shoved her hands into her pockets and drew a deep breath. Stop, Liane silently demanded of herself. _If you believe that, you've already lost. _But even as she recognized the truth in her thoughts, she couldn't apologize for her reaction to it. _What kind of person would I be if I didn't fear failure that could cost me the life of one of my friends… or even my own?_ Liane closed her eyes and forced her hands from her pockets, drawing another deep inhale of the garden scents as she made her plea to the setting sun to give her the warmth to push the icy thoughts away. Invoking the Goddess in prayer seemed wrong now, not when she and the others were denying the deity her vessel. But there was still the essence of Martel… the entity that both habit and instinct had taught her to believe in over the years… the presence she found herself unable to shun. _Goddess… please… please guide us… show us a way… please…._

"Closing your eyes doesn't make anything go away. Things you're trying to avoid will always be there when you open them."

Liane gasped as her eyes flashed open at the sound of the voice. She took an involuntary step backwards at the sight of the auburn haired angel of Cruxis that stood squarely in the path before her, his arms crossed as the sunlight flickered faintly in his shadowed gaze. "Kratos…" she choked out, her head snapping back towards the house, seeing it rising above the trees just a little too far away. "You shouldn't be her," she started as she turned to look back to him. "You…" her voice caught up with her thoughts as a reflection from the buckles on his arm momentarily seared her eyes – and brought truth back to her once again. Her surprise melted instantly into resolve as her hand was suddenly on the handle of her sword. "You're _not _taking Colette."

Kratos' response to her demand was a dry chuckle and a flash of his hand as it closed over her forearm, gently pushing it back from her sword. "No. I'm not. Not now. But you can't take it for granted that I never will," he spoke in his low rasp as he kept her gaze captive.

"Why are you here?" It was all she could manage, staring back into his eyes before she finally blinked and let her eyes fall to where his hand spent barely a heartbeat longer and then fell away.

"Curiosity, mostly," he murmured, gesturing down the path that led further from the house, still watching her almost as if he were waiting for her to bolt… or scream… or perhaps both. "The three convicts that returned to report to the Pope were in rough shape. I suspected that none of you would be particularly damaged, but…" he shrugged and began to walk beside her, clasping his hands behind his back. "I was curious nonetheless."

Liane sucked in a quick breath and set her jaw, not quite ready for him to have the chance to read how deep her surprise ran. _He… knows every move we make_… was the first thing that occurred to her from his words, but then another… set off by one unassuming word brought a deep frown to her lips: _Three_…. "I'm glad we can be entertaining for you," she managed the best sullen tone she could muster as she stared straight ahead, maintaining a gap between them as she slowly walked down the wandering path. _There were _four_ convicts…._

Kratos shrugged. "You must be careful that you know exactly who it is that you could be entertaining, Liane," he murmured. "I don't think any of you comprehends the powers you are playing with – and what they could do to any of you if they so choose." He tilted his head to watch her. "If I can find you, any of them can as well."

"Then why don't you tell us about these powers, Kratos?" Liane groaned, glancing over to him if only to remind herself that he was not the same man she had so foolishly trusted before. "Or is watching us dance for you just too much fun for you to let go of?" She couldn't fight off the bitterness, or the slow burn of disgust with herself when she had to recognize that she truly wanted him back with their group. In all the times that they had felt so weak – so blind – why did she still want to cling to him so badly?

Kratos was silent as he walked, not acknowledging her challenge with even a look. Finally, he drew a small breath. "You are all safer without me. Surely you – of all of them – understand that…?" he asked, his voice a low monotone.

Liane hung her head, memories of angry thoughts and names that had been directed at him since they had met suddenly sharp in her mind. "Maybe… but that just brings my question back. Why are you here?"

"To tell you that you trust too easily." His answer came out quickly as he stopped and pulled her around to face him. She tensed as his hands closed around her shoulders, applying just enough pressure to get her attention but not to hurt her. "You all do. It will lead you to ruin – it already almost has. But I know that it has to be in you. You have to listen to it… and show the others the way as well." He released her and sighed, but never took his eyes from hers. "Not everyone has good in them. It needs to be proven… not _assumed_… to exist."

His words made her freeze, staring back at him as she slowly shrugged away from him. "So we can all be as cynical as you?" she asked, unsure of where her response was coming from. "Then the worlds probably wouldn't be worth saving." Liane took a step back from him, her gaze turning to a faint glare. "Don't tell me – or any of us – how to think, Kratos," she shook her head. "You didn't have that right even when you were with us. You certainly don't now."

The angel's lips curled slightly at her response. "Well, that's a step in the right direction, anyway," he chuckled, starting to shake his head for an instant before his head snapped back in the direction of the mansion. In a blur of motion, his hand was suddenly clamped to her mouth and he gathered the dark haired girl under his arm despite her muffled protest of surprise. He leapt straight up into the branches of the tree they had been standing beneath, squaring himself to sit on a leaf-shrouded branch and then lifting Liane to sit beside him. He kept his hand in place as he purposefully met her angered gaze… and shifted his eyes to the walkway below them.

Liane's first instinct was to bite his hand, but the lurch up into the tree shattered her ability to plan that retaliation, much less anything else as her breath was squeezed from her lungs. _Where… is he taking me…?!_

But the thought barely had time to solidify before she found herself seated soundly on a stout branch, suddenly face to face with the angel once again. Liane caught her breath and quickly tried to rebuild her reaction to him when approaching voices started to tickle the edges of her hearing. Grudgingly, her eyes darted in the direction he indicated – and she stopped struggling against his grip as her eyes widened, understanding – at least partly – his reasoning for hiding. _Genis… and Lloyd??_

"So what are we gonna do after we get Presea to her home?" Genis' voice was somewhat hushed as if not wanting to attract the attention of the others back in the mansion. "I mean, if Ozette is out in the middle of nowhere like Zelos says it is, it doesn't sound like the best place to start the search for a way to save the worlds, the young mage shrugged as he slowly walked beside his friend.

"I guess… back to the Fooji Mountains?" Lloyd asked with uncertainty in his voice. "It's not like we should come back here with the way things are," the swordsman murmured, keeping his gaze to the path before them.

_The Fooji Mountains…?_ Liane wondered silently, watching her friends approaching through gaps in the leaves of the tree. Granted, they didn't know much of Tethe'alla, but sometimes she had a hard time forcing her thoughts to conform to her friend's thought processes. _We've been there twice already… maybe… he means to get the_ –

"You mean to pick up the Rheairds?" the silver haired boy asked in confusion "You want to find some way to make them run again and then go get them?"

Lloyd shook his head, stopping beneath the branches of an old tree to look down at his friend. "No. Because he was there last time. If he was there once, he can come back," the swordsman replied, his tone bitten off and bordering on a growl.

Liane tensed, her fingers gripping at the branch beneath her as she glanced over to the angel beside her. _He… wants to find Kratos_… she realized, almost alarmed by the stony expression that the man in question wore – the extent of his interest in the conversation below them not visibly extending beyond calmly watching.

Genis stopped and tilted his head up to look at his friend in curiosity. "Wait – you _want_ to find Kratos again?" he asked, his tone begging for clarification. "You… you want to fight him again?"

"If that's what it comes to," Lloyd shrugged, his jaw tight. "He knows how to fix this – how to fix everything!" he ground out as his frustration boiled over. "I hate him… I hate what he's done this to all of us… especially Colette. And if he did all of that… if he serves Yggdrasill… then he has to know where to start to undo it."

It was all Liane could do to clamp her lips shut over a gasp. Lloyd Irving didn't hate anyone… dislike, perhaps… but to hear him make such a claim to one person that the swordsman knew could read his moods and his words and would know not to doubt him – it left Liane stunned. _He's hurting from this… more now than even the night we came to Tethe'alla_. Then… perhaps it was morbid curiosity… she looked back over to Kratos. His posture had lost its easy slump… a subtle change that could have been explained away as a trick of the light. But it was the tight line of his jaw that couldn't be so easily dismissed… and nor could the grip he had on the branch that now turned his knuckles white. His eyes were still fixed on the boys below… and while Lloyd was oblivious to the conversation's audience in the tree above him… it seemed that a blow had been landed… whether the teen realized it or not. Liane chewed her lip, realizing that her gut had been right… that Kratos cared at least about Lloyd, if not the rest of them. That was her conscious thought… reasoning that distracted her from the fact that her hand was moving before she realized it… not really thinking until it rested over his hand on the branch beside her. The faint warmth beneath her hand almost startled her… and set her cheeks burning at the instinctive act of compassion.

But before she could start to comprehend what had happened, she saw his eyes shift to where their hands were momentarily joined – and then his was gone, snatched away as if she had burned him – and all without ever looking at her. Liane could only stare at him, his reaction just short of having slapped her. _I… I didn't mean_….

"Maybe he's not that powerful, though," Genis shrugged, taking on the role of the devil's advocate. "I mean… he didn't try to fight us on the mountain," he murmured, his lips curling downward. "He helped us when he didn't have to… and he let us to… I bet Yggdrasill didn't order him to do that."

Lloyd shrugged off his friend's words. "Maybe. Or maybe he's been playing with us the whole time – maybe it was all just to make it more interesting."

Her friend's bitterness was so sad to her… but Liane's chest tightened for Kratos as well. Was it so strange for him to be with others that he would shun even an offer of friendship after everything? _Or… is he too proud?_

"But…" Genis huffed. "You liked him, Lloyd… he taught you stuff with your blades… and Raine… she had someone else that she could talk to as an adult… even Colette looked up to him. And Liane… c'mon, Lloyd, you know as well as I do that she liked him… there had to be something good about him, right?"

"He fooled all of us…" Lloyd shook his head, his voice quiet. "He taught me what I needed to know so I could beat him. Raine was so dazzled by all the old stuff that she probably didn't see it coming. Colette… she was caught up in becoming an angel and completing the tasks he was dragging her though. And Liane's been acting weird since we left Iselia… I don't think she knows what she wants…" he looked back to Genis with a shrug. "He's the enemy. We've all seen it. And if any of us can really side with him after what he's done... is it really any different than being his ally?"

Liane could hear the sadness in her friend's voice as it gained power over the anger, but the swordsman had leveled another attack – even if he never realized it. The logical side of her knew he was trying to protect his friends… but her heart ached at how he spoke of her. _I… I can't even tell him that he's wrong. I don't know what I want… but I know we can't write off anyone right now… and definitely not our friends_. Her eyes started to burn and she chewed her lip harder. _Oh, Lloyd… do you really believe that you can't trust me?_

"That's kinda… cold…" Genis murmured, as his shoulders slumped. "But I guess you're right. Maybe… we can get some kind of help out of Kratos. We really don't have anything else…" he sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

_It is cold, Genis…_ Liane's thoughts whispered mournfully as she hung her head, wishing she could be somewhere – anywhere – else at that moment. She knew that he had to be hurting… and that his words weren't meant to be as barbed as they felt. But as well as she knew that… she knew it was a crossroad for her. She could defend Kratos until she discovered the reasons for his actions and be shunned by her friends… or she could shove all of that away and just try to keep her friends together and in one piece until the truth worked itself out. She clasped her hands in her lap, unable to look over to Kratos. _I guess… it's really not much of a choice_.

"If something else comes up, we'll do that," Lloyd shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets and starting to walk down the path again. "Kratos is the only one that really seems to understand how the worlds are joined. If we can get that from him – either by fighting him or asking him – it will give us a better direction than we have now…."

Genis turned and trotted to catch up to his friend, an odd silence punctuated by their footsteps the only noise in the garden as Liane and Kratos were left in that same horrible silence. _They… can't know that I heard that… or that I was here with him_…. Liane frowned, closing her eyes and drawing a breath to stave off tears she didn't want to shed. She wanted to believe Lloyd was just being the most logical that she had ever known him to be. But it wasn't so easy - not when she could only hear his words as saying that she had somehow let down her dearest friends. And not when another part of her screamed at how Lloyd's hurt was making her cast aside the fact that she was so sure that Kratos was actually trying to help them – even if they couldn't understand how just yet.

Further thoughts were disrupted as an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her to the angel's side as Kratos pushed them both from the limb to drop to the ground. It all happened too fast to even cry out… and she as suddenly on her feet again swaying for a moment on her feet as his support was suddenly gone. Liane's eyes darted in the direction Lloyd and Genis had gone, only breathing out once she was certain that they were both gone. Chewing on the inside of her lip, she slowly looked back to Kratos, who was standing just outside of her reach. His expression was once again a cool and unreadable mask with no sign of the hurt she would have sworn she saw just moments before. _It must be nice… to be able to kill it all off_… her thoughts murmured sullenly even as her gaze hardened on him. "You're not going to tell him anything, are you?" she asked quietly, her tone accusing even though she didn't initially intend it to be so.

"If he needs to fight, he will fight… whether I give him the answers he wants or not," Kratos replied evenly, meeting her eyes without flinching. "It's much more of a question of what he would do with those answers even if they were simply handed to him."

If Liane was honest with herself, she'd admit he was right… at least to herself. Btu that was all too easily buried beneath the confirmation that he was willing to let them flounder blindly, removing any guilt from himself for what they did or did not know to reach their goal. "You could help us… but you're refusing…" she sighed. "Why? So many lives could be saved… or even just made better…" Liane continued in dismay, shaking her head and finally having to look away. "He's right… you really are our –"

"Label me as you like as long as you stay true to your resolve," Kratos responded, a shrug evident in his tone. "When the end comes, you'll know that you did everything you could. That's all any fighter can ask of himself, regardless of who wins or loses."

"How did you ever get so cold," Liane whispered, shaking her head as a tear slipped down her cheek and keeping her eyes averted. She hardly expected an answer from him, but she was sure that she could guess what it would be. It was human nature to remove oneself from pain or hurt, and calluses grew over old scars as insulation against new. "So… when the end comes… did you do everything you could?" she whispered, trying to banish the angry bite to her words.

Kratos watched her in silence for a moment before he started to turn back towards the thick garden around them, pausing for a moment to shrug. "It's not the end yet… so I can't answer that."

Liane's head snapped up as she heard him start to move away. "Kratos…" she started, stopping herself from reaching out to him. "Are you really our enemy?" It was as blunt as she could be… but she had to know. Once again, he had come to her – come close to them all – and not sought to hurt them, even though it would be so easy for him.

"And what would you do with that answer if I were to _give_ it to you?" he asked calmly with the barest hint of amusement in his voice. "You consider it. We'll speak again." Kratos' words were firm… clearly an ending as he finished his turn and strode away into a thickly-planted patch of shrubbery, leaving Liane standing – alone – with nothing for company but his parting promise and her questions.

* * *

Nothing seemed quite right that morning. The sun had risen and filled the bedroom with what Liane was starting to realize more with every morning was false ho. It was another day of uncertain that blended into the last because sleep had all but refused her through the dark hours of the night. While Sheena and Presea had apparently slept soundly, Liane's rest had come in short bursts that didn't even give her time to dream – a mixed blessing at that point. 

While it could have easily been her point of view – skewed by Kratos, Lloyd and Genis, or even sleep deprivation – the others seemed more on edge as well. The fact that they were essentially being hunted couldn't possibly help any of them… but everyone was reacting in their on way – not enough to cause alarm… but plenty to add an element of 'wrong' to an already-strained situation. Colette seemed to have slept wrong, a stiff shoulder skewing her physically. Corrine reacted practically rabidly to the researchers to the lab. The ninja, Kuchinawa, had already come to claim their EC before their arrival… and then there was the trip back through the sewers once again. While no surprises saw fit to stop their escape from the Imperial City, the silence that the party wrapped itself in for most of the journey to the bridge made Liane want to cry. It was a cloud that hung over the party – dark and crushing – and no one wanted to acknowledge it – especially not the dark haired Iselian woman. If the pressure exploded… what would it bring? Would they truly turn on each other, as she feared – or could it make them stronger? Were the options of extremes worth chancing?

_I don't want to do this anymore_, Liane frowned as Zelos and Lloyd bickered – something about faces – and her eyes slipped to the pink-haired girl waiting patiently nearby for the gate to the docks to be opened. _I just want to go home, too…._

"You can see the bridge." Raine's voice stilled the bickering between the swordsmen as the Professor paused and turned, her hands gripping at the fencing of the walkway as her liquid blue eyes fixed on the structure that towered over them.

Colette made her way to the Professor's side, a frown playing on her lips as she looked up as well. "Oh, you're right," the blonde girl murmured thoughtfully, turning her head just enough to look to the silver haired woman. "Are those decoration-looking things Exspheres?"

Liane glanced over to the younger girl, almost surprised that she seemed to remember the discussion from their first visit to the bridge. It all played to her claim that she had been aware of things going on around her. While it could be that Colette remembered similar containers at the human ranches, it still made Liane's heart sink to think of how her friend had largely been just an observer to her own life, even if it had only been for a while.

"That's right, Colette," Zelos nodded, looking up and sweeping his hand toward the side of the bridge. "That bride is operated by Exspheres," he continued, confirming her observation, his normally boisterous tone losing just a little of its edge.

"You mean human lives… call it what it is," Liane frowned, even though she couldn't bring herself to look away. It seemed disrespectful to turn away – like it would be denying the sacrifices of those lives for the ultimate end of powering such a frivolous thing as a drawbridge.

Colette tilted her head to the right again, her brow creasing in thought. "It's a bit gross looking."

The blonde Chosen's comment drew the eyes of the party to her, as if wondering if the girl truly understood what she was seeing, but it was Zelos that spoke again with a nod and a shrug as he met the younger girl's eyes. "It certainly is grotesque," he nodded in agreement before his gaze slid back to the bridge. "Although, knowing where Exspheres come from, I'm not sure it's appropriate to describe them that way."

It was the redhead's unexpected insight that brought him back to the center of attention – especially after his response to the truth of the nature of Exspheres the last time the topic had come up. _It really did sink in after all_… Liane's thoughts whispered in surprise.

"You're right," Colette agreed to the other Chosen's chastisement, her shoulders drooping for a moment as she looked away from the bridge.

"There's Kuchinawa," Lloyd murmured, dropping his hand lightly on Colette's shoulder from behind and waiting until she looked up to offer him a weak smile as he pointedly nodded down toward the docks. "Let's get going… there's nothing else we can do here for now."

Once again, Lloyd's words snapped them all into focus – ahead of them their uncertain path instead of behind to things that could no longer be changed. The brown-haired swordsman and Colette both stepped back from the railing and turned to lead the group down the ramp to the dock where the red-clad ninja stood with his arms crossed impatiently over his chest. "It took you long enough," Kuchinawa sighed in annoyance, shaking his head before he freed a hand to gesture to the vessel bobbing in the water beside him. "This is the EC."

_I wonder what his interest is in this_…. Liane watched the ninja, trying not to be too obvious. 'Friends with Sheena' was one thing, but between just running into him at the Elemental Research Laboratory and his claim of being on a secret mission, it seemed strange that he had the time to pick up the EC for them so early that morning. _It's not like he stole it_, she sighed and shook her head, almost laughing at her growingly suspicious nature as she looked away from Kuchinawa. _It's a new use of the transport… maybe he's just as curious as the rest of us…._

"Okay, Lloyd," Zelos stood back and crossed his arms, nodding the other swordsman towards the dock and the waiting EC. "Try using that pack you just got."

Lloyd nodded and passed by the redhead as their companions gathered around the dock, reaching into his pocket to pull out the metallic device that he had been given at the lab. He looked it over for a moment, placing it in the center of his palm and inspecting the closed iris of metal fins on the top of the small box. "Let's see… like this?" the boy murmured thoughtfully, holding his hand out to the EC. The wind around the dock stirred for just a moment as the iris of the device spun open and the EC shook on the water, shivering as it stretched into a soundless stream that was sucked back into the device in Lloyd's hand. A startled expression fixed itself on Lloyd's face as the iris of the wing pack once again spun closed to keep the EC captive. "Whoa?!" the swordsman yelped over Zelos' nearby snicker.

"Wow!" Colette chirped, approaching Lloyd to look around his shoulder at the pack in awe. "That's incredible!"

Genis approached Lloyd's other side, reaching up to pull the swordsman's hand down so that he could look at the wing pack as well. "Wow!" he breathed out in amazement. "How does it work?!"

"Why do I… feel like I've seen this before?" Raine whispered quietly, observing her students from where she stood with the others.

Presea turned to the silver haired woman, her head tilted in curiosity. "Professor?"

Raine was quick to shake her head, almost as if fending off a fog as she smiled down to the axe girl. "Ah… nothing."

But Liane had to agree with the Professor… it did seem familiar – seeing Lloyd, Genis, and Colette all fawning over a new discovery. She smiled and managed to mostly hold back a small laugh at the moment's reprieve from the harder realities of their journey. For a moment, things were almost as they had been before chaos had taken hold – her friends were as she wanted to always think of them. "I know… it's good to see them like this again," she nodded in understanding to her mentor before she took a moment to observe their Tethe'allan companions – not really noticing the quick and questioning glance that the Professor shot her in response to her comment. The fact that Presea, Sheena, and Zelos were all used to such technology amazed her – perhaps moreso than the wing pack and EC put together. _This is probably such minor technology to them_….

Zelos chuckled and strolled away from the women, grinning at the three huddled around the wing pack as he stretched out his hand to tap the pack with his finger. "See, it fits inside," he smiled, making sure they at least heard the idea that the device merely stored the EC.

"It disappeared! It's amazing!" Lloyd gushed with a grin for his new treasure before he looked up again, his eyes bouncing from Genis to Colette and back with a laugh. "This is so cool! Let's try bringing it back out," he declared, thrusting his hand back out toward the water again. He snap o his wrist seemed to activate the ejection of the transport, the wing pack's iris once again spiraling open, this time to release the EC, leaving the vessel once again bouncing on the incoming waves. "Wow! It came back out!"

As Colette and Genis voiced their continued enthusiasm for the development, Kuchinawa sighed heavily in an annoyed gesture that couldn't even start to be taken any other way. "That's enough goofing around," he huffed, gesturing to the EC. "How about getting on your way?"

"No one asked you to come here – or to wait… just give us a minute," Liane snapped at the ninja before she could think better of it. It was easy to blame a sleepless night for a short fuse, but his attitude bothered her just as much as the other offhanded comments about where they were from – and she didn't feel the need to take it from a stranger that had no attachment to their goals. "Lloyd…" she finally sighed, shaking her head and taking a few steps closer to her friend. "It's still early… if we get going soon, maybe we can get Presea home today still?"

Lloyd looked up to Liane and nodded, his eyes shifting to Presea for a moment. "Yeah," he murmured, glancing around to the others with a smile. "All right. I can't wait to make use of this EC!" he laughed. "This is great!"

Genis crossed his arms and snickered. "You know you'll just get bored with it in no time…."

"Yay!" Colette cheered, reaching out to grab one of the fins at the back of the EC and using it to pull herself up onto the transport. "We get to go to sea!"

With a decidedly less-than-enthused groan, Raine hung her head and rested her weight against her wand. "We're going to sea, aren't we…" she murmured miserably, sounding sick even at the thought.

"We're going to sea," Presea blinked and nodded to Raine before she, too, approached the EC, accepting Colette's hand as she crawled up onto the vessel and stared towards the hollow that looked like it was reserved for cargo.

Sheena nodded, planting her hands on her waist as she watched the others line up to crawl on as well. "Let's get going, then," she smiled. "Off to Sybak!"

"Sheena, take this with you," Kuchinawa reached out to stop Sheena from following after the others, the back haired girl standing back as the sword-fighters followed Raine onto the EC, almost as if making sure she wouldn't bolt.

The seating onboard the EC was limited – as would be expected of a vessel not originally intended for passengers. Liane glanced around the small hold, noting that Genis and Colette had already moved to flank Raine on one of the makeshift benches, with Lloyd, Zelos, and Presea all settling on the floor nearby. For a moment, it was a consideration for Liane to join them, but a suggestive waggle of Zelos' eyebrows as he looked up to her and then patted the floor beside him made that thought evaporate. "I'm… going to go sit on the deck," she managed, keeping her groan relatively under control. "If Sheena's got to use Undine's power, she might want some company." It was a weak excuse – bearing only a shade of truth but considerably more social than announcing that she was afraid that the cramped quarters would suffocate her. It was hardly that she was claustrophobic… but the urge to somehow set things right with Lloyd was already heavy on her shoulders… and that could only bring more questions with her answer being that she had overheard him the night before while hiding in a tree… with Kratos. _Oh no, that wouldn't be damning at all_… she winced at the sarcastic note in her thoughts as she managed a small smile and turned to crawl back through the port to the small deck that topped the EC. _I'd be lucky if they didn't shove me off in the middle of the sea… they might even go a little extra further out just for that occasion…._

She knew better. At least, she hoped that she did. Liane wanted to believe that their friendships were stronger than all of that pettiness. But somehow, her faith wasn't strong enough to take it for granted. It was difficult to remember Lloyd's true words from the garden – not when her mind inserted its own interpretation: he called me his enemy. Frowning and letting her pack to the deck floor near the entry to the cargo area. Liane sat down and pulled the pack closer to her side, turning her eyes out over the waves that kept them from the next part of their journey. She wished she could convince herself that things would get better – but he promised they'd speak again. _He didn't say when… where… and no one could start to guess why… least of all me._

The EC suddenly shifted in the water – just enough to notice – and Liane looked up to see Sheena standing across the small deck from her. The ninja's card drawn over her chest as she bowed her head, her eyes closed and her lips moving almost as if in a silent prayer. Blue runes began and etch themselves into the morning air around the summoner, and Liane's eyes widened as one of her hands moved to clutch at one of the EC's cargo cleats. _She's summoning… must be time to go_….

"Undine!" Sheena called out her invocation, drawing her hand up as her card sliced at the air. The mana of the summoning runes shattered around her and spiraled up into the air where it sparkled for a few moments and then flowed back down towards the water off the edge of the EC. But before it could touch the waves, it solidified into the blue-skinned water spirit with the flowing skirt. Hovering delicately over the water, Undine nodded her head deeply in Sheena's direction and then opened her arms as if to embrace the altered EC and its passengers. The spirit's mana drifted out towards the EC, leaving her form to drift away on the sea breeze as the vessel began to softly hum, lifting ever so slightly on the waves as it slid away from the dock.

Sheena exhaled in relief and tucked her card into the pink sash at her waist, turning to offer Kuchinawa a wave of goodbye before she glanced down to Liane with a smirk. "Too crowded – or was Zelos getting grabby?" she asked and settled herself to sit cross-legged on the deck across from Liane.

"Didn't give him the chance," Liane shrugged, glancing back to the dock that was growing smaller behind them, noting that the red-clad ninja was still there, watching their departure. "And yeah… it was kinda stuffy down there," she sighed and looked back to her friend, nodding back toward the land behind them. "He seems… concerned…?" she raised an eyebrow to Sheena, curious but knowing full well that the ninja might ignore the implied question completely.

"Kuchinawa?" Sheena's eyes widened as they flashed back to the shore. Then, with an uneasy laugh, she shrugged and looked over to Liane. "Interested – in our journey – is more likely…" she huffed, clasping her hands together in her lap.

Liane nodded, but the smirk wouldn't leave her lips.

Sheena glanced up for only a moment before her eyes widened and her cheeks tinted red. "No! Really! We're just old friends!" she protested in a fluster. "We grew up together… we have a… history…" she finally sighed and shook her head as her gaze fell to the deck. "It's not like _that _at all… trust me."

Her friend's sullen tone banished the playfulness from Liane once again… and she realized immediately how much she missed the distraction. "I just thought it was funny how he came to pick up the EC for us… and to see us off…" she shrugged.

"He said he was on a secret mission… and ninjas don't always tell even other ninjas about those," Sheena murmured, reaching into her sash and removing something small and metallic, turning it in her fingers almost mindlessly as she glanced once again back toward the disappearing shore. "If I was paranoid, I'd think he was there to watch me watch all of you…" she admitted quietly, looking back down to what now looked to be a carved charm in her hand.

"I guess that at least sounds like a safe plan…" Liane murmured, seeing how disappointed Sheena seemed with the theory. Unfortunately, it made sense… _if Sheena failed to kill Colette… maybe she's under some kind of observation…?_ It wasn't something that Liane wanted to ask – but it seemed possible in any case. "Seems like we're all going to be watched whether we like it or not… welcome to the party…."

Sheena snorted softly and shook her head. "Everyone watches, but we're the only ones doing anything…" she grumbled. "If the people that are so interested in knowing what we were doing could see that saving both worlds is the right thing to do, they could use their influence to do something that actually matters."

Liane nodded in agreement and sighed deeply. "When it comes down to it, someone has to take the first step in any kind of change," she murmured, glancing ahead to where she was sure she could see tree tops. "This time, it has to be us… we know about both worlds… we know what's at stake. We have to do this now… or what's happened to Colette… what could happen to Zelos… and what could happen to either world if it continues like this."

"Yeah, but when you consider that we're not the only ones that know about that…" Sheena muttered and slipped the charm back into her sash. "There are more people that could help… but they aren't."

The ninja didn't have to name names. Her words were pointed and true enough that it wasn't necessary. "I know… but we're all we can count on…" Liane repeated the words that had haunted her through the previous night. It had solidified her loyalty to Lloyd, no matter the voice that told her that there was more to it than that. "We're lucky to have the allies that we do… Sylvarant wouldn't even have the chance it does if it weren't for you… and Zelos and Presea. If it weren't for you, we'd probably still be on the run in Sylvarant… and that would only be if we were really lucky."

The black haired young woman looked over with a slight smile and a shrug. "Don't sell yourself short or your friends, for that matter. You all beat me twice… and I'm no pushover!" she declared proudly, grinning wider when Liane finally chuckled.

"All of that was before you pacted your own army," Liane retorted, shaking her head, but still appreciating the ninja's efforts. Sheena ducked her head modestly, but she had to know that it was the truth. Especially early in the journey, Colette and her makeshift group of defenders probably wouldn't have stood a chance against Sheena and any one of her spirit allies. The summoner had to know that as well, but it seemed that she was welling to let it go for the sake of a greater goal. _Something bigger than any of us_…. It was such a selfless truth, but a truth nonetheless. They were fighting for more than friendship and more than even their lives – they were fighting for the futures of worlds – and the futures of the people that inhabited those worlds. That had to be their ultimate goal – above and beyond any petty questions of fleeting loyalties.

Those thoughts formed a welcome new mindset for Liane – even if it was just another layer to momentarily obscure thoughts her mind wasn't content to release. They saw her through the rest of the trip over the sea and through reassuring Raine that solid ground truly did await her at the end of the dock that they had landed on. And with Lloyd and Genis in particular rejuvenated by their watery jaunt it seemed safe enough to harbor thoughts that the future should be the best of possible reasons to focus on the idea of a greater calling.

Easy enough – that was – until they approached the University town once again, Lloyd running a few steps ahead of the party to round the edge of the city gates…

… and stopping short, his jaw gaping open as his hands flew to the handles of his blades.

"Kratos!" Lloyd gasped as he shifted his weight on his feet to change from running to fighting. "Are you trying to take Colette away?!" he demanded as the remainder of the party gathered behind him, his blades clearing their sheathes with a light metallic grind.

It was with dread that Liane rounded the gates to stand at Lloyd's side, her eyes proving to her that the silent pleas for Lloyd to simply have developed the most sadistic sense of humor shattering as her eyes fell once again on the steely visage of the angel. It occurred to her almost immediately that her position at the side of the young swordsman declared her allegiance – even if Kratos had never actually asked her to choose. _So soon_… she frowned, even though she knew she'd never be ready for such a confrontation. _Too soon_.

The angel smirked, eyeing the young swordsman and making no move to his own weapon. "I have no intention of fighting you inside the city," he spoke, keeping his voice low even though there was still a smug taunting in his tone.

It was more than enough to set the younger swordsman off, though, as Lloyd charged forward with a guttural growl before anyone could stop him. His blades flashed in the sunlight for just the instant before they struck the angel's sword. Liane found herself unable to breathe, much less look away – she never even saw Kratos draw his sword to defend himself. Yet there was the weapon, and with a small flex of the angels arms, there was Lloyd toppling backwards to the cobbled street with a small cry as he barely held on to his blades.

Kratos sheathed his sword and then once again crossed his arms as he watched Lloyd shrug off the help of his friends to climb back to his feet. "You still lack the skills to defeat me," the angel stated coolly, his condescension thinly veiled.

"Don't insult me!" Lloyd demanded as he again advanced on Kratos, his blades shaking in anger.

"I merely state the truth," Kratos shrugged and took a step to his side to walk around Lloyd and the others. He was quick to look away from the crimson-clad swordsman, as if making it as clear as he could that the confrontation was over.

But Liane caught his eye – just for an instant. She realized too late that she had probably been seeking his gaze, perhaps in hopes of some justification for her inability to condemn his actions. But the eyes she met were cold, hidden beneath a layer of ice that she was certain hadn't been there the night before. _He never asked me to choose_, she reminded herself as he walked past and she lost his eyes, but when she couldn't bring herself to turn and watch his retreat, her heart sank just a little. _He knew I'd side with Lloyd… no matter what he said._

"Chosen One," Kratos murmured as he paused beside Colette, making no move toward her save to look at her. "If you wish to live, you must remove that worthless Key Crest."

Liane's head snapped up at his words, even as Lloyd spun around in his anger. _He… sounds just like Pronyma_… she realized with a frown and a shiver that saddened her deeply. It was as if he was going out of his way to make them all hate him… one by one… one insult at a time.

Colette's chest puffed out and her chin lifted indignantly as she moved one hand to close protectively over her Key Crest. "No," the blonde girl shook her head once, practically glaring at Kratos. "I'm never taking it off. Lloyd gave this to me," she told him defiantly, her eyes following the angel as he snorted softly and shrugged before he began to walk past them again.

"Foolish sentiments."

And with those two softly-barbed words, Liane realized that Kratos had made his bid to alienate the only other person she thought might still be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But when Colette's hands closed into tight fists and she didn't even try to speak, Liane knew that the normally placid girl was angry – a state she rarely visited. Kratos was systematically ostracizing each of them… yet she still couldn't understand why she couldn't count herself in their numbers.

"He wasn't after Colette?" Genis asked, puzzled as Kratos turned and disappeared beyond the town gates. It was what they were all wondering in some form – it had to be. Had Lloyd not pushed him, it seemed that there was every chance that he might have simply strolled by them without a word.

As the party turned to watch Kratos' departure, a heavy sigh could finally be heard over the mellow din of Sybak. "Man, what an arrogant SOB," Zelos breathed out with an exasperated laugh, turning his companions attention back to himself. He flipped a handful of red curls back over his shoulder and shook his head. "Talking as if he knows everything…."

_"If he serves Yggdrasill… then he has to know where to start to undo it."_

Liane tried not to wince at the memory of her friend's words – just as she tried not to notice Lloyd's bristle at Zelos' interpretation of the angel's words. It all came back to that – Kratos knew something that he wasn't sharing… and he made no attempt to pretend that he didn't.

Sheena growled quietly and spun on the redheaded Chosen, her hands planted on her hips as she glared up at him. "While we're on the subject of ways of talking, why don't cha do something about the vulgar language?" she demanded, actually sending Zelos a step back in what appeared to be a brief moment of fear even as the Chosen attempted to laugh off her challenge.

"Anyway…" Raine cleared her throat and insinuated herself before Lloyd, nodding her head pointedly towards the University building and blocking his view of the dispute between the ninja and the Chosen. "Lloyd, we must go see this Kate person," she continued, her gaze sharpening on the swordsman just a bit as he leaned around her as if waiting for an additional chapter of entertainment from Zelos and Sheena.

But when the Professor cleared her throat just a bit more fiercely, Lloyd's posture straightened and he offered her a sheepish grin, holding his gloved hands up in a sign of peace. "Yeah, let's get going," he sighed and turned, gesturing half-heartedly to the others to follow him.

Liane moved along after him a moment later, chewing the inside of her lip as the party started through the town. It had been but a moment's distraction for Lloyd – Sheena and Zelos seemed to be good for that and growing moreso the longer they were together. Yet while it was true that they had to press on regardless of Kratos' agenda, it was still bothering Lloyd – that much was clear. As tough as his talk was, he was still trying to see why Kratos was doing what he was – even if it was only frustrating him more.

At least, that was what Liane wanted to believe. It wasn't like Lloyd to not give someone every possible opportunity to redeem themselves. It seemed that Kratos was pushing that resolve… _but when will it finally break?_ She was wondering the same thing about herself, though – but while Lloyd's breaking point seemed to at least be within sight… there was a sadness that obscured her own from her. Part of her hoped it would sneak up on her and then it would be over with, but as of yet… there was no sign of that. _So… I'm just going to keep on waiting for him to come back until it's his sword stuck through_ –

She stopped the thought with a shudder, the obscure dream draping itself over his mind as she almost stumbled.

_"Kratos… please… kill me… end this…"_

The dream… the words… they were fuzzy to her, but still coherent enough to her to make her stop and shake her head – as if it would actually clear them from her mind. Drawing in a quick breath she hurried to recover her lost steps, not even looking to see if the others had noticed her lapse. It might have been more questions that she wasn't ready to answer if they had – or it might have perhaps even been confirmation to Lloyd's frame of mind that she was siding with the angel – and none of that was worth meeting their eyes for even a moment.

"Do you know Kratos?"

The question came out of nowhere, yet it was still another welcome distraction despite its focus. Liane looked up, finally able to shake off her thoughts as she saw the brown haired girl that had placed herself in Lloyd's path, meeting his gaze with a slight lean forward, her sweet smile accented by the way she shyly clasped her hands behind her back. Her blue uniform marked her as a student of the University – just as her male companion's huff from where he stood behind her marked his annoyance. "He's been coming to this city often lately," the girl continued before Lloyd could react, ignoring her companion even as her cheeks began to tint a faint pink. "He's got a mysterious charm…."

Liane got the distinct impression from the way the girl rocked coquetteishly on the balls of her feet – as well as the roll of her companion's eyes – that the girl wasn't referring to some antique enchanted bauble. _Charm…?_

"Kratos?!" Lloyd choked out, staring slack-jawed at the girl, words apparently failing him past that.

The girl's eyes widened as her smile faltered, and her hands moved back to her hips. "Wh… why are you mad?" she asked with a tilt to her head before understanding finally flashed in her eyes. "Oh, I get it. You're jealous because not only is he cool, but he's also an elite of the Imperial Research Academy," she chuckled, shaking her head sadly.

Lloyd glanced over his shoulder to Genis and then over his other to Liane. While some part of her was pleased that he would even look to her, she still couldn't help him… not when she was at least as confused as he was. _Cool? An elite…?_ The 'elite' part was possible, she supposed – _Kratos has to have connections_…. But being tainted by the girl's case of hero worship didn't seem to give the theory much credibility.

"He's not a member of the Imperial Research Academy," Lloyd finally stated when he looked back to the girl with a slow shake of his head.

"You're lying," the girl snorted, now glaring at Lloyd. "He goes in and out of the Academy all the time, she declared with a huff. She turned on her heel and curled her hand into the front of her friend's uniform jacket, dragging him away from the party and seemingly completely oblivious to the smug grin the boy was wearing the whole time.

Colette walked forward a few steps to watch the pair disappear into the library before she looked back at Lloyd again. "That's strange," she sighed, shaking her head in confusion and then shrugging. "Should we look into it?"

The swordsman considered her question for a moment as his eyes fixed on the building in the distance behind the brick walls, finally nodding to Colette. "Yeah."

Liane watched his reaction with interest, noting that the anger hand actually faded from his stance, but his eyebrows were still slightly knit. It was another facet to the angel that only posed more questions as to his motives. This one was strange, yet not overtly ominous. She knew that such a thing should almost be expected from Kratos by that point, but he obviously came and went from Sybak without making trouble. _Kratos… can't you do anything like a normal person?_

"But we can't enter the Academy," Colette frowned, following Lloyd's gaze to the brick building, her hands curling up into her sleeves.

Lloyd shrugged and started forward again, waving over her shoulder to the others. "Let's use the rear entrance," he suggested, starting to lead them down the small passage that had allowed them to escape from the basement of the Academy during their last visit.

The party moved together to the termination of the narrow alleyway where the manhole that would let them keep at least part of their promise to Presea awaited them. Nothing had changed since last time – no apparent locks or traps… _do they still think we're in there after everything?_ Liane was beginning to see that there was an excellent chance that their pursuers were using any logic that she could understand… and that it was getting to be an easier concept to just let it go and deal with the consequences as they went. As Lloyd lifted the manhole cover for the others, Liane followed Zelos and Sheena down into the darkened passageway once again. _At least there's no water_… she sighed as the group gathered below and Lloyd closed the cover behind them. The passage to the sliding bookshelf seemed shorter this time, but when it slid aside for them, the same two half-elves that had occupied the room the last time they were there were still present. Present – and stunned at the party's arrival, judging by their expressions as they watched as the party enter their lab.

"It's you!" Kate blurted out, her cool exterior from before crumbling with her surprise.

Lloyd nodded and stepped forward, his hand moving to indicate the rest of the party behind him. "We've saved our friends and come back with Presea just like we promised," the swordsman stated, watching the woman closely even as his tone spoke more than just words: _"We kept our word… now you keep yours."_

Kate met Lloyd's gaze for a moment, her arms folded before her in thought as her eyes slid searchingly over each of the party members to finally pause at Raine and Genis. "Yes, you're right," she murmured softly, inhaling as if in agreement with the swordsman's words. "The strange mana produced by the fusion of elven and human blood," Kate continued before just a barest hint of a sad smile curled her lips. "You really do have half-elf friends."

"I've heard the story," Raine sighed a bit impatiently, showing no real interest in small talk as she nodded towards the pink haired girl that stood beside Genis. "Presea's creating a Cruxis Crystal inside her body?"

Meeting the Professor's gaze with a nod, Kate drew a small breath. "Yes, that's correct. We call it the Angelus Project."

Lloyd gasped softly at the researcher's words, the reaction amplified by the stone walls of the room. "The Angelus Project! That's… the project my Mom was involved in."

The teen's words seemed to be of only minimal interest to Kate and her assistant, but hearing the name once again pressed the breath from Liane's lungs as well. While the last time she had heard it, she had been less than coherent, it still stuck with her, digging itself into her thoughts and surfacing quickly when she saw Lloyd's gaze fall to the pale stone on the back of his hand. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eyes, she turned to watch Presea slink into the shadows nearby, her shoulders slumped in what almost looked like shame. Chewing her lip, Liane looked back to Kate. "So, then you must have access to the same materials and research that the Desians in Sylvarant have…" she sighed, certain that she didn't like the links that were being uncovered. _Are the researchers Desians? Or are they just being used by the Desians…?_

Kate glanced over to Liane with an indifferent shrug. "The Exsphere itself is nothing special," she commented as her eyes moved back in Presea's direction. "It just has a special Key Crest placed on it. This Key Crest delays the Exsphere's parasitic process, which can take place over a few days or up to several decades. It seems this can cause Exspheres to mutate into Cruxis Crystals."

_So… they just leave it to feed on the host… to suck it dry… and then when they're done_…. Liane shivered as her hand curled involuntarily into a fist. _It just builds… until the body can't take it any more?_ But it still sounded different… strange. Maybe it was something she had heard at the Asgard Ranch… or perhaps just a difference in the research methods between the worlds? _Didn't… they say Anna's Exsphere didn't have a Key Crest?_

Raine was silent for a few moments longer, absorbing Kate's words and observing Presea where the girl had isolated herself from the others. "Is the parasitic infection of the Exsphere the reason why Presea's emotional response is so subdued?" she asked quietly even though the interest in her voice was obvious.

With a frown, Genis' arms fell limply to his sides. "So she's just like Colette."

Colette's head snapped up, her blue eyes wide as she looked from Presea and back to Kate. "If we leave Presea like this, what will happen to her," she asked, concern drowning out the girl's normally cheerful undertones.

Reaching up to push her glasses back up onto the bridge of her nose, the teal-haired researcher sighed and offered the Chosen a small and helpless shrug. "When the parasitic process is complete… she will die."

It was a fact – and it was stated as such. But that didn't change the silence that met Kate's words. _Presea… is a test subject to her_…. Liane frowned, watching Kate for some sign of remorse and finding none. _Any good researcher has to be removed enough to experiment… to report the facts… to learn from them… and to move along to the next subject_, she shuddered. Understanding was different from accepting, though. _No one that deals with Exspheres sees the hosts as anything more than a component… something disposable… replaceable._ She looked back over to Presea and her eyes began to burn_. They have lives, too… families… futures… and none of that matters_….

"That's horrible!" Genis finally broke the silence and ran forward, grabbing Kate's arm to draw her attention to him. "Please save her!" he begged, shaking his head as his expression wavered between anger and despair. "What did she ever do to you?!"

The boy's demand made Kate's eyes widen, but she still pulled her arm away from him with a sigh and a frown. "Nothing. She hasn't done anything." She shook her head and looked over to Presea. "Se just matched the compatibility test."

Even thought the researcher's tone softened, it didn't change the fact that there was no apology – not that one would probably do any good in any case. After a moment, Lloyd huffed and moved to stand directly in Kate's line of sight to Presea. "You promised," he stated firmly, seeking the woman's eyes. "You're going to save her, right?"

Kate looked down into the brown eyes of the swordsman, staring at him for a moment before she finally nodded. "Yes. I know," she agreed, her voice barely above a whisper. "You didn't discriminate against half-elves… I'll keep my promise."

Liane blinked, somehow surprised by Kate's words. It wasn't that she expected her to back down… she simply hadn't expected the situation to become such an exercise in trust. It had never occurred to her – or probably to Lloyd or Colette, either, if she had to guess – to trust based on someone being human or half-elf. _But for Kate… this is all new to her… isn't it?_

"Kate!" the up-until-then silent assistant finally spoke up, almost knocking his chair over as he stood and spun in his panic. "Are you sure?!" he demanded, his eyes wide as he took a hesitant step closer. "If you do that, you'll –"

The teal haired woman quickly waved a hand at him to quiet his protest and shook his head at him once. "A promise is a promise," she told him firmly and then turned pointedly back to Lloyd, her expression set. "In order to save Presea, speak to a dwarf named Altessa who lives deep in Gaoracchia Forest."

Lloyd's eyes widened at the woman's instructions. "There are dwarves in this world, too?!" he gasped in surprise.

"There's half-elves and humans, so why not dwarves…?" Liane shrugged, stifling a groan. "So… you can't help what your experiments did to Presea, but this Altessa can?" she asked, only moderately more annoyed with the researcher. It wasn't as if they wouldn't do all they could to help Presea… but when Kate promised to release her, it sounded much more helpful than simply being pointed in another direction. _Poor Presea_….

"Yes," Kate nodded, once again crossing her arms. "He and I participated in this experiment by order of the Pope."

Zelos groaned, his head rolling back as he draped his arm across his forehead. "Sheesh, not that _pathetic_ old man again."

Kate spun at the red haired Chosen, her calm features suddenly sharp with anger. "Don't call him a pathetic old man!"

"Oh, my," Zelos breathed out, taking a step back as his eyebrow arched in interest and he put up a hand as if to ward off further retaliation. "That's unusual, a half-elf siding with the Pope," he murmured probingly.

"I'm…" Kate sputtered as her anger dissolved and she quickly looked away, "… not siding with him," she completed with a sullen sigh as she gestured to Presea. "Anyway, have Altessa repair Presea's Key Crest."

Colette regarded the researcher for a moment before she turned and walked over to Presea, gently reaching out to take the younger girl's hand as she looked back to the brown haired swordsman. "Lloyd, can't you fix it?" She asked with a worried frown.

Presea's eyes followed Lloyd's approach, but she didn't move, not even when he crouched to inspect the stone mounted at the base of her throat. "To be honest," he sighed as he rose and ran his fingers back through his hair. "I can't even tell the difference between this and a normal Key Crest," he admitted with a sad shake of his head. "It'd probably be faster to search for that dwarf, Altessa."

"So… by 'fixing' her Key Crest… it'll control the parasitic process instead of delaying it?" Liane asked, glancing back over to Kate. As much as she couldn't help but detest the work the woman had done, her experience was probably the best thing they could ask for for Presea's sake. _So… an uncrested Exsphere is unstable… an Angelus Project Key Crest is too stifling… and a regular Key Crest merely regulates the mana within the body?_

Kate nodded, eyeing Liane for a moment and then shrugging. "It should be enough to save her condition from deteriorating further," she commented, looking back to Presea finally.

"Then it's settled," Sheena spoke up from where she leaned against the desk. "Shall we head for Gaoracchia Forest?" she asked, standing and turning back toward the door even as she kept a questioning eye on her companions.

Lloyd straightened his posture and allowed his hands to rest on the handles of his Osafune, finally nodding after a moment of silence. "Yeah," he murmured, frowning as he looked over to the Professor. "Though… could there be a connection between the Pope and the Desians?"

Raine's form tensed at his question, tilting her head as she slowly nodded. "Yes, I'm wondering about that, too…" she spoke quietly, sounding just a bit surprised to be agreeing with her student.

"They're researching the same thing – calling it the same thing," Liane muttered in disgust. "They might be going about it in different ways, but their goals seem to be the same," she sighed, watching how Kate had carefully taken a step back and was conspicuously avoiding eye contact with any of them.

But before Liane could bring herself to press her luck further to ask the researcher more that she already seemed unwilling to tell them, she heard Colette and Lloyd muttering to each other. The attempt to stay quiet made them even more obvious – as was normally the case – but when even Kate looked up, the blonde Chosen quickly elbowed the swordsman in the side and offered them an innocent grin even over Lloyd's yelp of pain.

"Oh, is something wrong?" Kate asked, raising a single eyebrow to the pair's antics.

Colette quickly jerked her head toward the researcher and Lloyd groaned, taking a moment before he finally looked up and huffed in annoyance. "Hey, has an arrogant man called Kratos been here lately?" he asked, his tone making no secret of the fact that he didn't want to touch the topic at the moment.

Then… surprisingly enough… a thin smile curled Kate's lips. "Ah, that handsome man," she nodded slowly. "Yes, he's been here. He seems to be looking for adamantite, which was widely used by dwarves…" she started to explain before Lloyd stepped forward, shaking his head.

"Adamantite?" the swordsman asked incredulously. "You mean scrap diamond used to sharpen crafting tools?"

Colette's jaw dropped as she turned to stare at Lloyd. "Oh, wow, you know about it, Lloyd?" she asked, clasping her hands together before her.

"Lloyd was raised by a dwarf, Colette… remember?" Liane sighed at the girl's surprise. Lloyd definitely had his share of not-so-bright moments, but to get so excited over something so minor seemed excessive – even for Colette. But what bothered her more was the fact that Kate still wore the ghost of her smile. _All it took was mentioning his name… for that reaction?_

Lloyd looked between Colette and Liane and shrugged, ducking his chin sheepishly. "I've never actually seen it, thought," he admitted with a shrug.

"Only a scrap diamond that is transformed into a special state by strengthening its atomic structure is called adamantite," Raine insinuated herself into the conversation. Glancing to Lloyd – and Colette, in particular – she frowned and shook her head at their expressions, finally sighing and rolling her eyes as she drew a deep, steadying breath. "It's a product of ancient magitechnology and no longer exists," she spoke slowly, clarifying the point of her explanation.

The blonde Chosen's expression rumpled in thought as she looked up to the Professor. "Not even at the Imperial Research Academy?"

"Yes, but I heard that Kratos produced some here…" Kate shrugged, stopping Raine from answering Colette's disappointed question.

Raine spun on the researcher, her blue eyes sparkling with surprise. "What?!"

Kate's smile became just a bit more pronounced and she nodded as she once again pushed her glasses back up onto her nose. "There is a machine here at the Academy that is said to have been used to refine adamantite during the Ancient War," she shrugged and turned to face the group, leaning back against the desk. "I heard it doesn't work any more, but Kratos repaired it and produced something that was probably adamantite." She chuckled dryly and shook her head. "They were going _insane_ upstairs…."

Liane looked over to where Genis and the Tethe'allan part of their group had paused at the entrance to the passageway. While it seemed that the conversation was just a delay to them, Liane accidentally met Zelos' eyes saw a spark of mischief there – and that was enough to warm her cheeks. She quickly glanced away, looking back to Kate, who still wore her own amused grin. "Sounds like he shook things up if you're even hearing about it down here…" she commented, earning a questioning glance from the researcher.

"What does he need adamantite for?" Lloyd frowned, asking no one in specific as he and Colette slowly started to walk towards the others.

Raine shrugged and nodded towards Liane to head towards the exit as well. "It must man he's crafting something," she sighed heavily, "… but…."

"Just what is he up to?" Lloyd muttered, his voice sounding strained with frustration as he led the party into the dark tunnel, Colette and Genis flanking him.

Liane paused, glancing back to the teal haired researcher one more time before she walked past Zelos, shaking her head. Kate still amused smile, even though the conversation was over. "I wonder if she knows he's human," she sighed softly, finding the half-elf's reaction to Kratos' accomplishments puzzling.

"Hey, throw her a bone!" Zelos chuckled as the passage closed behind the party and he hurried to catch up to them. "Half-elves need love, too!" he grinned in the dim light at her, keeping his voice low as if to joke with her and only her. "Why? Jealous?"

The dark haired woman stopped and glared at him, horrified that he would tease her like that – with Lloyd and the others so close. "_No_," she bit back. "It just seems strange that a human could amuse her like that when she clearly dislikes us so much," she ground out and then spun to storm ahead. _I'm not jealous… I'm not!!_

The snickering in the hallway behind her suggested strongly that Zelos didn't believe her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of continuing that particular debate. Zelos didn't know the story – at least, she was fairly sure that he didn't. He seemed to excel at anything that would get a reaction from a female – and she had enough to think about without worrying about what Zelos Wilder had chosen to serve as his entertainment for the moment. _Besides, he'd probably just end up resenting me for that kind of thing anyway. Just like Lloyd._

Even as the sunlight welcomed their return to the surface of Sybak, Liane still felt cold. Lloyd and the others had done nothing to make her feel like an outsider that day, but it was the question of what they were thinking that bothered her the most. _Does Lloyd really think that I'd betray him – just because I think Kratos might not be as evil as everyone seems so content to think he is?_

Maybe it was easier to think of the angel that way – to have a face to put on their enemy – to have a personal offense to sharpen their weapons to fight. Her own dreams betrayed her in casting him as a killer, so she could hardly fault any of them… but that was even more reason to keep quiet. If even in such an idealized state, she could see him drawing his weapon and barely hesitating before he plunged it into her chest – didn't that mean that she agreed with them?

It would be so easy to hate him – or even just to fear him. But she couldn't. Anger, she could manage for him. Frustration? Definitely. But beyond that, she simply wanted to know _why_… why he was acting like he was… why he wouldn't give up and just be an enemy or a friend… and most of all… _why I still can trust him after everything_….

The party's departure from the University Town was relatively calmer than it had been the last time with the threat of Papal Knights hovering nearby to apprehend them only slightly less of a consideration. But they still kept their hands down and headed straight for the town gates, not pausing at the street vendors, the library, or even considering staying the night at the inn. There were still several hours of daylight left – and spending them in the heart of a state-controlled town didn't hold much logical weight for them, despite Zelos' protests.

Sheena led the party out over the plains that separated the coastal town of Sybak from the mountain range that kept it apart from the rest of the continent. The field that spread out before them was lush and green, illuminated by the bright sunlight – the sun nothing less than idyllic as the wind rippled the long grasses in graceful waves. But despite the calm that the sight of the lazy butterflies should have imparted, the stand of tall, dark sentinel trees that guarded where the mountain range gapped to taunt them with passage seemed to suck all the light away… an ominous vortex that just had to be their destination.

The ninja paused just inside the reach of the forest's shadows and sighed heavily, her eyes fixed ahead of them in the non-descript darkness. "Well… all we have to do is get to the other side…" she shrugged uneasily and cast an almost apologetic glance over her shoulder to the others before starting forward.

"Whoa… this place is creepy…" Lloyd breathed out as he slowly walked the somewhat trampled path, stepping over the occasional tree root that had snaked its way across the forest floor.

Liane looked up to the dense canopy of flora above them with a frown. She realized that the occasional cracks in the leaves really only let just enough light in to see that it was a deep green that surrounded them and not the black that it would be so easy to mistake it for. _And it's so quiet_…. She wasn't certain that she had ever truly understood the meaning of 'quiet' before she had stepped into Gaoracchia Forest. Even the forest of Iselia – which she had always considered to be so peaceful – was teeming with life… the scampers of unseen critters through the underbrush or the birds above… even the ambient hum of bugs brought the sound of life into the quiet. _But this… is silence_…. It seemed that every sound around her could be accounted for in a breath or a footstep… but none of that accounted for the eyes that she simply _felt _on her. "I don't think 'creepy' quite covers it," she spoke as her eyes scanned the darkness around them. "Let's hurry and get out of here."

"Wow!" Colette chuckled, walking along with the others even though her eyes were fixed anywhere but on their path. "It's dark…" she commented, still sounding amused by the lack of true direct light.

Zelos flipped his hair over his shoulder with a dry chuckle and shook his head as he watched his Sylvarant counterpart from behind. "Colette, you're awfully cheery…" he commented with just a hint of a sarcastic laugh in his voice.

Colette spun to walk backwards, facing Zelos with a shrug and a wide-eyed grin. "Sorry…" she chuckled sheepishly for a moment before she pivoted her weight on her next step and gracefully spun forward –

only to slam into Lloyd's back with a startled squeak.

Liane's head snapped up, realizing instantly that she hadn't seen Sheena or Lloyd stop, either… nor had she seen the three Papal Knights standing motionless in the shadows directly ahead of them, blocking the party's path. Her hand flew to the handle of her sword, but even though the trio's presence couldn't mean anything but another confrontation – it still somehow felt more comfortable than the absolute silence.

"Whoops…" Zelos groaned, somehow not sounding all that surprised by the presence of the knights as he casually strode past the rest of the party to face the armored men. "It's the Papal Knights…" he shook his head and sighed, drawing his sword and cocking his head to them.

"Zelos… the Chosen," one of the knights grumbled as he stepped forward, the clash of his armor plates against one another ringing through the woods. "You are in the way of the Pope."

The statement confused Liane as she looked between the knights and the Tethe'allan Chosen. _They're not after Colette… or Raine and Genis… they just want Zelos??_ The fact that this Chosen was endangered in his own world just like Colette was in hers was enough to stun her on its own… but that he was threatened by the very institution that Zelos' existence should be strengthening in the eyes of the people and their beliefs…?

Zelos chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, clearly not sharing the surprise of his companions at the knight's declaration. "I've known that since I was a kid," he snorted bitterly and leveled his sword at the knights.

"Then that makes things simple," the right flanked knight nodded his helm with a note of approval note in his hollow tone. His halberd flashed across a few sporadic patches of light as he widened his stance, his visor never wavering from Zelos' direction. "It is time for you to die."

The forest suddenly came to blaring life as the garish clash of metal shattered the silence. While Zelos met the attack of the more vocal of the three knights with a flashing spiral of his blade, the party moved to their growingly familiar tactic of breaking off their numbers to confront the multiple enemies all at once. Sheena and Lloyd were quick to move to Zelos' aid, while Genis and Presea squared off against one of the remaining knights – the wicked edge of the girl's bladed swing proving more than enough to buy the mage time to work. Colette and Liane keeping the last knight busy for the Professor to build and cast Photon. The spell was getting familiar enough to the party that they knew to guard and look away at the silver haired woman's single word of warning: "Light!"

But the knights didn't seem to catch on at all – or at least not soon enough to at least be blinded by the brilliant flash of light. The very shadows that they had employed to hide their presence from the party until it was too late had turned into a blinding liability. It was only the start of the avalanche that went against the knights, leaving them all off-balance and distracted enough that it was only a few moments later that the three enforcers of the Pope's will lay crumpled on the forest floor in a mess of metal and weapons.

"So… they were just going to ambush you here in the dark and leave you for dead?" Liane asked, turning her head of flipping her braid back over her shoulder as she sighed and shook her head at Zelos. "Wow… you just have a real talent for irritating people, don't you? If you can make the Pope and his knights _this_ mad –"

Zelos shrugged and kicked one of the knights to roll him over onto his back before he sheathed his sword and offered the swordswoman a grin. "Haven't we already discussed jealousy today, my Warrior Goddess?" he purred, shaking his head and gesturing to the unconscious forms of their foes. "It can be an ugly thing… no?"

Liane spared a quick glare and a groan for the redhead before she looked away, looking anywhere but at him – unwilling to feed his ego any further. _We're barely inside the forest… what else is in there?_ she frowned, searching the shadows that seemed to go on in every direction around them.

Genis sighed heavily, grasping his Thunderbolt in both hands and turning it as he looked around to his companions. "We won, but what are we going to do now?" he asked, glancing back in the direction they had come.

"What else?" Lloyd sighed, lifting one of his blades to gesture deeper into the woods. "Before they bring in reinforcements…."

"We'll get the heck out of here," Sheena completed for the swordsman. "But to where?"

Liane frowned at the ninja's words. _Isn't she supposed to be leading us? I thought she knew the forest_…. But then, she stopped, kicking herself mentally for worrying and not thinking. "She's right… if they could find us here… they could be anywhere." Was it luck? Could the ambush have been that coincidental? "If they've got people looking for us everywhere, it's not like we can avoid them forever…."

Colette took a few tentative steps out ahead of the party before she paused and looked back over her shoulder to the rest of the group. "Perhaps Altessa's place?" she shrugged, her tone softly insisting on their original reason for entering the woods.

"Exactly!" Lloyd nodded, grinning and gesturing to the others as they began to move back down the darkened path again, leaving the beaten knights behind.

It was such a simple plan – not giving into the intimidation on the part of those that were practically hunting them. Liane knew that it would only be a matter of time before the knights were found and their path would be picked up… but didn't they really _have_ to chance it? If they could get to Altessa's – and help Presea – that would possibly at least get her out of danger… possibly in more ways than one. If they were caught after that… it would simply have to be something that they would deal with.

The appearance of yet another pedestal that reacted with the sorcerer's ring in the middle of the forest was unexpected to say the least, but when the ring radiated a beam of golden light, it was impossible to say that it was unwelcome. Even the dark-dwelling plants seemed to shy away from the light, which occasionally opened paths they never would have seen otherwise.

_Maybe we'll make it out of here after all_… Liane sighed, adjusting the weight of her pack over her shoulders and finally forcing herself to pry her hand from the handle of her sword, rubbing it tenderly with her other to try to soothe the ache that the tension of the forest had spawned. _Maybe that's why Kratos is always holding his sword… maybe he just can't uncoil it any more_. She chewed her lip and huffed, but a faint smile still curled her lips. _What a petty thought… and I think I really needed it_.

"Yep, the Gaoracchia Forest used to be just a normal forest a long time ago…" Zelos suddenly murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking like he was simply on a stroll through a park.

Liane looked over, raising an eyebrow at the tone of the Chosen's voice and quickly seeing why it sounded like he was fishing for interest with his "nonchalant" comment – Lloyd and Genis were just a few steps ahead. Sheena rolled her eyes and turned to talk to Colette while Presea and Raine hung back near the back of the group. _Ah… easy prey… I see_….

"Oh, really," Genis groaned, glaring just a little at the redhead even as Lloyd glanced back, oblivious in his show to try not to be interested.

Zelos nodded calmly, shrugging as he looked over to the mage that had slowed down to fix the Chosen with his skeptical glare. "But then, one day, a thief hid a treasure deep in the forest –"

"Treasure?" Lloyd interrupted, his attempt at subtle interest crumbling by the light of the bait Zelos had used. "What kind of treasure?"

It was all Liane could do to stifle her groan and not slap herself in the face when she saw Zelos' expression of wide-eyed innocence as he moved his hands as if to construct a generously-sized sphere in the air before him as he walked.

"It was a jewel worth several billion Gald," Zelos told the other swordsman, his eyes sliding almost secretively to the others and back before he leaned forward, closer to the boys, his voice dropping lower. "So anyway, he slaughtered everyone who came looking for it."

"Whoa… that's horrible…" Genis shook his head, staring up to Zelos as his steps slowed.

Zelos nodded eagerly, dropping a hand on the boy's shoulder and gesturing out into the forest around them. "Over time, this forest became stained with blood, transforming into a cursed place, haunted by the lingering resentment of the people killed here."

Liane watched Zelos slowly straighten, his expression absolutely flat as his eyes lifted between the boys, and – for just a moment – her eyes followed his. _They can't be buying this!_

Then Lloyd gulped… the noise sounding clearly back down the path. "Are you serious?"

_Oh, Goddess…they are…._

Genis chuckled nervously, his eyes slipping out into the woods. "You're just trying to scare us…" he muttered, but his voice revealed the shaken nature of his words. "Right?"

Zelos suddenly crouched lower and draped an arm over each of the boys' shoulders as his hands swept out towards the shadows. "Even now, when travelers enter the forest, the thief's ghost comes to kill them," he rasped, a sinister note slipping into his tone as the boys slowed. "And the ones he killed also seek to increase their numbers…."

With a pair of strangled yelps, Genis and Lloyd looked at each other and pulled away from the Chosen's grasp, their feet already in motion as they walked just a bit faster. Then they began to trot… and then to outright run down the path ahead of the party, oblivious to how Zelos snickered and proudly planted his hands on his hips.

"You're a bully, you know that?" Liane growled, glaring at the Chosen and shaking her head.

The redhead looked over to her with a hearty laugh and a dismissive wave of his hand. "Sheesh, not even three-year-olds believe stories like that these days," he grinned, still laughing as Liane stormed away.

"Jerk…" Liane grumbled, shaking her head and cupping her hands around her mouth. "Lloyd, Genis!" she called after them, trying to keep her voice as low as possible, but still trying to stop them before they got too far ahead. "Get back here! Running off in a panic is only going to make this place seem worse!" she called out, relieved when she saw both boys pause and turn back to her. Then she jerked a thumb back over her shoulder, where she could still hear Zelos snickering. "And if you get lost, he's never going to stop laughing."

Lloyd and Genis looked to each other and then began to slowly walk back to the group, their heads hung just a bit sheepishly even as their eyes continued to nervously dart around them.

AS the party slowly came back together at an intersection between paths, Colette suddenly caught her breath and turned to her left, clasping her hands together and twisting her fingers before she finally looked back to the others. "I hear something… footsteps from far away," the blonde girl told them in a hushed, worried voice.

"I don't hear anything," Zelos shook his head and tossed his red curls back over his shoulder with a shrug.

Raine approached the blonde Chosen's side, her blue eyes fixed on the path that seemed to be worrying Colette so much before she glanced back to Zelos. "Colette still has her angel senses," she murmured as her forehead creased in concern.

Liane exhaled, finding her hand creeping back to the handle of her sword again. While it did occur to her to keep from drawing her sword, the compromise was once again the wary, tight grip as her arm tensed. "Colette, are you sure?" she asked, approaching the girl. "It's not someone chopping wood or something?" she offered another option just in case – wishing that they didn't always have to believe in the worst case.

But when Colette looked up to Liane, she was already shaking her head, worry sparkling in her eyes. "They're definitely footsteps, she whispered, looking back in the direction of where the path seemed to brighten. "Also, the sound of clinking armor," she chewed her lip and turned back to the group even as she lifted a hand to point down the path. "There are lots of them. It's coming from that direction."

"That can't be good," Lloyd muttered, frowning as he watched the path Colette pointed out. "Altessa lives over there. Could it be more of the guys from earlier?" he asked, glancing over to Colette for confirmation.

"We were so close…" Liane almost groaned, edging back a step from the path with a sigh. As they stood in one place for longer than a few moments, the light that the limbs of the forest kept out gradually began to creep in as her eyes adjusted. She was finally able to see brighter patches of light on the forest floor beneath them – and more detail in the dense undergrowth. "Maybe there's another way? Another path we can take before they – whoever they are – get here?"

Sheena slipped her card from her sash and sliced it out through the air in a series of quick, precise swipes. "I'll send Corrine out to scout," she started softly, snapping the card in her fingers as a small puff of smoke bloomed on the ground. A moment later, the pastel-tailed fox spirit bounded out in a somersault, pausing for only the moment it took for Corrine to nod his understanding to his summoner before he disappeared down the path.

The group stood in an ominous silence, staring after the spirit that disappeared almost too quickly, the forest swallowing Corrine's form completely in moments. Even Zelos shifted his weight from one foot to the other – but even more unnervingly, he didn't even attempt banter of any kind, no matter its intention.

At first, it seemed like there was a wind high in the trees above them, a gentle rustling that was almost comforting for the sake of simply being noise. But before it could fully settle on Liane that even wind had yet to pierce the boundaries of the silent forest, the shadows on the limbs above them lurched. The sudden shake set off a rain of leaves and green needles that fell around a familiar figure that landed quietly and in a slight crouch with his legs coiled beneath him.

The party could only stare, stunned at the additional presence in the small clearing. The blue haired man straightened to his full height and the sparse sunlight from above caught in the man's vivid eyes as he peered out from under the crop of wild blue bangs. A determination burned in his veiled gaze as his fingers gasped together where his hands rested – bound – before him.

Liane frowned, her breath catching in her throat.

_"Retreat… for now…."_

"It's the guy from the Meltokio sewer!" Genis finally broke the silence, his Thunderbolt already held defensively out before him as the stranger's eyes flashed onto him.

Zelos groaned, shaking his head as it fell forward. "_Man_, it's just one thing after another with the Pope!" He looked up, flailing his arms in a show of helplessness. "Am I really that much of a problem to him?"

The blue haired man seemed to measure all of them for just a moment… one by one… until he shook his head and then nodded once in Presea's direction. "I do not wish to fight you," he spoke, his voice calm and smooth. "I just want to speak with that girl."

Lloyd eyed the shackled man for a moment before he frowned and quickly glanced to Presea. "With Presea?" he asked in confusion before he tilted his head in question back to the man again.

Liane looked to the redheaded swordsman beside her. "Huh… someone that's not jealous of you… go figure," she murmured softly. She knew that it wasn't the time or the place to continue their game, but the man's ego irked her… and made it all but impossible to not take the opportunity to jab at him. "Maybe Tethe'alla really doesn't revolve around you after all, hmm…?"

"You've got to be kidding!" Genis shook his head to the blue haired man, his free hand now tightly closed and shaking. "Or did you forget that you tried to kill us?" he demanded, his words crowding together with his anger.

The shackled man's blue eyes flashed to the young mage, but otherwise, he did not move. "I cannot speak for any others, however, I, at least, never intended to take your lives," he stated in a calm tone – one that almost raised the tension in the clearing even more. "My orders were to retrieve a girl named Colette."

"Me?" Colette asked with a soft gasp, her arms falling to her sides in surprise.

Liane's eyes slid shut and she ground her teeth to keep in a groan. The man didn't seem to know which of them had been the target of his orders – _but it's sure nice of you to save him the work_… she shook her head in exasperation at the girl's honesty.

"I will do you no harm," the man shook his head as his hands slowly unclenched and he took a slow step closer to Presea. While it wasn't clear who he meant the statement for, his eyes were once again fixed on the young axe-bearer. "Presea… is her name, correct?" he asked softly with a gentleness that clashed with his appearance. "Please let me speak with her."

Liane tensed along with the others, their uneasy shift as they watched the convict was loud enough to make its own statement as they watched. No one moved to stop him… and Presea merely looked up to him with her wide, peaceful eyes. While Liane couldn't help but simply wait for it to all fall apart, it was up to Presea… he seemed to have no interest in the rest of them – at least, for the moment. Despite the man's size and how clear it was that he was a warrior, it was also clear that he was making every effort to move slowly… to not frighten the pink-haired girl. _Maybe he knows her…?_ she theorized, frowning as the man started to crouch before the girl.

But before the man could get low enough to truly be eye-to-eye with Presea, he gasped sharply. "An Exsphere?!" he exclaimed with a rasp. "You are yet another victim?!" he choked, stumbling a little as he seemed suddenly torn between reaching out to the girl or recoiling from her.

Presea's eyes widened more at his words, her mouth falling open as she drew in a small gasp. She took a step back, her hand swinging protectively out before her as if to ward off the blue haired man's presence.

"Presea's in danger!" Genis called out, running to place himself between Presea and the convict – his small arms spread out as wide as he could make them as he glared at the shackled man.

"What…?" Liane blinked, everything suddenly a blur of chaos again. "Genis… she… wait!" she was speaking before she realized it, reaching out for the boy's shoulder even as the sound of metal against the guide of a sheath twisted her gut.

Lloyd squared himself at Genis' side, his Osafune blades crossed before him. "I don't know what the heck is going on, but we have to stop this guy!" the swordsman declared firmly, his very stance a challenge to the convict to advance.

The blue haired man stood back, his expression growing stony as his eyes hardened on the group and he began to bounce on the balls of his feet. "We have no choice but to fight," he rasped with a hint of sullen resolve.

"You said it…" Zelos shrugged, drawing his own sword and sweeping it up before him as he dashed forward, ripples of mana wavering around his blade. "Now you need to back off… Super Sonic Thrust!" the redhead called out as his mana blew out in a rush at the convict.

The eyes almost hidden behind the blue bangs widened as the shackled man crouched and fluidly dashed to the side with speed belying his size, narrowly avoiding the sweep of Zelos' attack.

"Drown!!" Genis demanded angrily from behind the swordsman before he hopped forward, pushing his way between Zelos and Lloyd to throw the ball of his kendama out at the blue haired man. "Spread!!"

The convict set his jaw as he used the momentum he'd gained from dodging the attack of the Chosen of Tethe'alla, darting to the side as a geyser of water sprung from the earth at the call of the young mage. His eyes pinned the silver haired boy as he launched himself into the air, producing a small shockwave that struck the two swordsmen and the boy when he landed. "Eagle Dive!"

"Whoa!" Lloyd yelped as he struggled to keep his feet and used the last bit of leverage he could find before his fall to throw his weight into a dive at Genis. His weight threw them both back from the full brunt of the convict's attack, even if it did leave them both in a momentarily crumpled heap on the ground. Breathing out, Lloyd looked over to see Zelos peeling himself from the ground as well, but moving nonetheless. "Genis is my friend… and I'm tired of people picking on him!" the young swordsman ground out as he quickly flipped to his feet and ran at the convict. He seemed to anticipate the other man's dodge and threw his shoulder into the man's middle, shoving him back just enough to slam his blades to the ground. "Beast!"

Sheena hung back for only long enough for the snarling visage of Lloyd's attack to fade before she rushed forward, her card drawn across her chest, her gaze narrowed on the convict, anticipating the shift of his weight as he withstood the force of the swordsman's attack. She dashed in from his side, waiting until the last possible moment to sidestep and place herself directly in front of the shackled man. "Power Seal!" she ground out as she slammed the card into his chest, the air flashing subtly with dark blue that swirled around him. As he staggered back a step, she gathered her feet beneath her and leapt back out of his reach.

_Damn… this has to stop… maybe… we can at least drive him back_…. Liane drew her sword and took a small step back. He was outnumbered badly, not unlike Pronyma, Kratos, or the Cardinals before them… but this convict didn't seem to have the maniacal or devious motives that they did… _he said he didn't want to fight!_ She drew in a small breath and dipped her sword back, targeting the tree just to the convict's left. "Demon Fang!" she called out, pulling the silver sword up into the air and loosing the attack at the tree. _Please… just go away_… she silently begged as she saw Zelos and Lloyd edging back to her sides.

When the attack went to the side of him, the convict seemed surprised, but only for a moment because the red headed swordsman came at him again, swinging for his middle. Drawing up one leg, the blue haired man poised his greave to take the hit. "Not a chance!" Throwing out his right leg into the Chosen's stomach, the convict sent him stumbling back towards Liane.

As the shackled man pressed forward, Liane didn't move, she didn't even swing, so he spun on his left leg, throwing out his right once again, his foot struck the hand that gripped her sword. It fell away as the man spun to the sounds of footsteps coming up behind him, whirling to block the large axe the pink haired child was trying to bring down on him.

"Punishment…" Presea murmured as her axe swung at the convict, her gaze cool as he ducked under it and she quickly swung around, keeping her eyes on him before she noticed movement behind the man, evidenced by how she nodded and spun, moving to the side near where Genis stood.

Colette chewed her lip… running on her toes as her wings flared behind her and she spun, seeing that Presea had taken her hint to get out of the way. "Ray Thrust!" her voice sang out as a glowing chakram spun away from her, encircling the convict's form and sending him spinning to keep up with it as it nicked his arm before it returned to its mistress.

Liane could only stand and stare as her friends ran around her, trying to subdue the convict. But he was fast… so fast… and…. She blinked and looked down at her hand… her empty hand. Then she looked up to see her sword wobbling slightly where it had stuck tip first into the ground a few feet away in the bushes. _He… kicked… my sword away??_

"Okay… I tried to play nice… but now this is just getting out of hand. _Kicking _me out of the way… really??" Zelos grumbled, running at the blue haired man once again, charging his blade as he leapt up into the air and drawing his sword up over his head before he slammed it down, releasing a massive wave of angrily crackling mana at the convict. "Fierce Demon Fang!!"

Having no time to dodge the attack after taking a slight hit from the blonde girl's ring, the convict managed to plant his feet and brace his arms, taking the brunt of it. He grunted under the full impact of it, wavering on his feet for a second. "Ugh. I was careless."

Zelos was still recovering from his attack, in the process of lifting his sword from where it had struck the ground, and it left him open when the convict sprung forward. With no apparent effort, he threw himself into a back flip leaving his left leg extended to catch the red headed swordsman in the cheek, landing with ease mere seconds after. "Crescent Moon."

Lloyd winced at the pained complaint from Zelos, but it only tightened his jawline as he once again ran forward, both blades poised out before him. "Don't let up!" he called out without looking back to the others, closing in on the convict and launching himself up into the air, his Osafune leading the way. "Tiger Blade!!"

"He… he kicked me… in the face!!!" Zelos whined, crouched near the ground and shielding his offended cheek with his hand. "That is sooo not cool!!"

Liane glanced over with a frown to watch the Chosen's dramatics. _Even Zelos got taken down_…. Then her eyes fell to his hand… still closed over the handle of his elegant sword. _But he wasn't disarmed_…. She huffed, and turned an angered glare back to the convict who was staggering back from Lloyd's attack. The forest seemed alive with dancing lights… Raine and Genis both encircled with sparkling mana. _Dammit… I'm so tired of being weak… he just KICKED it away!!!_ Her daggers were an option, but he was fast… and she knew she could hit with three blades of magic. Closing her eyes, she stepped back behind the line that Sheena, Presea, and the swordsmen were forming for the magic users and held her hands out before her, envisioning her lost sword there in an attempt to focus. _I don't want to be the weak link!_

"It's pancake time!" Genis finally called out again, his voice sounding no less angry than it had been for his first spell against the blue-haired man. Runes that were usually tinted a peaceful, earthy brown were turned to a seethingly angry blaze as he threw his kendama out toward the convict. "Stalagmite!"

The ground at the convict's feet began to shimmer and hiss just before it erupted into a jagged mess of sparkling rocks tossing him up into the air. He crouched, riding the rocks up into the air, unlike so many of the spell's targets, he almost seemed on the verge of mastering it… until the air around him began to shine and constrict once again. The man's eyes widened as golden bands snapped tight around his torso.

"Light… Photon!!" Raine called out, throwing her staff up into the air as the runes around her shattered and reformed around the convict.

The concentration he'd paid to riding out the spell from the younger of the mage's had cost him, and the convict was stunned for a moment by the light that nearly brought him to his knees. He was only down for a few seconds though, leaping back to his feet to dodge the swing of each of the red clad teen's swords, springing up to throw his right leg out into the young man's jaw. "Rising Dragon!"

As soon as the shackled man was on his feet, the ninja was speeding towards him, and though her cards slammed into his side, he kicked out to catch her in her side, and the force of the blows sent them stumbling back from one another.

Sheena growled out in her surprise of what he had turned into an attack on both her and Lloyd. Bracing herself against a tree for just a moment before she righted her balance, she sprung back at the blue haired man once again. Her card practically sparking as she rushed at him, she slid to a stop before him, a blast of cards slamming out into his chest in an angry flurry. "Pyre Seal!!"

Liane heard the rush of air from the convict's lungs under the pressure from Sheena's attack, but the fact remained that Lloyd was still struggling from the ground a few feet away. He had been trying to protect his friends… just as the boy was prone to doing. And while she could see that the convict was defending himself, too… it was a never-ending cycle. _No… no, it has to end_…. She set her jaw and turned her eyes back to the blue haired man. Her mana had already been spent for the green blades of her spell… all that was left was… "Wind Blade!!!"

The spell materialized in three glowing slashes that obediently flashed through the air, all three zipping directly at the man and all three hitting him squarely. She frowned but felt oddly vindicated by the faint reflection of the sunlight from her blade across the clearing. _Shouldn't have given me the excuse to use something I could actually hit with_….

Colette floated closer to the convict, watching him with a slight tilt to her head as if she was waiting for him to topple over. When he didn't, she drew a small breath and sped towards him, throwing herself into an open-armed spin, charms in hand and slashing out at his wobbling form. "Ring Whirlwind!"

The man seemed to see her coming, and braced himself, and then darted forward, managing to pass through her as though he were some sort of spirit. "Mirage." His shoulders heaved for a moment as he struggled to catch his breath, he merely stood there for a moment, but movement caused his eyes to widen. The girl with the pink hair was barreling at him, her axe already poised to strike. He just barely managed to block, unable to muster up a counter-attack after all of the times he'd already been hit.

"Help is on the way…" Raine murmured from her place at the back of the group as the clearing flashed with the crisp green of her healing spell's energy. "Nurse!"

The spell was badly needed… Liane had to admit that it was refreshing to her even though the extent of her wounds was mostly to her pride. Zelos and Lloyd had taken the brunt of the true damage, though… which made a level of strategic sense even to her. The convict had been both fast and powerful… but their numbers seemed to be too much for him. It couldn't be said with any certainty that it was from his own journey from the Imperial City that had worn him so badly, but it seemed that Presea had every intention of ending the confrontation.

"Destruction…" the pink haired girl murmured as she slammed her axe down into the ground just before the convict, a spray of dirt and rocks pelting the blue haired man mercilessly as they were forced forward with the wave of energy from Presea's strike.

He had lifted his bound hands to shield himself, but it did little good as the barrage hit him and brought the convict to his knees. His jaw clenched tight in a moment of pain, but then he breathed out, offering no cry, no moan… only a simple, "I'm sorry…" as his blue eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the forest floor.

Liane stood frozen at the sight… she had met the man's eyes as he fell… and a wave of guilt washed over her. They were the ones that had pressed the attack on him… he was the one who had been forced to defend himself… and he was the one that apologized… to them? She huffed in annoyance, sparing one last wary glance for the prone figure of the convict and then a sweeping look that bordered on disgust for Genis and Lloyd in particular. At some point, fault had become a non-issue, and it had turned into a matter of defense, but why had they had to fight in the first place? _He said that he didn't want to fight! Aren't we having enough problems with the ones that do??_ She groaned and shook her head, spotting where here sword handle stuck out of the bush behind where the battle had finally ended. Strolling over to it, she cringed at the flash of anger that washed over her as she drew it out or the ground and pushed it back into the sheath at her side. The blue haired man had almost casually kicked her weapon away – he had caught her so off guard that she had let him do so. How was she any better than Genis at that point? Her anger had pressed her from defending her friends with an attack meant to ward him off to a magic spell sent to wound… because he kicked away a weapon that she shouldn't have drawn in the first place. _I was weak… rash… stupid. Dammit_….

"He sounds like he has reasons for his actions," Raine commented thoughtfully, standing over the convict with a frown. "Perhaps we should take him prisoner?" the Professor shrugged and looked around to the others. "I'm sure he has much to tell us."

"Is this ever going to stop?" Liane demanded in frustration, directing her outburst at the Professor, but only because she was the last to speak. "We're getting as bad as the Desians… the Renegades… and… and…" she couldn't say his name… not even in anger… not with all of their eyes on her. "Taking prisoners? Picking fights??"

Lloyd's eyes widened for a moment after Liane's angered words faded away… then he sighed, his shoulders slumping forward. Genis' frown turned back to the convict, but it was still tinted with protective anger as he moved to Presea's side. Liane knew that he was only trying to help her… that he was doing what he thought he had to….

"Sheena!" a shrill voice interrupted any further debate or discussion as Corrine bounded back into the clearing, pausing to sniff at the fallen convict before flipping his tails and tipping his nose up to peer at the summoner. "There were a lot of soldiers and they're all coming this way!" he squeaked nervously as he bounced on his delicate paws. "Run away, quickly!"

The ninja sighed heavily and nodded, gesturing to the spirit with a quick snap of her hand that Corrine answered by disappearing into another burst of smoke before she looked up to the others. "Looks like Colette was right," she commented as she looked back down the path that Corrine had scouted.

"The footsteps… keep getting louder," Colette whispered anxiously, twisting her hands together and looking around her companions.

"_Not_ helping, Colette, but thanks," Liane grumbled, inwardly chiding herself for snapping at the girl, as the blonde Chosen turned her eyes to her and frowned. "I'm sorry… but we know… we just don't – "

"Uhh… shouldn't we get out of here?" Zelos interrupted, banishing Liane's apology as he pointed insistently back down the path they had come through the woods on.

Lloyd was quick to shake his head as his grip on the blades at his sides tightened. "But the Papal Knights are waiting for us if we go back," he exhaled, his eyes shifting between the two paths.

Liane chewed her lip and huffed again. "So… no matter what happens, we have to fight – if we stay here or if we go back…" she murmured. "We left three knights back there… we've already beaten them once… but if they've gotten help…" she shook her head, hating that she was trying to help choose their path by how many enemies they would face. _It doesn't matter… we'll just fight where ever we end up anyway_… she grumbled silently, walking back to where she had discarded her pack to fight the convict and noticing that Genis was doing the same thing. For just a moment – as the boy reached out for his own pack – their eyes met. In that instant, she saw all of her own uncertainty and guilt mirrored in his gaze – and she felt horrible. He was doing his best – he was a peaceful soul, too… but more, he was her friend. He was part of the reason she was there – and alive. She owed him… just like she owed all of them.

"It looks like we have no choice," Sheena sighed, finally breaking her silence. "I'll take you to the village of Mizuho."

The party froze at the ninja's quiet declaration, starting at her in surprise for a moment before Zelos stepped forward, shaking both hands out before him. "Whoa there, Sheena," he laughed humorlessly, leaning forward to meet her eyes and placing his hands on her shoulders as if shaking her would be his next act. "Isn't Mizuho a hidden village, kept secret from outsiders?" he asked, sounding like he was trying to remind her of the status of her home.

Sheena looked up, a deep frown on her lips as she shrugged out of his grip. "But we'll be trapped from both sides if we don't do something," she replied, her voice almost too calm… too firm. "There's nothing we can do but take shelter in the village."

Zelos eyed the girl skeptically and finally huffed when she looked away in an attempt to ignore him. Rolling his eyes, he looked over to Lloyd and cleared his throat forcibly, shifting his eyes pointedly back to Sheena.

Lloyd frowned, looking down the paths once again and then to Sheena. After a moment, he finally shrugged helplessly to Zelos' silent plea and then turned to the ninja, his options apparently weighted. "Okay. Please show us the way, Sheena."

Liane saw Zelos bury his face in his hands, and she could only guess at why. Considering that he didn't seem the least bit flippant about the situation and that Sheena had mentioned that Mizuho and it's people weren't exactly accepted by the outside world, she realized that there would almost have to be some consequences. _But if Sheena thinks that they're better than going back through the woods… or fighting the soldiers, what other choice do we really have?_

The ninja nodded to Lloyd, her smile resurfacing as she looked to Zelos. She hesitated for just a moment, frozen before her smile suddenly brightened and she gestured to the unconscious convict. "Hey, Zelos. Carry the big guy for us," she ordered, raising an eyebrow to him before she started to turn toward the southern end of the clearing.

Zelos turned to make a show of watching the ninja's retreat before issuing a labored sigh and walking to the side of the fallen blue haired man. He eyed the man with a frown before he seemed to decide that the shoulder would give him the best chance of doing what Sheena had asked. But when the man didn't even start to budge, Zelos dropped what grip he had on the man, letting him fall back to the forest floor as the Chosen shook his hand at him. "Me?! You want _me_ to carry this ogre by myself?" he shook his hand again for emphasis as he glared at Sheena. "Are you_ kidding_ me?"

The redheaded Chosen's whines were almost enough to bring a bit of a smile back to Liane's lips. It seemed that Sheena had a skill for poking holes in Zelos' ego. _Oh, well… I guess at least he tried_… she had to admit, almost admiring how he had tried to lift the convict before starting his rant.

"Here, I'll help," Colette cheerfully offered as she crossed the clearing and moved to the convict's side opposite Zelos. She grinned up to him and then crouched beside the form of their opponent. "Zelos will have a hard time by himself."

Zelos' grin took on a sarcastic sparkle as he eagerly nodded, his eyes never leaving Sheena. "Aww, you're so nice, Colette!" he crooned, exaggerating every word that he could. "We Chosens have to look out for each other, right?"

Colette nodded eagerly. "Yeah!" she agreed, ignoring the groan of exasperation as the ninja finally turned to watch them, her arms crossed impatiently over her chest and her glare firmly attached to Zelos. The blonde girl stooped, gripped the convict's shoulder and middle –

and hoisted him to her shoulder like he was a rolled blanket. Colette looked up in surprise for a moment, but her smile returned with a giggle in the next. "Oh, he's lighter than I thought," she waved off Zelos and his wide-eyed, slack-jawed expression with her free hand and started to turn. "I can carry him myself."

_She still has her strength, too_… Liane stared as Colette began to walk away with the group's prisoner. _Wings, senses, and strength… is that all that stayed with her?_

The awed silence that momentarily embraced the clearing was finally broken by a dry chuckle from the 'rescued' redhead as he ran his hand back through his hair. "I see…."

"Men are so useless these days," Raine muttered with a disgusted shake of her head as she gripped her wand tightly in both hands and started to follow after Colette.

"Come on, we need to go!" Sheena insisted, waving Raine past her onto a path almost completely obscured by the underbrush and looking pointedly back to the others.

As much as they all knew of the need to hurry – and that Sheena was most likely taking a very big chance for the party, Liane just knew that he saw a glimmer of amusement in the ninja's eyes as she turned and hurried to the front of the party. It would have been hard to say that Colette's "help" wasn't amusing without lying, but with everything else going on, she wished there was time to truly enjoy it. _Keep going… keep running… don't look back_… she coached herself with a sigh, falling into the line between Zelos and Genis.

* * *

_(A/N: Thanks to Yamato795 for help with this one as well as all of the continued support! And for those of you that haven't read Yama's fic, 'On my Honor'… you really need to check it out… it's an excellent read!! )_


	22. Chapter 23

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: New companions join and new goals beckon to the party as they leave Meltokio behind, but are they growing closer or drifting apart? Cruxis' shadow doesn't ever fall far from them… but distractions and duties to their friends remind them of the need to keep moving.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 23:

"_Keep running… keep going… don't look back…"_

_It had been his mantra… the only words he could offer the terrified girl that he was practically dragging behind him. Anything else would have come out as an apology in some varying degree – and there was no time for that. The klaxons were blaring from everywhere… crimson light strobing the night-darkened halls of the "host imprisonment" wing of the structure. All around him were the panicked cries of the other captives… they rang in his ears and grated on his soul. There was no time – he had barely had the time to plan his own entrance and their escape – there was no room for further improvisation_

_He was stealing their prize project – mercy beyond that was a luxury he couldn't afford._

_When he had heard of Anna's abduction, he had instantly known the reason for such a surgical strike on a town that would have been simple to demolish in one sweep of the Desians' armed hand. It may as well have been a letter for him signed by Yggdrasill himself. But when his reconnaissance turned up the new and sickening twist to the Exsphere research, plans for an elegantly stealthy rescue were destroyed. His only option was speed and if he had to take the time to use it, force._

_But his first plan was speed – on thing he was absolutely certain none of the Desian lackeys that staffed the base could hope to match… he knew it might be one less scar for Anna to bear of that night._

_Kratos pulled her around the next corner, feeling a tug in her arm that told him that she hadn't been ready for the turn long before her pained yelp emphasized her point. He grimaced, but continued to run, silently promising her his best healing spell as soon as he could offer it. But they were entering the control levels of the ranch – and they were dangerously close to the barracks. If they were going to be stopped, the control area was definitely –_

"_Halt, traitor!"_

Damn.

_It was just an entry hall to the main control center – little more than a bulge in the hallway with an access on opposite sides. The access behind them was now blocked by the platoon that had been hunting them at varying distances since they had left the prison area. Now the access before them - the one that would have been one step closer to freedom – was blocked by the ranch's guiding hand himself, Kvar. The squinty-eyed half-elf had never been a friend of his – he could only imagine the glee that had filled him when he had received his orders from Cruxis' leader. _

"_Stay behind me, Anna…" he murmured, one arm spreading back protectively as he gently urged her toward a side wall while his other moved to the handle of his blade._

"_Yes, yes, do…" Kvar nodded pleasantly. "It'll save us the time of skewering you separately," he continued with a wave of his hand to his men to advance. "Oh, have no fear, though, my dear… we'll heal you… we can't have anything happen to Lord Yggdrasill's gift after all."_

_Silence reigned in the instants between the klaxon bursts, but it was plenty of time for the angel to hear all that he needed to._

"_K-Kratos?"_

_Her voice was as small as he had ever heard it – weary, weak, and so frightened…._

No.

_The room was getting crowded, Kvar and his men slowly closing in on them – no room to fight, no time to spellcast. But the Cardinal had failed to make note of one weakness he and his men had – as well as one logistical flaw the room held._

"_Anna… hold onto me…" he spoke, keeping his voice low, eyeing Kvar and the others – judging their distance – and when he felt her arms tighten and her arms lock around his middle – he drew a quick breath…_

… _and time seemed to freeze._

_He knew that it had to be instinct… if he took time to think, it would all be over. As soon as her fingers were laced and locked, he was spinning, with one arm grasping her tightly to him as his sword cleared its sheath and he directed it upwards… to the small, round skylight above. Crouching, he held her tight, guiding her head to his shoulder as his blue-green wings of light burst from his back and he instantly launched them upwards. Raw speed and power were their only hope as they sot up over the Desian fighters and their leader, Kratos' blade puncturing the glass dome with an extra push of mana that sent a storm of razor-like shards down over those that had sought to hunt them. Kratos dipped his head over hers to try to protect her just that extra bit as he cursed that he had to resort to the 'gifts' that were his as an angel of Cruxis… but it was probably the most pure usage he could remember. He would make his apologies when they were away from the ranch and any retaliation Kvar could muster._

_But for the moment, it was enough for him to slip his sword back into its sheath and pull her up into his arms, all the while keeping her tucked beneath his chin. The dark night sky would do nothing to hide their escape, but before long, his wings would give them the distance to make up for that._

"_Don't look back…" he whispered, his calm plea resounding on several levels. He wouldn't let them have her… and to hide her from the truth for a few precious moments longer… _

"_Don't look back."_

Kratos snorted, shaking his head and forcing his focus back to the glimmering stone that sat on the desk before him. The iridescent sheen was just barely enough to draw him from the grasp of memories that he had tried for so long to lock away – never to forget, but more to protect…

… _like I couldn't protect her._

He ground his teeth together for that thought, reaching for the soft cloth bag that lay open beneath the rock, pulling the drawstring to enclose the adamantite once again. It was almost a punishment for doing the exact opposite of what he knew he had to do. Nothing of the past could be changed as things stood – it was the future that hung in the balance now. While there were always things that could be set straight… undoing them completely was something that he couldn't bring himself to believe in, even with all he'd seen over the years.

Placing the precious stone in the drawer of his desk, Kratos sat back in his chair and rested his elbows on the armrests, touching the tips of his fingers together as his gaze narrowed on their points of contact. It had been unfortunate that he had been slowed down by the machine at the Academy for long enough to run into the party – the group had been on edge enough without confronting them there. It seemed that they were all getting used to him not answering their questions, which wouldn't help their relationships in the least, but it would make his job easier. He was certain that he could only go so much further without raising Yggdrasill's suspicions even more… without a few public meetings, he wasn't sure he'd be able to justify his hesitation to follow his orders.

_They're on their own for now… it's safer that way._

They would be easy enough to follow, especially with the Tethe'allan Chosen in their midst. But when they disappeared into Gaoracchia Forest, it was his cue to go play at his other duties – to pacify Yggdrasill, in particular… and to plan his own movements as well.

_I'll need the wood… if I can get it without stealing it… that would be better…._

He closed his eyes again, wrapping himself in the quiet of his quarters, almost finding it odd that Vinheim would offer him the place and time to order his thoughts for once. Lloyd was so close to hating him, but even though the boy had claimed doing so in the Chosen's garden, Kratos had seen his eyes in Ozette. He had seen anger and frustration, yes… but he was certain that hatred would never be truly found in the boy's soul.

_He's too much like his mother was… before everything went wrong… so trusting._

Somehow, the thought brought the eyes of another to his mind, though. Liane… who resonated with the feel of his lost love… had never truly looked at him in fear… not for any longer than surprise could keep the reaction alive. _But trust without reason is just as bad as blind faith._ The fact that she did seem to trust him gave him some level of strength to believe that – this time – he would follow through… that he would have the strength to see things put right at long last.

_If even one that knows what I've done can still have that kind of faith in me… maybe this time…._

But he still felt like a leech. Especially when it felt like something he needed. But if she was truly inheriting Anna's experiences, wasn't a safe place to put them into perspective the least he owed her? He was the only one that could truly offer her that – but only if she asked. He couldn't force it on her… he couldn't give those things she was seeing any more power over her than they needed to have.

_I promised you that we'd talk again… I'll keep that promise as best opportunity will allow me…_ he pledged silently as he rose to his feet. Then, his expression slowly hardened.

* * *

"Where in Gaoracchia Forest is this Mizuho village?" Lloyd asked with a note of quiet exasperation in his voice. While the trees around them were giving way to more and more light, the reach of the forest had lasted for longer than the swordsman had apparently anticipated when he had accepted the ninja's offer of refuge. 

Sheena glanced back over her shoulder, her expression still flat as she shrugged to the young man that had stepped into the leadership of their party. "I can't tell you that," she stated, "We'll be there soon anyway, so just be patient."

Liane couldn't help her snicker at that. "Because Lloyd is known so well for his patience," she smirked and shook her head. While it earned her a look from both Sheena and the swordsman, she just shrugged in silent response. They could either banter with her or let it go – either way, it was better than the oppressive silence that came from how they were being hunted. _I guess I have to try… I can only be on his bad side for so long… right?_

"I see you Mizuho people are as secretive as ever," Zelos commented with just a hint of condescension in his voice, his arms crossed as he walked between Liane and Presea at the back of the group. As the path had widened, the group had bunched a bit from the single file line they had started in, leaving Sheena to lead and Raine and her students to fall somewhere in the middle.

Sheena's snort echoed in their leafy surroundings. "It's to protect our unique culture," she declared before she turned her head to fire a quick, sharp glare in the redhead's direction. "If you don't like it, you can wait in the forest."

Zelos stopped in the middle of the path, stomping as if to plant his feet. "You've got to be kidding!" he choked out, shaking his head. "I'll _pass_ on being left behind in the Forest of Death!"

"Just play by Sheena's rules... seems pretty simple to me," Liane murmured, walking on past Zelos with a shrug. _Sheena's taking a chance for us… it seems only fair._ "Because if you don't like the rules, I'm pretty sure you're going to be left here alone."

Presea glanced over to look at Liane and then paused to look back at Zelos. "The odds of surviving alone in Gaoracchia Forest…" she blinked once… twice… then her eyes seemed to focus once again, "… twenty-five percent."

"Ouch…" Zelos winced, his face scrunching in a show of pain as his arms flailed plaintively. "Don't say stuff like that, Preseaaaa…"

Lloyd turned with an innocent shrug at the Chosen's complaint. "You'll be fine," he sighed, waving off the other swordsman's whine. "You look like the type that just won't die." The statement lingered on a small wave of shock before the brown-haired teen's stoic expression shattered into a mischievous snicker.

Liane had almost worried for a moment – hearing something that cold… delivered so calmly stunned her, especially coming from Lloyd. But the return of his grin somehow set reality right again. Setting off alone into the woods – just with what she'd seen – was the last thing she wanted to do. But her eyes drifted ahead to the party's 'prisoner'… still draped over Colette's thin shoulder. _He did it, though… he must have. No one came to his aid… he must have been all alone…._

"I'll second that," Sheena groaned and turned on her heel, having stopped for the show, apparently. Another cold show – save for the grin that shone through on her lips just before she had fully tuned her back to the party.

Zelos pouted for just as long as it took for the party to start to move ahead without him. "What?" he complained before his feet miraculously began to carry him forward again. "You know what they say – the pretty boys die young," he insisted, once again moving into his place between Liane and Presea.

The pink haired girl merely turned her head to watch Zelos, her head tilting as she studied him for a moment and then shook her head. "Incorrect usage detected," she murmured. "Correction necessary."

"Preseaaa!" Zelos stopped again, his arms flailing as the girl continued, unaffected by the Chosen's theatrics.

The rest of the party was hardly controlled enough to manage such a feat, though. Even Raine lifted her hand to her lips to stifle a laugh – even though her shoulders betrayed her.

"If you'd rather be a 'pretty boy' than a 'handsome man,' I guess that's your choice," Liane laughed, shaking her head as the party edged a few steps ahead of the still-pouting Chosen. She had guessed long ago that Zelos relied on his looks and his title a great deal. But what bothered her most was how he seemed to not only use those things – he hid behind them well. _He's probably been waited on hand and foot for most of his life. Colette's never been like that. It has to be frustrating to him that we aren't spending at least some time worshipping him._ Colette was always pleased just to be included… to be treated – for the most part – like anyone else, but Zelos seemed to thrive under the spotlight of attention. She might have found it to be a bit sad, had he not been so annoying about it.

As the trail suddenly brightened, it appeared that they were still skirting the edge of the forest – still within its shaded protection, but probably only steps away from the open plains that cold be glimpsed from time to time between the bushes. The sound of nearby running water seemed to put just a little more life in their steps, but what made the group murmur was the comforting scent of wood smoke that suggested that they were close to some sort of civilization, no matter how large or small.

Before that realization could even fully form, Sheena quickly turned to hold back a branch that looked just a bit too heavy to be handled with such ease. She handed the disguised gate off to Lloyd and hurried back ahead of Colette to guide them to the wooden arch that was the gateway to a small town – presumably, Mizuho.

The party was silent, each of them apparently overcome by the secret spread out before them – amazingly, including Zelos. Within the bounds of a simple wooden fence, women in simple kimonos and men in hakamas could be seen going about their lives – none of them paying the least bit of attention to the approaching party.

None of them… save one man at the archway… glad in blue clothes almost identical to Kuchinawa's in form except that his face was exposed…

… and he was _not_ pleased.

"Sheena! What is the meaning of this?" the ninja demanded, planting himself squarely under the arch, his glare fixed sharply on Sheena alone. "How could you bring outsiders into the village?!"

Liane chewed her lip as she saw the inhabitants of the quiet village pause at the gruff words of the ninja guard. _Sheena _did_ take a big chance bringing us here…_she thought, forcing herself not to grasp for her blade in light of the apparently very real possibility of an entire village of ninjas descending on them. _No… Sheena knew what she was doing…_she reminded herself, keeping her hand at her side. _Just wait…._

Sheena stepped forward, pressed her hands together, and offered the other ninja a slight bow. "I'm prepared to accept my punishment," she murmured solemnly before she lifted her head to face the ninja once again. "Inform the Vice-Chief. I've brought the travelers from Sylvarant.

The ninja's eyes widened in surprise as he seemed to finally notice the rest of the party. "From Sylvarant?" he breathed out with a frown creasing what could be seen of his forehead. "You are from the dying world of Sylvarant?"

Zelos chuckled quietly from the back of the party, one hand placed against his chest as he shrugged. "Well, except for me."

"Odd how you can forget about Presea when it comes time to save your own hide…" Liane whispered, sparing only a quick glance for the Chosen beside her. When she was answered with simply an innocent shrug, she shook her head and fought the urge to reach out and smack him – not at all unlike Raine's perfected move for Lloyd and Genis. But it seemed that while the ninja might be debating on whether or not to kill them where they stood, she opted to remain still and silent.

"I see," the ninja finally nodded, taking a step back as his glare hardened on Sheena once again. "Sheena, come with me. The rest of you, wait in front of the Chief's house," he ordered and waved his hand toward Sheena.

The black haired young woman nodded once to the blue ninja and then silently gestured to the party to follow after them. _It all has to be a part of her plan,_ Liane assured herself as they walked, keenly aware of the villagers' eyes on them as they moved through the quaint village. _Running isn't an option… not with the chance Sheena took to bring us here… but what are they going to do with us?_ Sheena seemed on edge, but otherwise calm… so that had to be a good sign… or at least that's what Liane told herself, looking for any reason to still have hope for their situation.

When Sheena and her ninja escort crossed a small bridge to a hut that seemed to be central to the village, she shot the party another quick glance. The blue ninja slid the door of the hut aside and gestured to her to enter – and the message was clear – the building before them was the Chief's hut… they had reached their destination. Lloyd nodded and led the group to the shadows at the end of the hut, helping Colette to steady her burden of the unconscious convict that they had defeated back in the forest and let him down to the dirt-packed ground of the ninja village.

Liane let her pack down to the ground and sat down beside it with her back to the Chief's hut. Pulling her knees to her chest, she watched the others mill about in an anxious silence while the residents of the village slowly passed by on the other side of the ditch that physically separated the hut from the rest of the village. They were being watched – that much couldn't be denied – but there didn't' seem to be a malicious nature to it. There was merely a curiosity no different than what could be expected in a village that wasn't' used to outsiders. But dangerous or not, it still left the party with no real chance to talk – to forge a plan for their escape, should the need arise… or anything else for that matter. _Running would only make us look guilty at this point anyway…_ she sighed and rested her chin on her knees. _I guess we should feel lucky that they didn't attack us on sight._

The ninja had seemed surprised that they were from Sylvarant, though… _but he still knew of it._ While Liane knew that really shouldn't be a shock just from the fact that Sheena had obviously been informed of the existence of the other world, it still was. And in that surprise, she convinced herself that his reaction to them had changed at that point… that he had actually acknowledged them… and drawn them all into the village. _He must have a use for us…_ she thought with just a hint of a bitter edge. _No one wants us here… but somehow, we always end up with another place to go…._

A ragged gasp of air nearby drew Liane back out of her thoughts, her eyes widening as the convict started to stir. Colette had been seated beside him, but was quickly on her feet and taking a step back as the man shifted his weight to push himself back up onto his knees.

"Oh, he's awake," Colette murmured in surprise, twisting her fingers together before her as the blue haired man shook his head and slowly began to rise to his feet.

Cautiously, the shackled man looked around – first to the group of people that surrounded him and then to their surroundings. "Wh… where am I?" he finally asked in guarded confusion.

"You're our prisoner," Lloyd replied sharply, shaking his head once at the man as the convict's gaze snapped onto him. "Don't' try anything funny."

At any other time, Liane thought she might actually enjoy Lloyd's 'tough guy' act. But considering that they barely understood what was going on themselves, it only served to annoy her. "It's an honest enough question, Lloyd," she groaned, shaking her head before she lowered her forehead to her knees and sighed.

The convict's gaze narrowed and flashed from the brown haired girl that had looked away and back to the crimson-clad swordsman. "I like to think that I'm smart enough not to start trouble when I don't understand the situation," he replied in a clipped tone that made his captors visibly tense.

Before the air could be cleared or put under more stress, the door that Sheena had disappeared through slid open once again, allowing the blue ninja back out of the building to approach them. He stood before them for a long moment, silently observing them – and their now-conscious prisoner – before he finally nodded cordially to them. "The Vice-Chief is ready to see you," he stated with neither malice nor friendship showing in his tone.

_He wants to see us, too, now?_ Liane frowned, unsure if she liked the turn of events, but when she looked over to Raine, she saw the silver haired woman nod her acceptance to the ninja's words and then gesture to the others to follow his instructions. _Sheena didn't come to get us… I wonder what…. _She cut off the thought as she clenched her jaw shut over such questions. Sheena may have said she was ready to accept her punishment, but she would have put up a fight – presumably a very audible fight, given the quiet that reigned in the village… _wouldn't she?_ Gathering her pack in her arms, Liane stood and pushed her braid back over her shoulder, following Presea and the others into the hut, on her guard almost even more because of the fact that Zelos was directly behind her – and the blue ninja was still behind him.

They entered into a lamp-lit wooden hallway that seemed to be more storage than a true room of the hut, as various boxes and pieces of modest furniture were placed against the far wall. But before much more could be observed, the door to the outside was closed behind them and a firm voice floated out of a doorway a few paces ahead. "Travelers from Sylvarant, you may enter."

Lloyd hesitated for just a moment, but then quickly stepped into the doorway. He paused to consider the sight before him and then nodded his head respectfully. "Thank you," he murmured, gesturing quickly to the others to follow him into the room. The party filed in, led by Lloyd and Colette, all of them forming two loose rows before a dark haired man in a heavily embroidered vest… and Sheena, who sat on her knees behind the man to his right, her head bowed low. Beside her was a large curtained box, the sheer fabric allowing just the barest glimpse of someone lying within.

Even the group's blue haired prisoner joined them without complaint, silently taking a seat along with the rest of them near the door that the blue ninja now blocked. Liane watched him for a moment longer before taking in the rest of her surroundings. There was only one exit from the room – the door they had entered through – and no windows. While the situation didn't seem dire at that moment, there were several people in the room that might like nothing better than to trap or capture them – at the very least. _Take a deep breath…_she coached herself. _See why they wanted us here first._

The man in the vest swept his eyes over the group that had assembled before him and finally nodded his apparent satisfaction, lacing his hands together loosely on his thighs before him as he cleared his throat. "Our leader, Chief Igaguri, is ill," he spoke in the same calm voice that he had called them into the room with. "I, the Vice-Chief, Tiga, shall speak on his behalf." As his words faded into silence, he lifted his right hand to gesture generally toward Sheena. "Because Sheena failed to kill you, we, the people of Mizuho, now face persecution from the Tethe'alla Royal Family and the Church of Martel."

Lloyd looked up, his brown eyes wide as he looked to Sheena. "Is that true?" he asked with disbelief in his voice.

Sheena didn't look up, she didn't speak – she gave absolutely no sign that she had even heard the question. Liane frowned at the way her friend simply continued to stare at the floor – like a prisoner awaiting her sentence. While she didn't have it in her to apologize for not letting herself – or her friends be killed, she was at a loss to offer any options for a middle ground. _If the Royals and the Church want nothing other than over our deaths… I guess it really leaves us no choice but to fight…._

"Yes. At least from what I've heard," Tiga nodded, intercepting the swordsman's question and pinning a sharp gaze on Lloyd first, and then the rest of the party. "Now I have a question. People of Sylvarant, what do you plan to do in Tethe'alla, the land of your enemies?"

It was a harsh way to word it, but that made it no less true. Even the people from Tethe'alla that were at least momentarily allied with them couldn't be spoken for. _Presea wants to go home. Zelos would probably like nothing more than to go home to his mansion and pretend that he's never heard of us. Sheena's in trouble for even trying to side with us…_ Liane's eyes slid back to the convict seated by the doorway, and she had to sigh. _And he's not here of his own free will in the least… we took him prisoner. I guess Tethe'alla pretty much has to be considered our enemy._

"I've been thinking about that for a long time," Lloyd began slowly, his posture straightening as he tilted his head in thought. "Someone asked me why I came all the way to Tethe'alla… what it is that I want to do." He looked up, looking directly at the Vice-Chief. "I want a world where everyone can have a normal life. I'm tired of people having to become sacrifices," the swordsman spoke, his determination growing with every word. "I'm tired of discrimination. I'm tired of people becoming victims. I'm tired of it all."

All eyes were fixed on the young swordsman with varying degrees of surprise – most likely at the thought behind the teen's words. But somehow for Liane, pride overpowered surprise. Her friend had been withdrawn and moody – just as they all had probably been – she knew she was certainly no exception. But Lloyd had been doing more than brooding… he had been observing… finding reason upon reason to keep fighting even as the odds seemed to be stacking against them. She was proud – and somewhat shamed… while she had been brooding over how her own life seemed to be turning into something unrecognizable… he was actually focused on what it would take to make life better for everyone.

Tiga nodded, a cautious smile tugging at his lips. "You are an idealist…" he stated, his eyes narrowing on Lloyd. "The worlds of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant flourish only by victimizing the other. So long as that structure remains the same, anything you say is more sophistry."

The Vice-Chief's words rang with a prodding challenge… and it quickly brought the swordsman to his feet, his Exsphere-bearing hand clenched into a tight fist. "Then we need to change that structure!" Lloyd declared, his voice backed with emotion stranger than before. "This world was mad by that Yggdrasill guy, right?! If a human or elf built this, then we should be able to change it as well!"

Once again, Lloyd made complete sense… something that was apparently becoming a bizarre habit for the swordsman. Liane couldn't help that the fact made her head spin – nor could she deny that how he explained himself made perfect sense. Why couldn't they change it? They knew all long that they would have to fight how things were – that they would have to win to save their world and their friends and families. But why not take it that additional step – try to end those issues of victimization all together? It might not happen in one step… but if they could actually take that step – wouldn't it all at least be closer?

Tiga rolled his head back with at throaty laugh. "You speak like the hero, Mithos. He was a sublime idealist. He ended the Ancient War by insisting there was a way for the two warring countries to coexist in peace," he explained, one eyebrow slowly rising as he kept his focus squarely on Lloyd. "Are you saying you can become the next Mithos?"

Lloyd was quick to shake his head, his shoulders relaxing just a bit. "I'm not Mithos. I want to save the two worlds my way, with the help of my friends."

_Lloyd…. _Liane smiled, her previously dejected slump straightening almost as soon as the words formed from his lips. It was the hope she was looking for – the simple sweep of Lloyd's hand over those gathered behind him was more reassurance than she could have asked for. She could still respect his boundaries as they progressed… there were things that she could work through on her own… but it didn't have to come at the price of her oldest friendship, either. _Thank you…._

"I see," Tiga nodded, still watching the swordsman, although just a shade less critically… his thin smile warming enough to be noticeable. "In other words, you aren't worried about following past methods. Well then," his smile suddenly became clear and he nodded his acceptance of the swordsman's words, "… we shall search for a new path as well."

Sheena looked up with surprise flashing in her dark eyes as she quickly stood, staring down at Tiga. "Vice-Chief, do you mean…."

Tiga turned his eyes to the summoner and nodded. "Yes," he smiled, a hint of a chuckle in his voice as he looked back up to Lloyd. "We will use our information network to aid you. In return, when the path of prosperity for both worlds has been found, we wish to move out people to Sylvarant."

Lloyd's jaw fell slack as he slowly shook his head. "But… I don't have any right to decide something like that."

_They all just want to pick up and move their village to another world?_ Liane was stunned by the Vice-Chief's request. _Are things really so bad here that they'd give up their place in this world to move to Sylvarant? How can they be so sure it's any better?_ At the moment, Liane knew that there was no way the land of Sylvarant could be as healthy as that of Tethe'alla, but even she wasn't certain that a village of ninjas would be any better received – or treated. _I could hope that they would be… but…._

"All we need is for you to aid us in our move," Tiga shook his head and waved off Lloyd's concern.

Lloyd nodded and sighed before he turned back to his companions with a hesitant smile. "Is everyone okay with us joining forces with the people of Mizuho?"

"If it will change the relationship of the two worlds," Colette was quick to speak up, offering Lloyd a bright smile and a quick nod.

Lloyd smiled to the blonde girl and let his eyes slide to the Professor, who was slowly nodding already. "Well, it doesn't sound like a bad deal," the silver haired woman shrugged.

"Let's hurry up and decide so we can go rescue Presea!" Genis fairly groaned as he glanced over to the pigtailed girl, worry overtaking any enthusiasm he might have had for the plan otherwise.

Liane was almost surprised when Lloyd glanced to her, curiosity in his eyes – but not the animosity she had been braced for. "If the village is certain that it wants to make the move… count me in." It seemed to her that they couldn't have enough allies – especially in Tethe'alla… why turn down the offer of help?

"As long as Tethe'alla is safe, I don't care what you guys do," Zelos shrugged as he tossed his head, leaning his weight against the side wall of the hut with as much indifference as he could display – in both his posture and his voice.

Lloyd's eyes swept over the group one more time before he nodded in satisfaction and turned back to Tiga. "Okay then, it's settled. We're going to look for a way to change the two worlds," the teen announced, the confidence in his voice growing with every word. "Let's work together."

"Agreed," the Vice-Chief nodded and turned to glance over his shoulder to Sheena. "Then I hereby order Sheena to continue to accompany you. This time, however, not as an observer, but as a representative." The man's smile warmed even more when Sheen sucked in a quick breath of surprise. "Make us proud."

The black haired young woman crossed an arm across her chest and offered the Vice-Chief a quick yet still formal bow. "Yes, sir!"

For just a moment, Liane once again felt hope… like the mood of the entire party had been lifted by the agreement with the leader of Mizuho. For once – they seemed to have gained allies instead of making yet another enemy. And the fact that Sheena had been officially sanctioned to join them by her own people – well, there was a level of relief in that as well. _Since she joined up with the group – she's always fought with us… she never just observed._ Liane smirked, realizing that it was likely that Sheena followed her own path more than she would probably admit. But knowing that she was finally free to be an acknowledged member of the group – by the people that had sent her to kill at least Colette in the first place – it had to be a weight off the ninja's shoulders.

"But Tiga…" Zelos spoke up from the back of the room, pushing himself up from the wall and sounding like he simply couldn't keep quiet any longer. "You sure you wanna turn the Royals and the Church against you like that?"

The Vice-Chief arched an eyebrow to the redheaded Chosen and tilted his head, drawing a long breath. "How about if I ask you?" the dark haired man began, his eyes narrowing on the swordsman as if in challenge. "Given a choice between the forces which wish to sacrifice one of the worlds, and the force that wishes to preserve both worlds, which would _you_ side with?"

The redhead fell silent for a moment and then finally chuckled dryly. "I'd like to say, "the one that's likely to win," he shrugged and then gestured to ward off the growing glares of his companions. "But, I suppose I'd want to help the side that wants to preserve both worlds."

Liane couldn't help that she was glaring at Zelos… at how cavalier he seemed to be taking the whole situation. _Has he ever had a shred of responsibility?_ she wondered, having to finally look away. He was pampered and spoiled… and she doubted he had ever had to truly work for anything – _but can I really blame him for that?_ With a frown, she hugged her knees tighter. _He's never had a real reason to care… he's the Chosen of a flourishing world… people worship the ground he walks on simply for that fact – and not what he's actually done._

"Exactly," Tiga nodded, paying no heed to the soft groans heard around the room. He looked back to Lloyd, the matter with Zelos apparently settled in his mind. "Now, the first thing we shall do is devote all our resources to locating the Rheairds. Fortunately, it appears that Sheena attached a guardian to the Rheairds, so we should be able to locate them shortly."

_Locate? But we left them…._ Liane blinked in confusion that cleared away with her next breath. _Yuan… that's part of why he was on the mountain in the first place…._ Suddenly, it was no longer a matter of powering them – not they had to recapture them as well. _They're our only way home…._ The ninjas apparently had been watching if they knew that the machines had been taken from the mountain.

Lloyd bowed his head to the Vice-Chief and then followed it with a full bow in a somewhat awkward imitation of Sheena's earlier action. "Understood," the young swordsman murmured, straightening to reveal a warm smile on his lips. "Thank you for your help." Then, he turned and gestured for the others to move towards the door, a signal to the party to rise to their feet once again.

Liane grabbed her pack by one of the shoulder straps and tossed it over one shoulder, watching Lloyd lead the way out of the room with Colette. The convict fell into step behind them at the insistence of the Professor, then Genis, Presea, and Sheena, show paused to glance back to Liane. With a nod, Liane started to move once again, but paused when she heard a somewhat exasperated voice behind her.

"Is he for real?"

The dark haired young woman turned to look over her shoulder to the redheaded Chosen… and she sighed. He didn't' seem to notice that his words might have been heard until his eyes met hers. His blue eyes widened just an instant later, the gesture accomplished by a sheepish grin. "Funny… I was thinking the same thing about you," she rolled her eyes and started out of the room. How could he truly be surprised that Lloyd would want to help? Hadn't even the short time he had been with the group shown him better than that? Shaking her head as she emerged out into the sunlight, Liane had to squint for the moments that it took for her eyes to adjust to the light. But as soon as that had happened, her expression didn't change… rather, the squint became a weary glare when she saw that the party had moved to encircle the convict. _Oh, not again… _she sighed and moved closer, standing beside Sheena as Lloyd took a step closer to the blue haired man.

"What's your name?" the swordsman asked, his voice having lost most of the edge it had taken on when he head last addressed the man.

The convict lifted his head just enough to allow him to glance around the party from under the thick crop of rough-shorn blue bangs. "…Regal," he responded finally after drawing a long breath, his hands clenching ever so slightly tighter.

Lloyd nodded, his hands finding their way back to the handles of his blades. "Regal, huh? I'm sorry, but we're going to have to keep you prisoner for a bit longer."

The convict didn't react – in fact, Liane realized that they couldn't even tell if the man had even heard Lloyd's declaration. _Regal… a strange name…_ her thoughts whispered before she had to sigh. _I don't know if I'd give my captors my real name either – it's not like we've earned any kind of trust from him._ The man's captivity seemed to be a simple matter of keeping a foe where they could watch him, and as much as she hated to admit it, the logic was wound – he had made good on his implied promise to return. But what were they going to do with him? For the same reason that they had taken him prisoner… how would they be able to release him?

"Lloyd," Zelos spoke up, drawing the group's attention away from the convict and back to him as he jerked his thumb in the convict's direction. "How about lettin' pops here fight, too?"

Genis turned to stare slack-jawed at the proudly grinning swordsman as if he'd lost his mind. "Even though he might betray us?"

Liane frowned at the boy's leap to the conclusion of betrayal, even though she knew that she should probably be sharing his shock. While Zelos was being less than polite – considering that the convict had made no attempt to harm them or get away all through this whole 'prisoner' fiasco – taking prisoners was not an area she had ever dabbled in – nor had she ever wanted to. She looked back to the blue haired man, studying his emotionless profile for a moment… and she was certain that his focus was rooted firmly on Presea and nowhere near the bickering of the party. _We don't matter to him – all of this yammering really doesn't hold any meaning for him… does it?_ And for just a moment – she was jealous of the shackled man… and his not having to be a part of their internal squabbles….

"He has business with Presea, right?" Zelos turned to the young mage, his hands on his hips and a sarcastic smile on his lips. "Then, he's not going to try anything before he gets a chance to speak with her, you know?"

Raine nodded almost distractedly as her eyes switched between Zelos and the convict. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."

Genis spun, the glare he had constructed for Zelos melting away as he stared up to his sister in dismay. "Raine!"

"Genis… think about it," Liane shrugged, looking down to her young friend. "We know that he _can_ fight…" she saw him open his mouth to start to object and quickly rushed the rest of her reasoning. "And if he'll fight with us – if we need to fight – that keeps whichever one or more of us that would have to otherwise watch him still able to fight." She sighed, but noticed the quick glance she got from the prisoner for her words. "I mean… it would have to be that way, wouldn't it? We took him prisoner, after all," the swordswoman shrugged, keeping her eyes firmly on Genis. "That makes his safety our responsibility… right?" It seemed logical to her… if they were going to play at being the rogues, there were consequences, weren't there?

Sheena glanced over at Liane, her expression betraying some apprehension. "I dunno about this," she admitted with a small, helpless shrug, "but I won't make a fuss. I also started off as your enemy."

Lloyd's gaze shifted from Sheena and back to the convict, tilting his head to the side with a sigh. "Well? Will you fight alongside us for now?" he asked, his tone bearing a request and not a demand as he watched for Regal's reaction.

The shackled man lifted his head at the swordsman's question and he slowly turned his head, observing them all one by one. Finally, when the silence had become almost tangible, he nodded, turning to square himself directly to Lloyd. "All right. I swear upon my good name, and these shackles that bind me, I shall not betray you," he swore in a smooth, solemn voice.

His words… his phrasing… it all somehow surprised Liane. Where a simple 'yes' would have sufficed, he had tailored his response to their concerns, going so far as to vow to them. While it occurred to her that he simply truly wished to speak with Presea, why would he go to all the trouble of lying to them if he did mean to turn on them? _He's either very manipulative… or he really means it… _she told herself, not liking how there didn't seem to be any middle ground between the options.

Genis huffed and drew his kendama in the wake of the convict's words, planting his feet firmly before the man and glaring up to him with a shake of his weapon. "If you do anything even the slightest bit suspicious, I'll burn you to a _crisp_, got it?" the silver haired boy ground out.

As Liane watched – almost startled by her friend's practically ferocious threat – she was surprised to watch the hints of emotion flicker across Regal's face… startlement at first… then… a sparkle of what she almost would have thought was amusement had it reached so far as to curl his lips. _Oh, Genis…_ she almost laughed, and finally settled for shaking her head as she saw Colette begin to approach the convict, a wide smile showing on her lips and in her eyes, both as if she was trying to show him how it was done.

"Well, then, welcome to our group, Regal!" Colette beamed, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking back onto her heels as she looked up to him.

But before Regal could do anything more than nod to the girl's enthusiasm, the blue-clad ninja appeared once again, having silently slipped out of the chief's hut. "It seems the pursuers have left the forest," he spoke, his eyes focused on Lloyd. "You should hurry."

"All right," Lloyd's lips curled into a thin smile as he waved his hand back towards the village gate. "Let's head for Altessa's place right away…."

As the party started to move with Lloyd's direction, Presea stayed planted firmly in place. She looked up to Lloyd with wide eyes and a single shake of her head. "I… want to go home to my village."

The group stopped at the girl's soft declaration, turning to watch her – and the way Lloyd looked down to her. _She's not even really being stubborn…_ Liane frowned, pit tugging at her heart for the girl. _I don't blame her…._ "We don't know how long she's been gone from home…" she murmured quietly, catching Lloyd's momentarily confused gaze.

"Ah, right…" Lloyd finally found a smile for the pigtailed girl and looked back up to the others. "Ozette first, then."

Raine sighed and watched as Presea started to walk along with the rest of the party, apparently satisfied with their leader's decision. "Yes, Presea's parents are probably worried about her," she commented s they all passed beneath the arched gateway of Mizuho. "We should hurry to Ozette."

Genis was quick to move to Presea's side as they moved back into the shadows of the forest. Liane watched them as she strolled a few steps behind them. Even as Genis chatted quietly with Lloyd, who was at the front of the group, he still remained close to the pink haired girl. She had always known the young mage to be a staunch defender of his friends – but the protectiveness he showed for Presea enhanced that even more. Then she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye – and turned to see Regal striding past her from where he had been walking with Raine and Zelos toward the back of the party. He didn't slow down until he reached Presea's side, opposite Genis… and then he leaned forward, as if to catch the girl's attention. _Uh-oh…._

"Your name is Presea… correct?" Regal asked quietly, clearly leaving space between them so as not to alarm her as before. When she turned her head to look up to him, she sighed… hesitating for a moment longer before he spoke again. "About your family…."

But before either Presea or Regal could speak again, Genis' head snapped up, his eyes flashing as he jumped, almost shoving Presea behind him to place himself between the convict and the girl. "H… hey! Get away from her!" he blurted out, his kendama already in hand and his demand halting everyone around them to stare.

Regal straightened, his lips fixed tightly together as he held his hands up, palms open. "I apologize," he murmured, with no malice or sarcasm apparent in his voice. But then… just a moment later, the thinnest smile possible curled his lips. "So you're her little knight…."

_Hoo boy..._ Liane almost winced… and saw Lloyd, Raine, and Colette all do the same, the blonde Chosen going so far as to clap a hand over her mouth. _Oh… oh, don't call him 'little'…._

"Don't make fun of me!" Genis ground out, shaking his Thunderbolt at the convict and sending the blue haired man back a step. "I've got magic, you hear me?!"

"Genis."

The silver haired boy jumped as Presea dropped her hand onto his shoulder, turning to her with wide eyes and no sign of the anger he had just shown Regal. "Wh… what is it?" he asked, concern thick in his tone. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

Presea blinked and shook her head as her gaze went past the boy to the blue haired man standing behind him. "He bears no hostility," she started in her small voice. "There is no need for combat."

_Finally…_ Liane sighed in relief that it seemed that things weren't going to escalate like the last time. Presea seemed far less bothered by the convict's presence – much less his proximity – this time. She noted that Regal had backed off another step – presumably so as not to crowd the young pair, but he was still paying close attention. _He asked about her family…_ but it seemed more than a general pleasantry, seeing as how he had yet to be faulted for wasting time with small talk. _Maybe… he's a family friend?_

"Ah… oh," Genis blushed, laughing sheepishly as he tucked his Thunderbolt back into the loop at his waist.

"Also, I have no need for your protection."

All of the color drained from Genis' already-pale complexion as his weak smile faded. The boy's shoulders sank as he seemed to deflate and then even more so when the girl pivoted on her heel and continued into the forest. "Oh."

Liane was sure that she could actually hear the young half-elf's heart breaking. As Colette trotted off after Presea, the rest of the group seemed torn between continuing after Presea or staying with Genis. Even Regal hesitated to go after the girl, even though his eyes followed after her. But Genis had Liane's full attention for the time being, even though she was floundering for what to tell him. She had now way to tell him what was going on in Presea's mind. And it probably wasn't the time or the place to try to explain to him any better how he might never understand girls – or at least try to help him fill in the holes that were left in that tale after growing up with Raine, Colette, and herself. _But still… I should say some—_

"Whoa… I've seen other guys get shot down before but—"

A black and violet wrapped blur that had been Sheena's arm just the moment before cut off Zelos' laugh, a sharp 'snap' resounding off the trees that surrounded them as her hand connected with the back of his head.

"Owww!" the redhead Chosen groaned, glaring over to the ninja. "What?? I was just gonna tell the little guy how cold that was…" his voice faded as he lifted an arm defensively in response to Sheena's hand rising once again.

"Do you really want another?" Sheena asked with just a hint of a feral snarl in her voice. "Now… stop."

Genis didn't even seem to notice what was going on around him. He simply tuned and started to walk after Colette and Presea, offering the others a wave over his shoulder without looking back. "Come on… you guys heard what Presea said before about the forest… they shouldn't get too far ahead of us – it would be dangerous."

There was a note of something that _almost _sounded carefree in his voice as he walked, but the droop in his shoulders still spoke volumes. It was something that Liane was growing more familiar with with every passing day – _having to hide away a little piece of yourself just to keep it safe… and alive._

With nothing more to be said or done standing at the edge of Gaoracchia Forest, the party began to move once again, this time with Regal leading their hastened steps to catch up to the others with Raine close behind and sometimes even beside the convict. Zelos hovered at Lloyd's side – noticeably as far as he could be from the ninja's reach without being _too _obvious… and Liane and Sheena bringing up the rear of the pack.

"I swear there is no connection between that man's brain and his mouth," Sheena grumbled as she walked, shaking her head in disgust. "It's not like any of us have ever seen Presea be anything other than factual – except when the topic of her home comes up. I mean… she really could be the strongest one of any of us… she was only stating a fact."

Liane shrugged under the weight of her pack. Sheena was right… but there was another side to every story. "Genis has never had a real crush before…" she sighed. "Being reminded of how small he is was bad enough, but having her tell him to back off…" she shook her head. "He just wants to make a difference… to matter. Is that any different from any of us?"

Sheena chuckled once. "Well… most of us…" she nodded in agreement and then nodded pointedly to Zelos. "Some of us just take it for granted that we matter and don't make any effort to make sure it's for a good reason."

"I guess we all have to have our own reasons," Liane shrugged, deciding that it wasn't time to meddle in what was – or wasn't - going on between the swordsman and the ninja. She sighed and looked over to Sheena after a moment, seeing that they were finally catching up to the others. "That ninja in blue… so does he hate us for coming to Mizuho, or…? He seemed okay by the time we left, but if he's going to hold it against you –"

The ninja quickly shook her head and laughed in a decidedly warmer tone this time. "Oorochi? He's fine. You guys are our allies now. The entire village will honor that now. We're all just wary of strangers. Being an outsider helps us normally – not having to worry about angering this official or that town – if we just avoid all of it as much as possible… it makes our lives easier."

"It makes sense… but it's still sad," Liane sighed deeply as she allowed her eyes to flow over the members of the party. No two of them had the same background, the same reasons for joining the journey… or probably even the same goals. Yet no matter how selfish or selfless their reasons… there they were, still at very least loosely bound together. "But I guess that's part of what we're trying to fix."

"If it can be fixed," Sheen laughed sullenly. The afternoon shadows started to slowly swallow them into the forest once again. "It's been this way for a long time – Cruxis and the Church have had a hand in it – in both worlds – and now two worlds full of people are used to it. There are a lot of things that will be hard to change… because even if it isn't right… it's comfortable."

"_It's nothing that one person can hope to fix – it's been set for so long… but if one person can show the way… open the door…."_

Liane stopped, frozen in her tracks as her head snapped over her shoulder, almost certain she could even feel the breath that had carried the whisper to her ear. _Kratos??_ she almost gasped… but then… the silent – and empty – forest behind her made her hold it in. _But…._

"Liane?" Sheena stopped a few paces ahead of the swordswoman, her head cocked in curiosity. "Did you hear something?"

Unable to respond, Liane's eyes searched the forest – looking for even one out of place shadow.

"… _if one person can show the way… open the door… that person will not stand alone. It's the instinct – the very essence of life – to grow and find ways to improve…."_

This time, Liane was certain of the voice – both who it was _and_ the fact that he was not present. She turned her back to the others and clenched her eyes shut. _Stop it… stop it stop it… stop it!!_

"_Will you help me?" he asked softly, his fingers twining gently into her hair where she rested with her head in his lap, looking down into her chocolate brown eyes with a pleading she wasn't certain she had ever seen before._

_She looked up to him, keeping his gaze with gentle smile. "Why is it that you don't believe me when I tell you that I will?" she replied with a touch of laughter in her whisper. "Every time that I tell you I will, you always ask again." Shaking her head at the look he gave her, she laughed again. "You'll only be alone in this if it is your choice, Kratos. But I want to help… as much as I can… for as long as I can…."_

"Liane…."

Liane jumped at the feel of a hand on her shoulder, choking down a breath as the vision faded to leave her standing in Gaoracchia Forest once again. "Sh-Sheena…?" she stammered, blinking as her thoughts rushed to remind her of the last question she had heard from the ninja. "Oh… I thought I heard something… but I guess not." She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm just being paranoid, I guess," she turned back to the group. "Sorry… let's catch up before we get left behind…."

She could practically feel Sheena's skeptical gaze burning into the back of her head… but she hadn't really lied – she _had_ thought that she had heard something. But it was something that wasn't there… it was something living only in her imagination. _How can it be… that I know I never made that promise to Kratos… but I'm still so sure that I've broken it?_

The rest of the trek through the forest was as peaceful as they could have asked, with only an occasional denizen of the forest being foolish enough to confront them. They were nine strong now… even with differing agendas, they had to at least have the outward appearance of strength in numbers.

As they emerged from the shadows, Liane breathed out in relief, glad for the though that her strange conversation with Kratos seemed to be over. If it had been a matter of imagining the conversation, she would have been far more at ease… if it had been a matter of 'if he would say _that_, I would tell him…" then that would be vaguely normal, at least. But the conversation had clearly gone on without her, the words spoken neither predicted not thought out on her behalf – like something that was already set and unable to change.

_I'm going insane. No one in their right mind has so many visions like this – even in dreams, we have choices…._ She looked ahead, watching the others as their formation scattered as if to absorb the warm rays of the sun. _They'd all probably leave me at the closest asylum, _she thought dismally. Not that the general thought was all that unusual any more, but really, what could any of them say even if she did try to explain? First, they would probably wonder at her loyalty for even allowing Kratos into her dream – no matter how much control she actually had. She had already heard Lloyd's doubts… hearing more of them voice something similar would only cut deeper.

But why was she so passive in those dreams? Even in the deepest of sleeps, she knew that she always felt some semblance of choice or maybe even control. But when Kratos appeared… it was as if she was merely an observer… and… almost worse… she so very rarely felt anything but contentment with him in those dreams… occasionally fear… but it was never of him.

_It's like I'm watching someone else's dream… or …._

She blinked, her eyes widening as her hand flew out to grasp the handrail of the narrow bridge that they were passing over in single file.

… _or… someone else's memories?_

Shaking her head, Liane was suddenly grateful beyond words that no one was watching to question her expression. If she wasn't insane, that theory certainly was. _You… don't just 'catch' someone's memories… like a cold… or a tune you can't get out of your head,_ she chided herself, clamping her jaw shut as if it would stop such ludicrous thoughts. _That's just crazy… stupid,_ she huffed as she followed Zelos off the bridge and then was quick to avoid his gaze. It was already working its way into her head – no matter how improbably… and that frustrated her beyond words.

_The only one that could tell me is I was right or wrong… would be Kratos._

Had she been alone, she would have laughed bitterly. _And that's the last thing I'm going to do._

But wasn't she alone? She was surrounded by all of her closest friends… even amongst the relative strangers… but she still couldn't tell them. Liane could already imagine their expressions – anger, amusement, pity… how could they believe her? She couldn't even believe herself.

"Whoa… that's so cool!"

Lloyd's excitement made Liane look up, something that the years she had known the boy having trained her that if she didn't try to see what he was talking about right away, the excitement would pass and she'd never know what it had been about. A few steps ahead, the others had paused, gathering loosely around Raine. As Liane moved closer, she saw that the Professor held a still-partially-wrapped staff. The weather-stained burlap was pulled back to about halfway down the golden shaft to reveal a head adorned with shining golden orange feathers that fluttered lightly on the breeze, almost as if the motion was under the rod's own power.

"Raine… I can't believe you just found that in the forest!" Genis laughed, looking up to his sister. "I mean… I never even saw it leaning against that tree!"

The Professor slowly shook her head, but her eyes were fixed in fascination on the rod. "You didn't even _feel_ it?" Raine asked softly, finally looking back down to Genis. "It's radiating power…."

"Maybe that's the treasure!" Zelos exclaimed with a devious grin. Now, since we have it, the curse is on us now!" he flailed dramatically, clearly having a hard time containing a mischievous laugh though it still showed in his eyes.

Lloyd's brown eyes rolled as he looked over to the redheaded swordsman. "Riiight… cursed weapons…" he groaned and shook his head as he looked back up to Raine. "But you can use it, right? I mean, if you can feel that it has power, that will help you, right?"

"It does have power…" Raine murmured through her distraction until her eyes focused. "These feathers… can they really be… from a phoenix?" she asked with quiet reverence, and then began to slowly nod. "I can use it… it would practically be a crime not to…."

"Phoenix feathers?" Liane whispered, not even realizing she had spoken aloud until Sheena glanced over to her. _Death and rebirth… the despair of loss and the hope of a second chance…._ It seemed that the lesson behind the story of the phoenix was following her… first at Luin… and now in Tethe'alla… and oddly, at times that she had all but completely assured herself of her lack of worth to the party. "Are… they real?" she asked, inserting herself into the group… drawn as if hypnotized by the feathers that seemed to glow in the sunlight.

Raine shrugged, watching her assistant for a moment before she spoke. "I don't have anything to compare it to… there's nothing to prove that it is or isn't real… but the person that created the rod had to at least be patterning it after the bird…."

Liane knew that the Professor was right, and felt almost foolish for asking. "I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking."

"Okay, well, Ozette has to be close, right? Let's get going!" Genis raised his voice to encourage a shift in the focus of the group.

Presea nodded and lifted a hand to point to a dense cluster of lush, green trees on the other side of the clearing they stood on. "There."

With yet another moment of discovery apparently behind them, the party began to move yet again, closing in on their next destination. Yet this time, Liane held her place amongst the group – not trailing along behind. It was almost more of an experiment than anything else, but while everyone else moved to talk quietly with others in the group, Raine stayed close to Liane, as if keeping an eye on her. "Raine… at least say something if you're going to study me," she finally sighed when she was almost certain that she could feel the Professor's gaze.

"I'm just curious why it took a bird largely from mythology to bring you willingly back into the group," Raine replied quietly, giving Liane the option to keep their words private. "I know you've always liked history and lore, but you've been all but avoiding everyone since we left Meltokio."

Liane knew that the Professor's words came from worry, but she couldn't keep the bitter and somewhat self-pitying whisper of '_and it didn't seem to bother any of you_'… from slipping through her thoughts. Forbidding it actual voice, she took a moment to craft her response. "The phoenix… it's come up in some odd places for me, lately… I guess… I was wondering if it was some kind of hint… or sign…." Even though she knew it was illogical, it was honest… and didn't she owe the Professor that much? Especially after feeling hurt that the silver haired woman had been keeping secrets of her own from them?

Raine nodded slowly as she walked, the end of the Phoenix Rod touching to the ground with every step she took. "I suppose we all look for signs… it's all a matter of what we want to read into them. Depending on who you ask, the phoenix can be the embodiment of both life and death, its strength coming from the balance it gets from not giving in completely to either force." Then, she shifted her eyes to the dark haired young woman and sighed. "But if you're trying to read a sign of redemption in a name or a few feathers… well, that's a little harder to justify." Her frown deepened and she shook her head. "Forgiveness doesn't come so easily from something as subjective as a 'sign'… not in such a jaded world."

_Forgiveness?_ Liane blinked in confusion, but only for a moment before she almost groaned. "Raine… it's not… it's not that…" she shook her head, able to think of only one person the Professor would interpret as needing forgiveness signified by a supernatural sign. "It's more… looking for some sign… that this is where I'm supposed to be… that I'm not endangering anyone… that there's some reason that I'm here."

The Professor's eyes widened at that and a smile that stopped just short of becoming laughter curled her lips in the next instant. "Liane… that's a question every living being asks themselves at one time or another. The only one that will ever be able to answer that… is you."

Liane huffed, almost kicking herself. It was a classic 'coming of age; response… but then, had she really phrased herself any differently than to make Raine think that was what she needed? She could barely explain what she needed to hear to herself… how could she hope to find words that didn't sound flat out idiotic to anyone else? "You're right…" she finally admitted, just wanting to put the topic to rest before she felt like any more of an idiot. "You'd think I'd know that by now, wouldn't you?"

"Just concern yourself with what's at hand… things will follow as they should, I suppose," Raine told the younger woman with a gentle nod as they approached the area that Presea had indicated. Rooftops and tall, thin chimneys could be seen peeking through the lush green trees, indicating the presence of what had to be Ozette. "But you can't blame yourself for the behavior of others, either," the Professor continued after a moment of silence. "It was his choice to do what he did from the very beginning. It's not your responsibility to defend him… or fix the mess he's caused," she murmured with a note of quiet exasperation in her voice as she looked over to gain Liane's gaze and attention. "Please… remember that?"

A flash of indignant anger rippled through Liane for just a heartbeat. She was coming to grips with the fact that no one would mention his name, but Raine's theory seemed to be only a kinder, gentler version of Lloyd's. _She doubts me, too._ Liane knew that there was always the chance that she was reading too much into it, but they seemed so ready to write her off to Kratos' corruption. "I'm no sympathizer, Raine. _He_ hurt me, too…' she replied, making every effort to keep her voice steady. But anything more would have pushed her control… so he forced herself to look away and continue walking toward the others. She knew that she was effectively leaving things unfinished with her mentor, but the conversation still confirmed her pessimism: _None of them would understand._

As she caught up to the others, Liane could see what looked like gigantic tree root. But it apparently bought Presea moment she had been awaiting as the pink haired girl suddenly charged ahead without a word or backward glance, sprinting up the tree root and into the mosaic of green above them before anyone could think to top her.

"Lloyd!" Genis' hand flew out to grab at a handful of the swordsman's shirt with an insistent tug. "We have to follow her!"

Lloyd blinked, his eyes having followed Presea's escape from them up and over the tree root. He looked back down to the young mage, finally nodding after another confused blink. "Huh? Yeah…."

The boys took off to lead the others up the steep incline of the tree root, taking the cues from the startled looks on the faces of the Ozette villagers to loop by the buildings of the town to another downward root that seemed to have captured the onlookers' attention. For having the appearance of the moss-covered wood, Liane was pleased that it wasn't as slippery as it looked like it _should _be. After another curve down from the town, the root's slope flattened out and gradually emptied into a small, unkempt yard that surrounded an equally neglected house that seemed to cower in the shadows of the trees. The party stopped in a flurry of ragged breaths after their pursuit, staring at where Presea stood on the porch of the house. But she was not alone. A man in heavy-looking robes stood with her, his sharp features twisted into a pleased smile. _So… this is Presea's home… but that… can't be her father… can't it?_ Liane was puzzled by the man's appearance. There was no resemblance between the two… but he had just _been there _when Presea returned? Had he been waiting?

"Thank you," the stranger's nasally voice cut through the silence of the forest as he looked up form the girl to peer at the party over the rims of his tiny spectacles, his smile all but vanishing completely. "Hmm? Are these guests as well?"

Presea turned at the man's question, eyeing the party blankly. "Porters," she murmured with no sign of affection or distaste in her tone before she looked back up to the man.

"Oh, I see," the man nodded with a bit of a sneer as he took a step closer to Presea – an almost possessive gesture as he looked down to the girl.

"Porters?" Liane's brow furrowed a little at the girl's label… and how dismissive it sounded. While it was true that they had made her a promise to see her safely home, did she truly see them as nothing more than caretakers? Presea may have been young, but she fought fiercely for them… was it all truly just a matter of safety in numbers to her? She breathed out a little, confused by what could be a refusal of what she thought was their friendship as she saw both Regal and Genis take another step closer to the house. But where the convict's movements were cautious, Genis' worry showed through as he was the one to speak out.

"Presea!" Genis called out, his tone speaking of how he refused to be ignored. "We have to make a Key Crest for you!"

The pink haired girl fixed her blank stare on the boy for a moment and then took a step backwards, her hand already moving to push the door open on rusted hinges that groaned in complaint. "My job awaits," she murmured softly. "Goodbye…." Without another word to ether the party or the man standing with her, she turned and entered the building, the door bouncing shut against the door jamb behind her.

Chuckling with apparent satisfaction, the man turned to the others and strode down the steps from the porch, walking towards the group and showing no signs of slowing as he approached them. "Only Presea can retrieve the sacred wood used in the ritual at the church," he crooned with a laugh wavering in his voice. "I'm quite pleased that she had finally returned," he grinned as he passed by the group, a gravelly laugh slipping from his lips as he started up the tree root to the town above, leaving the party to stare after him.

"That man…" Raine whispered after he had disappeared from sight, "… he's a half-elf," she finished her statement, even her soft whisper sounding loud in the silence of the forest that surrounded them.

Lloyd looked up in surprise. "He is?" he asked as he ran his fingers back through his hair, shaking his head slowly. "Now that you mention it, didn't we see him in Meltokio, too?"

"He's creepy…" Colette shivered beside the swordsman, wrapping her arms around herself and chewing on her lip.

_Then we probably shouldn't remind you that he practically applauded you kicking a dog out of your way._ Liane sighed and reached up to rest her hand on her sword's handle. "Creepy or not… he doesn't seem to be up to any good… maybe it was just me, but that didn't look like a joyful reunion," she commented, almost glad for Raine's observation. The fact that he was a half-elf taking away from the possibility that he was related to Presea.

"I agree. But... uh… I gotta say that I feel sorry for the guy," Zelos shrugged with a labored sigh, waiting for the moment that it took for the others to turn to him in question before a cocky grin curled his lips. "I mean, he has to deal with the fact that there are magnificent specimens of males around like me," he snickered proudly as his chest puffed out.

Genis rolled his eyes and settled into a glare at the redheaded Chosen, one eyebrow arched mockingly. "I'd say you two are on the same level."

Zelos' smile twisted a little to return the boy's glare. "I heard that, you little twerp!"

"Funny, I don't think he was trying to keep it from you," Liane shrugged and rolled her eyes once again at the ego that Zelos carried and apparently nurtured. For as high-profile as he seemed to be, he seemed to be constantly ready and willing to draw as much attention to himself as possible. A quick glance to Sheena suggested that she wasn't alone in her thoughts and she almost smirked. _I guess it's easy to see why she's so quick to smack him… if I'd been around him longer than I have, it would probably be a lot more of a reflex for me, too._

As the Chosen fixed Liane with a playful pout complete with bulged lip, Regal cleared his throat, his eyes still on the small house as he showed no interest in the drama Zelos was stirring up. "At any rate, we should have a talk with Presea," he commented and slowly started for the door.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, quickly falling into step with the convict. Genis shot Zelos one last glare as if it were his attempt to get the last word of their argument and then ran after them, leaving the others to follow.

A smug snicker from the Chosen made Liane sure that the bickering between him and the mage was far from over, but Regal was right – Presea was the reason they were even in Ozette, much less on their way to meet with the dwarf, Altessa. The way that the girl had told them goodbye, though, worried her. _Yet another member of the party with their own agenda_, she sighed, stepping up onto the weathered porch with Sheena and stepping into the house through the door that Lloyd held open for them. _So what else is new?_ Inside the door were two rooms separated by a door-less opening, the scattered and sparse wooden furniture in view all iced with dusty cobwebs. Presea milled about on the far end of the room that they stood in, running from what looked like one work bench to another – and completely ignoring their presence. The group gathered just inside the door, taking in the dark and curious sight.

Suddenly, Lloyd gagged softly, gasping down a quick breath of air that only seemed to make things worse as he staggered forward a step, his forearm lifted to shield his face. "That smell…."

The next moment removed any need for further clarification from the swordsman. The putrid stench that seemed to have embraced Lloyd first at the head of the group slowly slithered back over the rest of the party. Liane gagged, clapping her hand over her mouth as her stomached lurched, her eyes watering at the way the smell settled on them and showed no sign of passing. The others were all caught in its grasp as well – everyone save Presea, who simply went about her tasks in obliviousness to the distress of the others.

"Look!" Colette rasped, pointing across the room as she kept her sleeve up over her face.

In the darkened back corner of the next room was a bed, shrouded like all the furniture in cobwebs and shadow… but the blankets…. Liane gasped, the instinctive reaction almost sending her running for the door. _There's… someone under the blankets…!_

The Professor stepped out of the group and walked into the room with the bed, her slow pace only interrupted when Presea ran by her, approached the bed, removed something from under the edge, and then scurried away to yet another workbench on the wall opposite the bed. Raine stopped, staring after the girl for a moment before she finally approached the bed. Reaching her hand out slowly, she lifted the blanket… and then quickly dropped it, recoiling from the sight. "Oh my… how horrible," she breathed out, turning away and clamping her eyes shut.

"What the…" Zelos ground out, moving into the doorway of the room with the others. "This is _not_ cool," he ground out, all prior signs of playfulness long gone.

"How could this happen?" Sheena asked in dismay, her words coming out with an exhale as she kept her arm up over her nose and mouth.

The stench of death was everywhere in the room, and it seemed to Liane to be only getting worse. But it didn't help in the least that when Raine had dropped the blanket, it had left the corpse beneath it revealed just enough to allow the sunken hollows that had once been eyes to stare blankly back at them – back at her. Liane shuddered and backed against the edge of the doorway. _That person… he… or she… just died… right there…_ she ground her teeth together, shrinking back under the body's empty gaze. _Is… is that one of her parents…?_ The thought made her eyes burn from more than just the stink alone. _They… died alone… no one even caring enough… to notice… to bury them. How long has Presea been gone…?_ she wondered, finally prying her eyes away from what was left of the person in the bed to watch the pink haired girl carrying on her business without heed to any of them.

Raine turned and moved closer to Presea, watching her closely, but staying out of her way. "Most likely the effect of the Exsphere's parasitism," she commented softly, glancing back to the bed. "Presea has no idea what's become of the person in that bed."

"How could that –" Genis started to object, but stopped short as Regal moved forward, approaching where Presea had remained for a few moments. The boy set his jaw and started to move forward when Lloyd dropped his hand onto his shoulder, offering Genis only a single shake of his head when he looked up to him.

Regal continued forward, slowly lowering himself to one knee before the pink haired girl… meeting her eye to eye for a long moment before he finally drew a breath. "Presea. Are you not coming with us?" he asked quietly, not reaching out to her… not encroaching into the girl's space in the least.

Presea paused, staring back at the convict as if noticing his presence for the first time. "I must… do my job…" she replied and turned back to the table, ending what almost passed as a conversation between them.

Liane watched as Regal remained still for a few moments and then slowly rose, his back turned to all of them but Raine and Presea. If he had only agreed to fight with them for a chance to speak with Presea… _what's going to happen now?_ Would he try to escape their custody of him – would he fight them again to earn that escape now that the girl would barely acknowledge their existence? As she watched, he still did not turn, and she would have sworn that she saw his broad shoulders slump just a little.

"Let's leave Presea here for now," Raine finally broke the silence looking from Regal, to Presea, and then back to the others with a sigh.

A quick series of gasps sounded from the party at the Professor's words, but Lloyd was the first to put words with the surprise. "Here?!"

"Raine…" Liane shook her head, wondering what the silver haired woman was thinking. "Here… with…?" _The body…_ she couldn't even bring herself to say it, stubbornly refusing the silent call of the corpse to look back at it. "But… is that a good idea?" I mean…" _I'd curl into a ball and scream if you left me alone with a body…._ She had heard and seen proof of Raine's observation that Presea simply didn't recognize what had happened in the house… but the reality of it was more ghastly than that. "She's… still just a child."

"If we try to move her, she will just fight back," Raine responded calmly to both the party's voiced and silent shock. "Let's go see Altessa by ourselves and ask him about repairing the Key Crest."

Lloyd exhaled, clearly not liking the decision as he watched Presea, but he finally nodded. "Yeah…" he sighed again and slowly turned to lead the others from the room.

The party collectively hesitated, but then one by one accepted Raine's plan, each of them starting to file from the room. While the thought of returning to the open air outside was almost enough to send Liane running ahead of the others, she stopped and glanced back to where Regal and the Professor were finally backing away from Presea. _Even if she doesn't realize what's going on, that doesn't make any of this any more right._ Drawing in a shallow breath and holding it in, Liane turned and made her way closer to the bed. She couldn't look away for the first few steps… somehow, it struck her as terribly disrespectful to do so. But then she reached out to the blanket and carefully lifted it back up over the body's head, covering its hollow gaze once again. _May the Goddess guide you to rest…_ her mind whispered the simple prayer of the priests she had once traveled with. It was the best she could do… and what she knew she had to do – no matter how insignificant to either the person in the bed or to Presea. Even if the girl wasn't aware… if she was insisting to stay for her job… she still didn't deserve to be face to face with a corpse.

Her task completed, Liane turned to leave, only to find the Professor and Regal both watching her – perhaps in curiosity or perhaps they were just waiting for her. Either way, all she could muster for them was a quick nod before she headed for the door. The oppressive atmosphere that seemed to radiate from the cabin seemed to lighten with every step she took away from its porch, and she finally stopped where the others had gathered near the tree root.

"Lloyd, I _know_ you're hungry, but we have to go find Altessa so we can hurry back to Presea!" Genis grumbled from where he was digging through his pack. "You even ate all the bread! I can't even make you a sandwich!"

The swordsman chuckled half-heartedly and ran his hand back through his hair. "I'm sure I didn't eat _all _of the bread –" he started to defend himself before Genis shot him a sharp glare that made the swordsman take a step back. "Here? What's with the look? Okay… maybe I ate _most _of it…."

Sheena groaned and knelt beside Genis to help the boy replace its contents. "Arguing isn't getting us anywhere… let's just go buy some food so we can get moving. There's a store up above," she sighed and looked up to Liane. "We should have plenty of gald…?"

Liane nodded and reached back to the pouch that hung against the side of her own pack, grateful for the return of the everyday banter. "Plenty," she smiled a little and reached out to help Genis shoulder his pack. "We can make it quick, Genis…" she assured the boy over the disgruntled huff that pressed from his lungs.

But it was enough agreement to get the party moving once again up the tree root to the town. The first thing that became obvious was that the previous expressions of the Ozette onlookers had hardened considerably… outright glares following the party as Sheena led them back across the town where before, it had been more surprise and curiosity. But other than sharp, wordless whispers that _almost_ could have passed as the wind, it was all so close to being something to be ignored….

… until a dark haired man stepped directly into their path to the food store, his stance and his angered glare stating clearly that he would have his say before the group went any further. "You're all with _her_, aren't you? he demanded, planting his hands on his hips.

"Her?" Lloyd asked with a frown as he took a step out ahead of Sheena.

"Presea," the man spat out. "You were with that monster."

It was no question… it was a statement reeking of accusation. Liane shifted her weight on her feet, wondering what the man was pressing for. While a quick glance to Lloyd showed her that he was making no move toward his blades, the man was irate – was it that much of a leap for things to turn ugly with the way their luck had been running?

"_Don't_ call Presea a monster!" Genis quickly fired back at the man, his hands curled into angered fists as he struggled against his sister's hold on his shoulder.

The man's eyes widened as his gaze shifted to the mage, his anger momentarily mingling with the confusion. "Wh… what? She hasn't aged a day for the longest time!" he exclaimed as if it justified his words.

"What are you talking about?" Regal asked, moving to make eye contact with the man, his frown having deepened even more than normal at the confrontation.

"That's not all," the man shook his head as a smug gleam shone in his eyes at the prospect of making his case. "Even though her father is dead, she won't even make him a grave. She's a monster," he declared once again, his voice growing louder as his arms began to flail with his anger. "Half-elves are _nothing_ compared to her."

The fury behind the man's bigoted words actually forced Liane back a step. Even though she saw and heard the reaction echoed in her companions, she was still almost horrified at the ferocity of the man's words – knowing that he struck at them all in one way or another through their bonds with one another with precision no blade could match. _What… how… are we supposed to respond to that?_ Her thoughts finally cobbled her dismay together, but it still didn't help – and certainly not when the malicious smirk on the man's face parted for him to draw another breath.

"Will you guys take that monster and get out of this village?" the man asked, taking advantage of their stunned silence. "I'll thank you for it. You won't regret it."

"How can you say that?!" Lloyd finally demanded, breaking his silence even though his jaw still hung a bit slack.

The man's glare hardened on the swordsman once again. "Oh, so you're saying that a child that never grows up isn't weird?" he asked with venomous sarcasm dripping in his tone.

Lloyd's breath hesitated for a moment under the assault and he shook his head. "Well, I… but there's a reason why Presea is like that…" he stammered, facing down the man's question.

With a haughty snort, the man crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know what it is, but it doesn't change how freaky she is," he grumbled, glaring at them all once more before he sucked in a quick breath and started to storm past them. "I doubt you outsiders would understand!"

"You mean understand how _you _would let her father rot in his bed while she was gone and then hold her completely responsible?" Liane growled, earning a glare from the man. "You're right. We wouldn't understand. Knowing about something like that and not doing something about it makes you just as bad as you claim that she is." While they still didn't know how long Presea had been gone from her home, it seemed to have been plenty of time for the villagers to come snooping if they knew the state of the body in the bed. _And they left him like that as well… just like they're condemning her for doing…._

After a quick glance at Liane, the man made a bitten off sound that – under other circumstances – could have been a chuckle, but it only sounded like a wordless statement of pity as he shook his head and started down the tree root to the town below.

"Outsiders…" Sheena murmured thoughtfully, her eyes trailing after the dark haired man. "It's true that we didn't watch Presea stay young while everyone else grew old."

Genis spun to face the ninja, his eyes wide. "But… that's not Presea's fault!" he flailed, apparently ready to defend the pink haired girl from anyone after hearing the villager's rant.

Liane shook her head and moved to stand beside Sheena. "We're not saying that it is, Genis… but _we_ know better. Everyone else… they only see what's in front of them… and if they don't take the time to understand… this is what happens…" she shrugged, doing her best to find an explanation for the man's ignorant intolerance.

"It's the same reason half-elves are persecuted," Zelos added, his voice noticeably lacking the cocky quality that it normally brandished.

Raine nodded slowly in agreement, wrapping her hands tightly around her Phoenix Rod with a heavy sigh. "Yes. If half-elves could live apart from humans like the elves, things might be different. But half-elves have no choice but to live in human villages," she explained quietly as her shoulders sunk, an action mirrored in Genis' tiny frame.

"And humans experience the difference in the passage of time and are constantly reminded of the fact that they are different species," Regal murmured, his voice as placid as ever, with just a hint of reluctant regret of the truth that his words held.

Before anyone else could weigh in and make the situation look any darker, Lloyd huffed. "Let's save Presea. Nothing good can come out of it if she stays this way," he commented through slightly clenched teeth.

Liane was quick to nod to his plan, reaching back to grab the gald pouch from her pack and start into the shop. "I'll get it… then we can get out of here…" she mumbled, more than ready to be through with Ozette. She realized that she was expecting a small town like Ozette to be more like Iselia, but there was now no denying that it was just as much a part of Tethe'alla's society as Meltokio or Sybak.

Stepping into the shop, a misleadingly cheerful bell tinkled to announce her entry, and it was all Liane could do to keep from glaring at it. _Just get the food and get out… then we'll only have to come back here to help Presea…_she coached herself as she started towards the counter, only to be stopped by an exasperated whistle from her left.

"Wow… he was opinionated, huh?"

Liane turned her head to find a man in a bright red hat shaking his head almost sympathetically. Judging by the open window nearby, she could only assume that he had heard the discussion outside, and she offered him a small, cautious shrug. "I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion," she replied, deciding to keep things as neutral as possible… knowing that keeping their collective heads down and just getting out of town would be in all of their best interests… and that included Presea.

The man chuckled and shook his head. "I suppose so… but, man, the discrimination against half-elves in this village is intense," he breathed out, showing less amusement by the moment. "Of course, I don't like half-elves either, but when it's this bad, even I start to feel sick," he continued in exasperation.

"It's… pretty bad…" Liane agreed, fighting to keep her jaw from snapping tight over the words. She guessed he was a traveler by how he spoke, and while she knew his words were probably as supportive as she could hope for at the moment, it was still all she could do to keep from snapping at him. _If this is what it is to be Tethe'allan… I can't wait to go home to Sylvarant… declining world or not._ She managed as close to a casual, friendly nod for the man as she could and approached the counter. The clerk didn't seem the least bit impressed by her presence when Liane started to place her order, as evidenced by the smile on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. But she forced her focus to trying to remember what they had eaten recently and what their supplies were. The transaction was quick – a mutual benefit to the women on both sides of the counter – and Liane gathered the bag of food into her arms, pausing only long enough to return the traveler's nod before she exited the shop. "Okay… we should have enough food for a couple of days anyway," she sighed as she handed the bag to Genis. "Let's get out of here."

Genis dug in the bag as they walked, goaded on by Lloyd hanging over his shoulder. Only one villager did anything more than glare at them as they passed through town – a small girl that approached Genis and Lloyd with a bright-eyed smile – and oddly enough, no insults for either Presea or half-elves. From how she seemed drawn to the smallest member of the party, it could be assumed that she saw a kindred spirit in someone her own age – and she was quick to volunteer that a 'bearded' man lived to the south of the town.

It was all they needed – and that was fortunate – as a woman appeared out of nowhere to quickly steer the girl away, not even attempting to offer an excuse other than a silent, cold glare to the party.

'To the south,' however, entailed passing by Presea's house once again. The party slowed as each of them spared at least a glance for the dwelling – and for the girl that seemed to be trapped by her own choosing within. But Presea had made her choice clear, and the group had made theirs respecting that, so it was only a momentary slow down before they were underway once again…

… for a few steps before Colette suddenly lurched forward, tumbling to the forest floor in a heap.

"Colette?!" Lloyd choked out, spinning to grab at the girl's momentarily flailing hand as she tried to right herself. "Are you all right?"

The blonde Chosen gasped in surprise, but was quick to look up, her wide smile already in place as she nodded. "Y… yeah," she pushed herself back to her feet and brushed her hands over her tunic to wipe away the small twigs and needles that her fall had collected for her. "I stumbled," her grin suddenly brightened even more, taking on a sheepish quality as she laughed. "I'm clumsy."

Lloyd eyed her closely for a moment… as did the rest as they gathered around the girl. "Are you hurt?" he asked, apparently knowing from experience that the definitions of 'all right' and 'hurt' could easily be muddled and passed off by the girl if both questions weren't specifically asked.

"No, I'm fine," the blonde girl smiled in return, waving off the concern of Lloyd and the others as she gestured back to the path ahead. "I'm fine…" she insisted once again at the momentarily doubting look she got from the swordsman before he shrugged and turned to continue down the path away from Ozette.

Liane watched as Colette waited for the group to start to move before she lifted her hand to her shoulder to rub it, favoring it for a moment before falling in step beside Regal. _Her shoulder must still be bothering her from this morning…_she mused, remembering the girl's crooked posture from the Chosen's home in Meltokio this morning. They had already done so much that day, thanks largely to the speed of the EC, but she knew that they would be lucky to find Altessa and get his help before nightfall. The sky that cracked through the trees was just starting to lose the luster of daylight… they would have to set camp or make it back to Mizuho before it got too late. _I am not camping in Gaoracchia Forest… no matter how many of Zelos' stories were lies…._

Colette had been watching the convict with varying degrees of interest since Mizuho. But as they left the trees that protected Ozette, the girl quickened her steps to keep pace with the blue haired man, leaning forward with a smile to catch his attention as if she just couldn't contain herself any longer. "Um… you don't… trip a lot, do you?" she asked with a self-conscious laugh when he finally turned to look down to her.

"No need to worry," Regal shook his head to her question, his words short but not showing any kind of offense at her question.

"Oh, okay," the blonde girl clasped her hands behind her back and turned her eyes skyward with an attempt at a nonchalant shrug. "I trip all the time. So I thought, if you happened to be the same way, it would be pretty rough for you…" she explained, sounding almost apologetic.

With a smirk, Liane glanced away. She trailed a few steps behind Colette and Regal, so she really didn't consider it eavesdropping on their conversation, but it still struck her as such a 'Colette' thing to worry about. All along, while everyone had been so cautious around the shackled man, her thought was of how difficult it would be for him to pick himself up as if he was as much of a klutz as she was.

The thought seemed to amuse Regal as well, for even though he fell silent after her comment, it wasn't but a few moments before he looked back to her once again. "They tell me that you're the Chosen from the other world," he stated, his tone just a little warmer than before.

"Yes," Colette nodded and met his gaze, her amusement fading from her tone even though her smile persisted. "Although, I'm not very Chosen-like…."

A small pang of guilt tickled the edges of Liane's memories as a conversation from what seemed like ages before came back to her. Before Colette had even received the oracle, she and the boys had teased her about that very thing, but it had never occurred to her that the girl would take it to heart – especially with all that she had been through. Liane bit her lip to keep from interrupting the conversation she had no right to be a part of, but she still wished that there was some way to sow the girl that it had been meant in fun… not something to carry along and weigh her down.

"On the contrary," Regal shook his head to Colette, shrugging as he opened his hands as if in an explanatory gesture. "Your world must be happy to have a fine Chosen like you," he told her with no hint of anything but sincerity in his voice. Then, his posture straightened suddenly. "Oh, I'm sorry. Perhaps that wasn't an appropriate thing to say in regards to the declining world."

Colette shrugged and waved her hands to shoo his apology away. "No, it's okay," she told him as her shoulders sagged. "But I'm… a Chosen who couldn't save the world." She huffed and shook her head. "Even now, I'm a Chosen who values her own life more than the world. So…."

Liane momentarily debated on storming ahead and ignoring propriety and demanding Colette tell her how she could think like that after all that they'd learned. Did she even realized that even if she was sacrificed under the rituals she had been taught, there would only be a long line of Chosens placed in the same situation that would follow after her? Regal clearly had his own thoughts on the responsibilities of a Chosen, evidenced by his words in the sewers, but Liane wondered if Colette – even being a Chosen herself – had any idea of what it meant any more. _Wasn't it always about life? No matter how twisted it was, or what the regeneration's true purpose is – hasn't it always been about life? Colette…_ she shook her head. _Oh, Colette… you have to be able to see that…._

But it was Regal who was quick to cut off the blonde girl's blooming lament. "A Chosen who knows the value of life will surely bring forth a new salvation and regeneration."

His words so eloquently summed up what their journey was in the process of becoming that Liane was momentarily stunned. Regal hadn't even been with them for a full day – prisoner or not – and yet he could apparently at least share an understanding of their goals. _He did sit through the discussion between Lloyd and the Vice-Chief…_ she reminded herself, wondering if that had changed his opinion of any of them from what it might have been when they had first met as enemies.

"Do you think so?" Colette asked, blinking her eyes as if finally seeing things from a different perspective. "I hope you're right…" she sighed, but this time, it appeared that she had shrugged a weight from her shoulders. "But… since you are traveling with us now… you really should know who everyone is… don't you think?"

Liane laughed softly to herself at how quickly her friend could change topics. She knew that unless Regal went out of hi sway to stop her, Colette would continue on her tangent for as long as it took for her to forget her troubles… but that was probably fine. The blonde girl wasn't treating Regal like a prisoner, and the others seemed content to let them be, so it seemed that one solution had been found – no matter how temporary it might end up being.

As the party followed the contours of the mountains, Liane occasionally heard Colette mention the name of one of the party members – including her own. But she tried not to pay too much attention, not really wanting to hear the grounds for a first impression that anyone would get of her at the moment. _At least it's Colette…_ she sighed, knowing that it was unlikely that the girl would speak badly of any of them. Regal, on the other hand, didn't speak much at all… either from lack of opportunity or from the lack of something meaningful to contribute to the largely one-sided conversation. But she did notice that he offered nothing of himself… no information and no opinions… only apparently an open ear to the girl that he had already admitted having been sent after by the Pope. _It's not like we've asked him for anything more than his name…._ She stopped the thought there before it could turn bitter. Regal didn't seem to mind being in their custody and had yet to offer any objections… so it seemed pointless to stew over it any longer.

As promised by the girl in Ozette, it wasn't too far from the town that they finally spotted what looked to be a dwelling burrowed into the dusty hillside – classic habitat for a dwarf from what she knew of the race. Dirk had been an exception to the rule with having a mostly-above ground dwelling, but that was largely due to the needs of his adopted son. But when a ripple of excitement hushed the party after Lloyd knocked on the carved wood door – for just a heartbeat, everything seemed to be going right.

For a few long moments, there was no sign that the knock had even been heard. But then, the sound of a latch being turned changed that… and the party found themselves faced with a green haired girl with equally green eyes. She regarded each of them one by one, measuring them with no change in her expression before she finally spoke. "WHO IS IT?"

Lloyd paused, staring back at the girl for a moment before he collected himself enough to respond to the odd greeting. "Ah, excuse us," he chuckled apologetically. "We heard that there is a dwarf living here. Is there any chance we could see him?" the swordsman asked politely, even though it was obvious that he hadn't expected the girl to answer the door.

The green haired girl blinked, considering the visitor's request before she nodded and stepped back to hold the door open for them. "YOU DESIRE A MEETING WITH MASTER ALTESSA. PLEASE COME INSIDE."

The party waited on the doorstep for only as long as it took for Lloyd to cautiously glance into the darkened dwelling and then finally step in. They entered in single file, each of them passing by the girl that had greeted them so strangely. _She talks as if she's hypnotized… or something…._ Liane couldn't quite put an appropriate description to her observation of the girl… other than when she met the girl's eyes, there was nothing there… no happiness or sadness… and no judgments being made on any of them. It was strange, but somehow still welcome – especially after their brief visit to Ozette.

After Zelos stepped into the burrow, the girl quickly closed the door behind the party and then moved with swift strides to the front of the party, offering Lloyd a silent nod for him to follow her as she set off across the entryway. In a small room adjoining what seemed to be a dining area, the girl led them down a few steps and then stepped aside, clearing their view and their path to the dwarven man standing beside a workbench. The man turned, a deeply-etched scowl on his face not helping the glare he fixed on them as his beard almost dusted along the ground. "Who are you people?" the dwarf demanded in agitation, his fists clenched at his sides.

Lloyd took a single, small step forward, the dwarf's hostile greeting not forcing him to back down. "My name is Lloyd," he started quietly as the dwarf's hardened glare fell squarely on him for speaking. "We've come in regards to Presea. We heard about you from Kate in Sybak."

Altessa's eyes widened beneath where they were partially obscured by his bushy eyebrows. It only took him a moment to draw a quick breath. "Leave!"

"What?" Lloyd responded before anyone else could find their voices, his instinctive surprise pressing the dwarf to advance on the party with an angered wave of his arm.

"I don't want anything more to do with that girl!" Altessa barked out, stamping his foot and sending the party staggering back another step in surprise. "Get out of here!"

_All he had to hear was her name and he reacted like that??_ Liane moved back along with the others, frowning at how the dwarf's entire body seemed to shake with anger, leaving her almost expecting him to grab something from the tables around him and attack them. True, they were in his home and his wishes should be respected, but where did that leave Presea? _Alone with the corpse of her father… and waiting to become a corpse herself. _She answered her own question bitterly as she watched Lloyd slowly lift his hands in a sign of peace and turn, slowing his retreat for only the moment that it took for the green haired girl to move ahead of the group to usher them away from Altessa.

"What was that all about?" Lloyd asked once they reached the dining area once again. His voice was hushed by the tightness of his jaw as he jerked his thumb back in the direction of the master of the house.

The green haired girl turned to watch the party gather around her before she clasped her hands before her and dipped her head into an apologetic bow, her perfect braid falling forward over her shoulder as she rose again. "I APOLOGIZE," she spoke, a bit softer than before even though her voice still conveyed no emotion to accompany the sentiment. "THE MASTER DOES NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH PRESEA."

"Why?" Genis snapped, pushing past Lloyd to glare at the girl as he blindly pointed back in the direction of the dwarf in the other room. "He doesn't care if she dies?!"

"We were told that he could help her… that he might be the only one that can," Liane stated, frowning a little more at how even Genis' outburst left the girl seemingly unaffected. "Presea's dying… and if he won't help her… does… does he think that if he turns a blind eye to her, her fate won't be his responsibility?" She shared Genis' frustration – if not his anger – over their dismissal as soon as the pink haired girl's name was mentioned. But what could they do?

"IT IS NOT THAT," the green haired girl's eyes shifted from Genis to Liane. "IT IS BECAUSE THE MASTER REGRETS WHAT HE HAS DONE."

The girl's words hung in the air around them, stunning the party into a momentary silence before Colette shook her head and reached out to close her hands around one of the other girl's forearms imploringly. "Then please, save Presea!" the blonde Chosen begged as wide green eyes studied her. "All she needs is for her Key Crest to be fixed, right?"

"I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT WOULD TRULY BE IN HER BEST INTEREST," came Colette's hollow-toned answer as the girl shook her head once and then carefully pulled her arm back from Colette's grip.

"Why?" Lloyd asked, his tone dancing on the edge of angered annoyance. "How could anything be worse than living in that cruel condition while waiting to die?!"

The swordsman's words were harsh, but not inappropriately so. _It could be days… or years… but one day, the crystal will take her life one way or another if it's not controlled. _It was a truth Liane had heard from Kate and in not so many words through a daze from Kvar, but she couldn't fault Lloyd for his reaction. "It's not fair… even not knowing how much she's already endured… for death to be her only reward… we need to find a way to stop it," she stated, trying to sound even a little more collected about it. She knew that someone had to find mercy for the girl – they simply didn't know enough to help her on their own.

The green haired girl blinked once again – a long, slow, silent gesture as she once again measured each of them standing before her with a steady gaze. "IF YOU ARE THAT COMMITTED, THEN YOU SHOULD SEARCH FOR INHIBITOR ORE."

It was the group's turn to stare at the girl after her quiet words. _She's trying to help us?_ Liane wondered in amazement. The girl seemed to be a servant – or perhaps an assistant – _could she know enough for us to help Presea without Altessa's help?_

"Presea's Key Crest isn't made out of inhibitor ore?" Lloyd asked, all of the anger bled out of his voice to leave behind only puzzlement.

"CORRECT," the girl nodded to him. "HER CREST IS –"

"Tabatha! What are you doing?" demanded a harsh voice from the next room as it appeared that Altessa had realized that they had yet to honor his wish for them to leave his home. "Get rid of them!"

The girl looked up at the sound of her name, her attention fixed rigidly on the wall that separated the rooms until the dwarf's voice faded away. "I APOLOGIZE," she murmured once again to the group. "I MUST RETURN. PLEASE COME BACK AGAIN. I WILL ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE HIM," Tabatha told them and then proceeded to walk past them, answering her master's call without question and leaving the party to wonder at her actions – much less her motives – as she disappeared around the corner into the dwarf's work area.

Left with no other choice but to comply with Altessa's command, the party slipped out of the dwelling leaving Tabatha to her promise to talk with the dwarf… but there was no telling how long it could take… or if anything would change even if she did. That realization alone made the early evening somehow darker… just as it did the group's collective mood as they gathered outside Altessa's.

"Where can we find the inhibitor ore?" Colette asked dejectedly as she looked around her companions. There was a note of helplessness in her voice, but they all knew that they had to start somewhere… and it really was the only lead they had at the moment.

"I've heard it's mined in the mountain range that extends between Altamira and the Ymir Forest."

The voice that answered the Chosen's question seemed to be the least expected, judging by how all attention suddenly snapped onto Regal. But the convict didn't seem surprised in the least by the reaction as he drew another breath to address them. "I would like to help if you're going to create a Key Crest for Presea. I can lead you to the mine.

Liane frowned at the thought of a mine – picturing in her mind a place of darkness and shadows where it could be all too easy for people to disappear. While Regal was still technically their prisoner, he had given them his word and – while words could be broken – he didn't seem the type to take advantage of such a clichéd form of getting rid of them. He had always faced them head on and been open about his goals even if he was less than forthcoming about his reasons. _He's offering to help… we really can't turn it down… not with out options so limited._

Lloyd cocked his head to watch the shackled man, his eyes narrowing slightly in question. "Just what is your relation to Presea, anyway?" he finally asked, the question they had al been wondering finding voice at last.

Regal's immediate response was a simple blink of his eyes. "There is none," he spoke, his voice calm and steady while his face betrayed no reaction whatsoever to the question.

"Yet you still seem concerned about her," Raine murmured, not bothering to try to hide the suspicious tone running beneath her observation.

"Aren't we all?" Liane asked with a small sigh, warily intercepting the veiled accusation. "Concern or not, it's a place to start," she shrugged and glanced away from the cool gaze of her mentor. She was probably making herself a liability, but it was practically a given that they would all fight again – either side by side or splintered. Wasn't it for the best to keep moving and do as much as they could before that next fight came?

Lloyd shrugged and looked back up to the convict. "Well, either way, you haven't done anything suspicious so far. You're welcome to come along with us," he told the man, receiving only a slightly questioning glance from the Professor.

But Regal nodded his acceptance and squared his stance to the swordsman. "Inhibitor ore is found relatively near the surface of the Exsphere mine," he continued as if the debate had never happened and waiting for no additional endorsements by the party. "The mine I know of is across the sea from here, on the southern continent."

"You said Altamira, right?" Zelos blurted out, barely able to contain an excited chuckle, much less the grin that accompanied it. "That place is awesome! Let's stop by there on the way!"

Sheena spun to glare at the redheaded Chosen. "We don't have time to hang out at that gaudy resort!" she snapped at him, her words sending him back another step from her with a sheepish laugh.

_Resort?_ Liane couldn't help but spend a moment wondering about the place that both Sheena and Zelos seemed to know so well of… and realized that there was nowhere in Sylvarant that she would ever describe as a resort, much less as a gaudy one. Asgard catered to tourists and pilgrimages, but it was far more humble than gaudy and not really much of a resort. Palmacosta was probably the nicest of the cities, but while it did seem to tailor itself more to those that could afford to travel, it was also simply a living, breathing port city. _But… a place known to be primarily a resort? It's probably too rich for my blood on that alone._

"The sea?" Raine murmured as if the thought of the convicts' words had finally boiled over. "We're going to sea again?"

"Okay, then," Lloyd nodded and started down the path to the valley floor, either not hearing or ignoring the Professor's renewed despair at the though of another voyage. "Let's go!"

Colette smiled, grabbed Genis by the sleeve with a laugh, and pulled the boy into a jog along with her to keep up with the swordsman. "Yeah! Let's hurry…."

Liane stood, watching the others move away from Altessa's burrow, straightening her tunic with a sigh as she lifted her pack back onto her shoulders. They were wandering… lost. They were taking on what tasks came before them, but part of her couldn't help but wonder if a purpose would ever truly sift from them.

As she turned and tightened the straps of her pack, she saw that she was the last one to start, the others already gathering in the yard below the hillside. She fell into step behind Regal and Zelos, shoving her hands into her pockets as she walked. But when she heard a change in the footsteps ahead of her, she glanced up to see that the redheaded Chosen had paused, turning halfway to watch the shackled convict walking behind him.

"By the way…" Zelos cocked his head, watching the blue-haired man as he continued to walk as if he hadn't heard him, "… this has been bugging me for a while now. Haven't we met somewhere before?"

Regal didn't even pause. In fact, it looked to Liane that he completely ignored Zelos, not a hesitation in his steps, a twitch of his form, even a slight turn of his head… nothing. She stopped, unwilling to put herself between the men if Zelos was going to press the matter. She knew so little of their world, much less of these men… she simply didn't want to deal with any more uncertainty.

As Regal caught up to the rest of the group, Zelos stared after the retreating form of the convict before he crossed his arms over his chest and flipped his red mane indignantly. "Fine, ignore me," he snorted, keeping his voice just loud enough for Regal to hear. "Not very friendly, are ya?"

Liane sighed, shaking her head as she started to walk past the redhead, offering him a sideways glance as she walked passed him. "Maybe he's just not in a good mood. It happens, you know," she shrugged before a smirk started to creep over her lips. "Either that, or maybe he just doesn't like you?"

"Oh!" Zelos choked out as he stumbled beside her, grasping at his chest. "My Warrior Goddess' words strike deep! How could you say something like that to me? I'm wounded! _Wounded_, I tell you!"

_Fop…_ Liane rolled her eyes, doing her best to ignore the Chosen's antics. "Just making an observation, Zelos… nothing more."

Zelos snickered, suddenly appearing at Liane's side as she walked, his arm snaking around her shoulders. "You know, playing hard to get only prolongs the chase…" he grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her even though she refused to look over to him. "Just ask Sheena…."

"Pig…" Sheena snorted where she walked just a little bit ahead of them, barely glancing over her shoulder at the Chosen's claim before she offered Liane a sympathetic shrug and continued to walk. "Playing hard to get actually only prolongs how long it takes for a girl to contract what ever disease you've managed to catch from those little floozies that follow you around…"

Liane had to bite her lip to keep from snickering as the red-headed Chosen sputtered and released her shoulder.

"But, Sheeeeeeena!" Zelos complained as he ran after the ninja that continued to try to ignore him, smacking him away as he tried to drape his arm over her shoulders just as he had Liane's.

The ninja instantly tensed and shoved the Chosen away with a growl, her steps slowing to put some distance between them.

"Whaaat?" Zelos pouted, looking back to the ninja with wide eyes.

"Just back off…" Sheena groaned and shook her head. "Goddess, it's going to be a long trip to the Exsphere mines," she sighed and glanced back over her shoulder, slowing just a little to let Liane catch up.

"Exsphere mines, huh?" Zelos asked with a dry chuckle as he dropped his voice just a bit. "Riiiight…."

Sheena had started to speak to Liane, but she stopped before the words could form to shoot an exasperated glare at the Chosen who had once again gravitated to her side. "What? Something wrong with that?" she asked, her voice showing that her patience with the redhead was wearing dangerously thin.

"Surely you know about it, too," Zelos groaned and made a show of slapping himself in the forehead before his hand fell away and he looked over to the ninja with a cocked eyebrow. "Exsphere mines in the vicinity of Altamira…" he drew out the explanation, watching her as if he was waiting for her to pick it up and continue it. When she didn't, he huffed and leaned a little closer. "What else is there besides the Toize Valley Mine?"

Zelos seemed to have a point – or at least _think_ that he had one – and Liane frowned a little. Not only did she feel out of place, she knew that whatever Zelos was trying to tell them was something he wasn't' ready to share with the others – and maybe not even with her.

"Ah, that one that's connected by tunnel to Moria?" Sheena asked with a shake of her head as she humored him and his question.

"And if that's the one, think for a moment about who it is that owns the mountains in that area," Zelos nodded, his smirk growing more and more smug as he watched Sheena expectantly.

"Someone… owns… mountains here??" Liane murmured in surprise, getting quick, puzzled glances from both Zelos and Sheena. The thought struck Liane as absolutely bizarre. Granted, a mountain was land… but just the concept of _owning _a mountain – much less _mountains_ – made her feel just a bit more out of place in the world.

Sheena shook her head and huffed. "I guess it would have to be the Lezareno Company," she answered with a roll of her eyes as she turned to him. "But… so what?"

With a cringe that actually looked painful, Zelos let his head fall back. "Okay, Liane not knowing is understandable, but oh, brother…" he groaned before he looked up again, his gaze fixed pointedly on Sheena's as he gestured wildly ahead of them like a child having a tantrum. "Is your chest the only part of you that's well-endowed?" he demanded, his words coming out in a hushed, frustrated rush.

In a blur of black and violet, Sheena's hand snapped out to catch Zelos in an open-handed slap to the side of the head. "You better shut up or I'll smack you!" she snarled at him, never losing a step as he staggered for a moment.

"Don't say it _after _you you've smacked me!" the red headed Chosen whined, his hand fixed against the side of his head. "Sheesh!"

Liane looked over to find a satisfied smirk on Sheena's lips as they continued ahead with the rest of the party. A quick glance over her shoulder assured her that Zelos was, in fact, still moving and actually catching up with them, although he was clearly giving Sheena plenty of space as he started to pass them. "So… we don't know what that was all about?" she asked hesitantly and was quickly answered by a shrug from the ninja.

"Who knows where his mind goes…" Sheena shook her head. "All he had to do was hear 'Altamira' and that turned into his immediate goal," she shrugged.

"He seemed like he actually had a point, though…" Liane offered, almost unable to believe she was defending the redheaded Chosen.

Sheena turned just enough to glance over to the swordswoman. "That would be the one on the top of his head. Don't worry about it. If it was important, he'll say something again and drop the word games. But for now, we have to worry more about finding some place to stay tonight… it'll be close to dark before we find somewhere to launch the EC from… we'd be better off resting first and leaving for the mines first thing in the morning."

Liane knew that Sheena was right. The group collapsed together a bit more as they skirted the trees around Ozette once again, and Sheena moved closer to the front of the group, chatting with Lloyd – presumably about the night's accommodations – and leaving Zelos to pretend that he wasn't still pouting.

As seemed to be more the norm with every passing day, Liane stayed to the back of the group, doing her best to distract herself with observing the others. It really was easier that way… and they seemed willing to give her as much space as she needed. But despite all that, it was still lonely. As much as she hated what the past few days had brought their group, she still knew that she couldn't simply write Kratos off as the others seemed to want to.

_But no one wants to hear that… not with everything else so crazy right now._

So… with that… she found it easier to assume the position that he had so regularly kept with their group: walking at the back, watching, observing. It was the easiest thing to do – at least until they figured out what they were supposed to be doing. Until then… she could watch.

Lloyd and Genis were as close as ever, Genis and Raine's revelation of their true nature not seeming to have made any difference what so ever to their relationship – if anything, Genis seemed somehow lighter… the truth obviously had been heavy on his shoulders. Sheena and Zelos… _well, they're Sheena and Zelos…_ she shook her head as she watched the ninja continue to try to ignore the Chosen's somewhat cautious overtures of love… lust… whatever he was spouting at the moment – it all seemed to sound the same the longer he droned on. Raine led the group out onto the sunset washed flats outside Ozette, venturing a protective glance back over her shoulder to the others occasionally as she walked. While she might not have been all that thrilled by some of the additions to their party, she was handling it with a quiet grace – Liane admired her for that. Which left Colette and Regal. The blonde girl seemed to have attached herself to the shackled man, oblivious of his restraints or the solemn expression on his face. She seemed intent on making sure he was at least indirectly introduced to all of them and all that they endured so far.

But when the explanation finally ventured away from introductions and landed soundly in her story of how it was that they had come to Tethe'alla – Liane had to stop listening before Colette could fully flesh-out their betrayal at the hands of one of their own. She really couldn't stand to hear it all rehashed yet again… not yet… and maybe not ever. Even as she knew that Colette's view of the situation would probably be one of the kindest that any of them could offer, her hand still fell to close on the handle of her sword just for something solid to focus on.

She would follow them… she would help them…

* * *

"I suppose I could…." 

Zelos didn't even wait for Regal to finish before he ran off in Sheena's direction. The Chosen of Tethe'alla had shirked his cooking duties for the night on the convict without even a backwards glance. With a shake of his head, the blue haired man knelt down by the fire, looking through the bag Zelos had tossed to him in his haste to chase after the summoner.

Liane sighed as she watched Zelos attempt nonchalance at sidling up to Sheena. _That's just not right…._ She pushed herself from the ground and walked over to kneel beside Regal, reaching out to help hold the bag open for him. "That can't be easy to do with shackles on..." she smiled slightly, trying to be at least somewhat helpful. While watching Sheena beat on Zelos had its amusing moments, it still got old fast.

Regal watched her for a moment, surprise flickering in his eyes as he paused in removing ingredients from the bag. After a moment, he finally gave her a small shrug. "I have learned to do a few things with them on."

Her smile faded quickly at his cool response. _Colette must have told him that I was friends with the one that betrayed us… not the best reputation to carry with a stranger, I suppose. He probably doesn't even want to be here anyway. _"Oh... I didn't mean to offend you..." She sat back on her heels and looked down to where she had clasped her hands in her lap. "It really wasn't right the way Zelos dumped his cooking duties on you…" Then, with a small chuckle, she quietly added, "… not that I'm that I'm all that thrilled with his cooking abilities anyway... I swear he could burn water." _And I would know…._

"Since it seems I'll be taking over for him tonight...I suppose I could use the help." Regal watched her again as he stood, carrying the large stewpot from the bag and over to the nearby fire that Genis had stoked for dinner. As if after a second thought, a faintly bitter smirk curled his lips, and he tilted his head to her, eyeing her before he raised an eyebrow. "Or is this to make sure I do not intend to poison all of you?"

"Trust me... your cooking merely insures that I'm not the one doing the poisoning... they don't trust my cooking, either. Genis will usually oust me from the food bag if anything more difficult than sandwiches is even a remote possibility." She pushed herself back up to her feet, uncomfortable with the realization of how he towered over her. He really was quite intimidating... but somehow not in any way that she feared for her safety. "If you really don't want me here, it's okay... I realize that it can't possibly be easy being thrown in with this bunch," she jerked her thumb over her shoulder as Sheena's high-pitched squeal split the quiet of the evening.

Regal winced at the sound, glancing back over to the others and shaking his head as Lloyd and Genis' laughter filled the evening air. With a sigh, he looked down to the food pack again. "I would appreciate the...extra set of hands," he finally murmured with a shrug. "It's been a while since I've cooked, and I have never done so wearing shackles."

She watched him for a long moment, wondering if she really knew him well enough to point out that he had just told her that he had learned to do 'a few things with them on'... but ultimately decided against it. He had no reason to play at the niceties with any of them... so her attempt to lighten the mood again might fail miserably. "How can I help? I don't want to get in your way."

"I was going to make meat stew...but I can't seem to find the kelp..." Regal replied, gesturing vaguely to the open bag before placing some of the ingredients he'd managed to obtain into the pot that he had set out.

"Really?" Liane muttered, sliding the bag away from him and rifling through its empty depths. "I would have sworn we bought extra..." She glanced back at the group, a light glare narrowing her eyes. "Damn... Genis must have used it... everything has to be gourmet with him..." Liane looked back up to the convict. "Can't we skip it? I mean... I really don't like kelp all that much anyway. Besides... I bet at least Lloyd is hungry enough to eat anything we put in front of him..." She knew that she sounded like she was whining, but the meat stew sounded so good...

"Hmmm, I believe I know a recipe that for meat stew that doesn't call for kelp..." the convict murmured thoughtfully, looking over what he had removed from the bag before something remaining in the bag at her feet caught his attention and he looked back up to her.. "But I will need the Black Satay and some rice."

Liane followed his eyes to the bag and smiled, digging in and removing a tiny black bag and a significantly larger white cloth bag. "I know we have those. I may not be much of a cook, but I know what we have bought." She moved a bit closer to the pot, but then paused, looking from the items in her hands and back to him. "Umm... so... I've never done anything with Black Satay before... do you want this or ... do you want to just tell me what to do with it?" She didn't want to, but her eyes drifted again to his shackles. She would take directions from him, but she didn't know if she would once again offend him if she simply assumed that he was going to just tell her what to do. _He seems to know something about cooking... maybe he actually likes it...?_

"If you're uncomfortable with cooking I can take over, but if you would like to try, I could instruct you." His offer was simple… and accompanied by the faintest hint of an amused smile.

_He... smiled?_ She was surprised, but encouraged to his reaction. "I... I would like to learn..." she stammered, feeling like an idiot. She had expected something different from him... maybe more exasperation at a woman her age that couldn't cook. _At least I can admit it, though_... she thought as she couldn't help but spare a quick glance at Raine... who now appeared to have her hands full with a Summoner-rejected Chosen on the rebound.

Regal nodded and drew a small breath as if deciding where to begin. "Can I at least assume since you wield a blade that you can assist me in chopping up the ingredients without instruction?" he asked, drawing Liane's attention back to the task at hand as he gestured to the food he had chosen to use for their meal.

"I can handle that," Liane smiled with a quick nod, reaching to her belt and removing her dagger pouch. Removing one of the twin blades, she glanced and found a decently sized and relatively flat rock. For a moment, she looked from the vegetables to the blade, and then again to the rock. "He would so yell at me for using a dagger like this," she muttered under her breath. She drew a deep breath with the realization that she could simply sharpen it later and lined up the carrots that he had placed into the cooking pot. Carefully, she drew the edge of the dagger across the vegetables... again... again... again... just as she had watched her mother do. _Hey... this isn't so bad,_ she smiled slightly... getting just cocky enough to not notice that her hand wasn't retreating fast enough from the blade. A sharp sting of the metal against her index finger reminded her of that fault as she dropped the dagger to the ground, fighting off the urge to spout a curse on the offending blade.

The blue haired man's head snapped up as the dagger stuck blade-first into the ground at her feet. At first, he didn't move, watching as Liane stared at her finger. Then, after another moment, he rose and took the few small steps to stand over her. "Here...let me see that." Regal knelt next to her, holding out his bound hands to take her injured one. But he stopped there, apparently unwilling to go any further without her meeting the gesture half-way.

Liane looked at him, knowing the hesitance was obvious, but not being able to help herself. _Why...?_ Looking back down to her finger, she saw thick drops of red swelling across the gash. She had cut herself many times... she wasn't afraid of a little blood loss... but his offer was intriguing. "I'll bleed all over you..." she chuckled lightly, but still moved her hand closer to him for him to see. "See? It'll stop soon."

Taking her smaller hand in both of his, Regal closed his eyes, concentrating. Suddenly, there was a green glow around the both of them that pulsed brighter when he murmured the word, "Healer."

Her eyes went wide as he opened his hands to release her and she moved her hand back to the firelight. _Not even a scratch..._ She looked up to him, confusion warring with comprehension in her eyes. "You're a healer?" she whispered, almost in disbelief. _Wow... wouldn't have expected that..._ Then, remembering her manners, she managed a sheepish, "Thank you..."

"You're welcome," the shackled man replied quietly, meeting her gaze as if he was curious to see her reaction. When he seemed satisfied that she wasn't reacting badly, he sat back and nodded towards the vegetables. "If you'd like, I can finish the chopping while you gather some water...unless you'd prefer to continue. You seemed to be doing well."

"Aside from my attempt to add even more meat to your recipe," Liane chuckled self-depreciatingly. "I'll keep chopping. I still have a clean dagger left." The encouragement took her off-guard... she didn't know what she had been expecting when she offered to help him cook... but she did know that enjoying it definitely wasn't it. And she was glad for it.

"I'll get the water then," Regal nodded and stood with the smaller kettle from the bag, sparing a slightly amused smirk for her before he started to move away. "Just be mindful of your fingers."

"I still have nine left," Liane chuckled as she turned back to the pouch with her remaining dagger. "But the night _is_ young..." She carefully discarded she carrots that she might have bled on into the fire and continued chopping the rest of them, the idea of dinner's approach already sounding better with every passing moment.

* * *

For a few precious moments, it had been peaceful… almost jovial save for Zelos' complaints of how abused he was. But even Genis raved about the convict's improvised recipe for beef stew, going so far as to ask him for the details of the creation. Liane had eaten in silence for the most part, but it was more out of contentment than of being sullen. Nothing was solved or erased… it was simply let go for enough time to share a meal – and after the ground they had covered that day, it was easy enough for Liane to tell herself that they all deserved it. 

It was only after their dishes were clean and their food stored away that the frayed edges of their alliance began to show once again, the uneasy peace broken when the topic of the first watch of the night had been brought up and Regal had volunteered. All of the caution and suspicion that they had accepted him into the party with boiled over into Raine, the Professor declaring that – as their prisoner – if he wanted to take a watch, he shouldn't be allowed to do so alone.

No matter the wisdom in the silver haired woman's words, it still irritated Liane. It ate at her even more when the convict rose to his feet and began to wordlessly walk away to the patch of grass at the edge of the firelight just a short a short distance from where the party had set their bedrolls for the night. It seemed that he was prepared to sit alone and wait for the group to make their decision.

Genis was quick to declare that he was tired… as did Zelos as he not-so-subtly yawned and stretched his arm out toward Sheena. As the ninja snarled and proceeded to swat the Chosen's attentions away, Colette and Lloyd hesitated just enough to show their reluctance. And Raine….

Liane met the Professor's questioning gaze and read just the smallest hint of a challenge there. _What are you going to do?_ As much as she knew it was all in her head, Liane still grabbed onto it tightly, taking her sword and daggers from the ground beside her – and rose to her feet. _Caution be damned... this is getting to almost just be plain rude_. "I'll go. We were good enough to fix your dinner... maybe we'll be good enough to watch your backs until next watch, too." She turned her back on the group gathered around the campfire and followed where Regal had stalked away... She could just make out his form in the darkness outside the firelight. She almost felt bad about her reaction to the others, but not enough to ignore the annoyance they were causing her. She just didn't have the patience she used to have for their games. Approaching the convict hesitantly, she paused. _Maybe I should just be quiet... he might not want to talk to anyone after all that._ But then, as she approached him, she discarded the thought. "I guess you're stuck with me for a bit longer tonight..." she smiled with a small shrug, sitting down beside him in the grass.

"I'm sorry. You seem to have been given the assignment of keeping an eye on me." Regal murmured softly, a slouch in his shoulders just barely apparent as he glanced out over the land that separated them from the sea and sighed.

Liane shook her head. "There's nothing to apologize for. I don't think I want to be around them much tonight anyway. They really have no reason to act this way. I should probably be apologizing for them..." she sighed. "So if you can put up with me for just a little longer, maybe we can both stay out of their hair."

"I would rather think of it as enjoying your company than putting up with you, Liane." He told her as he turned back to watch the flames of the campfire dance of in the distance back where they had left the rest of the party to settle for the night. Once again he sighed. "And I can understand their reaction. I did attack all of you."

"Yeah... you did. But people have reasons for doing things..." her voice trailed off for a moment as her mind wandered. "... even if we don't always understand them immediately." Liane shook her head slightly, clearing her errant thoughts away. "They're really not bad people... it just frustrates me that this is all they're letting you see of them."

He nodded in what might have been acceptance of her claim, but kept his gaze on the fire. After a few minutes of silence, he finally glanced over at her. "Who was it?"

"Huh?" Liane's head snapped up at his question. She had lost herself for the briefest of instants in the bitterness that she had been fighting since the Tower of Salvation... since they had all been left at the mercy of the Renegades.

"Who was it that would have yelled at you for how you used your daggers tonight?" He repeated the question, this time a bit clearer for her, his voice quiet and not carrying past the two of them.

"Oh..." she smiled in relief, feeling her shoulders sag. Liane had berated for her self-righteous lecture on motives and understanding herself while she awaited his response... she had only meant to convince him that they weren't all bad. "A teacher, I guess... someone who taught me more about the sword than the daggers, in all honesty... but he still wouldn't have been pleased." She tried to smile... but somehow doubted it appeared as carefree as she hoped.

"Forgive me." Regal murmured after a moment, glancing down at the shackles on his wrists. "I did not mean to pry. I just found your comment odd. I doubted that anyone here would have scolded you for the use of your weapons while cooking."

"No... no... it's..." she sighed. "It's fine. It's not your fault. And you're right... none of them would even bother with lecturing me about my daggers... much less my misuse of them." He truly was nothing that she was ready for... everyone else had all but ignored her lately... or maybe she simply wanted to believe that they were ignoring her. But coming from him... it was almost comforting. She had a distinct feeling that he wouldn't judge her - just as she feared they all had the instant _he _had turned against them. "He was a friend..."

With a slight nod, he gave her a half smile, as if to make up for putting her in an uncomfortable situation. "You don't have to tell me. I was merely wondering. And I would not want to upset you."

"I'm sorry... I'm not trying to be evasive..." she let the statement die. She didn't know exactly what he had heard from Colette or what he knew of their party before he had joined with them, but she really couldn't stand for one more person to weigh in on something she could barely stand to think of. "Thank you..." She almost groaned as the last statement slipped out and prayed that he wouldn't find it too out of the ordinary. She had a feeling that she could tell him... but it would only be a matter of time before he made his own decisions on the matter... it would surely come up eventually.

His glare once again focused on his shackles. "There are some things...that are hard to speak of. I can understand that."

"You know... I'm a decent listener, too... I'm not much for coherent explanations, I guess... but..." It would have taken someone without any of their senses to tell that the man before her bore a burden far heavier than anyone should have to bear, but she sensed a kindness in him - particularly when he asked her about her comment. And when he healed her… and when he didn't send her back to the party when she offered to help. Maybe... _maybe... no one else wanted to hear his side of the story either_...

"I apologize...but I don't think that I'm ready to tell that story just yet." Clenching his hands tight, it looked like his nails nearly pierced the skin, and Regal set his jaw with a faint shake of his head. "Perhaps... another night."

"All right..." she nodded. She knew the offer was out there. But no matter how she wished she could tell him how she appreciated his kindness just in being someone to talk to, she understood the need to keep some things inside. Even if it was wrong, and even if it hurt beyond words. "Well... then I will at least take a stab at trying to apologize for Genis' behavior... I know he's been a bit of a pain for you," she tried to change the topic to something lighter before she lost him entirely. "He's really not normally like this."

"I've seen the way he looks at her..." The sound of his voice was almost wistful as he shifted his legs on the ground to sit cross-legged. A smile tugged at his lips once more, but this one looked almost bitter. "I can see that he merely means to protect her and I will not hold that against him."

She sighed in relief at his response. "I've never seen him like this before... I think it's his first crush. They are adorable together. I just hope we can make things right for her... " her smile faded at the thought. "I can't believe they could do something like that to her... it's... it's so cruel..." Her mind instantly brought her back to the Ranch... she had been lucky enough to escape the fate that had befallen Presea. _Poor girl..._

"Indeed." His expression darkened, and he did nothing to right or hide it. "If we find the inhibitor ore we will be able to help her."

"I hope so... no one deserves what she's going through," Liane sighed, allowing her gaze to slip back to the campfire. "So... " she swallowed, momentarily debating the question she had caught herself thinking somewhere in her mind since they had met Regal in the sewers. "Did you know her before this happened to her?" _What's the worst that can happen... he won't talk to me for the rest of the night... the trip... ever again..._? She instantly wished she could have taken the question back. It really was none of her business. "Regal... never mind. I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

"I had never met her before," Regal replied, paying no heed to her preemptive apology. Raine had already asked about his connection to Presea, but his answer was the same for Liane. No more… no less. "The first time I saw her...was when I encountered the rest of you as well."

"Ah..." Liane nodded. He answered her question, to her surprise... but she realized that she hadn't asked what had been bothering her. He wanted to talk to Presea... she was his concern, and the swordswoman knew full well that the pink-haired girl was the only reason he was there with them. But she wasn't going to press her luck again. She was actually enjoying the conversation with him, despite their collective talent to apparently clue in to topics that the other didn't or wouldn't deal with. "Well... I'm glad you're with us. I know your welcome has been less than warm... but we can use all the help we can get. We... or most of us, anyway... don't know this land. Thank you for agreeing to help us..." She smiled, proud of herself for concocting a nice, true hopefully non-hurtful statement.

"Thank you." He blinked for a moment in confusion at her sudden change in topic. "I...have not traveled in quite some time, but I should be able to guide you well enough, as long as you have need of me."

"Well, it's either you or Zelos, I suppose... and I'm sure that would turn into a tour of the Tethe'allan taverns, at best," she chuckled. She knew that Sheena could probably help as well, but the contrast was better if she left the Summoner out. Somehow, she figured he would understand.

Suddenly, something flashed against the hillside behind them... she only caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye, but it was enough to startle her. _No... he wouldn't come here... not tonight... it's too open._ She tried to subtly turn her attention back to the fire and the group around it, but was still quick to curse herself for even hoping to see Kratos again.

Regal turned his head to follow her gaze with a slight frown. "I doubt the creatures in this area will bother us tonight," he told her quietly. "Many of them will be warded off just by the fire."

"Well... I guess that's what we're on watch for, too," she shrugged, but she was sure that she didn't manage to catch her disappointment from slipping into her tone before he could notice it.

"Liane?" Regal finally asked when the silence had all but solidified between them.

She turned to his inquiry, doing her best to clear her expression better than she had before. "Hmm?"

"After you've helped Presea...what do you plan to do next? Where will all of you go to complete your mission?" he asked with a genuine sense of curiosity in his tone, watching her from beneath the thick crop of blue bangs that hung in front of his eyes.

Liane pondered his question for a long moment. The voice that the others were training her into hearing whispered to her to be careful for what he could do with that information… _but there really isn't anything to tell,_ she retorted silently to hush the doubts and drew a breath. "I don't really know... we're all pretty lost right now. It all started trying to help Colette regenerate Sylvarant... but... it just all spiraled out of control. Helping Presea is what has to come first, but after that, even I'm not really sure," she shrugged helplessly. "I would imagine Cruxis will play a part... but I don't know when... or how. I'm just along for the ride... just like it would seem I have been for the entire journey to date." She hated to admit it, but she was already tired of it all... she hated being a pawn to some unknown game. If she were six again, she would love to pick up her toys and just go home... play again another day. But she couldn't go back. She knew that well enough.

Regal nodded slowly, apparently accepting her vague answer. "There will always be times when things seem out of your control...and that everything is slipping into chaos...but it would seem you are not alone in this." He watched her by the dim light that stretched from the flames of the campfire in the distance. "Life has a way of directing itself, whether you are aware of it or not. I doubt you would have made it here to Tethe'alla if you were not meant to."

Liane nodded, keeping her eyes riveted to the fire to avoid his searching gaze. He was right... she wasn't alone. "I know... I wouldn't have made it this far without... my friends," she cast a light smile at him. His words were a comfort, but he probably wouldn't understand how alone she had felt even amongst her friends since she had been in Tethe'alla.

"It's obvious how much they care for you," the convict murmured without pausing, almost as if the statement was more instinctive than truly thought out. "Even if their actions do not always show it, it is there. While the walls may not be sturdy, the foundation runs deeper than you know."

Liane nodded slowly. "I know they care. I've known Lloyd for as long as I can remember... I know he'd be by my side for anything... and Colette and Genis, too. It's just... there's things they don't understand. Thing just aren't as cut and dried as they need to think they are right now... and I can't tell them that." She shrugged. "I just think I'm going to be caught in the crossfire when they are forced to recognize it. And I'm not looking forward to it." She drew a deep breath and forced a smile. "I'm almost starting to think my parents were right in trying to make me marry a trader... life might have been a little less stressful..."

Regal shook his head, chunks of blue hair falling forward over his shoulders. "Life doesn't exist without stress." His tone had changed to a bit bitter as he sighed, again shifting how he sat in the grass. "And I doubt that they would reject you if they knew everything. I doubt what you are keeping from them...is as terrible as it seems." The firelight flickered off his shackles as he set his chin in his hands, elbows propped up on his knees. "And I can see Lloyd has a very forgiving nature...as does Colette. Genis probably does as well...just not for those interested in Presea."

That thought made Liane giggle in spite of everything else. "He's never had a girlfriend... or wanted one, for that matter. He's not exactly thinking logically right now..." But his words tickled her thoughts. This time, she decided to take a more tactful approach, rather than having to apologize after. "Regal... may I ask you something...? If you don't want to answer, it's fine... I understand completely... and I won't be offended in any way..."

"I can answer to the best of my ability, Liane," he replied after only a moment's hesitation, tilting his head to watch her and clearly giving her his attention.

She nodded and drew a breath, carefully phrasing her question. "You said that you have never met Presea before. Then why...? Why have you gone through all this trouble just to talk to her? If you want, I wouldn't tell any of the others... I mean there has to be something special about her if you're willing to deal with our rag-tag bunch just to talk to her..."

"I cannot really explain it..." His eyes squeezed shut and a deep sigh dragged itself from his lungs. "It's just... she... reminds me of... someone I once knew." After a brief moment of silence, he shook his head. "I wish... I could tell you more."

_Damn..._ She had heard those words before. Presea reminded him of someone he knew. She had seen the reaction before... pain she had caused by forcing the issue. "Regal... I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I guess I have a nasty habit of bringing out bad memories in people. Maybe I should go back to the others... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." She started to her feet, slowly gathering her sword and her dagger pouch from the ground beside her before she could get her foot lodged in her mouth yet again.

Regal looked up, his eyes following her as his posture straightened. "Liane, I know you're not trying to drag things up out of the past." He shook his head, his frown returning once again as he glanced back down to his hands and shrugged. "If you would like to get some rest, I will just explain so to Sheena when I wake her for her shift."

Sheena had been the only one of the party to infer acceptance of his offer to stand watch before Liane had departed, adding that she would take the shift after his as if it might soothe the Professor's worries. "I'm really not all that tired... I'm used to being up late," she paused and smiled at him. "I just don't want you to have to tell me to leave. You've been so kind in humoring my whining... and then I go and push you like that." She lowered herself back to the ground, fidgeting with the handle of her sword on the ground in front of her. "I mean, I am not much better than a stranger to you... I don't expect you to tell me everything. I was just trying to get some idea so I can try to get Genis off your case... if he thinks I know something he doesn't, it will take the heat off of you whether I really do or not. I've been around him for long enough... I can handle him. Then he would stop bugging you, maybe..."

"I doubt if you knew something or not that Genis would come to be very fond of me. It's all right... I am used to... some degree of hostility from those I meet." the convict replied after a moment. Then he chuckled softly, holding up his shackles in the light. "Besides, it seems to be in both of our natures to be curious. I won't send you away for that."

Liane laughed for a moment, glancing back toward the camp. "Good... because I think for how I made a stink to come join you on watch... they just might not want me back with them just yet..." she shrugged and clasped her hands in her lap. "Ah... may... I ask you something else? Something from the past... but the more recent past, maybe?" She knew that he didn't have to answer her anything... but conversation was conversation... and company seemed to be a pleasant way to keep sleep at bay for at least a little longer.

Regal raised an eyebrow at her and shifted where he sat, his bound hands in his lap, as he met her gaze. "More recent past? Now I must admit you have me curious. What is it?"

Chewing the inside of her lip for a moment, Liane looked over to him. "I heard... that three convicts returned to the Pope from the sewers... not four," she murmured quietly, wondering if she'd finally offend him. "Now we know where you went... but... should we be expecting the others again...?" Liane asked, worried for his answer - if he would even give her one. _Don't ask where I heard it from… please…._

"Considering how easily you and the others defeated them, it's doubtful the Pope would risk such a thing again," he murmured shaking his head. "Those men were not trained to fight, he'd have a better chance of sending Papal Knights..."

"Of course..." Liane nodded, not liking the idea of fighting more Papal Knights any more than the prisoners. "I'm sorry... I'd just like some grasp of what we're facing here. We've been wandering in the dark so much since we came here..." she shrugged and looked back down to her hands again. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make it sound like you were linked to them..."

"In all honesty, I wasn't. The Pope offered to lighten their sentences...but that was not what I agreed to," the convict explained, lifting his hands to offer her a small wave as if to brush away her concern. "The Papal Knights are somewhat limited in numbers. They are not an army. They are also not as powerful as they were years ago."

"I imagine the Pope has to be fairly choosy as far as who he allows into his personal guard..." Liane murmured thoughtfully, glancing up to the darkened sky above. "I wish we didn't even have to deal with him. It's not like we don't already have enough going against us..." she sighed and turned to watch him from the corner of her eye. "And... for what it's worth... I'm sorry about today."

Regal shrugged once again. "Considering the large scale that the stakes have been set – with the fate of two worlds in the balance – someone of the Pope's status is likely to be involved." A hint of a sardonic smile tugged at his lips. "I would not have expected his role to be as underhanded as it seems he has made it so far, but he is overly ambitious at best. He is trying to make this work for him however he can, like making the Chosen of Tethe'alla a fugitive."

"I can't imagine going so far as to villainize someone like the Chosen..." Liane shook her head. "Even Zelos..." she added, almost feeling guilty for the thought. "But... that's not what I'm apologizing for. I'm sorry about the whole 'prisoner' thing. I don't really have any idea what they're even thinking..." she told him, unable to share his smile.

Tilting his head to the side, he watched her for a moment in silence. "You were doing what you thought you needed to do. You might not have agreed with the rest of the group, but after all that has happened to you before you even came to Tethe'alla, and now since then, I cannot fault any of you for being careful, Liane. Besides... I had already made myself your enemy. It is why they do not trust me now as well."

"But..." Liane started to object, and then stopped herself. No matter how much she wanted to point out that they had never taken prisoners in their lives, she wasn't sure it was the best of ideas, given the circumstances. "It's just... idiotic," she finally huffed. "They haven't even bothered telling you what their conditions are to release you from this..." _I don't think they even thought that far ahead..._

"All I know is that I have offered my loyalty and my help. Tomorrow, I can help all of you find the inhibitor ore that we need to save Presea, and if that is all that I can do for you in the end...then that is what will be," Regal shrugged, glancing back at the fire. "I don't think they have thought about any sort of terms though. I don't think some of them really considered me a prisoner as I was only one to you for a short time, and part of it, I was unconscious. You do not need to apologize to me."

Liane's frown deepened as she looked over to his shadowed eyes. "If you say so. They're just so... worried about being betrayed," she sighed heavily. "It's changing them. It's... it's just sad..."

"Colette said that there was a traitor among you before you came here," Regal commented softly as if probing for the depth of truth in the blonde girl's stories. "It had to have caused you all pain when that happened."

"It seems that way..." Liane frowned and glanced away. How could it always come back to Kratos... how could he haunt every aspect of their lives like this? She knew that she had to be careful... her unwillingness to write Kratos off as a traitor could cost her everything with her friends and allies. "It looks like his mistake is making your life miserable now, though. No matter how we met you... that's not really fair to you."

Again shaking his head, Regal's eyes fell down to his shackles once again, his shoulders sinking slightly. "I have made my own mistakes, Liane, and that includes making myself your enemy. They cannot help how they feel about the man that took up arms against all of you after acting as your friend before. Feelings can be irrational, illogical, and at the same time make perfect sense to the one who is experiencing them, and they are very difficult to control regardless of just what the feeling is."

"I wish I could tell you that you're wrong," Liane murmured, avoiding his eyes, but absorbing every bit of the wisdom in his words. He was right... nothing made sense where Kratos was concerned... at least not to her. She wasn't ready to write him off as the others were... so that left only questions - including one simple one that overshadowed all of the others: _Why?_ "The Pope sent you after us. It wasn't your choice to make us your enemies... you didn't fight us in the sewers... and you didn't want to fight us in the forest..." she frowned a bit more, the day finally wearing on her. "I know I have no right to ask anything of you... but will you do me a favor?"

"You have been nothing but kind to me since I became a part of this group, I don't see why I would say no," he replied a moment later, drawing his legs up closer to him as he attempted to meet her gaze. "What is it that you need?"

"When you leave... just... just leave," she sighed, unable to look at him at the moment. "You said you didn't want to fight with us... so... please... don't give them the reason to put their own spin on it. It's not fair to you to have them take things out on you. You seem like a good person... stuck in a bad situation. I'm sorry I'm a part of it... I just don't want to see things deteriorate any more. They're all too ready to see enemies everywhere. Maybe I'm the fool in not trying to as well... but I'm already tired of it."

Again his gaze dropped to his shackles. "If I go... I will do my best to just vanish, Liane. But, perhaps you should not be so quick to make everyone who is not in this circle of your friendship your enemy...when it will undoubtedly take more than your own two hands to change the structures of two worlds."

"I know. I just... can't take second-guessing their decisions on who's our enemy and who isn't..." she tried to explain, turning her eyes upward to the strange constellations above once again. "I'm sorry... I know this isn't your fault. It's... just been a very long trip from Sylvarant... and it's been a long day..."

"Fatigue is understandable after what you've been through, Liane, on all accounts. I still believe you should get some rest," Regal remarked quietly. "But... second-guessing... means you may be willing to offer someone that may actually deserve it a second chance."

"Everyone... deserves a second chance... don't they?" she asked, no longer talking about Kratos... or even Regal. Didn't they all deserve a second chance... didn't their worlds? The silent stars didn't seem to want to give her answers... just like her companions didn't. "Maybe... rest is all we need to put this day behind us. Maybe things will get better tomorrow."

* * *

The campfire stood out like a beacon against the landscape, leaving Kratos to his exasperation at how easy it was to find them. Granted, only a handful of those that sought them had any ability for flight – mechanical or otherwise. But it was that handful hat they had to be the most wary of. 

_I should know. I'm one of them._

The seraph tucked his arms to his sides and descended quickly into the trees that flanked Ozette to the north, dismissing his wings just above the ground and dropping lightly to his feet. The party had set their camp in the middle of the flatlands next to the sea. While he could fault it all he liked for its lack of protection, it occurred to him that it offered the group safety even in that – and decent watch would have to be deaf and blind to miss anyone or anything approaching from any direction.

And that 'anyone' included him. Kratos lingered in the trees, the shadows protecting him from being noticed – but also preventing him from venturing any closer. But even with the restraints placed on him, he could see what he came to see. The party's numbers were the same as the last time he had seen them in Sybak, even though their roster had changed slightly. The pink haired girl that had accomplished them since their first venture to the Imperial City was nowhere to be seen. A blue haired man that seemed somehow familiar had apparently taken the girl's place. But it was only when his observations of the party started to combine that his curiosity turned into something colder… darker. The blue haired man sat apart from the others, presumably on watch… side by side with Liane and locked in quiet conversation. When the man lifted his hands once to accompany something he said, the fire glinted off the manacles that the man wore…

… and Kratos' hand closed tighter over the handle of his sword.

Very little of the pettiness that the inhabitants of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla wrapped themselves in ever reached the silent halls of Vinheim, but some of those scandals occasionally caused such a stir that even angels took note.

_What is _he_ doing with them?_

It occurred to him that much had happened to the party since he had been summoned back before Yggdrasill that morning. It had been an inconvenience, but one that he knew that he had to endure to continue with his agenda. Once again, he had put on his mask of indifference and reported to the Cruxis Lord that there was no change in their pursuit of Sylvarant's Chosen… and once again, he had weathered the ensuing storm of anger and thinly-veiled threats. Kratos knew that he was fortunate that there was so much else going on… preparations to ensure the Chosen's success as a vessel for Martel that held Yggdrasill's attention. He had convinced the half-elf to see to those details while the blonde girl was at large… pointing out that the transformation would be all that much quicker when they recaptured her.

But it was a dangerous game… Kratos knew that as well as he knew that he had never fully regained Yggdrasill's trust. Not that he had actively sought it. They had all found their ways of coming to terms with the years that had passed – Yggdrasill's was that everything was tainted with paranoia. Kratos knew that everything he was "asked" to do was a test… just as he knew that his usefulness was limited. Friendship played little role in their relationship anymore.

Yet while it might not have been as much a friendship as it was a habit or duty, it was still more than enough to grant Kratos insight – and that insight was more than enough to worry him. Yggdrasill's questions were a little too smooth and Kratos' answers were received just a little too quickly – almost as if he knew the answers for himself. Perhaps it was the half-elf's paranoia seeping into him after all of the years they had spent together – perhaps it should have solidified its grip on him earlier. But even though Kratos had done his best to stay distanced during his encounters with the party – even though he had tried to craft those encounter to have as many witnesses or reasons why he hadn't simply taken Colette… it still ate at him that Yggdrasill simply _knew._

_But what worries me more… is what he'll do._

Yggdrasill was less than stable… leaving him no less than a coiled viper ready to strike. Believing any less than that was an insult to the power the half-elf had so carefully crafted over the years. But it left Kratos in the precarious position of knowing he had to hurry, while still moving slow enough to mask his goals.

And the convict's presence was one more thing he didn't need to deal with.

While he knew that there had to be a level of desperation to find those that would fight with them – to lend strength to their journey, he couldn't help but question at least some of Lloyd's decisions on his companionship.

_I know that he got that from you, Anna… _his mind whispered softly as he forbid himself to look over to Liane. _Even when you learned the hard way that your trust had to be earned, you still fought against caution to do so… especially with me._ Lloyd had to learn that lesson as well… and he would have to learn it quickly, if Kratos' instincts were right.

Kratos moved another step back into the shadows as he saw Liane turn her head to glance over the woods. He had come to offer her a word of caution – and unspoken apology for what she had heard because of him in the Chosen's garden – one that she could use at her discretion as he doubted the others would listen to him. But he had expected her to be alone, and revealing his presence to the prisoner wasn't something he was willing to chance.

_I wonder why you're here…_ the angel mused silently, reinforcing his stance against the man's presence and making a note to do more checking when he got the chance. The memories of the scandal were weakened due to a lack of interest at the time, but one fact helped Kratos to fix his glare on the blue-haired man.

_This party has no place for a murderer…_

…

* * *

_A/N: Once again, I offer my deepest thanks to Yamato795, Phoenix's official Regal-guru, for her help. I adore the way she writes our blue-haired convict and am honored to have her advice and assistance. If you haven't already done so, I urge you to check out her fic, On My Honor if you are looking for a truly wonderful read from Regal's point of view._


	23. Chapter 24

Heart of the Phoenix 

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Another life hangs in the balance thanks to the Exspheres, and the party turns its attention to helping one of their own. The mysteries of both the past and the futures of Sylvarant become more pointed and the group struggles to stay strong in the face of all of it.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 24:

"_Oh, Noishe… your fur... it's all… red…."_

_Another wave of crushing pain swept over her as she clenched her jaw shut to keep the scream in. It was habit already, but the gentle whine of the dog-like creature reminded her of her need to stay quiet. Even when Noishe gently nudged his head under her arm to urge her to move, she still knew that she couldn't cry out._

_She did what she could cling to the creature's back and felt almost oddly grateful to see the pale-albeit-ripped flesh of her arm beneath the tattered remains of her sleeve. It seemed like such a strange thought – especially when the onslaught of information that the rest of her senses were feeding her – the pain in her chest… breathless sobs from somewhere near her ear… the sickly warmth that coated her skin. It was all too much... a headlong rush of sensation that was more than her body could contain._

I'm dying. I can't stop it.

_Her heartbeat felt unsteady, throbbing only when it felt like doing so. Her time was growing shorter even as her vision was fading… despite the bright white of the snow that was gently falling around her. With thoughts drifting more with every ragged breath, her hearing was turned to the cries beside her… and while she couldn't find the strength to lift her head to look up, she could still see only one sight… one vision that broke her heart._

Kratos….

_The steeled determination in his eyes balanced by immeasurable sorrow… it was a striking contrast… one that refused to leave her – no matter the pain or her fading senses._

It was the only way. Forgive me….

_She was certain he knew… that he knew all of that… that forgiveness wasn't what she should be asking of them._

A few more moments… breath enough for a few more words…

… or even just one.

_A slow, rolling jolt went through her once again, and she realized that her guardian had stopped and propped her against something. It actually took energy for her to drop her head forward when she felt a pair of tiny hands close over one of hers. Opening her eyes wasn't an option… all of her concentration was focused on finding the last remnants of breath that could be drawn from her lungs. It was almost over for her. All of the uncertainty and the running… but wasn't it surrendering? She felt her free hand close over the cold orb in her palm… tightly… to the point of yet more pain. Nevertheless, it was what she needed to open her eyes once again… to stare into pools of earthy brown that stared back into her as her thoughts collided and jumbled._

_A few more moments – _

Were those footsteps…?

_- to say goodbye._

"Lloyd! There's a dock!! Pull up over there!"

Liane blinked away the hazy remnants of the dream that had engulfed her the night before as the EC changed direction, changing the orientation of the sea breeze that blew over her face as well. It was all becoming familiar… another variation of the same dream again… the pain a little more real… the sorrow a little more tangible… the details a little more clear. It was getting harder to wake up after such dreams and instantly wear the disguise of eagerness when all she truly wanted was to go back to sleep and take the chance that the dreams wouldn't come again. But for the second day in a row, she had been granted the reprieve of riding on the top deck of the vessel, allowing her the place, time, and excuse for solitude to restore her defenses. Sheena once again sat across the small deck from her while the others all remained below until Genis had hopped out to excitedly point towards the shoreline.

She had assumed that Regal had been guiding them from below, seeing as how it seemed that no one else had a good idea of how to find the Toize Valley Mine. Zelos had even gone out of his way to point that fact out to Sheena before they had boarded, but whatever he was digging for war apparently not present in the ninja as she huffed, shoved him back into the sand, and then hopped onto the EC without looking back. But in the wake of the drama of the ninja and the Chosen, no one questioned or challenged Regal's offer to navigate… a fact that pleased Liane. While she had to admit that there was the possibility that the convict's presence could still be part of the Pope's plan, she truly believed that his offers of help were genuine. Even though conversation had lapsed into quiet after a while into their watch, it was still peaceful – and she was truly grateful for that. The convict seemed to be a lost soul… a kindred spirit, if she read him right. It seemed to be a common thread that tied them all together.

_Kratos fit that too, though… he still left us._

Liane had to frown as she pulled her knees closer to her chest and rested her chin on them. She was certain Kratos had returned the night before… even though she hadn't seen him, she was sure that he had upheld his promise to return… there was probably no quiet way for him to approach, though. He had heard Lloyd's words as clearly as she had – he was the enemy. And if she would have let him into the camp, she was sure she would be labeled similarly. _It's probably a good thing that Regal was there… otherwise…._

'_Otherwise,' what? _she demanded of herself almost angrily. What would she have done? Gone to him only to be shunned again? To be left with yet more questions that the angel would casually refuse to answer? Drawn him back to the others in an attempt to force them all to talk – to force Kratos to tell them all 'why'? She didn't understand how she could want so badly to reconcile the angel's actions – the words of a fortune teller or not, she was never one to fly into fits of baseless romantic hysterics. If she were, she would have probably long before been married to Michael and saddled with his children – a good little housewife….

As the EC bumped into the wooden planks of the dock, Liane fought back the urge to gag and used the jolt as an excuse to draw in a steadying breath of sea air. Even from a world away, Michael Foley could still drive her to distraction. But for once, she was actually glad for it. It was a relationship she was certain of – at least from her own point of view – a refreshing change from the rest of her life at the moment.

One by one, the passengers from the below-deck hold hopped out of the vessel and climbed out onto the clock of the rough-hewn logs, with Lloyd and Genis hurrying to help Raine step off and steady herself on the solid ground. Liane and Sheena remained seated, waiting for the others to disembark before following along, and neither appearing all that eager to do so.

"It would be nice to spend just one full day in the sun, don't you think?" the ninja asked, glancing up and shielding her eyes from the late morning sun and not really sounding as if she expected an answer. When Liane looked up, Sheena shrugged and sighed. "It just seems like its caves… or sewers… or musty temples… disturbing old forests…."

Liane considered the black haired girl's words with a nod. After seeing Mizuho and its people, she guessed that they spent a good deal of time outdoors – and with their 'hidden' status, the only reason they would have to go to any of those type places normally was if they chose to. "Maybe it'll be quick?" the swordswoman shrugged as she leaned forward onto her knees, feeling to make sure that her daggers were once again secure in their boot sheathes and that her sword wouldn't tumble into the water when she stood.

Sheena snorted, a slightly bitter laugh slipping away from her as she pushed herself to her feet and raised an eyebrow to Liane. "Have you ever known this group to do anything quickly? Really?"

"Everything does have a tendency to get complicated, doesn't it?" Liane smirked and stood as well, taking a moment to balance on the gently swaying deck before turning and waiting for Sheena to hop from the deck. It was strange. Even though Sheena had told her to forget Kratos – she was still the only one of the group that had included Kratos that she didn't feel would judge her too quickly.

"Some days, it seems like there's no other way for it to be," the ninja frowned, shaking her head before hopping over the small gap between the dock and the EC, landing gracefully on the balls of her feet and pausing to watch the others start down the wooden planks to the land. "Come on. We wouldn't want to miss another grand adventure into the underworld, now would we?"

Understanding the sarcasm in Sheena's voice without really thinking about it, staying behind was only a momentary consideration. She knew that Lloyd would be once again eager to stow the vessel away in its wing pack for the sake of novelty, if nothing else. There was that… and then there was the fact that she really didn't want to be left behind. If she could make things go any faster – help Presea just a little bit sooner – wasn't it worth putting her sullenness on hold for just a bit longer? She swung her pack out over the gap, landing it solidly on the dock and then stepping across herself. _What's one more dark cave, after all?_

The EC suddenly shuddered in the water beside the dock as if buffeted by some phantom wind. In the next instant, it was gone… drawn into the metallic iris of the wing pack that Lloyd held out to the vessel. After slipping the device into a pouch on the side of his pack, the young swordsman turned to Regal with a shrug. "All right… where to now?"

The convict looked up, his eyes scanning over the jagged rocks of the mountains before them. "There," he turned and nodded his head pointedly towards the foot of the mountainside. "Just in front of where the water comes closest to the mountains."

Liane stepped down off the dock just in time to hear the blue haired man's instructions, turning with the others to allow her eyes to search the terrain that he had indicated. Sure enough, a wooden frame could be seen, even though it was so close to blending in to the hillside. "Is the mine even open?" she asked, shifting her weight between her feet. It certainly looked abandoned, but it was difficult to guess at how long it had been that way.

"The mine has been sealed for some time. There are locks inside the shaft entrance," Regal replied without looking over to her – or at any of them in particular. "We should keep moving."

Almost as if he was finished waiting for someone to take the lead, the convict started out ahead of the party. Liane blinked once and then glanced over to Lloyd, meeting his gaze for just a moment before he shrugged and then started to walk in Regal's wake. The blue haired man wasn't particularly brusque or rude, but it was clear that he had one focus: getting to the mine. _To help Presea…._ As the party started to move over the lush green expanse that edged the sea, there was no doubt in her mind that helping the pink haired girl was of the utmost importance to Regal. That explained the fact that there seemed to be no room for even the relatively pleasant conversation she had shared with him the night before. _I guess everyone has to let down their guard sometimes, _she reminded herself. _Even though he really didn't say much about her, what's happening to Presea has to be eating at him._

As the party crossed the wooden threshold that divided the bright sunlight from the comparatively abysmal darkness, they paused to allow their eyes the time they needed to adjust to the change. The warm lanterns that sporadically lined the tunnels' walls seemed to grow brighter, the longer the group stayed in place. It was in that time that the wall that stood before them sprouted more detail. A pair of blue half-spheres flanked what looked like a door set in burnished silver and stone, glowing just faintly enough to leave question as to if it was reflected light or if the light truly came from within them. All along the wall was a thick series of metal-clad columns, giving the distinct impression of prison bars.

_But are they to keep things out… or in?_ Liane mused silently as her mind offered her a range of unsavory answers for either option, her hand curling tighter around her sword's hilt as she stood beside Sheena at the back of the group.

"Wow! So this is that sealed mine!" Zelos whistled appreciatively from his place at the ninja's side opposite from Liane. "It sure looks like it might house a ghost or two, don't you think?" he asked, his eyes sweeping over his companions with a mischievous arch to his eyebrow until he met Sheena's gaze. That was the point at which his eyes suddenly sparkled, lending yet more impishness to his expression. "Hmm?"

Sheena slowly turned her head to the redheaded Chosen, a guttural growl boiling deep in her throat. "Will you just be quiet for a little while?!"

Zelos recoiled quickly, lifting his hands as if he thought they would ward off the ninja's anger. "What's with you?" he asked with an uneasy laugh, waving his hands just a bit more. "Don't get mad, Sheena."

While Liane couldn't see Sheena's expression, she was sure that she could feel the glare that had made the swordsman back down so quickly. "Maybe we just remember the stories you were telling back in the forest, Zelos. Getting everyone all riled up over ghost stories probably isn't the best idea right now," she shrugged, keeping her tone even but inwardly snickering at how it appeared that Zelos was actually afraid of the summoner.

"Well, forgive me for trying to share some of the local flavor with you bumpkins," Zelos snorted indignantly, keeping his arms crossed over his chest as he slowly took another preemptive step away from Sheena.

"This isn't good…."

Regal's voice sounded quietly from the side of the group, drawing the party's attention away from yet another potential brawl between Sheena and Zelos. From the way he stared at the wall before them, Liane had to wonder if he truly even noticed the bickering. _Lucky._

"What's wrong, Regal?" Lloyd asked, moving a few steps closer to where the convict stood.

The blue haired man shook his head slowly, but never let his gaze fall away from the structure before them. "The door's guard system is out of control," he murmured with the slightest edge to his voice. "Someone must have destroyed it when trying to force their way through."

Lloyd shrugged without even a pause for thought. "Then let's bust it up even more!" the swordsman offered as if it was the most logical response he could come up with.

After a moment's stunned silence as everyone else paused to stare at Lloyd, Zelos was the one to break it with a chuckle. "That's our Lloyd! That's an easy to understand plan!"

"Yeah," Sheena nodded with a faint smirk curling her lips. "I'm fine with that, too."

Colette stepped forward, her hands clasped behind her back as she studied the wall and then tilted her head back over her shoulder to nod to the red-clad swordsman. "Well, if Lloyd says so, it's fine with me."

Genis wore a comparatively deep frown as he looked up to Lloyd. "Are you sure?" he asked uneasily, slowly shaking his head from side to side and crossing his arms. "Don't blame me if it goes wrong."

"He's right," Liane murmured, chewing the inside of her lip. "If the door is already damaged, won't more damage run the chance of blocking it off completely? Isn't that how a guard system should work?" she exhaled, seeing most of her companions already readying their weapons. "Or, I guess we could just plow ahead and deal with the consequences later… like usual," Liane sighed, having the distinct impression that their course had already been set. Reaching for her sword, she still shook her head. _At least it's just a few machines this time._

"Honestly!" Raine huffed, her tone heavily suggesting her disapproval with their less-than-elegant tactics. But Lloyd was already charging ahead, both blades drawn back to attack.

"The pedestal in the center is the Auto Repair Unit. Take it out first!" Regal called after the young swordsman as the wall suddenly came to life in a flurry of mechanical hums and whines, the bars shifting to level their pointed ends at the intruders and panels sliding open to allow a pair of armed, floating mechanical defenders to take their place between the party and the rest of the Defense System.

Lloyd was already lunging at the calmly spinning pedestal, his blades swinging up before him to draw him up into the air. "Tiger Blade!" was his only answer to the convict's instructions as the Osafune connected with the mechanism both on the way up and on the way down. A flash of mana lingered only long enough to show that the pedestal's spin had slowed for a moment in the wake of the attack.

The party slowly began to scatter with no further commands. Raine was the only one to hang back, her Phoenix Rod lifted defensively before her as she eyed the floating machines warily, watching them as they approached the party from either side. Zelos and Sheena had hurried after Regal, the redheaded swordsman attacking the central panel beside the convict as the ninja moved to block the floating sentinel from having a clear shot at either man.

Colette had been quick to follow Lloyd's lead, her wings brighter than normal against the darkness of the room as she spun, her chakrams gripped in her outstretched arms, slashing at the glowing sphere that topped the pedestal. "Be careful, everyone!" she called out as her spin quickened once Lloyd was clear from his attack, mana sparkling around her weapons as their edges bit into the surface of the sphere. "Ring Whirlwind!"

However, in the red clad swordsman's haste to get out of Colette's way, he failed to notice the hovering machine that had quietly approached his side, leveling its slender gun at him. While Colette's attack held Lloyd's attention, there was no such distraction for the machine as it opened fire on the teen, firing a bright bolt of energy at him and catching him in the side.

Liane stepped forward, alarmed by the pained yelp from her friend as Lloyd dropped to one knee, grasping at his side. "Lloyd!" she called out, silently cursing herself for not seeing the machine in the shadows between the mine's lights. Her sword freed from its scabbard, she rushed at the attacker, coached to move faster by the whispers in her mind: _Lloyd's fine… he's probably just stunned. Gotta stop this thing before it gets another chance._ As mana fed down through her blade and collected in pale ripples, Liane fixed her attention on the machine, seeing it slowly turning to her as she made herself a target. _Now!_ Planting her feet, she thrust her sword out and released the mana, watching it blow away from her in a rush. "Sonic Thrust!" She used the invocation to push just a little more power into the attack – just enough to slam the hovering machine back into the defensive wall of the mine.

"Liane? Cover? Please?"

Genis' voice came from somewhere behind her, and Liane gulped down a quick breath of air to steady the residual rush of her own attack as well as to adjust to the drop in her mana reserves. She turned, shaking her braid back over her shoulder to see the younger Sage sibling encircled by rings of crisp blue runes. Stepping back, Liane could see both Colette and Lloyd were once more moving in on the repair unit again, the swordsman looking none too pleased with the situation in general – and probably with being hit in particular, she imagined.

"Liane… Genis! Keep that Raybit off our backs, okay?" Lloyd called out over his shoulder as he lifted both blades up over his head and slashed down at the Auto Repair Unit, mana blowing out at the device that seemed to snarl under its own power. "Beast!"

_Raybit,_ Liane mused, backing up to accept Genis' request and Lloyd's instruction as she watched the machine she had knocked back shake where it had fallen to the ground before it began to slowly rise once again. _Lloyd must have heard their name before,_ she told herself, realizing that while she had seen similar machines in the Desian bases, somehow, she didn't recall ever hearing their names. _Guess other things were more important – like getting away,_ she shook her head and braced her swords out before her as the Raybit came closer. "Genis, any time would be good?" Liane prodded her friend verbally over her shoulder, never letting her eyes leave the approaching machine.

"Yeah, yeah," Genis grumbled distractedly as he worked his spell, the ball of his kendama dancing on the waves of mana that whipped around him. "Just buy me a little more time…."

_Time. That might be a little expensive, but I'll try._ Liane set her jaw, tensing as she started to feed her mana into her blade, ready to cast Guardian if she had to, all the while hoping that she wouldn't have to hold it for long. Everyone seemed busy with the flurry of enemies that seemed to keep coming from the shadows. _Even the wall is attacking us, _she marveled in dull horror as one of the bars stabbed down at Zelos, forcing the swordsman back with a frantic hop. _We can even make inanimate objects attack us. How much talent do we have to have for that?_ Lane thought in exasperation, seeing Sheena in a position similar to her own with distracting the other Raybit.

"Ray Thrust!" Colette's voice rang out over the din of battle from where she hovered back a small distance from the Auto Repair Unit, sending a mana-imbued chakram in to deal its damage to the sphere for her. She kept her hand extended, snagging the metal ring from the air as soon as it returned to her.

"Freeze! Icicle!!" Genis' invocation was sharp as he thrust his kendama up into the air, the runes of his mana circles shattering and spiraling up into the air before dropping back to the ground beneath the Raybit. It was just a heartbeat later that it shimmered and solidified, forming a spike that reached up for the machine, catching it in the underbelly and instantly coating it with ice. The effect listed for only a moment before the spike shattered and the Raybit clattered to the ground where the base of the ice spike had been.

Liane stepped forward, momentarily confident that Genis was in no immediate danger. _Time to keep it that way._ Rocking back onto her right foot, she allowed her sword to sweep into its practically instinctive double-arc. "Double Demon Fang!" she called out as the twin mana slices connected with the damaged Raybit. A shower of sparks flew into the air as the mechanism exploded in a small burst of fire and smoke. "One down…" she commented as she turned, her eyes sweeping over her closer companions as she started to move toward the Auto Repair Unit.

"This one isn't far behind," Lloyd ground out as his blades blurred in the dim light, repeatedly striking the sphere. "Sword Rain _Alpha!_" the swordsman demanded, strain showing in his voice as he dipped both of his twin blades low and jerked them up, rending the edge of the metal stand and shattering the sphere. As the unit's turning ground to a halt, there was only the sound of metal grinding against metal replacing the low hum that was now even more conspicuous in its absence.

"I have you," Raine murmured from her position a small distance away, her voice just audible over the continued fight against the wall.

Glancing back, Liane saw the Professor surrounded by a building flurry of pale green runes, her rod gripped tightly in both hands. _Only Lloyd got hit, but I guess a little extra energy never hurts,_ she decided as she turned – and found herself reminded that their fight was hardly over. Zelosand Regal were still attacking the central panel on the Defense System while Sheena seemed to be losing ground against the remaining Raybit – and the arm-like appendages that had once looked like simple bars weren't making things easier for any of the Tethe'allan fighters.

"Let's go…" Lloyd spoke, gesturing towards the others with his blades as he started to jog towards Sheena.

Liane looked over to Colette as she heard Raine invoke her 'Nurse' spell and was almost surprised by the resolve she found in the blonde Chosen's eyes. While it didn't seem likely that the cheerful girl she had known for most of her life was gone, a seriousness about her that made her seem like a different person. Colette nodded to the dark haired young woman and hurried after Lloyd, leaving Liane behind for only the moment that it took for her thoughts to solidify once again. _I guess we really are all changing already…._

Even as the ghostly embodiments of Raine's healing spell dodged around their improvised battlefield, Lloyd reached Sheena's side just as the ninja growled out her frustration and leapt forward, slamming her card onto the metallic skin of the Raybit in what looked like a desperate bid for space. "Pyre Seal!" the black haired summoner growled as the Raybit was blown back by the storm of mana duplicates that answered the Sheena's call.

"Maybe _this_ will put a dent in this thing," Zelos complained, not too far behind Sheena's position as he took a step back, brandishing his sword out before him. Leaping up into the air, he slashed at the center of the starburst pattern of the panel. Regal took a small step backward, relenting in his kicking attack as Zelos leveled his blade at the panel when he reached the height of his leap. "Hell Pyre!" the redhead called out as his three fire balls struck their target and he dropped back to the packed-dirt ground, crouching for only a moment before he rolled to the side to avoid yet another stab from the system's "arms." "Whoa… hey! I'm trying to work here!" he whined as he bounced back to his feet. "Someone break those things off, will ya?"

As the swordsman regained his stance, Regal was already moving, closing the distance between himself and one of the arms coming down to strike, pushing off the ground to go into a back flip. Keeping his left leg extended out, he delivered a powerful blow before gracefully landing on his feet, the metallic snap of the arm breaking off filling the cave. "Crescent Moon."

Liane ran forward, pausing to avoid the strike of another one of the arms before she continued to where Lloyd and Colette had joined Sheena and where the Raybit was recovering from the ninja's attack. The rhythmic pounding of Regal's kicks was throbbing in her ears as she looked over to Lloyd and jerked her head back towards Zelos and Regal. "You've got better tricks than I do. I'll stay here… go help them," she told him, offering the crimson-clad swordsman a thin smirk before she looked back to the Raybit and dipped her sword tip back to the ground.

"Okay… thanks," Lloyd nodded quickly as he pivoted on his heel. "You guys be careful," his voice trailed off as he trotted to help the redheaded Chosen and the convict.

The simple command – not even a strange one from Lloyd – somehow warmed Liane's smirk, energizing her a bit more as she charged her blade with mana. _He doesn't hate me_, she breathed out as her sword sliced up through the air at the Raybit. "Demon Fang!"

The slice of mana slammed into the Raybit, rocking it for a few moments before Colette's voice rang out. "Pow Hammer!" the blonde girl fairly cheered with what almost sounded like a giggle in her voice. Suddenly, a bright red and faintly glowing hammer dropped out of nowhere, connecting with the Raybit and driving it to the ground with what sounded like a squeak upon impact.

_A squeak??_ Liane's eyebrows knit as she looked over to Colette. "_What_ was that?" she demanded, glancing back to the downed Raybit and watching the hammer bounce once… twice… across the floor and then simply vanish.

Colette glanced back over with a playful shrug. "Something I've been working on. Fun, huh?" she smirked as her eyes trailed back over to the Raybit as it struggled to rise from the ground again.

"Guess we can't argue with the results," Sheena sighed as her stance tensed once again and she drew her card defensively through the air before her. "It's not like I'd accuse anything we're doing as being exactly 'conventional' anyway."

"Ah, guys –" Genis' uneasy voice disrupted the critique of Colette's technique, drawing attention back to him where he stood pointing his kendama in the direction of the Auto Repair Unit. The pedestal was once again slowly turning, and the now-cracked sphere once again glowed. "Hey, I think this thing is working again!"

_Damn… figures it would repair itself, too,_ Liane grumbled, momentarily torn on where to be. She looked over to see that Lloyd was already retreating from attacking the panel beside Zelos and Regal, but before she could even turn to suggest to Colette that at least one of them should fall back as well, something moved out of the corner of her eye – something large. _No! The arm!_ She heard Colette suck in a quick breath, but she didn't take the time to wonder at her reasons. Liane quickly swung her blade up, finding the motions oddly comfortable as a green sheen began to spread even as she was just starting to comprehend how close the point of the arm truly was. "Guardian!" she called out as the protective field formed around both Liane and the blonde Chosen directly behind her just before the arm slammed against it, ramming into the field at a lesser speed once again before withdrawing. With each push, Liane responded, pouring a little more mana into her defense to repulse the attack and feeling her reserves drain more every time she did. She held the field only as long as she had to – until she was certain that the arm was retreating. Dropping the shield, Liane gulped down a breath and glanced over her shoulder to Colette. "Go help Lloyd finish that thing off, or this is never going to end."

Colette frowned, her eyes flickering between Sheena and the Raybit, the arms that still slid through the shadows above, Zelos and Regal's struggle, and finally, Lloyd. "But –"

"Go. I can handle this thing," Sheena responded to Colette's hesitance without looking, her focus on connecting her boot with the hull of the Raybit. Liane and Colette glanced at each other for a moment, a flash of mutual guilt running between them for leaving before they could truly help the ninja, but then Sheena spun back to them, her hand flicking out toward Liane. "Liane. Be careful!" she hissed before turning and running at the Raybit once again.

Liane blinked as something small and orange tumbled into her hand. _An orange gel?_ She blinked but quickly looked up to Colette and nodded. "Go on… I'll be right behind you," she told the girl and popped the gel into her mouth, silently cursing the fact that she probably did need it. _I need to be stronger than this,_ she continued to grumble to herself as she slowly backed away, the gel refreshing her just enough that she had the hope of finishing the battle as she turned to see Lloyd once again lunging at the Auto Repair Unit.

"Hurricane Thrust!" the teen declared as a wave of shimmering mana launched from his blades, the evolved Sonic Thrust blasting at the pedestal and actually rocking it back on its rotating foundations for a moment before it settled harshly back to the ground. "This thing can't possibly take too much more, can it?" Lloyd asked as he backed up from the unit.

"If it's repairing itself s fast as we damage it, it will probably take every bit of it," Raine spoke out from where she stood behind Lloyd, her eyes closed placidly for a moment longer as golden rune circles blazed in the air around her. "That means that we just need to overload it," the Professor continued as her eyes snapped open and she pushed her rod out in front of her. "Light! Photon!!"

The very metal of the Auto Repair Unit's metal legs groaned in complaint as the bands of shining light snapped tight and then exploded in a shower of sparks. "I like how she thinks," Sheena laughed dryly, throwing her card out and holding it up to face the once-again advancing Raybit. "Power Seal!" Tendrils of blue mist snaked away from the card and wrapped around the Raybit, sending crackles of energy over its surface as it shuddered and dropped to the ground at the ninja's feet.

"That's my ninja hunny!" Zelos declared with a bright laugh, sparing an obvious wink for Sheena before he leapt up into the air. His blade once again led the way, shining in the air above him before he landed, slamming his sword to the ground with grace that contrasted with the deadly nature of the strike and the swath of mana that it loosed on the Defense System. "Fierce Demon Fang!"

The voices around him didn't seem to distract the convict in the least, his movements fluid as he kicked at the metal before him with enough force to leave large dents. A piece of metallic siding was beginning to fall off, exposing wires as he continued on, spinning on his left leg while throwing out his right three times as the momentum carried him full circle each time. "Triple Kick!"

Liane couldn't help but glance back at what Zelos had called Sheena. She still couldn't figure out quite how to take his pet names. While she was less than fond of hers, it was because of the mocking nature that she heard in it when he called her 'Warrior Goddess." With Sheena, she could see her own reaction mimicked, but in how Zelos spoke to her… there always seemed to be something else beneath the bravado.

"Drown! Spread!!" the silver haired boy commanded the blue runes flowing around him, sending them down in a rush of shining water over the Auto Repair Unit, the mechanism answering the torrent with a series of angry buzzes and crackles. "Hey, Liane! Our friend is back!" Genis called out to the swordswoman, pointing to the Raybit that had struggled back into the air when she looked over to him.

The young mage's call pushed Liane's curiosity to the back of her thoughts as she broke into a run to place herself between the Raybit and Genis once again. The thing was clearly struggling to stay airborne, not to mention to aim its weapon. "Not for long," Liane ground her teeth together and once again guided her sword through its double arc. "Double Demon Fang!" _It worked once,_ she reasoned as both waves of her attack slammed into the damaged Raybit, and she couldn't help but recognize a stab of relief as it dropped to the ground in a burst of smoke, showing no sign of even attempting to return to the air.

"Keep going! We've almost got them all!" Colette cheered, beaming at Liane for a moment before she turned back to the Auto Repair Unit and threw both of her chakram out in quick succession. "Dual Ray Thrust!" she called out as the weapons flew true to their target to deliver their blast of the Chosen's mana before returning to her hands. The Auto Repair Unit groaned again, its rotation continuing to sound more and more labored.

A quick beat suddenly could be heard over the dwindling sounds of battle – steady and rhythmic as it came closer. Liane looked back towards the entrance to see Lloyd running headlong for the Auto Repair Unit. _I didn't even see him back off that far,_ she thought in just a bit of dismay as she watched her friend hop, bringing his feet together and using his momentum to push himself into the air, both of his blades churning the air around him. _I couldn't do that… not in a million years._

"Tempest!" Lloyd's voice could just be heard over the slicing whispers of his blades, but his attack's effect was clear: the Auto Repair Unit exploded just as the swordsman touched back to the ground, wobbling for a moment as he watched flames lick around the sphere with wide eyes.

Zelos' laughter once again filled the mine around them. "Ohhh yeah!" he called as he sidestepped the stab of yet another arm and swung his sword up before him. "Now it's my turn!" the redheaded Chosen declared as he dashed forward, mana rippling back over his blade in blue-silver waves. "Lightning Blade!" he called out as the crackling mana flew away from him, striking the panel with a loud 'snap.' Zelos quickly bound back as the second wave of the attack struck – a lightning bolt from the depths of the darkness above slammed squarely into the center of the panel. As the blinding flash disappeared, the only evidence of its presence was a large scorched patch over the center of the star burst design and a charge in the air that each of the party could feel as the roving arms hesitated in their travels for a few long moments.

Regal gasped as one of the arms snapped out to knock him back, temporarily off balance until both feet sunk into the ground once again to give him leverage. Grinding his feet into the dirt, the convict threw himself forward again, breaking past the metal arm to throw out his left leg in a sweeping blow. "Swallow Kick!"

There was a great, deep, and echoing noise that echoed through the chamber as the metal door bowed to Regal's kick, falling back into the tunnel behind it and opening the party's path. With that, it was over. The machinery that had protected the mine's opening all finally ground to a halt, showing no signs of coming back to life – even the pale blue glow of the half-spheres on the wall had been extinguished. The blue haired convict stood back as the others gathered around him, his eyes surveying the wreckage of the Defense System as he tossed his head to push his loosely tied ponytail back over his shoulder. "We survived," he murmured with just a hint of something that might have been either relief or surprise.

"Okay, good work everyone!" Zelos sheathed his sword and clapped his hands together as if to shake off the unseen dust of hard work. "Now, let's go get that whatchamacalit," the redhead shrugged and started to stroll forward, heading for the opening that Regal's final attack had left for them.

Genis groaned as his head rolled back and his arms fell limply to his sides. "_Inhibitor ore_!" he called after the Chosen in exasperation.

Zelos paused in midstep, glancing over his shoulder to the young mage with a wide smile. "Yeah, that!" he agreed with a good-natured laugh in his tone and waved his hand over his shoulder as he began to walk again. "Come on, let's go!"

While following Zelos' lead was a somewhat different twist, it was difficult to argue. _That's why we're here. There's no point in dragging it out,_ Liane reminded herself as she slid her silver sword back into its scabbard at her side and began to walk along with the others. She couldn't help but notice the distance Sheena seemed content to leave between herself and Zelos, but decided that exploring its reasons further could wait until things were just a bit more private.

"They're all so violent."

The soft comment barely caught the edge of Liane's hearing, but it was enough to make her hesitate and glance back to see Regal hanging back, lingering near the demolished Auto Repair Unit. _Violent? But he never objected…?_ She frowned, somehow taken aback by the disdain that she heard in his quiet statement. "Regal?"

The convict's head snapped up, suggesting that he thought that his words had been a lot quieter than they truly had been. "It's nothing," he shook his head once again and began to walk straight ahead, not meeting Liane's gaze, but rather looking _through _her as he strode past where she had stopped.

Liane stayed in place for a few more moments, her eyes trailing after the blue haired man before she sighed and continued after him and the rest. _Are we really?_ she wondered silently, certain that she had heard Regal's words correctly. Were they all really becoming that bad that it was so easy for the newcomer to the party to write them _all _off as 'violent'? _Granted, Lloyd's plan was hasty, but if anyone had a better suggestion…._ Liane shook her head, wondering when her perspective had become so skewed. Pointing out that he had fought alongside them struck her as argumentative, but even as she had to admit that she was slightly offended, she couldn't tell him that he was wrong, either.

_It feels like fighting has become less of a choice and more about survival,_ Liane reasoned as they wandered further into the mine. It wasn't a debate she felt like having with Regal or any of the others, so she was content to remain at the back of the group that stayed behind as Lloyd and Sheena went ahead to scout the path through the mine. The shadows around them shifted subtly, suggesting that they weren't alone – that their time of relatively peaceful travel through the mine could end at any time.

_Must be nice._ She set her pack at her feet and leaned back against the leg of a scaffold that seemed to be some kind of a transport system across the mine. _To be able to come out of the shadows when necessary… to avoid all this awkwardness and indecision…._ It struck her as odd to envy cave-dwelling monsters, but it didn't stop her from doing so.

_But that's what _he_ does._ Her thoughts betrayed her once again, venturing back to the seraph that part of her sought in every shade. It was somehow so easy to see darkness as his domain and almost disturbingly easy to think that he had never been a creature of the light. Liane couldn't even say with any degree of certainty what he was, but her instincts wouldn't believe anything other than that there was a man beneath all of the trappings, the power, and the deceit. What had buried the man so deep, she couldn't guess. With a sigh, she crouched back to the ground beside her pack. _I want to know._ It was a truth she didn't dare to speak, but a truth nonetheless. She closed her eyes and folded her arms over her knees, resting her forehead against them.

_Who are you, Kratos Aurion?_

"_You don't want to know."_

_She watched him shift where he sat across the tiny cave that they had shared since their escape from the ranch. Her gaze narrowed on him, still not willing to forgive him for disappearing from her life that night in Luin, only to reappear days later to play the part of the hero. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't," she bit back, her glare still challenging him to meet her gaze. She had no chance of stopping the snort of contempt as her anger continued to boil. "I should have asked that the day I met you."_

_He looked up at that, something he hadn't done since he had returned with food earlier that evening. "Perhaps you should have. It's not something that can be changed now."_

_His tone was as short as hers, frustration grinding at the edges of his voice. The weather had changed, as evidenced by the cold wind that blew in through the tunnel to the outside. Their fire was small – actually crowding them both in the cramped space – but it was necessary. It seemed to her that she had traded one certain death for another, just waiting there in the cave for exposure to the elements to finish her once and for all. "Then maybe you can tell me something else. "The thought surprised her almost as much as how quickly it found voice. She was torn. Leaving – running and taking her chances with any Desians still searching in the storm… or staying and confronting the mercenary for the truth of their relationship. She knew which would be easier – _

… but I never liked snow all that much.

_Mahogany eyes had yet to leave her, even though they were partially obscured by his chopped auburn bangs. "Ask what you will."_

_She could read between the lines, hearing the defensive note in his voice as clearly as she heard the howling wind outside. 'You can ask all you like. I don't have to answer.' With a small huff, she met his eyes. "You won't tell me who you are. Then tell me what you are." She chose her words carefully, crafting them to sting, but also to force him to reveal himself. Was he a person? Or was he little more than an object at the mercy of life's flow?_

_The mercenary offered her no quick response. In fact, he might as well have been a statue. She couldn't read him – she could barely be certain that he was even breathing. She almost expected him to climb to his feet and leave without another word or even looking back._

"_I _was_ a man that made a choice," he replied, only his lips moving to form the words. "I _am_ the result of that choice, and I am trying to set it right once and for all."_

As vague as ever,_ she rolled her eyes as they fell shut and shook her head. "I should give up, shouldn't I? You dodge every question I ask."_

"_Let me ask you one, then," Kratos murmured quietly, his voice slipping into the dark world behind her eyelids. "Can you handle an answer that will make you question everything else that you know?"_

_She looked up at that, and jumped with surprise to find him practically nose to nose with her – his eyes piercing him. It was a glaring reminder of how he could completely unhinge her. "If you promise me that it's the truth – and swear to always be honest with me. Yes." She couldn't help the chill that slid through her – and she knew it had nothing to do with the temperature in the cave. Her eyes widened as he leaned closer, finally fluttering shut as his lips brushed over hers, a gentleness that felt sweetly familiar to her._

"_Then this is the truth…."_

"Damn! There's a gate here, too."

Liane jumped at Zelos' exclamation, her gasp even sounding obnoxiously loud in her own ears. In the next instant, she realized – much to her horror – how close the rest of her companions were… and how they were all staring at her. Forcing a quick laugh, she shrugged. "You sound surprised," she shook her head and was sure she saw the curiosity of the others turn away from her. They were on an entirely different ledge than she remembered being on – she could even see the transport platform she had been waiting on in the distance. _Did I black out again?_ Liane wondered, trying not to frown too deeply and carefully creep back into the present. It was unnerving – just moments before, she was certain that she was in a cave with Kratos. They were on the run from the Desians, but in the blink of an eye, his presence had been traded for that of the others and her location shifted to another cave a world away. _No one noticed… and I just followed along?_ She simply couldn't doubt that for the time that it had taken for the party to cross the mine, she had been somewhere else. Her senses still remembered the warmth of the fire and the sound of the wind – and the blush in her cheeks and the odd beat of her heart still remembered the kiss that wasn't hers.

"Relax," Regal commented from where he stood to the side of the door, shaking his head to Zelos' reaction to the closed off path before them. "The inhibitor ore is not that way."

Lloyd looked over to the convict with a slight arch to his eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

Regal shrugged and turned to meet the young swordsman's question. "I've worked in this mine before," he answered the question, providing no more than what was asked of him.

"I see," Raine nodded, her eyes fixed on the convict for just long enough to emphasize her distrust before she huffed and gestured to the ledge back behind them. "Then let's be on our way."

It was easy enough for Liane to read into her mentor's words. She couldn't find enough wrong with Regal's claim to make an issue of it, but the fact that it was the barest of acceptable answers didn't help her acceptance of his presence, either. _Let it go, Raine. You have secrets, too. We all have._ Even if the calm she had found on watch the night before was gone, she couldn't fault Regal for his choice of keeping his life private. It wasn't as if his shackles didn't already work against him enough… bearing more than that to a group of strangers was almost unthinkable. _I can't even tell my friends some things._

"Hmm. You worked in a mine?"

The party had started to move with Raine's instruction, but Zelos' words made them stop and turn, seeing the Chosen still planted beside the gate, his arms crossed over his chest and a sarcastic smirk on his lips. As soon as Regal turned, Zelos snorted and tossed a chunk of red curls back over his shoulder with a shake of his head. "Yeah, right…."

"Zelos?" Lloyd questioned as the redhead strode forward, still chuckling to himself as he passed by the rest of the party that had stopped for him.

Zelos laughed and waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder to them. "Ah, nothing, nothing, just talking to myself," he explained a bit too quickly and with a playful lilt to his voice before he shot a bright grin back to the group. "Come on, now, let's go, Lloyd! To help my cute Presea!"

Liane's eyes followed Zelos, hoping that he didn't think he was being subtle. _But then, 'subtle' really isn't his style, is it?_ She shook her head, feeling like she was once again on the outside of a joke. Starting to walk again, Liane glanced back over her companions… and accidentally met Regal's gaze. It was over in a heartbeat, the convict breaking eye contact almost as fast as it happened, but in that instant – before it could be veiled by blue bangs or the cool sheen his eyes had worn all day – she would have sworn that she saw worry. Frowning, but honoring his silent bid for privacy as he once again walked past her, she allowed her hand to fall to the hilt of her sword. _Zelos knows something._ She was getting more sure with every comment the Chosen made in regards to the convict. _I promised I wouldn't pry…_ she reminded herself, trying to quell the curiosity from rising any further. _If Regal wanted to talk or tell us something, he could. It's his choice._ Liane sighed as the party started to line up at the first transport platform, making full note of the fact that the convict's back was turned squarely to her as they moved into pairs to ride across the chasm. _It's none of my business._

"Hey, Liane. You feeing okay? You were acting kind of spacey there for a while…?"

Liane blinked away her thoughts at the sound of the voice beside her, shocked that it almost sounded like the Lloyd that she had known for years and missed sorely the past few days. The swordsman's smile warmed her for a moment as she realized that he had taken his place to ride with her. _He didn't have to, but here he is?_ Recovering as quickly as she could, she smiled for him. "Was I? Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind," she shrugged and glanced back ahead to watch Regal and Colette board the transport platform. _Makes sense. He knows his way around,_ she reasoned and looked back to Lloyd again. 'Sorry' didn't seem like much, but if he was referring to the time she couldn't remember, what else could she really offer him?

Lloyd nodded, his smile fading back a little. "Tell me about it," he laughed a little and then reached up to run his fingers back through his hair. "But thanks for watching out for us back there at the Defense System," she shrugged, kicking at the dirt at this feet.

_He feels it, too._ The realization almost surprised her, but his words and how he would barely look at her showed Liane that he didn't know how to handle the distance that was growing between them, either. "It was the best I could do," she answered with a small smile. "Btu it all seemed to work out all right, I suppose."

"I was thinking…" he started hesitantly, his eyes shifting up to her. "You said something about better tricks back there? Maybe we could train again? I could try to teach you something new? I mean, I know I fight differently than you do, but if we train, maybe we can figure something out?"

She was stunned by his words – then she had to pause to consider when it was that her faith in their friendship had been shaken. _We haven't trained together since -_ She stopped the thought cold and quickly smiled for her friend. "That would be fun," Liane nodded, grateful for the offer. "I guess trying to catch up with a sword means I might always be a bit behind in the area of techniques," she shrugged.

Lloyd laughed at that as Genis and Raine stepped onto the transport, leaving Zelos and Sheena next in line to cross ahead of himself and Liane. "Well, I can't do spells, so you're still ahead of me on that, if it helps?" the swordsman shrugged, still smiling at her. "Next time we get a chance, maybe…" his voice trailed off as his expression scrunched in thought. "Maybe I can teach you Beast? That's kind of like the Demon Fangs. You're good at those."

It was what she had been looking for – some bridge to bring their friendship back together. Liane's smile brightened as things took a small step back towards 'right.' "Lloyd, I'd really like that –"

Her acceptance was cut short by a muffled 'crack' that made both Liane and Lloyd look up as Sheena huffed and stomped onto the suspended platform. The ninja turned, her glare blazing on Zelos. "If you've got something to say, _say it_!" she ground out as the redhead stepped onto the platform beside her with his hand still protectively covering where he had been hit. "I've had it with your smug little games! I don't get it, okay? So tell me or just…" she growled and turned her back to him. "Or just shut up."

Zelos threw his arms up into the air. "And here I thought you had a brain-" he started to groan, but quickly stopped when she spun, her hand already moving to hit him again. He caught her hand, but his cringe was still obvious. "Wait! And I was right!" he pouted just a little at her and shook his head as she pulled her hand back. "That's why it's going to be fun when you finally see what I'm talking about."

Sheena rolled her eyes as the platform lurched into motion to carry them over to the others. "You're such an idiot sometimes…" she grumbled, glaring at him for a moment longer and then looking away. "Oh, and if you even try to grope me, I'll shove you off."

The redheaded Chosen's words were lost to the machinery around them, but Sheena's words were the ones that stuck with Liane: _"If you've got something to say, say it!"_ She sighed, watching Zelos and Sheena for a moment before she looked back to Lloyd. She had to do it – she had to. "Do you really think I could be your enemy?"

Lloyd looked like he had been struck, his amusement at Zelos and Sheena's show evaporating. "What??"

Liane exhaled and leaned her head into her hand, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was too late to turn back. Reclaiming her exasperated breath, she met his eyes. "Zelos' garden, Lloyd. I was there. I heard you," she told him before he could even try to play dumb. "Do you really think of me as your enemy because I won't write Kratos off as mine?" It had already eaten at her for too long. Even though it was just one part in a long parade of things that were leaving her life in a fog of confusion, it was at least one that she could air out and at least attempt to fix.

"Liane, I…" Lloyd faltered, shaking his head, but not attempting to correct her. "No. But, I don't understand how you can't. I don't understand how you could forget what he did to Colette. He even attacked us – _all _of us." He tightened his hands into fists and looked to the ground. "And even that would be easier to take if he would just drop the act and be our enemy when we run into him. He's not one of us… it's not like he's helping us."

"You're that sure…" Liane muttered, almost disgusted that this was the time he would choose to hold such a grudge. She suspected that it was because of how much he looked up Kratos… but she wasn't going to add that to the discussion just yet. "It's not like you, Lloyd. It's not."

"Well, it doesn't make sense to think that he's out friend after everything, either," the swordsman frowned, the barest hint of defensiveness in his voice. "Liane, maybe he is really talented or good looking or whatever, but this is a really bad time to have a crush," he shrugged, looking up to her. "I mean, none of us were ever that crazy about Michael, but at least he never turned a sword on us."

_A crush?!_ The dark haired swordswoman almost choked. It didn't feel like a crush… it felt deeper than that. But at the same time, it wasn't that strong, either. It was present, but it didn't feel right to call it a 'crush.' "Lloyd, it's not like that," she shook her head, silently cursing how warm her cheeks were and praying that the shadows of the mine hid it. "I just think that if he wanted us dead, we wouldn't be standing here debating it," Liane told her friend, glancing up to see the platform returning for them.

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean that he's not just some sadistic jerk that's just toying with us before he gets bred and decides to kill us off," Lloyd grumbled sullenly, taking a few small steps to stand between Liane and the platform, meeting her gaze as evenly as he could. "Look, you're not our enemy, okay? But you're gonna get hurt if you won't see that he is." The swordsman quickly rushed a breath as Liane opened her mouth to speak again. "And if he's not, it's up to him to prove it. He's the one that can prove it to me, and I really think you need to look at him that way, too."

The platform stopped before them, beckoning them to step on, but Liane couldn't move. Lloyd had always been the one she could talk to – and more often than not, he knew her well enough that he could almost explain her own thoughts to her. Her hopes, her fears… he had so often given her the strength to face them through whatever trial, no matter how minor. But his words and his reasoning only told her that this time, perhaps, she really was on her own. Kratos was an enigma to all of them, but maybe she was the only one that felt the need to understand him. Why he couldn't have leveled his deathblow to their relationship as he had to the others was beyond her, but it was her problem and her problem alone. "I don't know if I can, Lloyd," she murmured quietly. "But thanks for at least being honest with me."

The swordsman huffed in quiet exasperation and then turned to step onto the platform, remaining silent until she stepped on beside him. He sounded as if he wanted to speak at least twice before he finally found words roughly halfway across the mine. "Liane… just be careful, okay? He's dangerous…."

He spoke with a voice that spoke of worry, yet with none of the animosity that she had been dreading. _He knows I can't let this go. _Liane realized that her friend's words weren't a promise of help, but rather a plea for her to make the right decision. _But his idea of the 'right' decision and mine are very different, aren't they?_ Her friend might not consider her an enemy, but he also knew that her heart was in a slightly different place than the rest of them. _If I get the chance, I still have to figure out what all of this means. But will Lloyd try to stop me from doing that?_ Night wasn't an option to rely on to as a time to clear her mind – not when the dreams only seemed to put a more chaotic spin on everything. _If he's our enemy like Lloyd says he is, I'll never get the chance._ The thought was dismal, but balanced out of necessity by its opposite. _But if he isn't, he could explain so much – to all of us…._

The platform slowed to a stop, and the moment was over. Lloyd wore a smile that Liane knew was there for the benefit of the others as he gestured to her to step off ahead of him. It made her sad, but still brought some comfort – the swordsman hadn't attempted to deny what she had heard. She understood that he had been angry at the time, and his words were general enough to hurt even if he hadn't meant them to do so. It was good to know where she stood, even if the truth was a lonesome one. _This is mine to bear. If I'm going to understand Kratos, it's for me to do and no one else._ Maybe it would change, maybe it wouldn't. But it was one less ambiguity. And for that, Liane was grateful.

The party quickly regrouped, and Regal moved to guide them through a nearby wood-framed arch. Chatter was minimal as they made their way through the narrow, lantern-lit passage, only to turn a corner and find themselves faced with a giant boulder that completely blocked further passage into the mine.

"Whoa, there's a boulder here, too," Lloyd murmured, walking up to the stone and thoughtfully placing his hand on it as his eyes traced over its surface to the ceiling above the tunnel.

Liane frowned as well, following Lloyd's gaze upward. If the tunnel could be blocked so solidly, who was to say that they couldn't be trapped in the mine as well by a similar blockage? "Do we need to dig or…?" she started, her frown still etched on her face before she noted a mischievous grin on Genis' face and had to stop.

"Let's blow it up like the last one!" the mage declared, waving off Liane's option and looking back to the swordsman that suddenly shared the expression.

'_The last one'?_ Liane could only stand and gape for a moment as she saw Lloyd lift the Sorcerer's Ring without any further encouragement. However, before she could ponder the effectiveness of a fireball against stone, there was a flash of light at the base of the boulder, one that left behind a dark, sizzling ball. _When did the ring get that ability?_ she thought distractedly, wondering how much she had actually missed and not really noticing that the others – including Lloyd himself – were quickly backing away from the boulder. She was physically drug from her confusion by an arm that caught her around the waist and pulled her backwards, pressing the breath from her as she was hurled to the ground. Cushioned by her pack, she gasped for breath as a loud 'boom' filled the air and left her ears ringing as her mind sorted through the blur of activity. As a fine hail of pebbles fell around her, Liane opened her eyes, not even remembering when she had clenched them shut. It was only then that she realized the solidness that pressed her to the wall was actually a body. In the next instant, she recognized the blue-eyed gaze that was but a breath in front of her.

"Hunny," Zelos started quietly, his arm braced against the wall just over Liane's head as his grin could even be heard in his voice. "You've just got to be more careful," he chided her with a quiet 'tsk.' "But then, if there were no damsels in distress, I'd never get to charge my standard fee for rescuing them, hmm?" he purred, blinking wide eyes at her.

"Fee?" Liane asked, almost afraid to move for how close he was and cursing that the wall behind her wouldn't let her shrink away. "You charge a fee for a rescue?"

His laugh was a low rumble as he leaned a little closer. "Just a token of gratitude, really, my Warrior Goddess. All I ask is a kiss. Right here." He turned his cheek to her and tapped it lightly with his finger. "Nothing that would compromise a goddess' virtue, of course. Just one little – _urk!!"_

Liane blinked as Zelos' eyes widened just the instant before he jerked backwards only to land at Sheena's feet, the ninja's fingers still hooked into his collar. "Get off of her," the summoner growled as she continued to drag him backwards toward where the boulder had been. "Keep patting yourself on the back like that and you're going to hurt yourself," she continued to grumble as the Chosen flailed behind her.

"I knew you cared!" Zelos crowed, laughing until Sheena released him with what sounded like a snarl. "Sheena, hunny, say the word and the only kisses I'll ask for will be yours!" he laughed again and scrambled to his feet to hurry after her. "Come on, you can do it! Just say it and you'll never have to be jealous again!"

_All of that… and he can still turn it into a pick-up line?_ Liane shook her head, laughing to herself as she shifted her weight to start to get back to her feet, freezing for a moment when she found a red-clad hand extended to her. "Lloyd?" she murmured in dull surprise as she accepted his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet.

"Guess there's kind of a short fuse on those mana bombs, huh?" Lloyd grinned and released her hand to brush the dust from the explosion away from his clothes. "Sorry if you weren't expecting it?"

Liane quickly shook her head, noticing that the others had all moved on ahead. While her thoughts had been wandering, had she really somehow missed them changing the function of the Sorcerer's Ring again? She didn't even remember seeing one of the pedestals that affected the ring – how could her dreams have taken her in so completely? Losing a few moments on a mountainside trail was one thing, but from what Genis had said about blowing the boulder up like 'the last one,' she had missed an explosion, too? She gripped the hilt of her sword and followed Lloyd into what appeared to be an excavation area, worried about how oblivious she had been, but at the same time, gratefully that her companions had apparently watched over her the whole time. _Have I been that removed? So much that no one even noticed?_ It worried her, but she knew that she couldn't ask much without alarming her friends. _I just have to be careful and pay attention,_ she told herself resolutely. _I can't let it control me…._

The party wove their way through the mine, with the various dig sites left in an array of conditions, avoiding pits and machinery as best they could by the dim light that filtered into the cavern. Suddenly, Lloyd stopped as he turned to walk around a ramped conveyor to the next level, throwing his arms out to stop those behind him as well. "What's this thing?"

Stepping forward, Liane shook off her worries about her blackout to see what Lloyd was talking about only to see a tiny humanish-looking creature with a brown conical hat standing in the middle of a clearing between dirt piles. It looked so out of place that she had to force her words through her surprise. "It looks like one of the garden gnome statues that my mother has in her garden," she murmured in surprise. "But it's smaller…."

The tiny creature suddenly cocked its head to them and raised a hand almost as if in greeting. "Hey, you losers," it spoke in a voice that seemed almost cheerful, given how nasally it was.

"Whoa!" Genis exclaimed, backpedaling a step from the gnomelette. "It talks!"

"Of course I talk!" the creature snapped back as it planted its fists on its hips and glared heatedly at the young mage. "You'd better watch your mouth!"

Liane was stunned. When they had first come across the creature, any movements it made had been slight enough to be explained away as tricks of reflected light. But when it spoke, it somehow disturbed her even more than the bats and other creatures she could _feel_ watching them from the shadows. "And I thought they were creepy when they were statues lurking in the bushes," she mumbled, taking a small step backwards.

"He's not very civilized," Lloyd shook his head and glanced over to Colette with a shrug that she quickly returned.

The tiny creature sighed and flailed his arms. "I'm on a journey to find and eat some potion," he declared as if it answered Lloyd's observation of his behavior.

"Eat?" Colette questioned and crouched down before the gnomelette, smiling a little in amusement. "Are you sure you're talking about potion?"

The gnomelette walked a few steps closer to the blonde girl with another sigh, gesturing widely with his hands. "It's something that's only for adults that makes them feel good," he explained, an impatient groan punctuating his words.

"It seems he really does mean potion," Raine murmured in dulled surprise as she shrugged to Lloyd's questioning gaze.

The gnomelette nodded eagerly and his glare slid over the party one by one again. "Do you losers have any?"

Lloyd turned to Liane with a slight frown and pointed to her pack. "Didn't we buy an extra Palma Potion when we were in Palmacosta?" he asked with just a faint touch of exasperation in his voice.

Liane frowned for a moment, but she turned and lowered her pack to the ground. She was certain they had purchased two and used one to settle Colette's debt with the imposters, but she also remembered the price tag on the precious vial. _A thousand gald is a little much to spend on such a rude little beast's whim,_ she frowned as she removed the bottle from her pack and held it up for the swordsman. No one else had objected – probably out of shock at the creature's behavior and presence – but she still sighed heavily. "If you think it's for the best," she shrugged, unable to keep herself completely silent.

Lloyd looked as confused as Liane felt as he lifted the potion from her hand. He looked down at the tiny bottle for a moment before he turned and crouched to hold the potion out to the gnomelette.

"This is it?!" the tiny little man asked excitedly as he snatched the bottle from Lloyd's hand, his eyes glittering as he held it out before himself like a hard-won trophy. "Is this the potion?" he asked again as his gaze flickered between the bottle and the party, finally nodding his approval. "You losers did a good job!"

"A simple 'thank you' would work just fine," Liane rolled her eyes and started to shake her head – until the gnomelette suddenly popped the vial into his mouth, leaving a crunching noise to fill the cavern as she and the rest of the party stared in disbelief.

Genis was the first to find words, even though his jaw still hung slightly slack. "Whoa, he even ate the bottle."

After a few more moments of bone-jarring crunching, the gnomelette gulped down the mixture of Palma Potion and glass, a frown set deeply on his tiny face. "It doesn't taste like anything," he declared before shaking his arms at the party in frustration. "Is this what I've been traveling for all this time?" he demanded as he stomped his feet. "This is lame! I'm going home. Later." With that, the gnomelette pivoted on his heel, bounding up over a nearby pile of dirt and out of the party's sight.

"At least you won't be sick anytime soon – at least not if all the glass you ate doesn't kill you first," Liane grumbled, shaking her head as she lifted her pack back onto her shoulders. "What a little ingrate." _Not even a 'thank you'…._

Lloyd was silent for a few more moments before he turned back to the group, scratching his head in what looked to be frustration from the look on his face. "What the heck was that all about?"

"We should continue on," Regal murmured from the back of the group. "It's not much further to where the inhibitor ore should be."

The party turned at his suggestion and followed the convict out of the excavation area, the momentary distraction that the ill-mannered gnomelette had afforded them faded and gone before their reason for being there. _He's right,_ Liane agreed silently as her eyes scanned over their surroundings, trying to find _something_ to keep her mind occupied. _If I can drift off like that, I'm no good to anyone,_ she thought bitterly as she mentally kicked herself once again, ignoring the draw to think of the details of the dream again.

* * *

"And you still can't find them." 

"No, my Lord," Kratos replied from where he was bent low over his knee, his eyes on the dark marble floor of Vinheim's throne room. "They seem to have gone underground after the incident atop the Fooji Mountains."

"Ah. You must mean the incident where you stopped Lady Pronyma from accomplishing her mission to retrieve Sylvarant's Chosen," Yggdrasill purred, the unvoiced malice in his tone manifesting in the controlled drumming of his fingers on the arm of his throne. "How… _sporting_… of you?"

Kratos sighed, wondering how much longer the half-elf would draw the issue out. It was now the third time in as many days that he had been summoned before Yggdrasill to answer the same questions with the same answers. With Yuan and Pronyma in the shadows nearby, he knew that he was being made an example, but Kratos had played the game at least as long as the Cruxis Lord had, and time had brought him the gift of patience as well. "Sport has nothing to do with it, my Lord," he replied firmly, repressing the groan that oh-so-badly pushed to leak out. "The Chosen's companions would fight to the death for her. And while that might not be so much of a problem, harming the vessel would be." He sighed and lifted his head, keeping his gaze even as he met the cold eyes of Yggdrasill. "I still do not apologize for my actions. You bade me to return with Pronyma and summon Yuan. Both of which I accomplished without endangering the Chosen any more than necessary."

Yggdrasill was silent, keeping the gaze of the auburn haired seraph without changing how he was draped over the arms of her throne. "So you did. But my orders to retrieve the Chosen have never lapsed, and that happened three days ago, Kratos." Slowly, Yggdrasill began to shift, slowly shrugging off the embrace of his massive throne to stand and slink down the handful of plush steps to kneel before Kratos. Every movement was absolutely fluid and deliberate as he lifted his hand, placing two fingers beneath the other man's chin to force their eyes to meet. "Explain to me again why Martel's vessel still isn't in my possession?"

Fighting the urge to slap the hand away, Kratos didn't even blink at the evenly worded challenge. "Because her protectors are weary of us – of me – and moving too hastily would endanger her. Exactly as I reported yesterday and exactly as I reported the day before yesterday." He pushed himself to his feet with his next breath and looked down to his leader, seeing the smoldering rage he knew would be there in his eyes. "At the appropriate time, I will bring her to you," he stated flatly, not looking away as Yggdrasill rose to his feet.

"The appropriate time was at the Tower of Salvation, Kratos," the blonde half-elf hissed even as his smile stayed calm and collected.

"Then perhaps you should see to it that the Renegades don't interrupt you again," Kratos bowed sharply and turned, not waiting for Yggdrasill's response or his dismissal. He heard a low chuckle as he walked away, but he kept his pace steady as he retreated from the throne room.

"You should see about giving me a different response tomorrow," Yggdrasill called after the angel, the insincerity of his nonchalance singing almost as loud in his voice as the tone that it mocked. "Otherwise, I may have to find someone else to do the job that you can't."

Kratos froze for a moment, debating between responding or ignoring Yggdrasill's threat and finally settling on the latter. He knew that the Cruxis leader's options were limited when it came to a single being to send after the Chosen and companions – and they had already bested Pronyma once. Yuan was another matter. It was just as likely that he would brush off such an assignment as follow it. But that left sending the Desian troops – or even the angels? – into Tethe'alla. The appearance of either force in the still-prospering world would no doubt bring chaos. That was why Kratos had the feeling that neither of them were the threat Yggdrasill was holding over his head.

He pushed both of the oversized doors to the audience chamber open wide and continued through without a backward glance, letting them slam shut behind him as he stalked away toward the tower that housed his personal chambers. The only reason Yggdrasill hadn't sent every minion under his control after Colette was because he knew that his condition was worsening and that preparations had to be made before Martel could take the offering. While he knew that madness was lurking in every dark corner of Yggdrasill's mind, Kratos found himself grateful for his methodical nature. _It buys me time, even if it does make him more suspicious._ Ozette would be his next stop while the party was busy to the south in the mine. For once, the soft-hearted nature of the Chosen and her companions worked in his favor, with the mine providing them with shelter from the likes of Pronyma.

"He really does have her eyes, doesn't he?"

Kratos spun, instinct driving him through any surprise that he was not alone in the narrow passageway at the base of the tower to allow his hand to find Yuan's neck and slam him back into the stone wall. "Don't _ever_ say that again," he snarled under his breath.

"Urk – her hair, too…" Yuan continued, grinding the words out despite his constricted airway. "But the spikes… that's… all you," the aqua haired half-elf continued, squirming a little and gulping down a breath of air even though Kratos' grip tightened once again. "Something like that… _has_… to be… genetic."

"Yuan…" Kratos growled his warning, keeping his grip tight in an attempt to shake the still somehow-smug smile from the half-elf's lips before releasing him to slump back against the wall and draw in a ragged breath.

"Same foul temperament, too," Yuan hacked, straightening his cloak over his shoulders as he watched Kratos turn and continue up the staircase. "Pronyma is distracting Yggdrasill with her incessant prattling, if that's what's bothering you," he shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest, starting up the stairs behind the other man. But when only silence answered him, Yuan chuckled again. "You do realize that you're going to have to come up with better excuses than simple stubbornness, don't you? He knows what you're capable of, of he would never have assigned this to you."

_What I'm capable of…._ The words felt like the sharp stab of a knife, but he quickly pushed it away. Yuan was right. He _was_ capable of every part of his assignment, and that was precisely why Yggdrasill was testing him. He had delivered Chosens into Cruxis' hands before, but not since he had attempted his failed stand against the system. It was growing clear to him that it was all a test, and not just on the part of Yggdrasill. Fate was making him choose this time, leaving him nowhere to go back to if he should fail again. "If you came to tell me what I already know, you may leave now, Yuan," he spoke as his feet continued to carry him higher up the spiraling steps.

"Ah, then you must also know what an interesting group your simple little Chosen has gathered for herself," Yuan shrugged as he continued to follow in Kratos' wake. "Two half-elves, the child of an angel, the second Chosen, a summoner, a current and a potential Angelus project subject, and one forced to clean up the mess left by such a test subject –"

Once again, Kratos turned and slammed Yuan back into the wall, pinning him there by the neck. It didn't bother him so much that Yuan was familiar with the party's roster, but how he described each of them was more than enough to sharpen his glare on him. "Yuan. I told you before. _Shut up._"

"Oh, didn't you know about all of that?" Yuan smirked despite how he squirmed under the other man's grip. "The Iselian girl's tests showed a level of compatibility with the Angelus Project during her brief stay at the Asgard Ranch," he gasped down a breath of air but still managed a chuckle. "But… you wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?" he shook his head as Kratos tightened his grip. "The convict went to prison for… eliminating?... a botched Exsphere experiment when his lover regained her senses enough to beg for death… oh, and the 'child of an angel' should be obvious… even to you."

Kratos' head spun for a moment, allowing him to press Yuan back into the wall once again before finally releasing him, allowing his glare to keep the half –elf pinned to the wall for long enough for him to steady his thoughts. He had suspected as much of Liane's stay at the ranch and Lloyd had been a given since he had first seen the boy at Iselia, but he was kicking himself for not remembering the convict. The details had simply been something he hadn't wanted to hear, not at a time when his own wounds were so fresh. As much as he hated to admit it, Yuan was right about all of them. The Chosen had gathered a peculiar group to her – one that seemed, in nature alone, to be a last strike of fate to right itself. "Don't get in my way, Yuan," he growled the threat and turned to continue up the steps. If Yuan was aware enough of all of his random facts to use them to taunt him, then there was a chance that Yggdrasill would know all of it as well.

_I know that Yggdrasill has to know about Lloyd._ That had been clear since the Tower of Salvation. Everything else was a combination of factors that was impossible to ignore. _This is the time. Things have to change now, or they never will. _Reaching the door of his chambers, he pressed on the handle and stepped in, allowing the pitch darkness and deafening silence to take him as the door swung shut behind him. He had once found the courage to change things and had been empowered by his wife's presence beside him. Now, she was gone, but he couldn't help but sense her spirit once again, guiding him from so many different directions. _You might not like my methods, Anna, but I'm going to try. For our son, and for the world we wanted him to be able to live in…_

…_but for now, I need to figure out what Yggdrasill has planned._

* * *

"Seriously! How do you _forget_ about the trap that could squash you under a huge boulder? That's the kind of thing you really _need_ to remember!" 

Zelos broke the silence that the party had fallen into while Lloyd had been crouched beneath one of the lanterns to work. The redheaded Chosen's arms flailed as if his complaint had finally boiled over after all the waiting. Hopping up to his feet, Zelos stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to pace, his gaze never leaving the convict that sat passively against the wall near Lloyd. "I mean, did all that work you did in the mine give you early senility? Because if so, I _really_ need to get out of here…."

Liane looked up, continuing to absently turn one of her daggers in her hand. Fidgeting was a bad habit that her mother had chided her for for years, but the quiet of the mine around them while Lloyd worked the charms into the inhibitor ore had been unsettling. But for the moment, she was torn – unnerved by the silence or annoyed by the Chosen's prattling. She would have sworn she saw Regal bristle under the lantern light, but other than that, the convict didn't seem to have even heard Zelos' rant. "Zelos, give it a rest, okay?" she groaned, noticing that, beside her, Sheena's fingers were digging into the packed dirt by her sides. "No one was hurt and we got it turned off, so just let it go."

"But nothing's going to bring back the Naploosa Bacura," Raine muttered quietly from where she sat beside Genis, her ankles tucked beneath her as she leaned her weight onto the Phoenix Rod. "That poor specimen."

Genis turned to look at his sister and reached out to pat her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll find you a nice ruin or something soon, okay?" he offered with a wide grin on his lips.

Raine's head snapped up to her brother. However, before she could speak, Lloyd stood up, holding the chunk of carved ore out to the rest of the group with a relieved exhale. "I think this will do," he shrugged, glancing around to his companions as they stood and moved closer to peer into his hand. "Later, once Presea has returned to her normal self, let's have Dad or Altessa make a real one."

"I understand," Regal nodded as he climbed to his feet to stand beside Lloyd, his voice calm as ever and showing no signs of annoyance at Zelos' earlier verbal jabs. "Then let's return. It is unbearable to leave Presea in that house steeped with the stench of death."

Lloyd nodded and pushed his work into the pocket of his trousers. "Yeah," he murmured, his tone dimmed noticeably from moments before when he had proudly shown the ore to the others.

Regal barely waited for the young swordsman's acknowledgement before he turned and strode away. _I guess we're done here._ Liane sighed, shrugging as she met Colette's blue gaze and saw the blonde girl return the gesture. _He's so driven. Not that I don't want to help Presea, too, but it's as if he's not thinking of anything else._ She stopped the thought, recognizing the futility. There was nothing left for them in the mine. Once Presea was cured, they could worry about finding their next steps.

The trip back through the mine seemed blessedly faster than their trip in, although Liane realized that her sense of time couldn't exactly be trusted. _I still have no idea how long I blacked out. That's just not something that I really want to use as a conversation starter._ All that she knew for sure was that it had been long enough for them to find a way to change the function of the Sorcerer's Ring and to blow up a boulder. If she had played any kind of a role in any of it, she couldn't say. As much as she didn't like the possibility that everyone might have had to protect her if she had been so despondent, she hated the thought that it was so common for her to be that say that no one would even say anything about it.

Bats and other slithering darkness-dwellers showed only moderate interest in stopping their retreat from the mine, the few that went so far as to attempt it being shown the error of their ways by the party's swift retaliation and victory. They were becoming stronger together, leaving such random fights to be little more than a chance to stretch muscles that itched with the urge to stay in motion and to get to their goals. But when they approached the last tunnel that would allow them exit from the mine, they heard something out of place – voices that didn't belong to anyone in their group.

"It's no good, there's no Exspheres around here, either…."

The frustrated discouragement added an edge to the already-rough voice from around the bend in the tunnel ahead. But it was nothing compared to the growl that clawed its way out of Regal's throat as his head snapped up and he dashed to the front of the group, stopping just within sight of the door through the guard system. "Vharley!"

Liane frowned, moving along with the others to gather behind Regal as a grossly rotund man turned from his conversation with a pair of armored men. Her hand moved on its own to the hilt of her sword, tensing as the man that was apparently responding to Regal's call started to chuckle. _I've seen him before…_she realized as just the man's greasy appearance made her stomach roll. _In Meltokio… with Presea?!_

"Regal!" Vharley laughed with mock joviality, a faint accent tinting his voice. "So you're the one who destroyed the guard system outside."

Lloyd spent a few more moments watching the convict's back before he glanced to his side, catching Zelos' attention. "Who's that?" he hissed, attempting to keep his voice quiet despite the echo in the narrow passageway.

"That's… Vharley, the Exsphere broker," the redheaded Chosen replied with a frown, never taking his eyes from the simmering confrontation. "What's he doing here?"

"Why are you here?!" Regal demanded, showing no recognition for the confusion flickering through his companions that were gathered behind him. His shoulders were taut, and his hands shook within the shackles that held his wrists together. "Why has the Pope let you stay free? That's _not_ what I agreed to!!"

Vharley threw back his head, a chilling laugh bubbling out of his throat. "Did you think the Pope would really keep a promise to a murderer? And you've forgotten your promise to bring us Colette! You joined with _them_ instead!" The man snorted and closed his hands over his jiggling belly, a cold glare in his eyes replacing the amusement that should have been there to accompany the laughter.

Liane felt her jaw drop, her eyes fixing on the form of the convict. _Murderer?? _She couldn't see his face from where she stood, but from the way his form snapped at Vharley's words, she realized that there had to be at least some truth to them. _No… that's not right…?_

"_Silence!_" Regal's voice boomed out in the passageway, advancing another step on the Exsphere broker. "If the Pope will not fulfill his promise, then I will punish you myself!!"

Before the blue haired man could take a full step, Vharley was practically stumbling backwards, colliding with his armored companions as he struggled to keep his feet, one hand out before him as if it would ward off the convict's rage. "No way!" he shook his head. "I'm gettin' out of here!"

Regal advanced a few more steps, looking as if he was about to set into a run, but as Vharley and the armored men were practically tripping over each other trying to fit through the opening that separated them from the outside world, he stopped. While the others hung back, he stood with his back to them, his entire form looking like it could snap at any given moment from the tension that twitched his frame. There was an uncomfortable silence that lasted only as long as it took for Colette to step out ahead of the party, leading them up to Regal's side. "Regal, who was that man?" she asked, her voice soft compared to the harsh words last spoken in the passageway as she reached up to place her hand on the convict's shoulder.

Shrugging out from under the blonde Chosen's grip, Regal drew a breath and turned to face them, his shoulders slumped.

"He called you a murderer…" Genis murmured, standing before the shackled man, his wide blue eyes fixed for a long moment on the restraints before he finally looked up to the man that wore them.

The blue haired man's gaze fell to his shackles as if to confirm what it was that the young mage was seeing. "I am a prisoner serving time for the crime of murder," Regal responded, his tone almost lifeless compared to the emotionally charged words he had spoken to the Exsphere broker just moments before. He shook his head, his wild bangs obscuring his eyes in the dim lights of the tunnel. "I won't blame you if you look down on me."

Liane chewed the inside of her lip for a moment, trying to digest the information that Regal had now confirmed. _A murderer...?_ It was stunning. The word conjured such horrible images in her mind, but he was nothing like any of them. He had _healed_ her!! He was soft spoken, intelligent, thoughtful… how could all of that fit with something so ugly as murder? _I never would have guessed. Not a chance. _She was more unnerved by the fact that she was so stunned than anything. _Am I really so oblivious that murder would be the last thing I'd consider as an option for his crime?_

"What happened?" Lloyd asked, voicing the question that their silence suggested that they were all struggling with, dipping his head a little in an attempt to meet Regal's eyes only to have the convict shake his head once.

"Explaining would be an excuse," Regal replied, his calm reasserting itself over his tone as he squared his shoulders and looked around his companions one by one. "I committed a crime. That's all that needs to be said." He shook his hands and started to turn, but was stopped by the low voice of the teen that had become the group's unofficial leader.

"My stupid actions have killed many people," Lloyd muttered, shaking his head in what might have been disgust turned inward, but after a moment, he looked up to the convict. "I don't know what you did, and your crime won't go away, but when you're suffering, it's all right to at least say so."

_He's right. _Liane's stomach tumbled once again at the stark truth in Lloyd's words. In the heat of battle, it was easy to write it off as a fight for survival. But it wasn't always against beasts. Sometimes it was against sentient monsters with a will of their own – or maybe even those just following the duties of their orders. While she was certain that a good number of their fallen enemies had been left breathing, there had to be some that departed the world as a result of their encounters – leaving behind loved ones and regrets of a life unfulfilled. "We all have had a hand in such things," she muttered with a deep frown. "If it was our choice or not, our actions have affected others' lives." She hung her head, her thoughts somehow flashing back to the Tower of Salvation when they had been forced to fight one of their own – and the cold look of resolve that had lit his eyes. "None of us are innocent."

"Um, I don't know how to explain it very well," Colette spoke up, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking uneasily back onto her heels, "but I think we have the Goddess inside all our hearts. So I think the Goddess also bears the burden of your sins with you," she shrugged, freeing up a hand and reaching back to push her hair back over her shoulder, a weak smile curling her lips. "Um… that's all."

Regal tilted his head to the girl, his eyes scanning over all of them before he shook his head and sighed, almost as if dismissing their attempts to ease the situation. "Perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to tell the story," he murmured, turning and continuing to walk slowly ahead of them towards the exit of the mines. "I apologize."

_I suppose it doesn't matter who shares the burden of your sin if you've already judged yourself, _Liane's thoughts murmured as they stood and watched Regal's retreat. Her mind raced for reasons to explain his actions and words, still unable to link him to the bloody crime in her head. But that he so easily accepted it and practically excused any reaction they would have to him suggested that he had embraced his guilt. Accident or premeditation, he made no attempt to explain. _He's probably so used to living with it that being alone with the facts is more comfortable than trying to explain._

"Come on," Lloyd exhaled, waving over his shoulder to get the others to follow in Regal's wake. The young swordsman let the convict get a head start, but fell in step a short distance back. "We're still together in this – in helping Presea," he murmured, shaking his head as he led the rest of the group out of the mines.

The sunset was already starting to paint the skies above, making a trip back across the unfamiliar waters of Tethe'alla to Ozette unwise. There was little objection to setting camp near the coastline that night and once again board the EC and return to their friend in the morning.

Conversation was sparse, each member of the group entertaining their own thoughts as they went about settling in for the night. Regal was physically present in the group, but he didn't speak, almost as if encouraging each of them to judge him. He lurked at the outer edges of the group and away from the fire that they circled, not even moving closer when Genis began to serve his meal of Risotto to the others one by one.

Liane tried not to watch him too closely. She hated that when she looked at him, she was looking for something she had missed, something that would have clued her into such a devious nature that would make him clearly guilty of the crime he had confessed to before them. But no matter how many times she looked to him and no matter how long she spent analyzing what she saw, she couldn't see it. She couldn't bring herself to be afraid, either. _A cold-blooded murderer would never do what he's done already,_ she told herself. _He's crossed the world to help Presea… he's fought beside us and helped us. _She glanced down to her finger, searching by the light of the fire for some sign of the slice she had put there the night before and finding nothing. _He's a healer… what kind of a murder is a healer as well??_ The laughter at the back of her mind at that almost disgusted her as another face floated through her mind… the one that she had known as a mercenary and now as an angel… the one that had healed them as much as Raine had before he had turned his blade on them with no warning. _Never mind…._

Before Liane could be further lost to the thought, a plate of steaming Risotto was suddenly beneath her gaze. She reached out to take the plate, looking up to find Genis smiling down at her. "Thanks, Genis…" she smiled to her young friend, once again grateful for any distraction that would take her thoughts off Kratos for even a few minutes.

"Sure…" Genis nodded, shifting the other plate in his hands as he looked up so. His smile faded a little as the boy sucked in a quick breath and he continued to walk past the ring of his friends, hesitatingly approaching where Regal sat alone. "Here. It's not much, but it's kinda late for a big dinner," he shrugged, his voice a quiet show indifference as he held the plate out to the blue haired man.

Liane glanced over her shoulder, trying not to be too obvious as she watched the interaction. _At least Genis is trying…._

After a few long moments, Regal reached out to accept the plate with a nod. "Thank you," he murmured, the first words he had spoken to any of them since they had stepped out of the mine.

The silver haired boy nodded and took a small step back, making as if he was about to turn to return to the safety of his friends, but then his steps faltered and he stood quietly watching the convict. When Regal finally looked up, Genis nervously closed his hands into the fabric of his short pants. "You've… killed a human being," he stated – not questioned – softly, almost sounding as if he surprised himself by speaking.

"That's correct…" Regal replied after a moment, looking back down to the plate in his lap. "I apologize. I imagine it's not easy traveling with a criminal. I hope you can tolerate me for a short while. Just long enough for us to save Presea from the curse of her Exsphere."

Genis remained silent, his hands shaking and never releasing the blue fabric crinkled in his grip. "I… I'm a murderer, too."

Liane almost choked at her young friend's words, hearing emotion there that she knew had to have been stewing ever since the confrontation in the mine, if not long before. She had to look away, her eyes darting to the others nearby – Lloyd, Sheena, Colette – _everyone_ seemed to be studying their plates, their appetite forgotten. _They all heard,_ she realized with a heavy heart as she had to see that they were all sharing the young mage's thoughts. Shaking her head, she once again looked back over her shoulder, hoping that her ponytail hid the fact in some small way. _Oh, Genis… what are you doing?_

"What?" Regal murmured in question, his silence falling before his curiosity at the boy's confession.

Genis shifted his weight on his feet and shrugged helplessly, his eyes still on the ground between himself and the convict. "I've hurt countless people in order to protect myself," he replied, his head shaking as it hung forward for a few painfully long moments before he looked up to Regal once again. "I don't know what it was you did, but I won't tell you to leave just because you've killed people."

Regal blinked, but nodded slowly, his grim expression fixed on his face. "I see."

"Because, we're all the same," Genis continued without any further prodding, as if he was still drawing the thoughts out of his mind despite the convict's acknowledgement.

"Thank you," the blue haired man offered softly, nodding, but otherwise not moving his gaze from the young mage.

_Genis…._ Liane felt her eyes start to burn at the boy's admission. She hadn't realized how deeply the journey was eating at all of them – all that was being asked of each of them at every turn of their path. There was such a sorrow in her young friend's voice… a depth she was sure she had never seen the usually cheerful boy reach before.

The silver haired boy inhaled almost as if in relief, as if he had shrugged out from under some great weight. His hands quickly clenched at his sides once again. "But that doesn't mean I like you, understand?!" he declared, raising his voice and leaning over the sitting convict.

Regal's eyes widened at the outburst, but he only nodded, his expression unreadable. "I see," he murmured, accepting the boy's terms as Genis turned on his heel and stormed back to the group.

Liane tried to turn away to keep from being caught watching by either Regal or Genis, but she was sure she had seen the convict's blue eyes meet hers for the briefest of instants. Her cheeks reddened, knowing she'd been caught, but she turned away to watch Genis walk to sit beside his sister and pull his own plate into his lap. She knew better than to think he'd let down all of his defenses, but she could see how it had been eating at him. _He tried…_ she thought as she forced herself to take a bite of her dinner. _I guess it's more than the rest of us have done since we've been out here._ They had left Regal on his own, with his own thoughts. She told herself that if he wanted company, he might have said something, but she couldn't help but think that his alienation from even their fire circle meant that he was removing himself, almost as if buffering himself for them to judge him and send him away.

It seemed to take hours to finish even the small lump of food in the middle of her plate. If it was possible, the atmosphere got even more uncomfortable after dinner, with each of them apparently reflecting on the truths that Genis' words had brought to them. It was some time while the thoughts simmered and collected that Regal had stood and declared calmly that he would take the first watch of the night, turning and striding away before anyone could complain, leaving it up to the rest of the collective party to decide if he would be required to sit with someone else for the night.

Liane let him go, as did the rest, but her eyes followed him to where he had chosen an old tree just outside the reach of the firelight to settle beneath. The drama since they had left the mine seemed to have all but completely eclipsed their original mission for coming to the mine in the first place. She glanced around once again to see Regal's silhouette under the large tree. Her brow furrowed slightly as she took one last look around at her companions. _He's in no shape to stand watch… not like this. _When she made her decision and stood, she drew curious glances from Lloyd and Raine in particular, but no one said anything, and she was fine with that. They knew her better than to question or argue. She quietly made her way to the tree, trying not to sneak up on him if he truly was locked away in his own thoughts. "Regal?"

He looked up at her, jumping a little even though she stood right before him. "Liane...can I help you?" he asked, his words polite, but still bearing a note of confusion.

She shook her head and quietly settled herself beside him at the base of the tree. The curvature of the trunk made it difficult for them to truly sit side by side, but she knew that that might be a bit easier for him. "No... I just thought you might want some company." _Don't do that… don't make him have to tell you to go away,_ she chided herself and picked up a pinecone from the ground beside her. She turned it in her hand a few times before hesitantly reaching over and placing it on his knee. "If you want to be alone, just brush that away and I'll go. No hard feelings... you have other things on your mind. I'm just here for company. If you want it, that is," she shrugged as she looked over to him, watching for any sign of his wanting her to leave.

"I don't intend to force my presence on you." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes without looking over to her. "I didn't mean for things to happen like this..."

"None of us did," she sighed and shook her head. "I guess it's like you told me... there will always be times when things seem out of your control. It's what we do in those times that makes us stronger. And I'm here of my own will. You don't have to talk to me, if you don't want to. But I don't want you to be alone if you don't want to be." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips when she spoke, but from what she could see by the firelight, it didn't reach his eyes. She was sure she saw a deep sorrow there – and she couldn't help but wonder if it was a glimpse of a wound that she just shouldn't prod.

"Thank you." Regal's response was quiet as he leaned back against the tree with a sigh, giving her neither a sign to go nor one to stay.

Liane leaned back against the tree, somehow warmed that he hadn't cast the pinecone away. It seemed that they had found a balance, even if it might not necessarily be helping the situation any. "Before the promised silence, though, I have to ask... is there anything that I can do? Again, I can be a decent listener...?"

His hands clenched and unclenched as if he was trying to answer her with the simple action. "What you must think of me now that you know…."

"Hmm?" His partial response puzzled her. "If that's a question, I don't really think that I think any differently of you than I did last night, in all honesty. You're the same person that you were last night and nothing has really changed," she shrugged. Liane wasn't trying to negate what appeared to be grief, but she could only hope that he didn't see it that way.

"No... I'm not the man I once was," Regal murmured softly, his gaze focused down to where his shackled wrists rested in his lap. There was an unmistakable sadness in just the breath that he drew even before he could form the rest of his explanation. "I can't be that man ever again. I have taken an innocent life. I agreed to kidnap Colette for the Pope, and I attacked all of you twice." He shook his head. "The man I once was no longer exists. I am the pitiful remnants of what he once was.

"Regal, I don't know what happened. I won't ask, but I'll listen when and if you want to tell me," Liane shook her head slightly, her tone low out of respect for the battle he seemed to be waging with his demons. "But you say that you're the remnants of another man? I think that we're all remnants of what we once were… some of us more than others, I would suspect, but this is what we are now. The only thing we can do is continue - out of respect for what we were and what we might have lost - to bring us to where we are." She drew her knees up and hugged them tightly to her chest. _Nice sermon, Liane... _she chided herself with a sigh.

"I do not believe what I have been doing lately has been respectful to who I once was Liane." The blue haired man sighed and gritted his teeth. After a few deep breaths, he turned to her, as if finally ready to meet her gaze once again. "Thank you though. I do appreciate your kindness, especially since I do not deserve it. If I could tell you..."

She shrugged slightly, knowing that she would never have the words to console whatever he was wrestling with. "I'm sorry... you don't need lectures." Leaning back against the tree, Liane closed her eyes and attempted to offer him some peace without her interference.

"You weren't lecturing," he commented idly, still watching her as if toying with some level of indecision. "And I would like to take you up on part of your offer, if it still stands."

Liane turned her head and watched him for a long moment. _My offer… to talk? _She really hadn't expected him to speak again that night, and definitely not for a while, if not the rest of his – their – watch, but if he felt like it, who was she to object. "Um... of course...?"

"I can at least tell you something that might explain how I met all of you..." Regal continued, still watching her, something that looked like curiosity in his eyes, almost as if he was wondering when she would finally just leave. "That man that we ran into inside of the mine...Vharley. He was the reason that I agreed to kidnap Colette. The Pope promised me that if I agreed to bring him Sylvarant's Chosen of Mana, he would arrest Vharley. But, obviously, the deal was broken... for he is still free."

Carefully taking in the small glimpse of his past that he was allowing her, Liane nodded. "He seems a bit..." she paused, knowing that she might be dancing the line between being supportive and enraging him, "... unsavory. As does the Pope. It's disturbing how much faith people place in simple holy titles. Pope, Chosen... angels..." she glanced back towards the camp. "I'm sure that we can help you track down Vharley if you want us to...?"

Regal shook his head and turned to settle back against the tree trunk. "Our mission to save Presea has already sidetracked your journey, and I could not ask you to do so for me as well." He shook his head, his eyes falling shut with a weariness that looked like more than exhaustion. "And we must first free Presea from the curse of her Exsphere. After that, only time will tell where we will all go from there."

She turned back to him, the notion of 'after' tickling at her curiosity. "Regal, what will you do? I mean once we help Presea?" But as soon as Liane had spoken, she sighed, knowing that her question was probably once again coming out wrong. "There really is no reason that we can't help you. Like I told you last night, I don't think any of us really has a plan beyond helping Presea. I'd like to think that we look out for each other, though. We're all that we have now, and you're one of us, now, you know..." She almost surprised herself with the declaration, but it was still no less true. No matter what he had done, she still couldn't bring herself to see him as a bloodthirsty killer. He seemed as lost as any of them were, and perhaps even more so than most of them. _It would be wrong to just let him wander, wouldn't it? He's helped us when he never had to…._

From his silence, the convict seemed surprised by her declaration, but he didn't comment, instead falling into another long silence. Then, ever so slowly, a deep exhale came from him – one that sounded almost content. "Liane, I cannot say that I really have a plan either. I must speak with Presea - that much I know - but I am not certain what I will do once I have my answers from her. I would like to say that I will continue on with you and the others, but I do not know for sure."

"Oh..." Liane sighed with a nod, finding a weak smile for him and glancing away. She realized how she must have been pushing on him, but the fact remained that he didn't need to be interrogated, lectured, or otherwise goaded into staying with them. "I understand." The thought saddened her, but she knew that some agendas couldn't be fulfilled by dragging a miniature army around. She really didn't know anything about him, having only seen glimpses of a warm personality buried under layers of pain. _But… is that why he would leave? Or is he worried about something else? _"Regal?" she ventured, waiting for him to look over to her in acknowledgement. "You know I'm not afraid of you, don't you? None of us are. We all have scars. Some deeper than others, granted. But we all know that life is never perfect, no matter what the prophecies promise…."

"I wish I could say that I expected you to fear me, but that is never the reaction I expect from anyone, Liane," he replied in a whisper.

He was shutting down... she could practically see him slipping away from the conversation. _I pushed too hard._ Liane shook her head and sighed once again. "I'm sorry, Regal."

"Don't apologize, Liane," he remarked rather firmly leaning a bit closer to her. "I am the one that owes you an apology."

"No, I mean that I'm sorry you have been placed in the situation you're in. I'm sorry that I can't help you fix it," Liane shook her head as she released her knees and turned her eyes up into the tree above them. "I can't even fix myself. I don't even belong here. I'm no hero. I'm sorry for acting like a few pretty words will help - I don't mean to make your problems seem that insignificant that a complete stranger can snap their fingers and right everything."

"That wasn't what you were trying to do. I know that and so do you." Regal raised an eyebrow at her, the silent gesture speaking of surprise at her reaction. After a moment's hesitation, he lifted his shackled hands to lightly put a hand on her shoulder. "And though I cannot tell you everything, you do not know what it means to me that you are willing to listen to them once I am ready. I have deceived all of you all by not telling you more about myself, yet you are still kind to me. That is more than enough. And even if you do not see yourself as a hero, you would not be here if you did not belong here."

_Once I am ready_, she absorbed his words as guilt ran through her that somehow she had turned things to herself. It just seemed so strange to her... she trusted him, regardless of if he had been an enemy and if he had not told them everything about himself. He had offered his ear and company even as she offered it to him. "Maybe... maybe there is simply a security in not knowing each other. Maybe it's nice to just not have preconceptions between us." It saddened her to think of him leaving. The number of people she could talk to seemed to be dropping at a steady rate, and being completely alone wasn't something she wanted to consider. "And you say I'm kind to you..." she tried to smile, but she still couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"You have been more than kind, Liane," the convict nodded his understanding. "So I would like to reciprocate your offer. I am more than willing to listen if you need to talk to someone."

Liane smiled at his offer, but shook her head. "I came over to keep you company, Regal, not to bore you with my quirks," she laughed quietly. "And honestly? I'm not even sure what I could tell you. I just..." she huffed. What she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry, but that was something that she simply couldn't even do in front of the rest of the group at the moment, and it would hardly be fair to Regal. His obvious pain simply reminded her how they both seemed to find solace in their distance from the others, if only for a little while. She ached for him, even without knowing details. "Thank you, but you should be careful..." she replied quietly, willing that her voice wouldn't waver. "Sometime I might take you up on that."

"I hope you do." He squeezed her shoulder a note of warmth creeping into his tone. After that, Regal fell silent, but still did not move away. "Liane...?"

She felt the warmth of his hand through her tunic. It was more than any of the rest of her friends had offered her since they had come to Tethe'alla. Perhaps it was her… perhaps she had removed herself to nurse her invisible wounds. Turning to him, she blinked and tried to construct a questioning smile even as what she feared most happened... a tear escaped her, but it was fortunately on the side of her face away from the firelight and towards him. She made as if to brush her hair away from her face to cover swiping the tear away and hoped that he hadn't noticed. "Hmm?"

She could only guess that he had seen, as much as she had hoped that he wouldn't, because in the next instant, he had raised his arms so that he could loop them around her, and pulled her closer. Liane's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't fight it. She had told him that she wasn't afraid, and she truly wasn't.

"You don't have to tell me anything, but you don't have to hurt alone, either," Regal murmured quietly, his voice rattling just a little as if he needed the companionship as much as she did.

It occurred to her that perhaps Lloyd's words in the mine had actually sunk into the convict, that perhaps he was recognizing the value of having someone to listen. She couldn't help that she tensed at the gesture, but she still forced herself to relax into it. Why did he care? He had known her for little more than a couple of days and he was clearly hurting... yet he still saw fit to reach out to her? "Regal, I..." she stammered, finding herself without words yet again.

"I am probably the last person you want comfort from... and you don't have to talk if you don't want to. Sometimes, I suppose it's at least something to not be alone," he spoke quietly, keeping his arms loose around her.

"No, no, it's not that," Liane replied. "It's just... why do you care? I mean, you don't owe us – or me – anything. Trust me, the stories I could tell you… are nothing compared to everything else that's going on. You are dealing with so much more, and here I am blubbering at you," she tried to chuckle, but it only made her have to choke to keep from crying. Oddly, she wanted to tell him. But even if he did understand or could offer her some kind of objectiveness… what if he could only see the others' point of view?

Regal didn't move, nor did he respond for a few moments, leaving her to remain comfortable as she rested against his side. Then, he finally drew a small breath. "Is it wrong that I care? That when I see that you might be in pain as well, I can I forget my own, if even for just a moment?" He shook his head and turned his gaze back out over the water as if to allow her a moment without observation. "I may not know you very well at all, but you did say that I am a part of your group now, and doesn't that mean I am supposed to look out for all of you as well?"

Liane heard his words, even as she let herself get lost in the warmth of the offer of friendship for just the moment. She didn't know why he cared, there simply wasn't any doubt that he did. That was enough. She cried into his shoulder, barely keeping mind enough to try to stay quiet so as not to alert the rest of the party. She cried for him – reaching out to a stranger – and she cried for herself a moment of weakness brought on by the fact that someone cared enough to just be there and not judge, even if it was only for a moment.

Regal didn't seem repulsed by her breakdown. He merely remained still and silent, offering her a silent strength while she gathered her wits. Liane was surprised by the tears and how just a simple gesture of understanding had unraveled her defenses. No, she couldn't even explain their source to herself, but it was easy enough for her to dismiss the need for an explanation. The need would return soon enough, she was certain, but until it did, she welcomed the peace that she felt. "Regal..." she whispered when she had regained some level of control. "Thank you..." she sniffled just before she half chuckled and relaxed into his embrace one more time. "But I'm afraid I've gone and soaked your shirt..." She knew he was safe... she knew that he wouldn't make fun of her. Somehow she knew. _Just… like I know that Kratos doesn't want to hurt us…._

He cocked his head to the side, watching her for a moment before he nodded once in understanding. "You're more than welcome, Liane, I assure you."

She allowed herself a few more moments of simply enjoying the warmth he offered her. For that time, she had been reminded how lacking she had in those that understood. For as long as she could remember, there had always been someone to offer her unconditional friendship, but since they had come to Tethe'alla, she had lost that... no one that even tried to understand... no one that even seemed to notice that she couldn't just go along with them in cultivating their hatred for Kratos. They were all locked in their own struggles, lost in dealing with their own insecurities and doubts. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to fault any of them when she was no different. Why Regal decided that he could be that safe place for her, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to complain. Some gifts weren't meant to be questioned. "You know, I don't think I can remember the last time I had a hug from anyone," she murmured, laughing slightly on the edge of her receding tears, but still not willing to move away just yet.

"I don't believe I can either," Regal replied quietly, his tone respectful and perhaps a bit cautious as he didn't move.

His shackled hands made it almost impossible to truly consider it a 'hug,' but it was the fact that he stayed still and strong, neither forcing her to stay nor banishing her that continued to surprise her. She sniffled as she digested his claim, wincing as a new thought dawned on her. _Stupid, greedy, Liane..._ She turned slightly in his arms to try to stretch hers around him. She had been so shocked by his outreach that she forgot how wrong it was to receive a hug without returning one. Sometimes was all it took was a simple touch to keep from falling into complete isolation, as he had proven to her. And as guilty as she still felt for turning it into something she needed, it seemed to be something that she might be able to do for him – a small 'thank you' for his kindness.

Liane felt him tense, but otherwise not respond. She squeezed him again slightly and then pulled back, ducking under his arms and settling back beside him - just enough space between them that she hoped he knew that she wasn't trying to leave. She simply knew that it probably wasn't right for her to continue to demand his attention, no matter how nice it felt. She bowed her head slightly, allowing her just-past shoulder length hair to fall forward to hide the blush that she knew now burned at her cheeks. "Regal, I don't know how to tell you... thank you," she whispered, hoping against hope that he would somehow accept her gratitude.

"How many times must I tell you that you're welcome?" Shaking his head with a dry chuckle, Regal once again relaxed back against the tree. After a moment, his face grew serious again and he rolled his head back so that his eyes could meet hers. "Just remember that I am here if you need me, Liane. You may find I am an excellent listener."

She chuckled at herself and shrugged almost apologetically. "I guess I can get a bit repetitive. I just... it wasn't what I expected. You... you're not what I expected. I don't think I've been around such a gentleman in a long time. If ever, in all honesty." She suddenly felt so small under his gaze. Liane knew he was serious in his offer. If only she could find the words, she was sure that she could spill her soul to this man. And maybe... maybe he wouldn't turn his back on her, like the others had in their own way. _Like Kratos did._ The thought jabbed at her, but she tried to smile anyway.

"Really? I'm not what you expected?" Regal's slight smile turned into just a bit more of a smirk as he shook his head at her awkward comment. "Well, there can't be many men that you would meet fresh from a prison cell that have manners, I'm sure."

Liane's eyes widened once again, her cheeks warming as her mind saw fit to remind her how the words she had meant as a compliment had gotten just a bit twisted as they had been spoken. "Heh. Ouch. I guess that was kind of awkward, wasn't it?" she buried her face in her hands with an embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry. I don't have much experience around men, and, in all honesty, most of them I have been around have been…" she sighed, dropping her hands to the ground beside her, "... disappointing. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to offend you."

"Don't worry about it, I took no offense," Regal assured her while stretching out his legs in front of him. "To be truthful, I doubt my people skills are comparable to yours considering I have not been around much of anyone for a long time."

Silence settled between them again, and Liane glanced back towards the camp. "Regal, I know that you have things that you need to do, but will you consider staying with us?" She found herself almost fearful of his answer. She couldn't help but like him, and the thought of him leaving made her sad. _One more person to say goodbye to. _"I'm sure we can use all the help we can get, and I'd like to think we can at least try?"

"Liane, I cannot say for certain I will stay." Regal shook his head and drew a deep breath as if stalling to construct an explanation. "There is really no telling what will happen once we save Presea, but I...I don't know what is ahead of me. It is because of the deal I made with the Pope that I am free now, and it is also because of this deal that I met all of you. I am considered a traitor now. I am being hunted just as they are hunting Zelos and Colette. So, no matter what Presea tells me, whether it leads to what I hope or not, I do not know where else I could go. This freedom I have now is ill-gotten."

"Oh..." she nodded, wishing she could take the question back. _Stupid Liane._ "I see. You're right, a life on the run is never easy... or so I've heard." _Liar,_ she chided herself. She was hunted every night in her dreams. It was so familiar to her that she would swear she knew the feeling herself despite the fact that she woke from it every morning. But lately, the hunt was spilling into her days, and the man beside her – as much as she hated to think of him that way – was even once a hunter. "Well," she once again forced a smile, "I know that we have a place for you, so if there really is nowhere else for you, maybe we can be some sort of option anyway?"

"Are you certain the others feel the same way?" the convict asked, tilting his head to watch her, his tone edged with disbelief.

Liane nodded, unable to look him in the eye, still ashamed for putting him on the spot like she had. "They are all good people, Regal, if you can take my word for it. All of us are here for our own reasons, but I can at least vouch for those of us from Sylvarant... and possibly Sheena. Zelos…?" she shrugged. "He's still a wild card to me, but I don't see him objecting. All of us have done things we're not proud of."

A thin smile crossed his lips, seemingly warmed by a bit of amusement. "Then we shall see what happens." But for tonight, I am here, and I am willing to listen if you want to talk. Are you going to be all right?"

The dark haired swordswoman nodded and sighed, drawing her fingers back over the grassed ground between them in a lazy series of waves. "I'll be fine. I always am," her smile brightened a little for his benefit. He seemed to have settled down some from the mess he had appeared to have become earlier, but she still didn't want to push her luck. It was safer to change the subject. "But... if you want me to sit watch with you, I can..." _I already got my nap for the day, it seems..._

The convict shrugged. "I'd...appreciate the company, but be sure I do not keep you up if you grow tired. You need your rest as well. We'll probably have another long day tomorrow," the convict remarked quietly, glancing over the group. Everyone appeared fast asleep, probably having been exhausted when they had finally turned in for the night.

She laughed a little. "But you've had a long day, too. You know, if you'd rather go rest, I can take watch for you. I honestly don't think that I'll be sleeping much tonight, anyway..." Liane turned her head to watch him from the corner of her eye. He seemed to have softened some from the day and she was glad for that, as it had felt like she had almost lost what little ground she had gained towards finding a friend the night before. "I'm just glad you're just serious..." she laughed and ran her fingers back through her ponytail. "I thought I might have done something wrong."

"Done something wrong? What do you mean, Liane?" Regal asked with a raised eyebrow, as he looked back to her once again.

"Well..." Liane fidgeted a little again, somehow managing a weak laugh. "It's really the first day we've spent together as allies. For some reason, I guess, I wasn't expecting you to seem so... driven. It was foolish of me. I guess I've been pretty selfish lately. I should have seen that in you. After all," she laughed weakly, "you did venture through the forest just for a chance to talk to Presea."

The blue haired man shook his head, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest at her observations of him for the day before he answered. "I never meant to give you the impression that I was angry with you or anything of the sort, Liane. I was merely hoping to keep some of the others from getting distracted in the mines by the devices there, and I thought it better to return to Ozette as soon as possible. Leaving Presea there like that is... terrible."

"It is... and she shouldn't be left there any longer than absolutely necessary," she quickly shook her head, hoping he wouldn't think her cold for her words. "Although, getting distracted is just something that Lloyd does once in a while," Liane laughed, trying not to think about how she hadn't been much better, considering she couldn't remember a good bit of their trip. "I'm sorry. It wasn't fair of me to question you."

"Actually, I would think it would be unwise of you not to question me at all," he said leaning back against the tree, closing his eyes for a moment. "Either that it would just mean you didn't have any interest in getting to know me at all."

Somehow, his words saddened her, but she covered it with a sigh until she could find words. "Well, it only makes sense. If we're going to at least be traveling back to Ozette together, we should know how to work together, right?" _Even if it is for only a little longer. Then, I need to start working on how to hide all of this from the others and just getting through this without losing my mind._

Regal nodded, a small smile tugging at the sides of his lips. "Yes, it would be best if we do. I was not aware it was this party's style to plow through every obstacle in its path, but I can see that, as you're in a new world that you barely know anything about and your goals are not entirely clear, moving forward is at least still moving. Nothing should stand still or become completely stagnant..."

"No, I suppose not," Liane shook her head, glancing back over to him. "Do you really think we're all so violent?" she asked, raising an eyebrow to him. "I heard you. And for the record, you did just as much damage as the rest of us, you know...?"

His eyes widened a little, and then he shrugged. "I apologize if I offended you, but I only meant that it was a rash solution – and a violent one at that – when it came to opening the door to the mine. Considering the circumstances, and what you are fighting for, if you did not take up arms you would not have made it this far."

"No, you're right," Liane laughed a little and pulled her knees back to her chest. "But thank you. We wouldn't have been able to get in, much less find what we needed if you hadn't guided us through the mines. We're lucky you knew it so well."

"You would have found a way. All of you seem incredibly determined to do what you set out to," he commented. "I truly didn't mean any offense, Liane. I was a little surprised. Forgive me. Perhaps..." his voice trailed off with a shake of his head.

"Perhaps...?" Liane prodded, glancing back to the others for a moment before she looked back over to him. "I'll warn you now that you really can't do that..."

"Can't cut off and decide that it might not be best to say anything? Is that fair?" Regal inquired with a slight smirk.

"I suppose not." Liane huffed a little, seeing she probably wasn't going to get too much further. "Sorry. I guess it's been a long day. Maybe you wanted some quiet time. I'll stop pestering you, but if you don't mind, I think I'll stay here for at least a little while longer?"

"What I was going to say was, perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised after what happened in the forest, but that was a misunderstanding. I don't blame any of you for that," Regal explained himself to her as he glanced away. "Liane, if you'd like to stay, I'm not going to chase you away."

Liane nodded. "I guess that the forest was probably a pretty good indicator of temperament," she shrugged, leaning back into the tree, nestling in between the tree roots that bulged from the ground. "But there's really no changing that, though." She chewed the edge of her lip. "No point in apologizing for it, either. You know how we are - it'll probably just be easier now."

"It is. I could see that Lloyd was practically forcing himself to sound like he was angry," he replied as he looked back over to her. "Liane, I don't hold it against any of you. You are doing what you have to and I know how that is. I can't fault you for it. Will...you just promise me one thing?"

"Promise?" she asked, turning her head to meet his eyes in question. "I guess, considering that I'm not sure what you're going to ask?"

Regal was silent for a long moment before he exhaled and then drew the breath back in. "Promise me that, even if you can't find it in yourself to talk to me about what has been bothering you, you will talk to someone? You've been preoccupied all day, and I do not know what is troubling you, but I hope that you know someone who can help you through it."

_So someone did notice._ Liane tried not to groan. "You know how easy it would be to ask you the same thing?" she asked, surprised considering that she was almost sure that none of the rest of them had noticed anything. "I'll try. Someday. If it comes up," she nodded. "But only if you'll do the same thing?"

"Someday, then. Although, I cannot promise when..." he sighed but nodded in agreement to her terms. "I trust you find that fair? I don't mean to pressure you. I just think that if things are bad enough you seemed to miss what was going on earlier, you should speak to someone."

"Miss what was going on?" Liane blinked and laughed uneasily. "What was there to miss? Lloyd got a new twist to the Sorcerer's Ring to play with and he got to blow things up..." she shrugged. "I mean, that's all pretty hard to miss." _Even though I did miss most of it…._

"He nearly blew himself up just testing it," Regal remarked with a small laugh, shifting to stretch his legs out in front of him and leaning against the tree a bit more. "I still think you appeared to be distant the entire time he was playing with the ring though."

Liane yawned and shook her head. "I've seen it before." She missed Lloyd almost blowing himself up? It was all she could do not to groan, but she couldn't say that it didn't sound like something Lloyd would do. "I guess, maybe I just wanted to get out of there, too. Sheena pointed out how much time we've spent in the dark lately. Maybe that was just getting to me."

The convict shrugged casually and clenched his hands in his lap. "Perhaps it won't be the same in the morning. Ozette is a quaint town, but it is not entirely in the dark, it's only shaded by the trees," he replied. "But, perhaps you should try to rest? I know you claimed not to be tired, but all of this has to be hard on you, even the things you are not ready to discuss."

"Unless you want to take me up on letting me take the rest of your watch, I guess I can," Liane nodded, deciding not to dwell on his offer. It was nice, but she would have no idea where to start to explain everything to him. She turned, resting her head against a swell in the bark of the tree and squeezing her hands beneath her to make use of what warmth there was there. "If you change your mind, I'll be happy to take over for you?"

"You're very kind, Liane, but you should get what rest you can. I can wake you up for the next watch if you'd like. Go on, close your eyes," the blue haired man replied as he reached into the pack he'd set down at his side, pulling out a blanket and waving it out to cover her as best it could. "Here."

Liane glanced down to the rough woolen blanket but shrugged into it. "Thank you. I'll give it back when I take watch, then..." she smiled, glancing up to him once again before letting her eyes close. She had learned at least something of him that day, and while she knew it should probably frighten her a little that she was sitting beside an admitted murderer, it somehow just didn't fit him. "I'll talk to you in a while then?"

"Yes, I'll talk to you in a little while," he nodded, keeping her gaze for a moment before he turned his head to survey the area again. "Sweet dreams, Liane."

_Not likely..._ The thought was a bit sullen, but she still pulled the blanket closer. "Thank you. I hope so..." she murmured, trying to keep her eyes shut as she begged a quiet sleep to take her away for even just a while.

* * *

"That's them! The wanted criminals!" 

The party paused at the villager's declaration as they stepped from the wooded path that led into the heart of Ozette. It was a wave of déjà vu that snapped them out of the relatively peaceful bubble they had been in since they had left their camp at sunrise, their ocean trip only serving to buffer them a little more from their status with the rest of the world.

Liane already knew that they were hardly popular with the people of Ozette for their link to Presea, but she was only further disturbed by the fact that it was a trio of brightly-armored soldiers that the man spoke to as he pointed to them. _Perfect,_ she sighed as her hand fell to rest on the hilt of her sword. _A welcoming party._

"Aw crap, not the Papal Knights again!" Zelos groaned, making a show of smacking himself in the forehead as his head rolled back on his shoulders.

Sheena stepped forward, a scowl etched into her expression as she slipped one of her cards from her sash. "Why do they _always_ show up where we're going?!" she asked in exasperation, never taking her eyes from the trio.

One of the green-armored knights turned, planting the end of his halberd in the ground as he chuckled, a decidedly hallow sound as it rattled within his helm. "Well, well, if it isn't Master Zelos," he mocked, gesturing to his companions. "I trust you are well?"

The soldiers began to edge forward, effectively surrounding the party and cutting them off from escape as villagers began to mill around in curiosity. Liane drew her sword, as did Lloyd and Zelos as the party drew in on itself, side to side in a defensive cluster. _There's only three of them, but this probably isn't going to help our standing in Ozette._ "There's only one way we're getting out of here, isn't there?" she groaned to Lloyd and Raine, who flanked her in their formation.

"Dammit!" Lloyd growled out as he adjusted his grip on his blades, his stance loosening in the face of impending battle.

"Remember," the gold-armored Commander of the Papal Knights called to his companions as he leveled his weapon at Lloyd, "… capture Colette alive!"

In the next instant, the Commander's halberd flashed out towards the young swordsman. Lloyd's blades immediately crossed before him, scissoring to intercept the attack with a growl. After a moment, he flexed his arms and pushed the knight back, releasing his weapon as Lloyd lurched forward and slammed his shoulder into the core of the golden armor. As the Commander staggered back, Lloyd bounded back and slammed his weapons to the ground, unleashing the brunt of his attack. "Beast!"

_Yeah, Lloyd, you can teach me that,_ Liane smirked as the mana beast's visage began to flicker and disappear over where the Commander had fallen to the packed dirt. All around her, the party had started to splinter to confront all three of the knights, while Raine had backed off just a bit, staying central to all of them. Yet the knights seemed to have a plan all their own, retreating to make a more unified resistance all but impossible. Zelos was already stalking one of the green-clad knights while Genis wove the purple mana of a new spell together. It was a consideration for Liane to move to defend the young mage, but then she noticed that the third knight seemed to be lurking, waiting for his chance. _If Genis is backing up Zelos, I should –_ her plan was all but solidified when she saw Regal and Sheena break off from the party to confront the third knight.

Regal flanked Sheena as she went for the knight, speeding up to put himself between the ninja and her prey. Springing forward, he threw his right leg up into the helm the man wore, his leg whipping back and forth in the blink of an eye before pushing off the man and landing gracefully on the grass as the soldier stumbled backwards. "Dragon Dance!"

"Hey, Liane!" Sheena called out over her shoulder as she dodged around regal to approach the staggered knight. "Wanna be our mage?" she asked before she planted herself in front of the knight and cast her card at him. "Pyre Seal!" the ninja called out as her mana-charged weapon blasted out at the knight, pushing him further off balance.

Liane knew what Sheena was trying to do, and she nodded even though the summoner was no longer watching. When she took positions such as guarding for Genis or Raine, she had no opportunity to use her own spells, as meager was they were in comparison. She drew her swords up before her and closed her eyes, knowing, at very least, Sheena would buy her the time she needed. One by one, she laced the runes together and fed them some of her mana, seeing them crackle purple in her mind just as she hoped they were doing around her. _The metal of his armor should attract -_ In the next instant, she felt the power of her spell level off. It was just a feeling, but one that she was slowly getting used to, and she spun her blade out before her to direct her spell to its target. "Lightning!" The spell struck, and even though it didn't have the power to end the fight, it did bring the knight to his knees. It was enough for the moment.

"I gotta say, pal, if you're really worried for my welfare, you might want to worry about yourself first," Zelos' boisterous voice rang through the open square of Ozette. The redhead threw himself up into the air, his sword glimmering green as it arced up and then came slamming down along with the swordsman. "Fierce Demon Fang!" he called out as the attack struck the second green-clad knight.

Genis snorted from where he stood behind Zelos. "Showoff…" he mumbled as the intricate series of rune bands spin around him. When his eyes snapped open, they fixed on the knight that the swordsman that attacked and threw his kendama forward. "Wanna charge?" he asked with a thin smirk as the mana flew out and reformed at the knight's feet. "Thunder Blade!" The knight shrieked as the spell closed in on him and pierced him with a blinding blade of lightning.

"Light! Photon!!"

The Professor's voice sounded over the residual ring of her brother's attack as bands of blazing golden runes snapped tight around the Commander Knight, his arms bound to his sides as his entire form went taut beneath the crush of the rings.

But before the glow of Raine's attack could fade, Colette flew in close to the same knight, slinging both of her chakrams out ahead of her, one after the other in quick succession. "Dual Ray Thrust!" the blonde girl instructed, pulling back as her weapons both connected and dealt their blows to the knight before returning to her hands. Colette caught both rings and slowly retreated, staying out of Lloyd's way as he charged forward once again.

Liane knew that she only had moments to gather herself if she was to be of use to her friends, but the way the others were already split off and keeping their respective opponents off balance amazed her. There had been no orders – it had simply been done. Even Zelos and Genis were working together despite their verbal jabs – evidenced by how Zelos was once again engaged in another flamboyant attack, leaving the mage time to construct another spell.

When the green knight rose to his feet once again, Regal was already in motion, spinning on his left leg while his right was thrown out on each turn to deliver a powerful kick that was ringing out as the metal of his greaves scraped the armor that the man wore. He then sprung into a back flip with ease, leaving his left leg extended to deliver one last blow that sent the man scrambling backwards. "Crescent Moon!"

_Speaking of spells…._ Liane sighed as Regal continued to stand over the knight that their group had taken on as their own, blocking him from both her and Sheena. Her sword once again raised, the flat of the blade against her open palm, Liane found it almost easy to construct her oldest spell. She knew she could cast it fastest, and proved herself right within a few heartbeats. "Wind Blade!" she finished her spell and sent the trio of blades out at the knight as Regal leapt out of the way. Once again, her spell struck true with two of the translucent blades striking the knight's chest plate and the third sending his halberd skittering away from his hand.

"I summon thee! Let's go, Corrine!" Sheena called out, answering any questions as to why she hadn't been attacking with Regal, a cloud of smoke blooming obediently over the knight's head as the tiny fox spirit materialized and dropped onto the knight's helm. There was only a quick 'yelp' from the spirit's prey as the knight collapsed to the ground before the tiny spirit laughed and disappeared in another burst of smoke.

_He's down,_ Liane breathed out in relief as she glanced back to the knight's companions. Zelos and Genis were standing over the other green armored knight, while Lloyd was quickly closing in on the Commander, who was already swaying on his feet.

"Sword Rain Alpha!" the young swordsman called out as his blades were already a blur striking off the golden armor in a flurry of 'clangs' before Lloyd stepped back to give the Commander Knight the room to collapse at his feet.

"Long… live… the Pope…" the Commander murmured miserably before he fell flat to the ground, his armor clanking together before he stopped moving with a rattled exhale.

Lloyd glanced down to the knight, his eyebrows knitting together before he shrugged. "It just wasn't your day," he muttered before glancing around to the others. "Everyone okay?"

"Be better if the brat here didn't drown Mr. Knight," Zelos snorted, sheathing his sword and jerking his thumb toward Genis. "I was just starting to have fun!"

Genis looked up to the swordsman, not even trying to disguise his glare. "You're an idiot," he groaned, shaking his hand at the fallen knight. "I couldn't have drowned him if he's still breathing. It's was just a part of my spell!"

Zelos stooped to meet the mage's eyes with a wide grin. "Then maybe you should say what you mean in your little spell, hmm?"

As Raine caught the back of her brother's collar and pulled him back a few steps from the redheaded Chosen, Lloyd sheathed his own blades and looked around the square, his eyes following how the villagers were slowly starting to disperse. "We managed to win," he shrugged, his voice lacking any note of celebration.

"I get the feeling that they weren't expecting us," Liane shrugged as she heard the knight she had helped to defeat groan. "If they wanted Colette so badly, you'd think they'd finally send more than three guys."

Colette stood back from the golden-armored Commander Knight, her hand pulled up into her sleeves as she chewed her lip and finally looked up to her companions. "It's my fault again," she sighed dejectedly, hanging her head. "I'm so sorry, everyone."

Zelos looked up, the grin he had worn apparently just to antagonize Genis now gone as he held up a hand to stop his counterpart before she could say any more. "Don't be silly," he told her with a chuckle in his voice. "They're after my life, too. The Professor and Genis are wanted because they're half-elves," he shrugged and gestured toward Regal and Sheena. "Sheena is from Mizuho, now considered a village of traitors. And Regal is considered a traitor as well."

The air around them suddenly felt heavier, even though Liane knew that Zelos was trying to help. _So they're willing to take Lloyd and me out just because we're here… guilt by association._ She frowned, but it only deepened when she remembered that Yuan still seemed to have an interest in capturing Lloyd the last time they had seen him. _I guess that leaves me._ It was a lonely feeling. Not that she wanted to be hunted specifically like her companions, it just made her realize that even if she did fall, it wouldn't be for any reason other than that she was there. _I guess it just means that I have to count towards our goals. I can't go home, but it doesn't mean that I can't be useful, even if it makes enemies._ "From the start of the journey, Colette, none of us _had_ to be here. We chose to be. Everyone here could have already left – and some of us have – but we're still together. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

The blonde girl looked a bit sheepish as a slight smile started to curl her lips. "Thanks."

"Stop thinking everything's your fault," Lloyd emphasized, tilting his head to watch Colette, a smile in his eyes as he tried to keep a straight face, countering the harder impression that he seemed to be trying for.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd," Colette responded with a shrug, even though her smile was still brightening.

The swordsman was already groaning before she could finish apologizing. "You don't need to apologize for it…" he sighed, his smile now completely gone, victim to his frustration.

The blonde girl once again turned her eyes up to her friend, looking like she was going to laugh and maybe even apologize once again. Then a look of shock swept any peace or amusement away as she hugged her arms around herself and dropped to her knees, her head bowed low in obvious pain. "Ow! Ugh… ow! Ow!!" Colette howled through clenched teeth, as the others stood around her, stunned by the girl's actions.

"Colette?!" Lloyd murmured, a fearful note in his voice as he started to reach out to her and then hesitated, looking anxiously over his shoulder to Raine. "Professor! Colette's…!"

The silver haired woman stepped around Lloyd, kneeling to press the back of her hand to Colette's forehead. "She's running a fever," Raine stated, her features fixing into a frown as she shook her head. "But what could be causing this much pain?"

Liane winced in sympathy as she saw Colette squirm again, the girl's breathing coming in erratic gasps between denied ones. "We have to get her somewhere to rest… maybe a doctor?" she shrugged, floundering for an option to help. "I mean, this time, we know that it's not the trials or something she just has to get through as a Chosen. What if she's really sick?" They had been constantly on the move since Colette had come back to herself… didn't it make sense that her body could be worn out by all the changes?

"Move. Please leave this… to me…."

A soft and familiar voice came from behind the party. When they turned, they could only stare as Presea approached them and walked past them all to reach Colette's side, her ax slung over her back.

Raine took a step back, confusion glimmering in her eyes as they flickered from Presea to Colette and back. "Presea?" she whispered as her confusion finally found voice. "A… all right."

The pink haired girl didn't make any move to acknowledge Raine's acceptance. She simply stood for a few moments in silence, watching Colette. Then, in an instant, the girl swung her ax from her back, spinning it in an arc that sent the party stumbling backwards.

_What?? _Liane's jaw hung open in denial of what she was seeing. _But… why??_ Nothing made sense in those few awed moments of surprise, but none of them could act – they could only stare in morbid shock as Presea turned back to Colette, spun her ax, and rocked it forward to strike the blonde girl in the side of the head with the ax's wooden handle. "Presea!"

Colette crumpled to the ground with a whimper, but didn't stir again, leaving her unexpected assailant standing over her, her ax still braced on the dirt floor of Ozette's town square. Presea didn't move. She didn't speak or show any physical signs of remorse or of maliciousness. She simply stared blankly down to the girl at her feet.

A delighted snicker suddenly came from the path to Presea's side, accompanied by slow applause. "Good work, Presea," the robed man that had met Presea at her home before crooned as he squinted down to the girl through his tiny round spectacles. He flicked his hand out from beneath his robes, reaching for the skies. A moment later, a primal scream from above answered his silent summons.

The party looked up, still dumbfounded by what seemed to be yet more betrayal and the appearance of yet more enemies. But when an elegant pair of blue- and purple-scaled dragons dropped from the sky to touch down to the ground, the whole scene took on an even more surreal feel. _This should be a nightmare… it… it can't all be real! _Liane's thoughts sputtered as she watched one of the dragons dip its head, awaiting the robed man as he scooped Colette up with one arm and climbed onto the creature's back. Once he settled, he gestured once again to the other dragon, his gaze fixed on Presea as the girl turned and began to run toward the unoccupied dragon.

"Damn!" Sheena cursed as her card snapped at the air before her. "Corrine!"

The summoner's tiny spirit once again answered his mistress' call, appearing at her side, but immediately leaping after the pink haired girl and tackling her to the ground. While Presea made no protest whatsoever, the half-elf that still held Colette frowned and jerked up on the reins that hung around his mount's neck. With a flap of its wings, the dragon lifted into the air, followed closely by the riderless dragon.

"I am Rodyle," the half-elf announced, sneering down at the party, "… the most cunning of the Desian Grand Cardinals! I hope you don't mind me taking the Chosen One." His laughter was mocking as it echoed from the nearby buildings, but it quickly began to fade as the dragons rose higher up into the air.

"Desian? Why are the Desians in Tethe'alla?" Lloyd growled as he ran forward a few steps, his eyes fixed on their retreating enemy and his prisoner. The teen's hands curled into tight, shaking fists as he was stopped by the fenced edge of the Ozette square. "Colette!!"

But the Chosen and her captor were already beyond the reach of the young swordsman's voice, the dragons little more than dots against the distant, billowy clouds. The party hung back as Lloyd stood shaking. _It all happened so fast and came out of nowhere._ Liane frowned as she watched her friend, absently wondering if this would finally be what it took to break his spirit. _After everything, is this how we lose her? We all just stood here and let him take Colette?_ Liane clenched her eyes shut as her own anger began to boil up within her. _How arrogant do we have to be not to see that we're being attacked when it's all happening right before our eyes?_

The first and only one to shake off the shock of the abduction was Regal, and he slowly approached Lloyd. Waiting at his side for a few moments, the convict finally drew a breath and spoke. "Lloyd. Will you help Presea?"

"Help Presea?" Liane repeated in quiet disbelief. "But she –" Her objection froze in her throat as she saw the blue haired man's eyes slide over to her. _She handed Colette right to Rodyle! She might as well have gift-wrapped her and put a bow on her head!_ She wanted to object… every fiber of her being wanted to. But she couldn't find the words… now in the face of the cool gaze of the man that had already gone to such lengths just to talk to the girl. Liane bit her lip and looked away, her shoulders falling in defeat.

Lloyd slowly turned to Regal as if in a daze, his eyes moving to where Corrine still had the pink haired girl pinned to the ground. His hand moved to his trouser pocket to remove the carved inhibitor ore, and he spent a few long, deep breaths studying it before he finally nodded and looked back over to Presea. "Yeah."

As if taking his cue from Lloyd's acceptance, Corrine hopped down from Presea's back and watched as the girl immediately rose to her feet. The tiny spirit craned his neck back to his summoner in question and disappeared in a burst of smoke as soon as Sheena, leaving Presea standing alone to watch Lloyd's approach with wide blue eyes. "I've carved the charm," Lloyd murmured as he knelt before the girl and slowly reached out to put the ore onto Presea's Cruxis Crystal. "With this, she should return to her real self."

'_Her real self.'_ Liane hated to think the worst of the girl. Presea had already been experimented on and manipulated in the cruelest of ways – but had she truly had no will of her own if she had been doing Rodyle's bidding? Colette was in pain, possibly sick, and Presea had still attacked. Liane was certain that the girl had shown signs of a personality before. But had she truly just been Rodyle's puppet as he used their trust of her to get closer to Colette? Liane hated that she tensed the instant that she heard Presea's gasp, but she wasn't sure how much more the group could take if Lloyd's gamble failed.

"Presea?" Genis asked as he cautiously edged to the girl's side. "Are you okay?"

Presea blinked, her clouded blue eyes clearing as she regarded the mage for a moment and then looked around to the others. "What?" she murmured in confusion as she started to shake her head. "What am I doing?" Then, her eyes widened in what seemed to be horror. "Where's my daddy?"

Stepping forward, Raine placed her hand on the girl's shoulder as if trying to calm her. "Maybe we should head back to Presea's?" she asked quietly, meeting the gaze of each of the party members meaningfully to indicate that it wasn't just a suggestion as she began to guide the girl back towards the path that would lead her home – and to the answer to her question.

The party offered no resistance to the Professor's silent instruction, following Raine and Presea in what already felt like a funeral procession to Liane. She noticed that their armored foes were no longer splayed on the ground, nor were they anywhere in sight. _Perfect. They probably just crawled off to regroup,_ she thought miserably as she couldn't help but dread the near future. Presea's recollection seemed to be getting more vivid from what she could tell as they walked, but what chilled Liane's blood was what would greet the girl when she did finally reach her home.

* * *

Presea's howl of pain still rang in Liane's ears even though the sound had long since ceased its echo through the woods. She rested her forehead on her arms where they folded over her knees, keeping her eyes shut as she tried not to keep seeing the events of the past hours. The party had worked together to prepare the grave for Presea's father, finally giving the man a humble and solemn makeshift funeral while Presea looked on. The girl's sobs had subsided slowly as Genis and Lloyd smoothed off the mound over the grave, but she still stood watch, her hands twisting together before her. With everything the girl had endured, Liane couldn't help but wonder if she could ever be as strong. Presea seemed lost, and it only seemed to be getting worse the more she remembered, leaving Liane feeling worse for even considering objecting to helping her. _I'm sorry, Presea. I guess it's just getting easier to believe that we can be betrayed than it is to take things for what they are,_ she thought the words she couldn't quite voice as she rose from the front steps of Presea's home when she saw the others starting to gather around Presea. Her head was starting to throb after all that had already happened. _I don't want to lose faith. I just want to be proven right. Just once… please._

"Thank you for assisting me with my daddy's burial," Presea spoke softly, bowing her head in thanks as the group assembled around her, her hands never losing their grip on one another.

Raine moved closer to the girl, drawing her attention up as she dropped her hand lightly onto Presea's shoulder once again. "Have you calmed down a little?" the Professor asked with concern in her gentle tone.

Presea nodded and dipped her head again, her pink pigtails swaying as she shook her head a little. "I've… been a great burden on you all."

Lloyd tilted his head to watch the girl in curiosity. "You remember?"

"Yes… mostly…" the pink haired girl replied, her voice tainted with shame as she didn't look up to the swordsman's question. Liane felt a tug of guilt in her chest. Presea clearly regretted what she did remember. She realized that, in some way, it was what she had asked for: a sign that not everyone was just waiting to betray them.

Genis approached Presea's side, his hands twisting almost nervously around the shaft of his kendama. "Why did you have an Exsphere like that on you?" he asked, his voice quiet as he chose his words to be gentle to the pink haired girl.

"I received it from a person named Vharley," Presea responded as she turned to face the young mage."

"I knew it… Vharley!" Regal growled under his breath, drawing questioning glances from the rest of the party. He squared his shoulders, but the way his blue eyes seethed continued despite the placid nod that Presea gave him.

"I wanted to save my sick daddy," the girl continued to explain as her head dipped forward to allow her bangs to shadow her eyes. "I wanted to learn how to wield an ax, so I could work in my daddy's place. So Vharley introduced me to Rodyle, and I was taken to the Research Academy in Sybak."

Frowning, Liane felt her shoulders droop as she watched Presea, a kind of numbing disbelief creeping over her. "You… volunteered, then?" she asked even though she already knew the answer. "So, they promised to help you, and then they turned you into an experiment…" she whispered, shaking her head. "That's… horrible..."

Zelos watched Liane through her efforts to understand what had happened and then looked back to Presea. "The experiments on you were carried out by order of the Pope, right?" he questioned with a slight arch to his eyebrow.

"Which means _that_ Desian is in league with the Pope!" Lloyd declared angrily, his gaze slipping to the skies once again as if he might still catch a glimpse of Rodyle.

But while the two swordsmen fueled each other's quest to tie their enemies together, Liane saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned in time to see Regal kneel to one knee before the pigtailed girl. Her first instinct was to look to Genis, wondering if he would once again attempt to stop the convict. Then she saw that the young mage merely set his jaw, crossed his arms over his chest, and watched both Presea and Regal. It made Liane had sigh in relief. _It might not be friendly, but it works…._

"Presea," Regal began, keeping his voice low, but not so low as to arouse suspicion as the girl met his gaze. "Do you have an older sister?"

The pink haired girl blinked at him, studying the convict's face for a moment before slowly shaking her head. "No."

"Do you have any other family?" Raine asked quickly on the heels of Presea's answer as Regal sighed and slowly pushed himself back to his feet.

Presea's eyes followed Regal and then shifted to the Professor. "I have a younger sister. She left to go into service for a noble and that was the last I saw of her," she shrugged and her gaze fell back to her father's grave. "And my mommy died when I was a child."

Zelos laughed, an almost obscene burst of mirth in the gloomy atmosphere around Presea's home. "_When_ you were a child?" he chuckled, turning a grin back down to the girl. "You're still a child now."

"Oh… yes, of course," Presea responded with what almost sounded like a weak laugh as she looked down to herself. "That's right."

Liane watched as Regal retreated to stand with the rest of the group, noting what she thought was a slump to his shoulders. _Poor guy… he still didn't get his chance,_ she frowned. Raine had picked up on his line of questioning and turned it to a logical path, but it didn't seem to help the convict, either. It was clear that he was concerned for Presea's wellbeing – perhaps it had led him to be a bit too specific in his hurry to find the right words of comfort for her. But what stopped Liane was Presea's answer to the Professor. _Her little sister went into service? _While it was hardly unusual that children helped their parents in the smaller towns of Sylvarant, it struck her as strange that one so young would have to leave home and enter service to nobles in what was supposed to be the prospering world.

Sheena sighed and shrugged helplessly down to the pigtailed girl. "At any rate, we can't just leave you here in this village by yourself if you have no one to turn to."

"Yes," Raine nodded in agreement as she met the ninja's gaze. "The people of this village seem to avoid her."

Presea stepped forward at that moment, physically imposing herself in the discussion between Sheena and Raine. "I… uh… I'd like to go with all of you if that would be all right," the girl murmured almost sheepishly.

"Huh?" Lloyd fully turned to Presea, shaking his head a little as if he was worried that he hadn't heard her correctly. "Why?"

"It's going to be dangerous," Liane added to her friend's question as she wondered what the girl truly remembered of their journey so far. "We have to go after Colette, and then –"

The pink haired girl lifted her gaze to Liane to stop the oncoming list of reasons. "It's my fault that Colette was taken away," she started her interruption almost sullenly. "So please, let me help in her rescue."

Before any of the party could speak to accept or deny Presea's request, Regal moved to stand just behind the girl to face the others as well. "Please allow me to come along as well," he asked, staring back at his companions even as Presea turned to look up to him. "It seems that my fate is linked to your enemy."

Lloyd eyed the pair for a moment as if warring with his own response before he turned back to face the rest of the party. "Is this okay with everyone else?" he asked with a shrug.

"We've come all this way together," Sheena shrugged as a smirk curled her lips. "Do you even need to ask at this point?"

Zelos nodded eagerly as he planted his hands on his hips. "Exactly!"

"I'm okay with it," Genis chimed in, nodding as he smiled particularly at Presea.

_They're both going to stay with us?_ Liane couldn't help but smile as Lloyd's gaze met hers. It would mean another child to look after, but Presea had proven herself a strong warrior already, just as Regal had. _And it would mean not having to say goodbye to a friend just yet…._ "We're definitely stronger together," she nodded. "If you both want to stay and help, I think we'd be fools to turn you away."

Lloyd looked to the last party member to weigh in, but the Professor sighed heavily before the swordsman could even manage to ask for her input. "Truthfully, I'd like to oppose this," her shoulders heaved a little as her eyes fell shut for a long moment. "But I already knew it would end up like this."

Glancing over to her mentor as if she would be able to see the reasons for her words – whether it was for not wanting to endanger the orphaned girl, or not trusting the shackled convict – Liane realized after a moment that it didn't matter… and knowing might only create a larger rift within the group. _I don't want to know, _she decided, watching Lloyd turn back to Presea and Regal. _It doesn't matter. We all agreed._

"Well, there you go," Lloyd declared with a firm nod as he swept his arm back to indicate the rest of the group that he was speaking for. "Lend us your help."

Presea nodded solemnly to Lloyd's words and clasped her hands before her. "I will!"

"Thank you," Regal responded before he lifted his eyes to scan over the party members one by one until he reached Raine. "I'm in your debt," he dipped his head lower as if making a vow. "I shall not betray your trust."

Raine watched the convict in silence for long enough to draw a deep breath in and then release it. "Now let's hurry and find Colette," she nodded, indicating that she would say no more of her decision.

"All right, they headed east," Lloyd nodded, his jaw once again set in determination as she turned to lead the party back toward the path of town. Yet, in the moment that it took for the others to follow his lead, the teen froze in mid-step.

"So you've lost the Chosen."

Liane almost took a step backwards, but managed to contain her reaction to a small groan. Moving out from the shadows of a nearby tree was Kratos, his head cocked slightly to the side and his arms crossed over his chest in a show of contempt. _Kratos… you make things worse every time you show up, _she sighed and glanced down to her sword, wondering if it was finally the time that they would fight and settle things in favor of the party or of Cruxis once and for all.

"You again!" Lloyd sputtered angrily, his hands moving instantly to the hilts of his blades. "What have you done with Colette?!"

Kratos didn't immediately reply. He seemed to take his time to measure the younger swordsman before he finally drew another breath, but otherwise, he didn't move. "Rodyle is ignoring our orders and acting on his own," he stated nonchalantly, almost to the point that his words rang of an amused challenge. "I know nothing of it."

Before Lloyd could construct a comeback, it was Raine that chuckled dryly, drawing the angel's gaze back to the rest of the party. "Internal strife? How pathetic."

Liane hadn't been ready for Raine to speak, nor had she been ready to accidentally meet Kratos' eyes when he looked back at them, sending her backwards a small step, almost bumping into Regal. She murmured a meek apology and quickly glanced away. What she wanted to say to the man that had betrayed them wasn't fit to be spoken before the whole party, if for no other reason than the questions it would raise.

"Say what you will," Kratos shrugged and looked back to Lloyd. "Either way, he will have no choice but to abandon the Chosen."

Lloyd advanced on the seraph. "What do you mean?" he demanded, his voice showing the strain of barely being able to hold himself back.

Kratos didn't move, not physically reacting in any way to Lloyd's tone. "The Chosen is useless as she is now. You can let her be."

"You've _got _to be kidding me!" Lloyd exclaimed as he walked almost within reach of the angel. "We're going to rescue Colette no matter what! And if you get in our way…." The teen's anger finally won over his control, his blades dipping easily from their scabbards as he lunged at Kratos.

"Lloyd!" Liane tried to get out more of a warning – or perhaps a plea to both of the swordsmen to stop, but it was too late even before she could only speak her friend's name. There was a flash of reflected light as the sound of metal ringing from metal whined through the trees… and she winced, fearful of what she would see when she once again opened the eyes she hadn't remembered closing. The next sound that she heard was that of a single blade being sheathed, and Liane found it easier to open her eyes, a wave of relief washing over her as she realized that Kratos had merely deflected the blow and casually turned his back to Lloyd and the rest of them. It was more of a blow to Lloyd's – and to their collective – ego, but at very least, he hadn't harmed the younger swordsman.

"Then, I suggest you seek the Rheairds and head for the eastern skies," Kratos murmured, just barely turning his head over his shoulder enough to glance back to all of them. "I'm sure the people of Mizuho have located the Rheairds by now." With that, he merely strolled away into the shadowed forest, offering neither excuses nor goodbyes.

It was only a fleeting thought for Liane to consider running after him, one that quickly dissolved as soon as she realized that she definitely wouldn't have a place to come back to this time – especially this time – if she did. _He's watching us… we're still of interest to him if he's watching us this closely,_ she told herself and forced her hand away from the hilt of her sword with a sigh. _He'll be back. There will be more chances,_ she told herself as a miserable lump formed in her throat, knowing that the others might end up all considering her the traitor if she wasn't careful.

Lloyd shook his head and sheathed his blades as he turned to the rest of the party. "What's that guy trying to do?" he asked, not really sounding like he truly expected an answer.

"Ah, well, who cares?" Zelos spoke up, a touch of a wicked grin twisting his expression as he lifted an eyebrow to Lloyd. "If he's useful, make use of him," he shrugged, glancing around the party as if for support.

Sheena frowned and then slowly nodded. "I agree," she commented, sounding almost surprised. "Anyway, let's head back to Mizuho for now," she shrugged and gestured to the tree root that led back to the town above.

Liane glanced up into the trees and then further to the skies above. "Um, can we make it back to Mizuho tonight?" she asked, looking to Sheena with a frown. "It'll be getting dark by the time we get supplies and leave town, and – haunted or not – there's still some nasty monsters in Gaoracchia Forest that I don't think would help us right now – the dark really wouldn't help that out in the least."

Raine looked over to her assistant with a slow nod before she glanced up as well. "You have a point. Maybe we can see if we can afford to stay at the inn for the night?"

"The inn? A _real_ bed??" Zelos asked in excitement. "Raine, my cool beauty, why don't you be leader instead of Lloyd?" he grinned, sauntering closer until he was stopped by the head of the Professor's staff, leveled by the half-elf herself to keep him at bay. The redhead's eyes widened, but he still chuckled and lifted a single finger to gently push the rod away. "So cool, yet fiery. I like it," he grinned and took a step backwards. "You still have my vote for the inn, though."

Lloyd laughed a little and shook his head. "Okay, let's go check it out. Standing here isn't getting us any closer to helping Colette."

"Okay, then, just to make it official," Genis lifted his voice to catch the others' attention as he turned back to Presea with a wide grin. "Welcome to the group, Presea!"

The pink haired girl nodded politely, but what looked like might have been a smile never quite fully bloomed. "Thank you."

Zelos approached the girl and bent slightly at the waist, his arm folded up over his chest as if he were preparing to bow to a trueborn lady. "My cute little Presea. I'll protect you, okay?" he winked at her and stood once again.

"Thank you, Zelos," Presea replied, showing no more emotion than she had offered Genis just moments before.

The silver haired mage almost immediately began to bounce on the balls of his feet. "Oh! Oh! I'll… I'll…."

"Come on, let's go!" Lloyd called out suddenly, leading his companions back towards the tree root, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he had stolen time away from his best friend's fluster.

"I'll protect you, too…" Genis murmured, staying in place as his shoulders slumped. Then, in the next moment, his hands curled into fists that shook at his sides as his cheeks flared red with a growl. "Stupid, stupid Lloyd!!"

Liane heard the boy's curse just as she reached the base of the root and glanced back to watch Genis trot to catch up with the rest of the party. She considered not saying anything, but the look on his face was too much for her. As she started to pass, she dropped her hand onto his shoulder to hold him back for a moment, earning herself a curious look for the effort. "Genis, it's okay. We're all tired, and Presea's had a traumatic day," she murmured to keep her voice from traveling too far ahead. "But, if you've got something to say and you think she's worth the chance, don't make her guess, okay?" She kept a smile for him, and slowly chuckled. "And Zelos flirts with everyone. Don't let him rattle you."

The boy looked like he was holding his breath, but then he finally let it out with a huff. "But Lloyd –"

"Lloyd is preoccupied," Liane shrugged again. "Besides, if we get to stay at the inn, you can slug him with a few pillows. That'll make you feel better, won't it?" she asked, meeting his gaze with a slight smirk.

It took a few blinks for the mage to banish the resentment from his eyes, but he finally chuckled and started to walk up the root beside Liane. "You're still a little bit devious," he smirked. "I like that."

Liane could only smile in return, wishing that was all it would take to straighten out all the thoughts in her own mind. _Glad I could help, Genis. Glad I could help._

* * *

Whether the innkeeper had recognized them as Presea's companions or not, the price that the dark haired woman named was almost obscenely high. It left the party no chance of affording four rooms for the night. 

_It didn't even help that we left Presea outside with Sheena and Zelos._ They had left some of the party outside when they had entered the inn in hopes of keeping the situation calm, and Regal had even seemed sure that he could talk the innkeeper's price down if it went too high, but nothing changed the woman's rates.

"Guess we're camping tonight after all," Lloyd sighed and turned away from the front desk to lead the party out of the building. "Zelos is gonna _love_ that."

Liane shrugged and adjusted her pack on her back, glancing over to her friend with a small smirk. "It's okay. It's good for him. Builds character," she sighed and fell into step behind the red-clad swordsman. They moved across the room, but before they could reach the door, a brown haired girl in a festive red and green dress wandered distractedly in front of Lloyd as if she hadn't seen him or the others.

Lloyd's boots squeaked on the clean wooden floor as he stopped just short of walking into the young woman. Starting at the noise, her head snapped up. "Oh! Excuse me," she laughed quietly, her cheeks tinting a little in embarrassment. Then she quickly sucked in a breath as if it were courage and turned to face them. "Have you heard of the handsome swordsman staying at this village lately?" she asked with a nervous glance back to the woman behind the desk. "He seems to be looking for a special kind of firewood," she told them, keeping her voice low as if it were a secret.

"Sorry, we haven't spent much time here," Liane shook her head and tried to offer the woman a smile. _She looks like she's trying to impress him with her good dress, though._

But Lloyd didn't seem to find quite as much amusement in the girl's question. "Special firewood?" he asked, tilting his head to her.

The girl nodded eagerly and clasped her hands behind her back. "He said something about needing heat that could even melt the legendary Aionis."

"Aionis?" Regal murmured, raising one eyebrow beneath his blue bangs before he shook his head. "Now this sounds like something from a fairy tale."

Lloyd turned enough to look back to Regal and then to Raine. "What's Aionis?"

Raine watched her student in silence for a few moments before she sighed and hung her head a little. "A material that Mithos the Hero received from the Goddess Martel," she replied, her tone almost a groan. "It's used to make equipment for gods." Then she looked up to meet his gaze with a shake of her head. "It's an imaginary material that doesn't exist."

Liane had to try not to laugh at Raine's frustration. They had studied about Mithos' gifts from Martel not long before they had set out on their journey, but with all that had happened since then, it was really no wonder that Lloyd didn't remember it. "It was supposed to have been very strong and have magical properties to help its bearer…" she prompted Lloyd, hoping it might jog his memory and restore some hope to Raine that he might have actually been listening.

"Hmmm," Lloyd tilted his head in thought and then shrugged. "And he's looking for firewood that could melt that? He sure is weird," he finally chuckled as he ran his fingers back through his hair.

His laughter seemed to be just enough to draw the girl from her playfully lovelorn state and push her to the brink of anger. "Hey!" She blurted out, hands flying to her hips. "Don't make fun of Kratos!"

_Kratos?! _Liane felt her jaw drop as she watched the girl huff with disgust and prance back over to the window. _She's waiting for Kratos? He's been staying here all along??_

"But Kratos is always…" Lloyd's voice trailed off, but this time it ended in confusion instead of the anger he had held for the angel since his betrayal had truly settled on him.

Genis turned to look up to his sister with a helpless shrug. "Why is he looking for that kind of firewood?"

"Along with the adamantite incident, I wonder what he is doing…" the Professor murmured, not truly answering her brother's question as she seemed to be pondering her own.

Lloyd glanced back over to the young woman at the window as if considering asking her more, but then shook his head. "I'm concerned about this," he sighed, his eyes clenching shut for a moment. "Let's keep a close eye on his movements until we know what he is doing."

"That might be easier said than done," Liane frowned, almost not wanting to voice the thought as they once again started toward the door. "If he's been staying here, then he might have been watching us the whole time. So… who really ends up doing the watching?" she shrugged to no one in particular, remembering something she had heard once as she stepped through the door, a slight chill slipping over her skin that had nothing to do with the oncoming night.

_Who watches the watcher. Is Kratos really what we should be worried about?_

* * *

The mood in the camp was considerably mixed that night. Colette's disappearance dampened their collective mood and sent Lloyd off by himself until food appeared. But Presea's presence was an encouragement to them all – especially Genis. They all gathered around the campfire near the river, with Mizuho only a quick jaunt away in the morning. 

It was as Liane had suspected – the group had treated Regal no differently – or at least no worse than before his confession at the mine. Most of them seemed willing to give him his space, but that night he seemed to be content to sit with them, his eyes fixed on the pink-haired girl.

_Good for you, Regal. I hope her answers are what you are looking for,_ she smiled to herself as she quietly gathered her pack and separated from the group. Liane had already staked out her spot for the night. It wasn't far from the rest of the party, and all of the night watches knew where she would be. The grassy cutbank beside the river looked like a little piece of heaven to her – quiet, protected by an old root-bound tree, secluded – and simply a place for her to try to put herself back together. Part of her still hated how she fell apart on Regal the night before, but she knew it was bound to happen eventually, and his kindness seemed to be all it needed to do so.

_And then, there's Kratos._

His appearance after three days – and apparently still on his own agenda – did nothing to help her.

_Why can't he just go away… or… stay. Why do we all have to play this game?_

He had to know how he was playing with all of them, and especially her. He seemed to be able to read her better than any of them, whether he would admit it or not.

Quiet had stolen over the group that remained around the campfire, and Liane found her own mind mercifully stilled by the solitude that they had allowed her and the icy stars above. Then, the slight rustle of leaves near her head in the windless dark made her breath catch.

"Are you awake?"

She knew he that would come – she had both hoped and dreaded that he would. Liane closed her eyes, images of the gold and white clad angel filling her mind of the angel she wanted to hate along with the rest of them – one that had taken away the man she had found herself drawn to so inexplicably.

"If I said no?" she asked, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to do so.

Kratos sighed, and she heard him settle to sit beside her in the shadows of the tree.

"Then I'd probably still stay."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, weary of the game and of constantly defending him to her own mind.

"Because I wanted to talk to you."

She shook her head, keeping her eyes closed against the thing she knew she didn't want to see. The last thing she wanted to do was prove to herself how much he could hurt her.

"Liane… look at me."

"No."

"You don't think I see how you avoid looking at me…" Kratos chuckled dryly. "I'm not here to hurt you. If there is no part of you that can trust me, then there might be no way that I can help any of you."

"Help?? You turned your sword on us, Kratos!! We're stuck here in a strange world on a quest that we have no idea where to start –" she propped herself up on her elbow in an unplanned attempt to level the rest of her hushed rant directly at him. Before she realized what she had done, she found herself face to face with him. For the first time since she had lost consciousness in the Tower of Salvation, he was as Liane wanted to remember him. Once again, he wore his familiar indigo… stepping back for a moment into the guise of the man that she still wanted so badly to trust. "Kratos…" she gaped at him. She knew it was just clothing, but she just wanted him to tell her it was all just a joke – that they could just go home. That he would finally explain why he haunted her dreams – why his betrayal didn't just bruise her trust and ego like the others – why it felt to be barely a hair from a deathblow to her.

"I thought you might be more comfortable," he nodded slightly, his eyes shadowed by his bangs from the firelight that managed to pierce the foliage between Liane's chosen bed site and the camp.

"Why?" she whispered, lowering herself back down onto her blanket, hoping gravity would lend her aid to keep the tears that were so close to the surface after the previous night confined. "Why does it matter to you if I'm comfortable or not? You're still not going to stay with us or fight with us."

His silence was more of an answer than he ever could have verbalized.

"I thought so," she muttered. He sat but inches from her head and he had gone through the effort to at least appear as he had been before, but she wasn't sure that she didn't feel further from him every time he appeared to them. It didn't help any of them – especially her and Lloyd – it was just a reminder that he had tossed their trust away.

"Kratos, please… if you never honestly answer anything to me again… Cruxis really didn't take Colette?" she asked, attempting to focus on something more tangible.

"No. Rodyle is acting on his own."

"But you know where he is," she insisted, glancing up to him accusingly.

The angel shrugged and leaned back against the tree. "I told you how to find him. I can do no more."

She opened her eyes to stare again at the stars, testing her resolve to stand against letting his presence break her down.

"If we're enemies now, why do you help us, Kratos?" she whispered, the nagging question finally finding voice.

"Hmm… you're more talkative than usual tonight," he commented, avoiding her question. "I can't help you, Liane. I have other duties."

"But you _are_ helping…" she whispered. Then another thought occurred to her. "You're… you're not working for Cruxis either, are you?" She again propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. He stared at her patiently, and she saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

"I am one of the four seraphim, Liane. That's all you need to know. You cannot depend on my help. I have done all I can for all of you. What you do from here – and who you listen to – is up to you."

Liane narrowed her gaze on him. "And if we listen closely to someone we used to trust?" His eyes were fixed on her, as if waiting for her to put the pieces together, and she saw him nod slightly in satisfaction.

"Think things through, Liane. You might be the only one that can. I never asked any of you to trust me. But you should know, and you can help them. You can convince them," he spoke softly, yet still so insistently.

She stared at him, almost shocked by his words. "You want me to convince them to follow your directions," Liane murmured, wobbling between realization and disbelief.

"You'll know when you should or shouldn't…" Kratos shrugged, offering no more encouragement.

_He sounds so certain… why? Why me? _"Why are you so sure? Kratos, you've…" Liane stammered, almost giving in to outrage that he still thought she would so blindly trust him. "You've betrayed us – all of us. And you think that a few visits… singling _me_ out…."

"Anger… good," he interrupted her. "You'll need that. I was wondering when that would come. You ask why. My only answer is that you know me better than any of them do. And, you know… that I know you."

His words echoed through her head spawning confusion in any thought they met. "You _think_ you know me…" she muttered sullenly, turning from him again. What bothered her most with his words was that, for some reason, she knew that he was right.

Kratos sighed, starting to pull his feet under him to stand. "I will go. I see that I have further distressed you."

"No… please." Liane silently cursed herself as the words slipped before she could catch them. She knew that she could never find the words to explain to him why she didn't want him to go… or why she felt safer letting the enemy be with her while she slept. A moment later, she heard him settle back on the ground and sighed in what felt oddly like relief.

"Perhaps… it would be my turn to once again ask why?" Kratos muttered, his voice barely audible over the slight breeze.

"I thought you said that you know me, Kratos," she replied, nudging her blanket closer against his leg. She knew that she couldn't hope for him or anyone else to understand when she didn't herself. He would be gone before morning… and she didn't have the slightest idea when she would see him again.


	24. Chapter 25

Heart of the Phoenix 

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: There is much ground to be covered, but when secret meetings are discovered, alliances are once again called into question. The bonds of friendship are both strained and strengthened as the party forges ahead, the price of their goals beginning to reveal itself.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 25:

"_Kratos… please! You have to –"_

_She could see the cold light that glimmered from his sword waver almost as if it mimicked his resolve, but the pain within her was growing, just as she still had sense enough to know that – one way or the other – she would die. But there was only one person in the world that she could trust to not let her die by losing herself… only one. So even as her body seethed with a wild power she couldn't hope to contain, she made the effort to once again look to him… in shame and in pleading..._

"_Kratos…."_

Liane shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as the party emerged from the shadows of Gaoracchia Forest on the last leg of their return to Mizuho. It was all that she remembered of her dream, but she was almost as sure that – even if it didn't make it any less unnerving – it was all that there had been. She had stirred at some point in the night from what she had instantly realized had been a peaceful sleep. It was then that she knew that she was alone in her slightly secluded sleeping spot and Kratos had once again disappeared without leaving any sign that he had ever been there. Her attempts to reclaim her peaceful rest, however, were rewarded with another glimpse of pain that she could still feel, almost as if it were her own skin that had been slowly being pulled apart. It was all starting to feel like something that she should remember… no matter what she dreamed, there was a common thread through it that never wavered – but it was always just out of her reach. It would have been almost easy to think that it was a vision of a dark future – one in which she would call on Kratos for the greatest of mercies. But the priests had assured her that she had no such talent and, while they had been wrong before, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to believe that they were this time.

All of that simply left her with more unnerving possibilities. Liane was almost certain that she could dismiss possession as an option. So far, while she had lost some bits of time where she had apparently functioned just fine without any conscious direction, it seemed more like sleepwalking to her – and even more so when she had yet to hear that she had done anything out of character at those times. _But the alternative… is madness._ It was hard to say which of the dismal options was worse. If the visions hadn't started well before they had come to Tethe'alla, she could almost tell herself that Kratos' betrayal could still be churning her mind and her imagination. But they had been with her for the whole journey, some more benign than others, but present nonetheless.

_Looks like madness really is the leading option._

As much as Liane wished that she could just turn the visions off, another part of her so desperately wanted to put them together… to see if the story that seemed to want to be told so badly had an ending. _Maybe when I figure that out… maybe then they'll go away._ It was all she had. No one else could crawl into her thoughts and put everything in order, or better yet, explain them to her. It was her burden, and it was one that tied her to Kratos. Her visions were the reason that she couldn't hate him – she just couldn't grasp them enough to know why.

_It's all too real. _She chewed her lip. _There's never any kind of thought that it'll be over and I'll wake up… these dreams are feeling more and more like memories…._

It was far more than she wanted to consider. It didn't make sense by any definition of the term. Forcing the thoughts to the back of her mind, Liane tried any distraction she could think of – looking through the trees for some sign of Mizuho, straining to listen for familiar birdsong, counting her own steps – _anything – _no matter how mindless. She had avoided looking too closely to any of her companions that morning, perhaps out of fear that they would see through her and know that she had allowed their enemy so close to them the night before without raising any alarms. There had been a soft murmuring all through the brisk morning so far, something she hadn't truly taken notice of as it blended into the weary din of quiet conversation that didn't involve her. But as Liane's attention gradually returned to the others, she realized that the constant babbling was mostly Raine, who walked not far from her side, but just far enough to be engrossed in the bubble of her own thoughts. That, in itself, was no surprise simply from the years that Liane had known the Professor – the woman had always had a tendency to talk herself through puzzles in the past. Yet when words certain to touch sore spots on most, if not all, of the party members started to form from the soft ramblings… words such as Colette, Cruxis, and Martel. Liane frowned and took a step closer to her mentor, leaning forward to catch the silver haired woman's glossy gaze. "Raine?" she asked, concerned by the dark circles beneath the Professor's eyes when she looked up. "Maybe if we talk it out, it won't keep you awake all night again?" she ventured, almost feeling bad for seeking such a distraction from her own thoughts.

Raine frowned as if considering keeping her thoughts to herself, but then she finally sighed and let her tense shoulders fall. "I just can't stop wondering what that means," she replied distractedly, as if she had simply answered with the thought that was passing through her mind at that exact moment.

"What what means?" Zelos interjected from where he walked just behind Liane, his hands casually stuffed into his pockets. "Have you figured out something about Cruxis' schemes?"

The Professor glanced back over her shoulder to the party's remaining Chosen, the deep crease in her brow answering his question before she drew another breath. "Just recently, they've been saying that the Chosen is useless. They _keep_ saying that," she emphasized and turned forward again. "Yet Colette is supposed to possess the necessary properties to become Martel's vessel. So what are they talking about?"

"Pronyma wanted to take her… but she's a Desian like Rodyle," Liane murmured, bracing herself for what she was about to say, even though she knew it would only be more conspicuous if she didn't. "Kratos stopped her, though. And he said that Rodyle was working on his own and ignoring Cruxis' orders. It is like they're not in any hurry to take her back, even if they are keeping tabs on her."

Lloyd slowed his pace to fall back to Raine's right side, the conversation catching his attention as well. "Now that you mention it, you're right," he glanced over towards Raine and Liane, his expression thoughtful as he nodded. "I mean, I'd understand it if they said Zelos was useless."

Liane's eyes widened in surprise at how flatly the swordsman had slammed the Tethe'allan Chosen, not even his eyes betraying any mirth. _Lloyd!!_

"Hmmmm, yeah, you're right," Zelos nodded in agreement as his eyes traced over the ground, lost in what appeared to be a genuine effort to understand and perhaps even contribute. Then his head snapped up, his glare fixing on Lloyd as he planted his feet firmly on the path. "Wait, hey! What's that second comment supposed to mean?" the Chosen demanded, the easy slump to his posture gone as he mounted his hands on his hips.

The younger swordsman's innocent expression somehow survived even Genis' muffled giggle until Raine turned and sighed heavily in Lloyd's direction, but not entirely sparing Zelos from her glare. "Quit joking around, you two!" she chided the swordsmen, her free hand shaking at them in a display of frustration. "This may mean that Colette is still hiding something," she huffed and spun on her heel to continue after the others, who were still content to at least act as if they had heard nothing.

"Yeah," Lloyd murmured sheepishly, glancing up to Zelos. "Sorry. I couldn't resist," he shrugged and started walking again, offering the redhead a shrug as if it punctuated his apology.

Oddly, Zelos merely snickered and reached out to thoroughly ruffle Lloyd's hair as he strode past. "Actually, I'm kind of impressed that a bumpkin like you came up with something like that so fast," he chuckled, shrugging and pushing his hands back into his pockets as he left Lloyd and Liane behind.

"Still with the 'bumpkin' stuff?" Liane sighed, making no effort to keep her voice particularly quiet as she looked back to her friend. "I guess I really can't fault you, even if you did start it," she shrugged and fell into step with him as they followed at a short distance from the others. The sun was just starting to flood the valley that cradled Mizuho, Ozette, and Altessa's burrow as they emerged from the forest, and Lloyd had to shield his eyes to look to her.

"Seriously, Colette's always tried to do nice things for the people of Sylvarant…" Lloyd explained, shaking his head. "Zelos… well…." He seemed to struggle with his words for a moment before a smile somehow burned its way through his slightly distressed expression. "I mean, _why_ would a Goddess want a guy for her vessel? Of course he's useless for that!"

Liane had to laugh – he did have a point. "I don't think it's probably that simple, Lloyd," she shook her head. She was so glad for the glimpse of her friend's impish side. Colette's absence still weighed on all of them – even if she hadn't been herself between the Tower of Salvation and the incident of the Fooji Mountains, she had still been with them physically. Now, none of them could say what was happening to her – a fact made worse by her condition before Rodyle had taken her away. "But we'll get the Rheairds and we'll find her. Then it won't matter what Cruxis says, right?"

The swordsman was silent as his smile faded back once again. "Yeah. If she's useless to them, maybe they'll just leave her alone," he replied as his gaze fell back down to the path.

While his words didn't bear the optimism that they could have, Liane still couldn't blame him. All of them were in danger, they couldn't afford to take anything for granted.

_Like I'm one to talk about taking things for granted._

Quickly looking towards the river that flowed in the distance, Liane sighed. _But I'm not. I know I'm not. I know we're so worried about one of our own betraying us again that we're gong to miss something if we're not careful. _While she couldn't say for sure what Kratos wanted, she did know that he didn't come at night to hurt them… and every other time they had found him in Tethe'alla, he had let them go in peace. _I'd have to be a fool to think that there's no chance that we'll never fight him again, but I know he didn't take Colette this time. He wants us to get her back – so maybe it serves both him and us to do so._ Anything beyond that was either a guess or sheer wishful thinking. There simply weren't enough facts to even guess what all the players were doing in the game that affected two worlds and countless lives.

As the hidden village of Mizuho finally started to stand out from the dense forest, Orochi once again met them at the gate. This time, his greeting was considerably warmer as he directed them to the Chief's hut without the slightest hint of disapproval for the outsiders.

The party entered the hut together as they had been instructed, with Lloyd and Sheena in the lead.

"Oh, Lloyd," Tiga looked up from a scroll that he had spread out on the mat before him, nodding to Sheena and the others as Lloyd continued another step closer. "Good timing."

"What is it?" Lloyd asked, once again speaking for his companions as the Vice-Chief turned to them with his hands resting peacefully in his lap.

A thin smile curled Tiga's lips. "We've located the Rheairds," he told the swordsman, gesturing to the party to enter the room instead of remaining in the doorway.

Genis reached out and grabbed Lloyd's sleeve as he started past the older boy, murmuring, "It's just like Kratos said," when Lloyd looked down to him.

"Why does he do things like that to help us, if he's our enemy?" Lloyd almost groaned as he sat down on his knees before the Vice-Chief and Genis moved to sit back and to his side.

_Because he's not our enemy._ It was all Liane could do to keep quiet as she took her place beside the young mage. She knew it didn't help things at the moment, but as far as she could see, it made the thought no less true. _If he were, we'd all be dead._

"But now… we can save Colette," Presea observed softly as she sat at the back of the group, drawing Tiga's gaze back to her.

The Vice-Chief waited until they had all settled before he turned to Sheena. He paused for a moment, and then his eyes slid closed. "Sheena, before you recover the Rheairds, I must give you at test," Tiga spoke, his voice firm with authority as the summoner looked up in surprise.

"A test, Vice-Chief?" Sheena responded carefully, her voice controlled even though curiosity colored her tone.

"Yes," Tiga responded with a single nod, though his eyes never left Sheena. "Even if we recover the Rheairds, if Volt's mana runs out, they will crash again." He let his statement fade for only the moment that it took him to draw another breath. "Thus, before recovering the Rheairds, you are going to form a pact with Volt."

Sheena remained where she stood, her head bowed and her form visibly shaking, but she didn't speak or respond to the Vice-Chief with anything but silence.

The Vice-Chief's expression softened. "I know it's hard, but it is a test you must overcome," he told her, his voice both apologetic and firm at the same time.

"I… I can't!" the summoner blurted out as she spun and ran out of the room, the door of the hut slamming a moment later to mark her departure as the party could only watch, momentarily stunned at how Tiga's request had shattered the young woman's control.

Liane started to climb to her feet along with the others and began to edge towards the door. "Vice-Chief, why?" she started and then faltered. He had explained his reasons – it had to be more than just a test – but Sheena had never reacted so badly to the idea of making a pact before. _What's different?_

Tiga sighed, his shoulders drooping for a moment before he finally looked up to them again. "Sheena failed to form a pact with Volt once before," he replied solemnly before looking over to the shrouded bed in the corner of the room. "That is the reason why the Chief is in a coma."

"We have to find her," Raine spoke up as she started towards the door with a glance over her shoulder to the others. "Split up – she shouldn't be alone right now. She's being asked to do this to help us, too…."

When the Vice-Chief made no effort to stop them, the party scattered and began to move out into the town in search of Sheena. Liane stood with Lloyd and Zelos for a moment, glancing around the village paths that the others had already started searching. "She never told us," she shook her head, thinking aloud more than anything else.

"Maybe that's why she acted like she didn't want to tell us that she could summon back when we first needed Undine," Lloyd huffed and ran his fingers back through his hair. "Why didn't she say something? We could have…" his voice trailed off into what sounded like a frustrated growl. "Dammit, I don't know what we could have done. None of us can summon, and we never would have made it this far without her pacts, but…."

Zelos sighed and leaned back against the wall of the hut, his arms crossed over his chest. "It's a pretty famous incident. A quarter of Mizuho's population died," he muttered, his voice lacking the obnoxiousness it usually held, his smile still present, but weak. "She puts on a strong face, but she's really alone in this village." Then he tilted his head to Lloyd and nodded pointedly out into the village. "Go cheer her up, man," he chuckled quietly. "She seems to have a thing for you."

Lloyd's eyes went wide as he turned a color that closely resembled that of his shirt. "Well, we have to find her, but… I…." His fluster seemed to deny him any more words, but his feet responded quickly, turning the young swordsman and carrying him out into the town as Zelos continued to laugh softly in his wake.

Liane exhaled and glanced over to Zelos, once eyebrow arched ever so slightly. She thought she had seen glimpses of it before, but such revealing moments usually retreated when the Chosen seemed to go out of his way to annoy the ninja. This time, between the way he spoke of what had happened to Sheena in her past and how empty his laughter had been when he had sent Lloyd after Sheena, she was sure. "You're so transparent. Do you know that?"

"When it comes to Sheena? _Completely_." Zelos looked up to her with a wink and a grin that didn't come close to disguising that the amusement stopped far short of being reflected in his eyes. "So much so, it constantly surprises me when she can see me well enough to smack me," he sighed.

"Zelos…" Liane murmured, almost startled by the honesty she heard beneath the almost-cheerful lilt in his voice. "Why don't you say something?" she asked as she couldn't help but wonder if the young man standing before her might be the true Chosen, all of the games and posing finally set aside.

Once again, the redhead chuckled and looked down to study his crossed arms. "Because, my Warrior Goddess. I have scads of hunnies that like me just as I am, so why not cut a poor bumpkin like Lloyd a little slack and point him in the right direction?" He tossed his head back and winked at her again, the sparkle back in his eyes. "That's sporting, right? And while he's busy setting the hook in his very own ninja hunny, maybe I'll convince the Warrior Goddess that I am but a humble Chosen that would happily be in her service?" he waggled his eyebrows playfully.

"I think that the 'humble Chosen' hides behind that title a little too much for my liking… and maybe I'm not the only one?" Liane shook her head and turned to start away. While it seemed possible that Sheena _could_ like Lloyd, it was far more likely that Zelos liked Sheena – but he was just a little too afraid to drop his pompous act to admit it. _Not like I'm one to hold that against him when there's things I won't talk about, either… but I was really starting to feel sorry for him for a moment there._

Liane had no idea where to even start looking for Sheena at what seemed to be the main crossroad of the town, but then she saw Regal and Lloyd standing together on a small rise nearby. _Maybe I'll see where they've checked,_ she decided, their conversation becoming a bit clearer as she drew closer.

"Sheena is still too young… too frail to accept the cruel fate forced upon her… lend her your strength."

Liane stopped at the distinctive tone of the convict's voice, his words carrying a note of wisdom that was somehow always there, whether he intended it or not. Lloyd's soft reply was lost on the breeze that wafted through the forest, but he turned right after to head back into the core of the town, slowing to offer

Liane a bit of a helpless shrug before continuing past her and leaving her to watch him disappear down the town's first row of huts. She turned to find Regal watching after the teen as well, and she continued to walk towards him, guessing from Lloyd's haste that he had a destination in mind already. "You know, I see you cringe every time 'gramps' or some other 'old man' reference comes up, but when you talk about Sheena being 'too young' like that, you really have to be able to see where the material comes from." She smirked and leaned back against the log fence that edged the rise, lowering her pack to rest beside her feet.

Regal sighed, but showed no real signs of irritation as his eyes slid over to her. "I don't think anyone can ever feel truly ready to hold the fate of so many in their hands, especially if they have met with failure that had such a price in the past."

Liane regarded his observation and then cocked her head to him. "Regal… how old are you?" she finally asked, her curiosity getting the better of her as he avoided commenting on Zelos' nicknames for him.

"Thirty-three," the convict replied after a moment of what could have either been surprise or quick math to answer the question.

"See?" Liane shrugged to him, offering him a bit of a smile. "Big brother, maybe. But 'pops' is too extreme even for Zelos," she laughed and moved to rest her hands beside her on the fence. While it was admittedly older than she would have guessed, it still saddened her to think of how those years seemed to have forced the weary wisdom of someone far older onto him.

He glanced over at her after her comment, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "And how old are you to be judging the Chosen's assessment of me?" Regal asked, turning to face her to deliver his challenge.

Liane shrugged. "Twenty," she answered, seeing his question as fair. "But I don't think age is enough to decide that someone isn't ready to deal with things. Look at Genis… and Presea. They're probably two of our most formidable fighters. I think – in Sheena's case – maybe it's not that she's too young, but that she needs someone to believe in her? It sounds like she's lived for a while in a place where everyone knows what happened. That's a lot to live down."

"It is hard when not even your home can offer you refuge," Regal slowly nodded. He watched her for a few more moments as if he was either measuring her or trying to make a decision before his head snapped up. "The others are gathering… it seems that Lloyd found the right words for Sheena."

_Was he going to say something else?_ Liane looked up, following the convict's gaze to the town crossroads where Sheena and Lloyd had indeed started gathering with the others. She shrugged and reached down to her pack, offering Regal a smile when she stood again. "Lloyd has a talent for doing that when it counts," she told him and started back to the others with a glance over her shoulder. "Come on… looks like we're going to get Volt's pact after all."

As Liane and Regal approached the party from one side, they looked up to find Tiga approaching from the direction of the Chief's hut with a pleased nod as he stopped and sent a small bow of approval in Sheena's direction. "As for the whereabouts of the Rheairds, I'll send Orochi to the temple later. Ask him about them," he told them as his eyes swept over the party. "The Temple of Lightning is north of here," he bowed once again, but this time, more to the whole of the group. "Take care."

It was a simple wish, really, but it was enough to start the party once more out the gates of Mizuho. It was difficult for Liane not to notice the looks that the villagers gave them as they passed by and even harder yet to not take note of the fact that only one Mizuhoan went for Volt's pact this time, which brought the reality of Zelos' words into sharp focus. _Sheena really is alone here,_ Liane realized. No matter how kind the Vice-Chief and the other villagers had been to the party, it seemed that the summoner was just as much of an outsider as the rest of them. _But how much of that is them… and how much of it is Sheena herself? _It was easy to see just by watching the ninja for a few moments how she struggled to keep her head up and how her smiles seemed only a little weaker than normal. _She's used to putting on a happy face, I guess,_ she sighed. _If all of those people died because she didn't make a pact, I guess there's no way she could blame anyone but herself._

While it might have been Sheena's nature to put on a brave face, it was just as much Lloyd's to inspire them however he could – even if it was sometimes seemingly unintentional. As the party once again entered the forest, he hovered near Sheena – almost conspicuously silent until it seemed that he simply couldn't take it anymore. His steps quickened as he approached her side again, leaning closer to catch the summoner's attention. "Orochi and Kuchinawa are brothers, right?" he asked, meeting the ninja's gaze as she looked to him with mild interest. "Those are some interesting names."

Sheena's smile warmed, nodding her head with her steps to accept his observation. "They're both old Mizuho words for 'snake.' But those aren't their real names," she replied with the barest hint of amusement in her voice.

_Not their real names?_ Liane frowned a little and moved closer, her interest in the topic Lloyd had chosen to break the quiet growing with Sheena's response. "Is it just what they told us because we're outsiders? Or –"

"Are they aliases?" Presea stepped into the conversation, finishing Liane's thought with one of her own.

The ninja looked over to Liane and Presea, her cheeks flushing a little as she laughed uneasily. "Not exactly…" she shrugged as if she hadn't expected the conversation to gather so much interest. She tilted her head in thought for a moment as if choosing her words before she could continue. "In Mizuho, we have a tradition of giving people an additional name while hiding our real names," she explained with a shrug.

"Really?" Lloyd grinned at the information. "What are their real names?"

Liane couldn't help that she snickered at Lloyd's eager question. "It's probably 'Bob' and 'Howard' or something like that and you're going to be disappointed," she laughed as Lloyd looked over to her with a roll of his eyes.

Sheena shrugged but her smile remained, accompanied by a small laugh. "Could be… but it beats me," she glanced over her companions and gestured with one hand as if summoning her explanation. "Only they, their parents, and the Chief know." Then she drew a quick breath for her afterthought. "And whomever they marry."

"Is your name a second name as well?" Presea looked up to the ninja with wide eyes that seemed unaffected by the lighter nature of the conversation.

The black haired young woman looked down with a nod, her short ponytail bobbing. "Yeah, that's right."

There was a series of quick footsteps as Zelos was suddenly between Presea and Liane, stooping to almost Presea's height as the girl turned to him. "Presea, I know Sheena's real name," he stated with a placid smile before he rose back to an easy stroll, leaving the party staring at him for his declaration.

"What?!" Sheena blurted out with a shocked laugh. "How could you know?!"

"Sheena's real name is Violent Demonic Banshee," Zelos merely shrugged, his expression turning to a wide grin as if it was the most natural answer in the world.

The party's pace stuttered for the moment of silence that responded to Zelos' words – but it was quickly broken by the quick snap of the ninja's hand over the back of the Chosen's head as she reached over Presea's head, the air above the pink pigtails whistling a little with the speed of the retaliation. "Zelos!"

Zelos winced at the slap, cracking his eyes open into a slight glare as he looked down to Presea and pointed accusingly back over her head to Sheena. "See? See?" he pouted, shaking his finger for emphasis. "I told you she's a violent banshee!"

Sheena threw her arms up into the air with a decidedly frustrated growl and continued to talk away, leaving the lesser – but similar – reactions of the party behind her as well as Zelos' snickering. Liane couldn't stop herself from staring at him, amazed at how well he played the role of the ass when not long before, his words could have been seen as nothing short of empathic for the ninja and her plight. _Maybe it's just how they are,_ she shrugged and continued along with the others. _Maybe it's how they always have been and always will be._

The Vice-Chief had been right that the Temple of Lightning was just to the north of Mizuho, its vine-wrapped tower visible almost as soon as the EC pulled away from the dock near Ozette. But, though the trip was quick, it was also almost obscenely quiet – lacking even Raine's traditional objections to a sea voyage. Everyone seemed to be sensing – or at least respecting – the ghosts that kept the summoner silent and that every step closer to the Temple was more grudging than the next. It was in that realization that Liane thought back to Zelos' antics in the forest, and it occurred to her that there might have truly been a method to the madness. _He distracted her. He had to know that she'd hit him._ She frowned and looked ahead to where Zelos strolled behind Sheena and Lloyd with Raine hovering not far away. _Lloyd inspires… Zelos inspires madness… but they're both rooted in the present, and that's a safer place to be than stuck in a past you can't change. Maybe… that's how he's trying to help._

But before Liane could further ponder the wisdom of the redheaded Chosen's tactics in dealing with a distraught ninja, a hand dropped lightly on her shoulder from behind. She paused, not particularly frightened as she knew that the group was a little more spread out than normal – she wasn't alone, and most monsters didn't recognize the need for a polite tap on the shoulder before attacking. "Regal…?" she quickly found a smile, grateful for her own recall into the present before she was too caught up in the past.

Regal jerked his head back when her hazel eyes met his gaze in a silent gesture to slow her pace so that they could talk. "May I speak with you?"

"Hmm?" she looked at him with a curious smile. "Sure... what is it?"

He waited until they were several steps behind the group, nearly falling behind but close enough that no one would come to interrupt them. When he seemed satisfied that they had enough space, he turned to her, keeping his voice low to ask, "How often does he come visit you?"

Her blood instantly froze in her veins. _Oh, Goddess…. _"I... you saw..." Liane muttered, feeling guilty for no particular reason, but she knew that none of them would ever see it that way. Now, he would be one of them. "I've talked to him a few times since we left Sylvarant," she hung her head, seeing no reason to lie. _Well, he said he would listen..._ But somehow, she doubted that his kindness would extend to her consorting with the traitor.

"I see," Regal nodded, his expression almost unnervingly even as he drew a breath to speak again. "I had noticed your sudden departure from the group last night, and I had been curious as to if you would have liked company. Only when I found you, you already had some."

"Damn..." Liane shook her head. "No one seemed to even notice I was there. I didn't want to be a bother to you again. And I didn't know he would come..." she babbled. "I was just going to go to sleep. I didn't mean..." Her mind skipped over what she knew was one lame excuse after another until she stopped, her eyes widening as she looked up to him. "Wait. You saw him, but you didn't say or do anything until now?" She nervously glanced back at the rest of the party. "Not to anyone?" The thought made her mind reel.

"No, I did not tell anyone." He lifted his hands to place one of them on her shoulder in what seemed to be a genuine attempt to calm her. "From what I saw and what I heard, he bore no hostility towards you, so there was no reason to charge into battle."

Despite what she took to be a comforting gesture, Liane felt panic swell inside her once again. "You heard...? Oh, Goddess..." she shook her head. "You probably think I'm trying to sabotage everything... it's not like that, Regal..." she tried to keep her voice calm, but she really wasn't ready for that particular confrontation. It occurred to her that she could have spared them both this whole situation if she had just told him the night before, but how crazy would she have sounded...?

"Liane, I do not think you a traitor." He made every word firm, gripping her shoulder a bit tighter so that she would hear him through her panic. "Now calm down."

Liane clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Then what _do_ you think? I know what it probably looked like. Meeting with him does seem to be fairly damning at this point."

"I have already told you that I heard what the both of you said, and there was not plotting against the rest of us." Regal remarked quietly, causally glancing around to make sure none of the others were watching them. "Just take a deep breath. I doubt you can answer my questions if you do not relax a little."

She nodded and did as he told her. But he was still calm, while she was the one acting guilty. Liane's only hope was that perhaps he would give her a chance to prove her innocence before he made the decision to tell the others.

"Why does he come to see you, Liane? Is he not our enemy?" Regal had waited until it seemed she was ready to continue. "Did he not betray all of you before?"

Liane winced. She couldn't deny that she could still see him drawing his sword against them in the Tower, or that she could still remember the first time he swung it at her in that battle. "Yes... he did betray us. All of us. And I wish I knew why he comes to me. But he's not exactly forthcoming with that kind of information. All I know is that he has never threatened me. Not here – not in Tethe'alla, anyway," she finished.

"Hmm..." he murmured in response as if he was considering what reply he would give her. "Do you think it wise... to see him like that?"

"Wise?" Liane chuckled sadly, her head drooping. "No. I only know..." Did she really want to say it? _Could_ she say it? "I only know that it's what my heart tells me to do." She almost choked on the words. They sounded so alien outside of her own head.

"Liane..." Regal grit his teeth. "I do not wish to see you hurt. But I believe that he would use the opportunity against us, even if it meant he had to hurt you. What if his orders from Cruxis change? What if his leader knows what he is doing, that he sees you alone, and orders him to -"

"He wouldn't..." Liane whispered, cutting him off and seeking his eyes... praying that he would find some way to understand what she knew might end up spilling from her lips before long. "Somehow, I know he wouldn't purposely hurt me. I don't think he wants to harm any of us… as naïve as that sounds."

"Hasn't he already?" Regal looked away from her imploring eyes. "He has betrayed you once already, Liane. As much as you and I both hope he does not intend to do so again, can you really risk it?"

"I don't have a choice, Regal. I have to watch him play his game." Liane's hopes fell when he looked away, through it was what she expected. "He taught me to defend myself... and my friends. He said that the time would come that he wouldn't have the opportunity to help. There has to be a reason… and I have to see it through."

Regal groaned, frustration leaking into the forced breath. "I can understand that he was almost like a teacher to you, that he claims he is trying to help us now, but why do you think he says there will be a time when he cannot aid us? Could it be because he knows you will have to face him again? That, in the end, we will have to battle him to achieve our goals?"

"I... Regal... I'm sure we will have to face him. I pray every day that we won't, but..." Liane shook her head. "But, there's more. I can't just abandon him. I can't."

The blue haired man took his hand off her shoulder, clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut tight. "Then tell me what you want me to do, Liane. Tell me what you want me to do about this so that I don't worry that one night he will come and take advantage of your blind trust. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt, but I also do not want to go against your wishes. He is obviously important to you."

"I want..." her eyes glazed for a moment. "I just want someone to understand. I know him, Regal. And, it's not just the time I've spent traveling with him before we left Sylvarant... and it's not the few times I've seen him since then. No one else can see it, though. Sometimes, I think I'm going crazy," Liane shook her head again, her knees feeling weak beneath her. "Maybe I already am."

"Liane, I won't keep you from him," Regal whispered, his frown etching deeper into his features.

"At the risk of making you sorry you ever offered, are you still sure that you want to listen? I can almost guarantee you won't believe me. I'm not even sure I believe myself, but I'll tell you everything. Maybe it will make sense to you... it surely doesn't to me," she muttered.

His hand reached out and took hers without hesitation. "There is nothing that could make me regret that offer. It still stands whenever you are ready."

Liane glanced ahead to the others, now almost dots in the distance as they drew closer to the Temple of Lightning. "This isn't the place..." she sighed. "I don't think I could tell you now and still function for what might be waiting at the Temple. If you would want to listen... tonight, maybe?" She was reluctant, but she knew it wasn't something she could hide much longer.

"Then tonight." Regal gave her a small, encouraging smile and watched her thoughtfully for a moment. "Will you be all right until then?"

She sighed and nodded. "I've kept it together this long. I just hope you'll even still speak to me after you hear me out."

"I may surprise you," Regal chuckled. "I was amazed you still wanted to speak to me after you learned of the blood on my hands."

"Why wouldn't I?" Liane looked at him in open curiosity. "Everyone has a story to tell, Regal. I think we all need a chance to tell it."

"Well, yours is tonight," the blue haired man told her softly, as he glanced up to see that the others were now waiting for them to catch up.

Liane drew a deep breath and did her best to shove the turmoil in her mind down one more time. "I only hope you don't regret your decision."

Regal caught her shoulder, stopping her and staring down at her. "Stop talking like that. I have given you my word that I would listen to you. You didn't force me to do that. You are not forcing me to keep my word, either. Please, stop talking as if you are so sure I will reject you once you open up to me. How can you think that I will do that to you when you had every right to do so to me, and yet chose not to?"

"In my experience..." she started with a sad smile, "just because it's a good thing doesn't mean that it can't find its way out of your life. I want to be wrong, Regal. I just want to be proven wrong."

"I am not going anywhere," the convict insisted firmly. "Have I not already proven that? I have spoken to Presea, I could have left after I did. But do you want to know why I didn't?"

_That's all he wanted to know from Presea? About her family? _Liane stopped and turned to him. "Yes." _Give me a reason, Regal. Give me a reason to hope that I'm not crazy._

"Because you cared." The convict told her, his voice even. "Because even though I am a criminal, even though I was your enemy for even a short time, you reached out to me. You _listened _to me Even though I couldn't tell you everything and even though I _still_ can't tell you everything, you cared and you listened. What sort of man would I be if I turned around and didn't try to do the same for you? What sort of friend would I be if I did not try to help you sort through this, Liane?"

The swordswoman smiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She knew that it could end up ripping her wide open... but she trusted him. _Idiot, _she thought. _Tell him that! _"Regal, I trust you. And I think I need your help – I'm fairly sure this is beyond me. Please don't let me frustrate you... not yet, anyway." _No... that will come later..._

"I am not frustrated, I am concerned." His expression softened instantly. "And thank you for trusting me. You don't know what that means to me. Not only that you trust me, but that you would ask me for help."

"Just one more promise, then," Liane drew another breath, feeling her control reassert itself a bit more firmly. "Regal, you have to remember my offer as well. I know you're not ready, yet. But if you can stand with me through this... please. My offer still stands...?"

"I know. And thank you." Regal fell silent for a moment and looked up, subtly gesturing to her to continue walking to catch up to the others. "Hopefully, I will be able to assist you tonight, Liane. But it seems our other companions are waiting for us."

The convict's words rang true as they caught up to the rest of their party, but it didn't seem that they had waited for more than a few moments. Liane and Regal were given only looks of vague curiosity, if anything, as their focus seemed to be squarely fixed on the tower before them. Sheena reached the paired doors first, reaching out to place her hands against them for just long enough for a deep sigh before she pushed them open. The sound of the ancient hinges protesting their intrusion assaulted them immediately, but other than clapping their hands to their ears, no more defense was necessary.

_Yet._

Liane shifted under the weight of her pack as she entered along with the others. The darkened interior of the Temple simply _felt_ massive, the bounds of even just what seemed like an entry corridor unclear. And even more unnerving was that even Liane could feel the energy that saturated everything around them – even the air itself seemed to hold a charge. As her eyes began to adjust to the pale light coming through an empty doorway emerged from the darkness ahead, she spared a quick glance to Regal. The convict stood on the other side of the party as they paused to regroup, showing no sign that they had ever spoken outside. While she was grateful for that discretion, she still couldn't deny the knot that was slowly tightening in her gut. She knew that she had to be right, if she phrased something thoughtlessly, it could cost her not only Regal's friendship, but that of all of them as well. If he wrote her off as a fool, she knew that their relationship was new enough that she wouldn't be able to fix it. But if he interpreted what she was doing with Kratos – and moreover _why_ – as a threat to the party, Liane also knew that she couldn't stop him from going to the others, nor could she defend her actions to any of them. So much rode on one conversation, but in every other way, it would be a relief. The door would be open to whatever consequences were necessary… and the uncertainty would fade at least a little. _It's still worth it… even just for that._

"We got in really easy," Lloyd commented, sounding distinctly like he didn't trust the fact as his eyes slid around the room. "And I don't see an oracle stone anywhere."

Raine looked around and shifted her rod between her hands. "This is the flourishing world," she replied to the swordsman's observation. "It probably isn't functioning as a seal right now."

"Yeah, we don't care about a seal. It's just Volt that we need," Sheena muttered with just enough distraction in her voice to keep it unclear if she was speaking to them or to herself as she moved towards the doorway, leaving the rest of them a few steps behind.

There was a momentary hesitation as the ninja separated herself from the party and Genis looked up to Lloyd with a frown. "I wonder if Sheena's okay," he murmured, keeping his voice quiet even though the room still seemed to amplify its volume ever so slightly.

"We have to believe in her," Lloyd replied firmly, leaving no room for doubt in his tone as he glanced to the mage. "If we don't, who will?"

Liane nodded to Lloyd's reasoning, her eyes trailing to where the summoner's silhouette hesitated in the doorway to the next chamber. "I think this time we really do have to do it for her, though. She doesn't want to be here… not when her own belief in herself was almost destroyed the last time she was here." Sheena had been so quiet since Mizuho, so withdrawn. It was hardly Liane's place to fault her for that, but to have so many bad memories tied to one place – _memories that you knew were yours - _she couldn't envy Sheena in the least.

"Ah, what beautiful mutual trust," Zelos swooned a little where he stood behind Liane, snapping an assortment of glares onto him as he chuckled.

"Stop making a joke out of it!" Lloyd demanded of the redheaded Chosen, his voice rising just a little.

Zelos quickly held his hands up in a sign of peace. "I'm not!" the swordsman quickly defended himself, sidling up to Lloyd to casually drape an arm over his shoulder. "Just think for a moment, if I were the one that was about to make that pact now, even Lloyd wouldn't be able to freely put all his trust in me, right?"

"No kidding," Genis snorted his agreement, crossing his arms over his chest with a roll of his eyes.

"The _brat_ can shut up, thank you," Zelos retorted, taking a quick moment to fix the young mage with a sarcastic glare before he stood up and straightened his salmon colored vest with a hop of his shoulders. "So I was just thinking how you have a beautiful mutual trust born of the time you've spent together," he continued, his voice once again carefree as he finished his reasoning in the same jovial tone that he had started in.

Lloyd looked up to Zelos, his brow furrowed a little as he shrugged. "Sheena's out partner. Of course we trust her…" he responded as he shook his head as a small smile curled his lips. "And so are you, after all. I trust you, too," the brown haired swordsman stated as he started forward once again, gesturing to the others to follow him.

Liane turned to follow her friend, but she couldn't miss the curious murmur that slipped away from Zelos as the redhead hesitated to fall in step with everyone else. She glanced back over her shoulder to him and smirked. "You can't tell me that you're surprised by that, Zelos," she sighed. "You're pretty much an honorary bumpkin now – don't look so shocked."

"Does that mean you've finally accepted my nickname for you, then, my Warrior Goddess?" Zelos asked, arching his eyebrow to her as he strolled forward.

"Not a chance," Liane replied quickly, not even pausing to consider it.

He paused beside her, a wide grin on his face as he lifted an index finger to tap her playfully on the nose after every word he spoke: "Then. Don't. Ever. Call. Me. That. Again." Then he stood back, winked at her, and walked on ahead of her with a chuckle. "M'kay?"

While it might not have been the time or the place, Liane still smirked and walked with the others into the next chamber. At first, she was startled by the contrast to the entryway – everything seemed to fairly glow on its own, filling the room of suspended walkways with an eerie blue glow. They proceeded slowly, carefully watching what looked to be controlled lightning dance over the other areas of the room. _I guess this is what we should expect from a Temple of Lightning, though._ Liane shrugged and started up a narrow staircase with the rest of the party. But the anxious peace they had found since entering the temple came to a quick end with a simple 'click' that met Lloyd's next footstep running just before a startled yelp leapt from the swordsman's throat.

"Ow! What was that?" Lloyd demanded as he backpedaled into Sheena and Raine, pushing them back a few steps as he drew his blades.

Sheena braced her hands against his shoulders to right him on his feet. "Looks like an electric shock," she murmured as Raine stepped around both of them to inspect the floor and then looked back up to the surrounding platforms.

"It appears when you step on the switch, lightning strikes the rod," the Professor spoke over the din of energy in the air as she looked back to Lloyd and the others.

Liane followed her mentor's eyes as well, seeing pale spikes rising into the air in places scattered around the room. "Well, from what I've seen and heard from the other elemental temples, there was always some kind of puzzle having to do with that element, right? So is this a test to see how many times we can stand being shocked, or is there more to it?" she asked with a shrug. While the value of physical strength had to be acknowledged, it had always seemed that whoever was responsible for the building of the temples wanted mental prowess as well in those that survived long enough to leave.

Lloyd glanced to Liane for a moment and then looked back to the summoner. "Hey, Sheena. You've been here before, right?" he asked with a shrug. "What did you do that time?"

The black haired young woman was silent for a moment before she shook her head and sighed. "I… I don't really know anything about the traps in the temple," she admitted quietly. "The others from Mizuho cleared them for me."

"Then, I guess we'll have to figure it out for ourselves," Lloyd responded quickly, smiling for the ninja before she could slip too far into self-pity.

_He's right,_ Liane smiled a little at Lloyd's subtle encouragement. _'We'll.' Sheena's not alone… he's trying to show her that,_ she realized as Raine slowly approached the device directly in front of them.

The Professor studied the glowing panel and then looked to the lightning rods in the distance before she glanced back over her shoulder. "Lloyd, lightning strikes higher ground." She told him, one eyebrow arched a little as if testing the young swordsman once again.

"Higher ground?" Lloyd repeated and glanced around as well before pivoting to pass the others and jog down the flight of stairs behind them with a wave over his shoulder. "Come on, let's see if we can turn these other rods off or on… see if that changes anything," he called out as he ran down the path.

The rest of the party paused for long enough to exchange glances before they started after their young leader. Liane could see his enthusiasm bubbling to the surface once again, but she just hoped it could carry him for long enough to keep him from thinking too much. _Volt's not the only thing we need… then we can get the Rheairds, but it's not like Colette will be waiting with them._ Everything was just one more step closer to a goal that still wore only temporary faces for them. _The Rheairds… Colette… stop the worlds from bleeding each other dry… it just keeps getting more and more vague. Everything we do opens the door to something else.

* * *

_

It was the dark of the Iselian night when Kratos emerged from the protection of the forest, his boots crunching the occasional dusting of snow. The lights in the wooden structure that stood at the center of the clearing had been out for as long as Kratos had been there, a caution that he had taken the time to observe to avoid confronting the dwarf that would know he wasn't supposed to be there.

With Ozette a little too close to the party, he had decided to put some distance between them and himself. With their present course, they would meet again soon enough, but the farther he was from them while they sought pacts for Sheena, the better. _I'll catch up to them in the morning. They won't go too far if they have to fight Volt._

It all left him with a few quiet hours to avoid drawing unwanted attention to them – time to do something he had wanted to do for a while.

"Anna…."

He stood alone before her grave with no one close, no one knowing he was there to interrupt him. The peace of the well-tended grave was something he didn't have to the words to express his gratitude for – it was something he knew he could probably never have given her. Blame was something he had long ago dealt with though, being linked to a defected agent of Cruxis had placed limits on her life that she never should have had, but it had been her choice – Anna had always made that clear to him. Even though he knew fault for her death rested on his shoulders in so many ways, he also knew that she had been at his side willingly – and that despite the hardships, they had found happiness together.

Kratos grimaced at the thought a moment later, shaking his head. It changed nothing, but he still knew that her time had been cut short. He was growing more and more certain that there had been more that she had been meant to do in her life.

"I don't know how to help you, Anna…" he murmured, his head bowed as his breath came out in a ghostly puff that dissipated over her gravestone. "I sense your energy – helping Lloyd through his Exsphere… but I sense your presence in her. I know you're not at peace and that was all I wanted for you. But my path now may be short, and I might not be able to help you anymore. If that means that I've finally completed failing you after all this time –"

Before he could complete his thought, a leaf fluttered down from above, silently coming to rest on the ground before the carved stone. Kratos remained silent for a moment, considering the green leaf that stood out in contrast to the softly moonlit and distinctly drab gray scene before he looked up to the tree above. While Iselia was still in the thrall of an early spring, all of the leaves that struggled to embrace the warming weather were still rolled closed. All save for the perfectly opened one now at his feet. He knelt, reaching out to lift the leaf by its stem.

"_Everything has a time and a reason, Kratos…."_

_The laughter that accompanied the claim was as familiar as his own name. He slid his eyes to the side to watch the green haired girl lounging back on the grass beside him. "But Yuan? Martel… _really_?" he couldn't stop the groan that crept into his question, even if it was posed mostly in fun._

_He was answered with yet another predictable and musical bout of laughter as she reached out to swat his shoulder. "People come into your life for a reason, Kratos," the girl smiled as she turned her eyes back to the wide blue sky above. It was a rare moment of peace in their travels as they waited for Mithos and Yuan to return from their trip to the nearby settlement for supplies before the group continued with their travels. "Just like they leave for a reason. The trick is not to miss why they were there in the first place."_

"_But… _Yuan?"_ he snorted, this time earning himself another smack on his shoulder even though a smirk had started to curl his lips. _

_Martel sat up and leaned to her side to stare down into the auburn haired human's eyes, her own filled with amusement through the glare she had constructed just for him. "Yes. Yuan," she raised her eyebrow and then flopped back into the grass, her long, straight hair splaying out beneath her. After a long sigh, a giggle that sounded as if it had been pent up softly bubbled from her lips. "Don't worry, Kratos. I'll find you a nice girl someday. She'll be perfect for you… and then you'll understand," she murmured, rolling her head just enough to watch him._

_Kratos' smirk faded back, though a dry chuckle still slipped away from him. He had made his decision to join his half-elven friends, knowing what the price would be for the power that they needed to make a difference. "I suppose my shoulder would be the victim once again if I answered you by saying, 'I doubt it'?"_

"_No…" she replied thoughtfully, but with just a hint of sadness in her tone. "But I want you to understand. Someday, you'll see. I promise. Sometimes, it's easier not to worry yourself with the 'whys.' They might never be something we get to know. But if you look away from things because they don't match your sense of order… well, you're going to miss out."_

"_Martel…" he looked over to her, concerned by the sadness in her voice, even if she was smiling once again by the time he met her eyes. _

"_Nope. I'm going to do it," Martel shook her head in playful resolve. "I'm going to find the perfect girl for you. Then you'll see that fate doesn't need a reason. You just need to believe… just a little."_

"I did believe, Martel. Just like you told me…" Kratos whispered, drawing himself from the memory of the promise that a friend long-passed had made. He turned the green leaf between his fingers and sighed, finally reaching out to place it on top of the stone that rose from the ground before him. While he knew that fate would have its way, could it be that its cold touch could be merciful as well? "Everything has a reason." Martel had told him that so many years before. They had still been so young… young and able to put faith in something as intangible as hope. Without Martel – without the champion of that hope amongst them – their world had darkened.

_Until Anna came along._

He couldn't deny that she had come into his life when he had most needed a reminder of what he was fighting for. But now, perhaps even more, he couldn't deny that the girl who so much reminded him of Anna in so many ways had come at yet another seemingly too-perfect time.

_Anna would want me to fight… to do it right and finish it… finally._

Kratos bowed his head for a moment of reverent silence before the stone and the green leaf that now crowned it, together forming a monument to those who had given him the strength to look for another way in the past. As he straightened, his gaze once again steeled as he reached his hand up to the golden medallion at his shoulder and tapped it lightly.

_Grant me time. I won't fail…_ he vowed as the air around him exploded with light. _I swear it.

* * *

_

"It's finally time."

Lloyd's words – in combination with the red-eyed ball of lightning that hung in the air before them – set a decidedly ominous tone for the already-tense situation. The Temple had been a maze of shadow and light, perhaps no worse than any of the other seals had been, but it seemed to Liane that the sense of urgency was different. _Before, we dreaded reaching the end of the journey for what would happen to Colette. Now we have to do this to save her._ But even that knowledge didn't make anything easier when it came to watching Sheena separate herself from the others.

"Here I go!" the summoner announced with as much forced enthusiasm as she could apparently muster on her trip to face the spirit. Volt merely hovered, its eyes shifting to the black haired girl. It was the only recognition she received before a high-pitched squeal filled the air.

Liane clapped her hands over her ears as the sound grated on her nerves. _What… is… that??_

Sheena's hands curled into shaking fists as she turned back to the party, her eyes wide with panic. "It's just like before!" she cried out in frustration, her jaw set as she shook her head. "What the _hell_ is he saying?!"

It was Raine that stepped forward, holding her hand up to the ninja to stop her rant. "Sheena, calm down. I'll translate," she offered soothingly as her bright blue eyes fixed on Volt. "I am one who is bound to Mithos. Who are you?"

_Raine understands that??_ Liane couldn't help but feel awe at her mentor's skills. She was certain that whatever language it was that Volt was speaking was something she had never heard before. _Maybe it's true what they say about elven blood being more in tune with nature,_ she mused, catching a confused look from Lloyd. "Lloyd?"

The swordsman shook his head and ran his fingers back through his hair. "Mithos again?" he breathed out, keeping his voice hushed but unable to contain his curiosity. "How could he make pacts with Summon Spirits in both Tethe'alla _and_ Sylvarant?"

"Hmm, yeah," Genis responded, keeping his voice low to match Lloyd's and shrugging as he glanced around to his friends. "Maybe Mithos went back and forth between the worlds with a Rheaird as well."

"But can the Rheairds really be technology that's that old?" Liane asked, even though she knew no one could probably answer her. Of course she knew of magitechnology from the Professor, but Sylvarant had lost such wonders long before. To be around them now – much less to use them – made Tethe'alla feel that much more alien to her.

"I am Sheena!" the summoner declared over the quiet chatter of the others behind her. "I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos and establish a new pact with me."

Once again, the nerve-grinding sound filled the chamber to answer Sheena's unwavering request and the party turned to Raine. The silver haired woman paused, frowning as her eyebrows knit. "He says that his pact with Mithos is broken," she reported back solemnly, but made purposeful eye contact with Sheena. "But he no longer desires a pact."

Sheena gaped at the Professor and then spun back to the red-eyed spirit. "Why?!"

Volt's eyes followed the summoner's every move as if studying her. "I will have no more dealings with people, therefore, I desire no pact," Raine translated, her voice sounding over that of the spirit.

"That's it then? It's over?" Liane asked in quiet dismay. She hadn't meant to voice the thought, but it was too late by the time she realized she had spoken. "We can't rescue Colette… and we can't go home?"

"No," Sheena shook her head, still facing Volt as her hand moved to her sash and snapped one of her cards out into the air before her. "We need your help!"

The spirit's form momentarily blazed, its eyes crackling with crimson lighting not unlike that which Lloyd had wielded to help them through the Temple's puzzles just a few minutes before. "Sheena! Be careful!" Lloyd called out, but Volt gave no heed to the young man's warning, an orb of crackling lighting forming almost instantly before the spirit. The spell took only a moment to build and lash out at the occupants of the room, giving them no time to defend before they were struck and dropped to the ground.

Liane clamped her jaw shut over a scream, certain that the others had done the same around her. Volt's energy singed her nerves as it ran through her from head to toe and then slowly faded. _That was… a warning?_ she wondered as she finally managed to convince her eyes to open once again, spotting Sheena trying to rise to her feet before Volt's altar.

"Everyone, watch out!" the ninja ground out with a quick glance over her shoulder. "This is just like before!"

The air in front of the spirit crackled once again as Volt barely waited for Sheena to look back to him before he released a second ball of lightning aimed only for her. Sheena gasped sharply and threw her arms up as the room exploded with sizzling light. The sound was gone in the next instant, replaced by a soft sound rustling against the stone floor of the chamber. A stunned silence followed, ended by Sheena dropping to her knees to scoop the small bundle of pastel fur into her arms.

"Corrine!" the ninja cried out in panic, holding the tiny spirit close. "Corrine!! Why?!"

Volt, however, showed no pity for the distraught summoner, another ball of lightning forming before the spirit as its eyes glowered down at her. Even as the spell was loosed, Sheena showed no sign of a reaction, and she was saved only by Lloyd's intervention, the young swordsman deflecting the lighting with a quick flash of his blades. "Sheena!" Lloyd called over his shoulder, his tone urgent to draw the ninja out of her despair. "Get ahold of yourself!"

Sheena's head snapped up, her tear-streaked cheeks revealed as she continued to clutch at Corrine's body. "But!"

As the rest of the party slowly approached behind Sheena with their weapons drawn, the little spirit could be heard, at first just a small cough, but then quiet words began to form. "Volt's… just lost his faith in people," Corrine murmured, struggling to lift his head to look at his summoner. "Make your vow and try forming a pact one more time." The tiny voice was getting softer as the spirit's head rolled back onto Sheena's arm. "You can do it, Sheena!"

"Corrine!" the ninja cried out, hunching over the little fox, seemingly oblivious to Volt's presence as well as that of her companions around her.

"I'm sorry… that I couldn't be of more help," Corrine apologized as Sheena clutched him tighter in her arms.

_Spirits… can't die… can they?_ Liane wondered, her thoughts seeking to deny what was happening before her eyes, tears welling for both Sheena and the cheerful little spirit that had helped them all at one time or another. As if answering her silent question, Corrine's form began to fade from sight in Sheena's arms.

"No, Corrine, don't die!!" Sheena's wail resounded in the room, growing in despair as Corrine completely disappeared from her grasp. The ninja's head was bowed low and her shoulders shook with grief – so much so that she didn't even seem to notice yet another ball of lightning that the spirit had sent for her and her alone.

Once again, Lloyd intercepted the bolt with a guttural growl as he redirected it to the wail of the chamber. "Sheena! Subdue Volt by force!" the teen commanded the summoner, keeping his blades crossed before him. "Don't let Corrine's effort go to waste! Otherwise, you'll spend the rest of your life haunted by Volt's shadow!"

Liane was almost stunned by the firmness in Lloyd's tone, but she knew he was right. _Corrine's gone… but it will be worse if we don't wait to mourn…._ She started to take a step to Sheena's side to help her to her feet, but she stopped when Sheena suddenly pushed herself up, standing straight as the card in her hand snapped at the air. The summoner's head was still bowed so that her bangs shadowed her eyes, but every inch of her was absolutely steeled when she finally looked up. Liane's eyes widened at the sight and she took her step back. _This is it…._

"For the sake of everyone that risked their lives to protect me, Volt!" Sheena's voice started low but the union of such intense emotions as fear, anger, and grief built by the time she spat out the spirit's name. "I _demand_ your power!"

The high-pitched noise that the party had come to understand as Volt's voice sounded once again as the spirit rushed them, sending the group scattering as an enormous stab of lightning fell from the high ceiling into the floor, sending seething tendrils of lightning licking out towards each of them.

"Heh," Zelos chuckled dryly, sweeping away the Guardian spell that had protected him from the assault with a wave of his sword. "So you like to play rough, huh?" he murmured as he drew back his blade and ran at the spirit. "Well come and get some!" The redhead called out as he launched himself into the air, his outstretched weapon already spinning with him to attack Volt. "Light Spear!"

Lloyd stayed back only as long as it took Zelos to drop back to the ground after having driven his sword down through the spherical spirit before he sprinted forward as well. "Watch this!" The grin could practically be heard in the teen's voice as he hopped to bring his feet together and the pushed off to somersault up into the air, both of his blades flaring out around him. "Tempest!" the swordsman called out as sparks flew from Volt's surface the moment before Lloyd planted his foot against the spirit and pushed off to jump back to the ground.

The convict leapt in not far behind the swordsman, waiting for him to be clear before he spun in midair his right leg out to connect with the lightning spirit's electrified form to send Volt flying back. "Rising Dragon!"

Presea stood back and to the side of the convict, awaiting her opening to approach the spirit. The instant her path opened, the pigtailed girl was in motion, both hands gripping at the handle of her ax as both she and the weapon whirled around, the blade digging into the spirit as evidenced by Volt's wordless complaint. "Punishment."

Volt's eyes scrunched closed as Presea's attack slowed, but then he slowly floated back up to the center of the altar. When the air began to crackle around him, his eyes flared open and snapped onto the pink haired ax girl the moment before a bolt of lightning snapped away from him to stab directly at her.

Reacting without a word, Presea's feet turned and drove her to the side just barely out of the bolt's reach. "And I thought Zelos was a bully," Genis called out as if voicing Presea's objection to being targeted for her. Shimmering blue runes wrapped around the boy, pulsing in time to the bounce of his kendama. "Drown!" he demanded angrily as he thrust his kendama out, blue runes scrambling to follow his command as they blasted out towards Volt. "Spread!"

The mixture of crackling energy and ear-shattering squeal made Liane's stomach churn where she stood near the back of the group. She had taken advantage of the fact that the stronger melee fighters had already taken their places closer to Volt to stir up her own spell while she had the chance. _Not like I have options… Lightning would be a really bad idea right now._ Shoving the thought away, she felt the mana of her spell level out and swung her blade out towards Volt to direct the attack. "Wind Blade!"

The trio of phantom blades flew out to assault the spirit, each of them contacting the angered orb, and each disappearing shortly after, giving Sheena plenty of time to slip in as Volt righted himself, slamming her card out at the spirit. "This is for Corrine!" she growled as blue tendrils snaked away from the card to embrace Volt. "Life Seal!" she called out as an angered squeal answered her attack.

"Help is on the way," Raine called to the others as Sheena dashed away from the spirit before it could retaliate. The floor beneath the Professor started to glow with a slowly expanding pattern of runes that spread out beneath the party. "Healing Circle!"

Liane inhaled quickly at the rush of mana. Volt's attacks were particularly brutal – either singling one of them out or attacking all of them together. _I can see how he affected Sheena… if no one could understand him then and he just wants to be left alone, it had to have been a nightmare._ For a moment, her mind conjured an image of the young summoner for her, the girl's people bring her before the spirit to prove herself and her abilities to everyone. Liane frowned as Volt's sudden move to sweep out into the room jerked her out of one horror story and into another. _Oh, no…_ she thought as the spirit hovered high overhead, its energy crackling ferociously once again. She raised her blade as the others did the same with their own weapons. "Guardian!"

As the wave of protective shields popped into existence beneath him, a jolt of energy poured from Volt's form, raining down on the core of their slightly scattered group and sending writhing fingers of pure energy out to each of them. When the chaotic din of the attack passed, Volt settled back over his altar, watching the party as if inviting their next move.

"Oh, that's just _it_," Zelos groaned, dismissing his defensive spell and straightening his stance. Nested red rune circles began to spin around him a moment later, and then they began to smolder with the power the redhead was feeding into them. "_Burn, _baby!" Zelos sneered as he spun his blade out to direct the magical flames. "Eruption!" In answer to the Chosen's spell, the surface of Volt's altar stared to steam and seethe, building into a shimmering red mound that quickly exploded beneath Volt, catching the spirit in a fiery torrent of magical lava.

"You think you're so cool, don't you…" Genis groaned from behind the redheaded Chosen. But even before Zelos could turn to the mage's taunt, the boy let out a laugh. "Let's get 'em, Lloyd!" Rune circles similar to Zelos' spun angrily around the boy as the red-clad swordsman dashed forward, running at full speed for the spirit. "Fiery –" Genis started, thrusting his spell out to chase after Lloyd.

"Beast!!" Lloyd completed the collective invocation, drawing his swords up to intercept the energy from behind him and then slamming them into the ground before Volt. His own mana merged with Genis' to produce the visage of an angry, snarling animal that all but completely engulfed the spirit with its flames.

While Lloyd retreated and Volt's form wavered, Sheena started to edge to the back of the party, her glare firmly attached to the lightning spirit. Liane watched her for a moment, but when the intricate collection of runes began to etch itself in glowing green into the floor of the chamber, it was clear what Sheena was planning. _I thought she might wait,_ Liane chewed her lip as she moved to place herself between Volt and Sheena. _She's so angry… but I can't blame her for that._

The instant that Sheena's runes began to resolve themselves into their distinct patterns of circles and triangles, Volt spun as if he had sensed the building energy, instantly sending a single bolt directly at the summoner.

"Guard -!" Liane cried out as her field failed beneath the force of the impossibly fast attack, the partially-formed Guardian bubble shattering as the lightning dipped to the ground and shot up through her leg, leaving her no time between her protective reaction for Sheena and her punishment to chide herself for not having her shield in place faster.

"I call upon the Heavenly Messengers," Sheena' voice rang out as she stood straight at the center of her rune construct, an eerie green light illuminating her scowl from beneath as she thrust her card up into the air. "Come, Sylph!"

Musical laughter suddenly echoed in Volt's chamber as the summoning runes dissolved and spiraled up into the air high above Sheena, quickly coalescing into three childlike forms – each winged and each armed with a different implement of battle. Liane couldn't help that she winced at the sight of the trio, distinctly remembering them as the hardest pact fight they had had to date, the three little spirits all seeming to have the ability to be everywhere at once. When the green haired sword bearer – Sephie, she was sure her name was – broke away from the other two, Liane _almost_ felt a pang of sympathy for Volt. Sephie shot down beneath the lightning spirit in a flash of dark green light, heaving her sword up to blast Volt higher into the air on a blast of wind that scattered around the room. _Ouch… I remember that… _she cringed, almost able to ignore the numbing sensations still coursing through her leg.

Yutis quickly followed up on her counterpart's attack by drawing back her bow and quickly loosing the string, sending a storm of faintly glowing arrows into Volt's form. The attack dropped him back to the altar, leaving the lightning spirit no time to react to the redheaded Fairess as the angel-winged member of the Sylph slammed Volt with her oversized shield to finish their collective attack.

"Nurse!" Raine called, the invocation just barely surfacing over the giggle of the Sylph as the three little spirits faded from view, their work done. The half-elf's spell wove out into the party, the tendrils of the spell seemingly taking on individual life as the energy found its way to each of the fighters even before Volt managed to hover once again.

Presea was quick to use the last of Volt's recovery time to her advantage. The girl ran forward, actually running through the fragment of the Nurse spell that had been intended for her as she used both hands to draw her ax up over her head and then drive it down into the ground at the base of the altar, spraying Volt with a wave of dirt and rocks. "Destruction!"

"Liane, try another spell… we need to overwhelm him," Regal called to the swordswoman, bringing up his greave to block a spray of rock that shot up at him when a lightning strike hit the ground at his feet.

_Another spell? _Liane nodded silently, her leg still buzzing even though Raine's spell had helped. "It might take me a second… but let me see what I can do," she told the blue haired convict and stepped back into his shadow. _Wind Blade didn't seem to help that much before, _Liane thought as she closed her eyes and lifted her sword before her. _But my only other option is Lightning. I wish I knew something else… maybe… something water…?_ The runes in her mind started falling into order as she fed them her mana, allowing them to grow and strengthen before it occurred to her that something was different. _That's not a wind spell,_ she realized, sparing the momentary thought to release the spell. Her curiosity made her continue, though – especially when she realized the color of the glow that she could see through her closed eyelids. _That's… blue!_

Closer to Volt, Lloyd pushed himself up into the air, a sweeping slash at the spirit carrying him up into the air. He continued to cut at the spirit before starting his descent, delivering one final downward stab that took both the swordsman and Volt back to the floor. "Tiger Rage!"

Volt appeared to hesitate before he rose just a bit higher into the air, his ominous red eyes blinking as he shook and spun, sending a bolt of lightning out for each of the warriors that surrounded him.

As the rain of lightning came down, Regal pivoted to stand in front of Liane, his back to the monster, his form fairly glowing as the electricity passed through every limb. With a gasp, he tightened his jaw for a moment before he spun to face Volt once again, refusing to move from his role as human shield.

Liane had heard the chaos of the fight around her, but the spell that seemed to be constructing itself for her held her fascination. The runes – as she understood them – were similar to Wind Blade, but they entwined with a different element – water. The mana level evened out, and her eyes snapped open as she heard Regal take the brunt of yet another of Volt's attack. _Like Wind Blade… but water…._ She stepped out from behind the blue haired man and twisted her blade's tip out to the spirit. "Aqua Edge!?" As she suspected, three discs of water formed before her from the dissolving runes, flying out at Volt in spirals that led them straight to him. Even though she heard the angered hisses of steam that evaporated the attack and knew she should be moving, she couldn't help but stare. _How…? I've never learned Aqua Edge!_ She had seen Genis use it countless times, but she had never even tried! Exhaling, Liane shook her head. "Regal! Are you okay?" she asked of her temporary protector, knowing he absorbed an attack that could have easily taken her out of the fight.

"Nothing to worry about," Regal shouted back to her as he dashed forward, passing through the spirit as though he were one himself, then turning on his heel. Throwing his momentum behind it, he kicked out three times. "Triple Kick!" Upon the last blow, he hopped to throw out his left leg in another sweeping strike. "Swallow Kick!"

Volt appeared to wobble for a moment, red eyes blinking as if he might actually have been in pain after Regal's assault, but when his stability returned, those eyes unmistakably fixed on the party in a glare. The spirit slowly started to shake, angry veins of lightning racing over the surface of his spherical form.

"Cool off!" Genis demanded, perhaps just a bit smugly as he thrust his kendama first up into the air and then out at Volt, the weapon's ball shooting out at the spirit and then returning to the young mage as the power of his spell rushed away from him. "Ice Tornado!"

Shards of sparkling ice formed in a twisted spiral around Volt, sending another ear-shattering squeal and a furious crackle of power from the spirit. Once again, Volt appeared unsteady, but he still rose a little higher into the air. Even though his shaking was becoming more pronounced, it didn't stop yet another massive column of energy from falling to the ground with a roar as blinding arms of lightning reached out for each member of the party.

"Guardian!" Liane's spell reacted as quickly as she could have asked, but even as the spirit's power licked at the protective shell, she couldn't help but hope that it wouldn't last for long. The battle was taking a toll on her reserves, and while she was far from passing out, she couldn't say for how much longer she would be useful, either. _Volt has to be wearing down… he has to be!!_ she told herself as the lightning began to recede. Using the motion that dismissed her defensive spell as part of the swing she used to charge her sword, she sliced it up through the air in a swift double arc that sent a pair of waves chasing Volt's attack back to its source. "Double Demon Fang!"

Volt rocked backwards from the force of each wave of Liane's attack, and Presea ran forward and planted her feet so that she stood directly before the spirit. She wrestled her ax around before her and twisted its grip between both hands, swinging it up into the spirit with what looked like almost impossible ease for a being her size. "Infliction," the girl enunciated the name of her attack as the light from Volt's form reflecting from the blade left a simple crescent-shape in the wake of the ax's swing.

"There's my Tiny Rosebud!" Zelos laughed as he charged the reeling spirit, his sword already braced before him as massive waves of mana wrapped and coiled back over his blade. "Now let's see how he likes this… Super Sonic Thrust!" The redhead's declaration came only the instant before he skidded to a stop, sending the mana slamming Volt backwards against the wall of the chamber. Volt's energy flickered, leaving the spirit almost darkened before his lightning flared weakly and he started to sink to the floor.

It was all the opportunity that Sheena needed. She ran out from the others, dashing past Presea and Zelos to use Volt's altar as a launch point as she leapt up into the air to intercept the sinking spirit. "It's _over_, Volt! Pyre Seal!!" the summoner growled as she pushed her card out at volt, triggering the explosion of mana-clones that the technique commanded to once again blast the spirit back against the wall. This time, Volt stayed down, his former crackling brilliance reduced to a pale purple glow as he made no immediate attempt to rise again. "Regret messing with me?" she asked with an angry yet weary exhale as she snapped her card back through the air before her and replaced it in her sash. "Well, it's too late now!"

Volt's eyes flickered open once again, and a bit of weariness could almost be imagined in them. The spirit's form slowly began to float up and forward to mount the altar. The wordless noise that was Volt's voice finally sounded again, but this time, with far less agitation.

"Volt says, "Make your vow," Raine reported solemnly, looking over to Sheena with a slight arch to her eyebrow as if she was curious how the summoner would react to the beaten spirit that had caused her so much pain over the years.

Sheena remained silent, but her stance never wavered under the quiet observation of her companions. "Just like I said, for the sake of everyone that risked their lives to protect me, and for Corrine's sake as well, I want to save both worlds…" the summoner responded directly to volt, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

Raine stepped closer to Sheena, but still remained behind her. "The vow has been made," the Professor relayed Volt's words quietly. "I entrust my power to the pact-maker, Sheena!"

The lightning that had patiently seethed over Volt's form once again flared brightly, forcing the party to shield their eyes as the spirit shone and then collapsed in on itself, power snapping and crackling as it condensed into a small stone that finally dropped into Sheena's outstretched hand. Liane couldn't help that she tensed when Volt's power had again built up, but when the summoner accepted the offering and closed her fingers tightly around it, she realized that the fight was over and whatever had passed between them all was done and over. _Sheena commands Volt now. He's our ally… no matter that we just finished fighting him._ The thought turned decidedly bitter before it faded completely from her thoughts. _Too bad Kratos isn't a spirit. No pact will probably ever guarantee his power will ever be on our side again._

"It's over," Sheena stated quietly, not even opening her hand to look at the evidence of her new pact before she slipped it into her sash. She went no further to break the silence, nor did she turn back to the others just yet. Instead, she bowed her head, allowing her own silence to signal the others and ask for theirs as well. They had been rewarded with victory, but they had lost an ally – no matter how small – in the process.

The moment of mourning was shattered an instant later with a brilliant burst of blue light hovering in the air to the side of the altar. Sheena slowly moved backwards to join the others, her eyes wide with confusion and fixed on the spiral of light. While the entire party tensed once again in their uncertainty, it was Lloyd that found his voice first, his blades crossed defensively before him. "What's happening?" he murmured, sparing a quick glance to his side to meet Sheena's gaze.

Sheena's mouth opened as if she was going to reply, but before she could, the blue light flashed once again and resolved itself into the blue skinned water spirit that the summoner had pacted with in the Temple on Thoda Island. Undine remained suspended in the air, her dark eyes searching the party assembled in front of the altar for a moment before she respectfully bowed her head in Sheena's direction. "A link between the two worlds has been severed…" Undine spoke, her voice calm over a note of concern that was hard to miss.

_Did she summon herself?_ Liane blinked and relaxed a little at the sight of the spirit. Undine had already proven herself true to her pact with Sheena numerous times and her presence was somehow soothing, but it made Liane realize that there was more to summoning than she realized. _It's more of a partnership?_ she mused. _Maybe Sheena doesn't command them any more than they do her. They're not really weapons… they're allies… with their own wills._ It all made sense, especially with how she knew that Sheena would never have commanded Corrine to die in her defense. Somehow, the thought helped Liane. With every new pact, it seemed that they were truly a little less alone in their quest, after all.

Before anyone could respond to Undine's claim, another flash of light blossomed on the other side of the altar from the water spirit. This time, the light was an all-too familiar purple, and the party once again faced with the lightning spirit, complete with his nerve-grinding "voice."

"Wait," Raine reached out to place a hand on Sheena's shoulder as if expecting the ninja to panic again. "I'll translate." She looked up to Volt for a moment and then her lips started to curl downward into a frown. She paused as if second-guessing what she thought she had heard before she looked back over her shoulder to the rest of the party. "The two opposing forces of mana were… severed just now?"

It was Regal that broke the odd silence that answered the Professor's confusion, separating himself to face the Summon Spirits directly. "What does it mean for the mana flow to be severed?"

Undine looked down to the blue haired man, contemplating his question as an unseen tide rippled her hair and gown. "Mana flows from the world in which the Summon Spirits sleep to the world in which the Summon Spirits are awake," she answered, sounding neither condescending nor annoyed at his question. "This is the first time the Summon Spirits have been awakened in both worlds at the same time. Because of this, the mana connecting the two worlds has been eliminated.

"So… because you and Volt are awake at the same time, your powers don't balance each other anymore…?" Liane murmured, only slightly surprised that she had been bold enough to speak to the legendary Summon Spirits. _I guess I've fought both of them… all's probably fair now,_ she reasoned, even though she still almost expected to be struck down for her impudence. _But if that was all it took to stop the worlds from preying on each other…?_ Her eyes widened. Could it really have been so simple that they had blundered into the answer to their problem?

Lloyd looked over to Liane and then up to the pair of spirits. "Does that mean that Sylvarant and Tethe'alla have stopped competing for each other's mana?" he asked in hopeful disbelief.

Volt shook a little as his eyes turned to the swordsman, a lower-pitched squeal filling the air before Raine spoke for him again. "I do not know," the Professor replied in Volt's place. "The only thing certain is that the flow of mana between the worlds has been severed."

"Yes," Undine nodded, her eyes shifting from Volt and back to the party. "Eventually, the worlds shall separate…."

"You mean the two worlds will split apart?" Genis blurted out in surprise even though a hesitant smile had started to curl the corners of his lips up.

Zelos chuckled and reached out a hand to thoroughly ruffle the mage's hair. "That's perfect!" he exclaimed, continuing to muss the boy's hair even when Genis tried to duck out of his reach. "Then they'll stop competing for each other's mana!"

Raine turned back to her companions, ignoring the antics of the Tethe'allan Chosen and her brother as she absently twisted her rod between her hands. "There are five seals in Sylvarant," she murmured, her eyes almost unfocused as she worked through the reasoning. "And since there wasn't a Summon Spirit at the fifth seal, we should be able to sever all of the mana if we awaken the Summon Spirits that correspond to the other four seals… maybe."

Liane nodded, finding the Professor's words easier to believe than that their goal could have 'accidentally' been accomplished with Volt's pact. Even though she was sure Sheena had turned slightly green in the pale light of the chamber at the mention of more spirits, she had to agree with the logic. "It does seem reasonable that there are other spirits here… we just have to find them…?" she offered. _Three more spirits…._ Somehow, she managed to contain a groan at the thought.

"So if we awaken Tethe'alla's Summon Spirits, we'll save Sylvarant without having Tethe'alla go into decline, right?" Lloyd asked of the pair of spirits, the excitement of the solution creeping into his voice.

Undine tilted her head, considering the swordsman's words as her form and that of Volt's began to waver, their bodies fading into vanishing mists of their signature colors and leaving only her serene voice. "At the least, the mana connecting the worlds will disappear and the two worlds will separate."

The water spirit's voice left an eerie echo in the chamber for a few moments, and then it was gone, just like Undine and Volt themselves.

"I see," Regal murmured to no one in particular, drawing the party's attention back to him. "So the seals serve as a link between the two worlds."

Presea nodded and hooked her oversized ax back into the sling across her back. "We owe it all to you, Sheena," the girl commented softly as the summoner started a little and snapped her eyes down on the girl. "And Corrine as well."

"Huh?" Sheena mumbled in surprise, her cheeks reddening a bit in what appeared to be a fluster.

The ax girl's wide blue eyes blinked up at the summoner, a flicker of confusion betrayed in the pale blue as she shrugged. "Because the two of you risked your lives to form the pact with Volt, we now know what the seals do," Presea explained softly.

Lloyd smiled and nodded his agreement with Presea. "That's right," he spoke up when Sheena looked to him. "It's thanks to both of you."

Sheena exhaled, a weak smile on her lips that was visible for only a moment before her hair fell forward to shadow her face and she shifted her hand to her chest. Her fingers curled around something small and unseen, but the gesture was clearly an embrace for a friend no longer present. "Corrine…" she whispered softly, almost quietly enough to hide the grief in her voice, but not quite. "Thank you."

The ninja's words neatly summed up their victory, one that seemed almost too painful to be considered a true victory to Liane, but they had achieved their goal nonetheless. Their job done, the party moved away from the altar and started back to the exit to the Temple. They all seemed content to give Sheena her space, and even the usual good-natured banter was missing with no one intruding on the silence that marked Corrine's passing. Liane respected her friend's privacy just as the others did, but she itched to do something… to say something. Even in her limited experience with Summon Spirits, it just didn't seem right that they could just die – just like any other being. When they emerged out into the light of the later afternoon, Liane caught a glimpse of what Sheena was carrying in her hand: Corrine's bell. The almost-obnoxiously happy chime that had always rang out when Corrine had come to their aid.

It would never ring the same again.

And it was all that Sheena had left of her friend.

Tears sprang to Liane's eyes as she had to look away, even though, as Tiga had promised, Orochi was there at the Temple's exit to greet them. _How close have we all come to losing friends on this journey? _she wondered miserably and lingered near the outer edge of the group as the others talked. They could all still lose friends, family… _maybe even two whole worlds._ Corrine's loss had made it almost too real… but now they knew the truth.

_None of us can do this alone. Not even Colette or Zelos. Together is our only chance. We'll fight together, we'll protect each other. It's our only chance to set things right.

* * *

_

They had Volt… or, more appropriately, Sheena had Volt. But without Corrine, victory still tasted like defeat. After Orochi had left them at the Temple to report to Tiga, the party had decided to set camp for the night, though there was minimal discussion of the matter. Sheena remained with the party physically, but it was clear enough to all of them how removed her thoughts were that even Zelos seemed willing to keep his hands and his wise cracks to himself.

As the sky above them began to darken, Genis had assumed cooking duties for the night on his own, the smell of his cabbage rolls wafting over the group that was gathered around the crackling campfire and taunting their stomachs. But no matter how good it smelled cooking, when Liane faced it on her plate, she could barely force herself to push it around, much less eat it. Her stomach was somersaulting too much to even consider eating. After all that had happened in the Temple, she found herself almost wishing it hadn't ended. Their battles were almost to the point that they were simple in concept: fight or die. It was the ambiguousness of what she had promised to tell Regal that was so close to making her nauseous. After everything, it seemed so inconsequential… so intangible. But it was still eating at her, and while she had some hope that trying to explain it to someone might help her to set it right in her own mind, she knew it was equally likely that she would only prove her own insanity to him. Every so often, she would spare a nervous glance to the convict where he sat on a stump across the flames from her, each time hoping that he wouldn't notice and then hoping that he would simply forget.

_I can't do this. I sound insane even to myself._

Then, almost in answer to her silent brooding, she watched as Regal stood and placed his plate with Genis' soiled cooking utensils… and then made his way to sit beside her on the log she had claimed to sit on for dinner. The group was slightly scattered due to brush and terrain around the fire, so there was nothing particularly noteworthy in the act or, at least nothing to alert the others to anything out of the ordinary. But Liane tensed immediately, her eyes fixed on her plate as if it was the only anchor that held her in place.

"Not hungry?" Regal asked quietly from where he sat just out of her reach, his shackled hands clasped and resting in his lap.

Liane glanced over to him, trying to shrug and make it look as casual as she could even though she knew that it probably made the gesture look even stiffer. "Not really," she answered softly, trying to keep the façade with a weak smile. "I'm tired… and my leg still stings from where Volt hit me. But it's nothing compared to the hit you took, so I shouldn't complain about that," she sighed and broke eye contact with him to look back down at her plate. "But yeah… not really hungry."

Regal remained silent for a few moments before he drew a breath to speak again. "I could use my Healer spell if you think it might help," he offered, but not loud enough to draw any more attention to their conversation than to any of the other quiet murmurings around them.

"It's just a little numb… like it's asleep," Liane chuckled dryly, straightening the offending appendage out before her with a small grimace. "I'm not all that sure it would do much right now, but if it doesn't come out of it soon, I might take you up on it," she smiled a little for him and then looked back down to her plate, where she continued to push the cabbage roll around, still having no desire to eat it. _It's not like I got hit any worse than anyone else,_ she silently chided herself for even considering accepting his offer. She had to pull her own weight, and that didn't include running crying every time she stumbled. She knew he was still watching her, though, measuring her and her responses… and she knew that she couldn't hide her nerves under such scrutiny. _Regal… you don't want to know,_ she wanted to tell him. _You really don't._

"You should still keep your strength up, Liane," the shackled man sighed, nodding pointedly to her plate before he finally looked back to the fire again, his posture mirroring the defeat that could be seen in all of their slumped shoulders that evening.

Liane frowned at his words, even though she knew that he was right. _There's probably no going back now… not without even more misunderstanding,_ she realized as she watched the blue haired man for a moment before she pushed herself to her feet. He had seen her with Kratos, and he was giving her the chance to explain before bringing it to the attention of the others. She owed him some explanation, even if it was partial and something that she knew he might never believe. But she would still leave it up to him… if he wanted to let the topic drop, she'd still be pleased to oblige. Seeing that Genis' back was turned to her and to the fire, she hurriedly scooped the prodded remains of her dinner into the flames. "I'm going for a walk," she announced her intent loud enough for them all to hear, knowing that just wandering off might be more conspicuous than anything else she could do. _One way or the other… let's get this over with._

"Would you like me to go with you?" Regal asked, standing as Liane started to turn away, the others looking on in mind interest.

Lloyd looked up from his conversation with Genis, his head cocked to the side for a moment before he spoke. "It's getting dark… you shouldn't go alone, Liane," he muttered, glancing up to the convict. "Don't go too far… and yell if you need us, okay?"

Liane met Regal's questioning gaze and hesitated. She could refuse, even over Lloyd's comment about going alone, but Regal was still leaving the option open for her. He remained rooted in place, awaiting her decision. "Sure," she heard herself sigh, and she tensed as she gestured weakly to the shackled man to follow her. She did want the company… she simply dreaded what was coming even when she knew that it was something that she asked for.

Regal and Liane started away from the camp in silence, following the treeline that hid the base of the mountain range and a small creek from the coastline as they moved south from the Temple of Lightning. Liane twisted her fingers together behind her back as she walked, forbidding herself from reaching for the comfort of the hilt of her sword. It wasn't a fight she was facing, but it was still a struggle to not change her mind and just go back to the group. _How am I ever going to explain this?_

"Liane?" Regal asked, watching her walk beside him as they left the camp farther behind them. When she didn't respond, his steps slowed until he finally came to a stop, watching her continue ahead of him for a few steps before he drew a breath and spoke again. "Liane."

She cringed at the edge in his voice – it wasn't hard or forceful, but it was enough to make her realize that there was no more putting the decision off. "Yes?" she answered evenly, turning to face him, only lifting her eyes to his at the last moment. She had no idea where to start. Liane finally had someone to talk to, someone to listen to her and perhaps to even help her understand or dismiss what she was seeing, and somehow, logical words to explain it were utterly failing her.

Regal sighed and took a few slow steps to close some of the distance between them. "This is most likely very hard for you. I understand that," he started calmly, stopping and looking down at her before he drew another breath. "I will be patient. On that, you have my word." He waited as the seabreeze whipped around them both, perhaps to choose further words… perhaps to make sure that she understood the ones he had already spoken. "I'm here, and I am ready to listen to whatever you have to tell me for as long as it might take. Unless…" he tilted his head a little in question to her. "Unless you would rather it not be me that you attempt to explain this to…?"

"No." Liane shook her head to his offer, meeting his eyes and steeling herself for the consequences of her short rejection of his offer. "No, I want to talk. I just don't know how to start," she allowed her shoulders to fall, wishing it were so easy to dismiss the tension in them. "Please. I'm afraid that they won't understand." _Not that you will either, mind you._ Then she chuckled once… humorlessly. "That they won't _want _to understand."

"You can tell me, Liane," the convict assured her gently. "Just take your time. Start from the beginning."

Liane's shoulders dropped with a heavy exhale that accompanied yet another futile bid for some relaxation. She glanced to their side, spotted a fallen tree just within the protection of the nearby woods, and turned to walk towards it. "Okay… where to start…" she muttered as she tried to force her thoughts into some kind of order… something that she both knew she had needed to do for a while and something that she still dreaded doing at all. But even through the air of confusion, the starting point was clear, no matter how she wished it wasn't. "Kratos…" she sighed, answering her own question as she turned to sit on the toppled tree trunk. Looking up, she watched Regal approach and stand silently before her as if giving her the room to sort her thoughts.

She drew in a breath and dropped her eyes to the needle-crusted forest floor between them. "You wanted to know why he still comes to me after all that has happened." Liane shook her head. "I don't know why. But this is what I do know." She looked up to him, steeling herself for his reaction to the only facts that she knew. "I know that, until the Oracle came for Colette in Iselia, I had never met him before. But as soon as I _did _meet him, things changed." She hesitantly looked into his eyes, chewing the edge of her lip before she spoke again. "I started having these dreams… nightmares, sometimes."

Regal sat down on the log with her, closer to the opposite end of the shattered wood from her, but only so far as to not crowd her as he turned to watch the swordswoman. "What are they about?" he asked, keeping his tone calm and quiet.

"At first they were just random flashes… images… stray words… voices. Nothing even vaguely coherent," Liane answered carefully, watching him out of the corner of her eye to see just when it would be that he would write her off as a lunatic. "Sometimes, it was almost like I had remembered something that I knew a long time before, other times, they came while I was actually asleep and the dreams were almost like an incomplete story. They bothered me, but I figured it was just the stress of the journey starting and everything that went with it." She turned to watch him fully and drew in another breath. "But then, they started to become clear – like the bits that had been missing were slowly falling back into place. They got more vivid and sometimes more frightening… and harder to pass off as dreams." Her eyes slid closed. _He asked. You owe him the truth just for that even if he doesn't believe you._ "They're almost like pieces of memories…" Liane dropped her eyes back to the ground and shook her head, "… but they're not mine."

Regal sucked in a quick breath, but no words immediately followed. It was a theory that she had barely even thought to herself. Even though it seemed impossible to her as well, somehow it made even more sense now that it had been voiced.

"How can that be?" the blue haired man finally spoke, disbelief lacing his tone as he shook his head skeptically. "Are you sure they are not just fabrications of something else?" he asked before he groaned softly, an expression of confusion more than exasperation before he drew another breath. "Are you certain that they're memories?"

Liane quickly shook her head. "No. I'm not certain of anything," she answered, averting her eyes once again. "It just makes sense. The things I've seen… felt… experienced. They're things I've never seen or done. They're more and they make more sense and feel more familiar than even an overactive imagination could explain." She chewed her lip once again, her eyes sliding over the delicate silver design of the bracelet that peeked out from under the sleeve of her tunic. "But I do believe that Kratos knows about them, somehow," Liane murmured, suppressing a small groan. _Ah, there we go. Let's jump straight into the crazy part._

Another few moments of silence answered her before Regal started to speak again. "He did say that he knew you," he murmured thoughtfully, proving that he truly had heard the conversation between the angel and the young woman next to him the night before. He clenched his fists tight for a moment, perhaps an expression of frustration that he simply chose to keep to himself. "And he has singled you out from everyone, could it be he does know of them… and that is the reason he follows you?"

"Curiosity? It's the only thing I can think of," she chuckled bitterly. _It's not like it ever felt like a real friendship._ Liane clasped her hands together to keep her fingers from hooking into the bracelet links. "Not far into the journey, I realized that he was part of my dreams. His voice, if nothing else. It puzzled me because as much as of a gruff mercenary as he played at being, my imagination really had no cause to place him in some of the dreams. The only one I could find to try to help me find a reason for it was a fortune teller in a small desert town that we stayed in. She gave me a solution that was almost good enough to answer my questions. She said that he was my soulmate. That was enough for me… it was almost enough to explain with what I've always heard of that kind of bond. But when I returned to the group…" she cringed a little at the memory of the confrontation at the Triet Inn. "He and I… we had a bit of a run-in. Anything that was civil between us before that went sour for a while. Then, it was just as if he was watching me, I… I don't know how else to explain it."

"What do you see in these dreams?" Regal asked almost cautiously, but he still gave her no indication that he wanted to leave or that he thought her a fool.

Liane squirmed a little, trying to solidify a few of the images that the visions left her with into words. She made full note that he still referred to them as 'dreams,' but it truly was up to her to prove her instincts that said that they were more to both of them. "The first ones were before we ever left Iselia," she started, trying to pinpoint the absolute beginning. "One of them was more like a dream. I was star gazing and then there was someone behind me. We were talking and I never actually saw him, but it was him. I know it was. The next one…" she frowned as the memory from later that night came back to her… something she hadn't wanted to remember, "happened at Lloyd's house. It came out of nowhere, and it was much more abstract. There were screams and cries… and a sword." She shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to push the images away again. "I think I blacked out through most of it. It hurt… and it was a very real pain…."

Regal moved so that he sat a little closer to her, leaning out in an attempt to catch her attention and draw it back to their conversation. "Liane, do you think that Kratos might be the cause of these dreams?"

"Possibly," Liane sighed and looked up to him again. Nothing could be ruled out. She knew that. "But I don't think that it's anything he's done on purpose. They've gotten worse since we came to Tethe'alla… like they're trying to put themselves together to prove something." _Something… like how he shouldn't be our enemy._ "I think I make him curious. Sometimes, I know I talk in my sleep. Genis and Lloyd caught me once and thought it was funny, but maybe he's heard them, too. These dreams didn't start until I met him, but I don't know how or why he would _make_ me have them."

"What can I do to help you?" the shackled man asked quietly. He still watched her intently, but the tightening of his hands betrayed that he wanted to do something more than simply sit.

Unfortunately, it was all that she knew to do as well. All she could do to try to show him that she wasn't simply trying to confuse him and that it truly was affecting her was to keep trying to explain. _Maybe something will end up making sense to me, too._ "This started getting worse… more insistent… after I was captured and taken to the human ranch. Since then, the dreams have kept getting more vivid. They bleed into each other… and sometimes… I don't even have to be asleep," Liane shrugged, wondering if it at least explained her distraction in the mines to him.

Regal inhaled deeply, his frame straightening in what looked like a physical bid to relax. "Liane, you have to tell me more," he finally sighed out and looked back to her again. "What about the dreams makes you think they are memories?"

It was as good an angle as any. Liane took a moment to gather her thoughts and then forced herself to look over to meet his gaze. "There's just so many things that I've seen, things I didn't know before… that I wouldn't have had a way to know," she shook her head for a moment before her eyes widened. "Aqua Edge," she blurted out, getting a questioning look from him for it before she hurriedly scrambled to justify it. "I knew two spells before we went into the Temple of Lightning, Regal. I knew Wind Blade and Lightning. I learned Wind Blade from the priests of the Church and Lightning from Genis, but that was it. All of a sudden, in the middle of a battle, I wish that I knew a water spell and I suddenly do?" Liane frowned, her eyes unfocusing just a little as she glanced away. "It's too much coincidence when you add in that I blacked out once… not long before you stopped us in the sewers… and I dreamed that Kratos was coaching me how to use my Exsphere to focus my magic."

The blue haired man looked to her in confusion, his eyes slipping to her hands.

"I don't have one, Regal," she answered his unvoiced question. "When I was taken to the ranch, they almost attached one to me, but Kratos and the others rescued me before the Desians could do much more than drug me. I've never carried an Exsphere of any kind. But after that…." Her voice trailed off as she tried to find the best words for her explanation. "I guess… I think I know what Presea feels to have that _thing_ leeching herself and her life away." She swallowed hard, and found herself unable to look up. It felt like something inside of her was on the verge of making sense, no matter how improbable. "I know that the others… Marble, Lloyd's mother, and Clara… what they felt when their Exspheres went out of control. I think I could swear on any holy relic you place before me that I know how it feels." Liane clenched her hands together in her lap. "I would even go so far as to claim that I know what it feels like to die like that. No one should remember something like that, Regal. No one should remember what it's like to die. But no one should have an imagination that can give them that, either."

"That's why you're convinced that these aren't dreams?" Regal asked quietly, almost as if he was expecting her to continue talking. After an inhale that might have been indecision, he lifted his hands to place one of them lightly on her shoulder. "But if they are memories, whose are they?" he asked, a note of growing intensity in his tone. "Why are _you_ experiencing them? How is it possible that you –"

"I don't know!" Liane cut him off and stood, shrugging out from under his grasp as she did so. The questions that were tormenting her somehow sounded even worse coming from something else. She didn't mean to snap at him, and she immediately felt horrible. After taking a deep breath, she thought she might trust herself enough to speak once again. "But I know it's all somehow tied to him. I have tried for so long to believe that it's all just an overactive imagination. But after the Tower of Salvation…." Liane finally looked back to him, her hands opening in a silent plea for understanding. "Regal, I _knew_ him. I knew him as he revealed himself to us. I knew the wings, I knew the title and respect Remiel showed him. None of it surprised me like it did the others." She shook her head and heaved a deep sigh. "I told you it would sound like I was losing my mind. I just don't know what to do with this," Liane murmured almost apologetically as she returned to sit on the log, her hands clasped tightly and her shoulders drooping. "I don't know where to start. But the dreams won't let me go. They just get worse… more real."

Regal turned his head to watch her sit back beside him, but he made no move to close the distance between them. "Have you talked to him?" he asked, the question almost hesitant. "Have you actually told him about the dreams?"

Liane shook her head and still couldn't look back up to him. "No. There was never a right time before. And now, we never know when he'll show up and I just can't ask him around the others." She snorted a little at that thought, the sound almost a laugh as she shifted to brace her weight on her hands against the wood beneath her. "I don't know what I'd even ask him… or what I'd tell him. Right now, the most I know is that the dreams won't usually come when he's here.

"I see." It was all Regal spoke as he turned his gaze to his feet. It was as if the same melancholy that was choking her was gaining a grip on him as well. In the next breath, he turned and reached out to cover her closest hand with one of his. "So then what do you intend to do? _Will_ you tell him?"

"I can't." The answer came quickly, but that made it no less true. "Not yet." Liane sighed and carefully removed her hand from beneath his to twist her fingers together in her lap. All that was left to share was the dream that was slowly piecing itself together for her… one that she was certain would only enflame the others to further shun Kratos. "There's another part of the dreams, Regal. One that I've seen over and over again." She drew a breath and looked up to him, curious as to the exact point that he would write her off as a lunatic. "The Exsphere… it burns… it hurts. It hurts no matter if I try to tell myself it was just a dream or not. And the sword in the dream… it's his… it's Kratos' sword." When she saw his eyes widen, she finally had to look away. "I know it is. And every time I have the dream, I welcome that sword." She knew she couldn't make him understand, and worse, she knew she had probably alienated the one person who had cared enough to ask what had been bothering her.

"Oh, Martel…" Regal muttered, but otherwise made no attempt to move, much less leave. "Liane… it's his sword… and you… why?" he asked, facing her even though her focus was still fixed on her hands tightly clasped before her.

Liane knew the words that she had to reply with, but that didn't help her look up to him. "He kills me, Regal…" she whispered, already braced for him to stomp away – probably disgusted with how childish she was being in letting a few bad dreams skew her life. _Maybe I am just being silly. Maybe that's what he'll tell me._ But before that happened, she decided to tie it all together for him, just to be sure that he had all the facts he needed to condemn her for being a fool. "I beg him to do it."

Once again, silence was Liane's answer. A long, stunned – or perhaps indecisive – silence finally started making her even more nervous. He hadn't left, he hadn't chastised her. He had done nothing. Just before her nerves could build to the point to give her courage to look up to him, a loop of arms, shackled by the wrists, gently fell around her and tightened just enough to pull her close. His action startled her… she had been so ready for him to leave. Instead, he had put his arms around her. Liane was so sure that she had frustrated him beyond words by her lack of a coherent explanation, but for some reason, now she knew that he was starting to understand. "Regal…?" she ventured softly, looking up to find his complexion pale and his jaw set tightly, though she couldn't see his eyes. She didn't want to break down on him, but something she hadn't realized that she had been missing was suddenly there… safety… warmth. Liane may not have understood his reaction, but somehow, she still welcomed it. Somehow, she felt a little less alone.

Something rattled in the blue haired man's breathing, something that corresponded to a gentle shake in his frame, but other than that, his arms stayed around her. He never looked down to her, though, not even with her quiet, prodding call of his name. He simply stayed quiet for a few more moments until he finally drew another slightly ragged breath. "I will not let anything happen to you. I will not fail again…."

Liane blinked in confusion, but her eyes still welled at something that she heard in his quiet promise. _What did I say?_ While she wasn't sure what help she could ask for against something so intangible as dreams, he almost sounded as if he was apologizing? She slowly moved to wrap her arms loosely around his middle in their awkward embrace, no longer certain that it was entirely for her benefit. "Regal, you've never failed me," she told him, stating a simple fact to start from for wherever their conversation might continue.

"No. I won't fail you… like I failed…." His voice faltered, cracking a little at the edges as he lifted his head and looked away from her. Once again, there was a distinct shiver in his arms as he drew another breath and lifted his arms to release her from their circle. "I don't know what I can do. I don't know how to help you… but I will." Regal's promise was quiet and measured, and he slowly inhaled again. "I won't abandon you."

For a moment, Liane couldn't help but wonder whom he was speaking to. His reactions were different… deeper than they had been when she had first tried to explain. She steadied herself and nodded, making no move to scoot away. "I know, Regal. I'm sorry I can't put it all together. I know I'm asking so much in even making you listen to it and I'm not trying to make it your problem," she told him apologetically, not sure what kind of a nerve she had stumbled over and struck in him. It was time to put her tales away again. "Regal… who were you talking about?" she asked tentatively, extending the chance to talk to him as he had done for her.

Regal was quick to shake his head, still not looking back. "Liane… please," he rasped. "I can't."

"It's okay," she assured him quickly. "I won't ask again. When you're ready, I'll listen. I'll hear you out, I promise," Liane continued, wishing that her curiosity hadn't hurt him further. Somehow, it seemed she had wandered too close to the things he had already told her that he couldn't speak of… the reason he wore the heavy metal shackles. But she couldn't – no – she _wouldn't_ force it from him. It seemed to be eating him alive from within, but he was the only one that would ever be able to decide when and if it would help to bear such things to the light.

He took a long, slow breath and nodded once. "I know. And I wish there was more that I could do for you. I wish I could help you by doing more than just listening."

She shook her head, forcing herself to relax a little more against his shoulder. "Let's stay here for a while longer, please? I don't want to go back just yet." Liane knew there were things she didn't want to try to explain to the others just yet, but her request was truly for both of them. It seemed that even amongst friends, they both still needed to wear masks to keep their weaknesses from everyone else's scrutiny. It would take a little while to rebuild those defenses.

Regal remained silent instead of answering and Liane spent another few moments kicking herself for putting him through whatever torment he was mired in, certain that something she had said had caused it. She bit her lip for a moment and constructed a smile for him, even though he still wouldn't look back at her to see it. "I have nice dreams, too, you know," she ventured hesitantly, trying to draw him back out of his thoughts. "I had one once… there was a sunset… and pink and white flowers. They're not all terrible…."

Regal turned back to her, his frown etched deeply into his expression and his eyes moist. "But are there enough of them to chase away the horror of the others?" he demanded, his voice taking on a bit more of a waver as he stared down into her eyes.

Liane could only stare back for a moment, surprised by his tone. While it was far from harsh or frightening, it was clear that there was a storm brewing within him. She shrugged slowly, otherwise unmoving and not looking away from him. "There are always my dreams. I still have them, too," she murmured, hoping he wouldn't press her to describe one. It had been a while since there had been one she could remember and the new visions tended to drown out all of the others. How she wished she hadn't torn him apart. She had been so afraid of losing someone she sensed could be a true friend, and she had ended up simply ripping him apart? _What kind of friend does that make me?_ "And I still have you and the others. That should be enough to chase away a dream, shouldn't it?"

"I will do all I can to help you." Regal's words sounded like a vow, his voice still deep and somber. After one more exhale, he and turned forward again. His eyes fixed solidly on his shackles and he didn't speak again, almost as if he was watching something beyond the heavy metal restraints, his thoughts far from the seaside patch of forest.

Liane was unwilling to do more damage than she already had, but she couldn't help but think that wherever he might have been retreating to was an even worse place for him. He had been visibly shaken, and it was somehow at least partially her fault. "Maybe if I tell you about the dreams, you can help me see if they really do fit together?" she offered softly, trying to draw him back out of his thoughts. "Maybe I'm too close to them… it might be easier for someone else to see?" Liane shrugged helplessly when he didn't look back to her, and she hung her head. "Regal, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…." She didn't know how to reach him.

"Yes, somehow, we'll figure this out," Regal murmured quietly, still not sounding entirely present for the conversation. Then, slowly, he turned his head to watch her, his expression softening. "And don't apologize. I know you never meant any harm."

Liane allowed herself to slide from the log to sit on the ground and reached out to pull her knees to her chest. Resting her chin on her knees, she stared out from their shaded place in the trees to watch how the last colors of the sunset touched the foam-capped waves beyond the shoreline. While he seemed to be coming out of his darker thoughts, she still had the feeling that she had driven him just a little further away between her explanations and her questions. "We don't have to go back yet, do we?" she asked, again turning her head just enough to look up to him. "I don't want to be alone… I don't want to chance…." She couldn't say it. _Kratos._ With everything so raw, it could all come out if the angel came back that night, and she still wasn't sure what she could even ask him. Worse, she didn't know if she would be able to handle it if he really did have answers.

Regal moved to sit on the ground beside her, stretching his legs out before him as he leaned back against the log. "You won't be alone. I'll stay with you," he assured her quietly. "And we do not have to return to the others until you are ready."

"I just can't face him tonight," Liane shook her head. _Coward._ It's what she was… everything happening inside her own thoughts knew it and was quick to point it out to her. She had no idea if he would even try to come – or what would happen if he did and she wasn't alone. She didn't really want to think about it either way. She couldn't explain things to herself, she had already proven that she couldn't explain them to Regal and she certainly couldn't' explain them to Kratos.

"I understand," Regal nodded, lifting his hands to once again place one on her shoulder. "I'll stay as long as you need me to. If you do not wish to see him, then I will make sure he stays at bay until you are ready to face him."

The thought of not seeing Kratos tugged at her slightly, but Liane knew that the truth of the matter was that she simply couldn't face him yet. She couldn't even start to guess at how he would react. Liane turned her back slightly to Regal, but leaned back against his shoulder. There was something comforting in knowing that her friend was still there. Where Regal had stated that he wouldn't leave her to deal with what may have been her self-inflicted demons, she also knew that Kratos wouldn't – and probably _couldn't_ – make such a promise. "Thank you, Regal," she sighed, resting her weight against his side as her gaze drifted between the distant glow of the group's campfire and the darkening waves nearby.

"You don't need to thank me, Liane," he replied a hint of warmth finally returning to his voice.

Liane was content to sit with him in silence as the night continued to fall around them. While she couldn't say what was going on in his thoughts, much less where her own would next take her, but just the companionship was nice for once. Then, almost out of nowhere, a small chuckle shook her, though she made no attempt to move from his side. "You know the grief we're going to catch from the others, don't you?"

What might have been an answering chuckle rumbled in his chest as he looked down to her. "I think we can handle it," he replied and then shook his head, the sway of his hair revealing the slightest hint of a smirk on his lips. "But I would not have forgiven myself if I hadn't come out here with you. I swear I will find a way to help you."

She couldn't help but smile weakly for him as she met his gaze. "I know," Liane nodded, her tone quiet. "I believe you. And you already have." He hadn't called her delusional, insane, or any of the other words she had already identified herself with. Regal had simply let her talk. While it might not have given her explanations or easy answers, it still helped, as if some part of a weight had been lifted from her.

"Liane…."

The way spoke her name sounded like an unfinished thought… perhaps one that he hadn't intended to voice. It was a theory that gained ground when nothing followed, and she sat up to try to look him in the eye. "Hmm?"

Regal blinked as she met his eyes and then quickly looked away. "Forgive me."

"For what?" Liane asked in confusion, her ease of just moments before melting away at those two cryptic words and at how he was avoiding looking at her. "Regal, what are you talking about?"

"I… I wish that I could tell you," he replied, his voice a low murmur. The emotion that had boiled in the shackled man's voice was faint, but still present, and it only seemed to grow stronger for every moment that he wouldn't look back to her.

Liane wanted for a moment, considering his words before she nodded and slowly settled exactly where she had been before he had spoken. "Then I'll wait," she shrugged as nonchalantly as she could, doing her best to show him that nothing was different from before as far as she was concerned. "As long as it takes."

The blue haired man turned his head back down to her, watching her for a long moment before he finally exhaled. "How can you be so patient with me…" he asked, though the inflection in his voice suggested that he really didn't expect an answer.

"You're patient with me, why shouldn't I be with you?" she asked in return and then turned to look over her shoulder to him once again. "We'll deal with it when it needs to be dealt with… when and if you're comfortable," Liane shrugged, offering him a small smile that he might not have been able to see in the fading light. "It's what friends do."

* * *

They had Volt. Given Yggdrasill's tenuous grasp on sanity at the moment, it really wasn't much of a decision for Kratos to not return to the Cruxis' leader that night. Yet the other place he felt compelled to be that night was equally unwelcoming. The party seemed unusually restless and their watches particularly wary. Perhaps it was Colette's absence. Perhaps it had something to do with the ninja's quiet sobs as she orbited the main part of the camp on her watch. Whatever the reason or reasons, their guard was unusually high. Even Liane, who normally slept away from the others, did so that night with a guardian of her own. The convict remained close while the girl slept, only leaving her side to take his own watch, and even then, he was never far from her. 

So he merely watched from the protection of the trees. All through the night, he kept his vigil, watching as they all swapped out their turns on watch. Of all of them, Lloyd was the only one to wander even close to Kratos' hiding place. It was a momentary thought to reach out to the boy when he was so close, but of all of the group, the boy was the one most likely to rouse the others and turn the night into a senseless brawl. No, he still needed the party to be proceeding as if the world was against them.

For the most part, it was.

When the brown haired teen passed by, Kratos took a small and silent step further into the woods, keeping his movements silent so that even the boy that had been raised in the woods wouldn't hear the retreat. Mahogany eyes followed Lloyd as he passed by just within reach, and then as he pivoted and stalked back toward the camp. Kratos simply let him pass by. He truly had no choice that wasn't ultimately selfish.

_Have you truly forgotten me. Lloyd?_

Kratos had lost track of how many times he had asked the question, both silently and in veiled questions to the boy that he later realized were attempts to jog the boy's memory. _It's foolish now, anyway, _he chided himself, glancing away as Lloyd passed by the camp to patrol the other side that was closer to the Temple. _Even if he did remember, it will always be tainted by my betrayal… if not more… and worse._

Those were the thoughts that kept Kratos company until dawn began to brighten the eastern horizon. The night had come and gone, changing nothing in any of their existences for better or for worse. While the angel knew that he should be on his way before the party truly started to stir, somehow, he simply couldn't do it. Yggdrasill was planning something. He had absolutely no doubt of that. And Yuan knew too much about the party to allow Kratos to even consider that he wouldn't do _something_ with that knowledge. All of that would combine and force him to choose sides, with no chance to ever go back.

_I have to do what I can while there's still time._

That thought alone should have been enough to turn him and send him away, setting him back on the path that could – finally – cost him his life at the slightest misstep. But the slow stirrings of the party caught his attention and held it. Bleary-eyed Lloyd slowly made his way to the campfire, his blanket still wrapped tightly around his shoulders as he sat down and blankly watched Genis start to gather what they needed for breakfast. It seemed that the uncertain circumstances that surrounded them all had even started to eat into Lloyd's routines. The faintest of smirks started to tug at the corners of Kratos' lips at the thought, but the expression was gone in the next heartbeat.

The convict was up and moving as well, but he appeared completely awake as he approached the fire after having finally left Liane's side. Kratos listened as the trio exchanged pleasantries, and then the shackled man offered to gather firewood for the boys before going to train. Genis nodded to accept the offer with a cautious smile, and Lloyd babbled something vaguely incoherent that made both the blue haired man and the silver haired boy blink and then stifle a laugh.

Before Kratos could truly even start to reflect on how some things simply don't change, he watched as the convict turned and started in his direction. The seraph's eyes narrowed, all flickers of mirth disappearing from his form as he stepped back into the shadows.

_He still came to them on the orders of the Pope,_ the angel's mind whispered as he watched the man walk past and allowed him to get a few steps ahead before finally deciding to actually follow him. The Pope was a fantastically frayed end to even Cruxis' plans, even the decrees of the 'higher powers' he was supposed to represent falling before his ambitions. While Kratos did wonder at the sway he held over the convict, it was something deeper that boiled inside him to fuel the knowledge that the shackled man had no place with the party. And while he couldn't put an exact wording with the feeling, he knew the foundations: Regal Bryant knew too much. He knew too much of what the Exspheres could do to their hosts. Even if the others had seen various examples of the effects, they had proven already just how much those truths could shake them… distract them from what had to be done.

_Not to mention how the truth might awaken some things best left sleeping._

The convict seemed adamant – the few times he had heard the man speak – to keep his secrets to himself. It was the main reason that Kratos had not felt the need to intervene. But the separation from the rest of the party was almost too much to resist. To find out what his agenda was… to find out how likely it was that he would jolt the party again. It was the perfect chance.

Kratos followed the shackled man at a distance, following him deeper into the forested patch and noting how there seemed to be no firewood being gathered. A grim smirk had only started to take over his expression when the convict stopped, not far from the small creek that apparently nurtured the area and sighed heavily.

"You might as well show yourself."

Kratos tensed slightly, cursing that he had been so foolish as to underestimate the convict's senses. He stepped out from behind a rather ancient and gnarled tree's trunk, his eyes narrowed on the man. "I'm impressed," he nodded, his expression flat. The gilding of his uniform sparkled in the sun that was just starting to invade the dim morning of the forest, and he cocked his head slightly to make sure that no reflection would make the other man doubt his sincerity by causing him even an extra blink.

Regal slowly turned to face the seraph. "I would ask what you are doing here, but I doubt you would give me a direct answer," the convict remarked, watching the other man evenly with a stony expression.

"I want to know why you're here with them," Kratos replied, accepting the thinly veiled challenge. "Surely, they no longer fit any agenda you had at the behest of the Pope. Or do they?" He crossed his arms over his chest, making sure not to break eye contact with the man for any reason.

"How is that any of your concern?" the shackled man asked with a raised eyebrow, but otherwise not moving. "From what I have heard, you have already betrayed the group once before. You also work for their enemy. What right do you have to ask for my motives?

The auburn haired man tilted his head. _He's not backing down… interesting._

The convict stood before Kratos, every bit of his form unshaken save for the slightest of wavers in his eyes, something that could have easily been missed, or even perhaps written off as a trick of the morning light. "Even if it is only part of the tale, it does not change what you did. The circumstances are irrelevant. You betrayed them," Regal stated, his voice steady. "Anything else is an attempt to wash the blame away from yourself and justify your actions without taking responsibility for them. They trusted you, but you broke that trust as well as tried to kill them all."

"Casting stones, are we?" the angel shook his head, silently impressed with the Duke's control. _He's been practicing that speech._ "Do you seriously think seriously think that I don't know what you did to them? All of them are too trusting for their own good. But you know that, as well." Kratos took a step closer to the blue-haired man... just a small step, but he was fascinated to watch the man's reactions as all the defensive walls he thought were so indestructible were ever so slowly torn down.

"So would you. From what they have told me, you must have fed on their trusting natures. Lloyd saw you as a mentor, Raine and Genis saw you as an ally, Colette saw you as the man sent to protect her through her journey, and Liane thought of you as a friend," Regal remarked sharply, narrowing his gaze and standing his ground. "Pretending to aid them, to guide them, to care about them, you used every ounce of their open hearts against them for your own selfish needs. I may have met them as an enemy, but I never intended to take their lives as you did, and now that I have their trust I shall never break it."

Kratos nodded. "Convincing words. You've rehearsed your role well. But I still want to know why you are still with them."

The convict snorted. "Why should I explain myself to my enemy?"

"You assume that we are enemies. But we are not so different, I assure you." Kratos continued to push, the convict's snort exactly what he had been looking for – some small sign that yet another defense mechanism had been rattled. There could only be so many of them before Kratos would see what truly drove the other man's actions.

"Forgive me if I find that hard to believe," Regal murmured with a single, dismissive shake of his head. "And what else am I to assume you are to me, Kratos? You no longer fight with the companions you once did, you work for Cruxis, and Cruxis happens to be the organization that we are fighting."

Kratos eyed the convict, his gaze narrowed as he decided it was time to dig just a little deeper. "Is the guilt not still a tight knot in your gut? You don't think I understand, do you?" he sighed and slowly shook his head. "The blood on your hands is still fresh to you, is it not?" He heard a slight waver in his own voice and dropped his tone accordingly. He couldn't deny blood on his own hands or guilt for anything else the convict was accusing him. "What is there to guarantee that hers – or any of theirs – won't join it?" His expression slid from passive amusement to icy seriousness. "You will not be allowed to hurt them… _any_ of them."

"Ah, I was wondering when you would just come out and say it." Regal replied with the traces of a smirk on his lips as he shook his head. Then he met gazes with the angel once again. "This is not about my motives, is it? This is about your twisted concern for them? It only matters to you really that they are safe, but you're also trying to ask is how Liane is fairing, isn't it?"

If Kratos would have had only slightly less control, he would have sworn. "Liane is a part of the group. They are a part of the whole that must accomplish their mission. To lose any of them... to anyone or anything... and for any reason, would endanger everything." The satisfied smirk on the convict's face made him want to draw his own sword, but that would be playing into his hands. Four thousand years' worth of training held his glare even, his hand still.

"Convincing words," the convict repeated his own words back to him. "But I see right through them. You know that I saw the two of you together two nights back or you would not have singled me out and dug up my past, Kratos. And when you asked for a guarantee that there would not be blood on my hands from my companions, you said _hers _before you added _theirs_. Why don't you must try being honest for a moment and admit that is what this is about? You're worried for Liane." He seemed to be unable to keep a faint smirk off his lips as he tilted his head to the side. "Besides, if you truly detested my presence among them it would be easy for you to eliminate me from the picture would it not? Instead you are here, questioning me, not because you care for my answers but because you want information on how Liane is."

Kratos couldn't help but allow a smile to play across his face as he walked towards - and past - the convict to stand beside him on the banks of the creek - just an arm's reach away. "So you have it all figured out, do you? Really... please continue. I was afraid that today would hold no amusement for me. Tell me more about what I'm doing here since you seem to have all the answers."

"I'm not here to amuse you. My prolonged absence from camp will most likely have someone looking for me before long." Regal didn't bother looking over his shoulder. "Whatever goal you came here to accomplish, you'd better do it quickly, as I have no intention of entertaining you much longer."

"Pity. But you still haven't answered my questions. What do you want from them?" Kratos kept his arms crossed, choosing not to face the convict. It was clear that the harder he pushed, the more stubbornly the other man would push back. He knew that the convict was right… that he had read him correctly. He was concerned for Liane and how her mind could hang in the balance if each of the barriers that seemed to be allowing pieces of a life that was never hers into her thoughts would crack and shatter. But with each of the convict's retorts, something else became clear. The blue haired man was already fiercely protective of his companions – but was it protecting friends or prey? It was difficult to say the extent that the man's own tragedies may have eaten at him, and how the Pope could have been exploiting that.

"No matter the answer I give, would you believe me?" was all that Regal responded.

"Perhaps," Kratos shrugged casually, finally turning to watch the shackled fighter.

"I am not here to make deals or to amuse you, angel of Cruxis." This time, Regal did turn, his gaze narrowing on the other man. "I have no reason to betray their trust as you did, as I am sure whatever you ask does not just involve me, but the rest of them as well. Therefore, giving you information would be betraying them."

Kratos sighed. "I don't trust you and you don't trust me. I suppose we can at least agree on that." He turned slightly to watch the man beside him. "I want to know what you want from her. I want to know what possible use you have for them now that you have spoken to the small one. And I want to know why you seek Liane out in the dark while the others sleep. I know my reasons, but as I said, I don't trust you. And I won't allow you to hurt _any _of them... _or_ her."

"So you do care for her, all right then." Regal breathed deeply for a moment, and then turned on his heel. He began walking back the way he had come. A few steps closer to the path lined by trees he stopped, and glanced over his shoulder. "My motives are my own, whether you trust them or not. You should know how that works, as I doubt you've told the party what you've had intended for them from the very beginning. And if you feel so strongly on keeping them safe, if you want to know how Liane is as well as keep an eye on her, you are welcome to walk back to camp with me."

Kratos turned to watch the convict walk away with an appreciative nod. "So you think you are strong," he murmured quietly as he saw the other man pause to pick up a few small and adjust them across his arms before continuing back to the camp. "Good. You will have to be if you are choosing to stay with them of your own free will.

It was truly what he needed to know. While he still couldn't rule out the Pope's influence and even though there were already other factors that the party had unknowingly accepted in their self-guided and somewhat haphazard quest, it seemed that the convict was at least willing to keep them all safe as long as it met his agenda. Kratos could respect that.

_But if you turn on them… I will be waiting.

* * *

_

He's coming. He's close… he has to be.

_She couldn't help how she giggled as she spun around the room, clutching the soft butter-yellow dress to her chest. It was crazy. She couldn't possibly _know_ that he was close – or even in town for that matter. Trying to tell herself that it was just nerves, she shimmied out of her thin cotton robe and into the pretty sundress. It was night… well after sunset, but the dress was her favorite… and she couldn't help that it would soon be his as well._

_With a quick glance to the clock on her bedside table, she tried to use what she saw there to calm her nerves once again. _He's not supposed to meet me for over another hour, _she told herself in an attempt to banish how certain she was that he was close. She simply felt it… something inside of her was so sure all she had to do was reach out to touch him._

That's just silly._ She giggled aloud at the notion. _I'm all alone… I'm just excited._ It was the best excuse she could find, but somehow, it all helped her argument that it was no schoolgirl crush that she had on the handsome mercenary. _That's why it has to be tonight, _she shrugged as she finished tying the bow at her waist and smoothed her skirt. _Tonight will change everything for us._ It had been planned to be just another stargazing date… the next time that he promised to come to town. Yet the more she thought of his return, the more she knew that she would burst if she didn't tell him. She swore to herself that there would be no ultimatums, no immediate flip in either of their worlds. All she wanted to do was open the door and be honest with him. She had known him for over a year – which wasn't much in the grand scheme of things – but she knew that there was something that sparked between them from the moment they had met._

I love you, Kratos._ She practiced the words silently, still hating how she knew her voice would shake no matter when she finally spoke the words. But that didn't mean that she didn't still giggle again as she whirled across the room to plop down at the modest vanity that her mother had insisted that her father make for her, claiming that one day, she might want to prove that there really was a girl under all the soot._

What do you know? She was right….

_She laughed out again and reached for the oval, center-pinned mirror to rock it down, her eyes fixing on the wide brown eyes of the girl in the reflection, her straight, sandy brown hair splayed over her shoulders, but more to the right from the flurry of spinning. With a blink and a wide smile that brought even more warmth to her slightly tanned skin, she reached for the yellow ribbon that matched her dress…._

Liane sat up with a choked gasp, the sudden movement barely giving her the time to realize that the sun was coming up on their camp as her head swam, a dizzy wave washing over her and threatening to knock her back to her bedroll.

_Who… who was that???_ was her mind's only demand as she clamped a hand to her forehead and winced. _Who was in the mirror???_


	25. Chapter 26

Heart of the Phoenix 

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The party's next steps become clear for once as the Chosen is taken from them. Help comes from unlikely sources, but it doesn't solve everything. Options present themselves and friends prove their words, but how long before even minor victories won't be enough?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 26:

"No, Lloyd, stay away! It's a trap!"

The words struck Liane as almost obscenely familiar… almost as familiar as the barrier that held the blonde Chosen away from the rest of the party. She froze, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword as a particularly stiff wind blew her braid forward over her shoulder and pushed her forward a step. _That's unnerving,_ she silently groused. _A cloud-covered chunk of land hanging in mid-air, and winds that want to push us off the edge. That's just perfect._

With the day already long-past becoming a blur, she wondered how even the elements themselves seeking to obstruct them could even start to surprise her. The day before had been one long, emotional hellstorm – from losing Corrine to winning Volt's pact and from revealing her closely guarded visions to Regal to a dream that was, all at once, one of the most peaceful and most confusing yet.

Overall, it was a day that Liane was sure she could do without reliving.

Not that their present day was going spectacularly, either.

After struggling through a breakfast that she hadn't been even vaguely hungry for, Liane had forced the memory of the strange girl staring back at her in the mirror away, locking it into the back of her mind along with the paranoia that Regal was forcing himself to not seem distant that morning. He had been true to his word and had heard her out, even if she simply knew that she had somehow ground too close to a nerve in him in doing so.

Liberating the Rheairds from the Renegade base had been almost a welcome distraction from all of that, as much as she hated to admit it. Yuan and Botta had been a collective exercise in force, even if Liane was still certain that they had been little more than an extended session of blowing off steam after Volt's brutality. She was convinced that Volt had been one of their hardest fights yet… second only to Kratos.

_She loved him. The girl in the mirror _loved_ Kratos._

The thought caught her off-guard, breaking free from its banishment yet again. It could explain so much if she could bring herself to think about it, to let all of her half-formed theories try to lace themselves together with it.

"What?"

Fortunately, Lloyd's startled reaction to Colette's declaration drew her out of the thoughts that Liane knew she couldn't deal with at the moment – not with the meaning behind their friend's words. "She's bait, Lloyd," she grumbled, reaching for her friend's shoulder and stopping him.

Before Lloyd could put words with the look he shot at Liane for her restraint, the air around the platform whined with power, tensing every member of the party into a battle stance as Colette whimpered in something that sounded distinctly like defeat. The air between the swordsman and the caged Chosen shimmered and shook, finally snapping into the sharp angles of a familiar and very solid form.

"Rodyle…" Liane half growled, releasing Lloyd's shoulder, absently making the decision that if her friend really wanted to skewer the Cardinal for what he had done to his friends, she really didn't care to stop him.

Apparently, Presea shared the notion, and simply wasn't willing to let Lloyd keep the honors for himself. She rushed past the swordfighters, her ax already cleaving at the air before her. "You will pay for using me! Let Colette go!" the girl demanded, her soft voice carrying a shake of anger as she leveled her swing directly for Rodyle's middle.

Instead of the gruesome noise that the blade should have made as it sliced through the half-elf, there was another whine of power as Rodyle's sadistic grin widened and his form disappeared on a passing breeze.

"An illusion?" Raine murmured, her wide eyes blinking in surprise as Presea's swing slowed, dropping the ax back to the packed dirt surface of the platform. The party looked around, none of them dropping their guard, but their unease collectively rising so much that it was practically tangible.

The respite proved to be quick and as false as they had expected it to be when a nasally and particularly malevolent laugh split the air behind the party. When they turned, Rodyle stood casually facing them, his hands on his hips and his head thrown back in the throes of laughter. "You can have that _worthless_ Chosen!" he declared snidely. "Now I understand why Lord Yggdrasill left her alone.

Lloyd's blades rattled in his hands as his grip on them tightened. "Worthless?!" the teen demanded in a tone of mixed confusion and anger.

Rodyle laughed again, his sneer fixing on the young swordsman. "Absolutely," he crooned, nodding eagerly. "A sinful Chosen like that is completely useless for my Mana Cannon," he sniffed, waving one hand dismissively in Colette's direction. "She can't even save the world. She can't merge with Martel. She even puts her friends in danger." The half-elf's lips curled into a sneer. "What a _pathetic_ Chosen."

Liane glanced back to Colette, seeing every one of Rodyle's charges hit her like a physical blow, leaving the girl wincing at each of them, her shoulders drooping lower with every word. "Colette's not putting anyone but herself in danger," she murmured, a hot ball of anger coiling in her gut as she glared back at the Cardinal. "Just like the rest of us. We're here of our own free will," the dark haired young woman stated, momentarily wondering when she had come to believe that she had made her own decision that she belonged in the fight – that she wasn't' actually simply being tossed on waves of fate.

"Stop blaming Colette for things she did not do!" Presea chimed in, edging up to Line's side, her ax braced across her, held in both of her tiny, tensed hands.

"Indeed."

At the single, low word, Liane looked over to see Regal slowly stalking forward, his hands closed into light fists and his glare burning into Rodyle. _Regal._ It snapped into place that he was the one who had planted the seeds of her declaration to Rodyle… and the only one to whom she had voiced her fears of not belonging. That same encouragement had driven her without even thinking about it. _My life… my responsibility… my choice. No one else's._

"It is enough that I alone bear the weight of sin," the shackled man continued, a low rumble deep in his throat growing as he strode forward, his focus entirely fixed on Rodyle. "You and I are the epitome of sin!" he ground out, his walk turning into a slow bounce that lightened his steps for what seemed to be a building attack. "I'll drag you down to hell with me!"

Liane blinked in surprise at his tone. She had seen the man brood… she knew how sullen and resolved to his private punishment, but the anger that jarred his tone somehow still managed to surprise her.

Rodyle merely turned his head to face the blue haired man, crossing his arms over his chest as he arched one eyebrow over the rim of his glasses. "Take me to hell?" He scoffed, his voice light with sarcastic laughter. "You inferior beings and your silly jokes."

Almost moving as a single entity, the party stepped forward, edging to surround the Cardinal. Rodyle remained still, calmly observing their advance and not showing the least hint of worry.

"Everyone, please, _run_!"

Colette's panicked cry rang out, jolting the tension as Rodyle began to snicker once again, throwing his arms wide to the skies above him. "Now, my darling pets!" he crooned maliciously as a flurry of screeches and wails answered him from above and all around the platform all at once. "Feed on the flesh of these wretched beings!"

Suddenly, Rodyle became the least of their worries, his form flickering away once again as a pair of skittering shadows played over the surface of the platform. Liane looked up, her breath catching in her throat as she recognized the dragons that had aided Rodyle in Colette's kidnapping earlier circled overhead. _He doesn't need Colette anymore… he's just using her as bait to lure us here now… to get rid of us all at the same time._

Colette was as close as she could get to the energy field that surrounded her, shaking her head as she watched her companions with tears building in her eyes. "Don't try to fight them!" she screamed her panic. "_Run!_"

Despite the Chosen's pleading cry, a moment of what almost passed as peace embraced the party, their eyes all drawn up to watch the winged creatures that Rodyle had summoned for them. "Winged dragon, a sub species of dragon," Presea calmly murmured, the head of her ax resting against the ground. "Carnivorous. Excels at the pursuit and capture of prey." She looked around to the others. "The probability of successful evasion on this small platform is one percent."

Zelos snorted at the girl's assessment of the situation. "Give me a break," he groaned, shaking his head as he adjusted his shield against his forearm. "I'll pass on dying, thanks!"

The crimson-clad teen crossed his swords before him as his eyes followed the dragons that were just starting to spiral down at them. "All we have to do is defeat them before they can kill us!" he murmured, his attention clearly not on speaking to his companions. It was a simple announcement of a simple plan: fight… or die.

"Indeed," Regal grumbled, his stance now bouncing rhythmically, almost like a snake preparing to strike. His deep voice still rang of the anger he had shown Rodyle, but by all appearances, he was ready for the fight. "I have no intention of becoming a part of the food chain without a fight."

_Probably needs to work off some aggression, _Liane observed, exhaling as the dragons started to abandon their spiral to dive aggressively at the party. "Split up?" she asked all of her companions at the same time as the pair loomed ever closer, shrill cries of beastly excitement filling the air around them. _Not that fighting my own way to exhaustion would be such a bad idea today…_ the swordswoman frowned as she fed a small bit of mana into her blade, still not sure of exactly how her attacks would work on the beasts. The dream she had endured the night before had been peaceful enough… almost disturbingly romantic if she was honest with herself. However, the girl's eyes still haunted her.

"Yeah…" Lloyd nodded as he leapt at the first dragon to level off at the surface level and charge them, his blade sweeping up into the air and then coming down to impact against the bony crest between the creature's eyes. "Tiger Blade!!" he completed his attack and danced backwards as the dragon's head fell to the ground and the creature tumbled in a mass of blue scales and wings. "We can take 'em both down fast that way!"

"I'm on it, bud…" Zelos declared as he leapt to intercept the other dragon that had pulled up when its companion had crashed to the ground. But it wasn't fast enough to elude the redheaded swordsman and his spiraling leap up into the air, his sword mixing mana and reflection to form an elegant corkscrew up into the air to bring the fight up to the dragon. "Light Spear!"

Regal did not hesitate to move in the instant Lloyd left the dragon open, passing through the already stunned dragon as though he were a phantom, made of the same holographic material their enemy had used to project his image on the floating platform. "Mirage!" Before the dragon could even hope to whirl around, his legs were already in motion, striking hard and fast, the fluid movement natural. "Wolverine!"

As if the cries of the twin dragons weren't maddening enough, Liane was suddenly aware of a dark shadow that loomed over their improvised battlefield. _A shadow? But there were no clouds and…._ The thought was cut short as she dove to the side, her shoulder slamming into the packed earth as a side effect of the reaction, but it served its purpose of keeping her out of the jaws of a greater dragon that was easily ten times the size of the other two. The beast had crept out of one of the large tubes that swept up over the sides of the platform during the initial chaos of the battle and had merely chosen the moment to drop its long, graceful neck in an attempt to snatch one of the fighters away. "Guys! Mama Dragon's not happy!" Liane called out as the dragon pulled back into the tube. "Be careful!" she added, climbing back to her feet and running at the smaller dragon that Zelos' attack had batted away. _Quick… before it can fly again! _She pictured her attack in her mind and thrust her sword out before her, the mana responding in gentle ripples to make it a reality. "Sonic Thrust!"

While Sheena and Raine closed in on the dragon that Lloyd and Regal had already claimed, the smaller members of the party both rushed at Zelos and Liane. As Genis hung back and encircled himself with a blaze of spinning purple runes, Presea ran past Liane, heaving her ax from her side until she had it grasped before her in both hands. The dragon that had been pushed back nearly to the edge of the platform was still struggling to rise into the air again when the pink haired girl planted her feet and drew the ax up into the air. "Infliction!" A deceptively elegant arch of light slicing into the dragon's scales as the creature shrieked and flipped back off the edge of the platform.

"Hunny, is your shoulder okay?" Zelos asked as he edged back closer to Liane, even though his eyes were fixed on where the dragon had disappeared. "Do you want me to –"

"Photon!"

Liane glanced over at the other half of their party of the flash of light and subsequent inhuman scream, but she was already shaking her head. "No thanks," she murmured, trying to be polite even though she bristled at being called 'hunny.' "I just need to learn how to dodge better. It'll be okay," the dark haired swordswoman told him as a flash of blue and purple sweeping up against the sky brought the almost-awkward moment to an end. "Genis… _now_ would be good!" she called over her shoulder as she saw the dragon dive at them again.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the young mage retorted, throwing his arm up into the air as his focus pinned on the dragon's speeding descent. "Wanna charge? Thunder Blade!"

The air around the dragon instantly began to crackle, but the spell didn't have time to form completely before the creature spewed a trio of fireballs at its prey. An instant later, the dragon was impaled on a sword of sizzling lightning that drove it into the platform with an enraged scream of protest.

Liane, Presea, Genis, and Zelos scattered slightly in an attempt to avoid both the fireballs and the tendrils of lightning. "Huh… doesn't look like he liked that too much," Zelos muttered, glancing around to his companions as the dragon thrashed on the ground. "Let's see if we can keep him from cooking us, m'kay?" the swordsman smirked as he watched the others gather around him. "Brat… do something big and watery that will make him really mad. Liane… Lightning. Presea…" he shot the ax girl a quick grin and then set off in a sprint at the dragon. "You're with me." Paying no attention to Genis' grumbling, the flamboyant swordsman bore down on the struggling dragon and jerked his sword up into the air above his head. "Fierce Demon Fang!" he called out as the slash of mana blasted down at the dragon.

"I _hate_ it when he gets decent plans," Genis muttered, glancing up to Liane. "Give me a second to cast spread… then you hit him with Lightning."

Liane blinked, the simplicity of the plan and its possible outcome pleasing her. "Electrocute a dragon… interesting choice of ideas," she smirked and nodded.

Genis' grin grew a bit wicked. "Who said anything about the dragon? Aim for the windbag," he snickered before his expression mellowed and blue runes flared around him.

Almost choking at the retort, Liane shook her head and glanced back to the other half of the party at the sound of a sword ringing off something decidedly solid. Lloyd was spinning back through the air… from the looks of the large dragon that was once again retreating into a tube, the creature had gone after the swordsman much like it had come after her. It also seemed that Lloyd's retaliation had done far more for their cause, judging from the broken fang stuck into the ground not far from where he landed. The other small dragon cried out, it's elegant head thrown back as rings of smoke tightened around it, sent by one of Sheena's spell cards. _Looks like they've got things under control…_ she decided, turning back to her own half of the adversaries in time to see Presea flipping up through the air as the dragon reared up to meet her.

"Devastation," the girl's voice drifted out, amazingly calm considering the brutality of the downward strike of her ax that sent the dragon sprawling to the ground.

Liane drew her sword up before her, seeing Genis' spell starting to crackle with held back power out of the corner of her eye. _Got to hit it just before Genis' spell fades… the spells have to work together_, she coached herself, carefully constructing the rune pattern for Lightning and watching that it didn't try to change into something else on its own.

"Drown!" Genis growled out as he whipped the ball of his kendama out and then upward, the mana of the spell following the action as the runes dissolved and shot out to the ground beneath the dragon. "Spread!" the mage commanded, his spell responding and blasting up and around the dragon in a blast of shimmering water.

Opening her eyes, Liane watched the dragon tumble, holding her spell back until she saw Genis' start to release their foe. "Lightning!" She didn't hesitate, swinging her blade out as a pointer to the dragon as the bolt of energy she had summoned slammed the dragon down into the disappearing puddle, an angry hiss of opposing elements sounding out just over the dragon's howl of pain before the creature fell limp to the ground.

"That was pretty good, wasn't it?" Zelos chuckled smugly, glancing over to the others of his half of the group. "Go team and all that," he sighed as he looked over to the others and nodded in their direction. "Looks like we finished first, let's go help the slackers…" the redhead shrugged and set off in a jog across the platform.

Exchanging glances with Genis, Liane turned to follow Zelos. While inspirational speeches didn't seem to be his strong point, he was right – there was more left to do. _At least the odds are a little more in our favor now,_ she told herself, gripping her sword a little tighter as she ran, trying not to think about fighting _dragons._ _Until the big bad dragon comes back, anyway. _The thought made her shiver as she glanced around the three tubes curving above them. _Goddess, I hope there's only one._

Regal threw out his leg to block the swipe of the dragon's wing, standing firm against the force the beast put behind it. The end of the movement left the creature open, giving the convict the chance to dash forward, kicking out. He delivered a series of fluid kicks and then threw out his left leg, sweeping it out and back and forth across the enemy's muzzle before pushing off with his right leg to land gracefully out of reach. "Swallow Dance!" the blue haired man called out as the monster grunted in pain, a gasp of air following quickly it collapsed onto the rock beneath it.

"Whoa, whoa, big guy!" Zelos chuckled over the guttural growl of the newly fallen dragon as its neck, tail, and wings all fell limply to the guard. "Hey, the Warrior Goddess was on a roll, couldn't you even give her a shot at this one?" he demanded playfully. "It's considered polite to share the fun, you know…."

A faint glare of exasperation glimmered in Regal's eyes as he looked over to the redhead. "It's okay, really… we have bigger things to worry about," Liane quickly spoke up before anyone could speak again. It seemed that Zelos just couldn't stop himself from digging at the shackled man, but even for as much as it happened, it seemed to her to be more out of curiosity than maliciousness. She didn't understand, but she still knew it wasn't her place to get in the middle of things. _Besides, it's kind of nice that Zelos is giving me openings._ The thought surprised her at first, but it made more sense the longer it settled. _He could have cast Lightning faster than I did. _It could have simply been that he wanted to show off his swordsmanship, but the less she questioned it, the better. _I do need the practice. _With that, she decided to give Zelos the benefit of the doubt – as an angered scream echoed out of all three of the tubes. "Like… that…" Liane groaned, clenching her sword even tighter as the large dragon's head once again emerged from the tube closest to them and plunged directly at the party.

The group scattered as the ground beneath their feet shook with the beast's impact. Zelos quickly rolled to his feet, bouncing his weight back and forth in his stance, his sword and shield at the ready. "Well, well," he murmured, his smile widening almost eagerly as the dragon's head reared back, wild eyes scanning over the group. "Aren't _we_ a big boy?"

"Yeah, you just sit there and talk to it," Sheena grumbled as she dashed forward and leapt at the dragon, her spell card blazing for the moment before bluish-black energy rippled over the dragon's blue scales. "Life Seal!" the ninja called out as the waves recoiled back to her and she dropped back down the platform's surface, landing in a crouch with the fingers of one hand enforcing her balance.

"Well, I'd rather sit here and talk to you, but _you'd_ just smack me," Zelos countered with a grin as he ran past the ninja, sparring her a wink before charging the retreating head of the dragon. The mana pattern that waved over his blade resembled that of Sonic Thrust, but Zelos' held a distinctly purple cast to it. "Lightning Blade!" the redhead called out as the waves blasted out at the dragon, sending the beast recoiling back for only an instant before a stab of lightning speared it. As the dragon screamed out and began to withdraw back into the tube, Zelos turned back to Sheena and flipped a handful of red furls back over his shoulder. "Of course, we can see about fixing that now, if you'd rather?"

"This _is _still a battle," Raine cleared her throat over the sound of Sheena's grumbling and started to back closer to the center of the platform close to Colette's cage. "Keep your eyes open, everyone. That dragon can come out of any of those tubes," she murmured as she lifted her rod with both hands, the glimmering feathers on the head of the weapon rhythmically flapping as they awaited Raine's command.

"Professor!" Colette called out insistently. "This is your chance! Get away from here before it comes back!" the blonde girl pled, singling Raine out perhaps in hopes of appealing to the party's logical side.

Lloyd spoke up before his teacher could. "You don't get it, do you?" he asked, his eyes scanning from one tube to the next. "We came to get you and we're not leaving without you!" he declared, his jaw set as a scream resounded from the tube across the platform. He was suddenly in motion, his feet pounding against the dirt until the flicker of sunlight on scales announced the dragon's return. In that moment, the teen threw himself into a headlong flip that carried him up into the air, blades flashing as he climbed higher and higher. "Omega Tempest!"

Liane watched as her friend kicked away from the dragon's muzzle, the beast snapping its head back and away from the flurry of strikes with a howl. Colette had offered no further protest after Lloyd's words, and it was probably a good thing, she decided. _He's right. If we do leave here without Colette, it will just be one more defeat._ If Colette wasn't with them to end the cycle of the two worlds preying on each other, victory would be hollow. _Enough Chosens have fallen, _she set her jaw, glaring at the dragon as it retaliated and dove at Lloyd once again, sending a cloud of dirt up as the teen leapt out of its path at the last moment. It was her chance – the dragon was low enough that her own sword tricks could still be useful. "Double Demon Fang!" she called out, sending the pair of slashes into the rapidly settling dirt storm, rewarded for her effort with another cry from the dragon. _We're all going home alive then this is over. There is no other option._

The dragon turned its massive head to watch the swordswoman's retreat, baring is teeth as it drew back to lunge again. But at the height of its neck's arch, bands of shimmering golden runes snapped at the air around its head. "Light! Photon!" the Professor's voice demanded of her spell over the obedient crackle of mana that seared the dragon. The beast howled and withdrew back into the tube almost before the spell had died away, the golden light still visible in the tube as the creature disappeared from sight.

"This is stupid," Zelos grumbled, spinning his sword out before him as he cautiously looked from one tube to the next. "Even if Lloyd broke off a tooth, it only made it madder. The only thing it did is make it so when it _does _eat us, it'll hurt more."

The pessimism earned the redhead an assortment of glares, but Sheena was the first to give hers a narrative. She drew a blue-tinted spell card from her sash and huffed. "Well, do your part, stop complaining and maybe we can stop it before it gets that bad," she chided him as she turned her gaze back to Lloyd. "You want to guard for me? I think Undine might help end this a little faster," she shrugged as she lifted the card into the air before her, held it there for a moment, and then released it, setting it spinning as she closed her eyes and started to mouth a silent chant.

Lloyd moved back to hover near Sheena, his blades crossed and at the ready as he accepted her request. Liane couldn't help but notice how Zelos' shoulders sagged for the briefest of instants, but then appeared to be once again ready to fight. _They're so stuck in tormenting each other… I wonder what they'd do if they could both swallow their pride at the same time…._ Further speculation was cut short by a violent shaking in the ground beneath their feet as the dragon's head shot out from the next tube to the right of where it had been before, screamed its outrage to the open skies, and then once again plunged toward the party.

Before the dragon could open its jaws once again, Regal lunged forward, already spinning in mid air to slam his right leg into the scales and vulnerable flesh just below the beast's eye. "Rising Dragon!" Before he landed, he used his forward momentum once again, continuing to rotate and throwing out the same leg to add to the damage he'd already done. "Triple Rage Kick!"

The dragon's neck fell limp to the ground as the convict leapt away, the creature's eyes clenched tight as a testament to the power in Regal's attack. It provided Presea with opportunity to run forward, the blade of her ax hissing against the winds. She slashed at the dragon, a burst of mana several times larger than the girl herself blasting out in the guise of a snarling creature and sending the dragon's head and neck crumpling back closer to where it hung from the tube. "Beast!"

The creature grunted as it attempted to rise from the ground again, snapping its jaws at its foes as the fighters edged closer. "Presea's right! Less talking, more winning!" Genis muttered from his place deep in the protection of the others. When the dragon snarled once again and managed to pull its head up from the ground, the young mage threw his kendama out at the beast, sparkling blue runes answering the gesture by wrapping around the dragon and starting to swirl around its head. "Cool off! Ice Tornado!"

Liane watched as the winds bent to Genis' command, whipping around the dragon's head and appearing to help it lift its massive head. However, that was where the aid stopped, as chunks of ice solidified inside the wind to pummel the angry creature, perhaps even pushing it just a little faster back into its tube with a final snap of its jaws. The departure at least bought the party a moment to draw a breath, and it gave Liane a chance to once again recognize a feeling of awe at her young friend's skills. _He's amazing_, her thoughts whispered as she watched the boy lift a hand to push his sliver bangs from his eyes. She had seen him studying by the light of the campfire on several nights, but she rarely saw him use magic other than to light the campfire outside of battle. _It comes so naturally to him._ Liane sighed, a bit envious even though she knew she had no grounds to be. Humans without blood links to elves had no talent whatsoever for working magic – or, at least, that was what the priest had told her when they had informed her that a search of her ancestry indicated that there was no use in teaching her as her human blood was as pure as it could be. _I'm lucky to have what I do,_ she told herself once again and looked back to the others in time to see a flash of green.

"Help is on the way!" Raine called out, pushing her rod up into the air above her. "Nurse!" The Professor's spell danced and leapt across the battlefield, a burst of mana reaching out to all of them as the ground began to shake once again. "It's not over yet," Raine told them all with a shake of her head. "Be careful."

For a moment, things were quiet and peaceful, even the winds dying back and leaving the only thing that was moving to be the series of blue rune circles spinning beneath Sheena's feet. All of that ended a moment later, though, when the dragon's head rushed from the last tube, a powerful scream splitting the air as the beast called its challenge to the group once again.

"Boo-yah!!" Zelos whooped, spinning on his heel with a wide grin to face the dragon again. "Sheena, hunny, do your thing!"

Sheena sighed, the gesture sounding far more like exasperation than it did swallowing nerves, but she still flicked her hand to swipe the card from the air and thrust it high above her head, the runes reacting by blazing brighter as they awaited her command. "I call upon the maiden of the mist," the summoner called out, no sign of a waver in her voice. "Undine!"

The spirit materialized in the air between Sheena and the dragon, the blue-skinned woman considering her adversary with an air of absolute ease before she swept her hand out towards it. Immediately, a swarm of geysers swelled and exploded beneath the dragon, buffeting the creature between the torrential blasts. When the attack finally started to slow, Undine turned back to her summoner, not even watching the battered dragon fall back to the ground as she nodded respectfully and then vanished in a swirl of blue.

"And now that you're back down at our level…" Zelos muttered, rushing at the beast with waves of purple flashing back over his blade. "Lightning Blade!" the redhead commanded as the energy rolled out over the dragon, crackling where it came into contact with the remnants of Undine's attack until a stab of lightning targeted the beast.

The dragon's scream was somehow mournful as the opposing elements once again combined to deal their damage. Rolling its neck, the dragon started to lift its head again, its maw opened wide to its enemies, a threat as well as a defense as the creature struggled to rise again. Lloyd, freed of his duties in Sheena's defense, ran forward with his arms crossed over his body, the act of uncrossing them guiding his momentum up into the air to follow the dragon. Blades slashing at the dragon, the swordsman dropped back to the ground, the mana of his attack pushing a shockwave across the ground before he jerked both swords up into the air. "Raging Beast!" The lion's visage appeared once again in the energy as it blasted the dragon back, its complaint almost lost to the snarl of Lloyd's own attack.

As the frontline fighters started to edge closer, the dragon began to sway as if being buffeted by waves of dizziness. As the more confident warriors formed a barrier to the gnashing jaws of the irritated and wounded creature, those with spells to offer used the time to weave their mana. "Form a torrential vortex and engulf the evil spirits," Genis directed the power that pulsed through the blue runes that laced the bands spinning around him, his eyes clenched shut in concentration for a moment longer before they popped open and he cast his kendama out toward the dragon. "Tidal Wave!"

It was instinct for Liane to gasp and catch her breath as the shimmering wall of water roared down over the battlefield, quickly engulfing her own meager blue rune circle that she had constructed in the wake of Genis and Undine's success with the element. Her grasp of the spell felt tenuous at best, as she was still trying to convince herself that the spell was truly hers to use and not just a fluke against Volt. While the waves smashed into the dragon, they left the party members dry and undamaged, no matter the fact that it destroyed Liane's concentration, and with it, her spell. She felt her mana evaporate away with the mage's spell, and though she wobbled a little, she still found a somewhat playful glare for her young friend. "Gee, thanks," she shook her head to his sheepish grin. "Sheesh. And you say Zelos is a show off."

"Liane, try the spell again," Regal murmured to her, meeting her gaze for an instant before he lunged forward, spinning in midair and throwing out his right leg in a scooping kick that sent the dragon hurdling back. Using the momentum he gained from pushing off the beast, he changed direction, coming crashing back down on it. "Eagle Dive!"

Liane only allowed herself to be distracted by Regal's attack for an instant before she clamped her jaw tight and scrambled to reconstruct her lost spell. Thankfully, the runes all fell back into place – almost like the words to a long-forgotten song – and quickly began to strengthen. _It won't be strong like Genis or Undine's spells, but it should help our cause some…._ Feeling the mana level stabilize, she opened her eyes and made sure her path to the reeling dragon was clear before setting the spell free. "Aqua Edge!" Though the dragon sounded more annoyed than truly damaged by the watery slivers that quickly pummeled it, Liane still breathed out in relief. _It's mine… it really is._

Even as the dragon snapped at the party, Presea dashed forward, ignoring the threat of the teeth as she lifted her ax into the air, the speed and a brief sparkle of mana working together to leave one and then two crescent shapes in the air where they sliced into the scaled plates along the dragon's neck. "Resolute Infliction," the girl murmured, taking a step back to coolly observe the way the dragon's head and neck swayed on the winds.

"All right already!" Zelos groaned, shaking his head before he ran at the dragon as well, angling his saber up at the creature. "Enough with the dragons! Super Sonic Thrust!"

The blast that leapt from the redheaded Chosen's weapon actually made it look like the dragon had momentarily regained all of its strength, its neck arching high in what almost looked like triumph over the party and a thunderous cry shook the ground and air alike. But all of the appearances shattered in the next instant as the dragon's head plummeted to the dirt, its neck crumpling limply over it without so much as another whimper.

"_Finally_!!" the redhead moaned, his sword flashing as he slid it back into its scabbard. "I'm _so_ tired of everything thinking it can just snack on us!"

The party was still for a moment – catching their breaths, adjusting their weapons, or simply allowing their stances to soften in reward for yet another apparent victory. Liane leaned forward, bracing her hands on her knees and forcing a deep breath into her lungs. _We did it… again. I…._ Through wearily closed eyes, she saw something – a golden glow that neither looked nor felt like sunlight. _What…?_

The realization that something was happening slowly washed over the party as – one by one – they noticed the same orange glow that kept Colette prisoner begin to slowly creep from the center of the platform, radiating out in ripples from beneath the blonde Chosen's feet.

"No, it's too late," Colette whimpered in what couldn't be taken as anything but defeat as she watched her companions back away from the spreading glow until there was no longer anywhere to go.

Liane's first thought had been to demand to know what Colette was talking about, but when she found herself unable to move, her feet stuck to the surface of the platform and every muscle in her body beginning to quiver, she realized that it was the pulsing glow beneath them that had stolen Colette's hope. She looked up, meeting the blonde girl's wide blue eyes. "Colette… what's happening?"

"What is this ominous light that threatens to engulf us?" Regal rasped, his words punctuated by strain that showed that he, too, was struggling against the pull of the force anchoring them in place.

A frustrated snarl tore itself from Sheena's throat as her shoulders sagged. "I can't move!"

_It's happening to all of us, _Liane realized as she looked around, all of them wobbling as if it was all that they could do to stay standing. She glanced over the still bodies of the three fallen dragons, relieved that it didn't' seem to be a spell to keep them all in place until the dragons felt like getting up and eating them. _But what are we being held in place for?_ She asked silently, as small voice in the back of her mind keeping the question internal as if it was sure that she truly didn't want to hear an answer.

"It's Colette!" Genis called out in surprise, pointing to where their friend stood at the pulsing heart of the platform. "The mana from Colette's body is flowing out towards us!" the mage continued even as his knees buckled, bringing the young half-elf to kneel on the ground.

Raine looked over in helpless concern to her brother and then to Colette, nodding as her frown deepened. "It's caused by that magic circle beneath her!"

"It's drawing on her mana to trap all of us?" Liane choked, trying to swallow the panic rising within her. Her limbs felt like lead, and no options to remedy that would form in her mind – attacking was out of the question for countless reasons, magic was laughable at best, and escape seemed the least possible or desirable of all. _We couldn't leave her here… even if we could get away. But… why this? Why now??_

"Colette! Get out of there!" Lloyd called out, strain fraying the edges of his voice as he struggled against the weight of his body.

Colette slowly shook her head as her gaze fell to the ground at her feet. "I can't… I'm chained to it," she murmured, her voice soft but oddly clear in the disturbing silence of the platform. "I… I can't move. I'm sorry," the blonde girl's shoulders fell even more and she still either couldn't or wouldn't look up. "I'm just a Chosen who couldn't even save her friends much less the world. Maybe I'm just like Rodyle said," she sighed, somehow even the rush of breath conveying her disappointment. "A pathetic Chosen…."

Hearing the girl who had always been almost obnoxiously cheerful parrot back the Desian's words made Liane's heart sink. Colette was the one everyone looked to when everything started to fall apart, no matter how serious. _If even Colette's lost her faith…._ "Colette! That's not true!" she blurted out, more in denial than anything, if she was honest with herself. "Don't talk like that!"

"No, Colette, don't delude yourself," Presea added to Liane's protest, her voice still somehow calm unlike everyone else that had already spoken. "You haven't done anything wrong. What's wrong is this system that demands the sacrifice of the Chosen!"

With that, the pink haired girl's face scrunched with a mixture of struggle and determination… and slowly… one step at a time, she started to move, fighting for every last bit she moved closer to the barrier that confined Colette. The others could only watch in stunned silence as Presea came closer and closer to the blonde Chosen, a pained growl finally ripping from her throat as she drew her ax up into the air, shook with her struggle against the weapon's weight, and then brought it down into the lines of the magic circle that Raine had pointed out.

As the circle broke, an explosion of energy reacted to Presea's strike, blowing the girl back and away from the barrier that held Colette. Presea cried out when she hit the ground and fell still, but Colette's prison disintegrated at the same time, taking the pulsating field that held the party captive with it.

"Presea!" Colette ran from the trip, sliding to her knees at Presea's side, her eyes wide with worry. The blonde Chosen took one of the ax girl's hands in both of hers and bowed her head. "Thank you…."

Released from the trap of Colette's mana, the party slowly gathered around Colette and Presea, all of them hesitating as if each of them feared the worst for the pink haired girl. _She felt responsible for what happened to Colette,_ Liane realized as she could once again hear the girl's claims of how she was used and how the Chosen was to be sacrificed rang in her thoughts. In those few, uncertain moments, Liane's eyes swept over her companions… and settled on the unreadable mask that Regal wore as his attention was absolutely fixed on Presea. His words aimed at Rodyle had almost surprised her with the rage she heard seething in them, but now it was just something in his eyes… something that she could only describe as grief.

Before Liane could further reflect on the observation, the ground beneath their feet began to shake, a deep rumble accompanying it after a moment. But as unwelcome as the development had the potential to be, a soft moan sounded from the fallen girl… enough of a reaction to send a flash of relief through Liane, even though the shaking continued to intensify. "She's just stunned…" she muttered just before a particularly violent jolt threatened their footing even more.

"Whoa, what's up with the ground?!" Zelos blurted as he had to take a quick step to keep his balance.

Lloyd frowned and reached to the small pack on his back, removing the tiny pouch he had tied to the side and flipping it out to his side, one of the Rheairds that they had liberated from the Renegades bursting to its full form beside him at the unspoken command. "We have to get out of here!"

"Wait," Regal murmured over the rumble of the platform, kneeling beside Presea and slipping his arms beneath her tiny form as carefully as he could before he rose with the girl cradled against his chest and looked over to Lloyd with a nod.

As the Rheairds of the rest of the party began to appear and fire their engines in response to their riders, Lloyd directed the convict and his unconscious burden to the swordsman's own flyer before he did a double take to watch Colette standing in the middle of the chaos with a dazed look on her face.

Liane revved the engine of her own Rheaird, her heartbeat quickening as the dragon's tubes began to crumble to the ground nearby. Regal had Presea safely on Lloyd's Rheaird and everyone else that had one of the machines seemed to be ready to go, but Colette still stood frozen as if unseen bonds still held her back. "Colette! We have to go!" she called out, seeing the girl's head snap up in alarm as Lloyd reached out to take her wrist.

"Lloyd, I…" the blonde girl started to object, shaking her head even as her feet followed along with Lloyd's pull toward where Raine was waiting anxiously.

The swordsman paused and turned back to Colette, his stony gaze cutting off her protest. "Colette! You have to live!" Lloyd told her, his voice demanding enough that the girl's posture straightened with surprise.

"I… I know," Colette nodded and stopped fighting his guidance, numbly following her friend's guidance to step on the back of Raine's Rheaird as Lloyd hurried back to his own craft and passengers.

It seemed strange to Liane how easy it was to control the Rheairds. It wasn't as if they had ever really had time to learn much about them with each time they had obtained them having been followed by some grand escape. Yet, once again, fate seemed to be favoring them in allowing them not only escape, but also the presence of their friend to make their group whole once again.

_Or almost whole_.

Liane had to groan at the thought, amazed once again by how _his_ absence wouldn't even let her truly consider Colette's rescue a victory. _Maybe it's the same thing,_ she started to reason as she followed along with the others and slowed her descent towards a clearing on a mountain below. _Maybe… it just won't be right if we're not all standing together in the end?_ While she was sure that she was the only one that felt that way, she knew that it was a decision that was completely out of her control. All they could really hope to affect at that moment was one thing at a time. _And now… it has to be making sure Presea's okay… and then deciding where we go from here._

As a group, they landed in a meadow that the setting sun no longer reached, thanks to the jagged mountains that rose around them. One by one, their Rheaird engines died out, leaving the party in relative silence compared to the chaos on the platform that they had left behind in their escape.

Lloyd quickly hopped from his Rheaird and stepped aside, giving Regal room to move from the flyer's platform and safely get clear of the machine before he held the wing pack out to draw the Rheaird back in. Protectively pacing the shackled man, the swordsman helped Regal ease Presea to the ground to rest against a moss-covered tree root. Both men stood, frowns deepening as they considered the unmoving girl for a moment before Lloyd looked back to the others with a weary droop of his shoulders. "Is everybody okay?" he asked, concern plain in his tone.

"I'm still alive!" Zelos declared as he pocketed his wing pack and strolled closer to Presea's resting spot, his casual air a sharp contrast to what they had all just endured.

Sheena rolled her eyes and didn't even bother to try to suppress a groan as she stopped beside Lloyd and pointedly turned her head away from the redheaded Chosen. "It looks like _everyone's _all right," she spoke up as if to override Zelos' statement and replace it with the answer Lloyd had asked for.

"Thanks to Presea," Liane murmured, securing her own wing pack to her backpack and watching as Genis and Raine moved to the pink haired girl's side. She caught Colette's gaze across the gathering for a moment – just an accidental contact – and she saw a flash of sorrow in the girl's clear blue eyes… and she had to wince. _That was stupid… like she didn't feel bad enough._ "Colette… we all need help sometimes," she commented softly, taking a few small steps closer to the girl in an attempt to smooth over how she had clearly taken her words. She was rewarded for the effort with a happy smile and a nod that told Liane it was time to keep her mouth shut… and that Colette had taken the words to heart and wasn't nearly ready to let go of her own self-inflicted guilt. _Maybe I'm the one that should have lost my voice…_the dark haired swordswoman grumbled silently and glanced away with a sigh.

Regal exhaled, shaking his head as he looked up from Presea, his eyes shifting first to Lloyd and then to Colette. "But for what purpose did that Rodyle character kidnap Colette?" he asked, his tone very measured, especially when he spoke the Desian's name.

Colette's head snapped up at the sound of her name and the smile she had mustered for Liane quickly melted away as she lifted her hand to cover the stone at the base of her throat. "He said he needed a Cruxis Crystal in order to control the Mana Cannon," she offered, relaying the Desian's plot as it had been revealed to her. The girl lowered her eyes again and shrugged. "But apparently, mine didn't work."

"Mana Cannon?" Lloyd chimed in, his hands clenching at the leather wrapped hilts of his blades.

The Professor glanced over to the conversation, her brow furrowed with concern. "Pietro, the man we saved in Hima, also spoke of this Mana Cannon," she muttered, her frown showing through in her tone.

Liane almost groaned at the memory of Pietro and what he had gone through to be able to even tell them about the Mana Cannon in the first place. "Colette, it's _not_ a bad thing that your Crystal didn't work," she sighed. "Anything that Rodyle and the others want that badly is something that neither you nor your Crystal want to be associated with."

Before anyone else could speak up to strengthen Liane's stand on Rodyle's rejection of Colette. Genis' sharp gasp split the tension in the air. "Presea's waking up!" he called out, scrambling to help the pink haired girl sit up as she blinked in confusion and looked up to those gathered around her.

The disorientation in Presea's eyes lasted only until she spotted Colette, and then her gaze cleared and she struggled to sit up just a little bit more. "Colette… are you okay?" she asked quietly as she studied the blonde girl that had knelt down beside her and taken her hand.

"Yes," the blonde girl nodded, her smile warming as she squeezed Presea's hand. "Thanks to you."

Presea's large blue eyes blinked at the answer, and then slowly – almost too slowly to be believed – the girl's lips turned upward into a wide smile that spoke more for her satisfaction with Colette's answer than any words she could have uttered.

"Presea smiled!" Lloyd exclaimed, laughter tinting his voice as it mingled with relief and he shook his head, exhaling deeply with a chuckle.

It was a moment they all seemed to need, especially with how contagious Presea's smile seemed to be. It was a sweet ending to the latest battle… something innocent and something that felt distinctly like they had found a true victory for once. Liane inhaled and stood back, satisfied with the sign. _It's going to feel good to end the day having actually accomplished something…_ she mused. Nothing was perfect or settled… it would be delusional if any of them believed that it was. But they had Colette back, and Presea seemed to have found another small bit of herself in that rescue. It would be enough for the day.

"She resembles her, just as I thought."

The comment was so quiet, Liane could have almost have ignored it or passed it off as background noise that her thoughts had forced into words. However, it was Regal's tone that caught her attention. She looked to her side, to the convict that stood just out of arm's reach… and she had to pause at the sight of the slightest of smiles on his lips. No one else gave any indication that they had heard him, but Liane was certain that she had. _Resembles who, Regal…?_ she wondered, but kept the thought to herself as Zelos stepped out to face the group once again.

"Okay then, now that my cute little Presea smiled, it's a good time to start thinking about the next step," the redhead announced with a grin and a flourish of his hand to bring the party's attention back to him.

"Yeah," Genis nodded, carefully holding Presea's forearm as she climbed back to her feet and eyeing her until she reestablished her balance. "We got Colette back, so what now?" the mage shrugged and pulled his hand back as he looked around his companions.

Lloyd laughed once and shifted to lower his pack to the ground at his feet. "What else?" he replied, planting his hands on his hips. "We're going to separate the two worlds!"

"Oh, is that all?" Liane retorted before she laughed a little, enjoying the lightening mood of the group. It was another calm, one that would inevitably be followed by another panic, but it felt good to let the moment simply _be_. "There's more spirits out there… we can go find another one tomorrow. We can cover a lot of ground with the Rheairds now…." _Did… I really just suggest rushing into yet another fight?_

Zelos nodded slowly in agreement, looking over the others with a small tilt to his head. "So we're gonna form pacts with the Summon Spirits of both worlds," he stated, his tone revealing that he knew that it would be their path.

"This is where I come in, right?" Sheena murmured with a small laugh that didn't sound all that amused, although she sounded considerably more at ease than she used to when the topic of pacting with the spirits had come up. "How about we start with the Summon Spirit, Gnome? He should be near here."

Lloyd's expression lit up a little with Sheena's suggestion. "All right, that sounds good," he declared, glancing up to the silver haired half-elf that had been the party's voice of reason from the beginning of their journey. "Professor? Is that okay with you?"

Raine's eyes widened and she sucked in a small breath as she looked over to the swordsman in what looked almost too much like surprise. "What?" she asked, shaking her head as if to clear it for a moment before she nodded once. "Um, y…yes, sure. That's fine," she replied, her words coming out in a rush of breath.

"Professor?" Lloyd replied softly to her confused tone, tilting his head and frowning to Raine. "Is something wrong?"

The Professor was quick to shake her head and give the boy a warm smile, waving off his concern with a quick gesture of his hand. "It's nothing," she stated and looked around the clearing for a moment as her shoulders showed her inhale deeply and then release the breath before she looked back to the party. "Anyway, let's get going."

Glancing up to the darkening skies, Liane nodded her agreement. "We don't have much time to set camp," she murmured. "At least it looks like the weather will be clear, even if it might be cold…" the swordswoman shrugged and reached down to pick up her pack. She knew it would be warmer with the rest of the group, but it wasn't the time to get too much closer to them… especially at night… and especially with her dreams getting more and more inexplicable.

"I could always keep you warm, my Warrior Goddess. It really wouldn't be any trouble?" Zelos winked at her and sauntered over to a semi-circle of trees nearby with his bedroll tucked under his arm.

Liane couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to come up with a reasonable response to the Chosen's comments, but any potential words she might have conjured for the moment were stopped short by the glare that she saw Sheena had fixed on the redhead. She decided her warm cheeks were response enough and it was probably best to ignore Zelos' antics. Every time he opened his mouth, she would swear that she felt the tension jump between him and Sheena, and, in all honesty, she feared for his safety should the summoner ever actually snap.

_Sometimes, I wonder if that's not what he's actually after…._

It was an intriguing enough thought, but one Liane knew she had to keep to herself. She pushed it away and wandered to the outer edges of the area the group had staked out. There were really no secluded places with the walls of the pass so close, so she would make do with what she hoped was simply out of the range of hearing of the others. Loosening the ties of her bedroll, she spread it out at the base of a small rock outcropping and reached back without looking for the blankets she would spread over it for the night – only to find that the woolen blanket wasn't where she had left it. _Huh?_ She looked back over her shoulder, seeking her blanket, but freezing at the sight of the wide blue eyes that she found instead.

"Presea?"

The girl merely stood there, watching her with a curious gaze, the blanket Liane had been seeking extended out to her in the girl's arms. It was strange… she bore no animosity for the girl, but she had not gone out of her way to push the girl for a friendship that she might not have even been able to offer, especially with how she had been before Lloyd had given her the key crest. It had seemed only right to give the Presea her own room, but now, Liane found facing her almost strangely uncomfortable. "Ah… thank you…" she quickly tried to find a smile for Presea as she reached for the blanket, but Liane had the feeling that her surprise may have already spoken for itself. "Can I help you with something?" she asked as she started to spread the blanket over the thin roll.

Presea moved to the opposite end of the bedroll and started to help smooth the cover, never taking her eyes from Liane. "Why do you hesitate?" the girl asked quietly, as if she at least partially understood the dark haired woman's reasons for her separation from the rest of the group.

"Hesitate?" Liane sat back on her heels and shook her head. "Presea, what are you talking about?" _Did I hurt her feelings? Or…?_

"You hesitate in battle," Presea shrugged, tucking the blanket's edges under the end of the bedroll. "You have both spells and sword techniques to use, but you almost always hesitate to use either. Why?"

Liane's cheeks warmed a little in embarrassment. It wasn't normal for the others to bring up her fighting skills unless she had opened the topic. "Oh, that…" she laughed awkwardly and twisted her fingers together in her lap. "I guess I just figure that there's always the chance I could just be in the way when I'm trying to help," she offered, not really having a reason ready. _Do I really? Is it that noticeable?_ "And my spells are weak. I think – normally - I'd be of better use with my sword, defending those that have the strong spells," she shrugged, fidgeting a little at how Presea was now intently watching her.

"I see." It was all the pink haired girl replied at first, allowing silence to settle between them again before she drew a small breath. "You don't feel that you have a tactical value to the party in battle… that your talents are duplicates of others that are stronger."

_Ouch._ Liane almost winced at the honesty in the girl's words and had to fight the urge not to withdraw into herself for having had the issue put into such precise words. "I suppose that's one way to put it…" she murmured, dropping her eyes to the bedroll.

"But you are wrong." Presea sat back, tilting her head to watch Liane and blinking as if it punctuated her statement. "You don't use an Exsphere, but you still fight with group and contribute to the best of your talents. Humans shouldn't be able to use spells, yet you still can, even if they are weaker than the other spellcasters. You shouldn't hesitate. You are stronger than you are letting yourself be."

Liane frowned a little, still unsure how to take the girl's words… as well as why she would come to her so suddenly. She laughed softly and reached up to push a single loose curl back over her ear. "I guess so…" she shrugged, wondering where she would even start to keep such a promise to the girl. "It's just… the fights are getting harder. It's hard for me to justify resorting to a spell that is probably wasting time considering I could be defending someone that could do ten times the damage with the same effort."

"If you believe in what you are fighting for, you should use your gifts to fight for them. They are what you can do and they don't depend on the abilities of anyone else," the pink haired girl replied with quiet conviction. "You see yourself as weak, but you won't get stronger unless you use your abilities," the girl shrugged and then pointedly met Liane's eyes. "In our next battle, I want you to fight with me."

"With you?" Liane echoed the girl's declaration with surprise. "Presea…."

"I will defend you. You can target your spell into my attack. We will attack together," Presea defined her offer with a brisk nod. "I believe it is what Lloyd and Genis call a 'Unison Attack.' We should be able to do it as well. You will get stronger, and you will make my attack stronger as well."

Liane was no stranger to the idea, she had even helped Lloyd through a unison attack before, but Presea wanted her to cast a spell with her? "Presea, I don't know if I can be that exact with a spell. I don't want to hurt you, not after everything you've been through." Concentration was coming to her easier now, and with it, better aim… but could she really have it in her to lend her spells to something even greater?

Presea shook her head and stood, her pink pigtails swishing at the air. "You will not. In our next fight, we'll prove it." With that and without a word of farewell, she turned and strode back to the rest of the party, leaving Liane to ponder her promise.

_Could I? Really?_ Liane glanced down to her now-ready bedroll and chewed the edge of her lip. She could smell something cooking, and it made her stomach rumble, but she simply sat back down on her blanket, breathing in a deep breath as her eyes slid closed. _After everything Presea went through, after how she had done everything she could to give all of us our freedom that day, she really just came over to encourage me? _Liane exhaled and laughed just once at the thought. _Why not? We are supposed to be a team, aren't we?_

Regal strolled over to the young woman's side, smiling slightly as he came to a stop next to her. "She's right, you know. You hold yourself back." He watched her lift her gaze lift at the sound of his voice, and he crouched down to take a seat, offering her a steaming bowl of the food he had prepared while the others had been preparing to settle in for the night. "Here. Pescatore... with garlic, not kelp."

Liane watched him for a moment longer before she looked down to what he was offering her, extending the bowl to her between his hands. Gathering her thoughts, she sighed and accepted the bowl with a nod and a smile. "Thank you. I guess that's going to be a standing part of my dinner orders, huh? Genis will hate me," she laughed a little and stirred the spoon through the steaming substance before her smile fell. "I don't mean to hold back. I just don't want to get in the way of someone's stronger attack. The shorter the battle, the better it is for everyone."

"The shorter the battle, yes, but if you continue to hesitate, it could cost you even more... and none of us wants that," Regal murmured glancing over to her, his eyes fixing on the dark bruise that peeked out from under the cloth of her sleeve. Tilting his head to the side, he raised an eyebrow. "Why did you refuse Zelos' offer to heal you? That's obviously going to hurt more later considering the color it is now." With a frown, he closed his eyes, allowing his mana to funnel into his spell and sending it into the woman next to him. "I have you. Healer."

She looked down, eyes widening a little as she watched the bruise she hadn't realized had formed disappear under the green glow of his spell. Lifting a hand, she covered the wound and smiled a little even though she still sighed. "Again, thank you. But letting Zelos waste time healing me in the middle of a fight would have taken time away from much stronger attacks. It was just a bruise – one I got because I was clumsy," Liane shrugged and lifted the spoon from her bowl and blew on it before tasting it. "Mmm. This is really good with garlic. Can you convince Genis to change over from kelp completely?" she looked up to him with a small laugh.

"I can talk to him, I know he's willing to try new things, but it is a matter of personal taste, too," Regal remarked, shrugging as he crossed his legs and turned his head to her. "Liane, did you not listen to Presea at all? Not only do you hesitate, you seem to have no confidence in your own skills. You can do what you have been trained to do, just as the rest of us, and strength comes from using such skills repeatedly to master them. How long have you been fighting real enemies, Liane? You have to give yourself a chance to grow as a fighter. Presea is trying to show you how."

Liane was silent for a moment before she looked away to her bowl for distraction as she tried not to huff at how he seemed intent on drilling Presea's words into her. "I know. I just never thought she even noticed me before. I just always thought that maybe I've proven myself more as a shield than anything. I'm just trying to go with what I know works," she shrugged and took another bite of her dinner. "You aren't going to eat?"

"I couldn't carry two bowls over here at once without spilling one," the convict admitted sheepishly, his eyebrow lifting at how she looked away from him. "You are more than a shield, Liane. None of us want you to get hurt protecting us."

"Just like I don't want anyone getting hurt protecting me," she sighed and looked back up to him. "If I'm going to be here, I want to do my best with what I can do. And if that's protecting my friends, then it's protecting them. I know I don't have the strength to be a front line fighter all the time, that's all." Liane raised an eyebrow to him and smirked a little. "Sooo, are you going to eat eventually? Or were you just the second one that drew the short straws to come and chide me for my stunning performance today?"

"I'm not chiding you, I'm merely trying to understand why you continue on this journey when you don't seem to feel you have the ability to fight as hard as everyone else," Regal murmured shaking his head at how she was trying to change the subject by being playful. "In some battles, if you hesitate, it could cost you dearly. I don't wish for that to happen to you. And if you understand that you don't want someone hurt protecting you, then you know how the rest of us feel about how you could be hurt shielding us."

Liane's smile flickered away to a frown, feeling worse with the way he shook his head. "I thought you were the one that told me that I belonged here. I'm just trying to work on where I belong. I'm okay with being support. It's no more than anyone else would be asked for..." she replied, her voice low. "If I get the opening, I'll fight... but if I'm needed, I'll protect. Isn't that right?"

"I said that I believed that you belong here, but sometimes what is more important is what you believe. If you can balance support and offense, then it can't really be wrong, Liane, but if you hesitate to take either, you may leave yourself open. I know you can handle this." He clasped his hands in his lap. "And I'll eat in a bit. I came to see how you were doing. I saw how you fell... I heard you tell Zelos that you didn't want him to heal you... and I didn't get the chance to talk to you privately until now."

"Ah..." Liane nodded and took another small bite of her dinner. It really was very good... warm... and somehow that much more comforting in all of that after a day of battles. "I'm okay... really. I didn't want Zelos to bother healing me because... well, I've had bruises before. They go away," she tried to smile and then look up to him again. "How about you? Are you okay? You fought hard today, too."

"I'm all right. I didn't take any hits like you did. And bruises can accumulate, you know," he replied with a small smile. "Would you prefer to have Zelos say 'I told you so' when he has to pick you up and carry you away from the aftermath of our next fight because you're too bruised?"

"I think he might be the one that ends up with bruises if he tries to do that... if not from me, from Sheena," Liane laughed and tilted her head to him before she drew another small breath. "You... really want to take Rodyle out, don't you? I think the only time I've seen you that angry... was with Vharley..." she murmured, chewing the edge of her lip, wondering if she was pushing too much, yet what she had seen was something she knew would fester if he wasn't careful.

"Vharley and Rodyle were both using Presea, they have been in league with one another for a very long time it seems," Regal explained, his tone even, measured. "If I should apologize for my lack of control, I would, but all that that Desian has done is use people. First Presea – that we know of – and then Colette. He is worse than Vharley, for he's not in it for money, he's in it for the sick pleasure he gets from the suffering of others and the power he can achieve from that suffering."

Liane nodded and closed her hands around her bowl, sensing a waver in his mood that she wasn't sure she wanted to tempt. "Don't apologize. It's something that drives you. I just... noticed, that's all," she murmured. _I want to ask him about Presea... what he said... but..._ She pushed the thought to the back of her mind with a sigh. "I... know you stayed with me all night. I never got to thank you..." she changed the topic again before she could get into trouble.

"There isn't any need to. I told you that I would. You're my friend, Liane, how could I do any less than stay with you when you ask me to?" the shackled man said after a moment, meeting her eyes. "It is not the only thing that drives me now, Liane. Yes, my first motivation was to stop Vharley, have him imprisoned for his crimes, but there is so much more that is going on. There are two worlds in very real danger."

"I know... but... if what Volt and Undine said... if separating the two worlds is possible, it might solve everything," Liane nodded in understanding. "I know it's not the only thing that drives you, but the wellbeing of the worlds... it... has to come first. Without a place to live, none of this will matter in the end."

"Of course," Regal replied, uncurling his legs, hands rested in his lap. With a small sigh, he glanced up at the night sky. "What do you think? Do you think everything could be solved if we divide the worlds?"

"As long as it would keep them from leeching off of each other. If it would keep the land from dying and keep from making some poor being with the misfortune of being born the 'Chosen' from having to be sacrificed, I think it would at least be a step in the right direction," Liane answered, watching him for a moment and then following his eyes up into the sky. "It's sad, though. There's so much here. There are so many new things to see, and it'll all be shut off to us. But, I guess it's for the best. Not everyone in the worlds knows of both of them. It'll only be us."

"We don't know for sure the separating the mana links will separate the worlds completely from one another," Regal pointed out logically. "The system of the Chosen being sacrificed does need to be put to an end. That much is clear. We will do what we can to stop Cruxis. I just hope that our solution doesn't mean that all we've gained from this is nullified. As you said, there is so much more out there. I haven't even seen Sylvarant... and I'm curious."

Liane had to laugh before she took another spoonful of her dinner. "It's not nearly as nice as Tethe'alla," she murmured, though she still smiled fondly. "The towns are smaller and poorer – and the land is much more brown than green, but it is home," she shook her head and took another bite.

The blue haired man offered her a small smile. "Sylvarant is where you, Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Raine came from. I can't help but be curious. It's a whole other world... a place I've only heard about in theories and legends before now."

"Just as long as you're not going there with any illusions," Liane laughed, and then turned to watch him once again. "I think if you stay with us, you just might end up in Sylvarant and want nothing more than to get back here as soon as possible," she shrugged. _How would he not? The state of Sylvarant is sad at best. That won't change overnight no matter what we do…._

"Perhaps... but you make it sound as if I'll find the trip disappointing, Liane. I would like to see Sylvarant if given the chance. I may have to ask you to show me around if the others are too busy to do so. You've done more traveling prior to your journey, yes?"

"I spent a little time just about everywhere over the space of about three years... mostly in Houses of Salvation, but in cities and holy sites, too," Liane shrugged, once again watching the stars blink through the twilight above. "If we have time, I could show you some. If we go back for Luna's pact, that will be in the area of Asgard and... Luin..." she sighed, trying not to think of the ranch in between. "Between the priests and Raine, I have a pretty good grip of the history of the area."

"So you're a qualified tour guide then? I'm glad. I may need one," Regal chuckled as if it settled the matter. "We'll be heading into the Temple of Earth tomorrow. Another pact. Sheena still seems nervous, but not against the idea."

"Beating Volt was a good thing for her... even if it cost her so much," Liane agreed, meeting his gaze for just a moment. "You should have seen her before Undine. She barely wanted to admit that she was a summoner..." she smiled just a little. "Another pact... another step closer..."

"Anyone would have been shaken by what took place in the Temple of Lightning all those years ago. That she is able to face her fears now speaks highly of her resolve. It's terrible that she lost Corrine in the process, though. I'd never even heard of an artificial Summon Spirit before, but Corrine was a true friend to her," Regal commented, clasping his chin as he bit his lip. "Gnome might not be a pushover, but it might not be so nerve wracking as battling Volt at the very least."

"All I ever heard of Gnome is in legends. I guess that makes sense, considering he isn't from my world... but..." Liane sighed as she finished her dinner and set the bowl aside. "We'll fight..." she caught his eye and sighed, a smirk curling her lips. "I'll fight. I promise. Like Presea asked, if I get the chance."

"I think we will all definitely have the chance... and I will be behind the both of you. Just remember, you have skills, and you'll only get stronger the more that you use them. I know from experience. It took me some time before I could do a back flip from a stand-still," Regal commented with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips that seemed to answer her expression. "Presea believes in you. She knows you can help make her stronger, too."

"And if I tried to do a back flip from a stand-still, I'd have much more than bruises to show for my effort," Liane laughed, warmed just a little by his smile. "And I'm glad she believes in me. I didn't think she even liked me before."

"I believe she thinks of you as a friend, especially now. She seems to remember most of what happened before her Exsphere was restrained by the crest Lloyd attached," Regal said with a small smile, glancing back to the others were. Lloyd and Zelos were joking loudly and a groan could be heard from Genis at their antics. "She is still learning to express things she hasn't been able to for so long." He looked back to Liane once again. "This may sound odd, but after our last conversation, did you have any more dreams?"

Liane's expression fell at the concerned question, glancing back to the others before her shoulders drooped just a little. "One... but it was enough," she admitted quietly. The swirl of emotions from the dream still took her by surprise when she thought about them. And that said nothing of the eyes that she didn't want to see any more... the face that looked back at her from the reflection in the mirror – a face she felt like she should just know.

"Liane? Do you want to tell me about it?" the convict asked softly, his expression a mixture of alarm and worry as he once again reached out his hands to place one on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your mood... drudge up things you don't wish to talk about."

"No, it's not that," Liane shook her head. "I asked for your help and your patience... it wouldn't be fair not to answer," she sighed. "I was waiting for him. For Kratos. I was sure that he was coming where ever I was... and I was getting ready..." Liane drew a breath and had to look away to choose the rest of her words. "But, when I looked in the mirror, I... I didn't recognize the face that looked back at me." The last part of her story was almost lost to a whisper as she felt almost so stupid for saying anything. "I told you that there were good ones and bad ones. Then there are the ones that are just... crazy..."

"That's not entirely crazy, Liane. Haven't you ever had a dream where you were something else? Someone else?" Regal kept his voice quiet as he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Do you know why you were waiting for him? And where you might have seen the person in the mirror?"

"We've all dreamed of being someone else and somewhere else," Liane shook her head, her eyes trailing over to where his hand rested on her shoulder. "But... he..." She sighed heavily, feeling her cheeks heating. "He was coming to meet with me... her. She was waiting to tell him that she... loved... him." She winced, just having to resort to referring to the person in her dreams as someone else and not ready to even try to see her own feelings for the angel as love. "And she looked familiar, but I don't know where I would have ever seen her. I just can't place her."

Regal was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing his words, being careful of his promise to hear her out. "Well, just because you don't know now doesn't mean it won't come to you. Dreams are often mysterious, but if the pieces are there, you can solve some of it. Perhaps you just need some time. You've told me your dreams are vivid. You're not likely to forget, right?" he remarked as he slowly pulled back his hand. "From your reaction to this dream, it disturbed you... to see someone else in your dream in the mirror."

"Among other things..." Liane replied with a shake of her head. "I won't be forgetting," she laughed dryly, turning her head to watch him just out of the corner of her eye. He had pulled away... did he think that she was giving in to her dreams too much... that she felt that way for Kratos? _Do I?_ "It just felt even more like I was seeing life through someone else's eyes. It was all I could do not to see her eyes whenever I had a moment to myself today. Today was hard for all of us, though... two battles... freeing Colette... and then Presea." She turned her head to look at him and offer him a weak smile. "But it all ended up okay now that we know Presea's okay and Colette's safe and back with us. That's pretty good for one day, I suppose."

"It is a good deal of progress for one day. We'll probably be headed for more battles in the morning," he nodded. "I wish I could do more than listen to you about these dreams, Liane, but just remember I'm here? I know they disturb you, but you haven't lost yourself in them. I will do what I can to help you sort things through."

"I know." Liane nodded her head and smiled a little more for him, chewing the edge of her lip for a moment as her nerves built once again. "Regal? Can I ask... who Presea resembles?" she lowered her voice just a little more as she watched his expression. "I'm sorry, maybe I wasn't supposed to hear you, but you sounded so relieved...?"

Regal froze, but then a dry and almost bitter chuckle crept up from his throat, and he dipped his head to hold it in his hands as the sound died away. After a moment, he seemed to regain his composure and turned to meet her eyes with a sad smile on his lips. "She looks like someone who was once very close to me. The first time I saw Presea, the resemblance was striking, but I couldn't be sure, as her face was so expressionless. But smiling... she looked so much like her. It seems I haven't quite lost my mind yet, after all."

"Oh... that's why you wanted to help her so much..." Liane murmured, trying not to wince just a bit at hearing the description of 'someone close.' It seemed to be something that she had a habit of finding... someone always having a treasured memory... one that she seemed to have an innate ability to dredge out and stomp on without trying. "I'm sorry. It wasn't any of my business."

"No, it's all right, it's just that I didn't think anyone had heard me. It made me happy to see Presea find more of herself," Regal insisted gently. "Liane, I've already told you, I'll tell you what I can… and everything else when I'm ready. I intend to keep my word, so long as you're still willing to listen when the time comes."

"Of course," Liane nodded, carefully keeping her smile for him. "And I know you've told me before. I shouldn't have said anything," she tried to laugh it off and sigh. "Don't worry about it. Today was a good day, overall. We shouldn't lose sight of that." Drawing a breath, she straightened her tunic and pushed her high ponytail back so that it caught on her shoulder. "But you should eat. It's very good. You might have to fight Lloyd for whatever's left now, as it is."

Regal chuckled, a little of the tension creeping out of his posture as the topic shifted again. "Sheena promised to keep him at bay until I came back. I just wanted to be sure you got some as well as offer to stay close tonight... if you'd like. I can't keep the dreams away, but..."

"He won't come tonight. Not with how open the camp is..." Liane replied with almost disturbing certainty, her smile fading away as she could hear the question between his words. "I wouldn't mind the company."

Regal shifted to climb to his feet and nodded to her to stand to return to the camp. "If you'd like me here, I will be. For now, though, I think you should come back with me. You narrowly escaped Zelos coming to cheer you up. Presea came to your rescue."

"Well, I probably should offer to clean up the dishes at least... especially after dinner was so kindly provided and delivered for me," Liane laughed at his version of how she had been 'rescued' as she collected her bowl and stood to join him. "Thanks, Regal. I just don't want you to feel like you have to stay. I'll be okay, but it is nice having someone close."

"I don't feel obligated, you don't have to worry about that," Regal replied, looking up as a round of laughter erupted around the camp. "By now, I would think you know how friendship works, Liane. I don't mind staying close if you need me."

Liane smiled for him and nodded, taking a few steps closer to the rest of the group. "I appreciate it, though. You're right, and I'm grateful for your friendship," she told him with a smile as she gestured over her shoulder to him. "Come on. Let's get you some food."

"You make it sound as though I'm wasting away," Regal grumbled with what almost sounded like a playful tone to the words as he fell into step next to her, following her into the glow of the fire shared by the others. "By the way, you really don't need to thank me."

"I do. And I'll keep doing so." Liane grinned a little, enjoying the feel of the brief burst of stubbornness. "I was taught manners, and I need you to know that I appreciate it, but enough of that argument. It looks like we might at least get in on some of the fun if we hurry. It will be nice after everything else the last few nights." _Because I'm not even going to think about what might come later tonight... again...

* * *

_

As Kratos crossed the echoing marble hall of Vinheim, he was certain that he could save Yggdrasill the time and just start his own disciplinary speech for him. It was getting easier to tune out, granted, but that was only one of the elements that continued to build his unease. The Cruxis Lord's rantings had long-since ceased to follow any logical path for any measurable amount of time, and Kratos was starting to worry that the one new threat Yggdrasill might slip into all the old ones might be the one that would unravel everything. _The earthquakes, the taking of even his broken pacts… it's all making him less stable by the moment, _the auburn haired angel grimaced as he stalked back towards the throne room doors, playing the part of the obedient servant to the mad half-elf once again. _He could turn on anyone at any moment, and there'd be nothing that I could do to stop him._

It was a cold truth, but one that he held tightly to. Losing all control of the situation was the absolute worst-case scenario. It was why he continued to report to Yggdrasill as commanded, and continued to bring him news of minor victories. Even if the half-elf didn't consider them adequate, it seemed to keep his rage at an even boil – and it gave Kratos a chance to keep an eye on that same rage. It really was the best Kratos could hope for after already giving Yggdrasill reason to doubt him.

When he stepped around the chained guardian dragon to put his hands on the carved doors to Yggdrasill's seat of power, his eyes widened in alarm as the doors stopped him cold, not even rattling on their ancient hinges to recognize his efforts to open them. _Locked?_ It was a momentarily stunning thought, even though Kratos truly had no interest in being in the room in the first place. Even when Yggdrasill's anger at his betrayal had fallen squarely on his shoulders, he had never been utterly denied access to the throne room – even though those particular audiences proved to be more for Yggdrasill's amusement more than anything.

It was all the angel could do to force himself to ignore the instinctive urge to panic. _Does he know? What is he –?_

"Lord Yggdrasill has stepped out," came a sultry voice from the shadows on the other side of the dragon only a moment before a small quake of gold heralded Pronyma's emergence into the dim light of the throne room's entrance. She sauntered closer, a satisfied smile on her lips as she made no attempt to hide how her eyes roved over him. "He said you could give your report to me."

Kratos had no hope of containing his snort of contempt as he crossed his arms and glared at the Desian Cardinal. "Even Yggdrasill doesn't have that poor of a sense of humor," he shook his head and narrowed his gaze on the green haired woman. "Where did he go?"

Pronyma wasted only a moment on what looked to be an obligatory pout before she huffed and shrugged in indifference, her nose jutting up into the air. "Elsewhere. It's hardly my place to question him," she replied, her pout still showing in her tone.

_Which is exactly what got us into this mess in the first place – no one questioning him… allowing him to rampage how and when he liked._ Kratos silently grumbled though he carefully guarded his expression. Where would Yggdrasill go? It had been a very long time since he had simply disappeared… and it wasn't a good omen in the least. "When is he coming back?" he finally settled on asking, denying Pronyma the satisfaction of the uncomfortable silence.

"Again, it wasn't my place to ask," Pronyma stated as a dramatic sigh brought her shoulders down and her lips once again curled into a sly smile. "Whatever you have in mind, Lord Kratos, I'm sure he won't be back too soon. I'm also sure that we won't be disturbed?" she continued, practically purring as one eyebrow arched suggestively.

"_Pronyma… she's… with Cruxis, too… right? You and Pronyma –"_

"You wish," Kratos set his jaw and turned on his heel to stalk down the stairs, heading back to the warp pad. The memory of Liane's probing question was just enough to break him from what was certain to be a maddeningly circular conversation. "Perhaps you should keep your mind to your duties as a Grand Cardinal and away from acting like some depraved courtesan?" he continued, allowing himself the smallest of satisfied smirks at her indignant snort. He was certain that he couldn't care less – especially when there were far more serious things to worry about. _Yggdrasill's gone._ His senses confirmed what she had said – his old companion was nowhere nearby. _The researchers aren't ready for Colette yet… but if he got impatient…._

Kratos stepped up onto the warp pad and the great hall of Vinheim flashed and faded from his view. _I have to be even more careful, _his thoughts accompanied him through the momentary nothingness of his teleportation. His gut churned as what he wanted to think was paranoia gnawed at him. _Not only do Lloyd and the others have to worry about their own ranks… even complete strangers are now just a little more dangerous.

* * *

_

Liane's own scream echoed in her ears as the rickety bridge that had – just moments before – been relatively solid beneath their feet disintegrated and dropped the party and their gnomelette guide into the darkness below. The rush pushed what breath was left in her lungs out faster as she clamped her eyes shut, feeling the weight of her pack dragging her down even faster.

One moment, they were on their way to Gnome, even stopping for a somewhat pleasant meal of curry with one of the less-disagreeable gnomelettes. Then in the next, the quake set off by the Sorcerer's Ring and the gnomelette sent them plunging.

_No… no… not like this…_ a somewhat calm voice whispered in the back of her mind. _It's not time…._

It took the swordswoman a moment to recognize the wisdom in the out-of-place optimism. They had come too far to lose everything and everyone to one instant of careless bad luck. _This is where the gnomelette led us… he should know these caverns better than any of us! He --!_

"I've got you!"

The declaration was accompanied by something tightening around her right wrist, followed by a violent upwards jerk that succeeded in dislodging any possible breath Liane still had hiding in her lungs. In that instant, she was aware of other sounds around her – impacts and grunts of complaint from her companions, a few wheezes of relief – and, oddly, the sensation of…

… _floating??_

Liane was aware that her hand was high over her head, but her fall had stopped – or at least slowed. Slowly, grudgingly, she opened her eyes… and found herself staring into familiar wide blue eyes accompanied by a bright smile – and almost blindingly bright feathers of pink-purple that framed Colette's expression. "Colette?" Liane blinked, slightly, stunned even as her feet both touched back to solid ground.

"That bridge fell fast, huh?" the blonde girl laughed, touching down at Liane's side to the packed dirt of the platform that held what looked to be Gnome's altar. She shook her hair back over her shoulders and her wings dissolved a moment later, leaving her to shrug slightly. "Sorry, your pack looked heavy… and everyone else managed to leap towards the ground. I couldn't just let you fall," the girl explained, sounding almost sheepish.

"I'm not complaining," Liane chuckled once – humorlessly – as she glanced over the edge of the platform to the dark abyss below. "Th-Thanks, Colette…" she murmured before looking back to the girl again and seeing one of the first genuine smiles she could remember seeing the girl wearing in a long time. She was glad to help her find it, but at the same time, the specter of helplessness made her cringe. _Everyone else made it to safety, but I had to be rescued._ It was a disheartening thought that she tried to hide by straightening her tunic beneath her sword belt and pushing her ponytail back. She could still hear Regal and Presea's words from the night before in the back of her mind, and she clamped her mouth shut in a physical effort to keep her word to them. _I guess I finally got rescued by an angel after all,_ she tried to reason as a distraction as she saw Lloyd turn on their gnomelette guide.

"Hey! You almost got us killed!" the swordsman blurted out, glaring harshly down at the cone-topped little man.

The gnomelette merely shrugged at the accusation, a smile curling his lips as he started to walk past Lloyd. "Oh! I didn't think about what would happen after it fell," he muttered almost casually, paying no attention to the stares he received for his comment.

Lloyd's jaw dropped for a moment, staring at the gnomelette's back as he crossed his arms over his chest. "If we didn't have these Exspheres, we'd be dead," the teen stated with the faintest of insistent growls.

"Everybody makes mistakes," the gnomelette shrugged, glancing back over his shoulder with a casual wave and a carefree laugh as he paused beside a rockslide that appeared to have fallen along with the bridge and the party. "Well, I'm going now," he announced and started up the slide without another look back.

Lloyd sighed and shook his head, but made no move to stop the gnomelette. "Yeah. _Thanks,_" he grumbled and then turned back to the party. "Is everyone okay?"

_Exspheres…._ It was something that Liane had never really considered for more than an occasional instant, and even those blinks of time had been easy to dismiss after her "visit" to the Asgard Human Ranch. _Everyone's reflexes were better because of their Exspheres. _Their skills were sharper, their magic stronger, their reactions faster. Liane's eyes caught on the flicker of blue that shone on the back of Lloyd's hand for just an instant – but there was something seductively hypnotic in that moment and in the thoughts that it spawned. Knowing where the stones came from still made her stomach churn, but if they already existed… if someone had already lost their lives for an Exsphere… didn't it make sense to put their sacrifice to good use to end the practice all together? The argument sounded familiar, but its source was outshone by a more hopeful thought. _If I could find one… and have a crest made for it… maybe I could be stronger… more useful?_

"Liane?"

The sound of someone calling her name jerked Liane from her planning and a faint heat rose in her cheeks when she realized that, not only had Raine called her name, everyone else was watching her as well. _Oops._ She quickly nodded, hoping that it was simply that she had failed to respond to the last question she remembered Lloyd asking. "I'm fine, thanks," she replied and offered Colette another grateful smile. _I'll get better if I can get an Exsphere, though._

"Okay, everyone's present and accounted for – let's get on with this!" Zelos called out as he started up the gentle slope that was crowned with Gnome's altar. The rest of the group followed, those that carried packs leaving their gear in a pile before moving as they all knew what was coming if the previous seals and spirits were any indication.

When the party all stood on the level with the altar, the ground began to shake as if in reaction to their presence. As they all staggered, fighting to stay upright, the altar exploded in a spray of light and dirt that left a large and vaguely gopher-ish looking creature staring down at them, its whiskers twitching as it casually rested a shovel back over its shoulder.

"So this is Gnome!" Lloyd exclaimed, staring at the spirit as the brown-furred creature shifted its dancing eyes to the swordsman.

Liane's brow furrowed a little at Lloyd's observation. There really was no one else it could be. _I mean… the form of a digging, earthbound creature makes sense, _she reasoned, even though she couldn't stop her eyes from slipping to the back of the spirit's head… to the large flounce of what looked like red fabric. _But… a bow???_

Genis stepped forward with a thoughtful nod, his hands planted on his hips. "Since Volt was Undine's opposite, Gnome's is –"

"Efreet!" Lloyd interrupted his friend in excitement. "If we wake up Efreet, that'll sever their mana flow, right?" he asked with a wide and proud grin as he looked back to the others for approval.

Raine's thin form went rigid beneath her orange coat as she leaned her head forward to cradle it in her hand. "No, it's Sylph!" the silver haired woman groaned before she lifted her head just enough to fix a weary gaze on Lloyd. "Honestly, how many times to I have to tell you before you actually remember it?" she asked in undisguised exasperation.

"I see that the level of education in Sylvarant matches the status of the world," Regal murmured, shaking his head as a moment of quiet fell over the altar area in the wake of his comment.

The Professor and Liane both looked to the convict, their eyes both glittering with retorts that somehow never _quite_ formed. Liane looked to her mentor, ant there was a silent exchange between them for a moment before the dark haired young woman had to release the breath she had caught for her retaliation. She couldn't even consider looking over to Zelos at that moment as she could already picture the smug grin that he probably wore. _Regal's right, _she had to admit, finding doing so humiliating as she was actually acting as Raine's assistant back in Iselia, but Lloyd was hardly a glowing testimony to their efforts. It was no secret that he distracted easily and only retained what truly interested him, but they had no grounds to tell Regal he was wrong, either.

Lloyd, however, puffed out his chest, oblivious to the discomfort of the moment as he smiled humbly and ran his hand casually back through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you could say that!"

Liane had no chance of holding back a groan at that. _Gee, thanks, Lloyd._

"Lloyd, that was _not_ a compliment," Presea spoke softly, looking up to the swordsman and meeting his gaze with a flat expression that didn't quite match with the message she was trying to give him with the statement.

When the crimson clad swordsman stared at Presea, his jaw slowly fell open, taking his cocky expression falling along with it. Sheena was quick to clear her throat and brush past Lloyd and Presea to approach Gnome. "All right, here we go!" she called out, her words breaking one kind of tension with another as Lloyd stopped, sighed, and turned to face the spirit along with the rest of the party.

Watching as Sheena bowed her head respectfully to the spirit, Liane closed her hand over the hilt of her sword. Sheena was right – there were more important things at stake than wounded pride. But that didn't help the faint frown she wore as she glanced to the blue haired man out of the corner of her eye. _I know Zelos thinks we're all a bunch of backwater ruffians, but… do Regal and Presea see us that way, too?_ It didn't fit with the times she had spoken to Regal, but his generalized statement struck her in the pride she held in being Raine's assistant. Lloyd was hardly any teacher's ideal student, but his strengths leaned in other directions. _We're not all like that, though…._

Gnome leaned forward, tilting its massive head as if it was inspecting Sheena. The ninja's form straightened, but she didn't back down from the spirit's scrutiny… she didn't even visibly relax when Gnome once again settled at the center of the altar. "Hmm… so you're a summoner, huh?" the spirit suddenly spoke, sending a rippling gasp through the party as the nasally male voice echoed against the surrounding rock walls. "Well, look, sorry, but I've already got a pact with Mithos, 'k?"

"There's Mithos' name again," Colette breathed out, glancing around to her companions, her hands clasped before her. "He must have been amazing!"

"I am Sheena," the ninja continued, raising her voice to secure Gnome's attention on her and no one else. "I seek a pact with Gnome. I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact with me," she continued, the words she had used on four spirits rolling off her tongue with ease.

The spirit blinked in what looked like surprise and then pulled back, wrinkling its nose. "_Man_, you sure use some stuffy language," Gnome snorted, shaking his head. "Bleh."

Sheena's arms fell limp at her sides as she stared up at the spirit in disbelief. "Uh, well…" she faltered as her hands curled into fists. "I mean, this is how I was taught to do it," she replied, sounding almost apologetic.

"Really?" Gnome cocked his head to her, bouncing a little as he spun his shovel out before him and shrugged his massive shoulders. "Oh yeah? Well, whatever. All right, show me whatcha got," he laughed a little, his dark eyes glittering with amusement. "Bring it on! Come on!" The group took a step back, all of their weapons in hand as the spirit began to bounce excitedly, the spin of his shovel actually giving off a weak breeze in the otherwise still case. "Prepare to eat dirt!" Gnome declared in glee as he flung himself directly at Sheena, swinging his shovel directly at her middle.

"Guardian Seal!" Sheena flicked her wrist, her card glimmering with green-tinted energy as a protective bubble flashed in the air around her in time to repel the odd weapon's blow. "She smiled slightly, waiting for Gnome to start to withdraw for his next attack before she dismissed her shield, using the same fluid sweep to charge her card again and push it out of the off-balance spirit. "Pyre Seal!"

Zelos dashed in closer, his sword tucked to his side as he avoided the blast of cards that blew Gnome back up onto his altar. At the last moment, the tip of his sword swung up before him, a blast of mana channeling out over the extended blade in an instant as it roared away from the redheaded swordsman and blasted Gnome back even further. "Super Sonic Thrust!" Zelos named his attack as Gnome reeled and the Chosen leapt back, his hair falling back over his shoulder with a toss of his head. "Uh-uh… the summoner does _not_ get all the fun, gopher-boy!" he taunted the spirit with a grin.

With Gnome momentarily off-guard, it was simple for Regal to swoop in after Tethe'alla's Chosen, right leg already sweeping out to catch the Spirit in a kick that would have swept a smaller enemy off the ground. "Rising Dragon!" Using the momentum he gained from pushing off Gnome after striking the blow, the convict kicked out in fluid, precise strikes. "Triple Rage Kick!"

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory," Colette's voice rang from the side of the group where the girl floated, her head thrown back with her plea to the higher powers that fueled her own. "Angel Feathers!" the blonde girl called out, her hand sweeping forward to send a trio of pink-purple rings at Gnome, each of them striking the spirit and rocking his barely-recovered stance.

"Hey! That's an angel spell!" Gnome whined, turning his massive head in Colette's direction. "None of that, now!" he chided her as he dipped his head and flew at her headfirst, the red flaps that had hung down the back of his head spinning wildly as he slammed into Sylvarant's Chosen and threw her to the ground, barely leaving her the time to lift her harms to defend herself.

Lloyd ran at the spirit, both of his blades braced out ahead of him. "Colette!! Leave her alone!" the teen demanded of Gnome as waves of green mana washed back over his weapons and then rebounded at the spirit. "Hurricane Thrust!"

Gnome wobbled as the first wave of Lloyd's attack hit him, looking as if his rotund form might have _almost_ lifted from the ground before the second green-tinted shockwave struck and rolled the spirit back onto his back with a wordless cry of complaint.

_Now._ Liane had promised herself, Regal, and Presea that she wouldn't hesitate. While it seemed to her that attacking Gnome while he struggled to right himself wasn't exactly honorable, another voice told her that it was still an opportunity – and one to prove her word at that. She took a few small steps closer and dipped her sword back to her side, drawing it through an elegant pair of arcs before her that she charged and released with her mana. "Double Demon Fang!"

"Hey! Cheap Shot!" the spirit called out as he twitched with each impact of Liane's mana waves. He started rocking, propelled by the last fang back to his feet as he leveled his shovel at the group. "So that's really how you want it?" Gnome muttered, his puffed cheeks drawing back in what almost looked like a grin.

Presea's rapid footsteps echoed against the packed dirt as she offered her otherwise-silent answer to Gnome's thinly veiled threat. The spirit looked down to her, his head cocked in curiosity that left him no time to recoil as she planted her feet and grasped her ax with both hands. "Infliction," the girl spoke, almost unnervingly soft as she effortlessly cleaved up into the spirit, a sparkling crescent moon following in the wake of the blurred strike.

Gnome reeled back as Presea drew her ax and ran back towards the others, a low moan slipping from the spirit even as the gash flared and faded, leaving no evidence of the pink haired girl's strike. He opened his mouth as if to further taunt the fighters, but it was another voice that called out first.

"Come get some!" Genis spoke out, drawing the attention of the spirit to where he stood at the heart of a series of intricate, glowing rune circles. He waited only long enough to make sure Gnome looked to him before he thrust his kendama up into the air, setting his spell churning toward Gnome. "Air Thrust!"

The a flurry of green mana instantly surrounded the spirit, tiny razor-sharp extensions of the mage's spell that sliced at Gnome in an angry swarm, leaving the spirit to bat at them helplessly until they subsided and faded away. "Okay… that just wasn't even funny," Gnome groused, gripping his shovel in his hand as his form began to bounce and the ground beneath him started to radiate with a dark golden energy. "You want magic? I'll give you magic," the spirit continued as the ground started to rumble and crack under the party's feet.

"Lloyd! Are you ready?" Sheena called to the swordsman over the rumble, throwing herself into a rush at the spellcasting spirit, shooting only a quick glance over her shoulder to see that Lloyd was pacing her, both of his blades already pulsing with mana. The ninja skidded to a stop just out of Gnome's reach, her spell card slicing at the air before her and leaving a plume of blue mist in its wake – right in Lloyd's path. "Power –"

"… Thrust!" the swordsman finished, the mana of his attack igniting the cloud Sheena had created as he rushed through it, driving the combined power of both fighters into the blast that swept over Gnome.

Liane watched with admiration as her friends retreated from their successful attack. _They make it look so easy…._

"Liane. Cast Lightning."

The quiet order was just out of place enough to draw Liane's attention down to find herself locked in Presea's placid gaze. The girl was following through with her offer to pull Liane further into the battle – to make them both stronger. She knew that she couldn't back down – not after the conversations of the night before – not without proving that she was as weak as she feared that she was. "Lightning?" she asked, confirming Presea's request as she swung her blade up before her, bracing the flat of her blade against her palm to force her focus. She saw the girl nod and swing her ax up, even as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and glanced up to see Regal edging closer to stand at Presea's side and between Liane and Gnome. "Regal… Presea… thanks…" she smiled slightly as her eyes slid shut and bands of purple runes began to spin around her.

"Concentrate. I'll keep you covered," Regal called over his shoulder, his gaze focused on Gnome though it wasn't likely that the Summon Spirit would spring at the swordswoman while still reeling from Sheena and Lloyd's combined attack.

_Faster… faster…._ Liane pushed her mana into the spell only a little faster than she was used to, a tiny challenge of sorts for herself as she didn't even try to question Regal's instructions. _If we're going to keep an enemy off guard, we have to be relentless – and I'm no different. _Her frown of concentration softened as she felt the power she was feeding the spell level out at a usable level. "Okay… ready?"

"Begin." Presea barely waited for Liane's words to form before she was sprinting at the spirit, her ax drawn to her side with both hands.

Liane's eyes flew open, snapping onto her partner in the attack. Regal had sidestepped to clear her view and the glint of pale light on metal gave her her target. She held the spell back only until she saw Presea slow and start to swing her ax at Gnome. _That's it…_ she exhaled and released the spell, her sword swinging out before her to direct her energy. "Lightning –"

"… Punishment!" Presea swung her ax in perfect time to connect with the stab of lightning from the spell, channeling the power of both attacks into her connected strike at Gnome.

Gnome cried out, having only just recovered his footing after Lloyd and Sheena's attack. He staggered back, wobbling a little from one foot to the other as he swayed. _We did it…_Liane found herself smiling in relief as she released the breath she had caught when she had cast her spell.

"I'll crush ya!"

There was a sarcastic note of amusement that simply sounded _wrong_ in Gnome's tone, but even as that occurred to the dark haired swordswoman, she saw the spirit's bulbous hand sweep out at her, leaving her no time to consider what he was doing before the ground beneath her erupted into a spray of rocks – large and small alike.

"Stone Blast!" Gnome laughed gleefully as the stones pummeled Liane. The rocks sent her sword flying out of her hand before the barrage subsided and left her to collapse to her knees. "And I've got more where that came from! Lots more!"

Liane didn't hear the taunt, nor could she find concentration enough to care what the spirit had called his attack. She had made herself a target by fueling Presea's strike, and found herself rewarded for the effort by the stinging, bruising onslaught of stones that retaliated on Gnome's behalf. She had tried to protect herself, lifting her arms and clenching her eyes shut. But that had been when her sword was torn from her grasp, distracting her just enough from the instinct for protection to flail and allow a particularly jagged rock to catch her on the underside of her jaw, knocking her head up and back and spinning her world into a painful spray of color.

It was a strange stupor that Liane floated in, withdrawn from the battle by a wall of dizzying pain as she tried to force her eyes to open. She thought she heard someone call her name, but considering it mixed with the din of the continuing battle, it was simply one more thing of which she couldn't be certain. _Stupid. Gnome's fast – all of the spirits are… should have been ready._ Liane winced and curled her hands into the rocky ground beneath her, questing for balance just before she was shifted, lifted slightly from the ground as another wave of vertigo made her catch her breath.

"See, now that just wasn't nice," Zelos clicked his tongue as he advanced on Gnome, leaping up into the air with his blade leading the way to unleash a large arc of mana at the spirit. "Fierce Demon Fang!" he called as his attack forced the earth spirit's retreat and he landed, glancing back over his shoulder to the others. "Someone help her or I will! We need everyone in on this!" the redhead demanded, sounding vaguely annoyed.

"Help is on the way," Raine responded almost before Zelos was done complaining, pushing the feathered head of her Phoenix Rod up into the air, igniting a swirling mist of calm green mana that danced out amongst the party. "Nurse."

Liane fairly choked as a blast of warmth snapped her back into her body, her eyes flaring open only to find herself fixed in a sea of blue that filled with concern. She blinked again, feeling her pain fading quickly, almost to the point that she wondered how bad it really was when it could fade so quickly. As her body accepted the gift of healing mana, recognition of the gaze fixed on her finally struck. "G-Genis?" she murmured, realizing that her head was pillowed in her friend's lap.

"Relax… take a second. Ignore Zelos. You won't do yourself any favors if you don't give yourself a minute to heal," the mage told her with at roll of his eyes and just the slightest of smiles – a quiet gesture that spoke more of relief than of exasperation at Zelos' command that Liane be healed.

All around her, the cave rumbled with the outrage of its spirit-master, but Liane knew that Genis was right. She drew a deep and blessedly painless breath and glanced around. She was almost sure that she hadn't entirely blacked out – not enough had changed – including the fact that Regal and Presea both loomed close, the two of them now side by side to form a living wall between Gnome and Genis and Liane. Liane caught a brief, worried glance from Regal over his shoulder, and she was quick to muster a weak smile, hoping that she was fast enough before he could blame himself. _If I were in his place, I would… even though I know magic can go wherever the user wishes within its range. _That was the thought that drove her to sit up, with just a little of Genis' help. "I'm okay," she offered, sounding just a little short of convincing to herself, but she still glanced around, trying not to worry anyone any more. "Where's my sword?"

The cavern shook once again as Gnome flew out of the ground, launching himself at Lloyd on the far edge of the party. Genis helped Liane to her feet and looked around before he groaned and pointed near the edge of the earthen platform. "Over there," he frowned and turned his gaze up to her with a small shrug. "Think you can fight with your daggers?" he asked as the small group gathered around her stumbled once again as Gnome dove back into the ground.

Liane bit the edge of her lip and stooped to free her matched daggers from her boot sheathes before she slowly rose to her feet again. It would mean she would only be good for extremely close fighting or weak spells, but she had gone into the journey with them acting as her primary weapons – sword techniques had come later and given her the freedom of more range. "Yeah," she nodded, looking down to the paired weapons in her hands as she looked up toward where Gnome had popped up on his altar once again. "I think I can make this work."

Sheena barely waited long enough for Gnome to emerge from the ground before she confronted him, the glow around her spell card biting at the air that separated spirit from summoner. "Spirit Seal!" the ninja called out, her tone clipped and demanding as a swirl of colored flashes danced around Gnome and then quickly constricted around him.

Gnome grunted his dissatisfaction at being caught by Sheena's magic, his eyes scrunching closed as he shook until the bonds of the attack shattered and evaporated after an angry swing of his shovel. Even though the act freed Gnome from Sheena's attack, it still cost him a moment's distraction – one that Colette appeared more than ready for as her wings lifted her up into the air with a spin that gave her outstretched arms momentum. "Dual Ray Thrust!"

Gnome stumbled backwards a step, still grumbling as he threw his stocky arms up in a futile attempt to ward off the agile chakram that had so easily zipped around him, struck, and then returned to their mistress' hands. "Come on!" the spirit taunted them, his small eyes narrowing on the party as he lifted his shovel up, spinning it as it began to crackle with dark golden mana. "Ground Dasher!"

The ground beneath the party immediately began to split, a deep fissure quickly ripping through the ground and sending a spray of shimmering steam and rocks blasting from its depths. The party scattered, ducking, dodging, or some simply defending themselves from the barrage until the spell died back and the ground began to seal itself once again.

Lloyd shrugged off the protection of his Guardian bubble, his feet already in motion. "That was too close," he called out to any of the others that were listening as he closed in on Gnome, his upper torso twisting and taking his blades with it. "Raging Beast!" he ground out, drawing his twin blades up in a spiral slash that flared brightly with mana as they cut the air in front of Gnome and then blasted back at the spirit with a feral snarl of raw power.

Liane watched her friend's attack with only a small pang of envy, watching Gnome totter backwards as the snarling beast's head disappeared. _He taught himself that…_ she reminded herself, perhaps still trying to justify her stance that the teen wasn't stupid. _He's elaborating on the base technique – and making it more powerful. He just needs something that matters to him… something he has a talent for. No one should fault him for that… not now. _Her head was almost cleared - enough to make her forget going after her sword as the party started to close in on the spirit. _Genis is right… we all have to help take him down – and this is how I'm going to help._ Yet, for all the bravado the thought mustered, it didn't stop her from casting a quick glance to her abandoned weapon in the shadows. _I still want Lloyd to teach me 'Beast' though…._

Presea paid no notice to Liane's moment of turmoil over her lost weapon, sending herself into a headlong sprint at Gnome. She launched up into the air – so high that she looked down on the spirit. "Devastation," she muttered, slamming the ax down in the next heartbeat, the force blasting Gnome backward from the altar and rolling him onto his back again.

"Gentle winds, gather before me and transform into waves of air," Genis spoke from the back of the party as Gnome grunted and grumbled, trying to right himself after Presea's attack. In as long as it took the party to realize what the young mage was doing, the boy took a step forward from the heart of his rune circle and thrust his kendama up into the air. "Cyclone!" The spell's runes blasted apart as a howling wind filled the cavern and wrapped tightly around the spirit, embracing Gnome in a column of air that actually helped him back to his feet the instant before slamming him with a rain of green-tinted slices of solidified wind. The air continued its swirling assault until the twisting column disappeared completely, dropping Gnome back to the surface of the altar.

Before the Spirit could regain any sort of balance, Regal dove through the gap between them, phasing through the creature like a phantom, then planting his feet to jab his elbow into Gnome. "Heaven's Charge!"

"Owwww!" Gnome wobbled as the convict leapt away, the spirit swinging his shovel out before him in what looked like more of a warding gesture than an attack. "I'll show you…" the spirit grumbled, his earlier amusement nowhere to be found in his tone as he leapt up into the air and then dove into the ground as easily as anyone else might dive into water.

"He's weakening. I have to summon Sylph…" Sheena sighed, nervously glancing around as she chose a spot a short distance from the altar and drew a spell card from her sash.

Zelos laughed and spun his sword in a lazy figure eight before him. "You do what you do best, my ninja hunny," he winked at the summoner. "I'm gonna do the same." He turned, his blue eyes darting around the platform as she started to bounce his weight from one foot to the other in anticipation of Gnome's return. "C'mon, Gnome, we know you're not gonna let us off this easily," he laughed in a taunting lilt. "What's the matter? Did the big bad gopher have to go lick his wounds?"

In the next instant, the ground beneath the redhead blew apart, sending the young man flying as Gnome burst up though the ground with a distinctly angry growl.

Zelos, however, flipped to right himself, riding out the blast to land squarely on his feet with all the grace of a dancer. "No manners at all… figures," he laughed dryly as he ran at the spirit, leaping up and slashing out at Gnome with a mana-charged spiral. "Light Spear!"

"Liane, go for it!" Genis cheered as he pushed Lloyd over to stand in front of the dark haired young woman. "Gnome has to be almost done – use Wind Blade. Wind really works on him!"

Liane knew Genis was right, even if she also knew that he could cast a far stronger wind spell. _But he shouldn't have to. I can do this,_ Liane reminded herself as she nodded to accept Genis' words, noting that the stronger fighters were already working to distract Gnome from Sheena. Lifting her daggers, Liane crossed their thin blades before her and called on the runes of her first spell… her best-known spell. _About time this came in useful,_ her thoughts whispered as the green runes she pictured in her mind solidified into dancing patterns spinning around her. It was far from a strong spell, but somehow, she was still surprised by how quickly it formed, ready for her use. "Wind Blade!" Liane called, shifting her daggers to direct the trio of elemental blades at Gnome, watching as each of them connected. It was as fast and as damaging as she could have hoped – and in that, she was satisfied.

The second the spell was gone, Regal crouched low delivering a sweeping kick, then leaping up from his crouch to go into a powerful roundhouse kick. "Dragon Rage!"

The cavern suddenly flared brightly with the green mana that radiated from Sheena's summoning circle. The party started to back away from Gnome while the spirit himself looked up, frozen as the summoner began to speak. "I call upon the Heavenly Messengers!" Sheena called from the heart of the storm of green runes, thrusting her spell card out before her. "Come, Sylph!!"

A chorus of tittering laughter that was growing familiar to the party slowly emerged from the whistling of the mana-driven winds that filled the area. The spiraling column of mana that had sprouted from the summoning circles shifted and condensed into the three winged members of Sheena's pact. Sephie was the first to form fully, brandishing her sword as she shook her green hair back over her shoulder with a laugh. "Here we go!" the spirit's childlike voice called as she dove at Gnome, her sword connecting with his shovel with an echoing clash of metal that pushed the earth spirit back from his altar.

Sephie rebounded from the strike with an elegant flip through the air that cleared the way for Yutis' arrows to streak past her counterpart with a shriek of wind, the core of the barrage striking Gnome and exploding into green splinters moments later.

Gnome cried out in dismay, shaking his shovel as if to bat away further assault. Yet the attempt only left him open to Fairess, who had slipped up behind Gnome in the chaos of Yutis' attack, using Gnome's comparatively gigantic form as shelter and waiting for the moment that the earth spirit was distracted to draw back her shield and slam it solidly into the back of Gnome's head. He flailed for a moment, and then fell forward, his balance lost as he landed in the dirt, splayed at Sheena's feet.

"Aw… _nuts!_" Gnome pounded his fist into the ground, the act answered by another bout of chiming laughter as – one by one – the Sylph disappeared from sight.

Liane breathed out, not entirely trusting the silence that fell over the cavern in the wake of Gnome's fall and the Sylph's disappearance. Gnome made no immediate move to rise, escape, or retaliate, which made the ground beneath the party suddenly erupting into a parade of iridescent runes all that much more unnerving. _What the –?_

"Help is on the way," Raine's voice called out, answering Liane's confusion as light began to rain down over the circle etched into the ground by her magic. "Healing Circle!"

As the fresh surge of mana coursed up from the circle and through Liane, she let out a breath of relief and knelt to replace her daggers in their pockets on the sides of her boots before she rose and strolled over to pick up her sword. Somehow, she simply knew – once again – that she would have been on the receiving end of a thorough dressing down for losing her weapon, had Kratos been there. _But he's not here._ It was almost a defiant thought as she slid the length of the silver sword's blade back into its scabbard at her hip and turned back to the others just in time to see Gnome push himself up from the altar with a disturbingly dog-like shake of his fur. The Sylph were gone, vanished back to whatever realm they waited in until Sheena called on their power, and no one looked any worse after the battle, other than weariness showing in their eyes. It was all she could do to not let the memory of how she had left herself open to Gnome's attack eat at her. Instead, she tried to concentrate on what she _had_ done correctly as her only option for the oddly silent moment as Gnome observed them. _I proved I could help more. Now I just have to watch my defense better…._

Gnome suddenly snorted, a disgusted noise that finally broke the quiet. "You guys fight dirty, you know that?" the spirit complained, brushing at his fur as his eyes remained pinned accusingly on them. "I mean, what's up with that four-on-one garbage?! Mithos…" he sighed and shook his head. "Well, he did it by himself!"

Liane frowned at the spirit's words, glancing around her companions as she tried to understand his complaints. _Oh… four of us managed to keep him off balance before he could gather himself to attack_, she realized, lifting an eyebrow to Gnome. "Maybe Mithos didn't have friends willing to stand by him to earn your pact," the swordswoman shrugged, trying not to sound too meek in addressing him. She wouldn't have even considered speaking to Volt, but despite Gnome's display of power in their battle, she just couldn't bring herself to really fear him.

The spirit looked over to Liane, watched her for a moment and then shrugged. "Oh yeah? Well, whatever," he sighed dramatically and then turned to fully face Sheena. "Make your vow already!"

A low growl rolled in the summoner's throat as she stepped forward to meet the spirit's challenge, her hands tightened into fists at her sides. "This guy is hard to deal with," she grumbled, not being particularly quiet about it as she looked up to Gnome. "For the sake of creating a place in which the two worlds no longer must sacrifice one another," she spoke her carefully-worded vow before lifting her hands to her hips to strike a defiant pose, "… gimme your power!"

Gnome's form straightened, his eyes widening a little at the annoyed shift in the summoner's tone before he chuckled, the act bouncing his form just a little. "Hmm… well, all right," he finally nodded and his cheeks puffed with what looked like a grin. "I'll go ahead and lend my power to you guys."

The moment after the earth spirit accepted Sheena's vow, a flash of pale green light washed over the cave again, the familiar trio of winged spirits that comprised the Sylph appearing before the party once again, fluttering their wings gently to hover before Gnome.

"Whoa, Sylph!" Gnome laughed, looking up to the comparatively tiny wind spirits. "It's been, like, what, uh, four thousand years?" he crooned, laughter still ringing in his voice. "How's it goin'? Lookin' good!"

Liane couldn't have stopped herself from glancing over to Zelos even if she had wanted to. _Sweet Martel… these two could be drinking buddies, couldn't they?_

"It has been a long time, hasn't it?" Sephie replied with a pleasant smile for Gnome as she pushed her green hair back over her shoulder. Then her expression sobered. "It seems that the mana flow between us has been severed."

Gnome nodded. "Yep, there's gonna be an earthquake here in a bit," he stated nonchalantly, his attention firmly on the Sylph and paying no attention to neither the party nor his new summoner. "After all, we just basically ripped out the mana link." He shrugged and sighed. "_Hello_…"

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Yutis agreed, nodding and absently spinning her gilded bow before her, its string whistling against the cool air of the cavern.

The final member of the Sylph turned back towards the party, lowering her shield to offer them a shy smile and a small wave of her free hand. "Take care, everyone! See ya all later!"

"Okay, later!" Gnome responded cheerfully, waving as the Sylph disappeared in a swirl of green mana – and in the next heartbeat, all four of the spirits had vanished, leaving only a crimson jewel that slowly floated down into Sheena's outstretched hand.

"All right!" Lloyd exclaimed, pumping his fist in excitement. "Just like we planned!"

Zelos chuckled dryly, shaking his head as he returned his sword to its scabbard. "But you know, I've been thinking…" he crossed an arm over his middle to grasp his opposite elbow and used his free hand to tap thoughtfully on his chin. "If the worlds are separated from each other, we're not gonna be able to see each other again, are we?"

It struck Liane as a strangely sentimental notion coming from Zelos, but that didn't make his words any less true. _If that's the price that we have to pay to save the worlds from each other, then we really don't have a choice,_ she told herself, the thought still sour as she looked to her companions… Zelos, Presea, Regal, and Sheena. _I guess we're all just lucky we got to meet at all._

"Why not?" Lloyd turned to Zelos with a questioning tilt to his head. "We can just go back and forth with the Rheairds," the teen shrugged, his smile present, if not a little worried.

"Right now, we can move in between the worlds because they're connected by the flow of mana," Raine murmured, curling the fingers of one hand around her rod while she gestured in explanation with the other. "But if the worlds are split apart, we don't know what would happen."

Liane nodded, her mentor's reasoning completely sound. "It makes sense. The mana links are what makes it possible for Sylvarant and Tethe'alla to exist as they are – they're how they relate to each other. They're the only reason that travel between the worlds is even possible." It might have made sense, but it was still strange – up until recently, all that she and her friends had known was one world – _their _world. _How hard will it be to go back to that?_

"So the instant the flow of mana is severed, the two worlds may part ways forever," Regal added his observation quietly, his calm voice contributing a somber note to the discussion.

Colette's eyes went wide, her head snapping up to the blue haired man and still shaking slightly from side to side in denial. "Will that mean that when we form the pact with the final Summon Spirit, we'll have to say goodbye?" the girl asked with a sad waver in her voice.

"We don't know if that's really the case, so there's no point in worry about it right now," Lloyd quickly offered as he dropped his hand onto the blonde girl's shoulder, calling her attention away from the worst-case scenario the girl seemed to be all-too quickly embracing.

Zelos nodded. "True," he agreed with the other swordsman.

It was an almost uncharacteristically short answer for the normally boisterous young man, but it only proved to Liane that the issue was probably haunting them all to some degree. "Well, there's more spirits to pact with, right? We still have time to figure out what breaking all of the mana links will do to the worlds – so we can keep moving forward," she suggested, trying to sound more removed than she truly felt. _How much could the worlds learn from each other if they could stay linked though? Sylvarant hasn't been prosperous in so long… and Tethe'alla seems like it could use a lesson in humility._ Liane almost chuckled at the thought. _So speaks the girl from the declining world…._

"Where shall we go next?" Presea asked, voicing support for the theory of moving forward as she adjusted her ax in the sling over her back as she looked around to the others.

"I've heard that the Summon Spirit, Celsius, resides near Flanoir," Regal mentioned casually in answer to Presea before he shifted his eyes back to Lloyd, his expression once again passive, his words bearing only a suggestion by their tone.

Lloyd nodded slowly, and, after a few moments of quiet that brought no further suggestions, he smiled. "Okay then, let's go have a look."

It was all the direction that the party needed. Those carrying supplies once again shouldered their packs and started up the previously closed path that had been made available by collapsing the bridge above. It was far from the melancholy retreat that they had made from the Temple of Lightning, but no one seemed particularly inclined to linger, either. Conversation was still kept to a minimum, even the softest of whispers coming back at them from the shadows, and the path was narrow enough to discourage anything but walking single file. While Liane wasn't certain she would be too enthusiastic about another Spirit fight that day, Regal, Presea, and the others had at least helped prove to her that she could contribute more than she had been – it was a victory for her, even if it might have seemed minor to any of the others.

_I guess it won't hurt to check it out. Nothing says we have to fight Celsius tonight,_ she told herself the instant before her eyes widened and she almost missed a step.

_Celsius_.

Liane groaned softly as the lore of the spirits came back to her.

_Damn. It's going to get really cold, isn't it?

* * *

_

_Earthquakes and blizzards. What a wonderful day._

Liane knew that she couldn't voice the complaint. It wasn't as if she was the only one being subjected to such elemental nuisances. Yet she was certain that somewhere between the earthquake that Gnome had promised and the fact that frigid winds had made landing near Flanoir all but impossible, there simply _had_ to have been a sign that it was time to find somewhere safe and warm to bunk down for the night.

Instead of grumbling aloud, Liane pulled her rough woolen cloak tighter around her and continued to trudge forward along with the others, sparing the occasional worried glance to the darkening skies overhead. While Sheena, Regal, and Zelos all seemed certain that they would reach the snowy city before nightfall, the sight of the snow-crusted expanse that spread out in all direction from them combined with the taunting crunch that answered every step to do very little to reassure Liane.

The others informed the travelers from Sylvarant that snow was a constant factor in the life of Flanoir and its citizens. Their lives were structured around it since it wasn't simply a seasonal occurrence. Iselia had a relatively mild climate – rarely swinging too far into the throes of summer or winter – so Liane never acquired any kind of affection for cold or snow. That particular disposition only served to make the landscape even more amazing to her. The drifted dunes of white were beautiful, she had to admit, but she could only find the strength to do so in between blasts of frigid wind that sliced right through the cloak. _If there's not a fireplace at the inn, I'm setting fire to something anyway… _she silently vowed, pulling her hood tighter around her face and clamping her jaw shut to keep her teeth from chattering.

It was a desolate and lonely landscape, which somehow managed to frame Lloyd's next words from the head of the party perfectly: "It's Kratos…" the young swordsman breathed out, his feet crunching into the snow with his sudden stop. It was more than enough to disrupt the party's single-minded quest to find Flanoir, but Lloyd didn't wait for anyone's acknowledgement before he rushed out ahead of the group. "What're you doing?!"

Liane looked up at her friend's demand, almost wondering if the cold had finally gotten to her – or perhaps to him. However, there… on the other side of the dune they had just rounded… stood the Cruxis Seraph, his dark and familiar uniform a stark contrast to the twilight shades of winter snow. She froze – from the inside out. It was the first time she had seen him since the night after Rodyle had taken Colette… for the first time since she had tried to explain herself to someone else… for the first time since her dreams had proclaimed love for him. _There he is… just standing there like he was expecting us._ The thought coiled her stomach into a knot. _Is he here to fight again? Is this it?_

Kratos looked up casually at Lloyd's approach, but made no move for a weapon, much less to even turn to Lloyd and the others. "It's you," the angel murmured coolly before turning his gaze upward, almost dismissively. "I was just looking at the sky."

"Don't lie!" Lloyd demanded angrily, advancing another step on Kratos as the party hung back, the angel's appearance perhaps surprising them all into cautious observation.

Liane's eyes were drawn skyward, Kratos' claim almost hypnotic as the hostility in Lloyd's voice melted into the din of the howling wind. Above them, the sky was a deep crystal blue that didn't seem quite ready to give in to night's blackness. The stars were already beginning to conquer that stubbornness, winking through as points of silver in the field of blue that hung above the blowing snow. _It's so clear…._ She knew that such clarity only heralded bitter cold, but even the logic behind that observation faded away with the sight of the tiny lights. _It's beautiful…._

"_The stars are a constant. Choose one… remember it… and it will always guide you home. Choose another and follow it… and it will guide you to your destiny."_

Liane had to catch her breath as her eyes slid closed. She would have sworn that Kratos had just whispered the statement into her ear, though her senses insisted that he had come nowhere near. In fact, from the weary sigh that her ears told her _was_ real and forced her eyes to open again, the angel had never moved.

"Then how about 'I was scheming how to get rid of those that are in Lord Yggdrasill's way," Kratos responded to Lloyd's charge with a bored lilt, his arms still crossed over his chest. "Now are you satisfied?"

It was hard for the dark haired swordswoman not to wince at the implications of Kratos' words, even if she could still read an element of weariness into them. She couldn't allow herself any assumption that they would ever fight on the same side again, but his response was one read from a page of her worst fears. _There has to be a reason that he follows Yggdrasill,_ she told herself, denying the simply logic that Kratos was just as Lloyd believed… that he was as evil as Yggdrasill himself. _What are we missing?_

"_You might not always see a clear path to the star you choose, but life is full of tests. All we need is the strength to follow the path to its end."_

The disembodied theory with Kratos' voice disappeared with another gust of wind, and Liane bit her lip after one more glance to the stars. _Which one is yours, Kratos? Which one is guiding you?_ It felt like a question she had asked before, but more, it felt like a good summation of her confusion – an answer, a source, a reason.

"You seem well."

"Wh… what?" Lloyd stammered at Kratos' comment, the slump in his shoulders testifying to the fact that he hadn't expected such casual familiarity from his former companion.

Kratos tilted his head to the side, the winds tossing his jagged bangs into his face. "Lloyd, don't be so trusting,' he spoke just loud enough for the others to hear, the reflection of snowlight in his eyes revealing his gaze flashed out over the party and then back to Lloyd. "There may be those close to you who are malicious."

Lloyd snorted, sounding almost like a vicious laugh coming from the teen. "You're talking about yourself," he bit back, not even trying to hide the accusation in his voice.

Liane exhaled and turned her eyes down to the grains of snow that drifted over the toes of her boots. _Another warning?_ Had Kratos truly followed them to Flanoir merely to deliver another bit of mysterious wisdom? _And what does he mean?_ She looked up, glancing quickly over her companions so as not to seem suspicious, even though she caught the majority of them doing the same. _Divide and conquer… is he trying to turn us on each other?_ It was an ugly suspicion – but one that couldn't be discounted – not yet. With a sigh, she started to look away… to study her boots once again, but then the feeling of being _watched_ started to make her nerves tingle… and in the next instant, she realized that Regal was watching her. It seemed that all he was waiting for was eye contact, for as soon as she met his gaze, he dipped his head to her ever so slightly – and then nodded pointedly in Kratos' direction.

_What?_

It took Liane only a moment to recognize the blue haired man's attempt at silent encouragement, and then only a moment longer for her eyes to widen and for her to shake her head. _No… not now… not here… not with everyone…_her thoughts objected even as her cheeks warmed in spite of the cold. It wasn't the time or the place, she was certain of that, even if Regal had meant it as a suggestion for the future. _If he's here… we'll see him again, right?_ she reasoned, wishing away her blush before anyone – especially Kratos – would notice. What she couldn't say was if it would ever be "time"… or if there would ever be "a place."

Liane's fluster had taken her away from the rest of Lloyd and Kratos' conversation, as she was suddenly aware that the angel was walking away from them, the blowing snow slowly stealing away his image.

"I forgot to ask what 'judicious' means," Lloyd grumbled as he shook his head, watching Kratos disappear and then turning back to the others. "Forget it… some on, let's get to Flanoir," he waved over his shoulder to the party as he passed by them without slowing, his hands stuffed deep into his trouser pockets, showing no signs of slowing or wanting to talk about the encounter even when Genis hurried to trudge beside him.

The Iselian swordswoman hesitated in following for just a moment, her eyes searching the snowstorm for a little longer as the others started to move off. She didn't expect him to return to press the conversation with Lloyd or with any of them, but she still knew he couldn't be far. With an exhale that billowed into mist before her, she turned. _It means he wants you to show good sense, Lloyd… but he's leaving it up to you to decide what that means._ Liane frowned a little, falling into step at the back of the group as the looming shadow of a city began to rise before them in the snow. _He could give us all answers – but he's making us find our own. He could give us his power…._

Power.

_All of his strength, his knowledge, his ability – he could give them to us if he chose to. But he won't… or can't…._

The thought was a simple progression after all they knew of the angel, but it was enough to hold Liane's attention through the evening. The party secured two of the larger rooms at the inn – one for the females and the other for the males, but even the promise of a warm room to protect them from the snowy night wasn't enough to drive Kratos from her thoughts. _He has the answers. He knows what we have to do to win this… and here we are still blind and stumbling from task to task._

Even as she sat at the massive wooden table along with the others in the great room of the inn, her focus was solely on the meat and steaming potatoes on the plate before her simply as something to see… a purely physical focus. The party's conversations was just background noise as her thoughts churned, silently posing her questions to the food that, for the most part, she had only poked at since it had been placed before her. Her mind was far away – but exactly where, she couldn't say. All that she knew for certain was that her thoughts were with _him_, captive of the building mountain of questions that he embodied.

_He's stronger than we are._

_He knows what has to be done._

They were facts as far as she was concerned. They were all alive because he hadn't killed them when he'd had the chance. He was dispensing information to them almost as if it were a game… as if he was purposely withholding pieces of a puzzle and amusing himself as he watched them flounder trying to make the ones he did give them fit into a bigger picture.

Then there was Yggdrasill. He was strong, he held the master plan and pulled the strings on his army of puppets… and Kratos was one of them.

Liane blinked. It was almost too simple. It didn't answer everything, but the thought's manifestation was just enough to tie part of Kratos' enigma together: _He's strong, but he's not strong enough. He has his own plans… and somehow, we fit into them._ It shouldn't have made her feel any better – yet another power with an unknowable goal – but it at least explained why Kratos followed them, nudging them along with a trail of hints. _He's not ready… but he's trying to make sure that we are when he is._

It did nothing for her unease of why he came to her or for how she reacted to his presence, but knowing that her value to him was still as part of the whole group… it still helped. It was something that could be seen by someone other than her; it was something that could be proven by logic. For the moment, the party was still being used, no matter how she looked at it… but eventually… if the silent alliance stayed intact until the final act….

_Maybe everyone's goals will end up being the same after all. Maybe we will fight beside him once again._

He was testing them, leaving them to make their choices and fight or fail as they would… but Kratos was still watching and guiding them. _Is there really a chance… that he needs us?_

Liane had to known for sure.

The groan of complaint from her wooden chair as she stood, the legs grating across the floor as conversations around the table halted for a moment, drawing all eyes to her. For just a moment, Liane froze, and then she mustered a weak, apologetic laugh. "Sorry…" she shrugged, pushing in the chair and backing away from the table. "I'm not really hungry. I'm… going to go for a walk then head for bed. Big day tomorrow, Celsius and all," she laughed.

"But you don't like the cold, and you're going for a walk in it?" Lloyd spoke up, looking up from his half-eaten meal with his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah," Liane laughed again, sheepishly, as she reached to take her cloak from the coat rack by the entryway of the inn. She knew that she really had no solid excuse for doing such a thing other than 'I have to talk to Kratos.' _Oh, that would go over soooo well._ "I just want a few minutes to calm down before bed, and the cold will make the blankets feel a bit warmer," she reasoned feebly, almost panicking as she saw Regal start to rise. She stopped, holding her hand out and shaking her head as if talking to all of them – even though she sought the eyes of her blue haired confidant. "I'll be careful. I promise. And I won't be long," she preemptively defended herself. Liane saw doubt flash through Regal's eyes – just as it did through most of their expressions, but the shackled man settled back into his chair… and it was enough for her. She turned, swinging her cloak over her shoulders and reaching to where she had tucked her gloves into her belt and pulling the door open before anyone else could try to stop her. "Be back soon!" she called out and shut the door behind her.

_Even Colette knows that I need someone looking out for me._ Liane frowned as she pulled her hood up and braced herself against the frozen night wind, glancing around the snow covered down roads and noting that she seemed to be alone, with not even town residences venturing out into the night. _He has to be here,_ she insisted, sighing and starting down the road to her left.

_I need to know if I'm right. I need to see him. _Liane ground her teeth a little in recognition of the fact that there could be more to the last part of the thought than she wanted to admit, but she also knew that it could all fit together – interlocking steps that might lead her to all of the answers that she needed. _I have to be patient. I have to be strong… stronger. I can't be a liability. This is the only way I'll ever live to find the truth._

It was a start to push herself to continue away from the inn, away from the warmth of shelter and friends. The cold wind was just one more test – but she knew even if Kratos wanted to speak with her, he wouldn't do it inside the inn – not with the way the rooms would be shared that night. She was taking the first steps – it would be up to him to meet her halfway. It was a gamble… no more, no less.

Other than the pools of warm lamplight, Flanoir was dark, all of the shops long-closed and only the occasional lit window remaining to suggest that the town wasn't actually abandoned. And it was quiet – so quiet. Only the rustle of snow on snow as it danced on the brisk wind could be heard accompanying her footsteps. After a while, it occurred to Liane that the town itself seemed determined to show her how alone she was – how foolish she was for chasing shadows. She paused in a wide square decorated with a trio of oddly mismatched statues cloaked in snow, the buildings around the square blessedly blocking the wind. It was almost peaceful.

It was almost – somehow – disappointing.

"I thought you would be here," Liane spoke to no one, turning her eyes up to the closest statue – a grossly rotund being with an impossibly wide mouth even as her ears strained for even the slightest sign that she had been right. Only silence responded to her, nothing betraying any presence approaching other than snow. She hung her head and laughed once… bitterly. "Guess I was wrong."

"Your friends wouldn't approve of you being here."

The whisper made her jump as it drifted over her ear, and it spun her around so quickly that she almost stumbled over the fluffy snow at her feet. "Kratos…" she murmured, eyeing the man standing before her. "I knew it. I knew you would be here."

Kratos straightened himself, standing tall before the dark haired swordswoman with his arms crossed over his chest in a show of indifference. "You seem to have been right. Is that all you wanted? If it is, you should get back to the inn. It's only going to get colder and you don't want the others finding you here with me."

A chill slithered down Liane's spine at his icy tone. She had hoped there would be some hint of the tenuous civility they had shared during the quiet nights since come to Tethe'alla, but his clipped tone put her quickly on the defensive and she found her own arms crossed over her chest in a pose mimicking his. "Fine. If that's the way you want it. I need your help."

One of the angel's eyebrows arched in mild interest. "Oh? Something that you seek me for instead of going to your friends? Interesting…" he murmured, his gaze burning into her. "What exactly is it that you need me for that's so important that it pulled you away from their protect-"

"I want an Exsphere," Liane blurted out, cutting off his patronizing tone. "You need us for something or every one of us would be dead by now," she continued, feeling her cheeks burn as she pushed through her reasoning. "You're helping us, warning us, directing us… maybe even keeping us alive for something. I know better than to think that you'll admit to it, much less tell me why, but I need to be stronger. I'm a liability right now. I need the strength that an Exsphere would give me –"

"Go back to the inn, Liane," Kratos stated sharply as he turned on his heel to walk away, his frame stiff and tall. "Don't waste your time – or mine."

Anger flashed through the dark haired young woman, and before she even realized she had moved, she was directly in front of the angel, her gloved hands both planted squarely on his chest as she glared up into his eyes. "Do _not_ dismiss me like that!" she demanded angrily. "I heard your lecture in Triet. I want a _crested_ Exsphere, and I _know _you can get one for me!" Liane continued through a partially clenched jaw. "Even Colette knows she has to watch out for me – the same girl that I started out trying to help protect! That's just not right! If you need all of us for whatever grand scheme you have in mind, _help _me! If… if I can't hold my own then I might as well just go –"

In one fluid motion, Kratos swept one hand before him, gathering both of her wrists in that hand to hold them up over his shoulder and jerking her forward against his chest as his glare sharpened, holding her startled gaze captive in surprise at the motion. They both stood, remaining locked in the awkward closeness in silence for a few moments before he drew a breath. "Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous rasp. "Do you want to go home? I can take you there right now."

Liane shivered, a reaction that had nothing to do with the temperature of the square and everything to do with the proximity to the angel and the edge in his voice. She knew her cheeks were burning as she watched his lips form the demand, but her mind was scrambling to maintain even an uneasy balance. _Mom… Dad…. H_ome. It was so far away. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to doubt that he could probably deposit her on her doorstep in a heartbeat – and then disappear forever from her life in the next, leaving her to her mediocre life – or what was left of it – to await the results of her friends' struggle along with the rest of the world. But could she handle not knowing what would happening? The others would continue whether she was there or not – she was certain of that. _But I wouldn't know if they were safe. And if the worlds do split apart, I'd never see Sheena, Regal, Zelos or Presea again…._ "No," she shook her head and looked up to him, not fighting the helpless position he held her in. Going home to Sylvarant wasn't the answer. "But I want the strength to help them more, Kratos… please!" Liane pled, hating that she had to beg him for anything as her eyes started to burn.

Kratos stared down into her eyes for a few more moments before a vaguely disgusted groan rumbled from his throat and he pushed her back from his chest, holding her wrists for only as long as it took her to right herself before he pulled his hands back. "Then get stronger on your own," he told her firmly. "I will not help you. Not with an Exsphere."

She glared back at him – directly into the hard mahogany gaze – as a hot tear slid down her cheek. "I don't want to die…! And I don't want any of my friends to die protecting me!"

He tilted his head to her, and a moment later, a dry chuckle shook his shoulders. "Then you don't want an Exsphere, either," Kratos commented calmly. "Do it yourself. You're the only one that can make you stronger. If you truly think that an Exsphere is the only way that it will happen, then I've been wrong about you this whole time," he shook his head and took a very deliberate step around her, his stride carrying him away from her and across the square towards the darkened city.

Liane stared after his retreating form, her mind churning over his words. _"Then I've been wrong about you this whole time."_ His words slid through her memory, twining with the belief she had spoken of only to Regal. _He does know._ She swallowed hard, ignoring the tears that escaped down her cheeks and took a step forward. "Kratos!" she called out, his name echoing back to her in her voice from the walls that surrounded the square. She saw his steps hesitate, but he didn't turn and she drew a breath to force out the words that were driven by both anger and confusion. "If we're enemies – if you're so wrong about me – then why is it so easy for me to have dreams that I'm telling you that I love you??"

Kratos froze, and he stood as motionless as the statues in the silent snow as her voice faded away. Then, after what felt like an eternity to her, he turned his head to glance back over his shoulder to the swordswoman. Liane remained still, watching him and feeling almost as if she had stepped out of her body to be simply an observer to the humiliation of revealing her dreams to him. He merely watched her from the corner of his eye. Then, just before she thought she might scream in frustration, he clenched his fists at his sides and turned his gaze forward, fully turning his back on her.

"If you do, forget them," he spoke just loud enough for his voice to reach back to her the instant before a blinding blast of blue-green light washed over the square as his wings sprung from his back. "This is not a dream. You'd best learn the difference." It was all that he spoke before he rose up into the air without another word or another look back to the young woman he left standing alone in the square below.


	26. Chapter 27

Heart of the Phoenix 

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Another pact is a step forward, but destruction and more sad secrets reveal themselves to the party. New friends, old mysteries, and nagging visions of the past that won't let go lead the party closer to either the salvation or destruction of their worlds.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 27:

"You who possess the right of the pact. I am Celsius, one who is bound to Mithos, the hero."

The cavern flashed with a cold light and Liane lifted her hand to shield her eyes even as a sense of déjà vu washed over her. Another spirit… a different spirit of legend… but still, the story was somehow the same. _Are we really just following in Mithos' footsteps? Could his fight have been any less important? Does ours actually compare?_ For just a moment, the thought made their struggle fall into something that felt like perfect focus: whether it was the present or the past, the fates of two _worlds_ hung in the balance. Lowering her pack to the rocky floor of the cavern, Liane flipped her braided ponytail back over her shoulder and walked forward to join the others, her hand on the hilt of her sword as the light faded back into the form of a bluish-skinned young woman with dark bobbed hair standing at the center of the altar of ice. Celsius observed them with an air of icy indifference that left little room for doubt in her claim of identity.

Sheena stepped out ahead of the rest of the party, her stance tall and straight as she bowed her head once to Celsius and then fully met the spirit's measuring gaze. "I seek a pact with Celsius," Sheena responded, her words ringing crisply in the cavern. "I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact with me."

A flourish of biting laughter answered Sheena's words as a puff of frozen mist materialized around Celsius, practically pacing around her legs as the spirit raised her eyebrow mockingly. "You seek a pact with me?" she asked before a dangerous sparkle appeared in her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "How amusing. Let's see if you can handle me." The spirit's laughter continued to ring as she lifted her hand into the air, sparkles of ice dancing around the appendage as the mist slowly resolved itself into the form of a snarling wolf at its mistress' side. "Let's show them the price of their arrogance, Fenrir," Celsius spoke with a devious smirk on her lips the instant before she thrust her arm down into the ground. The sound of shattering rock filled the cavern as a spray of icicles burst from the ground around the spirit, scattering the party before her. "Ice Spear!"

The ground at Liane's feet ripped apart as a shard of ice pushed up, leaving her reaction to her instincts to jump aside before the spire skewered her. However, her dodge and Lloyd's left them stumbling over each other in the chaos of avoiding the spell, leaving the swordbearers each to grasp at the other's arm to stay upright. "Lloyd, I –" Liane started, almost kicking herself for not being ready for Celsius to press the battle so quickly. But Fenrir cut off any words, much less the thoughts behind them, as the wolf howled and tucked himself into a tumbling ball of icy fur bent on taking out the young swordsman. It was all she could do to plant her left hand on Lloyd's shoulder and shove him away using the momentum of the shove to give herself swing room for her sword to work a quick double arc to deflect the creature's roll. "Double Demon Fang!"

The timing may not have been perfect with the quick advance of the wolf, but it was enough to buy Lloyd the time to brace his feet against his momentum and spring forward to meet Fenrir on his terms, mana already rippling over his paired blades. "Sonic Thrust!" the crimson-clad swordsman demanded as the force of his attack broke Fenrir's roll and sent the creature flailing back towards the altar with an angered snarl. Lloyd used the moment to glance around looking between Celsius and the other side of the altar and Fenrir, nodding once as if accepting the unspoken terms of the battle as he looked over his shoulder to his companions standing behind him. "Looks like we get the dog… anyone object?"

Liane looked over to the Summon Spirit of ice and saw immediately what her friend meant. Celsius was already attacking Sheena, ice shards flying against the rock wall of the other side of the chamber as the summoner dodged them as best she could with a quick series of agile flips. Celsius and her familiar had split the party in two, with the spirit herself going after the summoner who had requested her pact. Sheena, however, wasn't alone – not with Zelos, Presea, and Colette already making their case to Celsius that the ninja didn't fight on her own. "I'm good with the dog," she smirked when she glanced back to Lloyd, her grip tightening on her silver sword as Fenrir's growl grew back into a feral howl, the muscles rippling beneath his fur as he lunged at his prey.

Regal watched the beast leap, and he dashed forward to meet it while throwing out his left leg to hit Fenrir squarely in the snout. The creature didn't even have time to yelp as the convict swept his leg back and forth before pushing off from its flank to land a few steps away, leaving the wolf to reel from all the blows. He stayed tense, as if waiting to see if the creature would press the attack.

The wolf didn't keep Regal waiting for his answer. Fenrir reared back on his hind legs, backpedaling slightly from the convict's attack, but springing back just as quickly with a swipe of a set of razor-sharp claws set for Regal's middle. The blue haired man reacted with speed that bordered on surprising for a man of his size, sidestepping the brunt of the attack, but catching a pair of claws across his forearm as they left a matched set of crimson gashes across his pale skin.

"Help is on the way!" Raine called out with timing that seemed all too perfect with Regal's wound. "Nurse!" the Professor thrust the shining head of her Phoenix Rod up into the air, sending streamers of healing mana throughout the cavern to her group as well as the other half of the party. The human-looking forms ran out into the group, some of them even running through Celsius and Fenrir themselves. Celsius seemed completely unfazed by the spell, continuing to press her assault on Sheena's party, but Fenrir stopped, confusion sparking in his eyes.

It was just a moment of reprieve, but Liane allowed herself the instant to look over to Regal, a small exhale slipping from her lips as she saw the gashes on his arm slip closed and disappear completely. She looked up to him, meeting his gaze for the first time that morning. "You okay?" she asked even though Fenrir's howl drowned out the note of concern even to her own ear, dragging both of their attention to the wolf that was once again hurtling at their front line – and Lloyd in particular.

"Burn! Eruption!" Genis sounded angry as his voice filled the cavern and the grown beneath the leaping wolf exploded with magical fire, catching Fenrir in a wave of power that obscured his form before it dropped him to the floor and slowly flickered away.

Liane looked back over her shoulder, seeing that both of the Sage siblings were there – that she, Regal, and Lloyd had simply moved into their roles as the spellcasters' protectors. It brought a smile to her lips that things had – for once – worked out right on simple instinct… that she could easily see her place in the battle. _Now if it will only stay this clear…._

Fenrir growled and pushed himself back to his feet as he lowered his tufted head and swept his eyes across those who had declared themselves enemies almost as if measuring them one by one. Then, without any further warning, the creature's form coiled and sprung at Lloyd, shining claws leading the way.

"Whoa!" Lloyd choked out in surprise. Yet, instead of backpedaling, the teen dug his feet into the ground and charged at the wolf, the distance between them closing twice as fast as before. At the last possible moment, Lloyd dipped his shoulder low and slammed it into Fenrir's shoulder, grunting as the wolf staggered back, giving the swordsman the room to jerk his blades up and send a snarling wave of mana chasing after the creature. "Beast!"

Recoiling from the blast, Fenrir reared up on his haunches for a moment, a less-than-pleased howl rumbling within his form for just the instant before he threw himself into a forward tumble at his adversaries, a furry ball rushing at the party and sending them scattering to avoid being caught in his path. Lloyd grabbed Genis by the shoulders and twisted them both out of the wolf's reach while Line, Regal, and Raine all did what they could to escape as well, only stopping once Fenrir snapped back to his feet.

Regal glanced to his companion before bracing himself on the balls of his feet, waiting for the right moment to dash forward. "Get ready, Liane."

Liane's brow knit in confusion as she glanced over to the blue haired man. "Ready for what?" she asked, following his focused glare back to Fenrir and shifting her grip on the hilt of her sword. The wolf stood a few strides away, his side to them as his bulky form separated them from Lloyd and Genis and his head swinging from side to side in a silent challenge to them to make a move. "Regal, I –"

He didn't stop to give her an explanation as Lloyd had distracted Fenrir for the moment. The convict charged forward at full-speed, not stopping and simply passing through the creature as though he wasn't made of anything. Once he had his back to the beast, Regal planted his feet and threw his elbow into Fenrir's flank. "Heaven's Charge!"

Eyes wide at the sight of Fenrir skittering sideways towards her, paws flailing as he tried to get traction, Liane was aware of very little else. _He ran right through Fenrir… and knocked him back??_ The thought alone was enough to tie up her mind, even Raine's quiet chanting somewhere behind her fading from her attention. All that mattered was the mana that had already collected in her blade, and that she was stepping forward with that blade braced out before her. "Sonic Thrust!" She barely had the time to hope that it was what Regal had wanted – what he had trusted her to understand to do – as the mana shockwave even further disrupted Fenrir's balance and knocked him back onto his side. The dark haired woman let out the breath she didn't realize she had taken captive and glanced up to receive a quick nod from the shackled man. _Whew…._ It was only a moment, but she used it to look to the other half of their group at the sound of Colette's voice just in time to see a flurry of pink-purple feathers force Celsius back up onto her altar. _So far, so good, I guess…._

"Light! _Photon!_" The silver haired Professor's voice echoed in the cavern as the golden bands of her spell snapped around Fenrir before the creature could fully regain its feet. The wolf threw its head back with a strangled howl and then dipped it low, shaking with effort against the magical bonds. After a few moments of struggle, the spell flickered, and shattered, leaving Fenrir free to carry his previously restrained energy through, lunging at the woman that had bound him.

"Lloyd! Let's get 'em!"

Liane blinked away a flash of helplessness as she saw her mentor crouch and bring her rod up defensively, looking over to see that Genis stood at the center of a mass of angrily flickering red runes – and Lloyd was already charging at the wolf. She tightened her grip on her sword and took a quick step towards Raine, a path that would place her between Fenrir and Raine if Genis and Lloyd failed… _but they won't. I know they won't…_ she set her jaw and braced herself. "Guardian…."

Genis pumped his kendama once more and then thrust it out at Celsius' companion. "Fiery –"

"_Beast!_" Lloyd finished, catching the fire mana with his blades and slamming them to the ground just in front of Fenrir. The blast danced the line between being timed perfectly and just in the nick of time, a roar of rushing flames throwing the wolf back towards the altar with a yelp befitting of his canine appearance.

Regal rushed in just after Lloyd backpedaled out of the way, charging the creature before it could recover. Throwing out his right leg, he spun on his left, delivering three solid kicks to Fenrir's unprotected side. "Triple Kick!" When the beast was stunned, he sprung into a back flip, leaving his left leg extended to add yet another blow. "Crescent Moon!"

It was one elegant flourish – even to Liane's critical eye – that dismissed the protective shield she had placed between herself and Raine and Fenrir. It was almost too easy to twist the blade in midair and draw it up, dipping into her mana supply to feed her sword and send a wave of mana to take advantage of the wolf's wobble in the wake of Fenrir's attack. "Demon Fang!"

The spirit beast's head snapped towards Liane as the swordswoman's attack connected and collapsed his form back to the ground with something vaguely akin to a whimper. Slowly, and obviously shaking, Fenrir planted his front paws before him and grunted as his weight heave in a bit to regain his feet once again.

"Enough already…."

Raine dashed past her companions, her rod drawn back to her side. In one fluid motion, she stopped before Fenrir and swung, both hands wrapped tightly around her weapon as she delivered a glancing blow to the side of the creature's head. Fenrir winced and whined faintly as he collapsed back to the ground, his form whisked away in the next instant by a frigid wind from nowhere, defeat and retreat settled all at once.

Raine stood back, her shoulders heaving only once as she sighed and flipped her head to toss her bangs from her eyes. "Was that a bit too much?" she asked with a relieved chuckle, glancing over her shoulder to the others.

Liane blinked in surprise. "Don't know about that, but was that you being cocky?" she asked before thinking about it, finding herself rewarded with a sharp arch of her mentor's eyebrow.

"Wow, now I feel sorry for Fenrir," Lloyd breathed out, running his hand back through his hair, unwittingly drawing Raine's glare back to him.

Genis snickered and took a quick step to put Lloyd between himself and his sister. "At least she doesn't usually use weapons on us…."

Regal shook his head at how easily the attention had shifted from the battle to Raine's strength and how she chose to deal it out. "Perhaps we should deal with Celsius before we continue this discussion further?"

The silver haired woman exhaled, sparing a sweeping glare for her students and then meeting the blue haired man's gaze. She turned on her heel, starting towards the others with a sigh. "At least someone has a sense of priorities," the professor grumbled under her breath as she stalked away.

Liane, Lloyd, and Genis fell silent, twisting their weapons in their hands as their eyes slipped to the plight of the other half of their party. Liane felt her cheeks warm slightly. She knew that both Regal and Raine were right, but once again, she found herself on the same side with her childhood friends – when she knew that she should have fallen on the side of the logic that adults were supposed to offer.

"It's over…."

Celsius' words made any further discussion a moot point. Liane looked over to see the spirit crawling back to her feet, toss her short, bobbed hair a little with a soft sniff, and then turn to step back up onto the altar. Slowly, the party joined together again, watching Celsius seemingly go out of her way to ignore them as she smoothed her skirt, then her hair… only then did she finally turn back to the party once again.

"Excellent," Celsius spoke, a kind of grudging approval in her voice as she offered them a sharp nod. "It would appear that my freezing chill is but a summer's breeze to you. Now, speak your vow." A bit of a smug smile curled her lips. "A vow worthy of my power!"

Sheena inhaled and slipped her card back into her sash, approaching the spirit's altar with her hands at her sides and her shoulders square. "For the sake of creating a place in which the two worlds no longer must sacrifice one another, I ask that thou grant me thy power!"

The spirit was silent for a few moments, almost as if she was actually considering if she would accept or deny the vow… and then… _finally_… she nodded. "Understood. Use my power well." With that, Celsius' form started to shimmer with a pale light that rippled in lazy waves over her blue skin. Yet, before the energy could further take her away from their sight, a red blaze burst in the air beside the altar, forcing the party as well as Celsius to shield their eyes for a moment as the crimson bloom resolved itself into the horned Spirit of Fire.

"Celsius… it has been a long time," Efreet rumbled, turning to watch the Ice Spirit and crossing his arms over his chest where he floated in midair.

_First Undine, then the Sylph… now Efreet. _Liane frowned. It wasn't that she was truly surprised at the appearance of Celsius' opposite, given the recent history of their pact fights. It was more that it seemed that what the spirits were telling them was creeping closer to becoming a reality with every step.

Celsius snorted softly, crossing her arms in a mimic of the Fire Spirit's stance as she rolled her dark eyes. "I never thought I'd have to see your face again," she grumbled, averting her eyes as if to emphasize the distaste that dripped from her tone.

A deep grumble that may as well have been a sigh from Efreet sounded in the cavern as his gaze narrowed on Celsius. "While we may be opposing forces, must you avoid me so earnestly?" he asked, his tone not particularly accusatory or hurt, but perhaps stuck somewhere directly in between.

"What choice do we have?" Celsius' head snapped in the other spirit's direction, an exasperated sigh heaving her shoulders as she swept a hand out toward him. "We are harmful to one another."

Efreet's massive form straightened at her words and he didn't respond immediately. Instead, his arms tightened where they crossed, and his chin dipped as if in recognition of the fact that the Ice Spirit's words were at least logically sound. "Then perhaps we should be joyous that our mana has been severed."

Liane blinked, silently chiding herself for what she told herself was reading too much into the interaction of the spirits. It seemed that the opposing elementals had been split between the worlds, not only to keep the balance of the links, but the balance of their power as well. Yet something still struck her as tragic – another level to the effects of the worlds preying on each other through the mana links. _In Gnome and the Sylph's case, it seemed that at least a friendship was forced apart,_ she reasoned before looking up to Efreet and Celsius. Was it possible that more had been pulled apart in their case? The spirits' very natures made the idea almost laughable, but she couldn't banish the possibility from her thoughts – not with how Efreet spoke.

"_This is not a dream. You'd best learn the difference."_

A very physical wince shook Liane from her romantic notion of love lost or utterly denied. Kratos' words still stung even though she couldn't say entirely why. But watching Celsius and Efreet, they seemed to provide proof of a sad truth: fate could be infinitely cruel. Had the spirits even been part of the same world, even friendship would have been difficult. _They're just too different._ She sighed with a small drift of her thoughts. _We're too different._

"Who knows?" Celsius shrugged dismissively, pointedly looking away from the Fire Spirit. "What is clear, though, is that this situation will affect the entire world."

"Indeed," Efreet nodded, his shoulders squaring, any hint of wistfulness now gone from his rough tone.

Celsius turned her head just enough to look down to Sheena and the party gathered around her. "All we can do now is trust in the pact-maker," she stated, her tone shifting a little as well to suggest the smallest bit of unease.

The red-skinned spirit turned as well, nodding his head deeply in the summoner's direction. "Yes. We leave everything in your hands." The words had barely faded before Efreet's form flashed and then vanished in the same burst of red mana in which he had arrived. An instant later, Celsius also vanished into a flash of pale blue that settled down into Sheena's hand as a dark blue stone that sealed the pact.

After a small stretch of silence, the slide of metal on metal sounded in the cavern as Lloyd sheathed his blades and looked to the others with a shrug. "Just one more to go…" he murmured, making an effort to _sound_ optimistic, even if it didn't show in his expression.

"One more mana link… and all of this will be over…" Liane breathed out, pushing her sword back into its scabbard. It was an observation, more than anything… but somehow, just the possibility felt hollow. _After everything that's happened… will things just suddenly right themselves? Is that even possible?_

Colette looked over to the dark haired swordswoman, meeting her gaze with doubt swirling in her blue eyes as she wrung her hands together. "Do you really think Sylvarant and Tethe'alla will be cut off from each other forever?" she asked quietly, even though the cavern made it so that the entire party could hear her clearly.

"We're gonna do this regardless, right?" Zelos intercepted the question with a casual shrug as he turned and strolled back to where they had piled their packs near the cavern's entrance, his tone light as if he neither wanted nor expected an answer.

Lloyd's eyes followed the redhead, his hands still resting on the hilts of his swords. "Yeah…" he murmured, a faint frown on his lips that reflected the same doubt that had been in Colette's eyes.

"But…" Genis began, pausing for a moment to choose the words to voice his objection as his eyes flashed around the other members of the party. "If the Rheairds stop working after we form the last pact, we're going to be stuck in one world or the other."

Sheena looked down to the mage, concern creasing her face as she shook her head slowly from side to side. "The people of Mizuho wish to move to Sylvarant," she spoke evenly, stating the fact without any hesitation for doubt in her voice. "There has to be something we can do…."

"If it happened that fast, we might not have time to even send word to them – or to our families…." Liane's voice trailed off, not wanting to give the possibility the power of spoken words. _If we were stuck here… Mom and Dad… Dirk… Frank and Phaidra… they'd never know what happened to us…._ She bit her lip to distract herself from the thought even though she knew it was far too late to not be haunted by it.

"Hmm…" Raine hummed thoughtfully as she lifted her pack to her shoulder and then looked back to the others with a weak shrug. "I suggest we do some investigation on the effects of separating the worlds before we form the pact with the final summon spirit."

As if the earth itself felt a need to speak on the Professor's suggestion, the ground suddenly heaved violently beneath them, leaving the party to scramble to keep their feet as a fine rain of dirt and snow showered down around them. "Guess we should get used to that, huh?" Liane murmured as the shaking finally started to subside and she finally gained enough confidence in her stability to lift her hand from the wall, even though her worried gaze was still fixed on the ceiling of the cavern.

"It seems as though the shaking has increased in magnitude," Regal commented as he took a few steps toward the exit that led back into the main temple, hesitating only to look back to his companions as he waited for them to follow.

Presea was the first to approach the shackled man, although she showed no signs of stopping as she continued into the temple. "The time between the severing of the mana flew and the resulting earthquake has decreased as well," she stated her observation, her footsteps serving only to punctuate the words.

"I guess the worlds _are_ struggling to split apart," Lloyd sighed as he and the others started to funnel out of the seal room behind Regal and Presea.

The concept was huge – bordering on unbelievable, as shown in the swordsman's tone, but the proof was growing more with every pact they made. _If this isn't a natural state of the worlds, it makes sense that they'll fight against it,_ Liane reasoned as she followed the others across the frozen pond, stumbling a little when her boots again touched dry land. She recovered quickly and pulled her sleeved down a little more over her hands to fend off the cold of the Temple when she heard a small laugh from behind her. When she looked back, she saw Lloyd wearing a smirk she knew all too well. "What?" she demanded with a sigh and a sharp arch to her eyebrow even though she was sure she could answer the question on her own.

"You slide over all that ice, we fight the Summon Spirit of _Ice_ and her dog-thing, we slide _back_ across the ice… _now_ you try to fall?" Lloyd shook his head in mock pity. "And I thought _my _timing could be bad."

He was egging her on. She knew it. But on some level, Liane loved it. The worlds were literally falling apart around them, but despite everything, he was still making the effort. _This is why we're fighting, right?_ she told herself as she made a show of sniffing indignantly. _To save what – and who – we care about…?_ "It's not my fault that I wasn't born some cold-blooded ice goddess that thrives on this, you know…" she grumbled playfully and started to turn forward again, only to stop when she saw Zelos pause and throw his arms wide in a dramatic spin in the path before them, an oddly out of place smile on his lips. After a short moment of realization, Liane rolled her eyes. "Really? Was she that great looking that all I had to do was mention her for you to act like that?"

Zelos laughed and stopped his spin to plant his feet in the path where it narrowed to pass through a stone hallway. "Oh, Celsius," he swooned as if to make his point even more clear. "My cool beauty!"

"Oh, brother…" Genis grumbled from ahead of the redheaded Chosen, making no attempt to stay quiet as he grabbed Colette's sleeve to pull her along the path to take away some small piece of Zelos' audience to his antics.

Regal led the way towards the exit, but he slowed to wait for the others as he let Genis and Colette pass, the others all now a captive audience behind Zelos. Liane saw that the blue haired man had stopped, but thanks to the rock formations it was all she could to as neither she nor the rest of the party could get around the flamboyant swordsman. "Didn't you already use that nickname?" she groaned, resolving herself to the idea that they wouldn't be continuing until Zelos wanted to do so.

"As long as it has a female body, that's good enough for you, isn't it?" Raine groaned, wrapping her hands around her rod and leaning her weight forward onto it with a sad shake of her head.

Sheena nodded in agreement, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah," she breathed out in exasperation, "this guy's a walking libido," the summoner confirmed the Professor's observation with an indifferent shrug.

Zelos' smile faded with the next puff of breath, his gaze sharpening in accusation on the ninja. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, mounting his hands at his waist.

The summoner didn't back down. If fact, she advanced a step on the Chosen, her own glare matching the challenge in his. "Exactly what it sounds like,' she replied smugly, practically daring him to tell her she was wrong.

Liane's head rolled back on her shoulders and she groaned, eyes sliding shut as she shook he head, her braid swinging between her shoulders. "Come on… just… let's go, okay?" she sighed, even though she knew that Sheena was probably going to be a problem if Zelos got her riled up. "There's no point in arguing –"

"Hmm, wait," Zelos put his index finger up to halt the swordswoman before his expression softened and he planted that finger thoughtfully on his cheek. "I get it," he nodded a moment later as a sly smile slipped over his lips and his eyes remained on Sheena. "In other words, you mean to say that I exude masculine sexiness," he crooned, wagging his eyebrows at the ninja.

_Oh… oh, she's gonna hit him…._ Liane cringed, but found herself unable to look away from the tragedy in the making. She knew she should, but the fact was – as Sheena advanced another step on the redhead – she simply couldn't.

"What _"sexiness," _you philanderer!" the ninja snarled, her fists now balled tightly at her sides as she stared Zelos down, her body visibly shaking.

Zelos chuckled softly, turning to his side just enough so that he could toss a handful of red waves back over his shoulder – either ignoring or simply not seeing the danger dancing in Sheena's eyes. "Oh, stop," he laughed, waving in the summoner's general direction. "You flatter me."

Liane ground her teeth together and took a small step back in case the growl growing from Sheena erupted into a blind fury. Though it still somehow still made perfect sense to her that there was _something_ other than insane annoyance between the two, it was arguments such as the one the Chosen seemed to be provoking that made her wonder if it even could happen under the best of circumstances. _He just loves to drive her crazy…._

"Professor, what's a philanderer?" Lloyd murmured as he edged up to the silver haired woman's side, curiosity etched into his face as he looked up to her. "Is it something to eat?"

Raine looked down to her student, studying his expression for a moment before her shoulders drooped even lower in exasperation and her eyes slid closed. "I don't think you'd want to eat one," she answered with an undisguised groan.

"Zelos… stop," Liane spoke up before her mentor's words had fully faded, swinging her hand out to indicate Lloyd as an exhibit. "Let's go. Lloyd's hungry. Let's not do this now…" she sighed, shaking her head. _'Cause if Sheena beats you up, we'll have to carry what's left back to Flanoir… and Lloyd will whine about his stomach the whole way… then we'll all go insane. _

"Philanderer…" Presea murmured, calling Zelos' attention from both Sheena's 'compliment' and Liane's request. The pink haired girl merely blinked and drew another breath. "An insincere man who plays around with many women."

_Ouch._ Lloyd found his smile once again and broke the silence as he looked from Presea to Zelos. "So, in other words, Zelos," he nodded, voicing his revelation proudly.

Zelos blinked, his grin fading away as his shoulders slumped. "It's not fun at all when you put it like that," he grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets and turning on his heel. As he stalked through the narrow passageway between the stones, he simply radiated sullenness, leaving those that had imposed such a state on him behind.

Even though none of the others really seemed to be too far from what she had seen to be a truth about the Chosen, Liane was on the verge of feeling sorry for the redhead. She was teetering… really… almost to the point of finding words to ask the others if it had all been quite so necessary – but then, like a sign from the Goddess herself, Zelos cured her indecision.

All it took was the sight of Zelos flinging his arm over Regal's shoulder with a laugh that sounded nothing like dejection. "Man, you should have seen it!" he crowed, throwing his head back to accentuate his show of enjoyment. "Celsius rocked! I mean, she was tough and all, but she even looked good while she was beating us like rugs! She even had some of _your _moves!" He laughed once again as the shackled man sighed and shrugged out from under the Chosen's arm. "'Course, she looked way better, but don't get all offended," he held up his hands in a sign of peace at the look Regal gave him over his shoulder. "'Cause I like _chicks_, you know. I'm nothing without my hunnies, so no hard feelings when I say she made your attacks look _good_, m'kay?"

"Figures. He likes 'chicks' that can beat him bloody," Sheena grumbled, her jaw set as she filed through the passageway behind Liane and the others. "Maybe I should summon Celsius for him again and just let her finish him."

Liane tried not to look back, unsure of if the ninja truly meant to be heard or not, but it was clear from Lloyd's snicker ahead of them that, no matter the intention, the thought had been shared. As Zelos continued to laugh at the front of the group as they approached the Temple's exit, she had to shake her head, catching Raine's eye as she did so. The Professor gave her a questioning look, and Liane felt obligated to say _something_. "He just doesn't give up, does he?" she shrugged. "For a second, I thought he actually might have taken that whole conversation to heart, but –"

Raine's eyes flashed ahead to the young man in question, and then she shrugged. "He's trying too hard. The more of a show he puts on, the more he probably did listen. It seems to be just how he deals with it. No one can change that but him," she sighed, shielding her eyes from the snow glare as they stepped out into the light.

Pulling her woolen cloak from the loops on the bottom of her pack, Liane could only nod. It made sense, on some level, but she couldn't understand why Zelos would go out of his way to alienate all of them. Granted, it was the woman more than the men, _but it just never stops!_ "I guess. Maybe it's just how he thins out how many people _try _to be around him," she offered, securing the button at the throat of her cloak and looking back to her mentor.

"Perhaps. He doesn't seem to have a problem with being the center of attention," the Professor commented, tightening the straps of her own pack down in preparation for the continuation of their journey. The silver haired woman started to draw another breath as she glanced over to Liane, but then she froze, her eyes snapping to the sky.

Liane frowned, far more used to seeing Lloyd – or anyone else – lose their train of thought than the Professor. But when she followed Raine's eyes to the distant sky, it was explanation and justification enough. The gray clouds churned angrily into a vortex crowned with a ball of seething power that grew more blinding white with every passing instant. She felt her jaw drop open at the sight, noticing absently that her companions were sharing her awestruck state. Something unnamable about the sight made her skin prickle, but when the ball of energy exploded an instant later, she jumped, a horrendous noise splitting the air as a blast of what looked to be lightning slammed to the ground beneath the enraged storm. "Sweet Martel…" she breathed out, the invocation still a habit after everything.

"What's going on?!" Zelos demanded, his arms falling limply to his sides as she stared along with the others, all prior smugness gone from his expression as it gave way to blank shock.

Presea slowly walked forward, her eyes fixed on the sky as the lightning flickered but continued to claw at the ground. "That's… the direction of Ozette…" the girl murmured softly, her ax resting on the snowy ground as she stared.

"Yes," Regal nodded, no more emotion in his voice than in Presea's as he moved to stand beside the girl.

Genis shook his head, his arms hanging limply at his sides at he stared at the lightning. "What could it be?" he murmured in awe. "There's a staggering amount of mana flowing from that lightning…."

"You don't need elven blood to feel that," Liane breathed out, her brow furrowing as the stream of lightning finally began to fade. The air was still very much alive with power, though, and it was plenty to freeze her in place with dread. "Could… it be part of the mana links being broken? Or…?" _It can't be a normal storm, can it? I've never seen a storm act like that before…._

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Raine nodded her head slowly as the lightning finally flickered from sight, staring after where it had been for a few moments longer before sweeping her eyes over the rest of the party.

Lloyd drew a breath, his chest puffing up as he reached to the side pouch of his pack and set the wingpack to release his Rheaird. His expression was set and stony as he looked over the others and stepped on. "Let's go!" he called out, waving Regal over towards his flyer.

The rest of the group followed their leader's example, the Renegade machines springing up one by one on the outer grounds of the Temple of Ice. Liane stood back for her own to unfold itself from her wingpack, sparing a quick glance for the others, and a sigh made her shoulders sag as she saw Regal settle himself on the back of Lloyd's machine. It wasn't all that out of the ordinary, as the man's shackles made maneuvering the Rheairds difficult. But she still sighed as she stepped onto the platform of her own Rheaird and fired up the engine. _He still helped me fight… just as he promised. But he still hasn't really talked to me since last night…._

As they lifted off from the snow-blown fields of the icy continent, her thought drifted back just a few hours to yet another night she now knew she could have done without….

_"Liane?" _

_Liane jumped, sniffling as something caught her shoulder. She quickly swiped at her eyes as she recognized the blue haired man standing before her_. I walked right by him?_ she wondered absently as her eyes flickered back to the sky where the glow of Kratos' wings had disappeared. Her shoulders slumped again and she looked back down to the snow. "I'm sorry. I... was a little distracted, I guess..." she sighed, trying to force a smile into her voice even though she didn't feel it at all. "Was I gone that long?"_

_"No. But I had an idea of what you were doing out here," Regal murmured, his frown deepening as he took a few steps closer to her, trying to meet her gaze, even though she wouldn't look him in the eye. "Are you all right?"_

_"Fine..." she murmured, barely keeping another choke out of her voice. _I knew he wouldn't help... I knew he would turn me down_. Her hands curled into fists. _Why did I tell him?? Why did I even ask him for help?? _Liane shook her head and pulled her cloak tighter around her. "It's cold... and you didn't bring a cloak. We should get back to the inn," she sighed, sounding miserable even to her own ear._

_"Liane, what did you need to talk to him about? What did he say to you?" Regal asked, shaking his head and keeping his voice low as he waited for her answer. _

_Liane winced a little, knowing there was no point in lying to him. He knew her well enough to know where she had gone, if not why. "I wanted to ask him a favor. I wanted to talk to him," she answered as honestly as she could, but she still couldn't look up to him. "I knew he'd be here."_

_"I'm sure you found him, or you wouldn't be so upset," the blue haired man sighed. "But what did you ask of him? What did the two of you talk about? Have... you been crying?" He tilted his head, observing her by the pale light of the street lamp. "Liane, what happened? What did he say?"_

_Fidgeting, Liane kicked the toe of her boot into the fluffy snow, keeping her eyes on the resulting bloom of white that resulted. "I asked him for help. He told me 'no,'" she offered softly. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was still the truth. Kratos had turned her down. Completely. "I feel so stupid..."_

_"What did you need help with, Liane?" Regal asked her quietly, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder._

_"I wanted to be stronger. I asked for his help. He said no," she explained again, chewing the edge of her lip before she groaned as another tear slid down over her heated cheek. "He's keeping us alive for something... I just know it. And..." she shook her head and huffed again. "He said I had to do it on my own. So now I have to keep endangering everyone while I try to make that happen."_

_"Stronger? What did you ask him to do for you, Liane? What did you think he could help you with?" Regal's voice was firm as if he was already bracing for her answer. "Just what did you ask him for?" _

_"I..." Liane sighed and drew a breath as she finally looked up to him. "I asked him for an Exsphere. A crested Exsphere. I'm the only one that doesn't have one and everyone has to watch over me because I can't even manage a short fall from a bridge and walk away from it on my own! And --"_

_"Liane, why in the world would you want an Exsphere?" Regal blurted out, cutting her off as his grip on her shoulder grew stronger. "You've seen what can come from them! Do you know how much they have cost the lives of those around them?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide._

_"I want to help! I'm tired of being the one that needs to be protected!" she snapped back, looking up to him with reddened eyes. "I want to be on the front lines and make a difference! I..." Liane set her jaw and looked away. "He told me I have to get stronger on my own. He told me he wouldn't give me one."_

_"He was right to. Not everyone is compatible with an Exsphere. They can hurt you… they..." Regal stopped and looked away as he inhaled deeply. "There are other ways to be stronger. Using...something so dangerous...it isn't right, Liane. Exspheres are terrible things…."_

_"I know that. I know all of that," Liane sighed, a bit sullenly. "It's why I asked him for a crested one. I knew if anyone had them – had access to safe ones – it would be him. And he turned me down."_

_"Liane, why do you think one will help you? Why..." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "That alone wouldn't upset you this much. Liane, if he just said no, you might have found another way. What else did you talk to him about?"_

_Liane frowned, almost considering cursing how the blue haired man could read her. "He told me that if I believed an Exsphere would help me, then he was wrong about me the whole time," she murmured, shaking her head. "It made me mad. And I asked him... if he ever thought he knew me... then why have I... been having dreams with him in them..." she finally managed to mutter, having to force each word out. _

_"What did he say to that then?" Regal asked, his tone softening as he watched her, his frown reaching into his gaze. "Liane, by now, you have to understand all of the pain that Exspheres have caused. You've seen what can happen if something goes wrong. That has to be one of the reasons he told you no."_

_"He told me that they were dreams and that I needed to learn the difference between dreams and reality," the dark haired woman whispered, keeping her head down. "Then he just flew away. He didn't say anything else," she sniffled. "I know where Exspheres come from... and I know what can happen. It happened to Marble. And Anna. And Clara. But every one of you is stronger with them. I could do more... it would help all of you and it would help him since he seems to need us alive." Liane sighed and shook her head. "I want to help. I want to make a difference..."_

_"You are making a difference," Regal insisted holding her gaze. "Liane, you are here, you are fighting with us, and that makes all the difference! Why should you risk your life and your health to enhance your body in an unnatural way?" He frowned deeply with a sigh. "Liane, you... I'm sorry he said that to you."_

_Liane clenched her eyes shut. "He's right, though. I'm acting like a silly little girl. I'm just tired of getting myself into trouble... and everyone else having to pick up the slack. And as far as the dreams…." She fell silent. Why did it jab at her? Why did it make her insides twist? "He's right. No matter what they feel like... they're still just dreams."_

_"You said that they felt like memories. Do you truly believe they're just dreams, or did you mean it when you told me that?" he demanded, lifting his hand to cup her chin and raise her eyes to meet his. "And you are not a silly little girl. You would not want to be stronger if you were, you would be content to have someone else save you."_

_"No one should have to save me. There've been times that I knew no one would be there to save me. That's why I don't want to depend on it," she replied with a shake of her head, keeping his eyes even though hers almost spilled over again. _

_"Are you saying it's wrong to count on us? That you can't count on me, or Lloyd – or any of us?" Regal asked with a slight edge to his voice as his eyes bore into her._

_"No!" Liane took a step back, shaking her head as she locked her knees to keep from collapsing in the snow. "I know I can count on you! I want you to be able to know you can count on me!!" she raised her voice without thinking, her words echoing back from the surrounding buildings. _

_"I do. I wouldn't be here now if I didn't trust you, if I didn't care. You should know now that you've been helping, and that we count on you. If we could not, why would we bring you into battle?" Regal demanded, clasping his hands in tight fists and looking down to the snow covered street and shaking his head. "Liane..."_

_Liane inhaled deeply, the frozen air burning in her lungs. "I know. I just… I tried to be honest," her shoulders fell as she realized how she had blown up at him. She forced herself to look up to him. "I tried to tell him. I tried to come up with a plan to help more... and all of it failed," she frowned and turned to her side. "I'm sorry, Regal. I probably let you down. But I tried."_

_"No. You didn't let me down. I'm just worried for you. I didn't know you truly felt like you weren't doing enough. Why didn't you say something to me sooner? I would have done my best to help you, too." The blue haired man tilted his head to watch her before he sighed, his breath puffing out beneath the lamplight. "Liane, you are not weak. The weak are the ones who think they're strong enough without ever working to improve upon their skills."_

_"He offered to take me home, but I told him that I didn't want to go. I want to stay. I just..." she sighed again. "Kratos didn't want to hear me out. I guess that settles everything, though." Liane looked up to him. "I tried to think of something that I could do to help more. I knew he had access to the Exspheres. It was all I could think of. Now, there's nothing. It's over."_

_"You have your own two hands, Liane. For some people, it is all they have," Regal whispered softly as he glanced away, sighing heavily. "If you truly wished to go home, none of us could stop you, you know. But if you're not willing to give up just yet, you have to know that you have a place here." He chewed his lip. "After all that you've done, all that you've seen, and all you have accomplished, you can't really say that you don't belong here. If that were your fate...why would you come so far only to give up now? Would you really be content to let an Exsphere decide your future?"_

_"Regal..." Liane groaned clenching her fists at her sides and turning her face up to the frozen snowflakes that gently filtered down to her. "I don't want to go home! Just like I was ready to leave Luin before the Desians took me to the ranch! I couldn't just sit and wonder what was happening... wonder if I would ever see my friends again...!" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I know this is where I belong! I just want to be able to end fights... like you and the others! And if I can't have an Exsphere, I can't. I just thought it might keep you and the others out of danger sooner if I had one..."_

_"No, what keeps all of us out of danger is that we are together. Do you think that all of the enemies you have faced could have been brought down by Lloyd and Lloyd alone? No, all of us together... that's what makes us strong. Our combined strength is what has ended our fights. You know that we're stronger together... you've agreed with the others when they've said it. Don't you believe it?" Regal murmured heat rising to his voice. _

_"Of course I do..." Liane frowned and hung her head. He was right. It was what they had all declared almost from the very beginning. "I just want to pull my weight. I felt so helpless when Colette had to rescue me when the bridge collapsed," she admitted softly, looking down to the snow at their feet. "I don't want to have to be the one that has to be protected. Spells? Fine, I need help for those... even Genis needs protection when he's casting. But I don't want anyone to have to worry about me just walking down a path! It's... it's frustrating."_

_"Liane, you cannot keep doing this. If you continue with all of these doubts, you really will be holding back, and that could get you hurt. You don't need to have an Exsphere. You need to have some confidence in yourself. Only you can truly make yourself stronger. Take one of our Exspheres away...and wouldn't we just be human... using our own hands to do what we can to save the worlds?" Regal remarked firmly catching her gaze and holding it pointedly. "I can tell you over and over again that you're making a difference, but only you can decide how much of one. I can tell you that you are strong, but only you can make yourself believe it. I really don't know what else to tell you, Liane. I want to help you, but you have to want help yourself, too."_

_"That's... what Kratos said..." Liane murmured, almost feeling ashamed to admit it. "He said that I had to make myself stronger," she sighed and turned her back to the nearby lightpost to lean against it. "I know it would be like cheating. But..." she shook her head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I won't have an Exsphere. They still scare me anyway. I just wanted to find a way to be stronger faster… so that I would be less of a liability. That's all."_

_"Unfortunately, the fastest method is not always the safest... and the hardest method is the one that not everyone will choose," Regal whispered before he drew back and offered her a weak smile. "Liane, I've said all that I know to say. If you want to speak with me more, come back to the inn. It's late, I can see that you're cold, and the answers aren't in the falling snow. The others will worry if you wander around Flanoir for too long."_

_"Yeah... can't have them thinking I'm consorting with the enemy or anything," Liane murmured sullenly. He had reacted badly to what she had told him... the truth of her visit with Kratos had earned her the reaction she had expected. But he only seemed frustrated... or... _no... 'frustrated' isn't quite right_... She looked up to him and nodded. "I won't be gone too much longer. But I can't come back looking like I've been crying, either..." she tried to reason, hoping she sounded more convincing to him than she did to herself._

_"If you stay out too long, you might let that evidence freeze on your face though," the blue haired man pointed out softly, sighing as he turned and started slowly back towards the inn._

_"Regal...?" Liane called after him, keeping herself from reaching out to stop him. _

_Regal turned slightly to look back at her. "Yes?"_

_"Thanks... for coming after me. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what you wanted to hear, but I don't want to lie to you, either," she murmured softly. "I really don't mean to worry you. Or any of the others," Liane offered in quiet apology. "I promise I won't be long."_

_"Liane, I would rather you tell me the truth than anything else. And you do not need to apologize or thank me for anything. Just come back soon," he replied after a moment before he turned back towards the snow-covered path he'd started on in the direction of the inn. _

_Liane watched his form disappear into the pools of light and shadow mixed with snowflakes and sighed, shaking her head a little as she wrapped her arms around her beneath her cloak. _You asked, Regal. You knew where I'd gone... I... had to tell you_. She sighed again, her breath a large puff in the cold night air. _

As the memory cleared from her mind, that puff of breath quickly turned into a drifting tendril of smoke. Liane grimaced, but followed the others down in a gradual spiral that centered on Ozette. The trees where she knew the town should be were all ablaze, sending heat waves up to meet them that made controlling the Rheairds difficult, at best. The slowed descent did force more time upon her, though – time she really didn't want. She had taken her time returning to the inn after Regal had left her, and when she did return, those that were still up had informed her that she had just missed him. She had meant to apologize to him, even though her anger still simmered over the night's events. He had come after her… he had shown his concern… and he had agreed with Kratos. Her apology would have been based on the logic that – when she calmed down – she would most likely see the wisdom in their words, whether she liked it at the moment or not. But that apology had never come, although she had spent the majority of her relatively sleepless night trying to make it sincere, even if it was just to herself.

Yet all that morning, the opportunity had never come. It wasn't as if they had avoided each other – there were simply bigger things to worry about – which was as it should have been. The others had only spared her the occasional curious glance when she had returned the night before, but no one had brought it up in the new day, almost as if nothing had happened.

_But it did. I'm just the one that needs to accept it._

From how the angel had spoken to her, she was more certain than ever before that he felt a connection to her as well. It made it that much easier for her to believe that his refusal was some kind of protectiveness – especially in light of her theory that he needed them all alive. _If he just wanted me stronger to fight for him, he probably would have handed over an Exsphere right there,_ she huffed as her Rheaird settled into the lush grass on the outskirts of the forest. But Regal had reacted the same way, even though she had snapped at him in her frustration and had turned down his offer to talk in favor of trying to wrestle the issue down on her own. _I wouldn't blame him if he didn't try again,_ she frowned as the Rheaird vanished back into her Wing Pack and turned to follow the others into the woods. _If that's what I did… then that's what I deserve,_ Liane thought sullenly, but then pushed the dismal thought away, pulled back into the present by the fact that each step seemed to make breathing more difficult. What had been a light fog with the pleasant scent of a campfire was swiftly turning into a blanket of ash suspended in the air… and the scent grew more putrid with every step. While she could almost tell herself it was her imagination searching for the most pessimistic option, it was all too quiet… only the distant crackle of fire splitting the air as they cautiously started up the tree root path to the town.

"No!"

There was horror that was almost tangible in Colette's tone as she and Lloyd froze where the root emptied into the town square of Ozette.

_Or what used to be the town square…._ Liane could only stare as she stood with the others, the once-green town now a riot of angry flames and charred husks of buildings, timbers – both cut and some simply fallen – blazing where they littered the ground. "The lightning did this?" she muttered, shocked at the very real nightmare before her as she lifted her sleeve to shield herself from the smoke.

Presea took a few small steps forward ahead of the others, but only until her path was blocked by a tangle of fallen branches. "This is… horrible," she murmured, sounding not so different from the girl they had first met in Meltokio as she struggled against the vision before her.

"What happened here?!" Lloyd choked as he reached out to put a hand on Presea's shoulder, pulling her back a step from the fire while his eyes still roamed over the ruined city.

"I've never seen a storm do this much damage… not directly, anyway," Liane shook her head. A morbid thought drew her eyes closer to the dwellings and shops in a search for unfortunate souls caught in the firestorm. It did look familiar, but she refused to voice that – especially to Lloyd and Genis. _It… looks like Iselia after the Desians came to town._ Her heart clenched a little, and she had to remind herself that it was different… that was a world away and in the past. _At least it looks like Ozette's people managed to get out – or…._ Her stomach churned at the alternative, one that could sadly be backed up by the fact that there was no movement… no cries for help. _They… did it hit so fast that they didn't have a chance?_

A sharp gasp sounded from Colette as she rushed up to the burning log, pointing through the crackling flames. "Look!"

"Lloyd!" Genis tugged on the swordsman's sleeve as he spotted what Colette had seen. "Look!"

The party edged closer to the log together to see a form with pale blonde hair lying amongst the flaming debris. The person was too far away to tell if he or she was still breathing, but there was no movement, not even when Colette cupped her hands to her mouth and called out, "Look out!"

A storm of logs fell around the fallen victim, but somehow, none of them directly on the blonde. In the next instant, Lloyd and Zelos were vaulting over the log that had previously held them back. A heartbeat later, Genis, Colette, Presea, and Liane were dodging around the log as well, all of them closing in on what seemed to be Ozette's only remaining citizen. "Genis, can you cast a water spell or something?" she called over her shoulder as her saw Lloyd slide to his knees beside the person on the ground.

"Not one big enough to put this out before even more of the town falls apart," the young mage grumbled as they gathered in a small huddle with Lloyd and Zelos.

Lloyd reached out to turn the prone figure over, revealing a pale-skinned and soot-smudged boy, his delicate features and the subtle point to his ears marking him as bearing elven blood. "What's wrong, are you okay?" Lloyd asked of the boy, but received no response for the effort.

A nearby building suddenly groaned and collapsed in a blast of sparks. "Anything could have happened – he could have hit his head when he fell, he could have been trampled by others," Liane frowned, unable to tell by the flickering light if the boy was even breathing.

"And all this smoke isn't doing him – or us – any favors, either," Zelos grumbled, looking over to the newly-crumbled building, his eyes widening as the roof beams seemed to creep closer as they settled and disintegrated over one another.

Lloyd shifted, moving to put his hands under the boy's shoulders and looking pointedly up to the redhead. "We have to get out of here!"

Zelos nodded, not even bothering with coming up with a snide comment as he turned, crouched, and picked up the boy's ankles, lifting his limp from the ground with Lloyd as Presea dashed ahead to guide them through the maze of flames where the rest of the party waited by the root that descended from the town to her house. Liane and Genis hung back just a bit while Colette paced Zelos and Lloyd, and Liane kept her sword at ready, unsure if her Guardian would afford them any protection if the forest chose to try to stop them, but praying silently that she wouldn't have to find out for sure.

As if those prayers had been answered, the flames seemed to be content to devour the upper level of the city, leaving Presea's home untouched and merely blanketed in a thin fog of smoke. Raine waved Zelos and Lloyd over to a soft rise of grass in front of the house, where the swordsmen deposited their unconscious burden as carefully as they could before they backed off to stand with the others. The Professor removed her canteen of water from her pack and lifted the boy's head with Colette's help, placing the mouth of the container to the boy's lips.

After a few moments and a dribble of water trailing down over smudged cheeks, the boy's eyes lazed open, and he lifted his hands to take the container himself.

Liane breathed out in relief, something she shared with the others as the circle that had tightened around the boy loosened with the sigh. She watched as the blonde boy drained the canteen and let it fall to his side as he breathed out before she took a step back, setting her pack on the ground before she leaned forward, bracing her hands on her knees. "That was way too close," she wheezed quietly. _Any later and he might have been crushed and burned – and we might not have fared much better…._

"What the hell happened here?" Lloyd shook his head and ran his hand back through his hair as he watched Raine help the boy to sit up. His words and his voice both clearly displayed his frustration and worry over the fate that had befallen Ozette.

The boy groaned softly, his head falling forward into the cradle of his hands for a moment. Then, slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. Raine hovered over him as he wobbled and then caught his balance before he looked up to the young swordsman. All at once, a flurry of emotions flickered in his gaze – confusion and fear being the most obvious – and then his eyes darted away as he backed away from the party. "I don't really know," he replied, keeping his eyes to the ground as his voice shook. "Suddenly, lightning fell from the sky, and angels attacked the village."

Raine's eyes widened. "Angels?" she breathed out in disbelief.

"They had wings," the blonde boy shrugged, tilting his head to the Professor with a blink of confusion. "Those with wings are angels… right?"

"Sometimes only in certain definitions of the term," Liane bristled a little. _Colette's an angel… but she could never do anything like that. But Kratos…._ She bit her lip to stop the thought and looked back to the boy. "Just having wings doesn't make you an angel," she told him with a shake of her head. "At least not what most people think of when they think of angels."

"Dammit, it must have been the Cruxis!" Lloyd ground out, slamming his hand against the side of a nearby tree. The anger was so unlike him, but it clearly needed an outlet, as evidenced by the bark chips that fell as his hand moved away.

Presea looked up to Lloyd and then her eyes trailed to the smoldering upper level of the city. "Cruxis… so angels destroyed the village," she murmured, her soft voice almost lost on the warm wind that churned around them with ash.

Regal separated himself from the rest of the group to approach the pink haired girl and lightly place one of his bound hands on her shoulder. "Presea, are you okay?" he asked as she turned her eyes back up to meet his.

"I'm fine," Presea answered hesitantly, looking away from the convict after a moment with a hint of a frown on her lips. "But… this unsettling irritation… is this… anger?"

Liane watched as Regal removed his hand from the girl's shoulder and squared his own. She noticed how he didn't try to answer Presea, just as he had never tried to tell her how to feel. The blue haired man held wisdom that Liane trusted implicitly, and in that, he was a great deal of strength for her. But at that moment, it was Presea that needed that strength… and since it was Presea that had been the reason for Regal's presence as a member of their group in the first place, it only seemed right.

"I'm impressed you survived," Zelos spoke out, drawing attention away from Presea's turmoil as he approached the blonde boy. "Are you the only survivor? What's your name?" he asked the boy, the barrage of questions pushing him back another step as his eyes snapped onto the redheaded Chosen.

"My name is Mithos," the boy stammered meekly, tearing his eyes away from Zelos to gesture off into the trees. "I lived by myself on the outskirts of the village, so…."

Lloyd's stared at the boy in surprise. "You have the same name as Mithos, the hero!" he declared as excitement crept into his voice to replace some of the prior anger, effectively cutting off any more explanation from the boy.

"Wait," Genis spoke up, slowly moving towards Mithos. "Are you a half-elf?"

The blonde boy's eyes flared wide and he retreated another step, shaking his head. "I… I…" he stammered as his shoulder length hair swung over his shoulders in denial. "No."

For a moment, the party hesitated as a whole, all eyes on the nervous victim of the Ozette attack. Then, Raine sighed and gestured between herself and her brother. "You can tell, can't you?" she asked quietly, her voice calm as she sought Mithos' eyes. "We have the same blood flowing in our veins as you do."

Mithos' blue eyes widened and flitted between Raine and Genis in surprise as he slowly shook his head. "You're half-elves, too?" he blurted out his disbelief before his gaze slid over the rest of the party. "But you're with humans!"

A bright smile broke out on Colette's face as she moved to the Professor's side, her hands clasped demurely before her. "It's okay," she reassured him happily. "We're all friends."

If it was possible, Mithos looked even more horrified as he stared at the blonde Chosen. "Humans and half-elves… as friends?" he muttered, anger flashing with the fear in his crystal blue eyes as he took another step back away from them. "You're lying!"

"No, it's true," Genis was quick to shake his head in objection to the boy that looked as if he might run at any instant. "My sister and I are a part of this group."

"Why would we lie?" Liane asked, looking from Genis and back to Mithos. "We've known Raine and Genis for years," she explained, gesturing to Lloyd, Colette, and then to herself. "They're people – just like anyone else. They are our friends. Blood doesn't matter when it comes to that."

Raine finally pushed closer to the frightened boy and bent down to meet his eyes. "Relax," she told him with just a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Y… yeah, but…" Mithos stammered, shaking his head as he kept a wary eye on the humans that had declared – either passively or actively – themselves friends of half-elves.

"Your reaction is understandable," Regal commented with a nod from where he remained beside Presea. When Mithos' eyes jumped in his direction, he drew another breath. "I've heard that the village of Ozette is particularly known for its contempt for half-elves. If you lived an isolated life in this village, you must have suffered."

_Poor kid,_ Liane's thoughts whispered as she watched dismay cloud Mithos' eyes in the wake of Regal's show of sympathy. _They hated Presea more than enough, and she was one of their own. We heard them talk about half-elves, but he actually had to live through their hatred._

"What happened here?"

The gruff words accompanied a shuffling on the dry forest floor behind them. The group spun as a whole to find a familiar dwarf and his green-haired female assistant standing at the edge of the clearing, their eyes drawn upward towards the burning village.

Lloyd straightened, his hands finding their way to the hilts of his blades as his gaze sharpened on the pair. "You're Altessa, right?" he asked, waiting only long enough for the dwarf to look to him before speaking again. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw the lightning of judgment fall towards this village," Altessa responded, his voice low and gravelly as he looked back toward the upper level once again. "But what in the world…."

Presea turned to the small man and tested the head of her ax on the ground before her. "It was the work of Cruxis angels," she told him, relaying the information Mithos had given them.

Altessa's jaw fell open as the pink-haired girl spoke, the fate of the village suddenly, apparently, a secondary concern as he sucked in a quick breath to speak. "Presea! You've regained your true self?!" he stammered, his feet slowly carrying him backwards. "How could they do this?" he mumbled, shaking his head as he turned his eyes skyward. "Is this their punishment for failing the experiment?"

"Experiment…" Liane's voice trailed off as she winced and looked down to Presea. It still seemed cold to refer to what she had endured in such a cold manner… _but is that even what he's talking about?_

"What do you mean, _punishment?_" Sheena insisted, advancing on the dwarf and his assistant, her eyes narrowing on Altessa in particular.

The dwarf shook his head, his eyes clearing slightly. "Nothing," he replied, looking first to Sheena and then back to Presea, his beard swaying with the continuing shake of his head. "It's nothing!" There was panic in his voice as Altessa suddenly spun and darted into the woods, leaving behind the party and their questions that he either couldn't or wouldn't answer.

"Wait!" Lloyd called after the dwarf, launching himself into a sprint to follow him, only to stop cold when Tabatha stepped into his path. Lloyd skidded to a halt in the dirt, staring at the girl as he scrambled to keep his balance.

Tabatha watched Lloyd, measuring him with her wide green eyes without moving and without expression. When it seemed that she was satisfied that Lloyd's pursuit had been stopped, she turned her head, sweeping her blank stare over the group. "THE MASTER BELIEVES THAT IT IS HIS FAULT THAT OZETTE WAS DESTROYED."

The green-haired girl's words hung in the air much like the smoke from the fires of Ozette. After a few stunned moments and no further comment from Tabatha, Colette was the first to find her voice. "Altessa is connected to Ozette?" she asked softly, drawing Tabatha's gaze to her.

"YES." Tabatha nodded once and only once before she offered the party a small, polite bow and turned. "EXCUSE ME. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE MASTER." With a few stiff strides, she then disappeared back into the forest as her master had before her.

Liane glanced over to Colette and then to Lloyd. While nothing was clear, the randomness of the destruction could no longer be questioned. It was something, even if it wasn't much. "He didn't seem surprised to hear about Cruxis or his angels," she observed. "Altessa has to know more. If this could happen at any time to any city, we have to find out what he does know…."

Presea hefted her ax over her shoulder. "I'm… going to follow him," she declared, looking over her companions, hesitating as if she was giving them the chance to join her.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, turning to Presea with a nod before he looked back to the white- and blue-clad boy that they had rescued from the flames. "Mithos, you should come with us."

The blonde half-elf swallowed hard at Lloyd's suggestion and slowly shook his head. "But I'm a half-elf and…."

It was Lloyd's turn to shrug to the boy as he offered him a weak attempt at a reassuring smile. "That doesn't matter," he told Mithos and turned to walk in the direction that Altessa and Tabatha had gone. "Besides, what are you going to do if you stay here and the angels come back?"

The swordsman made an amazingly convincing point that seemed to convince the reluctant half-elf with just a bit of help from Genis. Leaving Presea's house and the ruined village behind, the party set off to the south on a path that seemed seldom used. Liane couldn't help but to gulp down a deep breath of relatively clean air as the blue sky finally replaced the tree canopy overhead. While there was still smoke in the air and it did nothing to lessen the enormity of the destruction behind them, it was still a help. Her eyes trailed after Mithos for part of the trip, noting how he hovered close to Raine and Genis. _They have to be some comfort for him, _she reasoned, trying to remind herself of what he had been through so that the wariness in his eyes wouldn't sting so much when they inevitably swept over her. Lloyd and Presea led the way to Altessa's burrow, with the rest of them forming in a loose procession across the short expanse of open grass outside the forest. But Mithos never stopped observing them – almost as if he was afraid the humans of the party would turn on him at any point. _Trust has to be earned,_ she exhaled, feeling another stab of pity for the boy. She did notice, however, that Mithos' gaze seemed to find Sheena more than the rest of them. Liane was torn over how to think of that, but after observing him for a while, she was sure that she was right. _Maybe it's because he recognizes her as a ninja,_ she reasoned before another thought _almost_ curled her lips into a smile. _Either that, or Zelos is going to be a jealous fool if he notices…._

Such thoughts had no place in the trip to Altessa's though. The fact remained that the dwarf knew something that they, too, needed to know. They still had so very little direction – so precious little solid ground to fight on or towards. If the attack on Ozette had shaken the gruff dwarf, there had to be more to it. That hunch only got stronger when Tabatha and Altessa were both seemingly awaiting the party's arrival on the stoop of the dwarf's burrow. As the party gathered closer, Liane settled against the wooden fence just out of arm's reach of Mithos as the others found places nearby that didn't crowd the dwarf, but still left them close enough to hear what he had to say.

Altessa turned his head from them, his hands drawn up into the sleeves of his robes. "I was a craftsman who worked for Cruxis," he muttered in a low voice, shame tainting every bit of his tone.

"So you're on the side of the angels…" Lloyd breathed out, his gloves tightening on his blades. "Of Yggdrasill!"

The dwarf's head snapped up, eyes normally hidden beneath bushing brows wide. "You know Lord Yggdrasill?!"

"Know him?" Lloyd ground out, fidgeting angrily as he shifted his arms to cross them with contempt over his chest. "Because of _him_, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla were twisted into worlds that fight for each other's mana!"

Liane heard a shifting to her left and glanced over to see that Mithos had his eyes fixed on the ground at his feet. She could tell he wasn't comfortable – that he probably wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment. She almost felt like she should offer him something – reach out to him – but with Lloyd's reaction, she knew that little was probably being done for Mithos' view of humans. She clasped her hands behind her back to make sure she kept them to herself and turned back to Lloyd and Altessa.

The dwarf continued to watch the crimson clad swordsman and then started to turn away, silently accepting the teen's judgment. Then he paused and took a step closer to Colette. "That's a Cruxis Crystal…" Altessa murmured as one of Colette's hands flitted to the base of her throat, but Altessa was already nodding as if given an explanation of some sort. "I see. You must be the Chosen of the declining world," he sighed and wandered back to Tabatha's side. "This may be fate." Altessa shook his head and his stocky figure heaved visibly. "What happened to Ozette was my fault."

"What… do you mean?" Presea asked quietly as she twisted her fingers together before her in an outward show of what had to be her frustration that had been denied any other outlet.

Altessa hesitated, but then turned to face the pink-haired girl, the effort looking as if he was forcing himself to do so. "I came to hate the work I did, for it was indirectly taking people's lives," he spoke in an odd monotone, almost as if the words were being dragged out of him. "I ran from Cruxis and hid myself in Ozette. But I was found by a Desian named Rodyle." The dwarf fell silent for a moment and then he looked away again. "He ordered me to create a Cruxis Crystal in exchange for my life."

Liane bit her lip at the sound of the name she was already tired of hearing as her eyes moved from Colette… to Presea… and then to Regal. "Rodyle used you, too," she huffed with a disgusted shake of her head. "He knew that he had the leverage, so he used you instead of getting his own hands dirty." _The bastard._

Zelos nodded slowly as Liane spoke, leaning his weight onto one hand on the top rail of the fence and looked down to Altessa. "So that means that the research on Presea was organized by Rodyle and the Pope, who then had you and Kate carry it out?

"Right," Altessa agreed with the redheaded Chosen. "Rodyle, while a Desian in service of Cruxis, was also planning to revolt against Cruxis." He hung his head. "Because I supported him in that… Lord Yggdrasill grew angry and he…." He balled his fist, his hand shaking for the gesture. "He destroyed the town of Ozette, which had protected me!"

"So this is how Presea… this girl who reflects my distant memories… this is how she was caught up in this. This is terrible beyond words."

Liane looked up at the quiet words, somehow surprised to see that Regal had taken the place beside her against the fence. While he was closer than Mithos, he still stood away from her, his troubled gaze fixed on Presea. Once again, Liane fought back the urge to reach over to him, knowing that she had to have faith that when – and if – he needed to talk, he would find her. _Until then, anything I do might look like pushing._ It seemed that he was trying to work it out for himself – and that would have to be enough.

However, Regal had not been as quiet as he was before. Altessa turned to look to the convict, and then – slowly – to Presea. "I'm sorry," he murmured, remorse thick in his voice. "I can never apologize enough, but… apologizing is all I can do now."

"My time… will not come back," Presea replied, blinking at the dwarf, but displaying no emotion in her expression as she stared at him. "The people of the village and Daddy will not come back."

It was as if a cold and lonely wind had swept over the carved porch of the dwarf's burrow, the ax girl's words making anything anyone could say meaningless. She was right, and no one could say anything that would change the truth. With a frown etched deeply into his face, Genis moved to the girl's side. "Presea…."

"I'm sorry," Altessa spoke once again, but Presea took only a heartbeat to turn her back on him.

"Don't apologize," Presea rasped, her voice just above a whisper. "Even if you apologize… I can't forgive you right now."

There was such a note of finality in the girl's tone that the ice in her voice wrapped itself out and around her companions, freezing all of them in place except for Altessa, who sighed and turned to walk into his home, closing the door softly behind him.

Tabatha's eyes followed her master into the burrow, but then returned to Presea as soon as the door had shut. "PRESEA… I BELIEVE YOUR LOSS HAS BEEN GREAT," she spoke, her voice somehow gentle even through its monotone. "BUT PLEASE, DO NOT LOSE YOURSELF AS WELL." Without another word, Tabatha turned and entered the house, pausing at the last moment to look back outside and leave it open just a crack before disappearing into the darkness behind the door.

"Presea, no one expects you to forget… or to forgive," Liane spoke up, trying not to cringe when the girl's eyes slid to her. For a moment, she had to decide if she truly felt that she had the right to speak. Presea's very identity had been taken away from her… and her home and father as well. "It's always hard to not look back… and no one can tell you how to feel if you do. It should be your decision on when and if you will ever forgive anyone."

"I… can understand Presea's feelings a little," Mithos offered quietly, kicking the toe of his boot into the ground without looking up. "Some things… never come back," he continued as his hair fell forward over his shoulders to curtain his face. "Even if he apologizes… even if you want to forgive, you can't control those feelings."

Regal stood up from the fence, but he didn't move any further, his own head bowed in a mimic of Mithos' pose as he drew a breath. "Not being forgiven… that may be punishment."

Lloyd shook his head and walked to stand at Presea's side. "I don't think that's right," he offered with only a small waver of unease in his voice as he watched Presea, Mithos, and Regal. "Forgiving or not forgiving isn't a punishment…" he shrugged as his face scrunched a little. "I can't really explain it well, but…."

"Is it really for any one person to forgive?" Liane interjected, picking up Lloyd's thought. "I mean, the list starts getting long if you think of something that would need to be forgiven… the person or people wronged could forgive… the person that committed the wrong would have to forgive him or herself…" she shook her head. "A lot has to come together for something to ever be truly and completely forgiven."

"Ah, well, anyway, let's not get into a philosophical discussion right now," Zelos waved his hand to break up the somber discussion of beliefs. "Presea doesn't need to force herself to forgive him or anything. Let's just think about what we can do now," he shrugged and tossed another handful of red waves over his shoulder.

The Professor nodded in agreement and then gestured towards the door with a slight dip of the head of her rod. "Yes, you're right," she spoke, her eyes fixed on Zelos before they swept out over the others. "As for me, I think we should take this opportunity to ask Altessa all he knows about Cruxis. We currently don't have enough information," she stated and fixed a look pointedly on Lloyd. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Lloyd looked to the still-open door. He hesitated for a few deep breaths before he nodded. "Yeah..." he murmured, not sounding entirely convinced as he turned to the pink-haired ax girl. "Presea, would you rather wait here?"

Presea looked like she only considered his offer for a moment before she shook her head, pigtails swaying over her shoulders. "No… I'll listen as well."

The party moved forward as one, once again under following the leadership of Lloyd and Presea. The swordsman carefully pushed the door open to find Tabatha waiting for them in the dining area of the habitat, her hands clasped before her as she nodded her head towards the dwarf's work area. It was clear that they were only taking advantage of the opportunity the girl had left for them to Liane, but she couldn't help but wonder if Altessa didn't expect their presence as well. Her silent question was answered a moment later as she saw the bearded man turn when he heard their approach, his eyes studying them as they filed into his workroom without surprise.

"Do you have business… with me?" Altessa asked, although without the defensiveness he had shown them during their first visit to his home. Instead of defense, there was a sullen resolve in his voice… and it even showed in his eyes.

Lloyd nodded as he walked to stand before the dwarf. The swordsman looked down to the dwarf and drew a long breath, almost as if he was stalling to choose his words. "Can you tell us about Cruxis?" he asked quietly and almost respectfully… his words sounding every bit the request and not a demand.

Altessa regarded the young man and then his companions before his shoulders heaved a little and he shook his head. "It'll be a long story."

"That's okay," Colette responded as the party crowded into the work area and she moved to stand beside Lloyd.

The dwarf watched as his home filled, but he didn't complain… he didn't protest in any form. He merely waited for the group to find a place to settle and then he drew a breath that heaved his shoulders. "Cruxis is an organization made up almost entirely of half-elves," he spoke, breaking his explanation down to a starting point. "There are a large number of dwarves besides me involved as well."

"So there are other dwarves besides you and my Dad?" Lloyd gasped, as he stared at Altessa, surprise tainting every bit of his expression.

Liane glanced over to her friend and exhaled. "Lloyd, this is another whole world," she shrugged. "Dirk was the only dwarf near Iselia, but there have to be others… it's… just logical…" the dark haired girl murmured, receiving a puzzled look from the swordsman for her effort. She sighed – knowing it might take a few minutes to soak into the teen's world – and looked back to Altessa. "So… it sounds like it's the shunned races that make up Cruxis… but why? Is it just because they've been treated so badly by humans, or…?"

"Their objectives are to begin the Age of Half-elves and the revival of Martel," Altessa answered Liane's question evenly. "For that purpose, they make use of the Church of Martel and try to fuse the Chosen with Martel's consciousness."

Genis took a step closer, shaking his head as his brow furrowed in confusion. "But if that's true, then why do the Desians try to kill the Chosen?" the mage asked, clearly struggling with the dwarf's explanation.

Altessa shifted his stance to face the silver-haired boy. "Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals awaken when stimulated by people's fear and suffering. Also by their combat instincts. That is why the Desians disrupt the declining world. In order to facilitate the angel transformation, they deliberately put the Chosen in danger."

"Survival of the fittest," Liane grumbled under her breath, seeing that Colette was self-consciously twisting her fingers together before her. "Either they awaken a Chosen strong enough to possibly become Martel's vessel, or they kill off a weak one and move to the next one in line." She hated that the logic made such sense… hated that she could understand such a frigid process.

"Rodyle…." Regal spoke from the back of the group, changing the subject and drawing the eyes of his companions as well as those of their host to him. His expression was stony as he waited until Altessa was clearly listening to him. "What is he scheming?"

"The revival of the Mana Cannon," the dwarf responded without hesitation. "He obtained the plans to the Mana Cannon somehow and is constructing it in Sylvarant. He's also the master of his own ranch. It's likely he's using his captives in the construction of the cannon," Altessa continued, moving his hand to rest on the workbench at his side, his fingers clenching helplessly. "Once it's complete, he probably intends to build his own empire."

Presea moved, the metallic grind of her ax on the stone floor a nerve-jarring sound in the otherwise quiet room as she curled her hands tightly around the wooden handle. "How can he make everyone suffer for such a thing?"

_Another ranch…._ It shouldn't have surprised Liane in the least, but perhaps it was simply the combination of that information along with the idea that Rodyle was constructing such a weapon in her homeworld. _Sylvarant is in bad enough shape… now he wants to start an empire there?_

"Say, then is it true that Yggdrasill made the two worlds?" Sheena asked, pushing herself to her feet from where she had been leaning against the wall beside the workbench.

Altessa nodded, albeit hesitantly. "Well, that's how I heard it," he responded. "That he anchored the two worlds, which are never to come in contact, via four mana links, and placed the Great Seed in the center between them to guard it."

"The Great Seed?" Lloyd asked, lifting a hand to scratch his temple. "Where have I heard that before…?"

"It comes up in the stories of the hero, Mithos," Mithos murmured from where he stood on the back wall of the room, his voice quiet as the others looked to him. Raine nodded approvingly as the boy shrugged and drew a breath as if encouraged by the attention his words had earned for him. "That's what people call the soul of Mithos, who died on the Holy Ground of Kharlan after the close of the Ancient War."

Genis looked up to the other half-elven boy from where he sat cross-legged on the floor beside his sister. "Wait a minute. That's true, but…." After a pause that only deepened his frown, the mage turned and crawled back to his feet. "Why does the same legend of Mithos from Sylvarant also exist over here?" he asked no one in particular even though he was watching Mithos. "I've been wondering about this for a while now. There are _two_ Holy Grounds of Kharlan, _two_ Towers of Salvation, and now the legend of Mithos is the same, too?"

Altessa cleared his throat and drummed his stubby fingers thoughtfully on his workbench. "It seems it's possible to travel between the two worlds at their poles," he muttered quietly and then looked around to the others. "I don't know where those poles would be, but perhaps that person we know as Mithos used that to travel between the worlds?"

"That would make as much sense as anything else at this point," Liane spoke up, chewing the edge of her lip as she turned her hand in the air before her. "We've heard of the presence of 'Mithos' in both worlds, the legends are the same… it's not really much of a leap to think that it was the same person – especially not when we're proof that traveling between the worlds is possible, even if we might not have done it in the same way."

"Bipolar… yes… that's it…."

Zelos tilted his head to the silver haired woman's quiet musing, but otherwise made no attempt to move from his seat against the wall. "Professor? What is it?"

Raine's eyes snapped into focus, a small flash of excitement in their blue depths. "This is my theory," her words came in a rush of breath as she tapped her rod on the floor. "Perhaps the Ancient War was in fact a war between Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, and the hero Mithos arranged the truce that ended the war."

Silence answered the Professor's claim for a few moments before Lloyd finally nodded. "And so that would be why the legend of Mithos exists in both worlds," he spoke even though a frown still creased his expression.

"Yes," Raine smiled hesitantly, one eyebrow arched at the young swordsman. "And if we assume that one of the two poles is the Holy Ground of Kharlan, then we can understand the meaning of the existence of two Holy Grounds. That's the door between the two worlds."

"Yes, that makes sense," the blue haired convict agreed, giving the Professor a nod. "I've heard many ideas regarding the bipolar structure of the worlds, but yours words from a logical standpoint," he continued with a note of appreciation in his voice.

The Professor's eyes widened in interest. "What other ideas have there been?"

Regal shrugged casually. "There is a legend passed down in Altamira about something called the Otherworldly Gate," he replied. "Some say that that is a pole."

"The Otherworldly Gate…" Raine murmured softly, her eyes glazing and losing a bit of focus as Colette took a step closer to Altessa.

"So what is the Great Seed?" the blonde Chosen asked, her curiosity pushing past the theories on the nature of the worlds.

Altessa shook his head to the girl and turned to lean his weight against the workbench. "I don't know that, either. But Lord Yggdrasill said that it was more important than his life."

"It makes sense," Liane frowned, shaking her head. "All the power that it would take to bind two entire worlds together, linking them to protect the Great Seed… that's a lot of trouble to go to in order to protect something that wasn't absolutely precious," she spoke. It was hard to choose her words – just the scale of what was starting to make sense to her making it difficult to keep such thoughts in order.

Lloyd groaned and clamped his hands around his head. "I can't wrap my head around all of this stuff at once…."

"You all must be tired by now," Altessa breathed out, the dwarf's shoulders sagging slightly. "Why don't you rest here for the night?" he asked and turned to the blonde half-elf, eyeing him for a moment before he nodded as if he had made a silent decision. "Mithos… right? If you don't have anywhere else to go, you should stay here at my place for a while."

Mithos' think form snapped tensely as the dwarf spoke to him. "Are you sure that's okay?" he shook his head uncertainly. "I'm a half-elf."

Altessa shrugged in response and gestured towards the green-haired girl that stood on the side of the room. "The only ones living here are Tabatha, who I made, and me, a dwarf."

A stunned moment of silence fell over the room as the eyes of Altessa's guests all fell on Tabatha.

'You _made_ Tabatha?" Colette breathed out in confusion, looking between the dwarf and the oblivious expression on the green-haired assistant.

"Yes," Altessa nodded, walking away from the workbench to approach the girl in question. "Tabatha is an automated doll," he shrugged and glanced over his shoulder to Mithos. "So having a half-elf here isn't a problem at all."

Even as Altessa was speaking, Colette continued to edge closer to Tabatha, her head tilted in unrestrained curiosity and her eyes wide as she inspected the unfazed green-haired girl from head to toe. "Tabatha is a… doll?"

It would have been easier to find Colette's response amusing if Liane hadn't shared at least some of her surprise. _She speaks strangely… but the way she interacts with others…._ It was baffling, especially with how Tabatha had already taken on the role of their advocate multiple times – most of them even going so far as to go against the wishes of her apparent creator… _that's amazing._ Liane couldn't help but glance to Raine, and found herself almost relieved – for Tabatha's sake – that the Professor still lurked at the back of the room, still quietly preoccupied with the information they had asked for and been given.

"Okay," Mithos finally nodded, still not sounding quite convinced, but putting some effort into mustering a smile for Altessa.

"We'll stay here for the night, too," Lloyd announced with a smile that faded a little as he looked over to their pink-haired companion. "Is that okay with you, Presea?"

Presea waved the swordsman's concern away. "Please don't worry about me," she answered, even though neither her voice nor her expression betrayed any true reaction to his question.

Tabatha turned on her heel to face the kitchen, pausing to nod once to Altessa. "THEN I SHALL PREPARE DINNER," she stated, waiting only long enough to receive a return nod from the dwarf before she walked towards the stove.

Mithos looked around the remaining group and nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Then tonight, Genis and Raine will be here, too, right?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah!" Genis grinned and nodded to the other boy with a happy laugh as he reached out to grab Mithos' wrist and tug him towards the door. "Let's play together! You're the first half-elf friend I've had!"

Mithos froze in place, gaping at the other boy and stopping them both with his refusal to move. "You'll… be my friend?" he asked, staring blankly at the young mage.

Genis blinked and then threw his head back with a happy laugh as he tightened his grip on the other boy's wrist and continued to pull him towards the door. "Of course!"

As Mithos murmured his stunned gratitude and followed Genis out the door, the party slowly started to scatter. For the moment, Liane decided that it might be all right to not have an immediate plan or a destination for the next day. It would take some time to digest what they had learned… _but until we do, a night to relax would be a good thing, wouldn't it?_ She watched Lloyd and Colette bolt out the door after Mithos and Genis, and Raine seemed entranced by a nearby bookshelf as Altessa retreated to the far corner of his work area. By the time Liane realized that Zelos and Sheena were missing as well, another thought occurred to her that set her looking for Regal: _This would be a good time to apologize…._ But when she turned around to where the blue haired man had been standing, she found that Regal and Presea had both found jobs with Tabatha in the kitchen. The convict had busied himself stirring a large soup pot on the stove and the ax girl was making her way around the large table at the center of the room with a stack of plates.

_Oh well…._

Liane sighed and walked to place her pack along the wall with the others and started outside herself. The apology could wait – Regal seemed to enjoy cooking even in their camps… if he had already started to help Tabatha in a real kitchen, she wouldn't disrupt that.

The evening air was beginning to cool outside the burrow, but not enough to be truly cold, as the sun had only just set behind the mountains that surrounded the valley. Mithos, Genis, Lloyd, and Colette were out in the grassy clearing before the entry to Altessa's home, passing Genis' kendama between one another. Zelos sat cross-legged in the grass near where they were playing with his whetstone and his blade, and Sheena sat by herself on the chiseled rock that served as Altessa's porch, her legs dangling over the ledge as she watched her younger companions play.

It wasn't much of a decision for Liane to make her way over to sit at Sheena's side, a small smile on her lips as she gripped her hands on the edge of the ledge. "You know, now might not be such a bad time to talk to him," she murmured with what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug, not even looking over to her friend.

"Yeah, but it might dredge up some pretty bad memories for the poor kid," Sheena sighed, keeping her eyes on the antics of the others. "And he really looks like he's having fun with Genis, at least. He's still holding back around Lloyd and Colette, though. Maybe he'll warm up some more."

Liane raised an eyebrow to the ninja and huffed. "I wasn't talking about Mithos, I was talking about Zelos," she stated, deciding to take away Sheena's chance to whittle through the roster of males in their group. "He's right there – sitting alone, even. It might be a good time for the two of you to talk without making it a show for everyone else."

Sheena snorted in response. "What would we talk about? What a pig he is?" She shook her head and chuckled humorlessly. "It would be a short conversation considering that I know he is and he revels in the fact himself."

"Sheena…" Liane groaned, her head rolling back on her shoulders. "Did it never occur to you that he does things to get you to react to him? You honestly haven't seen the way he watches you?" She shrugged and turned to look to the summoner. "I've seen the way you watch him, too. Come on… maybe if you just talked to –"

The summoner heaved a labored sigh and turned to face Liane, the weary look in her eyes more than enough to silence the swordswoman. "Look, I've known Zelos Wilder a long time. And the one thing he loves is being a chauvinistic pig. He loves being the center of attention – however he can get there." She sighed again, but the huff lost a measure of anger as she looked back to where the man in question still sat working the edge of his blade and laughing at how Colette was taking her turn with Genis' kendama. "Being noticed isn't something that a ninja wants… and certainly not how he gets attention." Sheena set her jaw and shook her head once more. "Things are… how they're supposed to be."

Liane sat in silence, absorbing her friend's response. While it was always possible that she could be wrong, it still seemed to her that Zelos made himself far too obvious and that Sheena was far too annoyed at those same times. _They're either both too stubborn or I'm really really wrong, _she frowned and turned her head to watch Raine emerge from Altessa's home, a book of maps spread wide across her arms as she strolled out into the yard. "Sheena… if we all gave up and told ourselves that things were as they were supposed to be, then none of us would be where we are right now." She couldn't find where the statement would sound too hypocritical coming from her – even if she had thoughts of leaving the fight to the stronger, there was always the knowledge that things just weren't _right_.

"Uh oh. It's going to hit the Professor again!"

Lloyd's declaration distracted both women for a moment, drawing their attention to the ball of Genis' kendama that was flailing out at the end of its line, leaving Colette to look horrified as she held the weapon out away from herself. "They really need to give up and just let Genis have his kendama," Sheena groaned, reluctantly turning her eyes away to look back over to Liane. "But comparing the righting of the worlds to Zelos and me ever getting along really isn't fair –"

"What?! The kendama just changed directions!"

Once again, the ninja and the swordswoman looked up, curious as to the surprise in Genis' voice. Genis, Colette, Lloyd, and Mithos all stood frozen, staring at the changing path of the kendama's ball.

"Right towards Zelos'…" Lloyd choked out in amazement.

"…head…!" Colette finished for the crimson-clad teen, cringing as a hollow sound filled the air as the ball connected.

The younger group's panicked cries were more distraction than the ninja could stand. Her mouth had frozen open over the words that had evaporated before they could find voice as she and Liane both stared at the wavering kendama ball as it veered away from the Professor – who was blissfully absorbed into her book – and directly towards the redheaded swordsman. Zelos simply couldn't scramble to his feet in time to avoid the ball connecting with the back of his head.

"Owww! Why are kendamas raining on me?!" Zelos complained, shaking his hands in the air in a grand show of dismay.

"Ouch…" Sheena winced and shook her head in something that appeared to be pity. "Almost makes you think he deserved it, huh?"

Liane frowned, but not just at Sheena's words. From the way Zelos had cried out, the hit had to have hurt – the ball looked as if it had picked up speed as it shot away from Raine. But there was a note of what sounded like sad resolve in Sheena's voice as well – as if fate had somehow lent strength to her claim by the act. Yet before any of that could come together and find words, her eyes were drawn back to the small group gathered around the errant kendama… and the relieved smile on Mithos' face as Raine wandered past, apparently unaware of the danger that had so narrowly avoided her. _That's the first time I've seen him smile…._

The swordswoman blinked, and in that instant, the world lurched around her.

_... isn't it?_

_The sun was bright as it filled the Palmacostan square, light and warmth reflecting from the elegant stone buildings that towered around her. It was far too beautiful a morning to be locked away in the inn room that they had only barely been able to afford. The small bundle she kept close to her chest seemed to agree with her decision in occasional happy gurgles._

"_Daddy will be back soon," she crooned softly, reaching down to lift the edge of the blanket to keep the baby's face shadowed from the bright light. "He had to go get supplies so we can leave in the morning –"_

"_You're leaving already? But didn't you just get here?"_

_She jumped at the sound of the voice beside her, a voice that should have been disembodied, considering that she hadn't heard or seen anyone take the seat beside her on the bench. But a pair of mirth-filled blue eyes were quick to convince her that the voice was anything but a phantom. "Excuse me?" she inquired as politely as she could at the same time that she was trying to recover her wits._

"_You said you were leaving," her companion answered with a shrug as he sat back, but continued to watch her. "But you just got here… so I wanted to know why," the blonde boy explained as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Don't you like Palmacosta?"_

_Feeling her smile falter, she tensed, hugging the child closer to her. _He probably just saw us check in, _she reasoned, finding that it made sense – Palmacosta was teeming with children – and children were known for their curiosity. "No, it's nothing like that," she laughed, shaking her head with more amusement than she felt. "My husband is a mercenary and we have to move on to another job," she explained, deciding the boy was probably old enough to understand._

_The boy's face scrunched in distaste, his delicate features turning to a frown in a blink. "Mercenaries… they sell their loyalty," the boy grumbled crossly. But then, his smile returned as if it had never been gone. "Some people think of them as traitors, but there are all kinds of them in Palmacosta."_

"_Oh," she murmured, somehow finding an uneasy smile for the boy. There had been a time that she had been able to see good in anyone, but facing the boy with the almost angelically-innocent expression beside her was suddenly making her fight the urge to get up and run. _He's a boy, that's silly_, she chided herself and forced a deep breath into her lungs. _Children repeat what they hear – and in a port city like this, he has to hear a lot._ "Well, he's a fighter, and there are really no wars of anything right now, so it's how we make gald to live on."_

_The boy's eyes flashed once again, a kind of cold fire filling the blue. "There's always a war somewhere," he muttered sullenly. "Anyone that truly believes otherwise is just blind."_

_Her eyes widened at the bitter note in the boy's tone. The blonde boy was mercurial – cheerful one moment and bitter to the point of scaring her in the next. "Well, I should get back," she chuckled nervously and shifted herself on the bench to stand, tucking her infant's blanket a little bit tighter around him. She had no idea what to say to the boy – how he would react or how she would react to him. It was safer to go. But before she could stand, the hand of the white and blue clad boy fell lightly on her forearm to stop her._

"_Wait?" the boy asked with a hint of pleading as she froze, caught once again in his wide and placid blue eyes. He quickly moved from the bench to stand before her with a warm smile as he reached out to tug on the blanket in her arms. "I want to see the baby. Please?"_

_For some reason, she couldn't respond, but that didn't stop the boy from peeling back the blanket to peer at the baby within. The friendly eagerness was back, but she already didn't trust it. She could only watch as the blonde boy tilted his head, his hair brushing over his shoulders as he observed her son._

"_He's going to be strong," the boy breathed out, a laugh lacing through the words as a tiny hand shot out from the blanket to wrap around the boy's closest finger. Then he looked up, meeting her eyes with a decidedly knowing gaze. "He resonates with the power of your crystal."_

_Her jaw dropped as she was suddenly on her feet, jerking her child away from the boy's grasp. "H-How…?" she stammered, taking a step back. Her crystal was always covered by clothing – sometimes by many layers. _How??

_The boy shrugged and laughed softly – almost innocently, had the amusement reached his eyes. "I'm a half-elf," he mentioned casually. "I can feel it." He took a small step closer, clasping his hands behind his back as he continued to watch her. "And I'm not the only one that can… it's not something you can hide from us…."_

_She couldn't take his words as anything but a threat. Her instincts had her diving through the crowd in the square before she realized it. _They know… they found us…_ her thoughts screamed at her as she grasped her softly babbling son to her chest and ran towards the market. A quick glance over her shoulder suggested that she wasn't being followed, but it did nothing to calm her. _Kratos… they found us!!

"Liane? Come on, dinner's ready…."

There was a sigh in Sheena's voice that Liane only barely noticed as she dropped back into the life she recognized. She gasped as the rush of panic receded but left her heart pounding, and protective instincts all but alien to her screamed as she realized that her arms were empty.

_A… baby??_

She blinked, trying to steady her thoughts. Another vision… one both sweet and terrifying… and one that felt like something she should have known for a while. _I… she… had a baby… a boy…. _It felt like it should have been a wild leap, but that would have only been if she could convince herself that it was all just her imagination. _A son… a husband._ Her mind reeled. It was all getting harder and harder to push away as coincidence. While it wasn't unthinkable that Kratos could have a wife and a child somewhere, it still seemed improbable with what he was doing and how he was going about it. _He did say that there was someone… a friend… his soulmate. But he lost her, _she reasoned. _But where is she? Is she still alive? Is she some sort of a telepath or something?_ Liane's logic was starting to unravel with the avalanche of possibilities. _And why me? And – _

Suddenly, a pair of brown eyes filled her vision, shocking her from the spiral of unanswered questions.

"Liane?"

"Huh?" the brown haired swordswoman responded, realizing how she had been drawn back into once again.

"I said dinner's ready," Sheena repeated again, gesturing toward the door. "Look, I'm sorry if your plan to play matchmaker didn't work out and all, but Lloyd's already in there… so if you want anything to eat, you really might want to stop spacing and get in there?" the ninja shrugged and straightened herself, turning to go with the others that were slowly filing into the burrow.

Sheena didn't sound particularly mad, but she made Liane realize that no one was going to appear with all the answers any time soon for her, no matter how the questions gathered and threatened to take over her thoughts. With a deep exhale, Liane pushed herself back to her feet, straightening her tunic and her sword belt as she started to follow along with the others, only to hesitate at a happy peal of laughter as Genis and Mithos rushed past, beating her to the door as they raced each other.

For just an instant – a blink of time barely measurable – she met the eyes of the boy that they had rescued from the flames of Ozette.

The boy wore a genuinely happy smile as he ran along with his new friend, but even that happiness sent a jarring shiver down her spine and deep into her soul. _It was him…._

All at once, the realization was proof that it was her imagination taking over and casting her acquaintances in her fantasies… and it was tangible proof of how real the visions were to her. She couldn't help that she hesitated until she realized that Genis was holding the door for her. Her heart was pounding – much as it had in her vision when she had fled the boy's presence.

"… _it's not something you can hide from us…."_

It was an effort to force her feet to carry her into the burrow and to the table where an empty seat remained beside Lloyd. The food smelled wonderful, and the atmosphere was warm, considering all that had happened that day, but Liane still struggled to right her thoughts. _It could have meant anything… he did make an issue of pointing out that he was a half-elf, _her mind murmured as she went through the motions of eating the bowl of stew before her. But even with the idle chatter around the table, she couldn't force herself to let it go of such logic. _He seemed so ashamed to admit it here – with us and with Altessa – but… in the square in Palmacosta… he was… proud of it?_

It was one more twist that she couldn't force to fit with reality as she knew it. It didn't make being near the boy any easier, either. Liane felt a flash of guilt for thinking of the boy in such a way, but even the guilt wasn't enough to wash away the fear she had felt in the vision.

_He said 'crystal,' too. An Exsphere… or something else._ She frowned. _That was the same as the other dreams, too._

Too much made sense… too much felt like it should fit together and form a clear picture. But as much as half-formed ideas of finding the woman that seemed to be showing her life to Liane through such dreams and visions almost seemed like the only option that might show the answer to 'why,' she knew how impractical that was, too. _Gee, Kratos… do you have a wife and a son?_ Liane almost laughed, the effort of holding it back suddenly making her realize that she had somehow finished her dinner, and so had the others. _If he ever even talks to me again – if I even want him to – somehow, I don't think that's how I should open…._

"Hey, Liane!" Lloyd suddenly turned and nudged her with his shoulder, offering her a wide smile when she turned to him with a blink of curiosity. "There's still some light outside… do you want me to try to teach you how to do 'Beast' before it gets too late?" the teen offered with a shrug. "I did offer, you know… and that way you can practice using it the next time we have to fight!"

Liane laughed a little at his enthusiasm, trying not to think of how it was practically a given that there would be another fight… and probably yet another one after that. She glanced around the table, noting that Regal and Raine were chatting quietly at the other end of the table, effectively convincing her that she probably wouldn't get an immediate chance to talk to him anyway. And even as her eyes avoided looking at Mithos, she decided that training was probably the one thing at the moment that might clear her mind and give her some perspective. "Yeah, Demon Fang and Sonic Thrust are getting to be a little easy… why not?" she smirked and picked up her plate to follow her friend to the sink.

It would be just enough distraction and require enough focus that she knew she could step outside of everything else for a while. _After all, how can the grip of a sword not be more real than dreams that can't ever step into the light of day? If I learn to fight better… maybe… one day, I'll get the chance to understand them….

* * *

_

The mana blast was ill-formed and barely controlled… but it was there… and it could definitely do damage.

For some reason, that pleased him.

_When did I lower my standards to think that a half-baked attack that was lacking in technique and bursting with unrestrained power was acceptable?_

Kratos groaned from where he lurked in the darkening shadows of the trees that lined the river near Altessa's… the same river that ringed Mizuho's so-called 'Isle of Decision.' It was an aptly named site, considering that the angel still hadn't decided what to do with how the situation was evolving… and eroding. He would have had to have been robbed of all of his senses – physical and otherwise – to not recognize the newest of Lloyd's companions. While he knew Yggdrasill's madness was only the summation explanation, it was the intricacies of the plan that he couldn't quite grasp: he had the power to destroy the party in a heartbeat, and now that he had the group's pity – and most likely, their misguided friendship – it would be easier than anything else.

Yet, there he was… as young as Kratos remembered the boy being when he had first met him… out playing with the younger members of the party and playing on their sympathies. 'Mithos' walked amongst the living once again. It was a dangerous situation that could explode and ignite just as the village of Ozette had at any given moment.

_I can't do anything about it. _Kratos frowned. _If I approach the party, he'll be certain of my betrayal… and any advantage I had will be gone. And even if I did approach them… and they turned on him… they're all too weak to be able to defend against his power._

The angel was getting oddly accustomed to a feeling of helplessness… but he was also finding that having faith in the party was starting to become a necessity rather than a simple leap of faith. He had to be able to trust them just to stay alive, no matter how the odds against them were multiplying.

He squeezed his hand tight around the hilt of his sword, mahogany eyes narrowing as he watched another blast of mana sweep away from Liane's blade, this time almost resembling a fluffy cloud on a clear day. Kratos saw the girl wobble and knew she was approaching the end of her mana supply, even though she waved off Lloyd's steadying hand and asked him to let her try once more. She was slowly building her reserves… through stubbornness if nothing else, but she was still stronger than she had been when he had been a welcomed member of their team. Liane Dale was still behind the others with the mana at her disposal – not to mention what she could do with it – but she was getting stronger.

_Which is impressive in itself. _Kratos had to admit that the realization surprised him. Between what he suspected and what the Fortune Teller had told him what felt like forever ago in Triet, he knew that the girl's mana had enough to deal with in even keeping her alive, much less in fueling techniques and spells. Yet, there she was – with Lloyd under the darkening skies – learning another attack that might be one that would keep her or any of her companions alive through one more battle.

In some way, it was almost a relief to not understand how fate had wrapped itself around her. After so long of growing almost bored with the knowledge that there was so little he didn't understand about the nature of the world and the life on it, it was refreshing to be surprised.

_Even if it is frustrating beyond all belief._

He knew what she was seeing. And Kratos was certain that even his carefully guarded and shielded heart had crumbled just a little at the words the young woman had spoken in Flanoir. That she would even consider that he would find an Exsphere for her still told him that she didn't understand yet, but it was her words – fueled by anger – that demanded to know why she dreamed that she loved him made it so very hard for him to deny what was all but certain to him.

Kratos hadn't known how to respond to her words. Without elaboration, he couldn't chance leading her to something that she perhaps wasn't supposed to know, see, or feel. It was for the best to push her away… to renew his campaign to earn her hatred, and perhaps ask for her forgiveness later.

_It's not fair to her. To be shackled to the past… to a fate that might not have ever been meant for her._

The angel was certain of his wife's presence, though it was mingled inextricably with that of another… a new life formed from the ruins of two others. What happened to cause it, he couldn't say. Yet Kratos knew that it was that same enigma that demanded that Liane be able to interpret her own visions… that no one could tell her how to feel about them nor what to do with them.

When he looked up again, the unanswerable thoughts evaporated from his mind when he realized that there was only one being in the darkened clearing before the dwarf's burrow… one form silhouetted by the calm burn of the lantern beside the door… one form that bore one sword…

… one form that was slowly coming closer.

It was a consideration to reach to his shoulder to touch the gem that would whisk him away. But he knew that the telltale flash of energy would answer her curiosity and possibly even alert Mithos to his presence, if he didn't know already. Instead, he remained still, watching as Liane slowly approached, much as she had into the square in Flanoir.

"Why is it every time I see a patch of shadows, I think I'll see you step out of them?"

The question rang with quiet uncertainty, and Kratos did not move to answer. He could still hear resent in her tone and her choice of words, yet the fact that she even spoke told her that he was the reason she was there.

"I don't want the Exsphere anymore," she continued, walking past the tree he stood against without hesitating and approaching the bank of the river, kneeling to splash water on her face. "Regal was angry with me for asking. I should be angry with me for asking. But I'm learning more… maybe more than I realize. I have another spell since we last fought. And I'll get better with Beast. Lloyd will help me. My friends will help me." The brown haired young woman paused and turned her eyes skyward as she unbraided her hair. "And if you decide to fight us again, I won't hesitate."

Kratos' gaze narrowed on her as she combed her fingers back through her hair that just barely fell past her shoulders. He could hear a waver in her voice, but they were the words he wanted to hear her speak. She, along with the others, would have to have the strength to hold to that vow no matter what the future brought, and no matter who their foe might be.

Liane stood once again and straightened her dark-colored tunic, tucking her hair back into a quick ponytail as her shoulders heaved with a small sigh. "I asked you for help twice last night. One might not have been the best of ideas. But the other… you didn't even try to help me. You could have laughed or listened… or…." Her voice faltered again. "But you turned your back on me. I won't forget that, either. I have friends that will help me. If nothing else… you just made that even clearer to me."

Her voice was still quiet… not much more than a whisper, really. It made Kratos wonder if she was simply rehearsing her words for if they ever met face to face again. But that question was answered with a quick snap of her head as she fixed him directly with her gaze. There was none of the pleading in her eyes that had been present the night before… it had been replaced with a cold burn of hurt. "Give me some credit," she hissed with a sullen shake of her head. "You can't hide in the shadows nearly as well with that uniform on. I know you won't let us go without supervision for too long. Can't have your prize lab rats running amuck without you, can you now?"

The angel tilted his head to her, but otherwise didn't move. "I saw what happened to Ozette. I knew that your group couldn't be far," he commented, skirting by her accusations. "So did you want to fight now? Your Beast is sloppy, but if you have a new spell, that could be interesting…" he commented and made a show of loosening his sword from its scabbard.

"I said if you decide to fight us again," Liane shrugged, squaring her shoulders to him and slowly drawing her own sword. "If you're here to test me…."

Kratos took a step to close the distance between them, never taking his eyes from hers even as he reached out to place his hand over hers and push her Silver Sword back into its sheath. "It's late. And you still need practice before you can finish me off," he rasped, allowing just a hint of amusement into his voice to make sure he annoyed her. He knew that she was off-balance even though she had apparently sought him once again, he could hear it in the shallow breaths that rattled with her pulse. But more importantly, he knew that she didn't want to fight. She wanted answers as badly as he wanted to finally set things straight and finish what he had started far too late in his life.

Her eyes flared as she snapped her hand out from under his, but she stood her ground and stared back up into his gaze. "I will never understand you, Kratos. As a matter of fact, with every day, I think I'm more convinced that I don't want to."

For just a moment, he considered taking a step away from her and leaving her once again, much as he had the night before. Instead, his hand moved before he had even decided on the act and he lightly gripped her chin to make sure her eyes stayed locked with his. "I could give you the answers you want. But I think, if I did, you would resent me for not letting you find them for yourself." It was more honesty than he had intended to give her, and he waited only a moment longer before he took a step back, letting his hands fall to his sides as she stared at him. "Go. But if you heard my warning for Lloyd outside Flanoir, I suggest you heed it as well… and encourage the others to do so, also."

Liane remained where she stood, watching him as her eyes lost their edge of contempt. "Kratos. I don't think there's anything I need you to answer for me. Last night was enough of an answer to convince me that I'll just find my own…." She frowned at him for a moment longer by the faint light that filtered down through the trees and then she turned, pointedly turning her eyes away first. "Good night, Kratos. Don't get too cold lurking in the shadows when you could have been with us…."

Kratos watched her walk away, letting her go without another word. He crossed his arms over his chest as she once again became a silhouette that shrunk away from him and then disappeared into the burrow where it seemed that they were all staying for the night. _That's the right response, Liane…_ his thoughts replied as his expression remained flat. He knew better than to think she would tell the others that she saw him. He had been careful. Mithos shouldn't have sensed his presence… so he could continue with his plans, at least for the moment.

_Yggdrasill has to have a reason for keeping them all alive. _He turned away, setting his jaw and walking down the bank toward the ocean, looking to put space between the burrow and its inhabitants and himself. _I just have to hope that I've made them wary enough that they won't hesitate to fight if he gives them the reason.

* * *

_

A/N: Once again, thanks to Yama for all of the help and to Aio for her idea - I hope you're both pleased with the outcome! Thanks to all of you for reading!


	27. Chapter 28 Part One

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: After staying the night at Altessa's, the party discovers lost bits of their own pasts in unexpected places and then finds themselves trapped in the declining world. It's a homecoming to some of the party even while more of the nature of their homeworlds as well as their enemy is revealed to the party.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 28 (Part One of Two):

"The Professor's gone!"

All it took was three words and the way Colette spoke them to banish what had been a relatively peaceful night's sleep for Liane. The swordswoman sat up from the nest of blankets in the corner of the large room that they had all shared for the night, her mind working over the meaning of the blonde girl's words while she went through the motions of getting up to avoid being dragged out of the room as Lloyd was. _Raine's… gone?_

Liane stood and reached to take her swordbelt from where it hung on a nearby chair, stepping into her soft leather boots as she trudged along behind Lloyd and Colette with a yawn. When she had come in the night before, everyone had still been awake, but from what Liane remembered, the silver-haired woman had been the last one to retire to the bunkroom of Altessa's home, still hunched over her book of maps as her companions disappeared one by one to their beds. _She just left?_

They stepped out onto the carved stone porch where the others had gathered with Tabatha, and Liane had to wince at the bright sunlight that reflected from the stone ridge above the burrow's entrance. Twisting her hair into an improvised bun, Liane tied her unruly waves back just as Lloyd finally found his voice and planted his feet, effectively pulling his hand from Colette's

"_What_ are you talking about?" the swordsman grimaced and shook his head, still sounding half-asleep and completely confused.

Genis frowned and approached Lloyd, holding a piece of paper out to him. "It seems Raine left a note saying she had something she wanted to investigate and then left," the boy huffed, shaking his head and twisting his hands into the hem of his shirt.

"Sounds like Raine," Liane sighed, looking over Lloyd's shoulder to the note. "She was pretty preoccupied with the map book… maybe she just couldn't sleep. But she still shouldn't have gone by herself, whether she left a note or not." She looked up and caught Colette's worried gaze, realizing at that moment that she didn't need to say any more. _A half-elven woman traveling by herself – especially as distracted as she gets where 'research' or 'investigation' are concerned – makes me really nervous…._

Tabatha approached Lloyd, her wide eyes sweeping over the note and then up to Liane. "SHORTLY BEFORE DAWN, I SAW A RHEAIRD HEADED SOUTH," she stated in monotone and then turned her head down to Genis. "PERHAPS THAT WAS RAINE."

"South," Regal muttered thoughtfully from where he stood beside Presea. "So, in the direction of Altamira."

"Now that you mention it, Her Highness was acting just a bit strange yesterday." Zelos nodded, tapping his chin in contemplation before his eyes cleared and flashed around the party. "She was going on and on about the Otherworldly Gate."

Liane stood back to look at the redheaded Chosen, her frown deepening. "So… that's what she was doing with the book of maps? Is that even something _on_ a map?" It had all sounded theoretical to her when she had heard the Gate brought up, only Regal's mention of it being a legend in Altamira giving it any claim to a location. "She must have been studying landmarks to get to Altamira, then?"

Presea looked up to Lloyd, twisting the handle of her ax in her hands. "What should we do, Lloyd?" the girl asked, her words betraying more worry than their tone.

"I'm worried about her being by herself…" Genis sighed and hung his head, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

One quick step took Lloyd to stand before his friend, and dropping his hand onto the younger boy's shoulder allowed the swordsman to offer Genis a smile. "Let's go find her," Lloyd nodded when the mage looked up. "It's not good for us to be separated right now."

"Ah… um… will you take me with you?"

The quiet voice seemed to come from nowhere, but when Liane looked up, the identity of the speaker snapped back into her mind, along with memories of the unwanted vision that had apparently left her content to not even consider Mithos' presence with them on Altessa's porch. The boy looked meek and as worried as any of them, but her mind was quick to see a boy in a city a world away that seemed all too gleeful to remind her that she could only run so far. Whether it was logical or not… and no matter how earnest the boy seemed to be in his request, she had to force herself to draw a breath to keep from blurting out something she couldn't substantiate with anything more than dreams.

"What are you talking about?" Genis turned to the blonde boy, shaking his head. "It's dangerous."

Mithos' eyes widened at the other boy's admonishment. He ducked his head sheepishly and shrugged, his lips moving to craft his response before words actually formed. "I know that," he finally replied as he lifted his eyes to the young mage, "but I'm worried about her. There are monsters all over Tethe'alla right now. This is the first time I've met another half-elf besides me, so…." The boy sighed dejectedly. "I want her to be okay."

Genis started to speak and then stopped with a huff as he looked up to Lloyd. Liane could tell that Genis was torn between keeping his new friend close and keeping him safe in the search for Raine. She understood every bit of that – but what she didn't understand were her own feelings toward Mithos. He seemed sincere in his concern for the Professor, but in her mind's eye, she could still see how sincere he had been to ensure that she knew that she wasn't safe anywhere in her dream. After a small exhale, Liane set her jaw. _This is stupid… no matter how real things seem to be in the dreams, none of it can be proven._ It was easier to think than to believe, but when Lloyd looked over to her, she realized that she did still have a duty to Raine as well as to her friends. "If something goes wrong, there are enough of us to keep him safe," she shrugged, trying not to groan. _It's not as if we're going to fight a Summon Spirit._ But even that didn't truly ease her mind.

Lloyd nodded in agreement to Liane's counsel and sighed as he turned back to Mithos. "All right, come on," he waved off what seemed to be his apprehension as the half-elf responded with a wide smile.

"Thank you, Lloyd!" Mithos bounced on the balls of his feet with excitement where he stood beside Genis.

"Don't worry about it," Lloyd chuckled, shaking his head. "Any friend of Genis is a friend of mine."

The blonde half-elf blinked in what looked to be surprise and then spun back to Genis with a happy laugh that was Liane's signal to go gather her pack. While the others followed suit and filed into the burrow after her, her thoughts were still tied with a knot of guilt. She had listened to the most logical of her thoughts and used them to encourage her friends, but it still didn't _feel _right. But she still shoved away the growing feeling in her gut as she quickly packed her belongings and readied herself to set off after Raine.

_No, that's wrong._

She had to pause as she swung her pack over her shoulder. The thought felt similar to finally thinking of a witty comeback to an argument days past and lost, but the effect was the same. _None of the dreams have been proven yet… except that Kratos was an angel. I knew that. I had no reason to make that up._ It was too little and too late to grasp on to that and change her mind on Mithos going with them, but it was more than enough to make her groan, knowing that she was now facing another long, quiet Rheaird trip with nothing but the sound of the wind and her doubts to occupy her mind.

_Perfect. Serves me right for trying to channel Raine. Logic is her friend, but it's never been mine._

Other than Altessa stopping the party before they could leave to give Presea a peace offering of sorts in the form of a true Key Crest to replace the make shift one Lloyd had carved for her, the trip passed quickly and without interruption. Genis had flown with his new friend, Regal with Lloyd, and the others alone with nothing but their supplies and their thoughts. Zelos and Sheena flew at the front of the pack as guides, which left Liane with little time to do much other than follow and take in the landscape. The rolling green hills gave way to an expanse of sapphire waters that managed to distract the swordswoman from the deeper thoughts that she had been dreading. _Tethe'alla truly is a beautiful world,_ she smiled a little into the wind that coursed past and the world that slipped by beneath. Once again, a small pang of sadness struck her that their time to explore might be coming to an end, but even that faded on a wave of awe when an island appeared on the horizon. Lush and green, the island was crowned by a glass tower that may as well have been a diamond in the late morning sun. _That's Altamira? Wow…._ It couldn't really have been anything else considering that she knew it was an island and a resort, although Liane couldn't quite bring herself to agree with Sheena as they circled to land near what appeared to be city gates. _Gaudy? It's beautiful… and warm. _She smiled and let her Rheaird settle into the waving green grass of the Altamiran plains. Flanoir had been far too cold for her liking – in more ways than one – but sunshine warmed the island that they now stood on, and the city simply radiated life.

"Okay, someone had to have seen Raine if she came here," Lloyd told the others as he waited for his Rheaird to collapse into its Wing Pack. "We should split up… smaller groups can cover more ground and stay safer…" he shrugged and tucked the Wing Pack into his pocket. "Mithos and Genis, you two come with me and Colette, and the rest of you –"

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to wait here."

Liane's head snapped up at the sound of Regal's voice to see the shackled man's head bowed, the wind tossing his hair just enough to obscure his expression. _What…?_

"What's up?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head in concern to the convict. But Regal may as well have been a statue, unresponsive and unmoving even at the swordsman's inquiry.

Zelos was quick to snort and roll his eyes before fixing an accusing glare on the blue haired man. "Won't say why, huh?" he asked, but made no attempt to leave Regal a chance to reply before he flipped a handful of red curls over his shoulder and chuckled humorlessly. "Well, if you don't want to talk about it, that's your business." He then turned to Lloyd and gestured to the city gates with a sweep of his hand. "Lloyd, let him do what he wants."

As the redhead started into the city without waiting for the others, the rest of the party slowly started after him, their steps hesitant as if they could all sense the tension. Lloyd's eyes followed Zelos for a moment and then trailed back to Regal, the dull light of doubt in his gaze. "All right. We'll catch you on the way out," he shrugged and finally managed a reluctant smile before he started to follow the group.

Liane, however, was still frozen in place, though she knew that she had to do something soon. "Regal?" she murmured, her feet starting to move her away with the others. _Presea has a real Key Crest now… does that mean he's done traveling with us?_ She wanted to apologize… to at very least make certain that they didn't part ways on bad terms. It was a fleeting consideration to stay, but she knew that finding Raine had to be her priority as well. _Zelos is right. It's his decision to make. _She swallowed hard and then sucked in a quick breath. "Will you be here when we get back?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't lie, but still bracing for his answer as she dropped her voice.

"Yes," Regal responded quietly, yet immediately, turning his head just enough to look over to her before he glanced away again and walked over to the support for the gate to sit down at its base. He let his head roll back against the painted metal, his eyes shut as if to soak in the sun… but otherwise, did not elaborate on his reply.

"Okay…" Liane exhaled again, more to herself than anyone else as she forced herself to straighten and hurry to catch up to the others. Regal's reply had been quick and unmistakable. She might not have understood why he wouldn't accompany them, but she was sure that he would be there when they came out of the city. _And… just that he did answer me… maybe I'll still get the chance to apologize after all._

It was enough closure for her for the moment. The city of Altamira opened to them just inside the gates and quickly earned its posted claim of being a 'Seaside Paradise.' Liane was certain that there was no place in Sylvarant even remotely like the town… a fact that left her staring, and occasionally even blushing at the people that milled about. Women in swimsuits that consisted of barely enough fabric to be considered decent… and men clad similarly. But they were everywhere… just as there were children… and laughter… and an abundance of life. It was as if the city gates had locked out all the turmoil of the worlds.

And – Liane decided – for a few moments – it was all right to enjoy that fact.

"There's lots of people around…" Lloyd muttered as he looked around the walkways, his eyes skimming over the other inhabitants of the town. "Maybe we don't have to split up… with this many people, someone had to have seen the Professor."

"Maybe we could ask some of the people that work here…" Liane suggested with a shrug. "You know, the people that stay in one place and see people wander past. If Raine was on the trail of something, she wouldn't waste her time with people that she didn't think knew the area."

Zelos chuckled quietly. "But, my Warrior Goddess, you are underestimating the powers of observation of the visitor, out to see the sights in a renowned resort. My Cool Beauty may be a bit cold… and obsessive… and…" he continued to tick off fingers before he glanced down to meet the icy glare of the Professor's younger brother and hesitated for a moment before he laughed a little harder and reached out to ruffle the boy's hair. "Ease up, Brat – your face is gonna freeze like that. My point is that someone like her would be noticed. If we ask around, it's probably not going to matter who… someone is definitely going to remember her.

As Genis growled and ran his hands through his hair to smooth the silver spikes, Sheena sighed heavily. "I really hate it when I have to agree with him, but I think Zelos might be right. Let's just work our way in… then cover as much ground as we can on the way out? If we don't find anything, we could try one of the other parts of the island, but we really don't have time if we're trying to catch up with her."

_Other parts?_ Liane decided not to ask, as it seemed that Sheena's plan was sound and they continued down the boardwalk. Sheena had been outspoken about not being fond of Altamira already, but it sounded like she still knew more about it than the rest of them did. _Plus, it's other opportunities… it's like a built in 'Plan B.'_ She walked along with the others, her eyes taking in the sights of the city… the boats in the harbor… just the atmosphere was refreshing. As they continued down the path, it curled around a few more small shops… and suddenly came to a stop before a large stone monument that looked out over the ocean. There was something solemn about the place… just a bit removed from the excitement of the city, but a place where one could still look out all over both the land and the water. A man stood before the pale monument… the only man anywhere near, indicating that the monument might not have been the attraction that the rest of the town was.

The party quickly exchanged glances, a silent sign that it was time to work their way out of the town and get the information they had come for, but before they could all retreat, the man started and turned his head, and a gasp could be heard even over the gentle sea breeze. "Alicia! Is it really you?" the elder man breathed out in surprise.

The party had all been ready to give the man his privacy, but his incredulous tone slowed their retreat and spun Presea back to face him. "You… know Alicia?!" the ax girl breathed out in surprise as she stared at the stranger.

"What?" The old man narrowed his gaze on Presea, his confusion clearly written over his face. "Wait, then who…?"

Presea was silent for a few moments longer, scrutinizing the old man as much as he was her. "Alicia is my… sister," she finally spoke, her voice soft and hesitant.

Realization flashed in the stranger's eyes as his shoulders heaved forward with a sigh. "Ohh… I see," he murmured, his head bobbing a little in understanding. "Ah, of course… Alicia passed away quite some time ago," the man continued. His voice stayed low as he looked down to the girl with a sad smile. "She couldn't possibly be standing here, now."

It was spoken as an almost casual fact, but a well-timed cold breeze froze the party in place as Presea sucked in a quick breath. "Passed away?!"

_Oh, Goddess… she didn't know._ Liane felt the breath press from her lungs as she placed her hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder. _She said… her sister had left… and that was the last she'd seen of her, but…._ It was the worst thing that could happen in the situation, and it was a fear that, more and more, kept Liane from even considering leaving the party, but Presea was living it right before their eyes. And there was nothing any of them could do for her. "Presea…."

"What happened?" Lloyd asked as shock kept his voice soft and the others all gravitated protectively around Presea.

The old man's frown was deeply etched into his face. Little by little, it seemed that he was realizing that he had been the bearer of such terrible news. After a long exhale, he lifted his eyes to the swordsman. "Alicia came to work in the service of the noble Bryant family," he explained evenly and then shook his head again. "But she was caught up in an unfortunate incident that resulted in her death."

With the elegantly suited man's words hanging heavily in the air, Colette stepped up behind Presea and wrapped her arms around the girl's shoulders. "She died? How?!" she asked, sorrow saturating her words as she looked up to the old man.

"I dare not speak of the details," the man replied, bowing his head once to them as his hand moved to the breast pocket of his jacket. "Please forgive me." He removed a small card and held it out to Presea, waiting only long enough for the girl to raise her hand to accept the offering before continuing. "Alicia's grave lies in the Sky Terrace of the Lezareno Company headquarters. Please stop by there if you have the time. Alicia would surely be pleased to receive a visit from her younger sister. If you show this to the receptionists, they should let you through."

With that, the man straightened and swept his eyes over the party. After offering them a curt nod, he moved around them and headed back into the town, disappearing into the milling tourists. Presea's eyes followed his retreat for a moment before she silently turned and started back towards the town, neither asking permission nor inviting the others to join her.

"Younger sister?" Genis murmured, staring helplessly after the girl. "I thought Presea was the older one…."

The party slowly started to break apart as Sheena, Lloyd, and Mithos fell into step behind Presea and the others paused to consider Genis' thought.

"That's strange," Zelos nodded, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Presea said she had a younger sister…."

Colette's head snapped up, enlightenment dancing in her eyes. "Oh, I know!" the blonde girl smiled. "Maybe there are three sisters in all!"

Liane raised an eyebrow to the girl. While her idea made some sense, it still sounded like one of Raine's trick math problems. _Raine would be proud, I guess… but…._ "Presea said she had a younger sister when Regal asked if she had an older one, but I suppose she might have just been interrupted before she could say any more?" the brown haired swordswoman shrugged, trying to consider the only possibility that made sense.

"Oh, come on…" Zelos groaned and rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he and Colette started to move away from the monument.

Sparing a quick glare for the back of the red-haired Chosen's head, Liane finally glanced down to Genis. "Are you okay with this?" she asked. "I know we're here looking for Raine, but I think Presea could really use the company right now. _As much as the idea of visiting a grave doesn't exactly thrill me, either…._

"Raine's out there somewhere," Genis shook his head, his shoulders slumping a little. "We'll find her. But Presea has found her sister… we need to be there with her." The silver-haired boy looked up to his friend and mustered a weak smile for her. "It's okay. This is what we have to do now."

It was remarkably adult of the young mage, but Liane could still see that Presea's situation had shaken him. But he still hurried to walk beside the girl who had discovered that she was just a little more alone in the world. Zelos had been quick to lead the party back to the main street of Altamira and then to the Elemental Railway of the town, which the Chosen was quick to explain was the link between the different parts of the city. Across the bay, another glass tower rose, apparently the home of the Lezareno Company that had been mentioned by the old man. As the railcar left the dock and churned across the submerged track to the office building, Liane couldn't help but wonder what they would find there… if it would be better or worse when they found the last resting place of Presea's sister.

After only a small bit of resistance from the guards stationed at the front desk, the pass was recognized as belonging to someone by the name of 'George'… and then they were on the roof of the building. The wide skies opened above them, a disturbingly cheerful contrast to the reason that they had come to the lush oasis on top of the concrete and glass structure. At the center of the gardens was a pool, complete with flowing fountain… and cheerful flowers that flanked a gravestone as if it were the centerpiece for the entire garden.

"Alicia… what happened to you?" Presea murmured softly, the first to speak as they stood before the stone with her sister's name etched ever so elegantly into its face.

Mithos slowly edged his way to Presea's side, his lips pursed in thought as he lifted a finger to point to a faintly glowing jewel set in the center of the stone. "What's this?"

"Hey, there's an Exsphere embedded here!" Lloyd breathed out in surprise as he leaned closer to the stone, moving in as Mithos backed off a step.

As if the grave itself wasn't bad enough, the addition of the Exsphere only served to make the sight worse for Liane. She lingered at the back of the group with Sheena and Zelos, unable to make herself move any closer. _It's beautiful here… tranquil… a proper resting place._ But just the silent presence of the Exsphere darkened all the efforts made to give Presea's sister a simple and peaceful memorial. _Why does it always have to come back to the Exspheres?_

"Why is there an Exsphere –?" Presea murmured in her soft voice that was almost lost on the winds. But before her question could find completion, there was a flash of light with the Exsphere at its core. While the flash was not blinding, considering the sunlight that bathed the terrace, it still pushed the party back a step – especially when the light resolved itself into the transparent form of another person standing before the gravestone to face them.

The new addition to the party stood with her head bowed for a moment, her bobbed pink hair falling forward to brush over her cheeks. The girl remained still, looking almost like a trick of the light until she moved and straightened, the gravestone behind her still visible. The transparent form stood still until her familiar blue eyes fluttered open to the party and her placid expression brightened when she looked down to Presea.

"Presea… sis!" the ghostly form spoke, her sweetly feminine voice holding an eerily hollow tone. "It's you, isn't it?"

"Alicia?!" Presea gasped, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

Liane realized quickly that there was no denying the resemblance between Presea and the apparition. Alicia looked like she couldn't have been much older than she was, and she wore a dark uniform with a short skirt, her hair tied back at her temples in tiny bows. She was a pretty girl, and her smile was so genuine that it only made the sight more heartbreaking that her form was transparent.

"I'm so happy I can see you again before I disappear," Alicia smiled, even though the happy tone in her voice was slowly giving way to a note of sadness.

Presea shook her head, but her eyes never left her sister's form. "What's going on?" the girl asked with a desperate kind of frustration. "Are you still alive?"

Alicia's smile finished its fall as she turned slightly and gestured to the crystal set into the gravestone. "I… I exist only in the Exsphere," she replied mournfully before turning her sad eyes back to her sister. "Soon, even my consciousness will be gone. The Exsphere killed my body and absorbed my consciousness."

_That would be… a living hell._ It was somehow a new thought for Liane. _I knew they were bad… but…._ Not only did it prey on the host's body, but it imprisoned their consciousnesses as well? _They kill off the body and soul… they destroy every bit of the person. Sweet Martel… that's so wrong…._

"I can't believe you've become a victim of the Exsphere as well," Presea murmured, staring up into her sister's eyes as one hand found its way to the crested stone at her throat.

The form of Alicia straightened slightly and then she leaned forward to brace her hands on her knees with a small couch that brought her eye-to-eye with the pink-haired ax bearer. "Presea, please grant me my request," she spoke with a sad smile and a haunting note of pleading, waiting until she had her sister's full attention to continue. "Before I disappear… please find my master. Please find Master Bryant!"

Presea frowned in confusion. "Bryant? The noble you went to serve?"

Alicia's smile returned ever so slightly as she stood tall once again and clasped her hands together before her. "Yes. By killing me, he…."

At that moment, the ghostly form's expression contorted in what looked like pain, a gasp slipping from her lips as her silhouette pulsed with the light of the Exsphere behind her and then disappeared completely.

"Alicia!" Presea called out, reaching out into the space that had been occupied by her sister's image only moments before. "He killed you?! Please, tell me what happened!" the girl begged as an uncharacteristic note of panic crept into her voice.

"Please… Presea…."

The voice was undoubtedly that of Alicia, but it held a distinctly ethereal edge as it faded into the breeze and left the party alone with the gravestone.

_But she said that the Exsphere killed her body…?_ Liane was as stunned as any of them in the wake of Alicia's disappearance. Her plea sounded heartfelt, but after her claim about the Exsphere, Liane just couldn't find the taint of a request for revenge in her memories of the girl's words. _It doesn't make sense… why would she say such different things about how she was killed?_

Presea remained silent as her hands curled into small fists, her pigtails falling forward over her shoulders as she drew a long breath and then slowly turned to look up to the young swordsman that still stood beside her. "Lloyd," she started, her voice calm once again, "… please help me find Alicia's killer."

Lloyd's frown lingered for a few more moments until he nodded to her, his eyes burning with determination. "Of course. We'll beat this Bryant guy to a pulp and drag him back here!"

"Yeah!" Genis chimed in, puffing out his chest as he stood at Lloyd's side, his jaw set. "I won't let him get away with killing your sister!"

"Thank you," the pink-haired girl nodded her gratitude and spared another long glance back to the gravestone before she turned on her heel and started out of the core of the Sky Terrace to walk towards the elevator without another word.

Liane couldn't help but wonder what the development would mean to their journey. They had only the barest of directions beyond finding Raine, but now they had to find one man that none of them knew in a world that was his. _If he's a noble, he probably has the means to disappear whenever he likes, and - _The thought was snowballing quickly into helplessness, but it slowed for a moment as they started to move away from Alicia's grave, a quiet conversation catching her attention.

"Exspheres are terrible things, aren't they?"

Mithos had paused before the grave, his eyes fixed on the stone that held Alicia captive. Genis turned at the comment and slowly nodded as he lifted his own hand to look at the similar stone that had helped him since Marble had given her life in Iselia. "Yeah…" he nodded his agreement as he stood beside the blonde boy, sharing the moment of morbid contemplation.

Lloyd approached from behind the two boys, placing a hand on one of each of their shoulders. "Hey, time to go," the swordsman told them with a weak smile and a nod to where Presea was waiting at the gates of the elevator.

"Why does it have to take something like this to make people see that?" Liane sighed, shaking her head as she walked beside Sheena. She knew very well that she was one for those 'people' herself, but more and more, it was becoming baffling that more people couldn't see it until it was too late. "I mean, our party uses them to try to bring this mess to an end faster, but they already existed. Somewhere, they're still being created – somewhere in Sylvarant or maybe even somewhere here in Tethe'alla. How can the Desians – and those in league with them – not see how wrong it is?"

"I think they can see," the ninja replied solemnly, keeping her voice down as her steps slowed how quickly they were approaching Presea. "After so long, I think they just don't care. It's been going on for so long that no one can remember how or when it started. It's just how bad things have gotten, and it's why we have to make sure that it changes."

Liane nodded, but she still frowned at the logic. "Things have to change. Too many lives have been destroyed by this whole thing. The half-elves have suffered, the humans have suffered, and it doesn't even matter who started it any more. Things will never end if everyone is willing to just accept it."

"It's going to take a lot more than a few stray people to change how two whole worlds operate, but it has to start somewhere," Sheena replied with a look that was bordering on helpless. But as the others gathered around and they pressed into the elevator, the two young women fell silent.

Perhaps it was out of respect for what Presea had to be going through – or maybe it was respect for the girl's sister and what she was enduring… it was a difficult silence to label with any one cause. It still afforded them all a few moments of quiet contemplation.

"_Exspheres are terrible things…."_

Mithos' quiet words still rattled in Liane's mind, echoing the exact words that had been spoken to her just two night before. The half-elf's observation had been more a somber statement, though… when Regal had spoken them, there was considerably more alarm and concern. Regal was her friend, and he was right, even though she thought that she had been cautious in her request. _After all the horrible things we've seen that have resulted from the Exspheres, it was a stupid thing to ask for. I guess I can't be too hard on those that seek the Exspheres, I was one of them if even for just a little bit. And while there's a demand – even one that shallow – the Desians will probably be happy to produce them._

The thought sickened her, but before it could do much more than churn her stomach, the elevator lurched to a stop and the gates folded back on themselves to invite them to step back into the lobby of the building. The group started to file out of the tiny booth with Lloyd and Genis once again pressing towards the front as they headed back to the railcar that had brought them from the mainland.

"Isn't the Otherworldly Gate going to open tonight?"

The words couldn't' have been timed better to catch the group's attention, and they immediately drew the party's eyes to the side of the tastefully decorated lobby, where two men chatted jovially, one of them making a sour face and a show of shuddering in response to the first. "Man, I don't like thinking about that," he chuckled uneasily and shook his head. "It could suck us over into the hellish land of Sylvarant."

Mithos took a quick step to Lloyd's side and tugged on his sleeve, nodding pointedly to the two men when the swordsman looked down. "Lloyd, did you hear that?"

"Yeah," Lloyd replied quietly, his feet already in the process of turning to approach the men.

"Lovely. Now we're from the place that is used to frighten naughty children before they go to bed at night," Liane grumbled, frowning at how the men spoke of her homeworld, even though she understood that they had no reason to know any better. _It wasn't that long ago that we knew Tethe'alla as just a fable of the moon…._

"Now, now… the fear of bumpkins is a very real thing here," Zelos leaned over to whisper in her ear with a grin, quickly stepping back and holding his hands up as Liane's head snapped to pin him with a glare. "It's true! Even that glare won't stop it from being true. You've got a whole world full of minds to change, my Warrior Goddess," he shrugged, his smile returning even though her frown didn't fade.

"Hmm. Probably like the people of Sylvarant would write off Tethe'allans as a bunch of spoiled ingrates that have to manufacture their own hardships since their world isn't dying?" Liane shook her head and clenched her jaw a little, having to look away. He was right, but that was the last thing she was going to tell him. _We'll deal with it when it comes up, I guess… but if the worlds do separate, I guess no one will ever have a reason to change their mind._

"Excuse me," Lloyd started as he approached the two men at the side of the lobby. "That Otherworldly Gate you were talking about just now, where is it?" he asked, earning a questioning glare from both of the men.

"Who the heck are you?" The first man demanded, clearly irritated by the intrusion, his eyes drawn down as Mithos stepped between him and the red-clad swordsman.

Mithos dipped his head once in acknowledgement of the man's ire before he met his eyes with a small smile. "I apologize. We'd like to see the Otherworldly Gate. Would you be kind enough to tell us where it is?"

The man looked up from the blonde boy as the rest of the party approached slowly behind Lloyd. Disbelief flashed through his eyes for the moment before his shoulders relaxed. "Ah, well, if you're looking for the Otherworldly Gate, it's to the east of the city," he shrugged, his brow still creased just a bit. "Across the sea."

"Um… are there any landmarks?" Colette asked with her hands clasped behind her back, a friendly smile on her lips for the men.

"There are huge rocks all over it," the man that had referred to Sylvarant as 'hellish' replied. "You can't miss it. But tonight's a full moon. If the legend is true, then the gate will open and you'll be sucked into the world of Sylvarant!" he declared, shaking his head with his warning. He then grabbed his companion's shoulder and jerked his head away, muttering something about the insanity level of the tourists increasing lately as they shared a laugh.

Mithos turned to allow his eyes to follow the men, his hands resting on his hips. "I wonder if Raine is there," he murmured, glancing back over his shoulder to the others.

"It sounds like they might have answered that question before from how they were talking anyway…" Liane exhaled and looked over to Lloyd and Genis.

Lloyd's faint frown held steady for a few moments and then he shook his head and gestured towards the railcar. "I don't know. But it's the only clue we have. Let's at least take a look."

The swordsman was right, and they all knew it. There was no discussion or objection as they once again loaded onto the railcar and settled themselves around the small deck. Liane made her way to one slightly ship bow-shaped end and rested her pack beside her feet as the engineer loaded his passengers safely and readied his craft to return to the city. She spared a look back to the others, noting how Genis hovered near Presea. It had been a detour to their purpose for visiting Altamira, but it was something that they had to do for their friend. While she still wasn't entirely comfortable with Mithos' presence, he seemed to be at least trying to contribute. _It's silly of me to hold a dream against him…_ she chided herself and turned to look back out over the water. In the distance, she could make out an expanse of white sand that fairly glowed under the late afternoon sunlight. _Probably the beach that Zelos had been going on about_, she told herself as the car lurched beneath her feet, turning her thoughts back to what they had learned. It was more than they had been looking for… tragically more.

_Poor Presea._ Liane had to sigh. It was as if fate decided that the girl hadn't already lost enough. _At least she still turned to us for help. I hope we can give her what she's looking for… although I hope someone has a better idea of where to start than I do._ She leaned her weight forward onto the railing, folding her arms on the railing as the mild sea breeze tugged a few tendrils of hair free from how she had tucked it up that morning. _We don't even know how long Alicia was here… when all of this happened. It would probably be heartless to ask Presea now, but maybe after we find Raine…._ A small spray of water startled Liane from the thought for a moment, looking back down to the water passing beneath them after a moment. _George said she died in an unfortunate incident… then Alicia said that the Exsphere killed her body, and then said that her master had killed her. Why so many stories when the end is the same? She didn't die by natural causes… or by her own hand. She was mur– _

"My Warrior Goddess seems lost in thought. Taking the place of the Professor and figuring out all of the answers for us?"

Liane almost groaned, her eyes sliding over to Zelos just in time to catch a waggle of his eyebrows as he leaned casually back against the railing. "No," she answered with a roll of her eyes. "I just like to be alone once in a while." It was all she could offer him for the moment as she pushed herself up to her full height and looked back out over the water. "This whole trip has been disheartening. And I can't help but think it's only going to get worse before it gets better."

Zelos chuckled and shook his head, but didn't move from where the railing held him upright. "Careful. If you keep talking like that, someone's going to call you a pessimist. It just seems to me that if anyone is going to take up the reins of being our resident brain, it's probably going to be you. Raine trained you, right?"

"It's not going to be an issue," Liane responded quickly. "We're going to find Raine, and then we'll move on from there." She looked over to him and huffed. "Don't you have someone else you need to pester? I can really only handle being called a 'bumpkin' once a day without wanting to start swinging."

"Nah, Sheena actually hits where you just threaten," Zelos grinned, casually waving off the swordswoman's annoyance. "Besides, you've seemed pretty lost in thought. I thought you might be able to use some company, seeing as how your usual blue-haired sounding board declined to join us for our jaunt into the city today."

Liane considered his offer for a moment, noting how he was watching her and then shook her head. It didn't really surprise her that Zelos had noticed how she spent time speaking with Regal. "I just have a lot to piece together, that's all," she answered, deciding to leave the rest of his observation without comment. When his smile didn't waver, leaving his expression still curious as if he expected her to continue, she sighed and shook her head. "I think I'll manage that best alone, but thank you for your concern." She was trying to be polite, but being at the momentary center of Zelos' focus wasn't helping.

Zelos nodded once as if he understood and pushed himself up from the railing with a shrug. "Well, you know what they say… the harder you look for something, the more you realize it was right under your nose the whole time."

"Who says that?" Liane retorted with a groan that she could no longer contain. _Please… just leave me alone for a few minutes…._

"I do!" Zelos threw back his head with a laugh and reached out to pat the young woman on the shoulder. "You'll see. When you realize that you made everything way too difficult for yourself, you can tell me that I'm right. I might even let you reward me with a kiss on the cheek for that tidbit of enduring wisdom!"

_I knew he would turn it around like that. I just knew it…._ "I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Liane rolled her eyes and waved the laughing Chosen away. The redhead took his cue and strolled back to the others, a smug chuckle still rumbling in his throat that grated at her nerves. She coached herself to let it go, choosing instead to focus on the churning of the engines beneath the deck that she and the others stood upon as the mainland grew closer. Only once she heard the Chosen start up yet another conversation behind her, did her shoulders sag with the realization that she didn't have to keep her guard up. _I don't want to replace Raine… but she might have a better idea of what we can do or where we can start to help Presea._ It was as good a thought as any other at the moment. The swordswoman's hands curled tighter around the railing before her and she sighed, doing her best not to give in to the tiny voice that was already laughing at her in the back of her mind. _This might even be too much to expect of even Raine, though. I mean… how would she know where to start tracking down a murdering noble in Tethe'alla?_ She huffed and blew her bangs back from her eyes as the docks came into view. _Maybe Sheena or Zelos… or even Regal might –_

Before she realized it, Liane's posture straightened almost painfully. _Regal… he… maybe he knows. If he was imprisoned, maybe he might –_

The thoughts twisted on each other, and a flash of shamed guilt washed over her. _How could I even think to ask him something like that?_ She knew all too well how much his crimes weighed on him… wouldn't asking him something like if he had heard of a nobleman who had murdered his servant be rubbing salt into his wounds? _I don't see him that way… it's not fair to make him think that I do. He's my friend and…._

Murder.

"_I am a prisoner serving time for the crime of murder."_

All the remorse Regal had spoken those words with still rang in Liane's ears, and her cheeks grew hot as she closed her eyes and sighed. _How could I even consider…?_

_"She looks like someone who was once very close to me."_

The railcar lurched to a stop and Liane's head snapped up as she slammed down walls around the insidious thought that wouldn't stop twisting and reaching. _No. Stop it,_ she demanded of herself as she set her jaw and stooped to pick up her pack, burying herself in needless directions to force her thoughts away from the connections they seemed to want to make. She turned and watched her companions already moving into a line to file from the railcar, but she couldn't stop her eyes from following Presea. _George mistook her for Alicia, which is understandable. But she's got such an innocent face… it would be easy to want to see someone you care about in a face like hers…. _

It was weak, but it was all that Liane had to fend off the preposterous notions boiling in her mind. She moved into line with the others, consciously keeping her expression blank as they crossed the dock and made their way back up to the main level of the town.

_No. I won't ask him. Once we find Raine, we can ask Sheena or Zelos more about where we might start to look for this nobleman, _Liane decided, looking up to see the Altamiran gates ahead of them. _We'll tell Raine what happened, and we'll make a plan. Lloyd promised Presea help – so we all promised Presea. But I won't ask Regal. It… it would be too much._

"Are you leaving?"

The three simple words helped Liane to solidify her decision as she looked up to see Regal rising to his feet from beside the base of the soaring archway. As the party gathered around, Lloyd that responded to the blue haired convict with a distracted nod as he reached for his wingpack.

"Yeah."

There was no argument, no hesitation. No one seemed to want to speak of what had happened inside the city. The sun was setting and there was the chance that even the slim lead they had put together to find the Professor could be fading even with the daylight.

True to the claims of the men at the Lezareno Company, the trip to the distinctive island was short. Spires of rock jutted up to catch a wash of sunset colors as if to draw the attention of the travelers and draw them closer. As soon as the Rheairds touched to the waving grass, the group was already in motion as a whole, moving toward the stones that crowned the tiny island where even the growing darkness couldn't hide the silver haired woman standing at the heart of the stones.

Lloyd broke into a run out ahead of the others. "Professor!" the teen called out in relief as Raine jumped, her head snapping towards the party in surprise.

"Everyone!" the Professor breathed out as confusion knit her eyebrows together. "Why are you all here?"

Genis ran to face his sister, his arms flailing in frustration as he glared up at her. "Why do you think we're here?" he demanded. "We were worried about you!"

"Your note wasn't particularly reassuring," Liane commented, nodding her agreement with Genis. "We all know how you get when you want to investigate something – and right now, that's a bad idea." It felt strange to be chiding her mentor, but with the stakes getting higher with every step they took, separating wasn't a chance they could afford to take.

Before Raine could find words to respond, Mithos stepped up to Genis' side with a shake of his head for the half-elven woman. "It's dangerous to come here alone," he murmured as his pale hair shifted over his cheeks. "As a fellow half-elf, I can't just leave you here by yourself."

"Why did you come to this place?" Colette asked quietly, taking a few hesitant steps into the ring of stone as her eyes trailed over their soaring shapes.

Raine turned to watch the blonde girl and drew a deep breath. The silence stretched into a few moments before the professor's shoulders finally dropped and she turned back to the others, her eyes pointedly seeking those of her brother. "This is where Genis and I were abandoned," she finally answered.

While the Sage siblings' attentions were firmly fixed on each other, Lloyd was the first one to speak up, already shaking his head in denial. "What are you talking about? You two are from Sylvarant."

"No." The Professor was quick to shake her head to her student's declaration as she twisted her rod between her hands. "I happened to catch sight of his place when we rescued Colette and it's been on my mind ever since." She turned and walked back into the ring of stones, her shoulders still slumped. "Then, when I heard the story about the two poles which connect the two worlds, I became certain." Lifting her hand to place it on the face of one of the stone spires, she sighed and dropped her head so that her hair shadowed her face. "The images in my memory… the ruin I've been searching for all this time _is_ this place."

Raine's claim seemed so easy to argue with at first, and Liane's lips parted to do just that. But it was her own memories that stopped her. It was so hard to remember a day that the silver-haired girl not much older than she was at the time had appeared in town with her baby brother. It was difficult – if not impossible – to remember a time when – even as a child herself – Raine had set herself apart from them, her maturity and responsibility aging her far more than the passing of time to Liane, Lloyd, and Colette in particular. Raine had studied and worked hard to earn her place in Iselia to support herself and her brother and all but completely erased the fact that she was much more a peer than an elder, though she embraced the latter role whole-heartedly.

"So, what are you saying?" Sheena asked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow to the Professor. "The two of you were born in Tethe'alla?"

"That's why you studied so hard… that's why you learned everything you could about any ruin you heard of," Liane murmured, watching Raine in saddened disbelief. "You were trying to find a place that tied you to your home…."

Genis was already shaking his head by the time he started speaking. "It can't be! All of my memories are of Iselia!" the young mage declared his denial. "I don't know this place at all."

The Professor sighed and turned to her brother as her hand finally slipped away from the stone. "We were born and raised in the village of the elves, from which we were eventually ostracized," she told her brother primarily, as her focus was clearly on him, but made no effort to quiet her words for the others. "We were abandoned here because this place was said to be the path to the legendary Sylvarant."

"The village of the elves?" Mithos breathed out, looking between the Sage siblings in disbelief. "The secret village said to be off limits to anyone except elvenkind?"

"Yes," Raine nodded and then shrugged as her frown deepened. "I don't know the details of what happened, but I'm positive that I was left here along with Genis when he was just a newborn." She lifted her eyes to the rest of the party. "And we eventually ended up in Sylvarant."

"Then _this time_, let me send you to hell instead!"

The voice came from a small rise to the side of the rock formation, shattering the moment of recollection for Raine and the shock of the others with the appearance of a dark-clad and masked man standing on the earthen rise above them silhouetted by the full moon.

"Who's there?!" Lloyd demanded, lifting his hand to shield his vision from the glow of the moon.

But Sheena had already moved to place herself between the dark figure and the rest of the party. "Kuchinawa!" she called up to him, her arms falling limply to her sides as she shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

Liane's hand clenched the hilt of her sword before she realized that she had even moved it. _Kuchinawa? From Meltokio?_ She scowled a little at the memory as she fixed her eyes on the ninja. _Sheena introduced him as a friend – but that's not something you would ever say to a friend…._

The masked ninja chuckled humorlessly and slowly started to descend the hillside. "My chance to avenge my parents' deaths has finally arrived."

Metallic clattering suddenly filled the air as Kuchinawa began to advance on the party, heralding the appearance of a troop of green- and gold-clad Papal Knights that has apparently been waiting for the ambush.

"Avenge your parents?" Sheena repeated, her eyes sliding around the wave of approaching enemies as her hand moved to the sash at her waist and she took a step back towards the rest of the party.

"Correct," Kuchinawa nodded, stopping just outside the ring of stones near Sheena, crossing his arms over his chest. "You will die for killing my parents along with countless others of our village when you failed to control Volt," he snarled his accusation, but advanced no further.

The summoner wobbled slightly, almost as if the other ninja's words had been a physical blow. "Wh… what?!"

"That was an accident!" Lloyd declared, striding to Sheena's side with both of his blades drawn. "Why are you doing this now?"

Kuchinawa turned his head to glare at the swordsman for his defense of Sheena. "Accident?!" he snorted viciously, the noise almost sounding like a laugh. "I could have accepted things if she just failed to make a pact with a Summon Spirit. But then, she failed to assassinate the Chosen of Sylvarant, thereby placing Mizuho in danger." He swung his hand out to shake it in the summoner's direction, making her his exhibit. "Yet look at her now. She's made pacts with Summon Spirits just like that."

"How can you talk like that?" Liane blurted, drawing Kuchinawa's heated glare. "You don't know what she's been through – here or Sylvarant! And you certainly haven't' been by her side to help her make those pacts that you're condemning her for making!"

"You have it all wrong!" Colette chimed in to Liane's argument, nodding desperately as she twisted her hands together before her, her wide, pleading eyes fixed firmly on the ninja.

"Do I?!" Kuchinawa snapped sarcastically, turning back to Sheena with an accusatory tilt to her head. "I think she wasn't really trying during the first pact-making! Because of that, _she_ killed my parents and our people!!"

Sheena stared back at the other ninja, her mouth falling open to try to form words that refused to come as she shook her head. "I did the best I could!" she finally managed, as her posture deflated. "I…."

"_Enough excuses!_" Kuchinawa cut Sheena off with his biting demand as his hand snapped in the air. The armored soldiers that surrounded the stone formation responded almost as a singular entity to the ninja's unspoken order and advanced on the party.

It was almost a relief to Liane to draw her sword and step up to the closest of the knights as he leveled his halberd at her. Her strokes took on a rhythm and reason of their own as the fight became something very solid and real to focus on. She couldn't tell Sheena how to react to her 'friend's' appearance, nor could she even try to mediate for them. It seemed that there were very deep, festering scars on their friendship - ones that no matter how many friends stood by Sheena's side, only she and Kuchinawa would ever understand or have hope of settling. "Demon Fang!" she called out, shaking herself from the hopeless spiral of thought to slam the soldier back against one of the stones, the grinding of metal on stone filling the air as the knight slid to the ground, unmoving.

"Damn, there's too many of them!" Lloyd growled from the other side of the circle the party had formed to defend itself – each of them fighting side by side against the tide of knights that rose against them and continued to advance from outside the open ends of the stone circle.

"Kuchinawa!" Sheena called, regaining her balance from planting her foot squarely into a gold-armored knight's chest to shove him away as she looked over to where the other ninja stood in observation of the fight. "Please! Don't drag them into this! I'm the one you despise, right?" she continued even after Kuchinawa had signaled the small army of knights to hold back, his head tilted in interest to her pleading tone. Sheena looked around for a moment, suspiciously eyeing the knights before she stepped away from the party, gesturing to herself. "Then I'm the only one you need to kill!"

Liane looked over to her friend in horrified surprise, begging with her senses that she hadn't truly heard what the summoner had said. "What? No! You can't mean that!"

"Sheena, stop talking like that!" Lloyd demanded as well, a frustrated swipe of one of his blades in the air punctuating his demand of the ninja.

The black haired girl only held up her hand in response to her friends, offering them a small shake of her head and a smile that was anything but happy. "It's okay," she murmured with sad resolve before she turned back to the other ninja and took another step away from the party. "Kuchinawa… please!"

Kuchinawa stayed silent at her request, his arms slowly moving to cross over his chest once again in a show of contemplation. Even though his face was shrouded in shadows, his eyes were clearly fixed and burning onto Sheena, and he wielded the silence like a weapon in the uncertain break in the conflict. Finally, he nodded once, and only once. "Fine."

The word hung in the air, heavy with every possible meaning that the single-worded proclamation could possibly hold. But as dark as the confrontation had turned, it was suddenly contrasted by a bright burst of cold light from above that drew all eyes skyward. The moon had reached its apex high above the tiny island, and its rays seemed to be shimmering and condensing in the dark night sky, shooting down at the stones of the Otherworldly Gate. The light seemed to be collecting in bands of glowing markings that encircled the stones that surrounded the party.

_What… in… the…._ Liane couldn't speak… she couldn't breathe. She could only watch along with the others as the ancient runes began to glow brighter and brighter, and a bone-jarring whine filled the air until a dark rip appeared in the ground. Growing from a single spot of shadow, the rip grew into a roiling black hole that crackled with what looked like the same energy that churned in the rocks around them. The party and their attackers turned together to stare at the portal, their differences at least momentarily forgotten by the phenomenon. _It's… the gate…?_

"You've _got_ to be kiddin' me…" Zelos finally broke the silence with what sounded distinctly like a growl as he shook off the spell that had held them all frozen in place and rushed at Sheena, grabbing her by the arm. "Enough of this, Sheena!" he barked out when she looked up to him, startled and wide-eyed as his presence. The ninja called out in wordless surprise as the redheaded Chosen jerked on her arm, almost pulling her off her feet as he turned and ran at the gate. "Lloyd!" Zelos called out as he and Sheena ran past the swordsman. "Come on!"

Time once again slowed as Zelos leapt at the shadowy rift in the ground, dragging Sheena along with him. An instant later, the Chosen and the Summoner were gone, vanished in a burst of light without a sound into the seething pool of shadow beneath the cascade of moonlight.

"Everybody, into the gate!" Lloyd called out an instant later, jarring the party into action. Raine and Colette were already running for the gate by the time the swordsman's words faded into the whine of energy, with Genis, Mithos, and Presea moving quickly behind them.

Liane sheathed her sword and started to run as well, simply not listening to the voice that screamed in her mind that she had no idea where she was going – where the others had already gone. She passed by Regal and Lloyd, only briefly making eye contact with each of them as she gathered her feet beneath her and leapt for the gate. _We don't have a chance here… we're outnumbered… we'll die for sure if we stay_. The shadow and light of the gate wrapped itself around her in a painless embrace that sent Tethe'alla away from her, leaving her only with a sense of warmth, and an odd wind that blasted past her… through her. The dark of night at the Otherworldly Gate blackened for a few minutes, but by the time she realized it, the black was already giving way to the light, and that light brightened by the moment until she realized that there was an expanse of day-lit ground beneath her… rushing at her….

"Oww…!" Liane groaned in complaint as she was deposited harshly in a sprawl on a patch of dry dirt. It took her a few moments to regain control of her body, more to realize that she could move than anything else, but she slowly pushed herself up to her hands and knees, shaking her head as her hair fell down into her face, her earlier bun now little more than a messy ponytail thanks to the rush of activity. She blinked and looked around a landscape bathed by afternoon sunlight and surrounded by those that had gone into the gate before her. "We… we're alive…" she breathed out, relief overpowering every other question for the moment.

Another pair of flashes burst to the side of the assembled party, leaving Lloyd and Regal deposited near a stretch of wooden fence. Regal had somehow managed to flip and land on his feet, while Lloyd landed rather unceremoniously on his backside with a cry of mixed surprise and pain.

Regal drew himself up to his full height, squaring his shoulders as he looked around the sunlit landscape. "Where are we?" he finally asked, looking back to the others with a frown etched deeply into his expression.

"Probably on the outskirts of Palmacosta," Raine answered calmly, dusting her orange jacket off with her hand and surveying the area around them as she squared her pack on her back.

Colette stood up and pushed her hair back from her eyes as she took a few steps past the Professor. "We're back in Sylvarant?" she asked with a hint of breathless disbelief in her voice.

"The mana level seems to have risen, but it's definitely Sylvarant," Genis nodded as he helped Presea to her feet, hovering near her as she shifted her balance under the weight of the ax strapped to her back.

"We made it back… without the Rheairds?" Liane murmured, still kneeling on the ground after her awkward landing. She was sure that she wasn't hurt, but she was equally sure that the landing proved that she was never meant to fly under her own power. Pushing herself to her feet, she straightened her tunic and glanced to the horizon where – true to Raine's words – she could see a coastline and a city in the distance. A thought that she might never see Tethe'alla again whispered in her mind, but it was relatively easy to push it away after a moment. _No, we still have pacts to make there… and we still have the Rheairds. We have to go back._ "Well, at least it got us out of the fight?" she offered with a shrug as she looked back over her shoulders to her companions.

Zelos exhaled, pointedly sweeping his eyes over his surroundings with a slight scowl. "Man, I _never_ thought I'd wind up coming over to this side like that," he sighed and shook his head, a weary droop drawing his shoulders down.

The droop lasted for only an instant before Sheena reached out and grabbed him by a shoulder, spinning him to face her with wide eyes.

"Zelos, why did you butt in?!" the summoner demanded angrily, a withering glare fixed squarely on the redheaded Chosen. The party's assorted reactions to their new location suddenly forgotten in favor of the confrontation between Sheena and Zelos.

The swordsman took a step back, shrugging out of her grip as his arms crossing over his chest and one eyebrow arching sharply to Sheena. "_Excuse_ me?" he asked in a tone rich with exaggerated insult. "Don't tell me you actually _wanted_ to die back there."

It was clear from Sheena's tense posture how badly she wanted to argue with Zelos, her hands closed into shaking fists as her gaze fell to the ground. "Well…."

"Besides, those guys would have come after us regardless of whether or not you died," Zelos continued with a casual shrug, paying no attention to Sheena's struggle for a response. "Pope's orders and all."

Sheena's head snapped up. "Are you saying Kuchinawa is working for the Pope?"

"It's likely," Raine responded with a thoughtful nod, edging into the conversation. "Those assassins he had with him were the Pope's men, weren't they?"

"I'm certain of it," Regal responded to the Professor's question, his jaw tensing slightly as his hands clenched before him.

Liane frowned, seeing how Kuchinawa's betrayal and accusations had already struck her friend – but to know that he was not only against her, but working with a faction that opposed everything that they were working for? "He did seem to be signaling them," she murmured. _I'm sorry, Sheena…_ she apologized as her friend deflated a little more at what she said, backing up the charges that were being leveled at the other ninja.

The summoner met Liane's eyes for only a moment – looking like she'd been kicked squarely in the gut, but offering no argument or denial as she turned her gaze to the ground with a heavy sigh.

"Sheena, please don't do something like that again," Colette finally broke the uneasy silence with her quiet plea as she moved closer to the ninja. "Don't make the same mistakes I did. Nothing good will come of you sacrificing your life."

A faint smile curled Lloyd's lips when Sheena finally lifted her eyes. "Colette's absolutely right," he nodded his encouragement, the gesture gradually becoming more pointed in the direction of Tethe'alla's Chosen. "You should thank Zelos, Sheena."

The ninja bit her lip and cringed ever so slightly as she shifted her gaze to Zelos. There was a noticeable hesitance as she set her jaw and drew a breath. "Th… thanks."

For just a moment, Zelos' eyes widened, but then a chuckle brought the amusement back to his expression and he shrugged coyly. "Come on now, would it hurt you to give me a kiss or two?" he asked, batting his eyes innocently.

Liane saw Sheena bristle and quickly look away, her cheeks burning as she sought to look at _anything_ other than the Chosen. Once again, the urge to smack Zelos sharply rose in her, and she found herself grateful that he was out of her reach. _Why did you do that?_ Liane questioned him silently, barely containing a shake of her head. _It's like you're going out of your way to be an –_

"Zelos, you're horrible," Presea stated softly, her voice drawing the Chosen's attention as his smug smirk fell away dramatically.

"Oh," Zelos gasped, clutching an arm across his chest. "_Ouch._"

_She put it nicer than I would have,_ Liane sighed, shaking her head as she tried not to watch Sheena's reactions too closely. The summoner would have even more of her own demons to deal with after what had happened at the gate, but the swordswoman could only hope that she would ask for help if she needed it – no one could tell her how to feel about Kuchinawa, his actions, or his words.

"But what are we gonna do now?" Mithos asked nervously from the other side of the group as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Lloyd spared one last long look at Sheena and Zelos before he sighed and looked to the blonde half-elf with a shrug. "Well, since we're back in Sylvarant, why don't we find out what the Desians are up to?"

Genis spun to face Lloyd and lifted his hand toward the other half-elven boy without looking at him. "What about Mithos?" he asked with concern. "We can't drag him into this."

"He's already in this, Genis," Liane shrugged, resting her hand casually on the hilt of her sword. "The Otherworldly Gate seems to only work one way… it's not like we can send him back." She was sure that she felt Mithos' gaze slide over to her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet it, instead sighing and intently keeping eye contact with the mage. "We'll just have to be careful and watch out for him if things get bad?"

Colette walked closer to Lloyd, her hands clasped behind her back. "Maybe we could ask the Palmacosta government to take care of him for a while," she offered, smiling when he looked down to her.

"Neil, huh?" Lloyd murmured, considering the blonde girl's suggestion for a moment and then shrugging. "Hmm… I guess that's a good idea."

"I wanna fight, too!" Mithos quickly exclaimed, his eyes wide with urgency when the others looked to him for his outburst.

Genis shook his head to his new friend, one hand on his hip. "What are you saying?" he asked, his free hand flailing. "This journey is dangerous even if you had an Exsphere."

Liane forced herself to take a deep breath, choosing to ignore the sarcastic little instinct that told her she was about to be used as an example. '_See how much trouble Liane is having?'_ Her mind formed the question for her before she could stop it, but she managed to change her reaction to it from a cringe to an exhale that relieved some of the pressure as she held her tongue. That was the moment that she realized that Regal was watching her, his eyebrow arched so slightly that she told herself that she might have been imagining it. She met his eyes evenly and gave him a single nod. If she was wrong, it could still be a simple acknowledgement. But if she was right, she hoped he would understand: "_I know. I don't need an Exsphere. Don't worry…._"

"He's right, Mithos," Raine spoke as she lightly dropped a hand onto the boy's shoulder and looked down into his eyes with a warm smile. "We do appreciate your sentiment, though."

For just a moment, Mithos looked like he wanted to argue with the party's decision. Then, his chin dipped, his shoulders falling as the dip turned into a reluctantly accepting nod. "I suppose you're right," he sighed, crestfallen. "I understand."

The decision was made and accepted, all that was left was to visit Neil. The party gathered themselves and started over the rolling landscape towards Palmacosta, and Liane couldn't help but find a small bit more confidence. _If they didn't have some faith in me, they'd be leaving me with Neil, too…._ It backed up what Regal had told her… it even backed up Kratos' refusal of help. _They trust me. I guess… all I've ever had to do… was trust me, too._

It helped, but it still left Liane with some small flicker of doubt. _But if I trust me… then I'm going to have to believe in what I've dreamt. I don't know if I'm ready for that…._Kratos sighed and leaned his weight forward onto his hands on the table that he was certain was ancient long before he was. The lab around him was eerily quiet despite being occupied by a dozen or more angelic researchers. While they continued obediently with their task of preparing for Martel's vessel, they paid him little mind. He was almost as much a fixture in the research lab as the old wooden table was, but it was in that familiarity that Kratos found some small level of anonymity. With Mithos having attached himself to Lloyd's party and Yuan off being Yuan, Kratos was the only Cruxis seraph left. While it left him in a rather precarious position between enforcing Yggdrasill's edicts and not _furthering_ them, it did give him the chance to examine the precious tomes of information that had been gathered throughout the time since the Great War – and even before – without question.

* * *

His research had been limited to stolen moments before, but now, there was no one present that would report him – provided he didn't step too far out of role – and Yggdrasill wasn't present. It was as perfect a time as he could ask.

_Sacred wood is the only thing that will burn hot enough to melt the Adamantite._ Kratos exhaled, his suspicions confirmed by the book before him, though it wasn't what he had hoped to find. In his previous haste to avoid being found with the book, it was the only option he had discovered. But he had hoped there would be others. _With Ozette all but destroyed, there's only one place to look now._ He closed the book and let his head fall forward for a moment. _It could be the easiest thing in the world, or it could be like walking into a lion's den. _Sitting back into the plush chair that seemed out of place in the lab except for the fact that it was there for Yggdrasill's visits, Kratos leaned back, his eyes tracing over the intricately carved ceiling tiles as he touched his fingertips together over his chest and slumped down in the chair.

_It has to be done. There simply are no other options._

It was an answer, even if it wasn't the one that he wanted. It really was the most he could ask for. The thought was enough of a mantra to draw him out of his wishes and bring his eyes back down to the other book he had removed from the immaculately kept research shelves. While the burgundy leather-wrapped book wasn't quite as old as the other one, it was still ancient, and it was still growing with the research that was continually being done on the subject.

_Exspheres._

Kratos hated the book on principle. The pages contained countless accounts of all forms of the cursed stones – simple Exspheres, Cruxis Crystals… anything between and the theories of what might lie beyond them all. It was a record of ongoing research that glossed over – or simply paid no attention to – the impact on the lives of the research subjects. They were only counted so far as if their bodies produced a successful crystal – or if their lives led only to a failure of the project… black and white… no shades of gray… a life simply summed up as a success or failure in terms of the project and given no more dignity than a control number.

_If I look hard enough, I'd probably be listed as part of a successful experiment._ The thought was bitter as he reached out to open the book, his own crystal winking almost conspiratorially at him as the leather cover fell back onto the table. He had survived, he had all the enhanced strength and power that made Exspheres and their ilk so seductive… he had – for all intents – immortality. His existence was an example of success from the culture to the use of the crystal.

Kratos refused to allow his thoughts to roam to the names that would populate the list of failures. It was mostly just out of cynicism, but he still didn't like it. _She probably would have actually have been a success, judging by the strength and abilities of the stone that Lloyd wears… the one she nourished with her own life energies…._

But she was the reason he was there… the reason he had taken the book from its shelf in the first place. _Anna_. He owed it to her to find out what was happening. Though nothing was certain and there was no solid proof of anything, he knew what he saw and heard when he was near Liane. As much as it didn't make sense, he knew that if there were grounds for believing in what seemed to be impossible, it would be written in the book before him.

Carefully avoiding the meticulous records of individual test subjects that started near the end of the book and continued on for a horrifying number of volumes after, Kratos started with the theories of the Exspheres' power… and how the Cruxis researchers sought to enhance them. Though the original research was only legend – the very inspiration to use the stones to enhance the body's abilities not documented by anything more than hearsay, the rest of the notes were quite orderly and exacting in their detail.

'_The Exsphere draws on the energy of its host. Uncrested, the relationship can be symbiotic for a time, but when the Exsphere has harvested the energy that it needed, the balance is destroyed, normally resulting in the death of the host and an Exsphere that is ready to be used in a safe and crested capacity.'_

It was a cold summary of pages of description, and it was almost enough to make Kratos close the book and walk away. But the next page started the chapter on host physiology… the criteria that the researchers had decided would make for the most useful of hosts. He couldn't say how much time passed while he poured over the pages of what – to anyone else – would be painfully dry and cumbersome drivel. To Kratos, however, it seemed to make some level of sense, even if it was only vaguely strung together thoughts.

From the behavior of the hosts both prior to the Exspheres being harvested and the behavior of the Exspheres after, it was theorized that the crystals fed on the host's life energies, which accounted for the catastrophic failure of the relationship once it became unbalanced. There were several documented cases of Exspheres bearing 'residual presences' of their hosts after the body's death, while in others, the Exsphere simply held the power it had drawn for itself, showing no sign of consciousness. The phenomenon seemed to be very rare, but, with all the cold calculation that the Cruxis researchers were known for, the book still presented a theory on the 'anomaly' Exspheres.

After reading for a few more paragraphs, Kratos sat back in the chair again, his eyes still on the page, but his eyes unfocused slightly in thought. _They decided that there are two integral parts to every individual being… the life force and the consciousness – or soul. _The research wouldn't stoop so low as to refer to it as a soul – not in a test subject – but Kratos could read into the clinical definitions being used. Neither could be measured individually as the two were entwined, so it was usually not even differentiated.

_Both the soul and the Exsphere depend on the life force to survive. It's a struggle that the Exsphere usually wins, obliterating all that normally makes up the host and, under the best of circumstances, leaving the host a mutated husk._ Kratos reached out to close the book, but continued to stare at the cover. He couldn't close his eyes. He'd see _her_ like that again if he did.

_If the Exsphere couldn't draw in the consciousness with the life force… if the consciousness was strong enough to resist… perhaps it's possible that it would exist for a time without the life force. But even then, it shouldn't be able to last for long._

"_She's broken…."_

The fortune teller's words were still a nagging ghost in the back of Kratos' mind, but it was one more piece that helped it all make sense, even if it required a leap of faith that probably could never be fully justified. _If… Anna survived having her life force being drawn into the Exsphere… if her consciousness was separated from it… wouldn't it make sense… that survival instinct might kick in… drive her to find another source of energy?_

Kratos knew it was crazy… that he should want to laugh, but once again, it was the fortune teller's insight that kept him from discarding the theory completely.

"_She is parts of two… clinging together to be one. She is fragile… but for her, there is no other way." _

It had seemed so strange at the time… an almost absurd observation that he couldn't cast aside from the honesty he read in the woman's behavior. Almost worse, it explained so much. It explained how Lloyd's crystal showed no signs of weakness or flaw… a perfect creation in the eyes of researchers, most likely. It explained how Liane _felt_ familiar, but not beyond doubt… and it explained at least in some part, why she claimed to have no memories prior to her awakening after her accident as a small girl. _She… didn't exist as the same person before…._

"Lord Kratos, why do you waste your time here? With Lord Yggdrasill gone, you could –"

"It would be none of your business," Kratos groaned without looking over his shoulder to the crooning female voice. His thoughts were scattered, sent running for shelter for a time when he could put them back together again as he stood, carefully checking his expression before he spun on his heel to stare down into the green-haired woman's eyes. "I don't recall asking for your presence."

Pronyma drew herself up to her full height, a sultry smile on her lips. "It seemed that my Lord Kratos needed salvation from the boredom," she shrugged, reaching out a hand to walk her fingers up over his chest. "You know, with Lord Yggdrasill gone, no one would notice if we disappeared for a while," she purred, raising an eyebrow to him.

Kratos slapped her hand away without looking away from her gaze. "You are the only one that needs to disappear, Pronyma," he grumbled, hardening his glare for a moment and then turning back to look over the lab. "With Lord Yggdrasill gone, there's even less time than normal for your antics." He turned to watch her over his shoulder. "I would think your rank as Grand Cardinal would leave you with something better to do other than harass me."

"Harass?" Pronyma blinked innocently. "Lord Kratos, I wouldn't dream of being so bold as to _harass _one of the mighty Four Seraphim of Cruxis," she continued with a casual shrug, ignoring Kratos' soft snort as she made her way to stand beside him, turning to lean against the table as she crossed her arms over her chest. "For instance, I thought that I might help you find a way to bring your son under the protective wing of Cruxis before it's too late…?"

Tilting his head just a bit, Kratos' glare sharpened even more. He knew that denying her claim would only fuel her more and play into what he was certain she was trying to turn into blackmail, but he also knew that acknowledging her would serve the same purpose – either way, Pronyma would win her game. "As a Desian Grand Cardinal, I wasn't aware you had the rights to promise Cruxis' protection to anyone," he stated evenly, his gaze burning into the side of her head as she kept her eyes pointedly averted.

Pronyma giggled, her wings echoing the sentiment with an almost-musical metallic chatter. "Then perhaps you should, Lord Kratos. Because with Lord Yggdrasill's humor as it has been of late, Cruxis may be the only protection that will save the Iselian whelp's life if he and the others continue to stand against Lord Yggdrasill's plans." She slowly turned to meet his gaze and offered him an easy shrug. "You shouldn't be surprised, you know. The resemblance is quite striking – both to you and the unworthy wench that spawned him."

Kratos bristled and hand to force himself not to reach out and choke her. After what he had been studying before her arrival, it was hardly the time to push his self-control. "Once again, none of that is _your_ concern, Pronyma." He reached for the book, tucked it under his arm, and then turned to the door. "I would suggest that you see to your duties, though, or you might be the one in need of protection when Lord Yggdrasill returns."

"I just knew you cared," Pronyma laughed once, just enough to display the underlying sarcasm. She was silent as she watched the seraph start towards the nearby door, but made no attempt to move from where she leaned against the table. "But you _might_ want to warn him not to turn the offer down if you chose to make it." The Desian woman waited only long enough for his steps to slow before she shrugged and drew another breath. "Gifts such as yours are simply not offered to humans any more, if they are offered at all. You'd be wise to advise him to not turn it away if he is so fortunate to be considered."

Reaching out to pass his hand over the access pad beside the door, Kratos did not turn back to her. "You'd be wise to tend to your own business, Pronyma, or not even your inflated ambitions and sense of self-worth will be able to help you." He didn't give her a chance to respond. The angel simply left the room without another word. He stalked down the hallway, passing by a few drifting angelic citizens of Welgaia without truly noticing them.

There was something intriguing in Pronyma's taunting thoughts, as much as he didn't want there to be. _Even considering recruiting Lloyd is like conceding defeat now._

He sighed, the door to the research lab closed and far behind him to allow him a moment to recognize his reaction to the possibility:

_I don't want this life for him._

Kratos told himself that the matter was settled, even though some part of him knew that it was only a temporary dismissal. Things would get more difficult before they would get better, and he knew that the thought would return.

_He already detests me enough to cast aside anything I would offer him in any case. Lloyd would never accept. _

It was already clear that the boy couldn't – or wouldn't – see what Pronyma and Yuan obviously had… and Kratos had to admit that it was probably better that way. Lloyd had long ago accepted that his parents were dead, and Kratos thought that he had accepted the same of his wife and son.

_Fate always has the last laugh, I suppose_. The seraph sighed and continued down the hallway, his footsteps echoing hollowly as he clenched the book a little tighter to his side. While Lloyd still embodied Kratos' hope to be proven wrong about his family, another truth that had to be taken in with that possibility. His wife was dead, no matter tantalizing clues to the contrary. _Liane might carry part of Anna with her, but she's not Anna. It's not fair to expect her to be…_.

It made him ache, but it was how he knew it had to be.

_Two parts of one whole… a being no matter how fractured. And one that deserves to choose its own destiny as much as anyone else..._

(To be continued… )


	28. Chapter 28 Part Two

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: After staying the night at Altessa's, the party discovers lost bits of their own pasts in unexpected places and then finds themselves trapped in the declining world. It's a homecoming to some of the party even while more of the nature of their homeworlds as well as their enemy is revealed to the party.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 28 (Part Two of Two):

"It'll be terrible if Palmacosta's human ranch is rebuilt."

Colette's thoughtful murmur didn't seem to be aimed at anyone in particular as she sat down near the end of the bed she had been assigned to take for the party's overnight stay at the House of Salvation near Palmacosta. While their day had already been long enough in Tethe'alla, to be dropped into the middle of the day in Sylvarant did nothing for their weariness – nor would it aid them if Neil's accounts of Desian activity ended up being true.

"I hate to say it, but I wouldn't put it past the Desians to rebuild," Liane sighed and smoothed the blankets over her bedroll where she had placed it on the floor beneath one of the room's windows. She looked over her shoulder to the others and caught Colette's eyes as the other girl looked up. "I mean, the location worked well for them before…."

Lloyd stood up from his own bedroll and nodded even as his shoulders sagged. "Yes, they'll attack the city again, and kill more innocent people," he commented, his tone almost conspicuously even.

"And… make more Exspheres," Genis added from where he was crouched beside the small hearth, taking a break from stoking the fire he had built there to warm the room for the night.

The comment brought a dark heaviness to the room, sending them all to find something to distract themselves from the sad truth of the mage's words. Blankets were folded, packs cinched, weapons checked in their sheathes, but no one spoke or looked to one another until Regal's heavy sigh broke the silence as he drew himself back to his feet. "Exsphere manufacture…" he muttered thoughtfully, shaking his head as his eyes remained fixed on the ground. "I'd heard stories, but… Human Ranches are an abomination."

"Yeah," Lloyd agreed, his tone almost as gloomy as the convict's as he loosened his sword belts and lowered them onto his bedroll. "I don't want to see any more people killed for the sake of Exspheres."

Regal turned on his heel at the swordsman's declaration and started towards the spiraled staircase that led back to the main level of the House. "Indeed," he muttered distractedly as his boots started their rhythmic trail down the stairs, the noise making it unclear if he was still speaking or if the rounded walls of the House had their own comments on the topic.

Liane sighed and hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. Regal's departure made her even more uneasy about the rift she saw developing. While the thought that he might leave the group before she could speak to him had lost some of its power since they had returned to Sylvarant, she also remembered her promise not to push him. _What's going on? It can't be that he's that upset with me… but… I just can't read him right now… if I ever could…._

"Aaaaand there he goes again," Zelos groaned as he toppled back onto his bedroll, one arm draped over his eyes. "I swear, if the King gave medals for brooding, that guy would have noooo competition."

Sheena's head snapped in the redhead's direction. "Well, some of us have more on our minds than where the next tavern or harem of floozies is hiding," she grumbled, shaking her head with a huff.

Zelos lifted his head, his eyes bright with mischief. "Are you one of them? 'Cause if you're not and you're going looking for the floozies, I am soooo going with you!" he declared with a delighted laugh that was cut short by a yelp of pain and the snap of a hand to the back of his head. The redhead fell back onto the bedroll, staring up at the silver-haired woman that stood over him for a moment before his hands flailed in despair. "What??"

"I'm not even going to answer that," Raine groaned, shaking her head slowly as she stepped over the assaulted Chosen and sat down on the foot of Presea's bed. "But I think we all need to deal with this as best we can. There's so much happening… Regal needs the time to think. We can't fault him for that. As a matter of fact," she spared a sharp glance to Zelos, "… more of us probably need to follow his example."

As Zelos huffed and proceeded to pout his way through the rest of the time that he and the others set up for the night, Liane's thoughts kept playing over what Raine had said. _"More of us probably need to follow his example."_ She gathered her belongings into a small pile that would reside for the night behind her head, taking off her sword and daggers and tucking them safely beneath her pack – all of the motions practically automatic as her mind wandered. _She's right… he cares enough to say something when he knows it's not what his friends want to hear. It's the same honesty he's offered us from the beginning._ Not that they had started off exactly brilliantly by fighting each other, but Regal had consistently been a friend to her after that. While she knew that he still hid things from her – from all of them – she found herself willing to take the leap that it wasn't something that would get them killed… or stabbed in the back.

Liane made a face at the thought without thinking and quickly caught herself with a glance to the others to see if anyone else had noticed. Quiet conversations were starting up around the room, and Genis was handing out mugs of steaming liquid that she guessed would be tea, and, at least for the moment, she was reassured that no one was paying any attention to her. With all Kratos had done to all of them, she still hated to admit that she would – in all likelihood – give him yet another chance. She wanted to believe the best of him, even though she knew she truly didn't know the first thing about him.

It was no different for Regal. She knew so very little about him… she knew so little of how his mind worked that she didn't even dare guess at what he was still hiding. He had offered her a hand of friendship… and she had tested it on numerous times already, only to have him listen, offer her advice… and even offer her criticism.

_And here I sit still licking my wounds that he chastised me._

The thought was enough to push her to her feet and walk over to Genis, asking him for one cup and nodding her thanks to him before turning towards the door.

"Liane?" Presea murmured quietly, tilting her head to watch the swordswoman as she clutched her mug between her hands. "You can sit here, if you like… there is room…?" the girl offered, nodding to the other side of her bed.

The dark haired young woman turned, almost surprised that Presea had spoken to her. She had tried to keep her departure quiet, but there was no reason to hide. She smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm going to take this out to Regal… it's going to get chilly out there soon. But then I'll be back for mine… and I might take you up on it?"

The ax girl responded with a single nod, and Liane turned, feeling oddly lighter that she didn't have to feel like she was sneaking away. The chatter in the room continued behind her as she made her way down the stairs, and she had to smile. _Okay… now, I just have to make sure that Regal's still speaking to me…_ she coached herself and headed out the door of the House of Salvation, sucking in her breath a little as the cool night air struck her and she paused to frown.

_Maybe once we talk… things will make more sense again… at least there will be one less thing to worry about._

Liane stepped down off the front porch of the House of Salvation, her eyes scanning the fenced yard. It was all so familiar... it all felt familiar, at last. Grasping the mug between her hands, she chewed the edge of her lip and wandered to the back of the House of Salvation, hesitating when she saw the figure she had been seeking seated on a small bench that had been built around the trunk of an ancient tree with drooping limbs. Drawing in a quick breath, she crossed the small grassy yard and stood before him, holding the mug of steaming tea out to him with a smile. "It's going to be cold tonight... this might help chase it away a little?"

Regal opened his eyes, looking up at her for a moment before he held out his shackled hands to take the mug. His eyes fell to the mug as he seemed to be searching for something to say. Finally, he turned and politely nodded to the empty space on the bench beside him. "Thank you."

Liane hesitated, but still took a seat on the edge of the bench. "Sure..." she tried to laugh, but she wasn't sure how it had come out. As the silence stretched out between them, she was suddenly very much aware that they had all but avoided each other since Flanoir. She didn't know what to do to make it better... she couldn't take back the truths she had shared with him that night. So instead, she sighed and crossed her ankles back under the bench, looking up to the darkening skies. "Well, this is Sylvarant. Think you're ready to go home yet?" she chuckled softly. "I warned you that it wasn't much to see..."

"You're saying that before I've seen more than a few places in it," Regal commented glancing to her after taking a sip of the warm liquid in his cup. Tapping his fingers against the sides of the mug, he straightened his back from the slight slump he had been sitting in. "I'm sure Sylvarant contains its own beauty, Liane." He met her gaze for a moment before looking away. "I suppose I could ask you the same question though. You are finally home...?"

Liane couldn't help that his words stung... not after the discussion she had had with Kratos... and Regal before that. But she did her best to keep her smile even and shake her head as if nothing was wrong. "No. I really don't want to go to the ranch - _any_ ranch – ever again... but I think I'll stick around in any case." She shrugged and tried to laugh, even if the amusement never quite reached her voice. "Someone might have to bail you guys out, after all."

"It's seems in one night you've had a complete change of heart, then," Regal remarked looking out over the field in front of them and taking another sip of his cocoa. "I think I prefer your confidence to your desire for an Exsphere."

"I never said I wanted to go home, Regal... not... not the other night, anyway," Liane hung her head a little and forced herself to stay seated, fighting the urge to get up and go back into the House. With what she knew was a decidedly masochistic flash, she sucked in a breath and looked over to him. "Is... that why you've been avoiding me?" _There. I asked. Now it's out there and we can just move on, whether he hates me or not._

"Liane, I have not been avoiding you. I've made my disapproval of what you asked _him _about clear already, and I didn't know what else to do about the situation. Other things happened as well today. You didn't actively seek me out, so I had the impression you either did not wish to speak with me, or you were involved in everything else," the convict replied, meeting her gaze once again. "I apologize if you thought I was avoiding you."

"I guess it could have just been paranoia, then..." she murmured, keeping her eyes down for a moment longer before she looked up with a shrug. "It just seemed that the only time we've spoken since Flanoir was in battle with Celsius. Then at Altessa's, you kept yourself busy with helping cook and clean up and then..." she watched him for a moment, studying his expression by the pale light of the dying day, "... then you didn't want to go into Altamira with us. I guess it was just easier to tie it all up with the thought that you didn't want to be near me." Liane frowned, still feeling the need to defend herself. "And I already said that I was sorry for even thinking it. I really don't know how else to apologize."

"I know that you've apologized, but the fact is that it won't change how I feel about Exspheres. We've both seen... what it can do to people," Regal murmured and sighed, shaking his head. "Did you really think that... because of that, I wouldn't be your friend anymore?" "I would have spoken with you after the fight, but once everyone had had their fill of teasing Zelos, Lloyd wanted to know who kicked harder since it seems Celsius knows how to perform Swallow Dance."

"Oh..." Liane murmured, feeling a bit sheepish. She knew that it was selfish to think those things had all been tied together, but she had felt very isolated since that night in the snowy city. Not simply because of Kratos, but because she couldn't take back what she had told Regal. "Well, I can't change that I told you the truth about what I spoke to Kratos about. I guess... you might just have to forgive me for that. But, I missed talking to you. And I know it's been kind of crazy since we left Altamira... but..." She shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure we were okay," Liane finally found a small smile for him.

"We're fine, Liane. Just because we didn't see eye to eye on this doesn't mean we're not friend anymore," Regal insisted with a shake of his head, setting his mug on the other side of the bench from her and turning to place a hand on her shoulder. Smiling, he raised an eyebrow. "I can't imagine that you've always agreed with Lloyd and Genis about everything. I just don't wish to see you hurt. An Exsphere is dangerous... even with a crest... even if it's attached correctly."

"I know," Liane almost groaned, stopping short before the frustration could show completely in her voice. "And we're two different people. We can't possibly agree on everything," she shrugged and drew in a deep breath, shaking her head to banish the topic from her mind. She still hadn't outright asked him why he hadn't gone into Altamira with them... somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she looked over to a slightly butchered tree not far from where they sat. "See that tree? That's the embodiment of the dangers of teaching me new sword tricks..." she snickered, noticing how one of the heavier branches still hung by a few stubborn fibers and swayed in the gentle wind.

"You abused the surrounding plant life to learn sword techniques..." he chuckled softly resting his hands in his lap, leaning against the tree behind him once again. He crossed his ankles, the movement slow and cautious of the greaves he still wore. "I can imagine you still learning. From the look of that poor tree, you practiced here for quite a bit. Are there many trees like this in Sylvarant then? Will this be part of your tour?"

"It can be..." Liane laughed a little. "But I honestly didn't start learning much about a sword until starting on the journey. Even then, I only carried my grandfather's rusty old short sword," she sighed, settling back a little more on the rounded bench to rest against the tree as Regal had. "But I imagine that's still somewhere at the bottom of the Lake that surrounds Luin, or I'd show it to you for a good laugh..."

"How did it end up at the bottom of a lake in... Luin, was it?" Regal asked with interest, tilting his head to look over to her.

Liane clasped her hands in her lap and sighed. "Well, Luin would be where Sheena and I got ambushed and were foolish enough to take on an entire platoon of Desians hell-bent on destroying the town and taking as many prisoners as possible," she shrugged. "I lost my grip on my sword and it went sailing into the lake... and..." Liane had to exhale and remind herself that it was all done and over. "And then I got smacked in the head and woke up as a guest of the Asgard Human Ranch."

"You..." The blue haired man paused, his eyes widening, but it seemed to take him only a moment to get a hold of his composure even though concern still shone in his eyes. "You were taken to a Human Ranch? Colette told me that you destroyed several ranches before you came to Tethe'alla. This Asgard Ranch was one of them? After the others rescued you?"

"Um-hmm..." Liane nodded. "You'll love the twist in this story, but... maybe you might finally believe me when I tell you that I do understand..." she sighed. "The Desians were trying to fix me up with my very own Exsphere. But I got loose and did my best to destroy the lab they were keeping me in along with some of the other Luin prisoners. That was before they drugged me to the teeth. I was lucky that the others found me when they did," Liane shrugged, trying not to think too hard about the events. "That was when we found out what had happened to Lloyd's mom, although I was too much out of it to do anything but listen to the Ranch master's story."

"I'm sorry. That's... horrible," he breathed out, an odd silence forming between them once again in the wake of her story. "You were fortunate then... they came for you. They came in time. Exspheres are horrible things in the wrong hands. The Desians – like Rodyle – have caused so much harm with them."

"I know..." Liane nodded in agreement. Again, they both fell silent and she chewed the inside edge of her lip. "I didn't want one then. I don't want one now. I just wanted to be on the same level with everyone else. That's all. I swear it was. I know they're terrible. I know they're painful if they're not handled, attached, or removed correctly. But I'd do anything to be sure that I wasn't a liability to the group. That's all. That's why I asked. I'm sorry I did it, but I did. It's really all I can say."

"You make it sound as if I'm trying to make you feel guilty..." Regal replied after a moment, shifting his eyes away with a sigh.

"I just don't want you thinking that I don't understand how dangerous they are. I don't want you to lose faith in me. I don't want to hurt. And I don't want to cause those that care about me pain, either." Liane murmured and looked down. "I'm trying to avoid any of that, believe it or not. I... just seem to have the ability to stir up bad memories in those around me, whether it's something I do or not. I don't want to do that anymore. Not to you... or anyone else."

"I haven't, Liane. I haven't lost faith in you. I can understand how you want to protect everyone, but it does us no good if you hurt yourself in the process." Regal put his hand on her shoulder again. "As for the memories, it's unavoidable at times. People are resilient. After all that you've seen, all that's happened, you're still here, and you're still fighting. We all are."

Liane glanced over to his hand and then up to meet his eyes for a moment before she could reply. "I know." With a nod, she let her mind work over what he had said, trying to find a way to turn it to a question that she probably had no right to ask. "When we stayed here last time, I asked Kratos why he hated me," she offered, knowing it was out of the blue. But how many times had she already heard Regal say that Presea reminded him of someone he knew? Wasn't it worth the chance to point out some possible common ground? "He told me that he didn't. He told me that I reminded him of someone dear to him. It's... part of why I still don't want to ask him anything," she hung her head a little. "It's part of why it's getting easy to just let things drop."

"Liane, you've been dealing with a lot, and you've tried to talk to him. Sometimes, it's all you can do. Even if you get the chance to speak with someone and ask all the right questions, you can't force them to answer you. There has to be trust... confidence… and they have to be willing to open up," Regal murmured with a small frown. "It doesn't seem he's in the habit of answering questions asked of him though."

Liane decided that remaining silent was the best course of action as she twisted her fingers together. Of what he had just said, she that knew he was right. She couldn't force either Kratos or Regal to open up to her... both men would have to do so on their own – or not at all. "No, I don't suppose questions are probably the right way to go about such things, anyway, though."

"We're not talking about Kratos anymore, are we?" the shackled man asked her quietly, glancing away.

"I guess it's fair to say we're not really talking about anyone in particular," Liane shrugged, looking over to him. "It goes along with not pushing. I guess I'm just saying... if you think I should talk to him, then I think we both need to give him the same benefit of being allowed the decision when and if to speak." She looked back down to her hands and shrugged. "I tried to force the topic... and he left. I don't want to do that again."

"Sometimes, it's inevitable to push. Some people need to know that you truly wish to talk to them before they can open up. Others will gush out at the slightest chance," Regal shrugged. "Does it bother you that he walked away?"

"On some levels..." Liane answered honestly. "I probably didn't go about it in the right way. He frustrated me and I kind of just blurted it out. I forgot that I still considered him a friend... and that I owed him the same courtesy of privacy that I promised you."

"At the same time, he hasn't been completely sticking with the idea that you're friends either. If you needed him, he isn't here...if you ask him things and he avoids it, then communications are severed... and you don't even know what he's trying to do. You have to have completely blind trust that he is still trying to help you right now. You're allowed to be frustrated... and perhaps push a little," the blue haired man stated firmly, yet still kept his voice low, the effect keeping his words from being too harsh.

Liane knew that she couldn't tell him that she had seen Kratos again... spoken to him for even a few moments in the time while the others had settled in for the night at Altessa's. "Kratos can't be with us right now. I don't know when we'll even see him again," she shrugged. "Not that it's really any different from before, I suppose. But I don't think trust, friendship, or even truth will be issues for a while again."

"But it bothers you," he murmured with a frown.

"How could it not?" Liane replied with only the slightest of hesitation. "I know you don't like him. I can't make you like him. But I know there's something far bigger going on. I guess I just don't need to know about it yet. It's starting to be a familiar feeling," she sighed and ventured a look up to him again. "You know, you could have come into town with us. If you were worried about people watching you, we could have helped, you know."

"I... honestly... didn't think I could handle it, even with help, Liane. But thank you," Regal smiled weakly. He cocked his head to the side. "Is that what this has been about, partly?"

Liane nodded "Yes. If you weren't avoiding me, then it just eliminated one more reason why you wouldn't go in," she shrugged. "That... and I still felt like I needed to apologize after the other night. I didn't like how we parted ways."

Regal smiled softly. "I don't like how we parted ways last night either. I shouldn't have been so short with you, but I can't change how I feel about Exspheres, Liane, especially after all of the pain they've caused." He lowered his gaze to the dark grass at their feet for a moment before he drew a breath and looked back over to her, a faint smile appearing on his lips by the lantern lights from the House of Salvation. "But we don't have to focus on that all night. I'd rather hear about how these lessons of yours. How long did it take you to abuse the plant life around here properly?"

Liane blinked at the change in topic and then she laughed a little, feeling some of the tension melt away. "Oh, not too long. Kratos just forgot to mention something about aiming the Demon Fang before I let it loose," she shrugged, trying to stay as serious as she could. When she saw the look he gave her, she laughed awkwardly. "I told you I didn't know much about swords, much less techniques. I had my daggers and that was about it."

"Did someone teach you to use daggers then? Or were you like Lloyd and you taught yourself?" he asked leaning back against the tree again. "Do you prefer the sword now?"

"I pretty much taught myself... general self-defense is necessary considering that one of my best friends lives on the other side of a monster-invested forest," Liane shrugged and then sat back in the bench a little more. "I'm used to the sword now. It's a better weight than the short sword, and more dependable than my throwing accuracy."

"It takes a great deal of time to develop aim that can be precise every time," Regal commented rolling his shoulders to relax against the bark. "So you were self taught. Lloyd was as well, from what I've gathered... does that mean Genis was as well?"

"Genis' magic was just an extension of his love of learning... and his sister's guidance..." Liane answered, smiling as she thought of her friends. She glanced over to him again, and hesitated in asking him of his own skills. She knew that she had pushed enough for the night. With a sigh, she pushed herself to her feet and looked down to him. "Ready to go in? I'm sure Genis has more tea if you still need to warm up..."

"Yes, I'm ready," the shackled man remarked as he pushed off from the tree to climb to his feet, and look back down to her. "I'd be happy to escort you this time...?"

"That sounds better than either of us being left behind," Liane smiled in return and started to cross the yard with him, her hands clasped behind her back as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. _Escort…_.The thought brought a small smile to her lips. _That's polite…._ "And don't worry about my training, okay? My aim really is getting better."

"I've seen you in action, Liane, I can tell you're improving," he insisted with a slight roll of his eyes.

The return of the swordswoman and the convict to the room that the group had rented for the night did little more than earn them a few nods that barely interrupted the random soft conversations between the others. Liane made her way to her bedroll and sat back against the wall, observing her friends with a small smile and an almost odd sense of peace that she knew wouldn't last. She sacrificed her chance at the tea for the precious moments, deciding it was worth it for a moment to remember how they all could be outside of battle. While they were still a mismatched bunch, she could still feel the sometimes-grudging camaraderie between them.

For just those few moments, it seemed that all might be right with their worlds… _at least, it might be one day._

While Liane's talk with Regal appeared to have patched their friendship back to a comfortable level, she hadn't been able to bring herself to find words to voice her curiosity about what had happened in Altamira. _I guess there really are places that my mind won't go,_ she sighed and rolled over onto her bedroll to shrug into her blankets. Her eyelids were growing heavier with every breath, but her gaze lingered on Regal as he spoke quietly with Raine where they both stood near the hearth. _He said he wasn't ready… it could be that easy,_ she reasoned silently with herself. _With the people crawling all over that town, a man in shackles might have caused a ruckus. _The pieces fit convincingly into place – or at least enough to allow her to close her eyes in a bid for sleep.

_Easier… than thinking he was avoiding Altamira… for what we discovered at the Lezareno building._

Liane told herself that it was an unreasonable leap, and that made it all but impossible to not be lulled by the growingly distant murmurs of her friends as they prepared to follow her to sleep. The gentle and wordless noises combined with the warmth of the walls that would protect them for the night to draw her into a place unaffected by strife, doubt, or fear… for at least a little while.

And… in that place, someone was holding one of her hands.

_Her eyes fluttered open to find herself the captive of a pair of mahogany pools set ablaze by golden light that seemed to be coming from everywhere all at once. Yet she couldn't stop her smile, her captivity something from which she knew she would never want to be freed._

"_And now, by the pledges you have made to one another, and the guidance, wisdom, and love of the Goddess Martel, you are one. Your hearts beating as one…."_

_She felt a tear trickle down her cheek as the solemn words were spoken, and she felt his thumb stroke lightly over the back of her hand. He wore a loose white shirt that caught the fiery light of the sunset and his image was burned into her mind. He was her angel – neither one of dark, nor one of light – simply… hers. He was fate's gift to her._

"_Your souls speaking for one another…."_

_Clutching his hand a little tighter, she bit down on her lip as he lifted a hand to brush away her tear. She knew that the ceremony had been something that she had wanted… that the words the kindly old captain spoke for them held different thoughts and memories for him. But she needed them – a declaration for once, rather than a deception… a recognition that outshone how they normally had to hide._

"_Each breath that you draw will now be one meant for you both to breathe."_

_She was shaking. The flowers in her free hand betrayed her, even though the blooms were already being tossed by the sea breeze. The flowers that he had risked himself to bring to her from a place she had never been. He had almost missed sunset for the gesture… she had almost given in to the cold despair that he wouldn't be back. But he had come for her – just as he always had. He gave her the flowers as he approached her on the dock… holding them out to her. He called them Stargazer Lilies… and he thought they fit her… he thought that they fit _them.

_She looked down to the vivid pink and white blooms for a moment, her eyes falling down to keep any more tears from falling. Concentrating on the fluttering white ribbon that bound them for a moment before she looked back up into his eyes, hoping that he could see that it was the happiest day of her life._

"_It is as it was meant to be… as Martel herself meant it to be. Embrace her even as you embrace each other, and thank her for guiding you to each other in this life."_

_Her shawl was like a caress against her bare arms, but the shiver that went though her came from the union of their hands… from the promises of forever that they had made to each other. But along with the recognition of her shaking… she realized that she wasn't alone. She looked up and met his eyes… and saw what she simply knew was happiness in the warm depths._

_Kratos Aurion… the warrior, the mercenary… was shaking almost as much as she was. _

_And she had never known him to be cold._

_Her smile was instantaneous, banishing her unease. It meant that much to him, too – _she_ meant that much to him. She squeezed his hand again and had to remind herself that the captain was still speaking from where he stood before them._

"_And now, to seal this union that the grace of the Goddess has brought together… your token of thanks…?"_

_Knowing what was expected of her at that time, her eyes fell to the ribbon-bound bouquet in her hand. _I've never seen anything like them,_ her mind whispered mournfully as she turned to the sea and grasped the stems in both hands with a sigh. He had brought them for her, a loving gesture that she had to pass on. Closing her eyes, she whispered a soft prayer she had known since she was tiny and then tossed the bouquet out into gold-kissed waves. The white ribbon he had tied them with streamed out behind the blooms like the tail of a shooting star before they fell to the water, leaving the ribbon to curl on top of the waves._

_She stared at the flowers were absorbed into the fiery reflections… enraptured by the sight. And its meaning as her tears came once again._

_Then, a pair of warm arms encircled her from behind and pulled her back into the reality that the ceremony was over._

"_I'll bring you more," he whispered in her ear as he clasped her hands before her and held her tight. "You are my wife. I'll do anything to keep you safe… to make you smile..."_

_He placed a soft kiss on her cheek._

"… _my Anna."_

_Anna._

Liane had awakened before sunrise to the name whispered in her ear with no prayer of going back to sleep. Of course, Kratos wasn't there, but she felt like he had been as she could vividly remember how it felt for him to wrap his arms around her. She could only lay in the silence amongst her friends and watch daylight begin to creep through the windows and ache – anything else would bring questions she couldn't answer.

It had all been so surreal – familiar, yet still new – and so very real.

And it was so close to just being too much.

Not only had Kratos professed his devotion to her as his wife, he had called her by the name of another woman, leaving her feeling like a voyeur in her own dreams even more than before.

Yet, that same devotion left Liane unable to stop thinking about it. It wasn't hers to claim, but there was an emotional rush that she couldn't deny. She had never been so close to a man that she would know how that kind of connection would feel. _Hells, I've never even been kissed!!_

Liane groaned at the thought as she went through the motions of following along with the party as they packed their gear and readied themselves to face what awaited them at the ruins of the Palmacosta Human Ranch. Michael had been the only man to show her any interest along those lines, but she had always veered as quickly as she could from those situations on the hope that there was something deeper for her than being little more than a possession. She had never seen herself as lacking… more just waiting for a connection.

Yet, now that she had tasted it, Liane could only ache for the loss of something she had never truly had. She wanted to cry… she wanted to give into the despair that she was going crazy.

_In that dream, I loved him… more than anything else in the world._

Liane stepped onto the platform of her Rheaird and fired the engines, keeping her head down so that her loose ponytail might hide her struggle with the wave of residual emotion until she could rein it in.

_And… he called me 'Anna'…._

She couldn't stop her eyes from moving to Lloyd when she could lift her head again. The name had been a specter over their lives for as long as she could remember – a name she had always associated with her darkest fear. She couldn't doubt where the name came from… nor could she question that it was a common name – in the remotest of crazy possibilities that she was actually receiving some kind of vision. Yet knowing that didn't do anything to change how the entire episode left her practically jittery as she guided her flyer along with the others to the woods that once housed the Palmacosta Human Ranch. She had to force herself to notice how the trees were still scorched from the explosion that had decimated the Ranch's operations during their last visit, and she also had to force herself to summon enough concentration to work even the easiest of controls to land the Rheaird on the coastal side of the forested patch.

_Come on, Liane,_ she chided herself as she stepped off the platform and held her wing pack out to collect the machine with one hand, stubbornly gripping the hilt of her sword with the other. _Dream or vision… does it matter? It's all in your head… what can really hurt you or the others might be waiting in those ruins on the other side of these trees…._ The argument was logical and made perfect sense, but she knew herself better than to think that the nagging thoughts wouldn't follow her. While the silence that the party lapsed into didn't truly help her bid to take her away from what she had seen and felt on the docks of Izoold, the unease did help her focus at least enough to fear what might be awaiting them.

When Lloyd suddenly dropped into a crouch behind a bank of shrubbery on the other side of one of the last turns to the ranch's front gate and gestured to the others to do the same, it was almost a gift to the swordswoman. _What did he see?_ Liane crouched with one knee to the ground, her sword ready to be drawn as she watched Lloyd slowly lift himself to peer over the undergrowth.

"Renegades!" Lloyd groaned and pushed himself to his feet without a glance to the others, both blades drawn as he ran towards the gates.

Genis stood up with a frown and a quick look between Lloyd and the rest of the group before he trotted after the swordsman. "So that's it. Neil and the others couldn't tell the difference between the Desians and the Renegades…" the young mage murmured, closing in behind Lloyd and taking his side as they stood before the guarded entrance to the ranch ruins.

"Renegades…? Have we decided that that's any better than the Desians?" Liane grumbled, her frustration spilling over into a somewhat foul mood as she and the others moved to gather behind Lloyd and Genis.

"Matter of opinion, I guess. From what I've heard, they've saved you more than they've tried to kill you," Zelos shrugged, strolling between Liane and Sheena, his pace somewhat more leisurely than the others as he kept his hands in his pockets instead of drawing his weapon.

Raine looked back over her shoulder to the redhead, her gaze cool. "Trying to kill any of us at all negates the idea of being happy to see them. Not that keeping any of us prisoner for their own motives exactly helps their case, either," she murmured, grasping her Phoenix Rod before her with both hands when she stopped, flanking Genis' side opposite Lloyd as Liane and Colette came to stand to the swordsman's other side.

The Renegade soldiers that milled about the gates froze at the Professor's words, each of them quickly spinning to train their weapons on the newcomers to the ruins of the ranch. Yet before any of them could act any further, much less speak, a familiar voice sounded through the clearing, a tall half-elf with upswept hair turning from where he had been crouched beside the demolished gates. "We've been waiting for you," Botta spoke, propping his hands at his waist in a show of ease as he nodded to the party.

"Are you saying you were expecting us to come here?" Regal grumbled from where he stood behind and between Lloyd and Liane, glaring at the Renegade as he kept his stance taut.

Botta waved a dismissive hand to the convict's question. "Does it really matter?" he asked with a shrug that was almost too casual, his sharp gaze flashing over the group before him. "We have more important things to discuss, such as joining forces."

The Professor snorted again. "Unbelievable…" she took a few steps out ahead of the group, ignoring the armed Renegade soldiers that still surrounded the party as she glared at Botta. "You actually expect us to trust you after all you've done to Lloyd and Colette?"

"The circumstances have changed."

The statement came from behind the party, the presence of the familiar voice pointing out that, had they chosen to stay in hiding in the woods, they would have quickly been discovered anyway. The blue haired half-elf strode to the party and through the center of them as they parted, his arms crossed confidently as he practically ignored them and strolled closer to Botta.

"Yuan!" Sheena exclaimed, her frown set deeply as she anxiously turned her card in her fingers in anticipation.

Yuan merely stopped beside Botta and turned back to the group, his arms still crossed. He observed each of them one by one before he finally drew a breath and tilted his head slightly in question. "Do you know of the Giant Kharlan Tree?" he asked, acknowledging neither the summoner's recognition nor the surprise of the rest of her companions.

"The legendary Giant Tree said to have existed in the Holy Ground of Kharlan, right?" Zelos responded quickly, his gaze narrowing on the Renegade leader. "It's the tree of life, which produces infinite mana."

Liane forced her hand slowly away from the hilt of her sword. Yuan was measuring them… testing them. Both with his words and with his eyes. "We all learn that story when we're young. It's a cornerstone of understanding how the land needs mana…" she responded, looking from Zelos and back to Yuan.

Colette looked from Yuan, to Zelos and Liane, and then back to Yuan, confusion clouding her eyes as she shook her head. "Isn't that just a fairy tale?"

The blue-haired Renegade squared his shoulders. "The Giant Kharlan Tree indeed existed," he stated, his voice showing the slightest of edges of condescension, though it didn't show in his expression. "But the Kharlan War exhausted its mana supply and the tree wilted away. And now all that remains is its seed left in the Holy Ground of Kharlan."

"The seed of the Giant Tree is in the final seal?" Colette gasped, her arms hanging limply at her sides as she stared at Yuan.

"It is known as the Great Seed," Yuan nodded, meeting the blonde Chosen's wide blue eyes with his agreement for a long moment before he glanced to the others.

Genis shook his head and his hand as if trying to force the thoughts inside his head into some order. "Are you talking about the Soul of Mithos?" he asked, his voice showing a bit of strain as he tried to make it all make sense.

Botta chuckled humorlessly. "Now _that_ is a fairy tale," the dark-haired half-elf shook his head as his words drew attention back to himself. "The Great Seed, the source of the world's mana, is the seed of the Giant Tree."

It was hard to hear. Liane shook her head slowly, understanding Genis' fluster as she shared it completely. _It… it's always been a story… a way to explain where the mana came from. But to be told that it's all real…._ "The Great Seed… exists…" she murmured and looked back up to Yuan again. "It's… dormant, then? Can… it still help us?"

Yuan drew himself up to his full height and nodded once to the dark-haired swordswoman. "The Great Seed is absolutely vital in order to reunite the two worlds."

There was a collective gasp from the party at the Renegade's words, and, after a pause that Yuan seemed to be measuring as he studied their expressions, Lloyd was the first to find his voice. "_Reunite_ the two worlds?!"

"I believe I told you before," Yuan's head lolled slightly to the side as he rolled his eyes, "Yggdrasill is the creator of the two worlds. Originally, the world was one, but Yggdrasill ripped it asunder."

_The… world… was… one…._

Liane knew that she had to look just as witless as any of them could, but it was just one more thing that something told her _should_ make sense… but it simply didn't. They had all grown up knowing their own world… the other existing – at best – as only a legend. _But… they were one??_ "Sylvarant… and Tethe'alla… are parts of the same world?" she breathed out, a futile bid to force it to make sense by putting it into words. "That's… that's… crazy…."

Lloyd's expression was more than enough proof that he was having at least as much trouble processing the Renegade's explanation. "How is it even _possible_ for someone to split the world apart?" he asked, his hands flailing a bit at his sides as his befuddlement found physical expression.

Yuan shrugged, and part of the silken fall of his bangs shifting from where it had been tucked over his ear, almost obscuring one of his eyes, though it did nothing to hide the almost bored flicker in his eyes. "It was possible for Yggdrasill," he commented, freeing one hand to wave it in the air before him before crossing it back over his chest again. "The two worlds have managed to survive by vying for the small amount of mana seeping from the Great Seed."

"So that's why the cycle of flourishing and declining continues, and the Chosen goes on a journey of regeneration…" Colette murmured from Lloyd's side where she stood studying her fingers as she twisted them together before her.

"But if the Great Seed germinates, the Giant Tree will be restored and the cycle will come to an end," Yuan stated, boredom evaporating into a very pointed statement aimed at the blonde Chosen and her realization before his eyes flickered over the rest of the party.

The dark haired swordswoman chewed the edge of her lip for a moment at the half-elf's declaration, her eyebrows knitting together. "So that's it? You're just handing us the answer we've been looking for after everything?" Liane asked, keeping her narrowed gaze fixed on Yuan and his cohorts. "Why now? Why –"

"How do we resurrect the Giant Tree?"

Lloyd cut off Liane's questions, both hands on his blades as he stepped forward, looking for all intents like he was ready to fight anyone that would keep him away from the tree. Liane froze, her mouth still open as she looked from Yuan and back to Lloyd, but not so fast that she missed the look of satisfaction blooming in the Renegade's eyes. She sighed and her shoulders fell as she forced her mouth closed. _It's too perfect… too perfectly timed… there has to be a catch…._

Yuan nodded appreciatively, one corner of his mouth curling into a delicate and approving smirk. "The Great Seed is nearly dead," he replied, his expression slowly sobering. "We must expose it to a large amount of mana in order to save it."

"There's no supply of mana like that to be found anywhere in the world," Raine stated flatly, her rod resting against her shoulder as she laced her fingers around its shaft, leveling her challenging gaze directly at Yuan.

The Renegade leader drew himself up and turned to face the Professor. "Cruxis' base, Derris-Kharlan, is a comet made from a giant mass of mana," he replied directly to her. "It lies suspended in the sky high above this land. All we have to do is use that."

"Oh, that's all…" Liane murmured, shaking her head and earning a scornful glance from Yuan for her effort. _Derris-Kharlan…._ She forced the feeling of familiarity away as she gave in to the logic she felt behind her grumbling. "I suppose next to putting worlds back together, grabbing a comet for its mana should be an easy task? All that mana is just _there _waiting for us to take it?"

Lloyd looked over his shoulder to Liane and then turned back to Yuan, one eyebrow arched sharply as he tilted his head to the side. "If that's true, why doesn't Yggdrasill revive the Giant Tree?"

Yuan's expression remained flat as he offered the young swordsman a shrug. "All of Derris-Kharlan's mana is being given to Martel for the sake of resurrecting her," he answered almost casually and without hesitation.

"What?" Colette's eyes widened in disbelief at the Renegade, her hands slowly disentwining from each other and falling to her sides.

"By using the power of a Cruxis Crystal, Martel's soul lives on, existing as part of the Great Seed," Yuan replied with a deep sigh, something churning within the effort he put into making the words ring with annoyance.

Botta stepped up to his leader's side. "If Martel awakens, the Great Seed will be absorbed into her and disappear," he explained in place of Yuan. "The reverse also holds true. In order to prevent that from happening, Yggdrasill protects the Great Seed with the seals of the Summon Spirits."

"So that's why the Renegades are trying to stop Martel's revival," Raine exhaled with the revelation as if the pieces of the puzzle had finally come together just a little more.

"The Renegades are trying to save the Giant Tree… and Cruxis is trying to revive Martel..." Liane murmured, nodding her surprise at how it oddly made sense.

Yuan nodded, glancing over to Botta and then back to the others. "Yes. We will make the Great Seed germinate. As a result, Martel will be absorbed by the seed, and then…."

"The Giant Kharlan Tree will be reborn," Lloyd finished for the Renegade with a thoughtful frown.

Colette clasped her hands before her and looked to the Renegades, rocking forward onto the balls of her feet. "If that happens, will the two worlds become one again?" she asked, cautious hope wavering in her soft voice.

"That, I don't know," Yuan shrugged, his eyes drooping closed for a moment as he shook his head. "The only certainty is that the world will end if the seed is lost."

Liane frowned at the finality of Yuan's proclamation. "That doesn't really leave us any choice when you put it like that, but then, you knew that," she sighed, hating the enduring feeling that they were pawns no matter their goals or their choices in the journey.

Zelos snorted, narrowing an accusing glare on Yuan. "So, you're gonna have Miss Martel be a good little girl and disappear," he crooned sarcastically, meeting the challenge in Yuan's eyes without flinching when the half-elf turned to him.

"Martel is already dead," Yuan replied with a distinct edge to his tone. "If it weren't for Derris-Kharlan's mana, her soul would have disappeared a long time ago."

Genis huffed and ran his hand back through the silver spikes of his hair. "Why is Yggdrasill so obsessed with Martel?" he grumbled as his free hand balled into a frustrated fist.

The Renegade leader's eyes shifted to the boy and he shook his head once and only once. "That doesn't matter. What's important is that we see to it that the Great Seed germinates," he stated with his tone strongly suggesting that he would entertain no argument.

_I wonder if anyone will ever stop telling us what's important so we can just find it for ourselves, _Liane's thoughts murmured sullenly as she turned, glancing away from the assembly of the Renegades. Every step they took felt like they were swimming against a tide, having to settle with only what they could grasp at any given moment. _It's not just me… it's all of us…._

"Up until now, the Great Seed has been protected by the Summon Spirits of the declining world," Botta took his commander's lead to explain, his voice carrying the ease of authority.

Lloyd's eyes flashed to the dark-haired half-elf. "The mana links."

Botta nodded. "Correct," he rewarded the swordsman's observation. "Now that the mana links have begun to unravel, the Great Seed's protection has weakened." The Renegade spared a quick glance to Yuan and his expression hardened ever so slightly before he looked back to the party once again.

"Because we have been forming pacts with the Summon Spirits of both worlds," Presea murmured softly, following Botta's explanation back from its result to its cause.

Raine tapped her chin thoughtfully with a single index finger. "Now I understand why you want us to join you," she mused, one eyebrow arching in mild accusation at Yuan and Botta. "It's because we have Sheena, a summoner."

Neither Yuan nor Botta moved to acknowledge the thinly veiled accusation, but Lloyd took a step forward to press the momentum of Professor's subtle attack. "Yuan, are you with Cruxis?" the teen demanded sharply. "Or are you with the Renegades?"

The aqua-haired half-elf's smirk resurfaced, his amusement shining in his eyes. "I am with Cruxis," he answered slowly and then shrugged, his cape rustling as it shifted over his shoulders, "and I am also the leader of the Renegades.

Regal lifted his head at Lloyd's words, his quiet observations finally broken by a soft intake of breath. "A double-agent?"

"In other words, a traitor," Zelos muttered, rocking back on his heels and keeping his eyes fixed squarely on Yuan, even though a humorless smile curled his lips.

"So, what's your decision?" Yuan pointedly turned to Lloyd, boredom mingling with annoyance in his inquiry.

Lloyd stood still, not backing down or looking away from Yuan's challenge for a few long moments before glancing back to his companions. His frown showed how the decision was churning in his mind before he slowly drew another breath and lifted his eyes back to the Renegades. "Okay."

In a heartbeat, Raine was at Lloyd's side, her hand on his shoulder to guide his eyes back to her. "Lloyd, you're going to trust him?" she asked, her eyes shifting meaningfully to the half-elf.

The swordsman regarded his teacher for a moment and then his eyes followed hers to Yuan. "Yeah," he nodded, replying to Raine, but his gaze never leaving the Renegade. "He's revealed the fact that he is a traitor. He's putting himself on the line." Lloyd shrugged and finally looked back up to the Professor. "That has to mean something."

"I'll trust him, too," Colette commented, looking over Lloyd's shoulder to Raine, her eyes wide as she curled her hands into the front of her white tunic, voicing her support for Lloyd's decision.

Liane tried not to groan, she truly did, but for the look that Sheena shot her, she was suddenly aware that she probably hadn't done such a great job. "It's more than we knew about things before, Raine. If we can make the leap that the legends are true, then it might be the break we need," she spoke to her mentor, trying to provide at least some reason. "I'm not saying we have to trust him…" she shrugged, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Yuan had turned his amused gaze towards her, but ignoring it nonetheless. "I'm just saying that it might be an opportunity we didn't have before."

Yuan sighed heavily… a bit too heavily. His smirk indicated that the party's debates had allowed him at least some entertainment, but his tense stance indicated that he had his fill of listening to them. "You were headed towards Rodyle's ranch, correct?" he asked, the inflection of his voice suggesting that it wasn't a question.

"You sure know a lot about what we're doing," Zelos muttered, huffing to blow a crimson curl back from his eyes. "Do you have a spy watching us or something?"

"No kidding," Lloyd grumbled, propping his hands back onto the hilts of his blades and puffing his chest ever so slightly with a small shake of his head. "But either way, we have to stop that Mana Cannon thing before it's completed."

Presea lifted her ax to let it rest horizontally in her hands before her, her grip tightening and twisting as shown by how the light shifted across the blade. "We also have a debt to pay back to Rodyle," she murmured quietly, almost sullenly as she kept her eyes fixed on the ground.

"The ranch and the Mana Cannon systems should be interlinked," the Renegade angel commented and turned glance to Botta. "Disabling the control room should be our first priority," he continued, answered with an understanding nod from the other half-elf.

The Professor frowned, studying the two men suspiciously. "You seem to know… quite a lot about them," she stated, her suspicion showing in every word.

Botta looked up to the silver-haired woman's observation, squaring himself to her to intercept her words. "We have a reason to infiltrate Rodyle's ranch as well," he commented, his voice smooth and even. "We can guide you to the entrance, if you like."

"We're teaming up, right?" Lloyd shrugged. "Of course, please take us there," the teen continued with a nod.

There was no hint of the warmth that normally colored the swordsman's voice. He was polite, but Liane could hear weariness in his words that she completely understood. _Even Lloyd is getting tired of all of this. He might still be willing to offer some trust, but even he has to have his limits…._

"Why are you going to the ranch?" Sheena demanded and tilted her head to the side, keeping her feet firmly planted as she watched Yuan.

The aqua-haired half-elf met the challenge in the summoner's eyes casually as he drew another breath. "We need to make preparations to fire mana at the Great Seed," he answered as his eyes slid closed almost in time to hide his eye roll. Then he looked back to Lloyd. "Oh, by the way, the Rheaird dimensional transfer system will be offline while we make our preparations. You'll have to wait until after we infiltrate the ranch if you want to get back to Tethe'alla."

The crimson-clad swordsman nodded. "Got it," he accepted the Renegade's instruction without further question.

Liane, however, couldn't help that she turned to Regal and shrugged when she caught his eye to offer him a silent apology. They may have established that he hadn't seen enough of Sylvarant to make a judgment the night before, but she guessed that being stuck there was hardly ideal to any of the Tethe'allans. It was home to her and the others, but even she could understand how being stuck there when they knew life in a world that currently wasn't struggling to survive might be frustrating.

_Another ranch… a chance to save the Great Seed… and then… maybe we'll be closer to getting back to normal. _Then the weak smile that Liane had found for her friend faltered and she had to look away, her thoughts drifting away to sunset-lit docks across the sea.

_Not that I'd know what normal is any more…._The wide maw of the cave before them was daunting, but Liane stood tall with the others, steeling herself for another ranch… one more ranch… one more fight to free the people of their worlds.

* * *

"We have work to do on the mana reactor in here," Botta told them, walking closer to the cave opening and then standing to the side with the pair of helmeted Renegade soldiers that had accompanied the party to the site. "If you head straight it, it should connect to the ranch."

"Gotcha," Lloyd nodded and waved over his shoulders to his companions as he started towards the opening. The party started to move, no real hesitation showing in their steps as they followed the swordsman, but before they could all pass through the darkened threshold, Botta cleared his throat once again and halted them.

"Ah, one more thing," the Renegade added to his earlier comments, his head tilted slightly as he seemed to be choosing his words. "It seems you've destroyed every ranch you've been to, but we need the mana reactor in order to sprout the Great Seed. Don't destroy this one." Without another word, Botta turned and disappeared to the side of the entrance.

There was a moment of silence before Sheena smirked and turned to the Professor. "Hear that, Raine?"

The silver-haired woman snorted, her chin lifting up a bit indignantly. "It's not like I destroy them for fun, you know," she muttered defensively, her eyes sliding closed to complete the reaction.

"I don't know… maybe 'fun' is a strong term, but I can't say I've been disappointed to see one go up in flames before," Liane shrugged, not really defending Raine, but still enjoying how ruffled the woman looked.

"In order to disable the Mana Cannon, we need to go to the control room," Regal stated, his calm and firm voice bringing the focus back to the head of the group where he stood beside Lloyd at the threshold between daylight and the shadows of the cave beyond them.

Lloyd nodded to the convict as his eyes lit up with purpose. "My intuition tells me it's probably the room farthest in. So for this place, that would be the top floor."

Colette bounced forward onto the balls of her feet, her hands clasped before her. "You're amazing, Lloyd!"

Genis and Liane exchanged looks and then they both looked back to Lloyd. The young mage huffed, but there was an underlying note of amusement even in the exhale that was difficult to miss. "Yeah, we've been to enough of these places already, so things like that should be pretty obvious," he commented, barely keeping his sarcasm in check.

Lloyd cast a sharp glare back to his friend. It was heated enough to make Liane push away any thoughts she might have offered along the same lines.

"Well then," Zelos chuckled and strolled past the rest of the party, almost disappearing into the shadows before the group began to follow him. "Let's get going and look for that control room."

The darkness only lasted for a few steps, but it was enough to collapse the party into a tighter formation than they usually traveled in. Liane found it odd that Zelos would be the one to take the lead and pull them out of their discussion, but kept quiet about it, especially seeing as how no one else was speaking in the dark on the steep trail, either. Only once they again found light did Liane stop, a soft gasp escaping her at the sight above them… and all around them. They were in a clear-covered tube that stretched out to what could only be the human ranch… but water surrounded both them and the ranch, with sunlight filtering down through the water.

_Oh, Raine just can't like this one bit…._

"Liane?"

The swordswoman glanced to her side to find Genis still at her side, watching her with a hint of a frown on his lips as the wavering light shone in his eyes. "Sorry… just… wasn't expecting this after the cave," she shrugged and reminded herself to continue forward. It was true enough… she had never considered that such a place in Sylvarant.

Liane knew that almost every step she had taken as a member of the party since she had left Iselia had told her something new about either herself or her world… and a good bit of was admittedly things she never wanted to know. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that so much of it was amazing.

The ranch, on the other hand, was still almost gut-wrenchingly similar to the others… dodging guards, seeking any kind of control that they could garner for their trek through the hostile fortress. _Sorcerer's Ring and elevators_… just another verse of the same song to Liane's ears.

_Please… no warp pads… please no more warp pads…_

At the top of the elevator that pretty much ensured that there would be no going back, Raine strolled over to a control station filled with lights and switches, more magitechnology that the Desians made no secret of using within their bases despite the use of the declining' world's mana. "Hmm…" the Professor murmured quietly as she tapped her chin and then allowed her fingers to dance over a few of the glowing buttons. "As far as I can tell, this is only elevator in this ranch." She glanced over her shoulder to her milling companions. "In other words, the Desians use this elevator to go higher than this. Which means the solution is simple."

Lloyd stopped pacing the floor of the room lit mostly by the control panel and turned, his frown only accentuated by the shadows. "What do we do?" he asked, his voice strained with frustration.

"We just have the Desians move it for us," Raine replied and looked back to the display of lights before her. "In other words, we create a situation in which they have to move it."

"Right," the swordsman snapped, his hands planted at his waist. "So, like _I_ said, _what_ do we do?"

Raine turned her back to the control panel and crossed her arms over her chest, her rod tucked into the crook of her elbow as she watched her student. "Let's create a disturbance. For instance…" she shrugged. "The _captives_ start a revolt…?"

Liane nodded slowly, the plan having merit on many levels. "We have to free them anyway… we may as well use it to our advantage…" she mused. "They'll be scrambling to contain the prisoners…."

"And then we wait for the Desians to move the elevator," Lloyd's smile widened, mischief sparkling in his eyes as he nodded to the Professor's plan.

The black-haired summoner stood back, rocking on her heels with a knowing smirk on her lips. "That's a sinister plan…" she commented quietly, fixing her gaze on Raine.

The Professor rolled her eyes and the look finally settled in a glare for Sheena. "Be quiet," she snapped, one hand sweeping out to indicate the control panel. "Do you think we're in a position to play fair?"

"Any advantage is a good advantage at this point," Liane commented, doing her best to keep a straight face when she realized that Sheena's smirk never wavered, realizing that she was probably trying to grate on Raine's nerves. "If we do our job right, they'll never know what hit them."

Lloyd huffed but still shook his head. "I do feel a little bad for them," he sighed out and then chuckled quietly. "But let's do it."

The swordsman's words were the seal on their plan. The party filed through one difficulty after another, finding that the Desians seemed to have endless creativity in separating their ranches' control rooms from the outside world. But between the very real possibility of flinging off a powered chariot-cart into a dark abyss and setting up the distraction of the prison block's guards, Liane found that she simply hadn't really had the time to form any kind of appreciation for the variety. There was only time for a silent prayer as she helped to herd the panicked prisoners from their cells and gave them directions to exit the ranch.

_At least there weren't any warp pads…._

The next few minutes proceeded to prove to the young swordswoman just how wrong she could be. A dizzying parade of psychedelic warp pads served as better guards than the occasional Desian soldiers they came across, making Liane consider the possibility that it might not be so much of an obstruction as it was simple persuasion. _Throw enough of these damnable things at someone and I bet anyone could be convinced to just leave…_ her thoughts groused as yet another stomach-twisting flash of pink enveloped her.

_And why pink?!_

Liane braced herself as the glow faded, ready to see yet another glowing ring of nausea beckoning to them across the room, but her cynicism was instead rewarded by the sight of an unguarded door. Her eyes widened and she drew a deep breath of scentless air into her lungs, her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword. "Wonder if it's just a drop on the other side," she grumbled with a shake of her head, her short braid's end brushing over her cheek. "If we survive, we'd get to do it all over again…."

"Wow, that's pessimism for you," Zelos smirked and lifted an eyebrow to her. "You sound like you'd rather actually fight through a mess of Desians and their leader than use warp rings."

"I wish I could say I'd have to think about it," the dark haired young woman shrugged and turned to walk towards the door with the others. The thought surprised her, but she refused to let it show. _I… I think I'd rather fight, _she had to admit as she took her place between Raine and Regal. _At least most fights are decisive… not just another limbo that makes the anticipation worse._

Lloyd strode to the front of the group and – after a quick glance over his shoulder to the others – passed his hand over the lock pad. After a moment's hesitation, the lock changed from an angry red glow to a peaceful green and the door slid open to reveal the control room that they were seeking.

But it was hardly unoccupied.

Rodyle turned as the door opened, his arms crossed in a show of calm. He watched the party file in, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he sneered down at them from the platform that overlooked the entrance to the room. "Well, I see the failed Chosen and her traveling band of fools are still alive," he sighed dramatically, peering over the rims of his tiny spectacles. "You're as stubborn as cockroaches."

The half-elf's grating voice brought the party to a halt as they stood in a unified semi-circle around him, absorbing his insults and readying themselves for whatever else he might throw at them even though Rodyle remained motionless.

"You and Vharley… deceived me."

The small voice seemed so absolutely out of place in the large control room, but the metallic surfaces allowed Presea's accusation to echo, emphasizing the anger that seethed below the surface of her soft words. She took one step closer to Rodyle and moved to shift her ax from her back to a useful grip before her, her eyes never wavering from the Desian.

But Rodyle only chuckled again, a pitiful sound when combined with the mocking pity in his voice. "Presea," he shook his head and then shrugged almost apologetically. "I'd have treated you so much better had you made me a Cruxis Crystal in that little body of yours."

The taunt was all it took for the ax girl to heft her weapon up over her shoulder, her body visibly tensing as she set her jaw. "Die!"

A collective gasp rose from the group, stunned by the pure rage contained in the single word from the girl who – not that long before – had sported no inflection whatsoever in either her words or her actions. _I don't think I could bring myself to stop her,_ Liane had to admit to herself as she bit her lip and drew her sword in anticipation of the fight.

Rodyle's nasally laugh answered Presea's demand as he waved a hand as if to brush her and the others away. "Now, now, settle down," he crooned, still clearly mocking the party as his hand swept around to indicate the wall behind him that was starting to flicker with light and shapes. "Have a look at the projector," he ordered with pride. "I've got a special underwater show for you."

The wall continued to flash until the light and shadows melded into a scene that was all-too clear. The prisoners that they had freed from the cellblock were moving as the party had instructed them, crossing the walkway that had allowed the group access to the ranch. Suddenly, a pair of heavy doors slammed shut on either end of the path, trapping the prisoners between them. A muffled murmur of alarm sounded from the sides of the display, attesting to the prisoners' distress… and the despair only grew as the people began to look over the railing to the water that was now rapidly filling the room from below.

"You monster…!" Liane choked, staring at the display in shock as the complete helplessness of the moment fell on her. _The prisoners were too far away to help… and worse… we sent them out on their own… we may as well have drowned them ourselves_….

The ball of Genis' kendama fell to the end of its string as the weapon hung loosely in his shaking hand. "H-how could you do that?!" he demanded, his voice quivering.

"They'll all be killed!" Colette cried out, her chakrams dropping from her billowing white sleeves.

"Damn you," Regal rasped from where he still stood beside Liane, his voice suddenly as dangerous as Rodyle's mocking had been devious.

Liane glanced over to the shackled man, remembering his tone all too well from the last time they had faced the Desian. _But what can we do? There have to be controls here somewhere… but we'll never find them on our own in time!_

"You _bastard_!" Lloyd growled, slowly moving forward towards Rodyle, his companions moving with him without the need for a command to the second level of the room. "Stop the water, _now!_"

The amusement in Rodyle's gaze suddenly died, replaced by frigid malice. "It's too late."

Lloyd was suddenly a blur of crimson, black, and silver, his blades flashing as they cleared their scabbards and the swordsman leapt at Rodyle. Yet, even as fast as Lloyd's attack had come, Rodyle dodged even faster, almost disappearing from the brown-haired teen's path and reappearing a few feet away. His eyes followed the teen with interest for a moment longer before they shifted back to sweep over the party. "I know why you've come here," he stated flatly, even over the projected cries of the prisoners on the screen. "I'm sure you intend to shut down my Mana Cannon. But you won't succeed. I've filled the corridor leading to the Mana Cannon with sea water."

"You're going to kill all those people at the ranch just to stop us?!" Colette asked angrily, drawing back her golden weapons to ready them to strike the Desian.

Rodyle's glare fixed solidly onto Colette. "Who cares about the lives of pathetic inferior beings?!" he snapped with an indignant sniff. The Mana Cannon will be completed once I get the Cruxis Crystal." His eyes began to glitter once again. "With Thor's Hammer in my possession, Yggdrasill and Cruxis will beg for my mercy! Even that eye-sore of a tower will fall before my cannon."

_Kratos was right_, a tiny voice in the back of Liane's mind whispered as she pushed her pack against the nearby wall with her foot and shifted the hilt of her sword in her hand. Despite what she could see was an unavoidable fight, that thought alone still brought her some relief. _Rodyle truly is working on his own… he was telling us the truth._

Lloyd's blades cleaved at the air in quick succession, a statement of the teen's boiling frustration. "What do you hope to accomplish by destroying the Tower of Salvation?!"

Rodyle's laugh filled the room once again, the grating noise seemingly calling out the group's fighting instincts as each of them tensed and shifted their stances, ready to counter the Desian's next move. "That's nothing you lower life forms need to concern yourselves with," he continued to laugh and lifted his arm so that his sleeve fell back to reveal a gleaming stone clenched in his hand. "The Cruxis Crystal is finally mine!" he swept it out towards them and then lifted it to the light to inspect it. "No, let's see. I think I'll test its power first by equipping it on myself."

Frozen at the scene playing out before their eyes, the group could only stare as Rodyle lifted his prize to the base of his throat. For a moment, nothing happened, but in the next heartbeat, the crystal flashed, the brilliant burst of light enveloping Rodyle's form. When the light faded, the creature that had taken the Desian Grand Cardinal's place bore no resemblance to the spindly half-elf, only shards of tattered fabric clinging to the green-skinned being's grotesquely elongated limbs resembling the robes Rodyle had worn. The thing screamed, a distinctly inhuman sound that forced most of the party to shield their ears from the assault.

And then there were the eyes… the bulging red eyes that pulsed with the power that had twisted Rodyle's form. As those eyes fixed on the party, a rage grew in their glow, and the creature screamed once again, drawing back one of its arms to reveal a long, curved, and almost impossibly sharp blade attached to its forearm. There was only an instant left for the party to realize what they were seeing before the blade slashed at them, sending the group scattering to avoid being cut in half.

Presea as the first to turn her flight to an attack, pivoting on her heel just outside the range of Rodyle's swing, and charging back at the monster. Her momentum gave her the boost to leap up onto the flat of the creature's blade while her ax arced high over her head. "Devastation." The girl's voice was once again flat as she brought her weapon down with all the fury that Rodyle had stirred within her, the blade chipping into the bone-like growths that covered the monster's chest before she kicked off to flip back to the floor of the control room.

As the mutated Cardinal was stunned, Regal took opening to charge in and approach Rodyle's flank. Before the Desian could recover, he threw out his right leg, spinning on his left with practiced precision to strike Rodyle's side before crouching low to kick out in a strong sweep to take the other's feet out from under his lumbering body. Though the Cardinal didn't topple, Regal sprung from his crouch into a back flip with his left leg extended to hit his enemy in his distorted face.

The creature almost fell to the floor under the force of the convict's assault, but caught itself at the last moment with one of its massive arms. It was the opportunity that Lloyd needed as he dodged around Regal and swept his blades up into the air, both of them grating against the bony guards that protected Rodyle and his precious Cruxis Crystal. "Tiger Blade!" the teen called out as his leap turned into a fall and his blades struck again. He planted a boot squarely in the center of the creature's chest and pushed off, putting distance between Rodyle's howling rage and himself. "Didn't like that, huh?" the swordsman asked with a somewhat cocky toss of his head as the echo of the thing's scream faded.

"Less talk… more making sure that thing can't make that _noise_ anymore!" Sheena snapped as she ran past Lloyd, the card she had drawn back across her chest already crackling with energy. The ninja planted herself directly in front of Rodyle, giving the thing only an instant to turn its bulging eyes down to her before she slammed the card against its chest. "Power Seal!" The summoner's words set off a swirl of blue light that instantly reached out to ensnare the creature, drawing another wordless shriek of complaint before vanishing.

Rodyle took one awkward step back from the ninja, giving him room to swing at her twice with his bladed arm. The first swing, she leapt over – the second, Sheena took advantage of the correction he gave his swing to duck beneath, but her eyes widened in surprise as he suddenly swept both arms up into the air above his head. The space around the summoner quickly darkened, a sphere of crackling, shadowy energy forming around her. Blocked from the view of the others, the only evidence of the attack's effect on Sheena was her pained cry – and a satisfied, raspy chuckle from Rodyle.

"Now _that _is no way to treat a lady!" Zelos chided Rodyle as he dashed past the slowly evaporating black sphere. Anger tinted his words, but the redhead still wore a smile as he gathered his feet beneath him and launched himself into the air with a spin. His sword was already part of a glowing spiral that was slashing out at the creature before he spoke again. "Light Spear!" With those two words, he dove at Rodyle, stabbing his sword into the thing's shoulder that had been raised in defense. Rodyle screamed in pain, but Zelos didn't even look back as he moved to the side of the crouched ninja and helped her back to her feet. "Hey, Warrior Goddess!" he called out as he helped the wobbling summoner hook her arm over his neck. "Show him what you got!"

Liane's eyes widened at the redhead's command, and she spared a quick glance over her shoulder to Genis. Habit had placed her between the mage and Rodyle at the beginning of the battle, but the crackling purple runes that spun around her young friend told her that he was almost ready to do plenty of damage of his own. "Right," she nodded as she set her jaw and turned, starting to run forward even as her gaze lingered on Zelos helping Sheena back towards Raine. The sight only strengthened her resolve as she fixed her eyes on her target… namely, the dark ooze coming from the wound Zelos had inflicted. _That's it… right there_, she thought grimly as she charged her sword and sidestepped the lumbering creature's swing to send a wave of shimmering mana straight toward the creature's shoulder and the open wound. "Sonic Thrust!"

Rodyle threw his head back with an ear-splitting scream and jerked back from the dark-haired swordswoman, hesitating to swing in retaliation for just long enough for Liane to back out of range. She chanced a look back to Raine in time to see a burst of green light envelope Sheena at Raine's bidding, the First Aid spell bringing the ninja back to her feet under her own power as Zelos lingered nearby in case she faltered again. Even as a knowing smile started to curl her lips, the air suddenly filled with a buzz of power, and Liane's amusement faded, gripping her sword tighter as she fixed her attention back on Rodyle in time to see the space above his head begin to shimmer with an angry purple glow.

"Wanna charge?" Genis asked smugly, throwing his arms wide above his head. "Thunder Blade!" The glow over Rodyle erupted and split open, dropping a gigantic sword of writhing lightning directly down onto the green-skinned creature and impaling itself into the ground before exploding into a barrage of sparks.

The twisted form of the cardinal contorted even more, practically folding in half backwards with a scream that couldn't have been anything but pain from the strike of the mage's spell. Rodyle dropped to his knees, but the growl that grew from his hunched form sounded as far from surrender as it could be. He lifted his fists and slammed them down into the ground, setting the entire control room shaking and the center of the platform they all stood on blazing with golden energy that exploded into jagged spires of rock that once again scattered the party. The creature slowly pushed himself to his feet, a rumbling sound like a laugh shaking his high voice.

"Oh, Holy one, cast thy purifying light upon this corrupt soul!" Colette's voice sang out over the crumbling noises of Rodyle's spell, bringing the eyes of her scattered companions to her. The blonde girl hovered just above the floor, her eyes closed as she invoked the power that her journey had bestowed upon her. The nimbus of light pulsed around her, growing brighter until she threw her arms wide and swept a hand out towards Rodyle, her eyes flaring open as the room seemed to darken in contrast to the rip of light that blazed across the ceiling. "Light of judgment, _Judgment!"_

As a rain of light spikes fell around the Desian, a handful of them struck him directly, buffeting his exaggerated form back and forth like a rag doll, each strike cutting off the snarled cry of pain from the beast for the previous strike. As the attack gradually subsided, Lloyd dashed in closer, his blade already slashing at the dazed Cardinal before the beast ever even turned his eyes to the swordsman. "Sword Rain _Alpha!_" Lloyd named his attack, punctuating the end of his invocation with an upward slash of both blades that shoved the creature back down to the floor.

Presea wandered closer, her steps methodical in comparison to Lloyd's hurried attack. Her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Desian as he struggled to get up from the floor, and when she reached him, she merely stood before Rodyle, her ax resting before her in both hands. Cold fascination lit the girl's eyes as she waited for the creature to flip over onto its hands and knees and finally lifted its head with a groan. But when it locked eyes with her, Presea exploded into motion, allowing Rodyle the time to react only with a widening of his eyes as her ax swept upwards, a flare of mana trailing along after the savage upper cut. "Infliction!" The pink-haired girl's soft voice still sang out over the garbled complaint of the Cardinal as he fell back, somehow putting an arm back to keep from completely collapsing back to the ground as Presea remained close, her ax in hand as if daring him to rise again.

When Rodyle's arm snapped out to push the pink-haired girl back, it left his opposite side unguarded as he shakily rose up from the floor. Regal darted in, his momentum carrying him through a spinning jump kick that struck the mutated Cardinal in his mangled jaw. When the convict pushed off the enemy's wide chest, he went into a back flip, his left leg extended to rake his greave over Rodyle's shoulder. "Dragon Fury!"

This time, the pain that had before been so obvious in the creature's voice now replaced distinctly with rage. The constant barrage of merciless attacks that the party had been delivering barely giving him the time to look to his attacker before the next hit landed. He lashed out with the blade attached to his forearm in a desperate and somewhat blind slash that he leveled in the convict's direction. But even as the metal sliced through the air, not only Regal, but the rest of the party evaded, dodging and switching places around the cardinal and leaving him looking around in frustrated desperation as he seemed to be trying to decide who would attempt to strike next.

"Make me look good, okay?" Zelos' laugh rang out from behind the deformed Cardinal, forcing the creature to turn, actually moving directly into the redheaded Chosen's path. Zelos smirked and leapt up into the air, aiming the tip of his blade down at Rodyle as a shock of crimson power raced down the length of the blade and leapt, taking the form of a trio of fireballs. "Hell Pyre!"

Liane heard Genis mutter something under his breath where he stood behind her. She knew she could probably guess at the target of his grumbling, but the results of Zelos' flamboyant display were hardly disputable as Rodyle threw his arms up before his body defensively… too late to protect himself from Zelos' attack, and actually only leaving him more vulnerable. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw what she was hoping to see – the young mage standing surrounded by throbbing blue runes ready to launch Genis' water spell. _That works…_ she smiled and stepped aside to allow the silver haired boy his opening to target Rodyle. _Now if I can just do this fast enough…_ she exhaled and drew her sword up before her, channeling her mana into her blade.

Genis hopped a little, stopping the bounce of concentration that usually stirred both his kendama and therefore his magic, his eyes snapping open as he glared at the cardinal and threw his weapon out in the creature's direction. "_Drown!"_ he demanded, the anger burning in his eyes spilling over into his tone as his rune circle collapsed in on itself and then blasted at Rodyle in a growing wave of sparkling blue that dove into the ground and reappeared beneath the Desian. "Spread!" Genis called out as the spell blasted upward, tossing Rodyle in a powerful fountain of shimmering blue mana.

_Perfect…_. Liane had only been waiting for Genis' invocation, feeding power to her spell as fast as she could control it to grow it enough to make a difference. "Lighting!" the dark haired woman called out, the tip of her blade swinging out with a flip of her wrist to call out the strike of purple mana that immediately fell on the momentarily suspended Desian. She smiled as Rodyle's form convulsed at the strike, earning another ear-splitting howl from the creature that was plenty of reinforcement for her to know she had timed her strike well. Exhaling as Genis' spell vanished and dropped Rodyle harshly back to the ground, she glanced around her companions, more to see what she had missed during her conjuring than anything, but her eyes grew wide when she saw the intricate blue-white pattered that had drawn itself into the ground at Sheena's feet. _Whoa… guess I'm not the only one that can build off a water spell…._

"I call upon the disciple of everlasting ice," the summoner sang out, her head bowed reverently as she thrust her spell card up into the air… holding it there for a moment before her head snapped up, the rune pattern shattering like glass in appearance and sound. "Celsius!" At the naming of the Summon Spirit, the broken runes swirled up around the ninja, spiraling up over her head until they collected into the form of the blue-skinned spirit that they had all met in the Temple of Ice. Celsius remained suspended in mid-air for a long, anxious moment, an amused smirk on her face as she nodded to her pact-holder and then swept her hand out at Rodyle. A blast of frigid cold filled the control room as a shockwave of brilliant blue leapt at the Cardinal, slamming him to the ground and the power raced out across the floor beneath him.

The crosshairs of Celsius' strike remained for a few moments after the spirit herself vanished from their battlefield, pale blue energy crackling along the floor as Rodyle twitched at its center where he was splayed face down. A moan rattled the grotesque form, at first just a distant sound, but it slowly built and twisted into a grating sound that filled the control room with its echo. Rodyle remained motionless for a few moments as the noise built, and then it suddenly stopped when he flipped up, his legs swinging up beneath him as he balanced his weight on his hands. An instant later, that balance shifted back to his legs and he stuck out with his blade, slashing at the party and clearing the area around him before he once again threw his arms up into the air.

"No way… not this time!" Sheena ground out as she sprung back from the black sphere that started to form in the air between herself and Raine, the momentum of her leap propelling her into a handspring that landed her safely out of the attack's range. "That's annoying…" she quipped through a clenched jaw. "Is that _really_ all you've got?"

Liane almost smirked at how Sheena taunted Rodyle, wondering if she would be so bold if she had been the one targeted by a spell that she had already been struck with once. "'Cause it's sure not all we've got…" she continued, almost surprising herself by the boldness that had taken her voice and pushed her into a run at the Desian before she fully realized what she was doing. She was only vaguely aware of her tactic as she realized Regal was directly opposite from her on Rodyle's other side. The plan made perfect sense to her the instant before she slammed her shoulder into the monster's side, wincing a little at the force of the strike though adrenaline all but completely took away the pain. _Come on, Regal…_ she silently pled before bracing her weight back onto her back foot and jerking her blade up with all the energy she could muster and shove into the upstroke. "_Beast_!"

Regal's eyes widened in surprise as the hulking, twisted form of the Cardinal was launched at him, but he didn't hesitate to lunge forward, effortlessly going into a back flip. "Crescent Moon!" Before he even hit the ground, he twisted, using the motion to power the kick he delivered once again into Rodyle's jaw. "Triple Rage Kick!"

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory," Sylvarant's Chosen spoke softly over Rodyle's angered growl, her hands channeling her prayer into power that collected around her in floating rays of pink-purple hued light. "Angel Feathers!" Colette's voice called eagerly, her arms sweeping wide as the power coalesced and targeted Rodyle, each of the feathers of light homing in on the creature and each striking and shoving him back an awkward and wobbling step upon impact.

As the blast of light feathers blew through Rodyle, they left the creature in their wake, staggering from one foot to the other as his head shook and one mangled hand flailed to steady himself from falling. Lloyd wasted no time in running at the Cardinal, almost appearing as if he was chasing after the feathers. "Don't let up!" he called to the others as he threw himself into a forward dive, somersaulting with his blades extended out around him and digging into both bone and flesh as he struck Rodyle. "Tempest!"

Rodyle's arms flailed helplessly, almost looking like some strange cross between a futile bid for defense and a weak attempt at retaliation. For a moment, the thing stood, knees shaking as if he might collapse at any time. But then, the creature's mouth twisted into what looked eerily like a smile… and his voice warbled with something that sounded sickeningly like laughter as he drew his hands up before his chest. A moment later, the air before the Desian came to life in a ball of blindingly white, crackling energy. The party had only an instant to realize that Rodyle had settled on retaliation and begin their evasion or build their defense before the ball exploded, sending a brutal shockwave out into the room and assaulting all of the enemies before him as he continued to cackle.

Sheena crouched low, sweeping her hand out before her to dismiss her protective Guardian Seal with a swipe of her spell card. Her brown eyes narrowed as she watched Rodyle take a few steps back from the party, breathing room purchased by the expenditure of energy that left him weakened, as evidenced by a more pronounced hunch to his shoulders and a wobble in his steps. She quickly glanced around to her companions. While the party had been scattered by the attack, Raine and Genis were already both locked in rune circles of magic, and her eyes then traveled to the closest fighter…. "Zelos..." The roll of her eyes was almost audible in her voice as he looked over to her and she jerked her head towards Rodyle. "Are you all ready?" she called out, her voice reaching all of her companions, but her eyes locking pointedly with Zelos' blue gaze.

"All right…" Zelos grinned and nodded only once as Sheena pushed out of her crouch and flew at Rodyle, the gold of the swordsman's shoes flashing as he fell into step slightly behind the summoner.

"Power…" Sheena started as she slid to a stop just outside of Rodyle's reach, the swipe of her charged spell card leaving a sparkling blue mist in the air. She quickly sidestepped as Zelos rushed past her, his sword braced before him and already pushing a wave of mana along with it as it ripped through the blue cloud, taking the power of Sheena's attack and combining it with his own before unleashing it on Rodyle.

"… Thrust!!" the swordsman finished for their attack, smiling as he lithely danced back into a crouch that vaguely resembled the one that Sheena had used at the start of their effort. He spared a quick moment to offer the ninja a fleeting wink before he slowly pushed himself back to his feet and began to back away as the runes around Raine began to fill the room with a high-pitched whine of pure power.

"Light!" Raine's voice took on a sharp note as she took a small step out of her golden rune circle and thrust her rod up into the air before angling it into a low sweep toward Rodyle. "Photon!" The silver-haired woman's eyes danced as the runes obediently reformed around the creature, band upon overlapping band that suddenly contracted and snapped the Desian's slouched form upright with a yelp of pain.

The room had only barely begun to darken after the Professor's spell, revealing that Rodyle was swaying back and forth, his bare feet shifting slightly with his bid to stay upright and his arms clenched around his head. "Burn!" the mage demanded, pushing his kendama out before him, but allowing the red blaze around him to remain for a few moments until the Grand Cardinal actually looked in his direction before he loosed his attack. "Eruption!" Genis immediately commanded, his power once again blinking away from him and appearing beneath Rodyle a heartbeat later, blasting upward with wave after wave of fiery mana that tossed the creature up and completely off his feet.

Lifting her arm to shield herself from the heat of Genis' spell, Presea hesitated only long enough for the spray of magical fire to drop Rodyle back to the ground before she moved closer. She tilted her head, twisting the handle of her ax between her hands as she waited for the Desian to move… watching as he pushed himself up on shaking and bleeding arms. "Die…" she growled out, the word sounding almost obscene as she spun the head of her ax and took two precise swings at Rodyle, forcing him further back with each. "Finality Punishment," she rasped before she pulled the ax back and slammed the Cardinal with a savage uppercut that sent the creature into a partial back flip that sent him careening to the floor below.

An odd silence filled the room, the only sound echoing from the metallic walls being the wet sound of Rodyle's labored breathing as he lay half-sprawled over a control panel. Presea wandered closer to the edge of the elevated floor and watched, her shoulders betraying only the slightest heaving of her own breath. "My time will not come back," the girl murmured quietly, her words so soft that they probably would have been lost had there been any other true noise in the room.

Rodyle gasped and choked, struggling to lift his head as the party slowly closed in around him. The effort drew a sickening moan from deep in his mangled form, but it slowly turned to words. "What's happening?" the fallen Cardinal wailed in a faltering voice. "My… my body is disintegrating!" he declared and let his head fall back down onto the panel. "Pronyma, you tricked me!"

Liane could only stare at the sight, denying herself the pity that she almost felt like she should have for Rodyle. On a very base level, he was losing his life to the stone… _but it was his own selfish choice… no one forced it on him…_ she reminded herself and set her jaw, sliding her sword back into its sheath and crossing her arms over her chest as she approached with the others. Rodyle's quivering form appeared to be in no condition to offer them any further resistance, but it was still something she couldn't turn away from… some dark sense of justice making her watch just a little longer.

Suddenly, the green-skinned creature lurched forward, draping himself over the control panel with what looked like his last surge of energy. The party took a wary step back, but Rodyle made no move toward them – instead, he simply raised one shaking claw into the air and allowed it to fall onto the panel beside his head. A warped, breathless laugh rattled from his throat as klaxons began to sound in the control room. "But I won't die alone!" the Cardinal declared in an alarming kind of triumph. "I'm taking you all with me!"

With those words, Rodyle's entire form convulsed, all of his limps jerking violently before falling still, his form disintegrating to dust in the next heartbeat and vanishing completely in the one after that, leaving the party speechless as crimson light flooded the room. "No!" Raine cried out in alarm, rushing forward to where the Desian had been, her eyes wide as they trailed over the lighted controls. "He's activated the self-destruct system!"

"Botta warned us not to destroy this place!" Colette cried out in worry, crowding in closer to the professor, her eyes wildly scanning over the controls as well as if the solution might reveal itself on the merit of concern alone.

Liane looked from the professor and then back up to the display, noting that the scene of the prisoners' plight was now blank. She closed her eyes and turned away, chewing her lip. There was a hope that they had escaped… but finding a control to see their fate had to be secondary at that point. _But… if this place blows… none of us stands a chance…_ her mind reminded her sadistically. "I guess Rodyle didn't get the instructions," she muttered, shaking her head and glancing back to the door. If the previous ranches were any indication, they wouldn't have time to escape the way they had come in.

"Dammit!" Lloyd declared in anger, his hands tightening into shaking fists. "We have to stop it!"

Presea slowly approached the control panel, the unnatural calm that seemed to follow the girl keeping its grip on her despite the situation as she looked over the flashing lights and dials. "Impossible," she shook her head, pigtails swinging slowly. "The only one among us who can handle this machinery is Raine…."

Zelos huffed, snapping his head up to send his hair back over his shoulder. "Most Tethe'allans don't really study the details of magitechnology very much," he commented, his voice cloaked in worry unusual for the young man that never seemed to take too much too seriously.

Lloyd shifted his weight uneasily from one foot to the other, fidgeting for a moment longer before his frame went taut and his gaze snapped onto Raine. "Professor!"

"I know!" the silver-haired woman snapped in return without looking back to the swordswoman, her frustration all too apparent as her fingers lightly danced over a few buttons and she shook her head. "But I _can't_ do this by myself!"

"If you can tell one of us what to do… what to look for…" Liane suggested, stepping up to her mentor's side. Through all they had already seen and survived, she was starting to truly feel hope slip away faster with every blare of the klaxons. _If the explosion doesn't kill us… the water will…._

Raine turned to her apprentice, opening her mouth to respond, but before the breath could become words, the door to the control room slid open behind them to allow Botta's familiar form to enter along with a pair of Renegade soldiers. "We'll take over from here," the Renegade stated, gesturing over his shoulder to his companions who rushed forward and nudged Raine, Presea, and Liane out of the way. "The rest of you go and escape through the hatch over there," Botta continued, with a sharp nod to the side of the room.

In spite of the urgency of the situation, the Renegades' presence seemed to lighten the room slightly and that was reflected in Lloyd's exhale and his weak smile. "Botta! You're okay!"

"There'll be plenty of time for chit-chat later," Botta responded, walking past Lloyd to the control panel to stand between his soldiers. "Leave, now. You'll only get in our way!"

Lloyd blinked at Botta's growingly harsh tone, but nodded his head and started to move along with the others. "Okay," he murmured, waiting for the others to grab their packs and move ahead of him as he kept a watchful eye on the Renegades.

Liane looked up as she reached the hatch, waiting for Presea to disappear into the crawlspace below the floor as Zelos held the metal panel open. She saw Regal and Lloyd waiting behind her… and then she looked back to the Renegades. _They're… really helping us. They were serious about an alliance…_ she realized as she climbed down the ladder and followed the others to where the tunnel emptied into another room. Genis grabbed her forearm and helped her out of the hole so that Lloyd and the others could crawl out behind her, a solid 'thump' that came up out of the tunnel telling her that the hatch had been closed behind them. She looked around, noting that it seemed to be a storage bay of some sort. While the klaxons were still sounding and the red lights were still flashing, the party made their way to stand around a window into the control room where they had fought Rodyle. "Maybe Raine really couldn't have done it by herself…," she whispered, watching Botta and the two soldiers work the buttons with sure and precise motions. Feeling the Professor's gaze on her, she glanced to her side and shrugged. "You would have needed help…" Liane defended her words to the dull hurt she saw in the other woman's blue eyes, "… but it looks like even they are having a hard time… and they're more familiar with the system…?"

Raine frowned for a moment and then turned back to the window, her shoulders sagging slightly without offering any argument to Liane's observation. As they stood in silence, watching their Renegade allies, Lloyd suddenly sucked in a breath and stepped up to the window, his eyes wide. A gasp rippled thought the party as they realized what the swordsman had seen… the floor of the control room was ever so slowly being covered in a rising level of water. The Renegades didn't seem to notice, continuing to work until Botta reached over to the same button that Rodyle had struck with his dying breath. "Oh, Goddess…" Liane breathed out as she moved to stand beside Lloyd, lifting one hand to rest against the glass as the alarms and lights suddenly ceased. "The water…."

"Oh, no!" Lloyd shook his head and spun frantically to the hatch that connected back to the control room. "We've got to open that door!"

Genis was immediately at the young swordsman's side, both of them straining against the locking wheel that was mounted on the hatch. For all of their effort, though, the hatch would not surrender… and finally, Genis took a step back and leaned his weight forward onto his hands where he braced them against his knees. "It's no use!" the mage growled with a wheeze. "It won't budge!"

"Move!"

Liane's head snapped up, eyes going wide as she saw Regal charging straight at her. It only took an instant for her to put his harsh command together with where she and the others were standing before the window and to step aside as the shackled man planted one foot firmly on the ground and spun to strike the window. _He… he's going to break the window down…? _A hollow '_thoom_' filled the bay with each strike of the blue-haired man's relentless kicks, but the window remained whole, solid… and absolutely defiant to his efforts. After a few moments, the realization solidified on her and Liane reached out to touch Regal's shoulder, trying to breach his stony and determined concentration. "Regal…" she murmured softly before turning back to the window, keeping her hand in place until his attack finally slowed and then stopped.

The water on the other side of the window continued to rise. And all the party could do was watch helplessly as Botta and the Desians turned and approached the window. "Botta did this on purpose," Raine stated, her voice low as the party stood face to face with the Renegades on the other side of the glass. "They knew the water was coming and locked it from the inside."

"Why would they do that?!" Colette demanded, bringing her clasped fists up before her as she bounced anxiously on the balls of her feet. But no immediate answer came for the blonde girl as they all watched Botta reach towards the base of the window.

"If that door opens, this area will be flooded as well," the Professor sighed, turning her eyes up as she pointed up to the glass that lit the room. "And as you can see, the ceiling is covered by a dome. There's nowhere for the water to escape."

Presea looked up to the silver-haired woman and blinked her wide blue eyes. "They did it… to save us?"

"No!" Colette shook her head violently, blonde hair flying around her as tears streaked down her cheeks. "We have to do something!"

"But… if the water couldn't escape… we can't either…" Liane frowned, slowly understanding how bad the situation truly was. "Even if they…." She couldn't bring herself to say it even as she swept her eyes around the room. A few barred openings were set into the far wall that looked like they might be something the party could use, but nothing seemed certain at that moment. "We'll still have to find a way out of here… even if we can't use the hatch…."

Lloyd growled and slammed his fist against the window as a small popping sound echoed through the room and the sound of rushing water floated from the small vent at the base of the window as Botta stepped back, his arms hanging at his sides. "Dammit! Isn't there anything we can do?!" the young swordsman shook his head, the question aimed directly at Botta.

"We've stopped the self-destruct system," Botta reported calmly as he and his men stood in the rising water, staring back at the party through the window.

"Botta! Open the door!" the swordsman yelled at the window, thrusting a hand up toward the arching ceiling of the bay. "If we destroy the dome overhead…!"

The Renegade's head shook slowly from side to side. "Our goal was to modify each ranch's mana reactor in order to fire mana at the Great Seed," Botta spoke without responding to Lloyd's demand, his voice unshaken. "Now that we've finished reprogramming this control room, our mission is complete. We need you to get the message to Yuan that we have succeeded."

The swordsman slammed his gloved fist into the window again. "Tell him yourself! Open the door, now!" Lloyd demanded as frustration turned his words almost into a snarl.

Liane looked over at a heavy sigh from her side and saw that the helplessness had settled soundly on Regal's shoulders as well. The blue-haired man kept his eyes to the ground. She had no words for him… he had tried hardest of them, given their limited options to help. It seemed to her that there had always been some kind of hope: at the ranch, there was hope that her friends could still come… in the Tower, the Renegades had given them hope by helping them escape complete defeat… in Sybak, there was hope that they could catch up to and save Raine and Genis from the Pope's men. So often, there had been hope. _Now, there's just barely hope for us… and it's almost too far out of reach…_ _even if we used the Rheairds to get up to it… is there any guarantee that there's not just more water on the other side? _she sighed as she turned her eyes skyward to the dome.

"We pray for your success in regenerating the world," Botta spoke solemnly, bowing his head low to the party as the water reached his waist. He then looked up and lifted a hand through the water to the base of the window once again. "Please see to it that Martel is finally allowed her eternal sleep, for Yuan's sake as well." The Renegade let his plea fade for a moment and then swept his hand past the window before anyone could speak again, a curtain of metal sliding down over the window and another 'click' disconnecting the sounds from the control room.

A stunned silence filled the bay as the party stared at the dark metal, each of them left with the knowledge of what was happening on the other side of the metal shield. _Oh… oh, Goddess…._ Liane hung her head, her hands curling into fists as she clenched her eyes shut, Colette's muffled whimper growing into a wail that filled the silence.

"No!!" the blonde Chosen cried out, spinning and throwing herself against Lloyd's shoulder, sobs shaking her thin form beneath the bulk of her white tunic.

"Man…" Zelos whispered, shaking his head as he looked around his companions, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

It was all that needed to be said for the moment, both out of respect for Botta and his men and for the time the party needed to collect themselves to do what they had to do to honor Botta's request.

A soft whirring noise broke the silence that sounded all around them thanks to the shape of the room. The party tensed in unison, but it was Presea that spun on her heel, her ears training on the sound the fastest as she lifted her hand to point to the wall. "Everyone, behind you!"

Compared to the anger that had been present in the girl's voice against Rodyle, the distress was a distinct contrast, but it assured that the party took immediate note of her warning and turned to follow her extended arm even as Presea brought her ax back before her once again. The barred openings on the opposite wall had all swung open, and from the darkness within, pairs of eyes could be seen glaring down on the party, accompanied by a chorus of growingly shrill shrieks.

"Wh… what are those things?" Lloyd stammered, releasing Colette to stand on her on and drawing his blades to meet the threat of yet another impending battle.

As if to answer the swordsman's startled question, the occupants of the lower tier of openings leapt out into the light and swooped down, leathery blue-purple wings catching the air to allow their scaled forms to hover in the air above the party. "They look like transport dragons," Raine replied to her student and dropped her pack, kicking it back with her heel as she kept her eyes on the dragons. "Their cages probably opened when the self-destruct system was activated."

"Look out! Here they come!" Regal grumbled, making his way to the front of the group to stand at Lloyd's side as the dragons reared their heads and filled the air with what may as well have been a battle cry.

Lloyd was already in a headlong rush at the dragons when the trio came into range. "Dammit!" the teen called out as he performed a small hop and launched himself up into the air. "Omega Tempest!" his voice rang out as his blades became a spinning blur around him, striking the closest dragon first and then changing his somersaulting assault's direction to strike the next closest beast. "Let's go all out!" the swordsman called out to his companions as he dropped back to the ground along with the dragons he had struck.

Liane crouched low to avoid a swooping strike of one of the dragons. She kept her head down, though not low enough or fast enough to avoid the creature's claws, one of them catching in the sleeve of her ivory tunic – but blessedly no deeper than to simply shred the fabric. The swordswoman winced, but forced herself out of the instinct to simply duck and cover to turn and watch the creature carefully as it arced up into the air and then twisted in mid-air to pick up speed for another pass. _Battle is easy to understand,_ she told herself dropping her pack and drawing her sword to dip it low back behind her, eyeing the dragon that seemed to have chosen her as its target as she charged her mana into her sword.

_Easier to understand than what happened to Botta and the others…._

Liane opened up what control she had taught herself over her reserves and poured her mana into her weapon, waiting only for the screaming dragon to come into range before she leapt forward, relying on the action instead of the contact to initiate the technique before pulling her sword up with all her might and releasing the mana. "Beast!" she commanded, the blast of snarling energy forming a bit better than before as it hit the dragon and knocked it back.

"Hey, leave some for the rest of us…" Sheena sighed from Liane's side when the swordswoman stepped back. The ninja only waited for the few moments it took for the dragon to stop tumbling before she ran after it as if she was afraid it would actually get away. "You're in for a _world _of hurt…" she taunted the creature as she pounced at it, her card drawn back across her as if it were a more traditional weapon pulled back for a strike as she swung it at the dragon. "Pyre Seal!" the ninja named her attack and sent the dragon tumbling back against the wall where it had been caged.

With a roar, the dragon beat its wings, struggling to get up, mustering all of its strength into a charge at the ninja. Regal ran to get between them, passing through the winged creature and then jabbing it in the back with his elbow. "Heaven's Charge." Growling, it crashed to the ground, but the convict was already in motion, right foot thrusting out. "Spin Kick!"

Regal was a blur of motion as Liane stood back to take in all that was happening around her. No sooner was the dragon left unmoving in a pile of blue and purple scales and Regal and Sheena had already moved on to help the others with the remaining two dragons. The fight was nowhere near as structured as they normally ended up against several foes… _we're all just looking to fight and get it over with…_ she sighed and edged closer to where Zelos and Genis both stood removed from the fight, constructing their spells. Lloyd and Presea led the fight directly against the dragons when the creatures swept low enough to strike, but Liane knew with Regal and Sheena joining them, her aid with her sword would be limited. _Okay… so I get to be a caster for the rest of this one…._

In a flurry of Genis' ice, Zelos' wind, and finally, Liane's water, the other two dragons dropped to the ground, allowing the melee fighters their openings to finish the creatures. The calm lasted only long enough for the party to consider catching their breaths, though acting on that opportunity was cut short by another peal of screams from above as another wave of dragons launched themselves from their cages.

"There are too many of them!" Sheena called out, shaking her head as she back-stepped into the party's tightening formation, her eyes fixed above them as she once more took a defensive stance.

"She's right…" Liane wheezed, exhaling and trying not to think about how she was actually starting to get dizzy. The dragons had attacked so quickly that Raine had had no chance to heal anyone after Rodyle's damage, nor had Liane taken the time in the wake of the Renegades' fate to dig gels out of her pack. It was a mistake that Liane now deeply regretted. _My spells won't hold out for long like this… and Demon Fang certainly won't help unless the others down the dragons… dammit…!_

Colette floated back to form with the others, her eyes set upward, her hands tight over her chakrams. "If we lose, we'll never be able to pass on Botta's message," she muttered with both regret and resolve in her voice as she brought one of the rings back to ready it for a throw.

The dragons circled high above like vultures set on carrion, almost as if giving the party time to consider the price of their failure. But even in that moment of contemplation that the creatures allowed, Genis suddenly broke the silence.

"Mithos!"

Liane looked down to her younger friend in time to see the boy pull the set of panpipes that his friend had given him in Palmacosta before they had set off the day before. _Mithos' sister's memento…_ her thoughts reminded her just an instant before it occurred to her what good music was going to do at that moment. _I guess… anything is worth a try at this point…_ she set her jaw and tightened her grip on her sword as one of the dragons looked down and began to dive with a blood-curdling cry.

Genis lifted the pipe to his lips and blew a breath lightly over the instrument, filling the air with a flurry of notes that almost drowned out the gleeful screams of the dragons. For a moment, it seemed like it would serve as an instantaneous distraction from the fate bearing down on them, but in the next moment, the glass dome overhead shattered in a rain of beams of blinding light that flooded the bay. The party crouched low as the shards of glass fell around them, some gathering under a scattering of protective shields as the light beams struck the dragons, giving the creatures no time to react before their forms evaporated into nothingness.

"Wh… what was that?!" Lloyd stammered, casting his Guardian bubble away with a swipe of one of his blades as he stared in wonder up to the open blue sky above the broken dome.

The fallen wave of dragons was replaced by yet another, but as if in response to the crimson-clad swordsman's question, another volley of light beams shot down into the bay, once again annihilating the dragons. This time, though the apparent source made itself seen… a gigantic golden bird shining with more light than should have been possible even given the bright daylight soared overhead, circling once before disappearing from sight.

Genis gasped, lifting a hand to his eyes as if to capture the sight. "Was that a Summon Spirit?" the mage asked in awe, his kendama dangling in his other hand, the battle that had threatened them forgotten.

"Genis! Raine! Everybody!!"

The voice from above echoed down, carrying with it the apparent panic of the speaker. "That's Mithos' voice!" Genis breathed out and smiled as he continued to watch the opening. The mage didn't have to wait long before a Rheaird appeared high above, the blonde half-elf that had accompanied the party from Tethe'alla standing astride the flyer.

"What's Mithos doing here?" Lloyd breathed out, slowly sheathing his blades but never turning his eyes down.

Mithos leaned over the edge of his flyer to look down into the bay, cupping one hand over his mouth. "Please, get on the Rheairds!"

Liane slid her sword into its scabbard at her waist as well. While she still couldn't say how comfortable she was with Mithos, she certainly couldn't dispute that his appearance had come at a time when their chances for survival had been dropping miserably. "I don't think it matters… that's our way out…" she nodded upward and moved to pick up her pack while she reached back for her wing pack.

"Let's worry about the how and why later," Raine nodded, tightening her own pack on her back as she held her wing pack out as well, the flyer unfolding itself for her to step on as she spoke.

"All right," the brown-haired swordsman agreed eagerly as he mounted his own Rheaird and fired up the engines. He motioned to Regal to get on behind him and waited only long enough for the convict to place his hands on his shoulders before leading the others of the party in a hurried spiral up to their exit from the Remote Island Human Ranch.

The rush of air past Liane's face was the most appropriate definition of 'freedom' she could think of as the party soared out of the broken dome that jutted up just above the surface of the ocean waves. As the party joined up with Mithos and turned their flight back towards land, Liane took a few moments to inhale the cool air as some of the others huddled close up ahead. _Mithos saved us… _her thoughts whispered, even though she was unsure just how the boy had managed it, which was what she guessed the others were talking about. It wasn't enough to put her completely at ease or make her forget her dreams, but it was enough to admit that she owed him a round of thanks for whatever it was he had done, even if it was simply giving Genis the flute.

Resolving herself to offer Mithos those thanks later, Liane knew that they needed to see Botta's request through… and then… _then… maybe we can get some rest… and figure out what to do with all we've learned since we've been here._

The worlds had once been one… the Great Seed and the Giant Tree… it was all mind-bending even without her own set of worries of her own psyche turning against her. Liane shook her head and sped her Rheaird to catch up to the others. _It's all got to be for a reason, right? _she asked herself, grasping for it to be the truth even as she saw the buildings of what had to be Palmacosta break the line of the horizon.

_And if we can't find that reason, I think I know someone who can help us put it all together…._

Kratos. It all came back to the angel. His ties to Cruxis, his presence in her dreams… his subtle guidance to keep them all on track. She wasn't sure how, but she knew that he held the answers.

_Kratos… soon. You won't be able to feed us half-answers for too much longer. _

Liane didn't doubt that she could confront him in a heartbeat for what he knew of Cruxis and Yggdrasill's plans. But as for the rest….

_When the time is right, I'll ask. And I'll be ready for whatever truth he gives me. Either I'm insane… or… or he'll understand…._

She set her jaw against what she saw as the improbability of the conclusion of her thought.

_And I'll just have to hope that he'll explain it to me as well…._

* * *

(A/N: Sorry for the chapter split, but there were some technical difficulties with uploading that, oddly, seemed to be fixed by splitting it (even though 28 wasn't anywhere near the upload limit). The good news is that Chapter 29 will actually be Chapter 29, though (barring any more problems. ) Once again, thanks to Yama for her help and moral support, and to Aio and Rydia for their words of encouragement. It means a lot to me to know that I have readers that are enjoying the story... and the encouragement definitely keeps me going!)


	29. Chapter 29

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The party can no longer hide behind the half-truths that their worlds have been raised upon as they turn their attention to tying up loose ends. But even friendships forged in battle are tested when answers no one wants are found in plain sight. Will bonds fall apart, or will they strengthen and help to form the courage to find yet more answers?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 29:

The metallic building somehow looked oddly natural against the sandy cliffs of the Triet desert… a distinct contrast to how alien it had looked before.

_So close to home… yet we can't go there. If Colette goes back now, she and Raine might be exiled as soon as they set foot in the town…._

Liane huffed and stowed her Rheaird away, attaching the wingpack to her pack and reaching up to brush her hair back from her eyes. It was a strange lull in their quest – being back in Sylvarant brought her back to her reasons why she had traded her familiar, comfortable, and somewhat boring life for one fight after another and having everything she had known before turned upside down.

Defeating Rodyle in his ranch had been another flash of familiarity, though having to report Botta's death to Yuan was a new and sad twist. It wasn't as if the Renegades were exactly their friends, but there was no denying that they had saved the party twice – once at the Tower of Salvation and once at the Remote Island Human Ranch when Botta sacrificed himself to give them the chance to escape and see their mission through. Now they carried his hopes and dreams with them as well, no matter that they hadn't known him well enough to know exactly what they were.

_More and more is depending on what we do…._

It seemed to her that it should be an arrogant thought… to believe that they were so important to their worlds… that they even _could_ make that much of a difference. But who else out there knew the truth? And, out of that small number, how many of them were trying to change things? Outside of their small band, Liane could only think of one, and possibly two… and both of them weren't exactly dependable enough to consider calling them true allies.

_We don't even know what will happen if we can find a way to germinate the Great Seed…._

Thoughts like those were likely not to be answered until it actually happened, if their record so far was any indicator. As frustrating as it was, no matter the help they got or the pieces of the puzzle that was Sylvarant and Tethe'alla that they stumbled across, they were still largely blind.

_And small… so very small… in the grand scheme of things…._ Liane and the others paused in the shadows of the Sylvarant Renegade Base and stared up at the structure as the heated desert winds whipped around them. A moment later, Lloyd gestured over his shoulder and started to lead them towards the doors that they were now willingly approaching, versus their last visit when Lloyd had been brought in as a prisoner and the others had gone after him to rescue him.

"I'll wait here," a small voice came from the back of their pack and brought the party to a stop as they turned back to find the half-elven boy that had joined them after his hometown of Ozette was destroyed in a Cruxis attack. Mithos stood still, his eyes to the ground even as his shoulders still revealed tension that kept the boy's frame taut. "I want to be alone for a while."

Genis hesitated for a moment, tilting his head to his friend before his own shoulders slumped and he turned, slowly approaching the other boy. "Mithos…."

The blonde boy looked up, watching the mage's approach for a moment before his eyes widened and he shook his head, his hand echoing the gesture. "Ah, no, it's not about the flute," he quickly clarified his request and laughed uneasily. "I'm sorry."

Liane's mind quickly snapped onto what Genis had been thinking… that the boy was brooding over the destruction of his sister's flute that he had given to Genis when they had left the boy in the care of the Palmacostan government. The same flute that, when Genis had played it out of desperation in the Remote Island Human Ranch, had somehow apparently summoned Aska, one of the few remaining Summon Spirits of legend that Sheena had yet to pact with. "As long as snakes and scorpions don't bother you… it is a good place to find some quiet for a few minutes, I guess," she shrugged, deciding that even if she wasn't quite sure how to take the boy and his presence with the group just yet, she understood the need for a few moments alone.

She even somehow managed to keep herself from reacting physically when she felt the boy's blue eyes slide over to her, keeping a shiver at bay that she couldn't explain, yet couldn't entirely stop every time she had been near him since he had invaded her dreams. _I just can't stop seeing… the malice in his eyes. But… he's never really done anything like that to me. Why can't I just get over it??_

"All right," Lloyd nodded, oblivious to any turmoil in the dark-haired swordswoman as he nodded. "It's dangerous, so don't leave this area," he spoke firmly, but his tone was still gentle enough to convey concern for the younger boy.

"I won't," Mithos shook his head to Lloyd's instructions and squared his shoulders once again, clasping his hands behind his back.

The party began to move again, but after a few steps, Raine that hesitated and turned back to Mithos. "Then while we're at it, let's return the Rheaird that Mithos borrowed," the Professor shrugged.

"What?" Mithos blinked at the half-elven woman's suggestion, but then quickly nodded, smiling slightly as he reached to his belt and unwrapped the tie that held the wingpack in place beneath the edge of his tunic. "Oh, yes. Please do," he nodded eagerly as he placed the wingpack into Raine's outstretched hand.

It was practical, and that was typical of Raine, but Liane couldn't stop herself from glancing back over her shoulder as they moved to the massive front gates of the base. Mithos merely stood in place, just as Lloyd had asked of him, his hands behind his back and a placid smile fixed on his lips. Somehow, it was that smile that bothered her most… almost as much as the dream she had had with him in it.

"Liane?"

The swordswoman looked to her side to find Genis watching her with an arch to his eyebrow. Grinding her teeth together slightly, she realized that she had been caught… that her friends that had known her for years could read her well enough when they chose to do so… and Genis had chosen the moment that she didn't even understand her unease to question her. "Did… someone ask him where he got the wingpack?" she asked quietly as Lloyd pushed one of the doors open. The others had talked after their escape from the ranch, but she hadn't heard all that was discussed, nor had she asked. "I mean… I know if he was worried, he might have sought the help of another half-elf or something, but that's dangerous right there… there could still be Desians lurking around Palmacosta…" she reasoned. It was, admittedly, a weak excuse, but it was all she could come up with that was reasonably coherent in the face of Genis' confrontation. "Did he just luck into finding a Renegade… or…?"

Genis frowned for a moment and then allowed his own eyes to move back to Mithos as he and Liane stepped into the shadows of the interior hallway of the building. "Actually, I don't think we asked. He said he borrowed it from a Renegade… and they seem to be all over, but… maybe he came looking for us at the ranch…?" the mage offered with a shrug. "Who knows… hopefully, it won't be much of an issue again if we can just get him back to Tethe'alla safely."

"Yeah…" Liane agreed, though half-heartedly, as the door closed behind the party. It was the easiest explanation. _What is wrong with me…?_ She asked herself silently, noting that there were no soldiers anywhere in sight and nothing in the ranch seemed to have any interest in stopping them from entering. It was all unnerving, but she concentrated on one thing at a time, starting with Genis' explanation. _If he came looking for us, it would probably have been easy for him to get directions to the ranch, and Yuan and his men were crawling all over that place. I guess… it could have happened that way. _

_Come on, Liane… stop looking for enemies, _she chided herself as they continued along the vaguely familiar corridor into the inner chambers of the base. _We have enough problems without inventing more…._

The base was silent as they made their way through the same halls that they had once had to sneak through, neither Renegade soldier nor trap apparently having any interest in keeping them from the innermost chambers of the base. With only the hum of the of machinery in the walls commenting idly on their progress, the party soon stood before the door that had, at one time, kept Lloyd separated from his companions. Lloyd stood with them this time, hesitating to spare a glance over his shoulder to the group as if looking for a reason to stop there. With a nod that suggested that he'd found no such thing, the teen stepped forward and passed his hand over a softly glowing panel to the side of the door and the door whisked asked obediently to grant the party access. They filed into the garishly decorated office, stopping only when the aqua-haired Renegade they had come to speak with turned from his desk to eye them with an air of utter disinterest. "You're back," Yuan commented flatly, boredom clearly weaving through his tone as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for someone else to speak.

"Yuan," Colette pushed her way to the front of the group to face the Renegade, her hands clasped tightly before her as she bowed her head and her hair fell forward in a shower of pale gold. "Botta is…."

The half-elf tilted his head to the girl and blinked once. "He died," he stated coolly, neither his voice nor his body betraying any further reaction to his completion of the Chosen's message.

_He… expected it?_ Liane frowned, but quickly realized that it was a reality of war… that survival was always a 'best-case' scenario. While part of her was saddened by the lack of reaction, she could see that she could have simply been projecting her own experiences on Yuan. _Maybe they weren't friends… or maybe he's just seen enough death between Cruxis and the Renegades that it just doesn't touch him anymore._ She bit her lip and turned her eyes to the ground. _How sad…._

"Yes," Lloyd quietly confirmed Yuan's words. "He asked us to tell you that he completed his mission," the swordsman continued, his frown deepening with every word as he kept his gaze on the Renegade.

Yuan's shoulder heaved with a sigh and he nodded his understanding, but offered Lloyd no other true reaction. "I see. Then we'll activate the dimensional transfer system," he stated and casually reached for a small stack of papers on his desk. "You may go between the worlds as you like."

"Is that all you have to say?!" Lloyd suddenly exploded, actually earning a look of curiosity from the Renegade. "Botta gave his life for the Renegades and –"

"Lloyd!" Regal raised his voice only enough to power over the swordsman's outrage and bring the teen's attention back to him. "It is not our place to speak," the convict stated pointedly, keeping Lloyd's gaze until the younger man finally huffed and ran his hand back through his hair in frustration.

Zelos slid up to Lloyd's side and casually dropped a hand on the crimson-clad boy's shoulder with a shrug. "This guy has been with that Botta for a long time," he commented, jerking his head slightly in Yuan's direction even as the half-elf made a show of ignoring them. "Nothing we say will make a difference."

Somehow, Liane appreciated that perspective. _No life should pass unrecognized, but no one can tell another how to mourn, either._ "We should go," she offered hesitantly. "We've delivered Botta's message and lived up to our part of the bargain," the dark-haired young woman finished, noting the fleeting glance she received from Yuan and offering him a small nod before he could look away. _We might not be friends, but respect at a time like this is still a kindness. Botta did save us, after all…._

"Fine," Lloyd grumbled after a moment, shoving his hands into his pockets and spinning on his heel to stalk back through the party, only to be stopped by Raine's hand on his shoulder. He looked up to her, his expression changing from disgust to curiosity as the Professor waited only long enough to be sure that he would wait before she let her hand fall away and slowly approached Yuan.

"I almost forgot," Raine began quietly, reaching into one of her coat's pockets to remove the wingpack that she had gotten from Mithos and holding it out to the Renegade. "Our companion borrowed a Rheaird from you, so we'll return it to you now."

Yuan stared blankly at the silver-haired woman for a moment before one eyebrow arched ever so slightly, giving the distinct appearance that he thought she might be crazy as he watched her, not moving to take her offering. "Borrowed one of our Rheairds?" he repeated slowly, his doubt of her dissolving into the crease in his forehead. "We haven't…."

Presea edged closer, the corners of her lips curling down but not quite into a full frown. "What's wrong?" the girl asked, her pigtails dipping with the tilt of her head as she watched Yuan.

"No, it's nothing," Yuan replied with a shake of his head. He tightened his arms over his chest for a moment and drew a breath before he reached out to take the wingpack. "We'll take care of it," he muttered and pulled back hiding his hands in the folds of his cape as he crossed his arms again. "Ask the control room staff about procuring energy for the dimensional transfer system." His hand emerged from his cape once again and handed Raine a small item roughly the shape of one of Sheena's cards. With that, Yuan's eyes swept over the group as he turned his back on them without another word.

Liane hesitated for a moment as the silence filled the room, and then the group slowly began to move back towards the doorway. _What else is there to say, really?_ she wondered dismally, looking back over her shoulder to see that Yuan seemed to have no interest whatsoever in making sure that they actually left his office. It was a cold feeling, but one that slid aside when she realized that Lloyd remained a step behind the rest of them.

"Yuan, I'm sorry," the young swordsman murmured, showing no sign of the anger that had moments before almost sent him storming out of the room.

It was all that was needed. Liane felt that the void left by Yuan's dismissal had been adequately and respectfully filled by those three little words. _How can he always find the right thing to say?_ Liane mused on the truth again, certain it wouldn't be the last time. Even though Yuan gave no indication of hearing the swordsman's condolences, she knew they had done all they could, under the circumstances.

Experience led them back to the control room, where the Renegades oddly treated them as little more than a surprise – and certainly not like an enemy invasion – accepting the card Yuan had given Raine and using it to bring a massive machine in the corner of the room back to humming, glowing life. It was all there was for them to do in the base, so the party quietly exited as easily as they had entered to find Mithos patiently awaiting their return, just as he had promised.

"Well, we should probably get back to Tethe'alla," Sheena shrugged, tensing slightly at a gust of particularly hot desert wind. "There are pacts we need to make there, and we really should get Mithos somewhere safe."

Raine glanced up, shielding her eyes from the sun that neared the western ridge of the mountains that surrounded the desert. "If we go back now, it will be almost morning, if the time difference between night and day when we arrived through the Otherworldly Gate is any indication," she commented and looked back down to her companions. "Maybe we should spend the night at Triet and head back early in the morning," the Professor suggested. "Getting back late in the afternoon or evening would give us time to take Mithos back to Altessa's and decide where we need to go next."

"Triet? What? Whoa, no…" Zelos shook his head stubbornly, waiting until his protest had won him attention before flipping his hair back over his shoulder. "You guys said this is the _Triet_ Desert, right? There is _no_ way I'm staying in a desert any longer than I have to." He frowned, the expression deepening at the blank stares he received. Finally, with an exaggerated groan, he flailed his arms helplessly. "My skin can't take this!!"

Liane saw Sheena ball her fist and did her best not to snicker. "Well, I guess we could go just about anywhere… but the only other nearby towns are Iselia and Izoold… and…" her eyes slid to Lloyd and Genis. "Some of us can't go back to Iselia just yet."

Zelos tilted his head, his eyes narrowing on the swordswoman. "So what's this 'Izoold' like? I suppose 'backwater' goes without saying… but…" he shrugged and chuckled, especially at the growl that bubbled up in the back of Lloyd's throat.

"It's just over the mountains to the east… on the coast…" Colette replied with a bright smile, speaking in place of Genis and Lloyd, who were both too busy glaring at the redheaded Chosen to be inclined to answer. "It's little, but it's nice…."

Liane's eyes widened. _Izoold…._ While one part of her wanted to suggest Palmacosta or Hima… or even Iselia to chance the wrath of the Mayor… another part of her grabbed onto the idea. _Maybe if I go back there… maybe I'll remember something else! Maybe something… might finally make sense!_

After another dramatic protest from Zelos where he finally relented to stay in the port town, the party arrived on the outskirts of Izoold, flying over the Ossa Trail and landing just in time to see the sun starting to touch to the western mountains.

At first, their approach to the town was peaceful, serenity only further fostered by the shrill call of seabirds high above and the lapping of the restless waves at Izoold's docks. The sounds and smells of the sea permeated the tiny town, but to Liane, it was oddly comforting – after all of their experiences in Tethe'alla, Sylvarant still _felt_ like home to her. _I can handle it this time,_ she coached herself with a sense of confidence toward her confusion that she hadn't felt before. Things had worked out to give her a moment to return to Izoold – and she did not intend to let it slip by, even if it was more of an experiment than anything else. Looking up as Lloyd led them to the door of Izoold's modest wood-sided inn, Liane started to loosen the straps of her pack, but her eagerness to confront her visions on her own terms vanished with a mangled scream from the direction of the very docks she had planned to visit. She had no prayer of stopping the shiver that raced down her spine at the sound… nor could she stop herself from running along with the rest of the group down the dusty path towards the cries of fear and anger from the shore.

_Goddess, I don't ever want to hear that scream again._

But no deity was apparently listening as Lloyd led the party down a rickety walkway to a small stretch of shell-strewn sand. The swordsman charged forward, blades drawn, but Liane's feet suddenly refused to carry her any further - her eyes wide at the sight before them.

_Not again._

Liane recognized the green-skinned creature as well as the tattered finery that clung to her gangly form from Palmacosta and Hima. _Clara…_. She was backed into the water's edge, clawed hands swinging out defensively as the weapon-bearing travelers closed in on her. The villagers were starting to gather along the small rise that overlooked the beach, crowding their way only as far as where Liane stood frozen in place. She could hear the voices behind her, but she didn't particularly care. _She's scared enough without them crowding her, and she has to be tired,_ Liane blinked, her sympathy growing exponentially for the Palmacostan woman. _She's spent all this time wandering… hunted?_ The armed travelers that were slowly circling her were the same ones that had her cornered in Hima – Liane was certain of it.

"This time, we're not gonna let you get away," one of the sandy-brown haired men swiped at Clara with his sword, drawing yet another ear-splitting cry from the creature.

In a flash of red, black, and silver, Lloyd suddenly stood between the adventurers and Clara, both blades drawn and ready to meet them as he kept his back to the green-skinned monster that stood quivering at the surf's edge. "Stop!"

The man that had been pressing the attack on Clara drew back in surprise at Lloyd's appearance, his weapon lowering as his resolve faltered for the brief moment before he groaned in exasperation. "Not you again!" he growled and once again brandished his sword menacingly before himself. "If you interfere, we'll take you out, too!"

"No, it's not what you think!" Lloyd shook his head and signaled with a frantic wave of one blade to the rest of the party that had gathered behind the assembly of adventurers. "Professor, please!"

"I know," Raine murmured quietly, her voice barely sounding over the waves on the otherwise suddenly silent beach. Even Clara remained still as the Professor moved past the tensed fighters to approach the twisted creature. For a moment, the silver-haired woman and Clara seemed to lock their gazes. After what may have been a few heartbeats of understanding, Raine raised her Phoenix Rod before her, and a gentle rain of pale green mana began to glow and resolve into runes that floated in the air around her. "Bring back her soul from purgatory!" Raine lifted her voice and her rod as the glow of the runes finally built to a level brighter than the sunset that lit the beach around them. "Resurrection!"

A spiral of golden-green light enveloped the creature's form at the Professor's command, sending a ripple of gasps through the crowd. The hulking form trapped within the light remained barely visible for a few more moments, and then it began to shift and contort, its dark silhouette collapsing onto itself until the light began to fade and surrender its brilliance back to the sunset. It left behind a barefoot, strawberry-blonde woman clad in the rags that had – just moments before – draped over the tragically grotesque creature.

Liane's stunned gasp echoed in her own ears at the evidence of just how much Raine's power had grown. But it wasn't until the murmuring wave of awe began to rise around her that she realized that her own gasp hadn't actually echoed… the blue-haired man standing just behind and to her side had merely mirrored it. "Regal?" she asked softly, hearing the quietest of hitches in his breathing as he continued to stare at the gathering on the beach. She hadn't noticed him there, but it made sense that the villagers had been stopped behind her if he was there as well. As Lloyd and Colette ran to Clara's side to help her keep her balance, Liane frowned, even after having witnessed such a miracle. Even in the wake of such wonder, Regal's expression was even more grim and stony than usual. "Regal… are you all right?"

"Clara, right?" Raine asked to gain the dazed woman's attention, waiting for her to look up before she spoke again. "Can you hear me?"

Clara blinked a few times. "Y-yes!" she stammered, her shoulders heaving as a smile slowly surfaced on her lips. "Thank you so much! I've finally returned to my original form!" the woman spoke, her voice choked with tears as she leaned her weight onto Lloyd and Colette's shoulders.

Looking back to watch Lloyd and Colette help Clara out of the water, Liane chewed her lip and turned to Regal again. He hadn't answered her. In fact, he hadn't given any indication that he had even heard her. _Maybe he's never seen what Exspheres can do to their hosts_, she reasoned, reaching a hand out to place it lightly on his shoulder. _No, that can't be right. He saw __Rodyle's transformation, at least._ Liane shot down her own reasoning as she watched his eyes follow the slow procession back up onto the dryer sands of the beach.

"Wh… wh… what?" the adventurer that had been all-too ready to slay Clara moments before shook his head in disbelief. "Why did the monster turn into a human?"

Genis spun on the man, glaring harshly at him as his arms flailed in frustration. "Are you_ stupid_?" the mage demanded angrily before he turned one hand to indicate Clara. "She was a human to begin with, but she was turned into a monster by the Desians."

In the next instant, Regal disappeared from beneath Liane's hand, silently turning and vanishing into the crowd that seemed more than glad to take his place and push past Liane to get closer to the 'miracle,' as some of them whispered. She could only watch as his blue hair marked him as moving up the walkway and fading into the town without a backwards glance. _What… happened?_ she was left to wonder, finally sighing and giving in to the push of the crowd. _He's a big boy… he doesn't need me to babysit, _she reminded herself, regretting only that she really hadn't had a chance to talk to her friend since they had fought Rodyle. _With as protective as he is over Presea, maybe that just really shook him up,_ Liane offered herself an excuse to try to drown out yet another thought….

_Among other things that there just hasn't been enough time to talk about, I guess._

Pushing her way back through those who had just pushed past her, Liane made it through to stand with her group where they stayed still, allowing Clara to catch her breath with her arms still draped over Lloyd and Colette's shoulders. The woman looked exhausted, but she couldn't bring herself to believe that the tears that streaked her cheeks were anything but happy relief. "How can I possibly thank you?" she asked, sweeping her eyes over the party and allowing them to rest on Raine for a long breath as her shoulders sagged. "I have only a vague memory of when I was a monster, but I still remember that you saved Palmacosta."

Colette's smile warmed at the woman's words and she adjusted her arm where it hung over her shoulder. "Please show the people of Palmacosta that you are well as soon as possible," she murmured reassuringly, nodding to Lloyd as she leaned in front of Clara.

Liane looked back over her shoulder to see that the villagers were starting to disperse, disappearing back up the walkway to return to their homes or whatever they had been doing prior to Clara's scene on the beach. "We should get her out of here. Clara has to be tired, and we have to be up early in the morning anyway," she offered as a plan, knowing that they couldn't remain there for much longer. "Let's get back to the inn, and help her get settled?"

Clara nodded with a deep exhale and a weary smile to the dark haired swordswoman. "I can't remember the last time I slept in a bed," she sighed and glanced around the party and then looked to Colette. "Tomorrow… I'll try to find a way to return to Palmacosta."

"You should find Max… I'm sure he'd take you over. He took us before," Lloyd smiled at the woman and started to guide her towards the walkway. Most of the rest of their group started up ahead of Lloyd and Colette, while Raine and Liane remained behind to follow.

Noticing that the adventurers had conveniently disappeared into the crowd, Liane shook her head. _Not that they're the only ones that disappeared,_ she thought with a frown, still wondering why Regal had been so quick to disappear after Raine had healed Clara. _He's not that jaded that it wouldn't have impressed him… I know he's not,_ she tried to tell herself and then shrugged.

_I guess we all have our own things to deal with tonight,_ Liane reasoned and started up the walkway with Raine.

* * *

Liane watched Clara wearily disappear into the room that the innkeeper had donated for her and sighed. Raine's magic had cured the woman – restored the balance of her mana and, in turn, her humanity. But what would she find when she did return? Her husband and daughter were both gone beyond the reach of the Professor's talents… and how could she forget the years she had spent trapped within her mutated body? Her life may have been snatched back, but she would never be the same – simply a look into the woman's sunken gaze was proof enough of that.

With a sad shake of her head, Liane sucked in a small breath and glanced to the other end of the hallway to where the rooms they had rented waited. Their party had grown in size since their last visit, so, this time, Raine declared that a room for the females and one for the males was necessary. _Things are different this time,_ she told herself , trying to focus more on that Genis and Lloyd wouldn't have grounds to tease her than that they were missing one of their roster from before. _It's not like he fell in battle,_ she reminded herself, trying to nurture a bitterness that she knew she needed to see Kratos as the enemy over the apparent objections of her dreams.

Her feet carried her a few steps closer to the room that would shelter her for the night. Her companions were already settling in, but she found herself hesitating to join them, her attention drifting back to the front door of the inn. The call was silent, but that made it no less insidious. _It happened once before_, Liane's thoughts whispered as she spared one quick look back to the rooms, allowing herself an instant of indecision before she turned and followed her plan out the front door and into the twilight-lit dirt roads of Izoold. _If I'm quick, they won't notice,_ she argued over her decision with what she knew was her better judgment even as her logic pointed out that last time, it had been Kratos that had come looking for her.

_He… held my hand…._

A quick inhale gave her the strength to – at least momentarily – push the thought away, somehow making her realize that she was more willing to take a chance on an idea that she could force a vision… that she could somehow take control and milk its meaning. Liane knew that the plan was shaking at best, but everything that she saw when the visions took control, whether she was awake or asleep, was beyond her control, robbing her of direction or voice. It was annoying, and sometimes, it was unbearably painful.

_And it has to stop. If I can understand them… or find their source…._ Liane decided that the reasoning was sound even if she had no idea how to actually accomplish it. She was no psychic… it was a fluke that she could control her mana enough to form a spell as it was – telepathy or any other mind-art seemed to be even more of an impossible reach. _But there's too much else going on. Too much else that's more important to fight for. We all have to be ready to see this through to the end._

The villagers had sought their homes for the night after the ruckus on the beach, leaving the roads and paths peacefully silent as Liane moved closer to the docks. Her anxiousness grew with every step, but it didn't slow her down. _It's a little later than it has been in the visions, but it should be close enough,_ she tried to encourage herself as she finally stood squarely on the docks. Hesitating, Liane turned her eyes skyward. The rosy pinks and fiery oranges had given way to shades of the night's blue, but they were still there, clinging delicately to the billowy clouds.

_Come on… show me again. Make me understand._

Her plea was as heartfelt as a prayer as she slowly made her way to the end of the dock. _This is the place. Right… here._ Liane stopped just short of the end, leaving enough room for a kindly old captain to stand between her and the ocean, had he stepped out of her vision and into reality. She couldn't help that she sucked in a nervous breath as she moved to stand exactly where the woman in her dreams had and closed her eyes.

_The waves breaking against the piers…._

_The whisper of the damp breeze in my ears…._

Liane could almost hear the words of the uniformed captain. Almost. She grasped for every sensory reminder she could find – and so many of them were there… including how her heart was pounding in her chest.

_I couldn't make this up. It all feels so familiar,_ Liane exhaled, waiting for a flash of color behind her closed eyes… or perhaps even the words of the ceremony that were meant to join her forever more to Kratos. She had seen it before… and just once more would prove it was real.

Then she could go about trying to find out why.

Another deep breath of the sea air jolted her senses, and the ponytail that she had loosed from the confines of its braid swung past her cheek – a subtle – if not mocking – reminder that the vision she had been looking for was refusing her. _Please… please give me something,_ Liane begged silently as she surrendered her insistence ever so slightly and opened her eyes. Slowly, she lifted her gaze from the weathered planks at her feet, her heart sinking as she realized that there truly was no one standing before – no warm mahogany eyes waiting to show her that she meant the world to him.

_So, maybe I am crazy after all._

The thought settled on her like a heavy blanket that had been soaked in ice water. _But why? Why would my mind make up some other girl? Is it just because he spoke of her?_ Liane's frown deepened. Is it just that I'm trying to figure out what she – or what he – would see in someone that they could love? _Or –_

Her shoulders dropped, and she hung her head. _Maybe I just wanted to know what it felt like so badly._ Liane knew she had never met anyone like Kratos – how he danced the blade's edge between what she saw as good and evil, refusing to categorize himself as either and offering no apology for doing so. He was a dark and dangerous enigma, but in that… _why won't he let down his guard? Even for someone that's willing to hear him out?_

Her eyes lazed open again, still slightly unfocused as she sighed. _What kind of person would he ever smile like that for? _Liane shook her head and drew another long breath, desperately trying to remember the sight from her dreams – real or not. The girl her mind had apparently constructed to draw such a reaction from him eluded her understanding almost as much as Kratos himself. _The only way I would ever smile like that –_

The thought was stopped cold by a small burst of color at the edge of her downcast vision – calling itself out simply in its contrast to the darkening waves that carried it. Liane's breath hitched as she could only stare and blink, trying to decide if it was real or another vision that she had sought, but when another swell of the waves lifted the rich pink and white bloom, she was certain that it was her own decision to kneel and pluck it out of the water.

_A stargazer lily…._

Her hand was shaking as she held the single flower before her. It was real… and so was the tear that had formed and slipped down her cheek before she realized it. _The only way… I would ever smile like that…_ Liane choked slightly as the thought formed again and forced its way towards completion.

… _was if I knew someone that loved me completely was smiling back at me._

It was something Liane wasn't sure she could truthfully admit. Her love for her family and friends was one thing, but to actually be _in _love? _Is this what it's supposed to feel like?_ she asked herself, knowing that no answer would come. _But… why else would I feel like I'd give anything to see him smile like that… for me?_ She slowly drew her finger along the crisp, pale edge of the lily until uncertainty finally gave way to her curiosity. _Why is this here?!_ She stood, her eyes sweeping around the dock area as she turned her back to the land. _This is no coincidence! This flower is from Tethe'alla… why would it be here… now… if…._ Liane shivered at not only the feeling of being watched, but also at the guess of who was watching. "Kratos…?" she lifted her voice just enough to be heard around the dock - and barely enough to hear it over the pounding of her heart in her ears. _This is it… this proves he knows something, and –_

"Kratos… isn't he the traitor?"

Liane jumped at the voice from behind her, spinning even as the motion cost her some of her startled balance. But when her eyes fell on the speaker, and his voice confirmed his identity, a shiver ran through her from head to toe, any rush of possibility fading with the last light of sunset. "Mithos… what?" she shook her head, lowering her hands to her sides, but still clutching at the lily as she tried to contain a gnawing nervousness she still couldn't explain. _What is he doing here? I didn't even see him… or hear him…._

The blonde half-elven boy strolled closer, hands clasped behind his back and eyes wide. "I thought I heard you say 'Kratos.' Genis and Lloyd said that was the name of someone who betrayed your group," Mithos explained with a faint note of concern in his voice as he stopped before her and tilted his head in question. "Are you afraid that he's here?"

Momentarily struck speechless, Liane could only stare at the innocence on the boy's face. Was it really the first time she had been alone with him? It certainly didn't feel like it – not with as uneasy as she felt. "He's been a lot of places that we've been," she finally managed to answer the boy. "I suppose he can be anywhere he chooses."

"If he's with Cruxis, you should be careful," Mithos replied, fidgeting his weight from one foot to the other and back again as his wide blue eyes swept the area. "Raine was worried. She was going to come looking for you, but I told her I'd come. I think she's tired from what she did for that human woman. She needs her rest."

_Human woman._ He had spoken the words no differently than any other in his claim, but his choice of phrasing somehow set Liane even more on edge. It was a differentiation that normally had no real place in their party. Given what Mithos had been through, she tried to let go of the observation, but it was still difficult. "I was on my way back," she finally offered – the words not entirely a lie… she would have gone back after her suspicions of Kratos' presence were confirmed or denied. "And I'm being careful, don't worry. The last thing any of us needs is more worry."

"I don't think he'll bother you now, even if he was around," Mithos shrugged, turning the conversation back to the seraph again and gesturing back towards the town. "Come on, you can tell Raine not to worry for yourself."

"Yeah," Liane nodded in agreement, sparing one last look around before she started to walk past the boy. _Maybe I wanted him to bother me – I have questions –_

But her unspoken grumbling was cut short by the boy's hand on her forearm, his grip closing over the slightly frayed sleeve of her ivory tunic. "Where'd you get the flower?" Mithos asked, looking between her and the lily.

Fighting back a familiar wave of panic, Liane watched the boy, measuring him for the moment that it took for her to choose her words. "It was in the water," she shrugged nonchalantly, forcing herself not to pull away from his grasp. "I thought it was pretty, so I grabbed it," she explained, opting for the easiest and most honest answer she could give him.

"Huh," Mithos huffed, glancing around before his expression brightened a little more. "I think that was one of my sister's favorite flowers," he shrugged and released her to clasp his hands behind his back once again and walk beside her.

"It's easy to see why…" Liane replied, trying to keep the conversation light as she hurried the steps of her retreat from the dock just a little. She didn't want him to make the leap that the flower might truly bloom only in Tethe'alla, as her dreams had suggested… and more, she didn't want to be alone with Mithos any longer that she had to be. Part of her found the reaction cruel, but the other simply wouldn't let go. He made her nervous, and the fact that he seemed to know about Kratos only made it worse.

Mithos hummed his agreement, his expression pensive as he slowed and gestured to her to start up the walkway to the main part of the town. He waited only long enough to catch her eye before he spoke again. "My sister used to say that you'd only give those flowers to someone very special to you," he shrugged. "It would be a shame if it was from someone like Kratos, huh? With him being your enemy and all…."

It was such an off-handed comment – spoken with such innocence – but, to Liane, it felt like a knife twisting in her chest. _I am _not_ even going to try to explain this to him, _her thoughts whispered stubbornly as she hurriedly tried to wall over the hole in her defenses that the boy had blundered upon. If she wouldn't have had to explain why to the others, she would have broken into a run to get back to the inn and leave Mithos behind. Instead, she managed a shrug not unlike the one he had given her. "Things aren't always black and white," she spoke as noncommittally as possible. "The flower was in the water… the only shame that I saw was letting it drift by unappreciated." Liane then turned back to the beaten dirt path and proceeded to pass where he had stopped for her.

"It would make Genis and Lloyd sad if something happened to you," Mithos commented as he reached her side again. "If you see Kratos again, you should stay away from him."

"I'll remember that. Thanks," Liane replied, hoping that her shiver didn't show in her voice. The boy actually sounded concerned, but that was perhaps what scared her the most. She had no logical reason to fear the boy – nor could she debate the danger that seemed to follow in Kratos' wake – but none of that changed how glad she was to see the inn before them. "Well, you can tell Genis and Lloyd that I'm back safely, then," she tried to smile for Mithos and pushed the door open, more than eager to get back to her room and away from him. "Thanks, Mithos."

The blonde boy offered her a sheepish wave. "You're welcome. Good night… sweet dreams…" he smiled and turned to trot down the hallway to the room he shared with the other males, leaving Liane standing alone in the hallway.

_Not likely,_ she frowned, giving in to the almost-sickening mixture of nerves and pessimism to exhale and let her shoulder fall. Her eyes fell back down to the bloom that she still clutched in her hand and her heart sank a little more. _He was there… it had to be him…_ Liane's mind whispered to her before she forced herself to turn her thoughts away. She knew that she had to be calm when she walked back into her room – her gut reaction to Mithos wasn't something she wanted to explain… not with how irrational it was. She had no proof and she had no reason other than it was simply how she felt.

_He won't be with us forever, _Liane told herself and placed her hand on the door handle. _Then I can get back to being afraid of intangible nightmares._

_Goody._

* * *

Kratos' glare sharpened on the door of the inn as it shut behind Liane and her self-appointed escort. He knew it was selfish of him to take Mithos' conversation with her as a warning for himself, but the stakes were too high. His gut had told him that Liane would return to Izoold, but that was the only part of the visit he had predicted correctly. The Palmacostan woman's presence and subsequent cure wasn't something he had ever considered.

The angel had come to Izoold on the assumption that Liane would find a way to break away from the group, and he had brought the lily as a secondary test if he was right about her being drawn back to the dock. The combination was enough to further convince him of the improbable truth, even if he hadn't decided what – if anything – to do about it yet.

But the fact that the Professor had the insight to resurrect the still-technically alive Clara back to her true form – much less, the power to see the plan through – was stunning. The act raised questions he had never considered, and somehow, made it that much more important to see Liane's actions and reactions.

_The Exsphere mutation could be cured_, he mused, giving in to neither remorse nor true awe. He had made his choice and he had honored _her_ request. But even though the healing arts had long been lost, it ate at him that the ability had probably been present in the world, even if he never had the ability to wield the power himself.

_She might have been saved… but I never could have caged her for this long._

His grim stare finally broke into a frown. Dorr might have kept her safe from the world… but at what cost? _Clara said that she remembered… what toll would that take on a person? Not to mention that, once she was free, she was hunted like trophy game._

Kratos' resolve snapped tight around him again. _Anna would never have wanted to be kept caged… away from her life and from Lloyd,_ he told himself.

Yet, as certain as he was, Kratos knew that his decision to honor what became his wife's last request had been her choice as well as his. But Liane's appearance in his life - with all that she seemed to carry locked within - was a glimpse of redemption he had never expected or sought, was nothing he could have ever been ready to confront.

_Perhaps fate needed her to survive._

Fate. Ever ambiguous and unknowable. So much could be blamed on it as hopes and dreams were destroyed by its power. Perhaps Anna had played her role – proving to Kratos that the fledgling ideals that had drawn him away from Cruxis hadn't simply been a whim and bringing their son into the world as solid evidence that there was always hope for the future, no matter how dark the present.

_Perhaps it was Liane that hadn't served her own fate yet._

As much of a confounding mystery the glimpses of Anna in Liane's behavior were, the Iselian girl's simple existence was a series of question marks as well. _Fate will have its way in the end. _It seemed to have her marked in so many ways, but to her, it was simply her life, no matter how confusing or conflicted her nature was. The church had tested her, considered her an oddity, but not worthy of anything more than a side note in their journals. But the fact remained that a human girl with neither documented traces of elven blood nor exposure to Aionis being able to perform even weak spells was practically unheard of.

_It won't go unnoticed,_ his pessimism whispered to him. _Not with Mithos… not if she makes herself obvious to him._ Kratos' only theory on her abilities was that, by the same stretch that her mana was mostly occupied with tying a mismatched pairing of spirit and life energy together, it still formed a bond that linked Liane to the effects Anna's crystal had on her… how it changed her.

Speaking to Liane might have helped him understand how complete or fractured the merger truly was, even though his conscience still chided him that it appeared to be tormenting her. But he had also apparently underestimated Mithos' senses, hoping that his vantage point on the rise above the town in the darkening conditions would hide him adequately until Liane proved his hunch that she would visit the docks alone right or wrong. _The trip down to place the flower in the water was probably what caught his attention,_ Kratos silently berated himself, thinking back to his quick trip up the shoreline. He had wanted to give it to her himself, see her reaction from close rather than depending on his enhanced sight to see if she would even react at all from a distance. It was still a test, and that fact was perhaps what had saved them both from everything but Mithos' suspicions.

_I can't chance being caught with her again… not with Mithos around._

Kratos summoned his wings and lifted up into the dark night sky, his eyes lingering on the inn for a few more moments. _You have to protect each other. I've done all I can for you._ He had warned them as best he could before and now he had a bit more information for himself. It was all he could ask.

_There's much left to do… for all of us._

* * *

"Gah! There's no casino, no bars and not even girls! I didn't realize how tough journeys were!"

Liane winced at the whine that had built along with the frustration factor in Zelos' voice as she closed the room door behind her and sighed. Tucking her fingers beneath the straps of her pack, she started down the hallway to the small foyer where the party was supposed to be gathering for their return to Tethe'alla. Morning had come far too early – or perhaps not early enough – as Liane once again reminded herself to be careful what she asked for. The night before, she had gone seeking visions, but while dreams refused her, nightmares had all too willingly accepted her, leaving her awake and staring at the ceiling in the dark hours of early morning as her only escape from the sword, the broken look in Kratos' eyes, and the dark and profound wish for death. Liane was grateful that she didn't seem to have awakened any of her roommates – almost as grateful as she was that her pack gave her the excuse to keep a hand over the site that had been skewered in her nightmare. Even though she knew she could still feel the quick thrust that drove the blade through her heart, a physical reminder that she bore no true wound had become her lifeline to reality.

"What?" Lloyd retorted to the redhead Chosen just as Liane came around the corner into the room. "The village I grew up in didn't have casinos or bars, but I still had a lot of fun," the younger swordsman shrugged, his hands resting easily on the hilts of the blades at his sides.

Zelos turned to face Lloyd with one eyebrow arched, a sarcastic smirk on his lips. "You back country hick," he shook his head in mocking pity. "Do you _really_ think that kind of healthy lifestyle suits me?"

"Better than being a pompous arrogant jerk, but you seem to be fond of that," Liane muttered as she strolled past the swordsmen, pointedly not looking at either of them, though she was sure she could feel Zelos glaring at her. She heard Sheena snicker quietly, but decided not to antagonize things further. Liane placed her pack on the floor and turned to lean against the wall beside the door, her eyes to sliding closed for a moment. _No girls…_the Tethe'allan Chosen's words echoed in her thoughts, and she allowed herself a single, slow shake of her head. _Zelos, do you actually go out of your way to prove Sheena right about you?_

Lloyd's smile grew a little wider at Liane's passing comment, but it then mellowed with an accompanying shrug. "But you don't fool around as much as you claim you do."

"_Excuse_ me?" Zelos planted his hands on his hips and glared down at the younger man.

Liane did her best not to choke at the redhead's reaction as she opened her eyes and lifted her head to survey the room. _Poor Zelos. You haven't figured out that Lloyd can actually be observant when he wants to be, have you?_ Though she couldn't figure out why, Zelos seemed all too happy to play the role of the bored playboy. She was sure that she had seen glimpses of more, and apparently, Lloyd had as well. _That'll only change if Zelos wants it to, Lloyd,_ she sighed and took a quick inventory of her companions. She had been the last out of the females' room, so it was no surprise that all but Raine was present in the foyer. It was her guess that the Professor's presence would accompany those of their still-missing party members. So far, only Lloyd and Zelos were accounted for from the males, which only fueled Liane's theory that the two habitually late sleepers had been cast from their room for bickering.

Lloyd's frame straightened and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, if you really hated being on a journey and wanted to quit, you'd have done so already," the swordsman pointed out with a proud smile. Zelos' mouth fell open to retort, but no words formed as his shoulders slumped and he simply stared at Lloyd. The brown-haired swordsman teen his head, but his smile didn't falter. "Why did you get all quiet?"

"You're pretty sharp sometimes," Zelos finally recovered just enough to chuckle and push his hands back into his pockets with a dramatic sigh. "I guess I _should_ head back."

"What?!" Lloyd blurted out as he stared at Zelos in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Zelos' expression remained flat for a moment longer before his smug smirk resurfaced and he shook his head with a dismissive wave of his hand. "No, of course not," he laughed. "I've got reasons of my own to stay with you guys."

_He just wanted to show Lloyd he didn't know him as well as he thought he did._ Liane shook her head and tightened her arms around her middle as she braced the sole of her foot against the wall behind her. Sheena and Colette chatted at a small table nearby, almost conspicuously ignoring the other conversation while Presea seemed to be studying the swordsmen's interaction intently. _Zelos isn't the only one with his own reasons, I guess._ Liane chewed the inside of her lip and looked back down to the wooden floor. _I almost wonder if any two of us have the same reasons… or if any of us really know what our reasons are anymore with how the 'rules' keep changing._

"Oh, I see," Lloyd chuckled, recovering from his surprise. "But it'd be lonely if someone left, he offered Zelos an almost-sheepish shrug before his grin returned to curl his lips, "… even if it was you."

The redhead's playful smile twisted ever so slightly with a flash of sarcasm as he rolled his eyes and reached out to ruffle Lloyd's hair. "Okay, _now_ I'm really reconsidering my decision."

Lloyd's laughter filled the small foyer as he stepped back out of Zelos' reach and attempted to smooth his hair. Liane shook her head at their antics, but still found comfort in the familiarity… a focus other than how her mind seemed so determined to feed her details she didn't want… such as the freezing bite of Kratos' blade just before a wave of fire pushed it through her chest, stealing her breath… and her life. By immersing herself in even the most casual of interactions of her companions, she was learning to simply accept it all – visions and reality – until she could finally find a way to deal with the visions… or until they finally left her alone. She glanced up as Raine ushered their missing party members into the room, Liane exhaled and started to push her thoughts aside once again and stooped to shoulder her pack again. _How horrible is it that I'd rather be crazy or that I really am seeing someone else's thoughts than even consider that it could be a vision of the future?_ It wasn't an easy thought, even though she knew 'crazy' was the most logical of the three options.

'_Crazy' is probably what I'll end up no matter which option ends up being right, anyway…._

"Lloyd!" Genis called out as he dashed past Raine, dragging Mithos along by the wrist. "I told Mithos we'd make sure we found a safe place for him to stay when we get back," the mage announced, stopping in front of the swordsman and staring up to him expectantly. "Right?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded his agreement with a warm smile as he swung his own pack over his shoulder and turned to pull the door open for them all. "We'll take you to Altessa's place."

Mithos laughed as Genis tugged him through the door, leaving the boy to pull back for a hesitant moment to smile for the swordsman. "Thanks," he murmured with a nod of his head before his eyes swept around the room only once more until Genis picked up the momentum to pull him out the door.

Liane hated the single shiver that shot down her spine when her eyes met those of the blonde boy for even an instant. She couldn't justify it, nor could she stop it. She could only seek to bury it in distraction… and that distraction took the form of the blue-haired man that walked at the back of the group after having followed Raine, Mithos, and Genis from their room, perhaps enforcing the Professor's attempt to corral the party and get them all moving. She fell in step beside him and pulled the door of the inn shut behind them before she leaned forward to catch his eye and offer him a small smile. "I didn't get a chance to talk to you once we got back to the inn last night," she shrugged, keeping her tone light as she tried not to remember the grim expression on his face the last time she had seen him. "Are you okay?"

Regal turned to her with a nod as they walked behind the others. "I'm sorry. It just seemed that the poor woman was already enough of a spectacle. I didn't feel right adding to her discomfort," he explained, continuing to walk. He glanced over to the dark-haired swordswoman again. "But I understand that I'm not the only one to go off on my own last night. Should I be asking you if you are all right as well?"

She recognized a dodge when she heard it, but to do anything but answer it would be violating her promise not to push him. Liane's thoughts went to the flower that she had pressed in the book that she kept stored in the bottom of her pack and she sighed. "I'm okay," she replied honestly enough, keeping her voice quiet. "I just really wanted to go down to the docks. Nothing happened." Seeing him raise an eyebrow to her, she shook her head in answer to the question she saw in him. "It was starting to get dark when Mithos found me."

"Ah," Regal nodded, not sounding particularly satisfied with her answer, but after a quick look ahead to the others, he drew a deep breath. "I would have offered to go, but Mithos was eager to go. I suppose he was looking for a way to help?"

"Maybe," Liane shrugged as they moved outside the edge of the town. There was more that she wanted to say, but with the others in relatively close proximity, she decided to keep those words to herself. _All we have to do is get Mithos to Altessa's… then things will be at least a little more… normal…._

It was a hope, more than anything else. But as the party leveled their Rheairds directly at the glowing ball of energy that hovered over the Renegade base in the desert after the quick trip from Izoold, Liane couldn't help but wonder if anything would ever truly be normal again. The flyers ahead of her disappeared into the light in rapid succession, and when she approached, she caught her breath as Sylvarant exploded around her in a burst of brilliant blue light. She could only hold on tighter to the controls as a wave of vertigo wrapped around her, its grip tightening as well, but only until Tethe'alla's growingly familiar land masses began to form from the light.

_I don't think I'll ever get used to doing that._

The thought fell away to relief as Sheena and Zelos led the group to the flat meadow that stretched out before Altessa's burrow. Fighting the urge to drip to her knees and hug the ground in gratitude for a more graceful landing than the last time they had crossed over, Liane somehow managed to find enjoyment in Mithos' smile as Altessa and Tabatha both welcomed the boy back into their care.

Noishe added himself to the equation, bounding out from behind one of the carved rock outcroppings near the dwelling to pounce on Lloyd, sending the party into fits of much needed laughter as the swordsman disappeared beneath a shaking pile of green and white fur. _He disappeared before we went to go find Raine… so he just stayed here to wait for us? _Liane wondered once again – though she was certain it wouldn't be the last time – at the intelligence of Lloyd's faithful companion. _At least he stayed safe… it's easier to move around knowing that he's not likely to go anywhere too dangerous on his own, especially when we don't even know where we're going ourselves._ It seemed all they had to do was return to where they had last seen the dog-like creature, and – as long as there were no monsters around – Noishe would once again join them. _He doesn't seem to like to fly much anyway. I really can't blame him for that after how we came to Tethe'alla._

After a few more minutes, the party began to speak its goodbyes, with continuing with their quest being their reasoning. Altessa and Tabatha promised food would be left for Noishe even as the creature once again managed to disappear without being noticed. _Maybe I am just overreacting_, Liane sighed, having enjoyed the brief period of light-heartedness and standing back to watching as Mithos spoke his farewells with the Sage siblings. _He's obviously more comfortable with them than he is with the rest of us – who can really blame him?_

"Well, Mithos, have a good time with Altessa," Lloyd smiled warmly, waving to the blonde boy as he started to turn toward where they had left the Rheairds waiting for them.

The group began to follow the swordsman, the late afternoon breeze rippling the long field grasses as Mithos' voice rose behind them. "You'll come and visit me, right?"

"Of course!" Genis turned and replied with a bright smile for his friend.

Liane paused at the foot of the dirt trail that led up to Altessa's door and looked back. No matter how uneasy Mithos made her feel, at that moment, all she saw was a lonely boy. _Maybe… if we reunite the worlds… they can stay friends._

"Take care," Lloyd smiled and waved over his shoulder, falling into step beside Genis as Mithos ran to the rough-hewn wooden fence that edged the porch area of Altessa's burrow.

"I'll be praying for your success in avenging your sister!" Mithos cupped one hand around his mouth and waved at them over the fence with the other.

The party hesitated as a whole and Presea pivoted to face Mithos. She remained silent for a few moments as the wind tossed her pigtails before she offered the boy a deep nod of her head. "Thank you," she replied as she lifted her eyes again, only the clench of her hands into the hem of her dress revealing any turmoil at his wish.

"Avenging Presea's sister? What are you talking about?"

Liane looked to her side to find that Regal had also turned back to the burrow, his eyes moving over the distance between Presea and Mithos, his eyebrows knitting ever so slightly. "In Altamira… we learned about Presea's sister,' she started, a knot forming in her stomach. "While… you were waiting for us…?"

"Oh, that's right," Lloyd frowned, shaking his head a little as he ran his fingers back through his hair. "We haven't told Regal about it."

_He didn't ask… and I didn't have the heart to bring it up, even when I had the chance._ Liane had to glance away to right her thoughts. It was easy enough to tell herself that she thought he had enough to worry about between himself and Presea… that if no one else had brought up the somber discovery, perhaps it was okay if she didn't either. But it was harder to recognize a darker truth – for even a moment, Liane had entertained such thoughts… that her friend's refusal to enter the town could be more than a need to stay out of sight of the public.

"Ahh…" Zelos chuckled and turned with a flamboyant flip of red curls. "Um… hey, you know, that's not a topic we really need to drag out _now_, right?" he shrugged and gestured over his shoulder to entice the others to follow his nonchalant stroll back toward the Rheairds.

The rest of the party, however, remained still, only their eyes following the redheaded Chosen until a frustrated growl tore itself from Genis. "What are you talking about, Zelos?!" the mage demanded, his face growing red as a reflection of his anger. "This is important! Presea's sister was killed!" the silver-haired boy sputtered and shook a hand in Presea's direction as if to offer her as evidence of his claim.

"Killed?" Regal repeated quietly, Mithos apparently forgotten as his gaze was now squarely on Presea.

Colette clasped her hands before her and mournfully nodded as she took a few small steps to stand beside the shackled man. "Yes," she sighed and looked up to Regal. "It seems Presea's younger sister served under a noble named Bryant," the blonde Chosen related the story, carrying on her self-appointed role as the group's unofficial historian. Her expression turned from one of simple nervousness to a saddened frown as she lowered her eyes again. "But then, her master Bryant –"

"He's a _monster!_" Sheena exploded angrily, sending a ripple of uneasy gasps through the group. "How can he kill a child like that?!"

Liane reached over to put her hand on Sheena's shoulder, even though she had no words to tell her she was wrong to be angry. Presea was one of them… and the way that she had to find out about her sister's death was beyond cruel and wrong. "Presea was mistaken for her sister when we were in Altamira," she added to the story as calmly as she could. "Beyond that, the rest of the story just kind of… followed…" she shrugged and looked back to Regal, even as she could still practically feel the anger radiating from the ninja.

"Sister?!" Regal breathed out, still staring at the pink-haired ax girl. He seemed to be stunned as he took one slow step towards her. "It can't be," he shook his head and crouched to meet Presea's wide-eyed gaze on an even level. "Presea, what was your sister's name?"

Presea tilted her head to him as if considering his question for a long moment before blinking and drawing a breath. "Alicia."

No one reacted to the girl's reply, leaving only a faint whisper of wind to keep the area from falling into absolute silence before Regal began to push himself back to his feet. He nodded once he had straightened to his full height but his eyes remained on Presea. "I see."

"Do you know something about this?" Lloyd asked the convict, his head tilted in curiosity that sounded almost eagerly for the possibility of a lead on the mystery.

Regal blinked, severing his gaze from Presea as he turned to face Lloyd. The calm composure that the shackled man wore so often once again seemed to be in control. "I may know who that murderer might be," he replied, his voice absolutely even as he bobbed his head.

_Murderer._

"_I am a prisoner serving time for the crime of murder."_

All of the self-loathing in the words he had spoken at the Toize Valley Mines came back to her like just another voice she didn't want to remember. Once word was all it took, even though it was spoken as calmly as any other word surrounding it in Regal's statement. One word was all it took to tie her stomach neatly into a painful series of knots. _Regal… he…._ Liane blinked and bit harshly on her lip as a physical reprimand for the thought that made all too much sense, refusing to let it go any further. _He was in prison… maybe he knew someone there, _she tried to reason, but then, out of the corner of her eye, a flash of red caught her attention. _Zelos?_ Liane's brow furrowed at how he remained apart from the group, still frozen in place from his aborted attempt to get them moving past Mithos' wishes. But there was the faintest of slumps in his posture… and his head was bowed forward just enough that his red curls curtained his face. The wind suddenly felt cold to her – almost colder than it had felt in Flanoir – as she forced herself to look back to where Regal stood with his back to her.

_No… oh, no._

"Really?" Presea responded to the convict's claim with an edge of surprise standing out in her voice. Her slight form tensed in eagerness as she looked up to the blue-haired man that towered over her.

Regal nodded and then turned his head to Lloyd again. "Take me to Altamira."

Fighting down a flash of panic, Liane glanced back up to the boy now leaning forearms onto the top board of the fence. Mithos watched the party with concerned interest, but stayed where he was, his hands clasped together. _Why… did he have to bring it up… why now? I heard him talking to Presea and Genis… saying how he and Presea were alike… how they were alone. He bonded with them… it shouldn't be a surprise that he wished her well, but…._ Liane looked back towards the Rheairds to see that she was about to be left behind if she didn't hurry. But she didn't want to go… she didn't want to go almost as much as she didn't want to go to the Remote Island Human Ranch.

Forcing her feet to comply with what she knew she had to do, Liane walked toward the blue-striped Rheaird that she had taken as hers and stowed her pack, then hesitated for a moment as she watched the others. There was only quiet conversation as one by one, the engines began to whine to life again, but before Lloyd could make room on his Rheaird for Regal as he normally did, Liane found herself speaking before her thoughts caught up to her. "Regal… you can ride with me…?" she called out, freezing as he looked back to her. _Please… please… just tell me I'm wrong._ While the shackled man might have been able to maneuver a Rheaird if he had to, it was easier to let him be a passenger, and he had always ridden with Lloyd until then. He gave her a look, but then turned to walk towards her, stepping onto the platform of the flyer and bracing himself against the back to wait for her to step up and take the controls. Regal didn't speak… and even that somehow hurt… as if he was ignoring the plea she had never actually spoken.

As the engine warmed up, its whine easing to a steady pitch, Liane chanced a glance back over her shoulder. She really didn't know what to say, but seeing as how Regal kept his eyes to the welded metal that they stood on, she knew she had to say something. "Regal… we don't have to go to Altamira… we don't even know how long ago this all happened…?" she offered, the excuse sounding like a stall even to her own ears.

"No," Regal shook his head but still didn't look up. "I should not have avoided Altamira in the first place," he spoke only loud enough to be heard over the engine. "Perhaps it might have spared Presea some pain…."

Liane knew his words weren't open for comment… it wasn't a conversation. Regal had withdrawn once again, almost as he had the night outside the mines. He was her friend, and it pained her that she couldn't reach him. _He's tried so hard to help me… and now… there's nothing I can do for him…?_

As a group, they lifted off into the cloud-dotted sky and turned to the east, the whipping winds proving to be a physical barrier to conversation. But it was opportunity and time for Liane to be locked away with her own thoughts, though this time, they had nothing to do with her own secret torment. _If he was imprisoned, he had to have met others,_ she reasoned. _Maybe he heard her name… or…._

_Then… why does he want to go to Altamira again? Did Bryant return to Altamira or…?_

_No._

Once again, she forced herself to drop the thought. No matter how she tried to mold the benefit of the doubt, it all spiraled back to an end she didn't want to see.

_Regal,_ Liane begged quietly as the island town appeared on the watery horizon. _You can read me… I know you can. Tell me I'm wrong. Please tell me I'm wrong…_ she begged. _Please._

It would have meant nothing if she had actually voiced the plea. No matter what he said – or didn't say – would have had a bitter taste that she had to ask. The island with its city that sported glass towers that sparkled like jewels in the sunlight drew ever closer and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Liane knew that she couldn't close her eyes and be somewhere else, no matter how she wished she could. All she could do was hope that it was only baseless pessimism had saturated her point of view, blinding her to any other explanations.

_But I can't see it… _she frowned as the Rheaird touched down to the ground and she felt the flyer shift under her as Regal stepped from the platform. She looked up, carefully minding her expression even though her friend's back was to her once again. _I'm sorry, Regal. I can't see another reason…._

"_Explaining would be an excuse. I committed a crime. That's all that needs to be said."_

The Rheairds disappeared into their Wing Packs, leaving the party assembled outside the gates of the Seaside Paradise. But this time, instead of Regal finding his place beside the supports of the town gates, he stood directly before them, his eyes fixed upwards on the name of the town so elegantly carved into the painted wood. "Where did you hear about Alicia?" he asked without looking away from the sign as the party gathered around him.

Lloyd walked forward, stopping at Regal's side to look up to him with a tilt to his head, but his expression otherwise lacking his normal good-natured smile. "At Alicia's grave," he answered quietly. "In the Sky Terrace of a company called Lezareno."

"I see," the shackled man nodded and squared his shoulders as he lifted his feet and started into the town without another moment's hesitation and without waiting to see if they would follow him. "Let's go there, then."

Liane followed, just as the others did. She tried not to think about how Regal led the group to the Elemental Railway station without any direction from them… or how quiet the party had become. Presea and Genis trailed along not far behind Lloyd and Regal, but she and Zelos trailed at the back of the group. She took a moment to consider how the Chosen didn't often stay to the back of the group, as he normally favored a position at least closer to Sheena. The dark-haired swordswoman looked over to Zelos and took note of the deliberate ease of his stride, how his hands pushed into his pockets… and how he looked anywhere but where they were going.

_I know the feeling,_ she sighed and looked away herself. Liane's gut told her if she asked Zelos anything, she would receive his trademarked grin, but little in the way to confirm or deny her suspicions that he, too, knew more than he was saying. _One person avoiding me here is enough… I don't need to prove that there are more…_ she frowned, noting how the swimsuit-bedecked citizens of the town paused to watch them walk past.

The ride to the Lezareno Company building was as quiet and awkward as Liane expected it to be. The churning of the railcar's engines was mindless enough to concentrate on while she looked around to her companions, finding that the crystal-blue waters that separated the office building from the island seemed to be distraction for most of them, with Presea, Lloyd, and Regal at the bow of the vessel, the only ones actually looking toward their destination. Liane hung her head and looked back toward the land behind them, a quiet if not pointless protest to what was happening.

_Everything's going to change… again. Why… why can't things just stay stable… for a few hours?_ Liane knew the answer, even though it went completely against what she wanted at that moment. Things needed to change. The worlds were corrupt… and their lives were entwined with that corruption. Before things were righted, there would be confrontation, and it would be impossible to say how it would all settle out.

The railcar drifted into the dock in the lobby of the building, but the odd silence that contrasted to the murmur of activity from their last visit stood out more than any noise could have. A wave of tension swept over the passengers of the railcar as the vessel settled, and it was crowned by the sound of Lloyd's twin blades clearing their scabbards as the swordsman vaulted from the boat, landing with his weapons at ready as his eyes swept over the lobby area. "Wh… whoa?!" the breathed out, his voice clear even in the large room that opened to the sea at one end. "What happened?"

The party cautiously moved off the railcar, leaving the conductor to guard their packs as they gathered around Lloyd. Nothing else moved in the room, although the handful of bodies scattered around the room indicated that there had been a good deal of movement recently. Liane edged closer to a uniformed man lying not far from the railcar slip, dropping to one knee and reaching out with the hand that didn't carry her sword to try to find his pulse on the side of his throat. Somehow, she didn't recoil when she didn't find one, an odd cold slowing her from reacting with the horror she felt at the realization. "Someone… attacked? Here?" she murmured in dismay, looking back to the others as she stood.

"What's going on?" Regal breathed out, the troubled rumble of his voice echoing through the room as he approached another fallen form that was clad in the uniform of the company security that the party had encountered on their last visit. He knelt beside the guard as the latter coughed and then groaned deliriously.

"The Exsphere Broker, Vharley," the guard choked, trying to lift his head for a moment before he relaxed back to the floor and lifted a shaking hand to indicate the elevator behind him, "… went inside…."

The leather-wrapped grip of Presea's ax proclaimed the girl's anger for her as she twisted the weapon between both hands, her eyes unflinchingly fixed on the elevator the guard had indicated. "Vharley! He must pay…!"

Regal's response to the ax girl's conclusion rumbled in his throat, not truly finding voice as he rose to his feet and set his jaw with a nod.

"Let's go on in," Colette murmured uneasily, her chakrams already clenched in white-jointed hands as she looked over to Lloyd. The swordsman's eyes flashed around the party even as he nodded his acceptance of the blonde Chosen's plan and started forward to lead them into the elevator.

Once they were all in the fortunately spacious lift, Liane somehow found herself at the core of the group. Even though they were all tensed into their instinctive reaction to what they knew might be a yet another fight, she did her best to remember the moment, realizing that even though danger was once again lying in wait for them, she felt secure… that no matter what else, she trusted those gathered around her with her life. It was all she needed to know to fight with them… knowing that for every bit of that confidence they gave her, she needed to do her part to give it back to them.

The floors ticked off one by one on the elegant dial above the door until only one remained. Then, blue sky and sunlight flooded the small compartment, and they all tensed as the iron gate folded on itself to allow them passage to the Sky Terrace.

"Tell me the password to the inner area of the Toize Valley Mine! _Now!_"

The gravelly voice filled the elevator and the party tensed in reaction, all of their weapons shifting as much as they could in the closed area in response to Vharley's angered demand. While he wasn't in sight before them, it was clear that there was more happening on the Sky Terrace than they could see… and it was Regal that strode off first, leaving the rest of the party behind without hesitation.

"I don't know anything about it."

The remaining party exchanged glances and then hurried to push out of the elevator with Lloyd and Presea breaking into faster jogs to trail after Regal. The voices were clear to Liane now, and she took a moment to place the second voice in almost an effort to stall… to allow her mind to keep up with what was already out of control. _That's… George… the man that gave us his pass…_ her thoughts whispered as she looked in the direction of the vocal confrontation. Only a brief glimpse of maroon through the thick trellises that surrounded the core area of the Sky Terrace confirmed her guess. _What does he have to do with the mines??_

The greasy rumble of laughter that answered George's denial froze the party in place as they entered the circular area and stopped behind the obese Broker's back. "Wrong answer," Vharley chuckled, taking a step closer to George with a rust-flecked boot knife pointed at the old man's throat, sending George back a responding step that backed him against the retaining wall of the fountain.

"How about I tell you instead."

The voice was familiar, but the authority that coursed beneath the tone was not. Time ground to a crawl as Regal separated himself from the group and approached behind Vharley, his steps measured and sounding in a slow, ominous rhythm as the Exsphere Broker turned to look over his shoulder, his eyes wide with surprise.

George scrambled back, taking advantage of Vharley's distraction to get out of the other man's knife. He lifted a hand to his chest and breathed out in relief as he looked up. "Master Regal! What are you doing here?"

Liane almost dropped her sword. Wasn't there only one person the old man would address that way? After what they had seen of the man the last time, she couldn't bring herself to think any other way. _Goddess… I wanted to be wrong… I so wanted to be wrong…._

Vharley stared blankly at the blue-haired man for a moment later before his lips finally twisted into a wicked smile and his frame shook with a chuckle that sounded like it should have hurt. "So the president himself decided to pay a visit," he shook his head and propped his hands at his sides. "Perfect."

"President?" Lloyd breathed out in confusion, shaking his head a little as if to clear the confusion that kept him from understanding what was happening.

Yet Regal continued to walk forward until he stood directly before Vharley, paying no mind to the companions he had left behind. "The route to the Toize Valley Mine opens by my voice print and cornea scan," he stated sharply, glaring slightly down into the Broker's beady eyes. "Forcing it open would undoubtedly cause the Exsphere mine area to collapse."

"_They're all so violent."_

Her eyes sliding closed, Liane's mind was all too happy to show her all the moments in the mine that she should have questioned… that she had simply accepted his claim that he had worked in the mine and his need for privacy ever since they had left. But all of it pointed to the time they were living now. No matter how she had denied it, she knew she could have seen it coming… that the pieces of his identity had slowly been falling into place since they had first met. George and Alicia's words the last time the group had been to Altamira were only the polish on the tale that Liane didn't want to know, even though she could no longer deny that she did.

"Is that so?" Vharley chuckled, turning his knife to point it at Regal. "In that case, _Regal_, you're just going to have to come open it for us!" he chuckled and advanced on the unmoving blue-haired man. "I'm gonna be out of business if I don't get my hands on some more Exspheres."

Regal shook his head, unflinching as he stared down the short length of the well-worn blade to Rodyle. "I think not," he stated sharply. "Besides, Rodyle is dead. You don't have anyone to unload huge numbers of Exspheres on."

Vharley blinked, staring at the taller man for a moment before he choked down a breath, threw back his head, and laughed so hard that his entire form shook to show his amusement. "Are you_ stupid?_" he demanded through his labored laugh before the forced amusement faded back into a sneer. "I don't need Rodyle. I've got the Pope himself on my side! And there's plenty of people around who'd love to get their hands on some Exspheres!"

"That's enough!" Presea rushed forward, her ax balanced over her shoulder to face Vharley, a defiant shake of her head loosening the ax from its perch to emphasize its threat to him. "I cannot forgive you for killing an innocent person."

Vharley looked down to the pink-haired girl, raising an eyebrow to her as he chuckled and started to reach out a hand to her, looking like he intended to pat her on the head. He hesitated at the last moment as a burst of smoke exploded a few steps away, leaving him to sigh with what sounded like disappointment and pull his hand back as the smoke resolved itself into a hooded, maroon-clad ninja.

"Kuchinawa!" Sheena gasped, shaking her head in denial as she jerked her thumb in Vharley's direction. "You're working with this guy?!"

It was such an odd collision of the party's foes and mysteries that Liane found herself only able to stare, her thoughts making no sense and racing through her mind far too quickly to catch a grip on any of them. Life was beginning to mirror her dreams, compounding confusion with even more confusion. And even worse, one person that had become something of a rock for her to reach for… to confide in… seemed to be soundly rooted at the center of the current storm.

Kuchinawa's eyes slid to Sheena, hatred burning in their shadowed depths as he walked past her without speaking until he reached Vharley's side. He turned as if making a silent statement of his own alliance and reached out to place his hand on the Exsphere Broker's shoulder.

Vharley spared a quick glare for the silent ninja and then turned a rejuvenated sneer back on the party. "Soon, the King will die and the Pope will take over," he purred, his sick smile reaching his eyes as he fixed his gaze firmly on Regal. "And when that happens, I'm going to grind your pathetic Lezareno Company into the ground!"

Regal's jaw went rigid and he started to take a step toward the Broker. But a flick of Kuchinawa's wrist set another bloom of smoke at their feet, leaving nothing but Vharley's maddening laughter for a few moments, and then – when the wind took the smoke away – there wasn't the slightest hint that either of them had ever been there.

The shackled man stood still for a moment, his back still to the party. His shoulders betrayed that he drew a deep breath and then approached George, lifting both hands to place one of them on the shaken older man's shoulder. "Are you all right, George?" Regal asked, his composure returning to his voice as the man in the suit looked up to him and nodded.

"Yes, Master Regal," George responded with a grateful nod of his head and a sigh of relief before he lifted his eyes once again. "Thank you."

Regal nodded once and his hand squeezed George's shoulder before he allowed his hands to fall back before him again. He stayed there for a few moments as silence wrapped around the small oasis, and then he slowly squared his shoulders and turned to face the party, his expression betraying no emotion as his eyes swept over them all one by one. "My name is Regal Bryant," he stated with no hesitation in his voice. "I was granted the title of Duke by His Highness, and also the president of Lezareno Company." He bowed his head once as if it was a proper introduction before he nodded in Zelos' direction. "Although, it would seem that the Chosen already knows me."

Zelos fidgeted and shifted his weight from one foot to the other as attention momentarily fell on him. "I saw you at one of the Princess' birthday parties," he chuckled uneasily.

"Oh _yeah_," Sheena groaned, jerking her thumb in the redhead's direction. "I'd forgotten that this guy's actually a member of high society, too," she chuckled sarcastically and shook her head, to which Zelos only answered with a dry laugh and a flip of his hair.

It was a small burst of levity, but it was all that Liane could do to go through the motion of sheathing her sword. _Regal… Bryant…._ She had wondered if it was an alias when he had first introduced himself, but it seemed that – in the omission – it actually had been. Liane watched him from the side of the group… how he stood tall and unflinching before his companions. _He's waiting…_ she realized as her heart sank. He was waiting for them to judge him.

_Goddess, I didn't want to be right._

"Then, Alicia's killer, Bryant is…" Raine breathed out, breaking the silence that had fallen in the wake of Zelos and Sheena's banter, her words only growing more inevitable with every passing moment since he had introduced himself to them.

Colette twisted her hands together before her and took a few small steps to stand before the shackled man, looking up to him to search his eyes. "W… wait," she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "It can't be… Regal…."

There was a pleading in Colette's voice that sent a very physical wave of pain through Liane. The swordswoman could only watch the scene for as long as it took for Regal to draw a breath and turn away from Colette and the rest of them to face the tombstone of Alicia Combatir. Liane choked and dropped her gaze to the ground. He wouldn't deny it or defend himself… and it only made her hurt worse. She wanted to think that he could have confided in her. She was sure she had seen a kind and gentle soul within him that had made it so easy to believe that perhaps his crime had been an accident… something he had taken on himself with undeserved levels of guilt. _But now…._ Liane was sure that the only thing that had hurt worse was Kratos' betrayal. _How… could I have been so… wrong?_

A sudden burst of warm, soft light overpowered the waning afternoon sunlight and drew Liane out of the dark spiral of her thoughts. She lifted her watery gaze to see the light collapse in on itself as it had the last time they had visited the Sky Terrace. Her throat went dry as she recognized the pink-haired apparition that now stood directly before Regal, staring up at him with a smile as warm as the Altamiran sun.

"Alicia!" Regal gasped, his voice showing so much aching strain in the one simple word.

Even if it seemed utterly impossible, Alicia's expression brightened even more. "Master, I'm so happily to see you again before I disappear," she spoke in a voice that resounded with an unearthly sweetness. She lifted her hand as if to reach out to him, but then hesitated just before they should have touched, her smile fading ever so slightly as she let her hand fall back to her side.

"I'm sorry," Regal rasped, his shoulders falling in time with her hand. Then he hung his head humbly. "Even after death, you still suffer…."

Liane and the others watched the scene in stunned silence, but she could only speak for her own tears that rolled down her cheeks before she even realized they were there. There was something utterly heartbreaking in the sight, but moreover, no matter what his unspoken admission had indicated in facts alone, it was no interaction between cold-blooded murderer and his victim… and it was no vengeful spirit that confronted her tormentor. _What…?_

Alicia shook her head, her bobbed pink hair shaking almost playfully as a sad smile curled her lips. "It's all right," she spoke reassuringly, her voice nothing short of ethereal. "It's not your fault."

"Alicia," Presea whispered, a bitter bite in her voice as she approached the vision of her sister and looked warily up to Regal. There was almost a warning in her brief glare before she looked back to Alicia. "What do you mean?"

The spirit met Presea's questioning gaze for a moment before she clasped her hands before her and looked to Regal. The shackled man and Alicia stood locked in each other's eyes for only a heartbeat of would could only have been understanding before she lowered her head and Regal drew a breath to speak, slowly inflating his slumped form to turn and partially face Presea and the others.

"Alicia and I were in love."

Liane saw Presea's eyes widen in surprise, but beyond that, she could only feel her own breath press out of her lungs at the confession. As much as it had hurt her to doubt her placement of her trust, her guilt at being so quick to question that trust made her gut twist. _He loved her… what… happened?_ Liane's thoughts whispered even though she knew there simply couldn't be a reason she would like.

"Then I, his servant, interfered," George spoke from behind Regal, his head bowed low, "… and forced them apart."

Regal sighed, turning his head as if considering glancing back to the old man, but then deciding against it. Instead, he looked back at Alicia and drew another deep breath. "Alicia was handed over to Vharley," he spoke, his voice quiet and his eyes never wavering from the uniformed girl's transparent form. "He wanted to use her in an Exsphere experiment."

Colette stood back, her expression growing more stricken with every bit of the story. "Was he… trying to create Cruxis Crystals?" she asked softly, her curiosity apparently overpowering any thoughts of interrupting the tragic tale.

"It seems so," Regal nodded with his response, glancing to Colette and then back to Alicia before his eyes slid shut. "But the experiment failed."

There was a complete and utter echo of defeat in Regal's voice as he hung his head and fell silent. "Before… you said that the Exsphere killed your body and absorbed your consciousness," Liane mused quietly, drawing the placid blue gaze of the spirit. She found that she couldn't look away even as the pieces slowly began to fall into place. "It… mutated you…" she whispered as a wave of sympathy shook her voice.

Alicia nodded and looked back to Regal with a sad smile even though he wouldn't look up. "Master Regal killed me in order to save me," she explained in her sweet, soft voice. "It was the only way."

"Just like Marble," Genis murmured, shaking his head as his expression reflected the sorrow that had enveloped the terrace.

The apparition sighed and stepped down from the thin platform of her grave marker. She took a few small, silent steps to stand before Regal and clasped her hands behind her back. For a few long moments, no one moved or spoke, but when Regal seemed to realize that he was being watched, he slowly lifted his head again. Alicia rewarded him with a smile that was once again warm and sweet. "I'm so glad I got to see you again in the end," she told him, looking up into his eyes, her smile never faltering for an instant. "I have no regrets now," she stated and tilted her head, allowing her expression to sober only slightly as concern crept into her gaze. "So please, Regal, stop punishing yourself."

Regal's shoulders shook as he stared back at the image of the pink-haired young woman. "Alicia," he started, his head finally shaking and his hair swaying across his back with his denial, "… but with my own hands, I –"

Alicia held up a finger and wagged it at him playfully, even though a glint of welled tears in her eyes betrayed how much deeper the emotions of the moment ran. "I will disappear very soon," she murmured, dropping her voice just a little lower as if to be sure he would have to make the effort to listen. "So please, don't leave me anything to worry about." Her lip quivered for a moment and she shook her head sadly. "You don't need those shackles. You've suffered enough."

Liane lifted her hand to cover her mouth, forbidding herself a sob for the scene playing out before her. It was a love and an understanding so obvious… one torn apart by events neither of them could control… and one that both knew would soon once again slip from their grasp. _That's why he wouldn't explain…_she realized in dull misery for both her friend and his lost love. _He has been punishing himself all along. He's felt her loss for so long… he's kept it all inside._

"I took the life of the one I love," Regal replied miserably to Alicia's request, lifting his bound hands as he looked back into her eyes. "These are a symbol of my crime, as well as my punishment."

Shaking her head, a shining tear slid down over the apparition's pale cheek. Her hands fell to hang limply at her sides in defeat. "You don't need that punishment anymore. "Alicia's voice wavered, her eyes widening as they remained fixed with pleading on him. "Please, Regal…."

Regal stared back into her eyes, his own filling with more despair with every passing moment. His mouth fell open, but no words formed. It was in that uneasy silence that Lloyd stepped forward and looked up to the blue-haired man. "Genis, Liane, and I once experienced the same thing you did," the swordsman offered quietly, not waiting for Regal's gaze to fall on him before beginning to speak. "And I also imagined what it must have been like… for my dad." Regal blinked and finally turned his head enough to look over to the teen at that, and Lloyd bit the edge of his lip before continuing. "When my mom turned into a monster, and the struck her down, he must have suffered as well."

"Your father did the same thing?" the blue-haired man blinked in dismay, staring blankly at the teen, even though his response indicated that he was at least listening… that their words were reaching him.

"That's what I heard," Lloyd replied with a shrug, his expression somber as he shook his head from side to side. "I don't know if the decisions you or my dad made were correct, but I don't think my mom would have wanted my dad to punish himself and live the way you have." His words bore the same gentle honesty that seemed to have opened a path of friendship between himself and the convict in the first place as he shifted his eyes expectantly to where Alicia still stood before them.

Regal's eyes followed Lloyd's and settled on Alicia for a long moment before he spoke again. "Is that true?"

Alicia nodded, her sad smiling brightening a little as she clasped her hands before her. "Yes, it's just as he says," she nodded once – gratefully – to Lloyd and then once again to Regal. "At least, _I_ don't want you to live like that."

Liane couldn't deny that she felt a flash of pride in Lloyd's words at that moment, and she sniffled as she moved to drop her hand lightly onto his shoulder. Even though the fate of his parents still haunted him, it seemed that he was coming to grips with it – and once again – he was using his talent for instinctive insight to help his friends. _Alicia loves him… what he did wasn't out of malice… it was out of love. She could never want him to suffer for that,_ her mind whispered with a certainty she couldn't quite grasp as she watched Regal and Alicia. _Something that deep… that precious… is worth anything to protect._

"All right," Regal finally exhaled, his quiet acceptance bringing the smile back to Alicia's lips and eyes. "But I will never use these hands as tools of death. I swear that to you. To you…" he lifted his hands to emphasize his vow and looked over to the young swordsman that stood between him and Presea, "… and to Lloyd." He nodded meaningfully to the teen and then turned back to Alicia. "And once we have defeated those who use Exspheres to toy with people's lives, I shall remove these bonds."

"Thank you, Master," Alicia bowed before him, a show of respect while her voice carried the relief that her pleas had been answered. When she rose again, her smile was back even though tears rolled down her cheeks as she turned to her sister. "Presea… I think I can finally rest in peace," she nodded as if she had made a decision, her hands parting so that she could gesture to the grave marker behind her. "Please destroy the crystal before I am totally absorbed into the Exsphere."

Presea's eyes widened and flashed between her sister and the crystal set in the dark stone. "Why?" she shook her head numbly. "Can't you stay like you are now?"

Alicia's smile fell away as she sadly shook her head. "If I stay like this, I will live on forever," she whispered as if she was afraid of such a fate. "An isolated consciousness, unable to even speak, existing for eternity." Her voice wavered as her eyes shifted back to the crystal that glowed patiently behind her. "It would be true hell."

_Hasn't she been through enough?_ Liane glared at the stone on Alicia's behalf, finding another example of fate's cruel sense of humor in the situation. After all that had happened, Alicia and Regal had been given one final chance to speak… only to have to lose each other once more time… one final time. _How much can a heart take…?_

Lloyd chewed his lip for a moment and then looked between Regal and Presea. "Presea, Regal, what do we do?" he asked gently as Alicia looked on silently, her hands slowly wringing together.

Regal looked down to Presea and waited for the girl to meet his gaze. After a few long moments, the shackled man hung his head and looked back to Alicia. "Please, set her free," he murmured sorrowfully as he clenched his hands into fists.

"Yes," Presea whispered her agreement and stepped forward to stand beside Regal to face her sister, her eyes welled with tears. "Goodbye, Alicia."

"Thank you," Alicia bobbed her head to Presea and Regal, her smile genuine but contrasting to the tears that streaked her face. Her form began to flicker ever so slightly, almost like a trick of the sunlight on the gazing pool behind the sunlight. "Presea, please forgive Master Regal," she asked in a voice that was almost more wind than words as she faded completely from sight.

"Please."

The lost girl's final wish hung in the air as Presea's choked sob echoed from the stone that marked her sister's resting place. Liane bowed her head along with the others, a moment of silence washing over the Sky Terrace before she looked up and saw Lloyd draw his twin blades. The swordsman waited for Regal to lift his eyes from Presea and then drop his chin once more, his head remaining bowed low. Lloyd set his jaw at the signal and drew both blades back before they lashed out in a pair of elegant silver arcs that shattered the glowing crystal, leaving its shards to fall to the base of the stone monument.

_They got to say goodbye… Alicia got to be with the ones she loved in her final moments,_ Liane told herself as her eyes lingered on the remains of the crystal that now only sparkled under the sunlight, its internal glow extinguished. _Is it wrong that I think, in some small way – after everything – she was lucky in the end? She had people that loved her enough… to let her be at peace… and let her go? _She swallowed hard and grudgingly raised her eyes to Regal and Presea. Both of them stood motionless… side by side… staring at the gravestone. _What can any of us say to them…? _she wondered helplessly. Would any words bring comfort? Wouldn't any claims of how they had spared Alicia from a fate worse than the uncertainty of death only bring calm when the fresh bite of grief had faded? _I'm in no position to say anything anyway… not… with how… I doubted him…._

Regal lifted his head a moment later, his expression once again a mask of calm that didn't quite disguise the storm in his damp eyes. "I'm sorry I never said anything about this until now," he murmured apologetically, keeping his gaze lowered. "I'm a criminal."

The elder manservant cleared his throat and moved to his master's side to face the rest of the party. "Master Regal confessed to killing Alicia and went to prison on his own will," he added, keeping his voice low, though his posture was still straight and proud, though his eyes were turned to the ground at his feet.

"While I was in prison, the Pope promised to arrest Vharley in exchange for kidnapping Colette," Regal continued, his eyes drifting closed as George continued to fill in more of the story that he had kept hidden from them. "I believed him… and agreed to do it."

Colette's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "So that's why you were after us," she commented, not turning it into a question.

"You were trying to bring Vharley to justice… for what he helped do to Alicia," Liane murmured, still processing what he was telling them. She couldn't help that she was staring at George, noting how he kept his gaze averted. "But… the Pope was using you, too… if Vharley is working for him." _That… bastard,_ Liane's thoughts cursed the supposed-holy man. As if it wasn't becoming clearer with their every interaction with the church, the Pope's ambitions seemed to have no limits… and certainly not showing any remorse for how many lives could be ruined – or further destroyed – by his pursuits.

The blue-haired man nodded slowly. "Yes," he confirmed the swordswoman's observation with a sigh and then lifted his eyes once again, this time seeking Lloyd. "Please, I ask you to postpone my final judgment until we defeat Cruxis… and stop them from using Exspheres to toy with people's lives."

Lloyd's expression brightened a bit, a sparkle of determination returning to his eyes. "Of course!" he answered without hesitation. "We'll work together to defeat them and restore the Giant Tree!"

But Lloyd's excitement was slow to spread as an uneasy silence remained firmly in place around the party. The first to act in the odd lull was Genis as he made his way to Presea's side and placed his hand on her shoulder to draw her attention. "Are you okay with that, Presea?"

The girl's eyes remained on Regal for a few moments after Genis' question had faded on the breeze. She blinked thoughtfully, clearly not in any hurry to answer before she was ready. "Vharley was responsible for Alicia's death as well," she murmured softly enough that it almost seemed that she was talking to herself more than anything. When Regal looked back down to her, she inhaled a deep breath… and finally nodded, her pigtails more enthusiastic than her voice. "Okay," she spoke, her voice still showing saddened cracks. "I'll… try not to think of you as my enemy. I'm not sure I can change right away, but…"

Regal bowed his head once again, his arms hanging limply before him. It was a very physical and humble statement of how powerless he was, his request of Lloyd and the rest of them, and recognition of how he would make no excuses for any of what had happened. "I'm sorry," he rasped without looking up to any of them, including Presea.

The pink-haired girl regarded him for a moment before she sighed and turned her eyes to her sister's gravestone. "It was Alicia's last request, so… I won't say a word about it anymore."

It was at very least an uneasy truce, though Liane knew it wasn't something that Presea could even consider simply letting go of so easily. It would be a long process, and one that she couldn't possibly guarantee how she would feel once the truth of her sister's life and death would settle. None of them except Regal and Presea truly had any right to a judgment on the situation… no one but the pair that fate had tied together without either of their knowledge could possibly hope to tell them how to react to the other. _But… still…._

Liane knew it wasn't right to worry about her own grip at the moment… but even one more shaken certainty in her life had ruined her balance… and it left her shaken. _I… don't know how to approach him – or Presea – right now._ She knew that the group would have to be closer than before with what they had learned in Sylvarant, but as even more walls had suddenly crumbled under the light of truth, wouldn't it touch how all of them related to each other?

_Goddess… where do we go from here…?_

* * *

Liane closed the door of her room in the suite she shared with Raine, Colette, Presea, and Sheena with an exhausted sigh. _What a day_, she thought as she fell back onto the bed and snuggled into the hotel's luxurious robe, willing the warmth that had soaked into her during the bath to stay as long as possible.

_I can't believe they all still want to go out tonight._

She opened her eyes to stare up at the carved ceiling tiles of the room, but not even the intricate patterns were enough to calm her thoughts.

_Poor Regal._

She clenched her eyes shut and tried to banish the memory of his stricken expression as he spoke with the phantom girl from the Exsphere. Liane couldn't begin to imagine what her friend was going through.

_How would you feel?_ She questioned herself with an accusing sting to her mind's voice as she curled into her robe, a distinct chill erasing the warmth present just the moment before. _To see the love of my life simply existing like that…._

Sitting up and running her hand through her damp hair, Liane pulled it over her shoulder as best she could to keep it out of her face… a simple motion with no true, deeper reason than to ground her back in something other than depression.

_I'll have to get him out of Zelos' clutches for a while tonight, _she mused, absently combing her fingers through her hair_._ He had seemed so numb as they had left the Lezareno Building that she wasn't sure he had even realized that he was agreeing to go out with them that night. The only thing he seemed to acknowledge was that Lloyd had finally voiced what she had told him when they had first talked. The swordsman's 'of course' had finally, officially seemed to seal his place in their group. But then, aside from the Tethe'allan Chosen's habitual babbling at all of them, they had all seemed content to leave Regal be… perhaps even avoiding him a little even as the reality of the man's burden settled on all of them.

"Regal…" she whispered with a sad shake of her head. "Why couldn't you have told me before now… why did you do this to yourself… in front of everyone?" She kicked herself for not even asking him about her suspicions after they first 'met' Alicia… how he wouldn't enter the city, the girl that was murdered who looked so like Presea, the noble who was guilty of the crime… how could she have _not_ been confident enough to ask? _All of it paired with something in him… his fascination with Presea… his refined nature… the fact that he had already been forced to admit his crime was murder…. _

Her thoughts shattered as the door to her room flew open, bouncing back from the wall and rattling on its hinges. A startled yelp escaped her as Colette and Sheena ran into the room in a flurry of laughter, each grabbing an arm and dragging her from the bed.

"Hey!" Liane objected, pressing her bare feet out in front of her to stop them from dragging her out of her room. "I'm not even dressed yet!!"

"Well, it took you long enough in the bath," Sheena groaned good-naturedly, punctuating her statement with a snicker. "The guys already left… we're just waiting on you."

Liane glanced over to the glass doors that opened onto the small balcony to see that the sky was indeed starting to darken. "I didn't realize how late it was getting," she sighed as her would-be abductors released her arms. "Give me a minute…."

Sheena smiled and shrugged, turning to sit in the chair beside the bed. "Take two," she gestured nonchalantly with her hand. "It's that much longer that we'll be able to avoid Zelos." The ninja rolled her eyes and snorted. "I'm sure he's found the tavern by now."

Looking toward the doorway, Liane realized that Raine and Presea were there as well. Raine was gently nudging the pink-haired girl into the room. Colette looked up as well, seeing Presea's approach and turning back to Liane with a grin.

"We went shopping while you were taking your bath," Presea muttered as she held the bag she was carrying out to Liane. "Colette said you would like this."

Liane took the bag from the ax girl's hands with a curious smile. "Thank you, Presea," she responded, opening the simple brown bag and removing an ivory tunic made from what she was sure was the softest fabric she had ever felt.

"It's from all of us," Sheena shrugged, her pleased smile growing as Liane draped the top over her lap. "Your other long sleeved one didn't come out of Sylvarant looking so hot."

Glancing over to the pile of clothing near her packs, Liane had to admit that the tattered edges of the tunic in question were an obvious testament to what Sheena had said. The claws of the dragons at the Remote Island Human Ranch had taken their toll on the garment.

"Besides, it's a little cool tonight," the summoner continued. "We had to find something for Presea, too. We can't have you two cold all night long, with the desk clerk saying that the theater is outdoors and all…"

"Thank you," Liane smiled and hugged the soft fabric to her cheek with a small laugh as she looked around to her friends, "… all of you." They were all truly her friends, no matter how long she had known them. The day had once again tried all of their nerves, but if they could manage to all come out of it intact – and possibly even stronger than before – then perhaps even the most painful of trials might be worth it? She stood and started back towards the bathroom with a smile that reflected the ease of the moment. "Give me a chance to get dressed and brush my hair out… then I'll be ready to go."

* * *

Stepping off the elemental railway with her companions, Liane surveyed the casino area of Altamira, its lights already shining brightly against the twilight sky. Lloyd stood nearby, casually leaning against one of the columns that supported the upper boardwalks of the area and shaking his head in amusement as the females of the party wandered closer. "Hey, didn't think you were coming," the swordsman chuckled as he leaned forward and pivoted to step onto the elevator to wait for them. "The guys are all up waiting in the casino."

The casino was close to the top of the elevator, the lights almost garish up close, having lost the misty haze that distance had afforded the flashing signs. Lloyd hurried forward, grabbing the door and pulling it open for them. Raine and Sheena entered first, continuing into the room ahead of Liane, Colette, and Presea. Liane saw Genis trot over to his sister, but her eyes quickly scanned the room. There weren't that many people in the casino. Zelos stood out thanks to his red hair, but another shock of color that was conspicuously missing. "Lloyd, where's Regal?"

"He said he didn't want to come," Lloyd looked up to her and shrugged. "We tried to talk him into it, but I guess he just needed his space."

The swordsman's sigh was just enough punctuation on his statement to push Liane to her decision. She sighed and reached out to grab Lloyd's shoulder, just enough that she wouldn't have to raise her voice. "I'll try to be back, okay? I… just need to check on him. I'm worried," she frowned and met her friend's warm brown eyes.

"Yeah, okay…" Lloyd responded, his expression melting in concern as he nodded. "There's still a while before the play starts, anyway," he continued with a nod towards the door.

_Lloyd understands… he has to. He worries about all of us. Maybe they won't all come running back if he's there to make sure Regal gets some space,_ Liane thought as she slipped out of the casino, the chimes and bells already grating on her nerves. _With any luck, the rest of them won't even notice I'm gone._ If Regal hadn't come with them – if he hadn't managed to find his mask of calm that he normally wore for them… she was worried.

_He's carried this on his own for so long… now that it's out…._

Liane waited for the railcar to board another couple of passengers before it lurched out of its slip and started back to the main part of the town. Though she wasn't technically alone on the railcar, she truly felt as if her only company was her own pessimism. _He… thought she was dead before… but now that he knows she's truly gone…._ She shivered against the night breeze that she knew shouldn't have felt cold through her new tunic. _Goddess… after everything else… what will it do to him?_

Regal was her friend, no matter that he kept secrets from them. She couldn't be angry with him. She felt that she knew him well enough to understand why he couldn't tell them, and now, she was starting to understand just how much traveling with them must have hurt him. _Seeing Presea every day… not truly knowing who she was, but seeing Alicia every time he looked at her…._

_He must have thought he was going crazy._

The thought pulled a bitter chuckle from her. _Not like I don't know that feeling… maybe he understood what I was trying to tell him better than I thought he did._

Seeing Presea and Alicia together finally made sense of what the intolerant villagers of Ozette were saying of Presea… how she hadn't aged. It was the only explanation for how Alicia was the younger sister… one old enough to be involved with the Duke.

_Duke… _Liane mused, her thoughts drifting slightly from the melancholy. _I guess… that should have almost made more sense than anything else. _Her friend truly was more than she had ever guessed, far beyond the secrets he had held.

She stepped off the railcar and onto the lift that took her back to the city's main level. Her feet carried her over the wooden bridge from the station, but her eyes were cast upward, marveling at how the moonlight reflected from the glass that wrapped around the Hotel. Regal and George had arranged rooms for them for the nights – suites more luxurious than anything she had ever stayed in – but it was still the town outside the Hotel that amazed her. Being surrounded by water and brightly colored buildings, even the night gave the town a practically mystical look. The streetlights glowed softly and reflected all around her, leaving her momentarily dazed… and not noticing that she was no longer alone.

"It's pretty amazing, huh?"

Liane started at the jovial male voice, her head snapping to the side to find a well-dressed man with neatly curled hair standing beside her. "I'm sorry…?" she stammered, blinking away the daze she had worked herself into and taking a small step back.

The red-haired man chuckled and straightened his jacket. "Didn't mean to startle you… I just saw how you seemed to be so taken with the town." He shrugged and nodded as if he was agreeing with her. "This city looks like it has no problems, but there was an incident eight years ago in which several people lost their lives. The big stone beside the hotel, towards the back, is a monument to that incident."

Turning to look in the direction the man indicated, Liane's eyes widened when she realized the monument he had spoken of was the one that had overseen their first meeting with George. "Eight years…?" she murmured softly, her frown reappearing as she looked back to the man. "What happened?" she asked, even though she was simply ignoring how her gut was telling her that she already knew the answer.

"No one around here really talks about it," the man shook his head. "A lot of what you hear about it might be rumors after all this time. All I know for sure is that it really shook up the town. But Altamira is amazing. You'd never think anything bad could ever happen here. It's part of what makes it a paradise… you can almost forget about the rest of the world when you're here."

"I suppose…" Liane nodded, turning her eyes back to the hotel that soared into the night sky. _Either that, or this is where you come to let it all catch back up to you._ She inhaled a small breath of the fresh sea air and smiled politely to the man. "Thank you… have a nice night…" she excused herself from the man and returned to the hotel, crossing the lobby – this time not paying attention to the elegant entryway. _Regal… please don't do anything stupid,_ she begged silently as she pressed the button to call for the elevator to the fifth floor suites. Liane hoped that she knew him better than to truly believe that it was a real possibility, but she had seen the devastation in his eyes… and that made it difficult for her to be willing to discount anything he might do. She had never loved nor lost as deeply as he had… she couldn't fathom what he was going through as the one left behind.

When Liane stepped out of the elevator, she turned towards the suite that the males had been given and crossed the polished marble floor to the door, her soft-soled boots making no noise to betray her presence in the hallway. Drawing a quick breath, she lifted her hand and knocked lightly at the door.

She waited a few more moments, but only as long as she could force herself before she let her hand fall to the scrolled door handle. The door offered little resistance to keep her out, as a simple turn of her wrist allowed her entry to the darkened common room of the suite, but she still hesitated in the doorway. "Regal?" she called, her worry still growing, but she didn't want to disturb him if he truly did only want some quiet.

"Hello?"

The silence that continued to answer her calls only made Liane's dread grow, panic starting to tickle her nerves no matter how she didn't want to recognize it. _No… he wouldn't…._

Walking past the rooms one by one, she poked her head into the first… the second…

… but it was the third that ended Liane's search. He was there… a still silhouette alone on the balcony of the room. His back was to her, but from the hunch in his shoulders, she could see that his weight was shifted forward toward the railing. She slowly edged into the room.

"Regal?" she whispered, not wanting to sneak up on him.

The blue-haired man's form tensed, but only enough to be noticeable. Otherwise, he didn't' turn or speak, giving no other indication that he had even heard her.

Liane stopped a few steps behind him, standing in the doorway between the room and the balcony. "Regal, do you want me to leave?" she asked softly. She couldn't know what was going through his mind… she was simply relieved to see him. _I could go… he's okay… maybe I'm just crowding him._ But she didn't want to go. She would still worry, especially seeing as how he still wouldn't acknowledge her presence.

"Please," he finally replied, his voice little more than a whisper. He hung his head, and his hands could be heard twisting over the metal railing. "Don't go… I…."

She heard him, but only barely. A sigh of relief escaped her as she took a few hesitant steps out onto the balcony to stand beside him. "I won't. The only way I'll go is if you ask me to leave."

"I used to take Alicia up here," Regal murmured quietly, as if he was carrying on a conversation that she had interrupted. His voice was a dry rasp that rattled ever so slightly when he drew another breath. "She loved the view of the sea… from here."

Liane bit her lip and stepped forward, placing her hands on the railing to stand at his side. "It is beautiful," she nodded, taking in the view and keeping her voice low. The lights of the city sparkled off the water like magic. "I can see why she liked it here."

Regal dipped his head forward, still not looking over to her. "I… wish I had been able to take her here more." He shook his head, looking as if it was his only defense against the inner demons that were tormenting him. "I was always too busy. I barely got to spend time with her… I barely got to hold her… I…."

"Regal," Liane hesitated and then reached out to place her hand over his, keeping the gesture light in case he wanted to pull away. "Can you… will you tell me about her?" She couldn't help it. Alicia had to have been so special – especially to him – a life well worth both celebrating and mourning its loss, but at the moment, she thought he needed to be reminded of the former. "Please."

He didn't react to her request at first – with words nor with recognition. Then, he drew a long breath that revealed a shake in his shoulders. "I met Alicia when she was still just a child," Regal started quietly. "I was seventeen… there was so much going on back then that I never noticed the way she would look at me… watch me. I didn't think anything of it until I started to see her more often because of her duties." His voice drifted away for a moment and he lowered his head again. "It probably wasn't until years later that I really saw her as anything more than the young girl who was always so happy when I stopped to talk to her. She was so shy. When I first asked her if she would let me take her to dinner… I couldn't believe she said yes." A dry rattle that might have been a bitter laugh shook his voice. "I never thought she'd see me as anything more than her employer."

Liane slowly pulled her hand back and leaned forward, resting her weight on her forearms against the railing. She looked back out over the city. "But she did…."

"I don't know. Didn't you hear her? She still called me 'Master Regal'…" his voice cracked harshly and he turned his head away from her. Just when it seemed he wouldn't continue, he sighed heavily and shook his head. "Sometimes, she'd even do that… when we were alone," Regal finally spoke again. "When I kept telling her that I just wanted her to say my name, to use _my_ name without titles or status, she'd tease me about it. I never understood why, but… I couldn't bring myself to be angry with her for it…."

"Some habits are hard to break, Regal," Liane spoke quietly. "But to her, those words meant 'you'… you met her as a child – she was brought into your house and she was taught that you were 'Master' to her. Do you really think that, when she heard or spoke those words, you weren't first in her mind… or in her heart? Regal, she might not have spoken as you would have liked, but I heard the way she spoke today. You meant so much to her…."

_Goddess, I don't want to hurt him any more… but he has to see this somehow._

Regal's arms tensed and his hands once again tightened and twisted against the metal handrail. "But… as she said goodbye… she didn't…" his voice wavered and he shook his head. "Martel, after all this time, I'm still so selfish as to want to hear her say _that_ to me again!" he slammed his wrists down onto the railing, the bone-jarring crash of metal on metal ringing on the balcony as the shackled man set his jaw. "I don't' deserve those words no matter how much I wanted to hear them from her! I don't deserve the way she spoke to me! I took her life! If not for me, she would still be alive!" his voice rose, shaking with a mix of anger and despair. "And… even when she was about to vanish… I couldn't bring myself to say them, either… because… why would she still want my heart? How can she forgive me?"

Liane stood back from the railing and watched him for a moment… watched him fight against everything that appeared to be shredding him from the inside out. She drew a deep breath and realized that she was shaking. One wrong word, one wrong move, and he might never speak to her again… and he might slip away from any puny chance she might have had to help him and to let the despair devour him. She cautiously reached out once again to let her hand fall onto his arm just above its metal shackle. "Regal, you did something that so few people could ever even consider doing… you cared enough… you…" She paused, restraining her next words for a moment before she summoned another wave of courage and simply pushed them out. "You loved her. You did the most merciful thing you could have done. You loved her enough to free her from the hell she was in. Do you truly believe that she doesn't know that? Can you _not_ feel it in your soul that she wasn't supposed to be like that?"

He turned to her slightly, just enough to watch her from the corner of his eye though his gaze was almost a glare. "You've seen it though… through someone else's eyes, but… somehow, you have. In your dreams…" he murmured with a deep and troubling rumble running beneath his words. "Do you see the mercy in it, then? Or do you feel the fear of death? Do you fear the sword that you've begged for?" Regal demanded, his voice edging towards a growl. "How is _that_ mercy?"

His words struck her almost as a physical blow… he had turned what she had confided in him with against her. Liane had to look away, not willing to give in to her instinct to turn and walk away. She knew that it was his pain talking, but it was that same pain that would tear him apart if he surrendered to it. She turned back to face him, meeting the cold challenge in his eyes with defiance of her own. "You're right," she replied evenly with a single nod of her head. "I have seen it. I may have no right to claim that, but I know I have. I fear death. I have for as long as I can remember. I sat at its door for almost three years of my life, Regal. I fear it, and I respect it. But a mockery of life is _not_ life. Death may be life's opposite, but when life has become so twisted… when you feel your soul being leached away from you as you turn what used to be your hands against the flesh of those that you love…" she let her voice trail off to be sure she had his attention, steeling herself against her own argument. "Is it a mercy, you ask. Yes. Anything is better than life like that. Even letting go of that life."

"But it _didn't_ have to be like _that_!" Regal retorted, towering over her on the darkened balcony, his voice rising and echoing back around them. "I watched them cure that woman… that woman Colette said spent five years like that… now she is human again! If I had waited… if I had argued with her… Alicia would still be alive! She could still be here with me!"

Liane understood his anger. Clara's rescue had struck a chord in her heart and soul as well. But he was pulling away… giving in to the frustration that was going to eat him alive. She did the only thing she could think of as he began to shout at her – she glared up at him. She stood tall – stood her ground even as she felt so small before him. "Don't _ever_ say that. If you had any idea how it hurts to lose yourself to the monster that the Exsphere turns you into… the five years Clara spent like that will haunt her forever. You honestly think she is anything like what she was before?" she demanded in a growl, advancing a step closer to him. "If you believe that, Regal… you're a fool. She's been through hell. I would beg for the blade in a heartbeat if I were to ever be in that position in my life – fear or not."

"So it is better for her to have died by my hand? Is that what you're saying?!" Regal snarled in response. He glared harshly down into her eyes, his own sparkling with a sheen of dampness. "Are you _glad_ that I killed her? Are you happy that – when she begged me for death – I only hesitated enough for her to strike me twice before I readied my own attack? Are you prepared to celebrate the fact that I had not only the strength to kill her, but that I indeed killed her as if she really was a monster and not the woman I loved??"

"_Yes!!" _Liane snapped in response. "I am saying that dying by your hand is the greatest mercy you have ever done or thought of doing!!" She was yelling back at him in a tone not unlike the one he was using on her. She knew that she couldn't stand the onslaught of anger for much longer, even if she knew that it was his grief driving it. He was lashing out… lost. But she couldn't back down… even if it cost her his friendship. "And what kind of person do you think me to be to be happy that Alicia died?? What kind of monster are you accusing me of being?? You just don't understand! You _did_ kill a monster… a monster that took the place of the woman that you loved. You _freed_ her, Regal… you truly think she wanted to strike you? You don't think her soul screamed with ever motion of those strikes?? I would _never _celebrate your pain over this, Regal! I am just trying to tell you that… were this to happen to me tomorrow… knowing what I know of cures and curses… I would still beg for death from anyone who would grant it… just so I would know that I would never hurt those that I loved!"

His eyes widened in the wake of her impassioned retaliation, the anger slowly fading from his expression. "Liane…" he breathed out, a shaking word that escaped before he clenched his eyes shut, his pain so very clear in his expression. Slowly, ever so slowly, he sank to his knees his head bowed low and his hands limp in his lap as his shoulders slumped.

Liane stood for a moment, dazed by the anger that had passed between them and knowing that she had been but moments away from being the one that was on the floor of the balcony. She blinked and felt that her cheeks were wet, and she knelt before him. Hesitating for just a moment, she slipped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry, Regal… I'm so sorry…" she whispered, already feeling guilty for the lengths she had gone to in her attempt to bring him back from the edge.

"I loved her… I never wanted to hurt her… I… I…" Regal stammered softly, his eyes fixed on the shackles that bound his hands. His voice was once again a broken whisper, the anger apparently finally burned away.

"I know..." she whispered back to him, resting her forehead against his shoulder as she tried to ease her own nerves. "She knew that, too... you have put so much stock in what she said on the terrace... but didn't you _listen_ to her...? She doesn't want you to punish yourself... doesn't that tell you that she knew the mercy she asked of you? Don't you think she knew what a gift you gave her?" She knew convincing him would be difficult at best and she prayed to whatever deity would hear her that he would understand as she continued to try to keep her arms around him.

Regal lifted his head, his breath rattling in his chest. "I want to honor what she asked of me, but… how do I let this go? How do I just forget what I did that day?" he asked, his dejected words barely having the breath to escape from his lips. "How can I stop suffering when every day, I roll over as I wake, expecting to find her next to me… thinking everything else to be a cruel nightmare… only the nightmare is real?"

Liane released him and sat back on her heels, meeting his gaze and feeling her chest constrict at the absolute sadness she saw in his shadowed eyes. "You have to live, Regal. You have to live for both of you," she answered, the words tickling something in her memory… something Kratos had once told Lloyd. Every bit of her ached for him. It was no unrequited love that he shared with Alicia... of that, she was certain. The man before her was one of honor... and the reverence that radiated from him when he spoke of this woman was amazing. She was his love... his lover... his own soulmate. He had torn himself apart when she died. "She wanted you to live. That's how you can honor her and her memory. That's how she'll live on..."

"I don't… know if I can. Not like this," he rasped and pulled back out of her awkward embrace, turning his back to her as he faced the metal bars of the railing. "Presea… she must hate me – _loathe_ me – for what I took from her."

He startled her by pulling away so quickly, and she could only watch helplessly as he turned away from her. Presea seemed to be coping… staying close to the party, perhaps for strength… but Liane couldn't say for sure. "I can't answer for Presea, but I honestly don't see her hating you," she murmured with a shrug. "I think she can see that you loved her sister. Talk to her – maybe she can convince you better than I can," Liane shrugged and swiped her hands over her eyes, relieved that the anger seemed to have finally passed. "I can't speak for her. I can only speak for myself… and beg you to try to live."

"Liane… how?" Regal asked quietly, still staring out at the world through the balcony bars. "How can I go on… when I can't let go of her? When every step I take, I want her to be next to me?" He finally turned to look over his shoulder to her. "I don't know how to live without her anymore."

She turned, scooting back to lean against the railing, absently hugging her knees to her chest as she watched him, not even trying to stop the stray tears that had escaped and run down over her cheeks. _The last time he was in Altamira, he lived as a free man… in love with Alicia,_ her thoughts whispered sympathetically. _Now he's back here… but everything is different._ "If you loved her, you'll never be without her. You haven't been without her for an instant since she found her way into your heart," she whispered, knowing it was a romantic notion at best. It wasn't something she could prove to him… it was something he'd have to choose to believe for himself.

Regal hung his head once again and remained silent for a few moments longer. "I didn't even know about her grave…" he rasped, his hands once again curling into fists, "… that she was trapped in that damn Exsphere!"

"How were you to know, Regal? About the grave, about the Exsphere... about any of it? It's not knowledge that just comes to you. Did you have anyone that could have told you? You did what you had to do... you made your bid to bring the person that hurt her to justice. You did what you could, Regal..." she shook her head. "But now, we're here to help you."

He watched her for a few long breaths and then looked away again. "Liane, I'm so sorry. Here you are, trying to help me… listening like you promised… and I turned on you. I pointed my anger at you when nothing that's happened here has been your fault." A deep sigh heaved his shoulders again. "It's mine. I said I would come here, that I knew who might have murdered Alicia. I put myself on trial in front of all of you… and there she was. I could see her, I could hear her… so, for a moment… it was as if all of my pain was gone. And then I started to remember… how my life was torn apart, all of the evil things I have seen and done… all of it flashing before my eyes. Then… to watch her fade away from me again… she was right there… and I had to watch her go…."

Liane frowned, aching deeply for her friend as she finally shook her head again. "Regal, I don't blame you for anything you've said tonight. I just… I don't understand why you couldn't have told me." She looked down to where her hands clasped around her legs as her frown turned to a scowl. "Damn it all, why didn't I say something?" The dark-haired young woman shook her head. "Instead of having everyone there all at once and facing them alone, it could have been…." Her voice trailed off and she shook her head as the reason became clear to her. "But you didn't want it that way, did you? You still want to be punished," she choked slightly, saddened by the realization that his guilt had such a stranglehold on her friend. "Punishment won't change anything. We can't go back… we can only go forward."

Regal drew in a quick breath and froze as he stared at her. "You knew… didn't you?"

It was Liane's turn to look away, chewing her lip as she wondered how to answer him. "You didn't tell me anything, Regal."

"You knew." It wasn't a question. He drew another shaky breath and clenched his fists. "For how long?"

She couldn't look back at him. He had caught her… and she couldn't bring herself to guess at how he would react. Hearing the waver in his voice, she braced herself for another outburst. "Since the first time we came here," she answered quietly and honestly.

"You knew… and you… you…" Regal stammered, his voice cracking at the edges. "You knew… and you still waited. You never looked at me with disgust, even though you knew."

"You would tell me when you wanted me to know," Liane sighed and scooted a little closer to him, certain – at least for the moment – that he wasn't going to flee from her again. She paused for a moment and then leaned over against his side, resting her head against his shoulder. "You told me so."

He tensed slightly when she leaned against him, but then slowly started to relax. "I wanted to tell you…" Regal whispered, his breathing shallow as the deeper breaths seemed to be physically shaking his form. "I've wanted to tell you… since that night outside of the Temple of Lightning."

Liane leaned back enough to look up to him but not enough to remove himself from his side. But she still frowned, unable to send away a pang of hurt. "So you thought I'd shun you if you tried to explain," she breathed out, "… because you've lived a role from my nightmares?" She shook her head sadly and rested her head back against his shoulder, turning her eyes up to the starfield that was starting to poke through the inky dark of the Altamiran night. "Regal, didn't you think that I would try… that I might understand? It seemed that enough people had turned from you… were ready to judge you by those shackled. I never wanted or felt the urge to be in their numbers. I'm sorry if I ever gave you that impression."

"No, I never thought of you like that!" he shook his head, almost jarring her from her place against his side. "I just couldn't… I didn't know how…" the blue-haired man floundered, a helpless groan finally dragging itself from him. "I didn't doubt you or your loyalty. I was… dreading the day that you would all see me for who I am… and knew what I had done," he finally managed and hung his head again. "Please…."

She rolled her head to look up to him again. Liane knew she couldn't truly fault him… not for harboring such a secret that – in one way or another – would affect them all on at _least _an emotional level. _But maybe… if I had known… I might have been able to help him through some of this… before it came to this._ "What would you have me do?" she asked, her frown deepening. "Do you want me to apologize for telling you about my dreams? For trying to convince you how real they are to me? Maybe then you could have told me…" she shook her head. "I'm sorry… but I can't take any of it back… and… especially right now," her voice dropped. "I don't want to. It's starting to feel like it's the only way I can hope to reach through to you." She wanted to cry for him… and for Alicia. But that would come later… perhaps when she finally sought sleep's release from the day. _But not now._

Shaking his head, Regal leaned against her as if his strength was finally giving out. "No, that's not it. Please… you were so open with me. You told me everything… I promised I would do the same, and then this happened. I didn't tell you my secrets – I announced them in front of everyone. I want you to understand… to forgive my weakness…."

Liane blinked and came close to chuckling. "Weak? Regal, that would be the last term I would use to describe you." _What you've lived through… endured… probably would have killed a weaker soul…._

"Liane, I wanted to tell you first… I wanted you to know. I thought you might understand," he murmured quietly, exhaling as his weight rested against her, striking a balance between the two of them. His eyes were still squeezed shut, but his voice was regaining its steadiness, bit by bit. "But then we had to go after Raine… to Altamira… and I hesitated. I didn't have the courage to tell you once we were in Sylvarant, especially when we faced Rodyle. I knew what that battle meant to Presea. Then… one thing led to the next. Before I realized what was happening, everything I feared fell into place. I knew I had murdered Presea's sister… and that I had to confess to her."

She nodded, wrapping her thoughts carefully around what he was telling her. Turning her hand, a laughing wink of silver on her wrist caught her eye. _It happened again. I didn't want to believe it… I didn't want to see the truth that I knew._ Liane closed her eyes and wrapped her hand around the bracelet with a sigh. "I should have said something. Maybe I could have helped you. Things just got so crazy… and when we did finally talk, I couldn't bring myself to bring it up. It hoped that I was giving you the space you needed…."

He turned to her, but remained silent until she looked up to him. "I have never deserved your friendship, Liane," he whispered a distinct sadness in the quiet words.

"I think that's for me to decide," Liane offered him a shrug and a weak smile before she glanced around the balcony. It was a sad place for him… perhaps it was the entire hotel… or even Altamira. But if the view from the balcony had beaten him down so thoroughly, she wasn't sure her conscience would allow her to leave his side, which could only offer him more awkwardness when the others returned. "Regal," she started, looking back up to him. "Will you do something for me?"

Regal blinked in confusion, but otherwise didn't hesitate to answer. "Of course."

She stopped, trying to choose her words the instant before she spoke, sparing that moment to wonder how her words would be taken. "Take me somewhere else? I… don't think we need to be here right now."

"I…" he started to reply and then stopped. He seemed to be searching her eyes, perhaps trying to find her reasoning, but then he sat forward, giving her time to right her balance before he stood and turned to offer her his hands in a silent response to her request.

Watching him stand, Liane couldn't help but notice a slight wobble in his balance. But when he held his hands out to her, she still didn't hesitate to place hers in them and accept his help to crawl back to her feet. "Thanks," she smiled a bit sheepishly, feeling the sadness that still threatened to boil over. _Not now… later…._

He nodded in response and released her hand to gesture back into the room. "I know a place that we can talk," he told her quietly and allowed her to step back into his room. He closed the balcony door behind them and then led her back through the suite, out the door and to the elevator without another word of explanation.

Liane could feel his eyes on her – questioning her – throughout the trip down to the lobby, but she couldn't meet his gaze. She knew that staying there on the balcony wasn't what he needed if he was truly trying to regain some semblance of control. And she didn't want to think of the reactions the others would have given them if they found them together… they were both still a little too fragile to face their companions. She didn't want to break down – for any reason – on him anymore. When the elevator opened, she moved to step out first, staying only a step ahead of him in hopes of offering him a shield to the eyes of others that would judge him by the shackles he wore alone.

Once they crossed the lobby and stepped out into the cool night air, Regal moved around her and nodded across the boardwalk. "Over there."

She followed him, falling in step behind him as he led her towards the closed beach. _He knows this city better than I do,_ Liane reminded herself, shrugging as she remembered the words of the hotel desk clerk – that the beach closed at night for the safety of the tourists. She wasn't surprised as he stepped over the barrier and stopped to wait for her to follow. _Ah, yes… he __definitely knows this place better than I do… I never would have considered the beach,_ her thoughts almost chuckled as she hopped up onto the barrier and swung her legs over.

"I used to come here when it was late and needed to think," Regal explained and gestured down the flight of cement steps to the glowing sands of the beach. "No one has ever stopped me from coming here… in spite of the fact that it is supposed to be off limits at night."

Liane heard the waves lapping against the beach and felt the breeze in her still-damp braid, but she couldn't help but pause for a moment to close her eyes and open her arms slightly to let the wind wrap around her – and simply feel how it all soothed her senses. "It's perfect, Regal," she sighed, not sure if he would hear her or not.

He stopped a few steps ahead and turned back to watch her. "I'd… nearly forgotten what it looked like," he replied, his expression once again stony and practically unreadable by the moonlight.

She drew another deep breath before strolling forward to stand beside him. "I've always loved the ocean," the dark-haired swordswoman smiled as she studied his expression… her smile fading at the sight of the weariness in his gaze… looking as if he was waiting for something. "Regal, I'm sorry…" Liane started to apologize, kicking herself for making the request to leave the hotel so rashly. "You didn't want to leave, did you?"

"It's not the fact that we left that has me unsettled, Liane. I'm just not sure why you suggested it." He sat down in the sand and crossed his legs before him before gesturing to his side for her to do the same. "If you were trying to protect me from memories, I'm afraid Altamira doesn't have many places that don't hold them for me."

Liane sat where he indicated and watched him for a moment. _That's part of it_, she admitted to herself only and managed a small shrug. "Regal, I didn't want to deal with the others, either. Not yet. I don't think you need that, either, if you don't mind me saying so. I left them all at the casino when I found out that you hadn't come, so it might only be a matter of time before they come back. I don't' think I could handle them right now. I just thought a little peace might be good for us." Then she sighed and looked out over the silver-crested waves. "We can always go back…?"

Regal met his gaze when she finally looked back over to him. "Why don't you want to see them?"

She felt her frown deeper and she had to turn her eyes back to the ocean. "Honestly? I'm still a little shaky," she admitted with a weak shrug and a dry half-laugh. "Actually, I probably still owe you an apology. I didn't mean to yell at you back there. You didn't need that." Liane's bitter laugh faded completely and turned into a frown as she hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I hate it when I let myself get that worked up… I'm not really fit company for a while after I hit that point. I probably shouldn't have made it sound like you had to come with me." She sighed and turned her head back to him with a weak and apologetic smile. "I just didn't want you to have to be alone if you didn't want to be." For just a moment, she thought she saw the corners of his lips curl ever so slightly, but she told herself it was a trick of the moonlight… until he lifted his hands to place one on her shoulder.

"There is no need for you to apologize… for anything," the shackled man spoke softly with no anger in his voice. "I was not myself. I said things to you that I should not have as well… and for that, I apologize." He squeezed her shoulder and his eyes wandered out over the water that was but a few steps away. "But I needed you to say those things to me, Liane. I don't think there is anyone else in this world that cares enough to do that for me. And… you did not force me to come here. I didn't want to be alone either."

Liane watched him without comment, finding the presence of his hand on her shoulder a reassurance. She smiled back at him, even though she knew it was far from a happy smile. "Regal… I don't want to hurt you anymore, but I really do want to understand. What was she like?" Alicia had to have been amazing… maybe… just maybe… eventually… talking about her would help him. But for the moment, she braced for him to get up and leave her sitting alone on the beach.

"She was… shy around me, at first," he answered quietly, his voice distant, but his reply taking no longer than to choose his words. "She seemed to blush whenever I talked to her. But she always seemed happy to talk to me, to spend an extra moment to see how I was doing. There weren't many people in my life then that did that for me… that stopped to ask how I was like it really mattered." Regal sighed and his hand fell slowly from her shoulder, his shadowed eyes following his hands back to his lap. "Alicia was friendly with me, but not like everyone else. She knew of my title… of my status… and she respected it, but she saw me beyond all of that. She reached out to me, and showed me that I wasn't alone."

Nodding slowly, Liane fought off the feeling that she had been robbed by never actually meeting the girl that held Regal's heart so tightly. "She sounds wonderful. I would have liked to have met her," she ventured carefully. _He… worshipped her…._

"You remind me of her… sometimes."

The comment was just quiet enough to make Liane question whether she had actually heard him speak. She looked over to him and found his eyes fixed somewhere out over the dark waves. "Me? Really?" She couldn't shake the feeling that it was the deepest of compliments coming from him, even though she felt unworthy of any compliments at the morning.

Regal nodded, but didn't meet her curious gaze. "The way you approached me that first night when I had to cook… how you have been here for me even when I could not ask you to be… it just reminds me of her," the shackled man told her wistfully and then shook his head, his eyes sliding closed with what might have been a chuckle. "But then again, Alicia was not as confident as you are, or nearly as outspoken." His shoulders slumped slightly and he bowed his head. "I think… if you had met… that you would have been fast friends."

"Confident… huh," she smiled at the thought, tilting her head as she watched him. "I hope this doesn't sound wrong, but thank you. Being compared to someone you obviously loved so much… I truly take that as a compliment." When he didn't move or respond, Liane bit her lip, wishing she could see his expression through the curtain of unruly blue to be sure she wasn't hurting him more. "She was lucky, Regal," she whispered before she took time to rethink her words. She was trying to filter her thoughts before she spoke them after what had happened on the balcony, but his compliment had truly flustered her. She cringed slightly – and hoped unnoticeably – praying that her comment wouldn't hurt him.

"She used to tell me that all the time, too," he shook his head, his tone suggesting the slight waver of laughter, but he didn't raise his head. "Alicia insisted that she was lucky that, out of everyone else I could have picked from, I chose her. I had to keep telling her that I was the fortunate one… to have someone that loved me for who I was and not for my status or name."

Liane sighed, relieved by his response. "I can understand both sides, actually. It must be a wonderful feeling… to know that you are loved above all others for no reason in particular… to have that security." Her hand fell to the sand, her fingers absently drawing in the soft grains. "You were both lucky."

"You could be that lucky as well, Liane."

Her breath hitched as her head snapped up to find him watching her. She knew that she had to look absolutely idiotic with the look she gave him. "Um… what?"

Regal blinked and then visibly winced. "You haven't told him yet…?" He quickly looked away. "Forgive me… I just thought perhaps that you felt for him… like I did for Alicia…."

"Him?" Liane asked, so absorbed in the events of the day that she had to pause for a few moments before a blush began to burn her cheeks. "Kratos…" she sighed at the realization of where the conversation had turned and shook her head slowly. "Regal, I don't know. I don't think he does – could – feel that way for me. There was the other girl…." She didn't know how far to go to explain… she had mentioned it the night they had spent at the House of Salvation in Sylvarant, but she didn't have any details to give him, either. "He lost her… somehow," her voice trailed off as her eyes fell back to the silver trinket on her wrist. She hadn't expected the angel's presence in the conversation… she hadn't been ready to think of him.

"I'm sorry," came the blue-haired man's gentle apology.

Liane was already shaking her head before his words could fade away on the wind, and she remembered her vow not to break down on him that night. She smiled as best she could and looked back up to him. "I would have liked to have talked to him… maybe told him more than just frustrated outbursts," she shrugged, remembering her failed attempt in Flanoir to draw more than vague comments from Kratos. "But it's hard to compete against a ghost… regardless of what a fortune teller tells you." She tried to laugh, but she knew what came out hardly sounded amused.

He leaned closer, watching her from beneath the jagged crop of bangs. "Liane, it's all right. You don't have to pretend for me."

The swordswoman hesitated for a few long breaths and then turned her body just enough to rest her head against his shoulder again. She didn't want to be too forward, but with their earlier anger gone, Liane needed the contact. _I won't cry over Kratos… I won't do it,_ she told herself stubbornly. _Even if I wanted him to, he probably wouldn't even notice if I disappeared. _"I'm not trying to pretend," she breathed out, using all of her control to keep that breath even so her words were believable. "I'm just trying to live with it. Something like… _that_… just might not be for me." She shifted her head to glance up to him and somehow found a small smile. "It's just a blessing that some find it…even once. It's enough to give the rest of us hope."

"There's nothing to keep you from trying." Regal shook his head once in emphasis, but kept his voice quiet. "He has you singled out, Liane… perhaps for more than one reason. Kratos has aided us before now and he does not always act as if he is our enemy. Perhaps if he knew, he might stay with you."

"_If you do, forget them."_

Liane almost winced at the dismissive comment to her questioning the angel about her dreams, his words still burned into her memories from the snowy city, but then found a smile for his attempt at reasoned optimism. "Maybe… someday. But I don't think it can happen for a while. He's doing things that he refuses to talk about… none of us have any value to him to help with what he's doing now anyway." Her explanation faltered for a moment, but then Liane sighed, deciding that it probably didn't need to be said that she had spoken with Kratos more than Regal knew about. "And he has come to speak with me… yes… but it's never clear why. I can't get my hopes up for anything with Kratos. I just wish… if there was a chance of anything deeper to this… it could be obvious." A somewhat bitter laugh fell from her lips. "But that's just for fairy tales, I guess."

The shackled man dropped his chin again, but before his hair could completely hide him, the moonlight revealed the faintest of smiles on his lips. "I never expected to fall in love with Alicia," he murmured quietly. "She had been there – in my home – for years, and I had never seen her as anything more than the closest thing I had to a friend. It wasn't obvious, it was just as it was." Regal fell silent for a few moments, perhaps lost to the bittersweet memories, and then he sighed and leaned his weight back into her a bit as if to make sure he had her attention. "The night I saw you together, I could see he cared for you, even if he could not express it."

"Really?" Liane knew that her tone was filled with her disbelief, but she couldn't help it. "You honestly believe that? Regal… he never says anything like that," she shook her head, but couldn't look up, almost afraid he would see how much she wanted to believe him.

Regal snorted softly in response, the puff sounding almost like a chuckle. "Why else would he confront me?"

It was more than enough to make her sit up and stare at him. "What? You've talked to him? When?" Liane had been sure that she had been there for all of Kratos' visits – but that he had spoken to Regal – 'confronted' him, even – made her blood run cold.

"The morning after we formed the pact with Volt. I went to get firewood alone, remember?" he asked, turning to watch her over his shoulder. Regal hesitated as if he were gauging her reaction before he spoke again. "He caught me off guard… he seemed to appear out of nowhere. He wanted to know what my intentions were towards your group… and what my intentions were towards you, although, not in those exact words."

The information made her mind spin. "But that doesn't make any sense, Regal," Liane closed her eyes and shook her head. "Why would he do that? Did he see you the night before… near Ozette? He… he didn't hurt you, did he?" So many questions whirled in her mind that it was only a matter of chance that dictated which of them found voice first. "He actually said something about me or was it the party?" _Why didn't I know? Why would he come asking questions of Regal… why would he care?_

Regal shrugged, his expression betraying no deeper reaction to her alarm. "I assume, since Colette's senses were enhanced by her angel transformation, and the professor is correct in stating that Kratos is an angel as well… he most likely knew of my presence when I saw the two of you together." He fell silent, but kept his eyes on her as if he was waiting for her to digest what he was telling her. "No, he did not hurt me… or even draw his sword. I suppose he did not trust me to accompany all of you on this journey, almost like he knew me for what I am… and what I've done." He tilted his head to her and shrugged, the link that held his shackles together clinking against the cuffs. "But when he asked about my intentions for you… it seemed as if it slipped out, like he had not meant to voice that concern."

Liane frowned and turned her eyes back down to the sand – not out of shame, but more out of confusion. "He… cares?" she whispered, the hope almost more than she could handle. The swordswoman shook her head and chewed the edge of her lip, but didn't' look back up. "What did you tell him?" she asked quietly.

"That if he was so concerned for your welfare, perhaps he'd like to walk back to camp with me," Regal replied without hesitation.

Her head snapped up in surprise at the smirk she could _hear_ in his voice, a dry chuckle slipping away from her even as a sad smile formed on her lips. "He didn't come back with you, thought. Now you see why I question things where Kratos is concerned."

The Duke nodded his understanding. The silence between them filled with the restless breaking of the waves against the sand. "I do not think that – if he does join you once again – he will like me very much after that encounter, though."

She sighed, knowing that if there was already animosity between the two men, it wouldn't likely be cured by forcing them to work together. "I don't suppose so… that would make things difficult."

"But it would make you happy," Regal stated gently. "And even if that meant that we didn't get as much time to talk, your being happy would be enough for me."

"He won't tell me who I can be around or speak to, Regal. Not now, and not when _Lord_ Kratos would decide to return," Liane ground her teeth over the words, turning to him, her tone as serious as she could make it. "He can't possibly think that everything will be forgotten… even _I_ won't forget how he was turned his blade on us. That won't happen for a long time – if ever."

Regal tilted his head to watch her. "I suppose not. But even though he betrayed you… your feelings for him have not changed."

Liane shook her head slowly, her sad smile resurfacing. "Damn it, Regal… you're not supposed to be able to read me like that," she almost chuckled as she moved to rest against his side again. "I don't know if I can even really label what I feel for him, but I can't help it, Regal. I don't know how to make it stop."

"Don't," he whispered firmly. "One of us should get to be with the one we love."

His words settled on her like a heavy blanket. "But what if we're wrong…" Liane asked, almost afraid of the answer. She wanted to believe that her heart wouldn't lead her astray… but all logic seemed to evaporate where Kratos was concerned.

The blue-haired man shifted his weight to allow her to rest against his side. "If you feel for him as strongly as I think you do… you won't be wrong."

"There may be a time when I will truly hope that you're right. Thank you…" Liane turned her head to whisper. She couldn't help but smile, even as she couldn't help the quick peck she left on his cheek. It was small, innocent, instinctive… a 'thank you' for his encouragement where she was still afraid that the others would condemn her - and she instantly regretted it as she froze in place. _Oh, Goddess… what was that?! Stupid, stupid Liane!!_ But she couldn't move… horrified at the rush of possibilities of how he might take the gesturer even as he cheeks flamed and her mind scrambled for some form of damage control. "Regal… I…" she stammered hoarsely, unable to look away for anything.

"Liane…" Regal started, turning his head to her in her instant of stunned shame.

Perhaps he leaned closer with the turn… perhaps it was Liane that closed the small gap. Neither cause could be proven in the instant, but the result couldn't be argued – his lips lingered on hers in that moment of shock that could have been a blink of an eye as easily as it was a few heartbeats. Liane's mind all but shut down as she stared back at him, watching him pull back, her eyes wide. _He… he…._ She stared back into his eyes, all of the apologies she had been ready to start blurting out forgotten. _He… kissed me…?_

Regal watched her with concern growing in his expression as he sat back from her. He remained silent for a few moments before the question in his eyes faded into a look of realization… and regret. "Liane… I'm so sorry…," he rasped, shaking his head and scooting back from her. "I… I don't know what I was thinking… I shouldn't have…" he dropped his head and clenched his fists. "Forgive me…."

Slowly… ever so slowly… Liane raised her fingers to her lips, gently tracing over where hers had met his just moments before. Her cheeks may as well have burned away, but it was the only sensation that registered as she witlessly continued to stare back at him. She blinked as his words began to filter through the fog in her mind. _He's apologizing…._ Her blank expression fell into one tinted with melancholy as she shook her head. "No… please… Regal, don't be sorry," she managed to mumble. "Please don't…" she dropped her gaze away from him and studied the sand before her as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"Liane?" he asked in confusion as his frown continued to deepen. When she didn't respond, he drew in a long breath and looked away as it escaped again from his lungs, his form deflating as a result.

An almost embarrassed smile started to creep over Liane's lips that was completely out of her control. "I just… I don't want you to apologize, Regal." She still couldn't look over him for fear of the most inappropriate of reactions considering the day they had all shared. "Please… just don't apologize."

He looked back over to her grudgingly, his gaze revealing a slide back into the somber sadness that had been wrapped around them when they had first come down to the beach. "But… I…." Regal then almost groaned and shifted his eyes back to the waves.

Liane heard him stammer out the beginning of an objection… and turned slightly to see him staring out to the ocean. Her surprise was beginning to subside as her thoughts started to find order… and her lips started to twitch into a smile. _Goddess… I feel so stupid,_ she chided herself silently. _A kiss… like that… can be just a kiss. Just because I've never…._ She groaned softly. _I have to do something._ "Regal…" she whispered, reaching out to put her hand on his forearm. "It's okay." She steadied her voice, beating down the giggle she felt rising inside her. _Not now… please not now…._

Regal didn't respond to her reassurance though… not with anything but the fact that he didn't shy away from her touch. The giddy giggle inside died when she realized that he wouldn't look at her… wouldn't speak to her. Liane sighed and ran her free hand back to pull her braid nervously over her shoulder. _Damn… why do I have to explain… how do I explain…._ "Regal… please. Look at me," she pled, bracing herself for what she knew would probably happen.

_But at least it will probably be comic relief…._

The shackled man sighed, but then slowly did as she asked. Even through her embarrassment, she could see in his eyes that he was expecting outrage… or even some kind of retaliation. The worse part for Liane was that she had no idea how to say what she knew she had to tell him to explain her reaction before things fell any further apart. "Um… first, you have to promise not to laugh," she spoke, the words falling into place before she could keep up with them.

Regal's dark expression melted at her question as he visibly tried to make sense of her request. "I promise," he murmured cautiously, his gaze narrowing slightly on her, "… although, I don't understand why I would laugh?

She sighed and bit her lip, trying desperately not to drop her gaze away even as she wondered how long she would be able to stand his eyes after she told him. _Wait… he's a bright boy… maybe I won't have to say it._ "Regal," she fidgeted absently with the sand at her sides, hoping that the moonlight made her still-burning cheeks a little less obvious. "There are some things that… happen… in life that an apology is…." Liane huffed and then chuckled her discomfort once again. "Well, it's the last thing a girl wants to hear…?"

_Don't make me say it… please don't make me say it._

He blinked several times until realization finally solidified in his eyes. "You've never…."

Liane exhaled, partially in relief and partially in continued embarrassment, finally dropping her eyes from his, confident that she had probably eliminated his need to apologize – at least for the moment. "No," she answered with a half-laugh and a shake of her head.

"Oh, dear…." It was all that the blue-haired man spoke for a few moments, but the tension between them seemed to at very least be receding. Regal sounded like he was going to speak at least twice more before words finally formed. "I… please forgive me," he hung his head humbly. "I didn't realize… I never would have thought that –"

"That I had my application in for the 'Old Maid Society of Iselia'?" she interrupted with a dry chuckle, finding it easy to make fun of herself to break the layer of ice that had started to form between them. "Don't worry about that. I can't knit to save my life anyway." Liane squeezed his arm slightly to make sure she had his attention. "Please don't apologize. I… I'm not complaining. I…" she stammered as her face grew hotter. Even though she knew there was nothing to be ashamed of – it wasn't anything premeditated or particularly romantic – it was simply two lonely friends. In all honesty, if anyone was to blame, Liane knew it could only have been her. She had been so grateful for his encouragement that the peck she had left on his cheek had merely been a reaction. _He's a Duke… a kiss can be as casual as a greeting for nobles, can't it?_ She drew a breath… she had to say it… she knew she had to. "Thank you…" she whispered, still unable to look back up to him. This time, though, she hoped he could understand why.

There was a pause… but then an almost bizarrely unexpected thing happened. Regal chuckled. The sound was quiet, but unmistakable. "Liane, there are times to say thank you." He waited for his gentle chastisement to bring her eyes back up to him before he continued. "After a kiss is never one of them."

It all happened so fast. Liane had been so unprepared… yet her first kiss – no matter how innocent – had come and gone, leaving her with only a shock-fogged memory. She had refused Michael's advances for years. She had seen – perhaps even felt – a true kiss in her visions that left her weak… but it wasn't hers. It seemed that fate was still laughing at her. It had been a chance for something sweet, simple… and sprouted more from friendship than anything as shallow as Michael would have used as an excuse to cheapen the contact. _But… does that have to be it?_ Suddenly, she heard a whisper slip from her lips… if it had been something tangible, she instantly knew she would have gone scrambling to catch it and lock it back in her unvoiced thoughts.

"Um… what about before one?"

"It would depend on the situation, Liane," Regal told her, his tone once again serious as he watched her. "But I'm certain that you do not thank someone for your first kiss."

Liane nodded thoughtfully, almost relieved that he didn't seem to have understood her awkward question. She let go of the pretense of playful banter and shifted to tuck her ankles beneath her, lifting her hand to put the stubborn curl that refused to be confined by her braid back over her ear. "So… what should one say, then? Because I'm feeling pretty awkward here…" she laughed nervously.

He raised an eyebrow to her. "You can say anything you like," he shrugged with a hint of amusement in his voice. He waited for a moment, but then chuckled – once… and the amusement was already fading into a sigh. "Are you sure you want advice on romance from me?"

"It's not like I'm an authority," Liane retorted, finally giving up and shifting again to hug her knees to her chest.

"Still… I realize that I probably wasn't your first choice for that kiss," the shackled man murmured, a darkness hanging over his words as it seemed the lighter conversation had finally given in to the gloom of the rest of the day.

She looked over to him, studying his profile since he had once again looked away from her. _Oh, no… he's going to try to apologize again…._ Liane sighed, so desperately not wanting to push him, hurt him, or lose his friendship… _but seriously… who better than one of my closest friends…?_ She couldn't say exactly when it happened or how, but she had become so close to the man before her… so quickly. Her last attempt had been half-hearted… and she knew that she would be pushing things, but it was the only way she could think of to show him that – while it wasn't something she had considered before – she would still treasure the memory. "Regal…."

He only turned his head as much as he had to in order to look over to her. "Yes?"

Liane knew that she could still abort the half-baked thought… her mind screamed the reminder at her louder with every heartbeat. _I haven't said anything yet… I could still try to just reassure him that I wasn't scarred by the kiss… or that I'm glad it was him and not Michael, or – _"Would you kiss me again?" Her voice sounded small as part of her almost fainted from the bluntness of what escaped her.

The tension that had held Regal's jaw taut until that moment apparently evaporated as his mouth fell open and his eyes widened at her request. "Are you sure that is what you want?" he finally asked with incredulous doubt.

Liane sighed, realizing how uncomfortable she had probably made him if it was anything close to how she felt at the moment. "I'm sorry… that was so inconsiderate of me. I just…." Another inhale of breath gave her the courage to drop her excuses and simply try to find words to explain her lapse into apparent insanity. "Yes," she answered him truthfully and released her knees, forcing herself to look up to him, "but you don't have to do it just because I asked." She tried to smile, but knew that some disappointment had to be shining through, as much as she didn't want it to show. "I understand. It's all right."

Instead of the dismissal she was expecting, Regal turned to face her, shifting to kneel before the swordswoman. He watched her with a measuring patience, his eyes locked on hers as if he was giving her the chance to pull back or change her mind. But when she didn't pull away, he brought his hands up to catch her chin. He waited again, another unspoken warning – and one from which she still didn't recoil. Then he leaned down… and pressed his lips to hers for a second time.

Closing her eyes, Liane was content to feel the moment… what the kiss actually felt like instead of just shock that he had actually answered her request. Even when she felt his warmth pull away a few heartbeats later, she remained still, this time willing herself to remember every instant of it. _Every girl should remember her first kiss,_ she thought, still defending her request to herself before she might have to do so to him. She knew that it was her only chance to commit it to memory… and that he could easily come to regret it at any time. _But the memory is mine… and no one else's._

Regal drew back silently, watching her expression as he still held her chin. He remained knelt before her, waiting until her eyes opened. Then, one eyebrow arched ever so slightly. "Now this time, don't say thank you."

Liane couldn't deny the small smile that answered his comment. _He made a joke...?_ It helped… a small step for convincing herself that maybe everything really would be okay. "So… does this mean you don't hate me for asking?" she asked – just to be sure – even though she was still slightly afraid of the answer.

"Liane, how many times must I remind you that there is nothing you could do to make me hate you?" he replied, shaking his head as he sat back down in the sand beside her.

Accepting his response with a nod, she waited for his words to fade into the silence before she tilted her head to give him a playfully pointed look. "Then how many times will I have to tell you… that I'm glad it was you?" Liane asked quietly. She was sure that he blushed at her question, but otherwise, he didn't reply. It was her chance to make sure she set things right. "I just want you to know… this isn't what I had planned – I didn't plan anything. I just wanted to talk," she shrugged, still watching him. "I don't' want to jeopardize our friendship, Regal. Did… did I already?"

"No, Liane, of course not," Regal replied quietly, finally meeting her gaze again. "I trust you. I know that you didn't plan anything… and neither did I." He shrugged, his expression softening a little. "I suppose I'm just… flattered… that you are happy that I kissed you."

She nodded thoughtfully, huffing to blow a curl out of her eyes. Somehow, things were starting to feel comfortable again, and Liane was grateful for that, but she could still hear the tiny, nagging voice of doubt. "I just don't want you to look at me differently…."

The blue-haired man watched her, falling silent perhaps to consider her words – and then shrugged. "I might look at you differently, but only when you surprise me," he murmured, his comment ringing with sincerity. "But my opinion of you is not going to change… not because of tonight."

"Oh, I'm full of surprises," Liane chuckled, finally allowing herself to lean over onto his shoulder again. It had been comfortable before, and it was becoming so again, she realized in relief. She knew that she should have felt more guilty… pulling him from his mourning only to drag him to the beach and end up kissing him. But she was being honest when she told him that it hadn't been planned – none of it. Even the kisses were chaste – as well as unexpected – for both of them. It was all simply what had happened. And as much as it surprised her, she was glad. "Are you sure you're okay?" the swordswoman asked, having made her own peace with what had passed between them… at least for the moment.

"I think I will be… in time," he replied, his eyes fixed out over the restless sea before he looked down to her again. "I have promises to keep. I do not know how things will look in the morning or what I will be able to say to Presea when the time comes, but for now… my burden… seems a little lighter…."

* * *

From the shadows of the beach's refreshment stand, a pair of sharply narrowed eyes followed the fallen Duke and the dark-haired swordswoman as they picked their way across the sand to climb the steps back to the city above. Kratos had seen the two fighters leave the hotel, but it was the dull, lifeless light in the convict's eyes as they crossed the boardwalk that made the angel follow. It was a look that Kratos knew all too well. From what he could gather listening to the others on the other side of the island, the shackled man had confessed his crime, leaving them all struggling with how to deal with the truth.

But what concerned Kratos more was the blue-haired man's struggle… and how he would deal with having his sin detailed to the others… not to mention confronting the reality once again for himself.

Kratos knew the debilitating ache that saturated every facet of life all too well. What he didn't know was how it would affect Regal Bryant. It was that uncertainty combined with Liane Dale's presence to make it a given that he would follow. The girl's soft heart had been enough to send her seeking out Kratos' presence on more than one occasion – no matter what she knew or how the others felt about him – but the convict's grief was newer, and had recently been exposed to the eyes of the others. There were no guarantees on how balanced the Duke would be… even without the openhearted friendship that the girl offered her companions – past as well as present.

He had stayed close enough to help, but far away enough to remain unnoticed… close enough to hear what seemed to be the pair's collective start to recovery. Kratos had been admittedly surprised when he heard the shackled man encourage her to talk to him… but the game that followed, changed that surprise into anger. Tethe'allan nobility was known for its cavalier nature, and no matter how innocent the scene played out, it had left the angel's jaw ground tightly shut. He held his ground, though, watching it all pass until Liane and the convict stood and moved away from the water's edge. They walked close, but didn't touch, their words quiet out of weariness, but not secrecy. The moment had come and gone, leaving no sign other than two weary people in its wake.

The auburn haired angel watched as they disappeared over the barricade and back onto the lighted boardwalk, but he didn't follow. It was obvious that Liane's heart would lead her wherever it liked when it came to her companions… _and that includes me. I've already hurt her more than any of her other companions. Yet she still says she wants to talk to me._ The convict, however, was another story. Kratos couldn't bring himself to feel at ease in any way, but even more so because he knew the dark thoughts that probably haunted the Duke like old friends. He simply didn't know how Regal would react to them – especially not with the emotional swings that held them both in their thrall for their visit to the Altamiran beach.

_Perhaps… he'll be one more that will try to keep her safe for what's to come._

The oddly optimistic thought caught Kratos off guard, but he still couldn't argue with it. The Duke had treated the swordswoman gently even over his own inner turmoil, reached for her offer of friendship through the pain. The angel decided it was the best he could ask for in the uncertain situation that was only escalating by the day.

_It can't be helped, though,_ Kratos told himself and looked away from the barricade. _There is more to do… _and knowing that the party was looking after its own helped. _I have to find the sacred wood… it's only a matter of time before Yggdrasill sits on his throne again. Everything has to be in place by then._

He sighed and turned back to the blue-black ocean waves. _It's getting less and less likely that I will be able to see this plan to its end without hurting any of them in even the smallest of ways._

* * *

Once again, I have to say thank you to Yama for moral support and for all the help with this Chapter... and to Aio for support and encouragement (and fanart!), and Rydia and Afficiando for their kind words of encouragement. I don't have words to tell you all how much hearing from all of you helps keep me going! Until next time! )

* * *


	30. Chapter 30

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Another day… more aftermath. But without the luxury of time, the past must always become the past – something to be dealt with when and if there is time. Another pact… another step into an uncertain future even as a past shrouded in dreams seems to lurk behind every shadow.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 30:

_She was on fire as she toppled backwards, the act of falling dislodging her from the red-washed silver blade. Her thoughts grew clearer for a few moments as time seemed to grind to a near stop._

I'm going to die now.

_It was a realization that was somehow both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. But as she failed, she lifted her hand – and found herself surprised that she recognized it. Scraped, ripped, and bloodied, it was still her hand – not the claw of the thing she had become. Her eyelids felt so heavy, but she was beyond pain… she knew she didn't have much longer. But even instants would be precious – mere moments to tie up a lifetime's final loose ends._

_She strained… pushing her hand out… reaching for her husband one last time…._

"_K-Kratos…."_

_Her voice was little more than a cracked whisper that the snowy winds swept away from her. But even as her skin told her of the wind's frigid bite, she realized that Kratos was surrounded by the armored Desians that had pursued her, her husband fighting numbly for his own life despite the broken hunch of his shoulders._

_Suddenly, time caught up to her, and the ground dropped away beneath her._

"_Goodbye…."_

_It took all of her effort to push the single word out as the snowy sky filled her vision. But for that moment of silent peace that she seemed suspended along with the pure, delicate snowflakes, she knew a flash of pain. _What if… he didn't… hear…?

_The jagged slope of frost-crusted rocks broke her fall and scattered her regrets to nothingness. For a few painfully slow heartbeats, she was certain her time was finally done._

_But then the ringing in her ears shifted in pitch… growing, wavering… hiccupping? She forced her eyes open, obeying instinct over her broken body's plea for an end. The terrified sobs were close… and she mustered every bit of control and strength she could find, tightening her hand around the sticky orb still in her hand as she rolled her head… and found herself drawn into huge pools of brown that looked down on her._

_She blinked, her mind picking out a familiar whine nearby._

"_Poor baby…" she whispered as a stinging tear rolled over her cheek. "Daddy… will… be here… soon…." Reassuring the child took more focus and energy than she thought she would be able to find, but it still came naturally. "Mama… will keep you… safe… for a while…."_

_Unable to reach out to offer any more comfort, she sighed and let her eyes slide closed, praying for the strength to keep her word._

Please… please… don't let me be a liar… not now….

Liane sat up with a gasp, instantly awake as a shudder raced through her from head to toe. Even though she knew the nightmare shouldn't have been a surprise, given the events of the previous day, it didn't make the experience any more welcome. Exhaling deeply, she buried her face in her hands in an attempt to center herself… to find a way to distance herself from the pain she could still feel – both from a broken body and from a promise that she knew she couldn't keep, even though neither was hers.

_Let it go,_ the dark-haired swordswoman coached herself as she let her shoulders drop and her head fall back, her tattered braid catching on her shoulder. _You made your own promise… that you'd talk to Kratos_, she reminded herself, her thoughts forming slowly. Kratos could be the link… the one that could prove her sanity… or lack thereof. _Talking to him could prove so much… if I can believe what he says._ It was both a grim and an encouraging thought at the same time, but she knew the confirmation she needed would be stolen away by his denial, whether fueled by truth or his stubbornness.

Liane knew that Regal could be right – maybe she did love Kratos. Maybe the dreams were all a manifestation of her doubts of her own feelings. But it was those same doubts that made it impossible for her to believe that it could be so simple an answer in the face of everything else. The only thing that she knew was – despite all he had done – she couldn't hate him. Something inside of her gave her the ability to look past what he was doing to try to find a reason.

_I would just like to think… if it really were love… it would be easier to see… or feel._

Another long exhale brought her to her feet, shrugging off the soft pile of blankets that had made her bed for the night. She had considered trying to sleep in the bed for a moment when she had returned to the room, but she knew such luxury would likely do more harm than good – especially if they were truly going after another Summon Spirit that day. Liane was too used to the harsh support of the ground or a floor… the church had been minimalist at best during her travels with the priests, and their journey with Colette hadn't been much better. It was a pattern she couldn't break – not when she already knew that she was struggling to keep up with the others – aches and a twisted back simply weren't risks she could take.

Wandering over to the balcony doors, Liane drew in a deep breath of the warm sea air. She had left the door open through the night, having seen no true reason to shut it. _If Kratos had come, I might have had the courage to talk to him._ The thought brought a frown to her lips as her eyes dropped back to the bracelet that peeked out from the hem of her sleeve. The skies were just starting to brighten, paler shades of blue already reflecting in the waves that made up almost half of the view from the balcony. That same blue was also taken in by the silver of her bracelet, reminding her once again of the angel's wings.

_Probably not, though,_ Liane sighed and forced herself to look up. _I still don't even know what to say. Do I describe every dream… ask him if it has any meaning to him?_ She had seen the desolate pain in his eyes every time she had the most painful of her visions. _Is it right for me to force that kind of memory back on him… if I am right?_ She had seen what it had done to Regal to have to relive what had happened to him.

_I don't have any right to this knowledge. Even if there is the slightest chance that it's real – I still shouldn't have it._

As the thoughts twisted painfully over one another, Liane sighed and shook her head as if it would enforce her denial. She couldn't just blurt out whatever came to mind the next time she saw Kratos. Her words would have to be careful… she would have to be cautious of what she asked, or she knew that he would shut her out. _He has no reason to let me in,_ the young woman hung her head. _He probably has no reason to believe me…._

… _or – if I'm right – every reason to hate me._

It was all the morbidity she could handle. Liane turned from the balcony and slipped back into her room. She was sure she wouldn't go back to sleep – dawn was close, and the chance of more dreams wasn't one she could bring herself to take. It took no time to change to a clean blue tunic, reload her pack, brush her braid out into a neat ponytail, and fold her blankets. Whatever time she had left before the others woke and were ready to leave would have to be for focus – deal with what she could and lock away the rest.

Leaving her sword behind, Liane made her way out of the suite as quietly as she could, going so far as to carry her boots until she stood in the hallway outside the room and the door was closed behind her. Tugging the soft leather boots on, she glanced over to the room that the group's males shared, but quickly huffed and turned away, walking quickly to the elevator before she could even partially entertain seeking out any of her friends' counsel – especially as one of those friends was part of the reason she needed room to think.

_Regal._

In the confines of the small elevator compartment, somehow it seemed safe to admit that he was a part of what was troubling her. It didn't matter that he had assured her that nothing was damaged between them… or that he had wished her a good night at the door of her suite as casually as any other night, it still ate at her that she had crossed a line. Regal had been a gracious gentleman – a friend humoring her girlish attempt to remember something of a milestone under the protection of friendship.

_But was it wrong?_

'Right' and 'wrong' were moot points – Liane knew that. It was over and done with. But there was still the voice in her head that chided her for how insensitive her timing had been. Regal was her friend, and he was hurting so deeply – had she taken advantage of that? And for what? A moment of safe experience?

_It's not as if I'm in love with Regal…._

The doors slid open with a soft chime, but Liane remained frozen in the wake of the thought. For a moment just before the kiss she had asked for, she realized that it was actually a glimpse of something simple… something blessedly uncomplicated.

Liane blinked as the thought played out – had she held out to find her first kiss from Kratos – even if he had humored her as Regal had, it would have been something complex and over-examined. There were too many questions within her where the angel was concerned… but with Regal, things were easier to understand. They were friends… there was respect… and there was an unspoken understanding between them.

The difference was abstract, but it made the dark-haired young woman somehow feel better. _Regal knows that I have to figure out if there's anything to this pull I feel for Kratos, even if he doesn't like him. And I know that his heart belongs to Alicia._ It was enough realization that she and Regal understood where each other stood to make her feel a little less guilty… or at least enough to allow her to cross the lobby and step out into the already-warm morning breeze. The sky was growing brighter and the shadows of the night were already fleeing the sunrise as the streetlamps flickered out one by one. Liane paused on the steps and looked around, the sight of the empty streets reminding her Regal was the one that had knew his way around Altamira – not her. The barricades that separated the beach from the city were still in place – and even if she would have been so bold as to cross them on her own – she couldn't bring herself to consider it until she came to grips with the events of the previous night before she had to face either Regal or Kratos – again.

Spotting a small cluster of wrought-iron tables and chairs at the edge of the boardwalk, Liane decided it would do nicely for a measure of solitude, and took a seat that overlooked the brightening waves beyond the beach below. Drawing in a long, deep breath, she began to put her thoughts in order. _It's all my fault, anyway. No one else had encouraged me to talk to Kratos… I wasn't thinking when I kissed his cheek._ Guilt kicked at her again and she clasped her hands in her lap. _The first kiss felt like an accident… and the second…._ Her frown deepened. _I asked for it… just so I would remember…._

Her eyes slid closed and she _almost_ stifled a soft groan. _He was probably raised to be a gentleman if he's a Duke… with a request as minor as that – in the grand scheme of things – it probably wasn't a second thought for him._

_It's not a bad thing_, she told herself, the logic almost sounding convincing. If it was something common and simple to Regal, then there wasn't too much to worry about that he would resent her for the request. It would be easy for him to forget and perhaps not consider that she had pressed for the 'favor' on the day that his lover's soul had been released from its gemlike prison to finally be able to flee the world…

… _and leave him… alone._

Liane winced at the cold, harsh reality of the thought. Her friend had lost the other half of his heart and soul. It would be another day he would probably give anything to forget… another reminder that he would do anything to go back to a time long before, armed with the knowledge he had earned through devastating and soul-searing experience… anything just for a chance to fix things. _But… all in all… probably just forget. Forget how he had lost his heart… _

… _and certainly to forget the twit-like audacity of a simple girl from the declining world that wanted – for an instant – to know what a kiss felt like._

She hung her head. _It's probably for the best if he forgets that part. _Then Liane forced herself to chuckle, a grim sound, but something to ground her in reality. _It probably wasn't that memorable for him anyway. It was sweet, simple, and courteous. That's more than I ever would have gotten from someone like Michael._

_And Kratos probably would have just laughed at me._

The streak of humbling thoughts was just enough to convince her that the topic needed to be dropped… and apparently more than enough to distract her from the fact that she was no longer alone at the small table.

"Liane, I know it's mostly too late, but if you are still willing to listen, I would like to finally tell you everything I should have told you before," came a familiar, quiet voice from beside her.

The swordswoman jumped as he began to speak, staring at Regal for a moment until his words started making sense to her, overpowering her surprise that he was even there. She hadn't heard or seen his approach, but somehow, there was comfort in his presence and in his offer… an almost silent reinforcement that they could move on from the day before as they sat together to watch the new day begin. "Regal, you don't have to do that," she shook her head and found a small smile for him to hide her embarrassment over how oblivious she had been. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to intrude or follow you, but I didn't see you when I came out here…?"

Regal shook his head, his eyes still shadowed by the morning's dim light. "I was on the beach. I needed the space to train and the chance to clear my head," he remarked, tilting his head to watch her. "I should have been able to talk to you before. You already know so much, so I should have nothing to hold back from you anymore… and no reason to do so." He rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward to rest his chin in his hands. "If the offer is no longer good –?"

"No, no… it's not like that," Liane shook her head with a sad smile. "Regal, why would the offer not still stand?" she asked, turning her chair to face him. She watched the shackled man for a moment, searching him for signs of anything that might have changed. "I just didn't think you'd want to talk about it anymore?"

"You are my friend, Liane. I don't have any reason to keep secrets from you," he drew a deep breath and sat back in the chair, clenching his bound hands on the table before him. "I had no reasons other than my own fears, doubts, and selfishness to keep me from telling you anything before now." He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow to her. "You seemed distracted… if you have other things on your mind, I don't want to interrupt, but I wasn't sure when I would have another chance to talk to you if we really are going to pursue another pact today."

Liane paused for a moment, considering his offer. _He wants to talk… won't that be a way to set things straight?_ As much as the day before had seemingly complicated the relationships of their group, wouldn't talking things out be a step forward? "I don't know if anyone has decided for sure. I heard Raine and Sheena talking about the pact when they came in last night, but if the guys were talking about it, too, that must be the plan," she shrugged. After a moment, she finally reached out and placed a hand over his closest hand. The touch was experimental… an assurance to herself that nothing had changed. "If you really want to talk, I'll listen. But I don't want to make you hurt any worse… not because of me."

"I have hurt for a long time. And, to be honest, part of me is certain that I will always ache… it will just be a matter of how much over time," Regal commented, shaking his head and turning his hand beneath hers to give it a gentle squeeze. "I feel that I have let you down. I should have been more open with you – as you have been with me – and then perhaps I would not have hurt you with my silence." He turned his eyes down to the tabletop with a sigh. "I'm sorry that I cannot take back what has played out like this, but I can tell you that I'm sorry. I did want to tell you about Alicia."

The soft smile Liane had worn saddened as his voice faded. "Regal, don't apologize… please," she begged quietly, keeping her hand in his. "It was never a requirement… our friendship never hinged on you tearing yourself down for my benefit… just to have something to share." She shook her head and leaned forward a bit to be sure he would hear that she was sincere. "If you want to talk more, I'd be happy to listen. But do it for you… not for me, okay?"

He nodded in response and remained silent for a few moments longer before he tilted his head to watch her with a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Were you at all surprised to find out who I am? A Duke… a leader of a large company?" he asked, his voice revealing a small amount of hesitance. "It was all harder to hide in the mines… and then I was sure Vharley would reveal everything. That man loves to hear himself talk…."

"Surprised?" Liane repeated with a small frown as she sorted through his question. _He's trying to find out how many ways he's let me down… how many ways what he's lived through has changed him,_ she realized and then began to shake her head, trying to choose her words carefully. "Honestly? No… but it's not something I would really have considered, either." She waited until he met her gaze before continuing. "It's not like I've ever really met any nobility – Sylvarant doesn't have any kind of system that calls for it." She shrugged and turned toward him a little more. "But the way you speak… intelligent, thoughtful… it's clear that you're well-educated, so here in Tethe'alla, it doesn't seem like that much of reach to see you as a noble." When he didn't seem to object to her explanation, she continued. "As far as being the company president… I guess it made sense when it came out that Lezareno had ties to the mines you seemed to know so well."

The blue haired man nodded slowly. "I wondered," his eyes moved back to the ocean view. "Zelos suspected, and to be honest, as time went on, I was waiting for him to say something, but he didn't breathe a word. He actually seemed as though he was trying to steer us away from Altamira before we came here yesterday."

"He was acting kind of strange," Liane agreed, almost smiling when she felt him squeeze her hand ever so gently once again. He was still willing to hold her hand after everything… and it did help. It was an easy gesture of friendship that she needed – perhaps selfishly – after the night before. She sighed and turned her eyes downward. "Everything made sense… more and more… the closer we got to Altamira again. But, I knew you were doing what you thought you had to do."

Once again, Regal remained silent in the wake of her comment until he finally drew a deep breath that squared his shoulders. "I suppose you can see now that I did have more connections to the group than it first appeared. I did know Zelos, of course, but Presea… Presea looked so much like Alicia, though younger." Blue eyes looked out over the ocean for a moment longer before trailing back to Liane. "I was so certain when I saw Presea – certain that she was Alicia's sister. But when I asked her if she had an older sister and she replied that she had a younger one, I wasn't sure if I was simply seeing a connection where there truly was none." The shackled man's frown deepened with a labored sigh. "But when I heard the rumors that Presea hadn't aged in several years from the people of Ozette, I didn't know how to tell you… how you would have looked at me if I told you that I had murdered the woman I loved… and that woman was Presea's sister?"

Liane chewed the inside edge of her lip before speaking again, trying to choose her words as carefully as possible. "Honestly, I couldn't bring myself to believe it to start… when the pieces seemed to fit after we visited here for the first time. Any other explanation was better than that. When we were here before and met Alicia… she said that the Exsphere had killed her body… but then she said…." She stopped the explanation there when she felt Regal cringe through her light grasp on his hand. _No, there has to be a better way…._ "Regal… after everything, though… when you saw her… and when she saw you on the terrace," Liane had to look down, the poignant memory still so sharp in her mind. "There was no malice. No hatred, no need for revenge. That was when everything made sense. I knew I had been right not to believe. You… loved each other. It… was all for love."

Regal hung his head. "I… I had tried everything to find her… to get her back. But it was too late. I wasn't fast enough. She'd never have been in Vharley's hands if it weren't for me… if George hadn't seen me with her." Shaking his head, he exhaled and lifted his eyes again. "That wasn't where I wanted to start, though… there was much more before that. I met Alicia not long after she was hired. She was still very young and worked mostly in the kitchen. It was only by chance that I ran into her… and became closer to her."

Liane looked back over to him. She could tell that he was still barely hanging on, but he was trying… it was all that could be asked of him. Keeping her hand where it was, she squeezed gently and nodded. "I bet she adored you," she smiled sadly, hoping that she wasn't ripping his wounds open any wider. "You said you could barely believe that she said 'yes' when you asked her out… but I bet she was the one that was stunned," she laughed cautiously, trying to keep things lighter.

He didn't truly react either well or badly… Regal merely tightened his grip on her hand a little. It wasn't enough to even start to hurt, but enough to make it seem as if he was trying to draw strength from her. "She usually seemed surprised by the attention I gave her, but… she was always so genuine with me, much as you are." Regal paused, his lead still raised, but his gaze fall back down to the shackles on his wrists. "I adored her, as well. It's why I was so amazed when she felt the same for me." He turned his head just enough to look over to Liane, his eyes growing stormier with every passing moment. "There was a time that I couldn't picture my life without her, Liane. But then… she vanished. George didn't approve. He sent her away though he had no right to do so. And then Vharley dragged out what I had to do to have her released as much as he could… probably because of the experiments. I barely had time to fortify the mines so that he wouldn't get what he wanted in the end, but it didn't do any good. That day… all that mattered was getting Alicia back to me… safely."

"Regal, you don't have to do this," Liane murmured, her smile long gone. "I promise that we're okay. If you need to wait, wait. My offer was always just that – an offer – not an obligation. You don't owe me this," she tried to explain in an attempt to ease the moment a bit. "I want to help. If talking helps, then that's what I want to do. But if you still need time, I understand?"

Regal shook his head slowly at her, keeping her gaze as if he was absolutely unwilling to look away. "Liane… I've never told anyone this before. The only ones that truly know what happened in that corner of town on that day are myself, Vharley, and… Alicia." He swallowed hard and tensed a bit, releasing her hand and tightening his into a fist. "George was serious when he said I confessed to what I had done, but that was all that I did. I did not tell the King or anyone else what happened that day… the events that led to Alicia's death. If I had, I knew they wouldn't arrest me."

Liane exhaled with a nod of her head. It fit what she understood of him, as much as she still hated it. _He's tried to punish himself... from the start... he was his own judge and jury..._ "Regal... can... I ask a question?" she murmured, remembering what she had heard the night before.

"Of course, Liane," he assured her, keeping her gaze although he still looked as if he wanted to look away.

"How... long ago did this happen?" the young woman asked, keeping her voice low without thinking about it. Liane had a suspicion that actually made her cringe, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"Eight years ago." The Duke chewed his lip for a moment. "If I'd known about the Exsphere... that she had been trapped like that, I would not have left her like that, Liane, I would have done something for her... but..."

She nodded as his voice faded, finding that the story confirmed as much as she hated it. "I don't think you could have known. I think... Exspheres are unpredictable," Liane commented softly. _Eight years_... "Regal... let's... just get something straight, okay? I might not be someone that's known you for years, but I don't doubt your devotion to her."

"I never thought you did, Liane, I just..." He hung his head as he let his shoulders fall with a slightly louder exhale before finally looking back up to her. "I've been silent about all of it for so long, even what was between the two of us, and now that I finally have the chance to say it... maybe I need to say it. I loved her. I truly did. And I know that if it weren't for me, she'd still be here."

"Regal..." Liane breathed out, shaking her head and frowning. "Regal, don't do that. If you love someone, don't ever wish that time away," she chided him gently. She remained quiet for a moment to let it settle in. "You don't have to stay silent. You don't have to stay quiet about it... about her. And, for the record, I bet she wouldn't give up a single minute she spent with you."

"No, I don't think she would," the Duke murmured as his eyes fell shut. "But, I know that she would never have been a victim of Exspheres if not for me. She was hurt because of me, and she died by my hands. I know it was my fault, Liane – I can't deny it. But, I did make her a promise." He raised his head back to her, a kind of peacefulness passing over his face. "I wanted to tell you what happened. I didn't want George to be the one to give you the details as he knew them. It doesn't change anything, but his point of view of the entire situation is… limited. After your kindness, you deserve the whole story." He fell silent and his lips curled back into a thin frown. "He was the one that found you and the others during your last visit, isn't he?"

"Um-hmm," Liane nodded, although she couldn't bring herself to react much more. "He... mistook Presea for Alicia. But I can't say I'm that I'm any more comfortable with him after what we heard on the Terrace," she admitted quietly and then her eyes widened. _That's... probably not my place to say_, she admitted to herself sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm proving you right about that 'outspoken' thing, huh," the dark haired young woman sighed. "He... just kind of gave me the creeps."

"I... there's still a part of me that is furious at him...even after all of this time. He took the woman I loved from me when he had no right to do so, and if he'd just left well enough alone...would it have all turned out like this?" Tilting his head back, Regal turned his eyes up to the brightening Altamiran sky. "That monument at the edge of town was raised after what happened there. I hadn't seen it before we came here... but I'd been told of its construction. George hadn't told me that he'd put Alicia's grave on the terrace. He couldn't have known... how much she would... no, _must_ have... liked that."

The Duke's words were bittersweet as they floated away on the morning breeze just moments before the sun emerged from the watery horizon. He fell silent, and so did Liane. What was done… was done… and the sunrise seemed to punctuate the notion perfectly. Liane decided that nothing needed to be said – it was enough that he wanted to talk to her… to tell her the truth. Their friendship seemed solid despite her doubts, and Liane was grateful for that.

_A moment's weakness could have ruined everything… but maybe… it was just a reminder that we're both still only human_, she sighed, clasping her hands together to enjoy what little remaining peace they might have left.

* * *

The flight to the Temple of Darkness felt strangely _normal_ to Liane… down to the fact that Regal once again rode with Lloyd. The others had been almost conspicuous about not mentioning the night before and how both Liane and Regal were absent for the night, but it made it that much easier to wrap herself up in the normalcy. Every bit of the day before had somehow become some sort of hallowed ground, it seemed, with all of them content to let events rest in peace.

_It's for the best,_ Liane told herself, keeping the flight formation tight as mountain ranges began to grow from the horizon before them. _Especially if Regal and Presea have to start from the beginning again._ While the two weren't obviously avoiding each other, things were still understandably uneasy between them. _Maybe Regal will get the chance to tell her what he told me… how her sister lived… how she was loved… and how she died. _Every bit of the story was important… it was the story of a life gone too soon, but a life to be celebrated nonetheless.

_It still hurts them both… but maybe one day… it can be a comfort._

Liane knew that it was a 'best case' scenario, but at least there were no secrets remaining between them. It was reassuring that things did work out that way occasionally… especially with how the swordswoman only seemed to be accumulating more secrets to hide away. But the newest addition to her collection was at least a pleasant one, as long as she didn't over-think it. Her talk with Regal that morning had revealed no true cracks in their friendship's foundation. True to his word, he hadn't treated her any differently than he had in the days prior to his confession. It was all that she could ask of him… the rest would be up to her to settle with herself – primarily how she was starting to see her request as disrespectful of Alicia's memory, no matter how innocent her intentions.

_I'm the only one that can do anything about that, though,_ she grimaced and squinted against the rush of cool air as the group banked and started its descent towards the mountains. But it was a truth that she couldn't change… especially if the night before wasn't to be spoken of again. Liane sighed and urged her flier forward. _There's that… and I have to figure out how to talk to Kratos._ Even though Kratos and Regal didn't appear to get along very well, her friend had still guided her to talk to the angel. It was simply up to her to decide how… what to say, what to bring up, what to ask and answer.

_If I get the chance._

It wasn't as if she could predict where she would see Kratos again, and what the circumstances of his appearance would be. The only certainty would be that the others couldn't be there. She couldn't even say why she wanted to talk to him… or if Regal was correct in his assessment. _Is… this really what love is supposed to feel like… or… is it just buried under so many other things… that it just doesn't feel right?_

Once again, Liane pushed the thoughts away – the gentle jolt of the Rheaird's legs touching down acting as a recall to reality. Sheena had led the party to a narrow canyon with just enough room for them all to land… a yawning maw of darkness that resembled a cave nearby. But there was something unnamable that marked it as more than a simple abscess in the mountain – perhaps it was the throaty moan of the wind… or how even the area just outside the cave seemed darker, even though sunlight should have penetrated the threshold even a little. Liane stood back from her Rheaird and held the Wing Pack out to recall it, but her eyes were fixed on the cave opening. "Wow. This place sure lives up to its name," she muttered, still trying to repress a shiver.

"I wonder if Shadow will just jump out of the darkness at us or if he'll have an altar like the others have had," Lloyd murmured as he adjusted his blades in their scabbards. He looked over to the Professor and then to Sheena as if looking for reassurance before he chuckled nervously. "'Cause if he did, that would be really… creepy."

Raine cast a practically annoyed glance over her shoulder to the swordsman. "There's no reason why Shadow wouldn't have an altar. They've all had one so far that have also been the seals," she reasoned, slowly walking forward and stopping just at the edge of the darkness' reach. "We can't afford to underestimate this fight, though… there's a lot of mana saturating this area, and we can't say for sure that the spirit even knows we're here."

"Yeah… from the old tales, I don't think Shadow seems the type to be a showoff," Sheena nodded and moved to stand at Raine's side, facing down the wall of darkness almost as if she was trying to see through it. "It seems to me that the spirit is strong enough that it doesn't have to show off." There was a hint of a nervous waver in her voice at her declaration, but she quickly turned back to the others. "We're never going to find out by standing out here, though, right? Come on…" the summoner gestured over her shoulder and started in, her form absorbed into the darkness a heartbeat later.

Liane repressed a shiver, but moved along with the others, passing through the edge of the darkness. She expected more – perhaps a temperature drop or something more physical of a barrier – but, there was nothing except darkness… as if her vision had been suddenly stripped away. For just a moment, she panicked, but then she heard the others around her, just as they had been out in the light. "How are we ever going to fight like this?" she murmured in dismay, her hand gripping to the hilt of her swords as her other senses scrambled for a hold in the void.

"Wow," Colette breathed out somewhere in the darkness. "It's _pitch_ black…."

"It seems that the power of the Summon Spirit of Darkness has a strong effect on this area," the Professor's voice sounded from a place away from Colette's.

Hesitating as a wash of helplessness swept over her, Liane shook her head. "We shouldn't be anywhere near an altar yet, either – we might not even be _in_ the Temple yet," she sighed, denying herself the urge to turn and seek the daylight again. _Even finding the altar… or Shadow… might be impossible like this._

"Man, it's so _dark_," Lloyd commented, his voice moving somewhere before the group as he spoke. But before his amazement could find further expression, there was a muffled scuffling noise - and a yelp of pain. "Whoa!"

"Owww!" Zelos groaned dramatically from Lloyd's general direction. "My precious foot!"

A soft groan responded to Zelos' response to Lloyd's apparent assault. "We can't proceed like this," Raine stated with a frustrated sigh.

"We're going to be out own worst enemies in here. Shadow won't have anything to worry about," Liane grumbled in agreement. "We didn't bring any torches, and we can't have Raine casting Photon every few steps…."

"Let's try the Elemental Research Laboratory," Sheena suggested from the dark somewhere to Liane's left. "They've supposedly done research here before, so they should know a way to light this darkness."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Raine replied approvingly. "Come on, everyone. Let's go back outside."

There was another shuffling of feet in the darkness, highlighted by Colette's all-too-cheerful, "Okay!"

_All we should have to do is just turn around… we're not that far in, right?_ Liane coached herself as she realized that she could only barely make out a paler spot in the dark, trying to contain her eagerness to retreat from the black along with the others.

"M… my foot…."

Liane paused at the whimper, looking back out of habit even though the effort was futile. "We can take a look at it outside… or you could just sit here and wait to see what else is in here in the dark with us," she reasoned. "I bet it would have big teeth."

A wordless grumble accompanied a shuffle across the ground that passed by Liane… and she had to smile as she suddenly emerged into the sun to find that Zelos had _somehow _managed to make it out ahead of her. The redhead had his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets, hanging back from the others as they readied their Rheairds. She just couldn't keep herself from smirking as she strolled closer, finding it all too easy to lose herself to a few moments of innocent amusement. "You know… I bet if you just told her how you felt, you wouldn't have to fake injuries."

Zelos cast her a sideways glance before his glare sharpened just a little and he reached for his Wing Pack. "Hey, if you want to see your little buddy's boot print on my foot…?"

"Got plenty of scars of my own from Lloyd over the years, thanks," Liane shook her head and waved off the offer as her flyer popped into shape. Then she dropped her voice and looked back over to him, shifting her eyes to Sheena to make her point. "But I don't think pity points are the way to go when she's facing down making another pact." Her smile then sobered slightly and she shrugged. "Not if you really want her to be the one to stay behind in the dark cave with you, anyway."

Zelos' eyes widened… and then rolled with an exaggerated huff. "Shows what you know!" he laughed and tossed his expanding Rheaird out before him. "I've got hunnies that would line up for time in a dark cave with me!" he grinned and waggled his eyebrows with a laugh.

_Yeah… and only one that you'd make such a big deal out of a stepped-on foot to keep there, you ham._

The flight to Meltokio was quick, but it served to emphasize how glad she was that she had gotten to speak with Regal that morning. The group was fully focused on doing whatever it would take to win Shadow's pact… intricacies such as friendships in doubt wouldn't have been something that they would have the time or the privacy to deal with. Liane hadn't had the heart to talk about her dream, though… mostly out of suspicion of where it had come from. _If he knew I had a dream like that… after yesterday… he might stop talking again… and that's the last thing he needs._ He still had to face Presea.

The party once again took to the sewer passage into the Imperial City. While it was still hardly a treat, they moved more quickly and with considerably more surety in their steps – they knew what to expect and their previous barriers to passage were still cleared. Yet, even that couldn't stop Liane from sparing a quick glance to her blue-haired friend when they neared the exit. Even in the dim tunnel, she didn't want him to catch her… she didn't want him to think that she doubted him. But that caution couldn't overpower the faint smirk that fought its way to the surface – and would be that much harder to explain if Regal did catch her… especially if he called her on it in front of the others.

_Of all the choices he had to tackle someone… he chose the one that could have revealed everything. But Zelos didn't… if that doesn't prove that Regal has friends…._

But another thought quickly chased that one away and she had to look over to Zelos. _So… was that blackmail when Zelos dumped cooking duties on Regal that night?_

Sunlight stabbed down from above, and Liane lifted her hand to shield her eyes to watch Lloyd push the street level manhole aside and crawl out of the tunnel above them. _I guess that'll just have to stay a mystery._

In the sunlit world of the city above the sewer tunnels, the party regrouped and Lloyd and Genis carefully replaced the manhole cover. The swordsman clapped his gloved hands together to dust them off as he turned back to the others. "Let's go to the Elemental Research Laboratory," he declared, a light of determination in his warm brown eyes as he started to pivot on his heel… only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Lloyd, you mustn't forget that we're wanted as criminals," the Professor reminded her student firmly once he looked up to her. "Don't approach areas that are under heavy guard. Do you understand?"

Lloyd nodded once, his expression betraying nothing more than seriousness at the silver-haired woman's reminder. "I know," he nodded again, accepting her direction and leading the party down the street.

_I suppose that's why we have to sneak in through the sewers like rats instead of using the gates, like normal people,_ Liane groused silently, somehow still marveling at how well Lloyd had taken Raine's words. "I don't think any of us can forget that we're not welcome here," she murmured quietly once she realized that Sheena walked beside her as they moved out into the open street.

"It's probably something that won't change any time soon," the ninja whispered her agreement, keeping her voice low as her eyes swept the area around them. "We make a pretty easy target to spot together… we're just lucky that most of the cities are busy places where no one really notices things. We'll have to hope we can keep from becoming a spectacle."

It was a good enough plan for Liane – especially when she realized that Sheena was right. Though they were the only group of people moving through the crowd together, everyone else that moved about on their own seemed too busy to notice. _Hiding in plain sight works, I guess_, she sighed and forced her arms to relax and not grip to her sword. _Don't give anyone a reason to notice us_, she told herself, her eyes scanning the people around them. _Get lost in the bustle… just a part of the scenery…._

_Nothing out of the ordinary…._

Suddenly, blending in to the crowd vanished from Liane's mind. In fact, everything vanished from her mind as the milling citizens of Meltokio parted for them to pass by the gate area of the city to reveal a form she simply knew that no crowd would ever hide from her… his auburn hair… his indigo uniform… standing to face them as if he'd been expecting them. Liane froze in step, staring ahead as the rest of the party slowed.

_Kratos… I… I'm not ready…._

"Kratos!" Lloyd breathed out, roughly channeling Liane's shock as he planted himself directly before the angel and glancing up to him.

But Kratos barely acknowledged the younger swordsman with a heavy sigh as he stepped around him to face Presea. He made no quick movements… he simply tilted his head to the pink-haired girl to emphasize that he was addressing her. "I heard that sacred wood only grows in the area near Ozette. Is that correct?" Kratos asked the question without acknowledging that the others were even there in any way.

"Y… yes…" Presea nodded, her voice betraying her surprise at being the object of his attention.

_Goddess… does it have to be now??_ Liane straightened her posture as her heartbeat thundered in her ears. _If I try to talk to him now, the others will know… I… I'm not ready to face them all… but… no… no, I can't… not now._

"Then, does that mean that sacred wood no longer exists?" Kratos pressed his questioning of the ax girl, oblivious to the rest of the group and any inner turmoil they could have even as Genis moved to Presea's side, his kendama clutched tightly in his hand.

Presea lifted her hand to point to the upper levels of the city, never moving her gaze from the angel. "The wood I cut is stored in the church."

Kratos sighed – a sound almost too close to a groan – as he straightened. "So that really is all that is left," he murmured, his eyes moving in the direction she had indicated. "It seems I have no choice." He turned and started to move back into the crowd, just starting to shift his weight before Lloyd was suddenly at his side once again.

"Wait!" the brown-haired teen hissed, starting to reach for Kratos' arm, but stopping as soon as the angel's cool gaze fell on him. "Why is Cruxis worried about sacred wood?"

The mercenary was in no hurry to answer as he looked down to Lloyd, taking his time in drawing in a long breath before he shrugged. "Because it is necessary," he spoke, a smirk practically audible in his voice even though his expression was flat. "What other reason could there be?"

There was only the faintest lilt of taunting in Kratos' words but it was more than enough to make the leather of Lloyd's gloves creak in complaint as the swordsman clenched his fists. "Necessary for _what_?" Lloyd snapped back, his low voice cracking with the effort to keep somewhat quiet.

Liane could tell that Lloyd was struggling to keep the confrontation quiet… but she could also see that Kratos was goading him along, too. _But why? Is this just more of him pushing us in the direction he wants us to go? He has to know that Lloyd is holding back…._

Kratos stared back at Lloyd with a calm that could _almost_ be read as amusement. "I do not feel the need to tell you that now," he finally answered with a shrug as he turned his back to the teen, pointedly looking away as Lloyd's cheeks flushed an angered red. The group parted slightly in an unspoken agreement not to press the matter in so public a place. But then the angel hesitated and looked back over his shoulder. "By the way, Lloyd," he addressed the red-clad swordsman almost casually. "The Summon Spirit pacts you are currently forming… you must stop."

Lloyd snorted, glaring openly at the angel. "Do you think we'll stop because you said so?!" he demanded, slowly losing his fight to stay quiet.

"It is dangerous to engage in activities in which you cannot predict the outcome," Kratos responded as if he was chiding a child. "It may result in something that you cannot undo."

Suddenly, Liane realized that she was the only one that stood in the way of Kratos' retreat – everyone else had moved to let him pass, but she was still rooted in place. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts that were only related in that they centered around Kratos – _I could still stop him… demand that he talk to me. He's throwing Lloyd's words back at him… is he chiding him… or is he actually trying to make a point? Would he even talk to me? The others would see… they'd call me a traitor. But would it be worth it to know for sure if I'm crazy or not?_

_Would I even know for sure? Could I trust his answers?_

"But if there is no other way to save both worlds, then we have to do it!" Lloyd declared, advancing a step on the angel.

Kratos chuckled, but only once. "Be patient, Lloyd," he sighed and turned his back to the teen once again, only to stop when he met Liane's gaze.

The dark-haired swordswoman remained frozen, staring back at him as the rest of the world blurred away. There he was… the one man that she had any hope of holding the answers she was seeking.

_And I have no idea what to say to him._

Worse yet, her mind was searching every flicker in his eyes and assigning each of them a reason to hold her tongue… annoyance, curiosity, amusement… _and accusation?_ Liane blinked and sucked in a quick breath that snapped her back into the moment, her feet already moving to step aside and let him pass. She hung her head as she heard him walk past without hesitation. _It's not time… not here… not now._

"What does _that_ mean?" Lloyd demanded in a huff, his hands mounted on his hips as he watched Kratos disappear into the crowd.

Even though logic told Liane that she had no reason to see all of those things in the brief look she had gotten from the angel, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever find the nerve to speak to him. With another exhale, she lifted her head and prepared herself to smile again, but jumped a little as a hand fell onto her shoulder. Liane quickly looked up to find a pair of calm blue eyes watching her from behind a veil of blue bangs.

"There will be other chances," Regal murmured, holding her gaze only until he finished speaking before he glanced back to the others and his hand fell away.

"Yeah," Liane nodded with more confidence than she felt, but the shift in his gaze was enough to remind her of the situation. She fidgeted with the hem of her tunic for a moment before smoothing it and moving back closer to the group. What she had to say was deeply personal… _and not for this situation._

Genis looked up as the group recollected itself, shaking his head with a soft snort. "Man, why does he pick on the girls? First Presea… then Liane…!"

Liane laughed a little and then reached back to push her ponytail back over her shoulder – anything to ignore how warm her cheeks had become. "I… was just in his way, Genis… I don't think he was really 'picking' on me," she shrugged, trying to avoid thinking about how one of them actually noticed the moment that had passed between herself and Kratos.

"I should still teach you Fire Ball… something you could toss at him to tell him to take his '_I'm so mysterious'_ act somewhere else," Genis grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Honestly, has that guy ever given anyone a straight answer in his life?"

_I think he did… at some point…._ Liane fought the urge to frown as the memory of a softer expression on the angel's face flitted through her memory. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I would like to learn Fire Ball, if you're really offering?" It was as good a topic change as she could muster, though no less true for the effort.

"There'll be time for that later," Raine sighed and started down the street with a wave over her shoulder. "Our chances of getting caught get bigger the longer we tarry."

The young mage's eyes followed his sister for a moment before he glanced back up to Liane. "I'll teach you soon, okay?" he asked with a grin as he turned and hurried to walk at Presea's side.

"Aw, no fair… the brat gets to teach you something? C'mon, Liane!" Zelos groaned, flailing his arms as he strolled past the swordswoman, a distinct slump in his shoulders only until he caught her eye and arched an eyebrow to her. "Now, _I_ could teach you some things –"

"That are illegal in almost every city in Tethe'alla… yeah," Sheena grumbled, her steps not even hesitating as her hand snapped out to grab the redhead's ear and drag him along with her. "Stick with Genis, Liane… your studies will be much more focused…."

Liane watched Sheena pull Zelos away in the wake of the Sages and sighed, smirking a little at how Zelos seemed to be struggling to keep from crying out. A few steps later, Sheena released her prisoner, and the break in the entertainment reminded Liane that it was time to continue. There truly was no time to stop and consider what might have happened had she had the courage to face Kratos… nor was there time to debate that Raine was right. _We have to get off the streets… and get out of this town before the guards spot us…._

As good as the reasons were… no matter how many of her friends surrounded her… Liane still couldn't get over the thought that she could only miss so many chances to speak to Kratos before there would simply be no more. _Either the worlds will split… or…._ Of the worst-case scenarios, that was the best. Anything else… was far too final for her to pay the time for a full thought.

Fortunately, the Elemental Research Laboratory was close… and the presence of a handful of researchers just inside was enough to provide further distraction.

"Sheena! And everyone…."

The greeting was warm enough, but Liane still hung back near the door. Sheena was the one that knew the researchers and it would be Sheena that would have to ask the favor they needed of them. The removal also gave her at least a little more time to rebuild the shields that Kratos could apparently dismantle with but a look. _I don't want him to be able to do that… but I don't know how to take that power away from him._

The Summoner approached the researchers and gave them a small bow. "We have a bit of a favor to ask of you all, if it's all right," she started respectfully as her stance relaxed slightly. "You see, Shadow's dungeon…."

Sheena proceeded to describe their predicament – along with Zelos contributing his own embellishment to further mourn the damage to his foot – to the researchers, including a passing report on her progress in acquiring the pacts she already had. The researchers nodded to her report, their eyes noticeably glazing with curiosity when she spoke of her pacts, but they remained silent until Sheena came to the end of her explanation.

"Ah, I see," the blue-haired researcher that had greeted them cleared his throat and straightened his lab coat. "In that case, the blue candle should be of use to you."

Lloyd tilted his head to the half-elf, a frown curling the corners of his mouth downward. "Blue candle?"

Raine glanced over to her student with a slow nod. "It's a holy candlestick that negates the power of darkness," she spoke with an air of surprise in her voice as she looked back to the researcher. "You have that _here_?"

"Yes. Relying on ancient documents, we succeeded in creating it here in our lab," the researcher nodded with a smile, a hint of pride lacing through his declaration.

Lloyd's smile quickly pushed away his previous puzzlement as he approached the researcher. "Then, could we borrow one?" he asked, his eagerness earning a chuckle from the blue-haired half-elf.

_And, there he goes… promise him a new toy,_ Liane smirked and glanced around her companions, noting that at least some of their anxiousness had evaporated with the possibility of help.

"Of course," the researcher replied to the swordsman. "We'd be –"

"Hey!" A second female researcher stepped out of the shadows behind the entry desk and up to her colleague with a scowl on her face that was fixed firmly on the party. "It's these guys' fault that Kate was arrested! We can't help them!"

The first researcher blinked in surprise and slowly shook his head. "But they're Sheena's friends," he argued, sounding completely blindsided by the other's objection.

"Kate?" Lloyd breathed out, taking a step back to look between the researchers. "What about Kate?"

The tension was back in an instant, snapping the party back from the comfort of false security. _Kate? The researcher in Sybak?_ "What happened to her?" Liane asked before she could stop herself, drawing the eyes of the researchers to her for a moment.

"Kate is going to be executed for harboring criminals and helping them escape," the first researcher hung his head, visibly deflated by delivering the news, his gaze falling to the ground as the other researcher commented only with a snort of disdain as she crossed her arms over her chest.

For a moment, the room fell into silence, the truth of the University researcher's plight enough to explain itself as well as point the finger of blame for all of them.

Until Lloyd's fist slammed down on the desk.

"Because of us… dammit!" the swordsman growled out, his eyes squeezed shut as he clenched his jaw tighter.

Colette bit her lip and hurried to Lloyd's side, reaching out with both hands to pull his fist up from the desk to draw his eyes up to hers. "Lloyd!" she called him with quiet urgency to pull him from the boiling brood that had taken him at the news of Kate's apparent fate. "Please, let's save Kate!"

"Lloyd… I… I want to save her, as well."

The soft voice may as well have been a trumpet as all eyes snapped down to the pink-haired ax girl who had moved to stand to Lloyd's side opposite Colette. She stood patiently as the crimson-clad teen looked down to her and blinked away his surprise, much as the others of the party were doing. "Yeah," he nodded, but his frown contrasted with his agreement. "But how?"

"Kate is still alive," Liane pointed out, trying to help her friend's frustration by starting towards the 'how' he had requested. "They said she is 'going to be' executed… so there has to be a way we can get to her and stop it, right?" _Sounds good, _a small voice in the back of her mind taunted her. _Too bad you don't have anything more than optimism to turn it into a real plan._

No one objected to her reasoning, but no one piped up with a way to prove her right, either. The moment before the swordswoman was going to take a step back and swear off groundless optimism, she heard a heavy sigh from behind her.

"How about participating in the matches being held at the Coliseum?" Regal asked, his voice the epitome of calm as he once again took up the mantle of 'voice of reason' for the group… the first time he had truly spoken up that day since they had left Altamira.

Zelos turned, flipping his hair over his shoulder to look to the convict, one eyebrow quirked in curiosity. "The Coliseum?" he asked. "What for?"

Regal squared himself to face the redheaded Chosen, his expression a stony mask of calm as the others turned to him. "It was originally constructed to watch fights between prisoners and wild beasts," the Duke replied evenly. "There is a passage inside the prison which allows prisoners to be taken into the Coliseum."

"Oh, that's right," Zelos nodded, lifting a hand to give his chin a thoughtful stroke. ""You were in there before…."

While Regal showed no signs of a reaction to the comment, Liane was sure that she winced for both of them. As the group exchanged looks and no one voiced a reason why it wouldn't work, Liane edged back to stand at her friend's side. While she didn't dare chastise Zelos for his lack of sensitivity, she knew that it still had to be another twist of the noose that Regal's past had on his life. _He wouldn't have suggested it lightly,_ she told herself, hoping she was right. _It might be our only chance._

The female researcher huffed slightly and started to step out from behind the desk. "Then, let's hurry up and rescue her," she muttered with a groan in her voice until Zelos moved to block her path.

"Uh-uh," Zelos shook his head. "What's this 'we' stuff? You said it yourself that this is our fault, plus, it would be bad for you to be seen outside the lab, right?"

"Well…" the half-elf murmured, her eyebrows dipping towards each other. "Yes, but –"

Zelos turned on his heel and glanced over to Lloyd. "Then it's settled. C'mon, Lloyd… there's a damsel in distress just waiting for a rescue… let's not keep her waiting, hmm?"

"Okay, gotcha," Lloyd took his cue from Zelos and gestured to the others to follow him. "Everyone, let's hurry to the arena."

The trip to the Coliseum was almost unnervingly calm to Liane, though she made it a point not to meet the eyes of anyone on the streets. _Kate freed us, so we should return the favor, _she reasoned to herself, feeling that there was some justice to the researchers' conditions of help. _But, if it's so public a place, aren't we just asking for trouble?_

As if fate were taunting Liane with an answer, a pair of armored guards patrolled the front gate. But they proved to be as oblivious as any of the party could hope as they were able to stroll by the guards and continue directly to the arena's check in desk.

"Who is going to enter?" the receptionist asked with a bored lilt in her voice without bothering to even look up. Her fingernails seemed to be much more interesting than her desk duties.

Lloyd paused and turned to let his eyes scan over his companions before turning back to the receptionist with a grin and a shrug. "The redheaded guy will."

Zelos' head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise. "What? M… me?!" His arms flailed as the pitch of his voice rose. "Me?! Why? Why me?! You should go, Lloyd!"

The younger swordsman made an obvious attempt to stifle a laugh as he turned to shrug again – this time to Zelos. He took a few steps back from the desk and nodded for the others to join him, forming a small pod with only slightly more privacy from the disinterested receptionist. "Do some work every now and then," he commented, keeping his voice low.

"I'm always working," the Chosen retorted, sniffing in disdain to Lloyd's implication as a quiet wave of snickers ran through the group.

"Not just the ladies, this time," Liane smiled sweetly, patting Zelos on the shoulder and receiving a thinly veiled glare for the gesture. "This really counts!"

Colette moved to her Tethe'allan counterpart's side as he turned, his intent to dispute Liane's words freezing on his tongue as the blonde girl beamed up at him. "You can do it, Zelos!"

"Yeah," Sheena chimed in with Colette, though her voice was filled with more amusement than true cheer. "Get out there and fight!"

Zelos' eyes grew wider as the females of the group continued to edge closer, an uneasy laugh shaking his shoulders.

"I know you'll do well," Raine nodded matter-of-factly, a knowing smile on her lips.

The redhead took a small step back, starting to lift his hands as if to ward off the encouragement, but Presea merely took a step to follow him. "Please, do your best…" the pigtailed girl asked softly, fixing her blue eyes on him.

"Ah…" Zelos sighed, his shoulders slumping forward a little before he re-inflated with a laugh that matched the smile he suddenly wore. "Well, if you insist," he announced to the others so he dramatically planted his hands on his hips. "The great and beautiful Zelos shall enter the ring!"

Lloyd stood back and crossed his arms over his chest with an appreciative nod… and a smirk that he didn't even bother trying to hide. "You're easy to manipulate, you know that?"

"Just because he can't say 'no' to a girl?" Liane smirked, seeing the face Zelos made at Lloyd. She did her best to keep from laughing. "Does it really matter as long as he does what he says it will? I mean, yes, all of the girls encouraged him, but he still said he'd do it… right?"

Zelos' expression mellowed slightly – almost as if he was trying to find a buried insult in her words. However, before he could decide on a response, Regal's voice that filled the momentary silence. "However, it would be a bad idea for the Chosen to participate using his real name.

"Yeah," Genis nodded in agreement. "People know your face, too."

Raine hummed, lost in thought for a few moments as she stroked her chin, her keen blue eyes suddenly snapping sharply on Zelos. "Yes. Perhaps we should have him become a masked knight."

"There was a shop just outside the arena," Sheena suggested. "Let's go see if we can disguise our pretty boy, shall we?" the ninja grinned and planted her hands on the backs of Zelos' shoulders, pushing him to walk as he struggled with his outraged response.

"No! There will be no hiding of the handsome charm! Not behind a mask! It's not fair!" Zelos hissed, but Sheena's steps didn't slow in the least.

Raine turned back to the others with a sigh. "You should all stay here… we'll be right back," she told them and then hurried after the ninja and her kidnapped prey.

The party that remained milled about aimlessly in an attempt to look nonchalant. The feat struck Liane as laughable considering that – other than the desk staff – they were almost the only ones in the lobby. _Talk about walking into the lion's den_… she mused, a taunting voice in her mind all too gleeful to point out how quick of a trip it would be for them to be caught and ushered into the prison, if what Regal said was true. Her eyes flashed to the shackled man, noting that he and Lloyd were talking quietly off to the side of the room. It struck her as a tactically wise move, considering his restraints were an obvious mark to anyone that cared to pay attention.

_I wonder if he had to fight in the arena…._

The thought crept up on her, blooming before she was truly ready for it. Liane frowned and turned to the window that opened to the street outside the arena. _I don't want to think like that… _she made her silent stand to block out the possibility, no matter how likely she knew it was. No matter what she thought Regal did or didn't deserve, she knew it didn't translate into reality.

_It's not the first time that I've tried to deny what's right in front of my eyes._

"Well? Well? Looks good, eh?"

The insistent comment brought Liane back from her thoughts as she turned to the entrance to find Zelos standing with his arms spread wide to catch the approval of his companions. His hair had been tucked up beneath a large-brimmed hat, and his face obscured behind a garish mask that – more or less – resembled the visage of a bird. Sheena and Raine edged into the lobby behind the Chosen and stood in silent observation of the others' reactions.

"Hurry up and register," Genis groaned and jerked his thumb back towards the reception desk as the keen blue eyes of the Chosen peered out at him through the mask. "We're here to rescue Kate."

Zelos tilted his head and slowly lowered his arms to his sides. "Okay, okay," he grumbled, his voice echoing a bit behind the mask as he strolled forward to approach the desk. Ever so casually, he leaned his forearm onto the wood and reached out to tap on the registration book. "Put me down as the Handsome Swordsman," he crooned, his voice oozing with velvet charm.

The receptionist looked up – wide-eyed and fingernails forgotten – as she almost lost her balance climbing off her stool. "Chosen One!"

Lloyd was instantly at Zelos' side to face the receptionist, a forced laugh and cheesy grin responding to the girl's observation as he clapped the redhead on the shoulder. "No, no," he shook his head, still laughing. "There's no way this idiot could be the Chosen, right?"

The masked swordsman turned his head to peer down to the slightly shorter teen. "Shut up," he grumbled under his breath, though the mask amplified the words enough for all to hear. He then turned back to the receptionist, reaching out to take her hand as he leaned across the counter. "Say," he murmured softly, "… would you mind pretending you didn't see me?"

"Ah," the girl blushed furiously, but didn't make any effort to pull her hand back. "All right."

As the receptionist fumbled for her wits as well as her pen, Sheena sighed heavily and leaned her head forward to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Well, it's obvious from how he acts anyway," she huffed and shifted to cross her arms over her chest impatiently.

Liane glanced over to the ninja, one eyebrow arching sharply. "Please tell me that wasn't his only option for a disguise," she muttered quietly, waiting for Sheena to look up.

When the summoner did look up, though, she rolled her eyes in a show of exasperation. "Oh, there were others. This one was a suggestion – and a sarcastic one at that – but he liked it. Said he could make anything look good." Sheena shook her head. "I should have known better than to tempt him."

"Yeah, he seems to have a weak spot for temptation," Liane agreed, glancing up as Zelos was ushered into a side room. The distraction helped her to cut off the thought from finding further voice, though it still rang in her head. _And you… you have to be able to see it, Sheena. You have to be his biggest temptation._

Once Zelos was gone from their sight, the receptionist returned and directed the rest of the party to the hall that was marked as leading to the observation area. After a short trip through a long, narrow tunnel, the group emerged into a wash of sunlight and the roar of the approving crowd that encircled the arena below. They stayed close together as they made their way through the crowd to stand along the railing. Liane could see that Regal was easily the most noticeable of them with Zelos now gone, the man's shackles setting him apart from the people that they passed through. But the party kept him at its core without question or instruction… something she was glad to see. He seemed reluctant to join them, but voiced no complaints… something that almost made her feel guilty for being hear the end of their line and out of reach to speak to him.

_Stop being silly. He's doing what he has to… just as we all are,_ Liane chided herself silently. His secrets were not bared to all of them… he had no reason to hide anything. She couldn't stop herself from envying that. With a sigh, she turned back to the arena as the announcer called out into the crowd, his words lost to another roar as Zelos stepped into the arena and lifted his arms to soak in all the attention.

"So… is he okay? He didn't say anything this morning… or on the way here…."

Liane looked to her left to find Lloyd watching her expectantly. It took her only a blink before she realized that their thoughts were traveling similar paths. "He… I think he's still waiting for us all to reject him," the swordswoman answered, forcing herself to not look down the row to Regal and keeping her voice only loud enough for her oldest friend to hear over the crowd.

Lloyd frowned and leaned his elbows forward onto the railing. "I couldn't. That's why I probably still would have let him come with us even if Presea had objected," he admitted, a small note of guilt in his voice. "I heard his story… and I couldn't help but think of my Dad. I want to think that I could forgive him, so it seemed only right to not turn my back on Regal, even if he didn't tell us everything right away."

"He didn't know for sure. Presea said she had a younger sister, and with how she looks like she's Genis' age, he didn't want to be wrong," Liane reasoned over the calls of the crowd as Zelos' opponents entered the arena. "Regal might not talk about it much… maybe not until he talks to Presea, at the very least. It really is only right that way, though."

The swordsman turned his head just enough to look over to her. "But he talked to you, right?"

Liane hoped that she was only imagining a flash of heat that settled in her cheeks, pushing away her focus on it to shrug. "He did, but he knows that Presea deserves to know how her sister lived… when and if she's ready. It's… a personal thing for both of them," she tried to explain, trying to condense all that she and Regal had spoken of into enough reason that – perhaps – Lloyd wouldn't push too hard.

"Zelos noticed you were gone last night," Lloyd mentioned casually, wincing as the first of Zelos' three opponents hit the floor of the arena in a cloud of dust. "I didn't tell anyone that you went back after you asked about Regal, but it's probably a good thing he didn't find you two together. I'm sure he would have teased you both."

"There wasn't anything to tease about," Liane answered quickly – almost too quickly, she realized a moment later when Lloyd raised an eyebrow to her. "We talked. I just had to make sure he was okay after everything," she explained, trying to choose her words carefully to keep from lapsing into an all-out lie after her blurted response. "When I was relatively sure he was, it was too late to catch the play, so I just went to bed."

The crimson-clad teen's head snapped up as the crowd exploded into cheers. Zelos landed with a flourish of his sword and a deep bow as both of his remaining opponents hit the ground and failed to rise in the wake of the Chosen's Victory Light Spear. "Whoa… he won already? He didn't even have to break a sweat with those guys," Lloyd chuckled and let his eyes sweep around the arena. "Guess we should get moving," he leaned over to almost scream in Liane's ear. But in all the chaos of the revelry in the stands, the party was locked in place, apparently buying Lloyd a few extra moments of thought. He reached over to grab Liane's arm and tug her closer. "Do you think I should talk to him? Would it hurt more… or would it help?"

The young woman only had to consider his offer for a heartbeat before she found her smile for him. "I think it would mean a lot to him, Lloyd," she answered honestly. "It would show him that he's – at least a little – less alone in the world."

"I'll try to talk to him tonight," the young swordsman nodded decisively and then glanced around as the crowd started to shift around them. "C'mon… here's our chance… we have to go meet Zelos," he called as he turned and stepped into the sea of people, hesitating only long enough to make sure Liane and the others weren't more than a step behind.

Most of the crowd seemed more than pleased to stay behind, becoming more obstacles than competition to get out of the arena. It also meant that when they emerged onto the street, it was still relatively deserted and moving just a small distance from the arena gates not only put them out of range of the guards' notice, but also placed them directly in the path of the escape of the masked Chosen and a familiar half-elven researcher.

Kate hesitated when she saw the group that awaited her, allowing Zelos to get a few steps ahead of her. She shrank back, nervously pushing her glasses back up onto her nose as she looked down to the ground. "Thank you," she murmured softly without lifting her gaze.

"Now that we've rescued her, what is she going to do?" Regal asked as the group began to move closer to Kate, a frown set not only on his lips, but also in his voice.

Liane shrugged, realizing that their plan for a rescue was exactly that – and included no real plans for after. "Well, we could take her back to the Elemental Research Lab, but… they might look for her there once they realize that she's gone," she mused, considering that perhaps the researchers would want proof that the group had kept its promise to rescue their colleague.

Lloyd approached Kate slowly. "Do you have any family?" he asked, running his fingers back through his hair with a shrug that seemed to indicate that he was trying to come up with a plan.

Kate regarded the swordsman for a moment without replying, as if she was measuring him to fit an answer to his question. "My mother passed away," she finally responded. "My father is…" her eyes widened and her mouth snapped shut, biting off the rest of her response as her body tensed with the effort. "No."

"No?" Genis repeated, looking up to the woman, his head tilted in question. "What do you mean?"

The half-elven woman huffed a breath of frustration as she looked around the party. "I have a favor to ask you," she stated without answering the young mage's question and without directly meeting anyone's gaze. "Please take me to Ozette."

"Ozette?" Lloyd blurted out and leaned in closer to Kate. "It's in ruins now. Are you sure?"

"Yes… please," Kate nodded and finally let her eyes settle on Presea with a faintly wistful sigh. "That's where I was born."

The statement left the group in a moment of stunned silence before Lloyd slowly looked around the party, searching each of their expressions – perhaps for signs of objection. Yet no one spoke – neither in favor nor in rejection of the idea. "All right," he finally nodded and gestured for Kate to come with them as the party started back to the walkway that joined the Coliseum area back to the rest of the Imperial City.

_So she's a half-elf… born in a town that hated her for that fact,_ Liane reasoned, the thought bringing a flash of pity for the researcher to the top of her thoughts despite what the woman had been involved with concerning Presea. _She's helped us before… and we might not have been able to help Presea without her. _No matter how strong the urge to hold the woman's work against her, Liane couldn't completely do so. _So many people have been forced into doing things they didn't want to do. Everyone is left struggling to make up for it… or to just live with themselves for it. _She had to force herself not to look over to Regal or Sheena… _but are any of us happy with what we've done?_ She bit the inside of her lip to keep from sighing, but she couldn't turn off the thoughts. _With so much at stake… so many lives in the balance… is there truly any one path that would make everything right?_Kratos knew that he shouldn't be surprised. Nothing Yuan did anymore truly shocked him 0 not even what he could only suspect the half-elf of doing. But somehow, the sight of the ponytailed seraph draped lazily over Yggdrasill's Vinheim throne still stopped him in his tracks. With a single shake of his head, he crossed his arms over his chest and strolled closer. "Pronyma said you came back, but I didn't think I'd find you trying out the throne," he commented evenly, raising an eyebrow to his companions.

* * *

"I don't see what he gets out of this," Yuan grumbled as he shifted to properly sit in the oversized chair, bracing his elbows on his knees and watching Kratos contemplatively. "There's nothing to do, watch, or listen to when no one else is here."

"I think that may be part of the problem… what he doesn't see and what he is listening to when he is here alone," Kratos replied, some small part of the tension in his shoulders melting as he looked around the seemingly boundless 'room.'

Yuan snorted… a decidedly cynical dry laugh shaking his shoulders only once. "We might never know. I'm sure I don't want to…" he sighed and then turned his narrowed gaze back to Kratos. "Good of you to check in on _Lord Yggdrasill's_ throne, though. I'm sure he's grateful for such obedience. Especially seeing as how you know where he is right now as well as I do."

The accusation in Yuan's tone was an instant reminder to Kratos that nothing was as it seemed in Vinheim anymore. Even those that had been bound together through friendship and strife so many years before each harbored their own agendas – as did so many of those beneath them. "We'd both be foolish to not make it a point to know where he is, Yuan. You know that better than I do by now," he replied coolly, knowing that his point was as valid as Yuan's.

"He's waiting for you to slip. You know he is. He's like a coiled snake…" the half-elf continued, shrugging off Kratos' volleyed response. "But he knows he doesn't have to strike you now. H knows there's a better way to keep you as his lap dog."

Kratos didn't move. He didn't dare even twitch. Yuan only returned to Vinheim when circumstances suited him… and without Yggdrasill to push the issue, it was becoming clear that the Cruxis Lord had nothing to do with his presence. "If you came to point out how Mithos is insinuating himself into their party, I know that already."

Yuan pushed himself up from the throne in one graceful motion, drawing his arms within the drapes of his cloak. "Not Mithos. No matter what he looks like he's Yggdrasill," he retorted. "I assume you also know that he's close enough to strike at the boy. Don't be so arrogant as to think that he isn't counting on the fact that you know where he is."

"He's biding his time, he's waiting, or he never would have taken on Mithos' form and done this. I can see that. You're wasting your time if that's all that you returned to tell me, Yuan," Kratos sighed, feeling the irritation building deep inside of him. "Take whatever technology you need and go. I'm sure that your little rebellion needs your leadership now more than ever." Kratos could easily see how well equipped the Renegades were – constantly comparable to the Desians – and he knew who their benefactor had to be. The idea of shining light on Yuan's activities never set well with Kratos – not when it was simply another variation on what he had tried to do himself. He couldn't agree with Yuan's methods, but then, he didn't have to do so. Yuan asked for no one's approval – and neither did Kratos.

"The boy isn't doing so well in keeping hidden anymore, Kratos. He's making himself a target," Yuan shrugged, his eyes still fixed firmly on Kratos. "And with the way that Exsphere of his is evolving, it won't be long before he crosses from 'threat' to 'danger' in Yggdrasill's eyes. When – not if, mind you – that happens… if he's not ready for it… if he doesn't know the truth… Yggdrasill will crush him. That boy is power over you as well as in his own right. Don't be so stupid as to think that Yggdrasill doesn't see that."

Kratos' hand itched to curl around the hilt of his sword. _That's what he wants… to prove his point,_ a coldly logical voice whispered in his mind and helped him keep from giving into his urge. "If you have something to say, Yuan, say it. Otherwise, I believe this conversation is over."

The half-elf smirked, movement of his cape accentuating a nonchalant shrug. "It's easy, really. You can't play both sides forever. And if you don't decide where you will stand, whoever holds Lloyd will control you. Is that what you want? To live – and possibly finally _die_ – as a puppet?" He clucked his tongue and shook his head with an exaggerated sigh of pity. "Poor, poor Kratos. You gave him the perfect weapons."

The auburn-haired man bristled, but it was all the reaction he would give the half-elf. "What would _you_ have me do? Join your Renegades… the once that you don't think he knows anything about?"

"Oh, he knows about the Renegades. I'm sure he does," Yuan replied, a small bit of his smirk fading. "But I think they still amuse him… or we'd all be in chains… or dead. You, on the other hand…." The gleam returned to his eyes. "You still have value to him… and he is poised to remind you of that fact for the rest of your days – if you let him."

"Origin," Kratos sighed, narrowing his gaze on Yuan again. "I had hoped that you would be more original than that, Yuan." The seal of the Summon Spirit was a cornerstone of Yggdrasill's power – Kratos had never tried to fool himself otherwise. But that Yuan and the Renegades wanted him for the same reason seemed a bit more traditional than he suspected Yuan was capable of being. He arched an eyebrow at the half-elf. "If all else fails, steal Yggdrasill's toys, is that it?"

Yuan shrugged and started to walk past his companion. "Your words… not mine." When he was a few steps behind Kratos, he paused to look back over his shoulder. "You act like you don't have a choice. How long are you going to allow another being to take away your ability to stand up for yourself?" He sighed heavily and continued to walk. "I expected better of you, Kratos. Origin might be Yggdrasill's secret weapon, but you are the one that enables that. Do see if you can do something about that by the next time we meet?"

Kratos didn't turn to watch Yuan go… not even when he heard the massive doors shut behind the other seraph. _Yuan can be as dangerous as Yggdrasill… he's just more obvious about it when he sets his mind to something._ The thought was disturbing, but that made it no less true. _Yggdrasill can keep me off balance because I still remember how he was. We were all companions… bound by trust and friendship. Now…._ Kratos turned his back on the throne and started back to the hall doors.

_Now it's just time and memories. Nothing is as it was._

His expression didn't betray the frown he felt as it occurred to him that Lloyd seemed to be following in his footsteps, whether he knew the history or lineage behind those steps or not. Even if the curse of his choice to change the world so many years before had been only his to bear, it had spread… taking the form of hope before it began to twist on itself. _Anna… Lloyd… and perhaps even Liane somehow. This has affected all of them… and the only way to stop it…._

Kratos set his jaw and pushed the throne room doors open, certain Yuan wouldn't be waiting on the other side. His warning had been delivered… it would simply be time before his plans would present themselves. _And until that time…._

He strode past where Pronyma stood watching the stairs with interest, completely ignoring her as he walked to the warp pad.

_The Church will be my next stop…._

* * *

"How could a father – _any _parent – condemn an entire race that includes his own child…?" Liane murmured in dismay that she couldn't contain as she watched Kate retreat up the charred tree-path to the upper, ruined level of Ozette. "How could any parent just turn their back on their child?"

A moment of uncomfortable silence filled the clearing outside Presea's home as Liane's soft words faded away. Colette tapped the toe of her boot into the dirt as she shook her head and twisted her fingers together. "This is… sad," she commented, hanging her head as her hair fell forward in a curtain of pale gold. "Why do things wind up like this?"

"Two forces will always oppose each other," Regal replied to the question that hadn't seemed to be aimed at any one of them. His tone was somber, and his chin dipped ever so slightly as if in submission to the truth of his words. "Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, elves and humans, heaven and earth…."

Raine nodded in agreement and laced her fingers together around her rod. "And those in the middle are sacrificed. Half-elves, the Great Seed, and the Chosen as well."

Liane's eyes swept over the party, observing them all under the definitions Regal and Raine had offered. _Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, half-elves and Chosens… we're all outcasts in one way or another… no matter where we go._ It saddened her to think of it that way… that the discrimination even had a potential grip within their group even though they were all working together. "It's wrong to say that someone is bad or tainted just because of where they were born or who they were born to," she murmured, thinking aloud more than anything. "It's wrong to judge anyone by anything other than who they are and the choices they make… it's –" She stopped, her frustration still building, yet somehow stopped cold when she met the gaze of the young swordsman standing beside her.

"It's wrong to say that someone _can_ be sacrificed," Lloyd frowned, his summation neatly tying Liane's argument into simplicity.

Zelos sighed heavily and crossed his arms over his chest, his expression as dark as any as he frowned to Lloyd's declaration. "But anytime there are two people, one will be sacrificed by the establishment of superiority," he shrugged. "It's the same with countries and worlds. _Equality…_is an illusion."

The redhead's words sounded decidedly hard and cold in the discussion, but no one made a move to correct him. Sheena watched Zelos for a few long moments before she drew a hitched breath and turned her eyes to the ground. "Birth, status, appearance, race… you're engulfed by these things," she sighed her implied agreement with the Chosen.

"But…" Lloyd lifted his voice slightly and shook his head to Zelos and Sheena, his eyes widening with pleading, "… everyone has the same heart. Everyone hurts when they're rejected." He glanced away and his hands curled into loose fists as his frown deepened. "But people forget that."

"The same… heart…" Genis breathed out as he looked to his friend, the recognition clear even in the thoughtful huff of breath.

It was such a simple truth, yet Liane once again found herself in awe of how Lloyd could boil such a complex and far-reaching problem down into such a fundamental observation. "It really is that easy, isn't it? If you strip away all the posturing and fear, we really all do have a common tie," she commented, a sad smile starting to curl her lips for Lloyd when he looked up to her. But her thoughts were already running with the observation. It was a validation... another piece that her thoughts locked onto as they pushed the images from her visions back to her… images of the man that she knew existed beneath the grim scowls and indifference that she had seen from Kratos in her waking hours.

"Yes," the blonde Chosen nodded, her smile brightening just enough to be noticeable. "If only everyone could live thinking about each other like that…."

Presea tilted her head to look up to Colette's wistful smile, her pigtails sliding from her shoulders after a small shrug. "Little by little… people can change," she commented softly, as if to reassure the other girl.

Lloyd's expression softened at the ax girl's words, almost – but not quite – turning into a smile. "The only thing we can do is to believe in that and start doing what we can."

"Yes," Raine bobbed her head once in agreement, her eyes revealing a flash of pride as they fixed on her sometimes-difficult student. "What we can do right now is to release the Summon Spirits' mana links."

The swordsman's form inflated once again with the reminder of their goal, and his hands found their way back to the hilts of his blades. "Yeah. Let's get the blue candle from the Elemental Research Laboratory so we can form a pact with Shadow."

Lloyd's words were all the direction that the party needed to leave Ozette – and Kate – behind to return to Meltokio. Liane could hardly even consider looking back. Ozette had become something of a warning in her own mind of the fate that could befall cities – if not worlds – if Cruxis continued on its path. And Kate….

_Kate's just another person left with regrets… one more person whose life has been scarred by Cruxis, the Desians… and just blind, ignorant fear._

Nonetheless, Liane didn't care to linger – not in Ozette, and not in the Elemental Research Laboratory – not when the researchers told the party of the uproar that had followed Kate's escape from the prison. It was plenty for her to know that they had held up their end of their bargain with Sheena's friends – and perhaps shown the half-elves that there was hope for the world working with them instead of against them.

With the blue candle tight in Lloyd's hand, it was a quick trip back to the sewers for yet another growingly familiar trip through the dank passages. The group was quiet, apparently having little interest in letting small talk slow their progress – not with the afternoon sun already sliding towards sunset in the world outside.

As the party passed from yet another set of catwalks, Liane glanced ahead to see Zelos slowing so that he could insinuate himself between where Regal and Sheena had been walking in silence. _Oh, now what?_ Liane grimaced, knowing that the quiet had been too good to be true as Zelos threw an arm over Regal's shoulders.

"You saved the day, you know that?" Zelos asked with a hearty laugh that echoed in the stone passageway when Regal looked over to him. "To think the arena and the prison were connected… good job, Regal!" she smiled, clapping the convict on the back of the shoulder.

_Oh, Goddess…_ Liane groaned, wincing a little as she looked to where Presea had been walking beside her since they entered the sewers. The girl was watching the interaction – just as the rest of them were – but she showed no signs of discomfort… merely… interest. _Not now, Zelos,_ the swordsman silently begged, hoping that Zelos was truly only being oblivious instead of insensitive. _It's too soon…._

"It is a shameful thing that I knew that," Regal responded to the redhead before shrugging out from under Zelos' arm and continuing ahead with steps only slightly slower than their pace from before.

Sheena shot Zelos a quick glare and then continued ahead as well, somehow mustering a smile for the fallen Duke when she reached his side again. "Well, but thanks to that, we were able to rescue Kate, so don't worry about it."

Liane was grateful that Sheena had come to Regal's defense. She had been trying to be mindful of how things looked after Lloyd had spoken with her at the Arena, trying not to complicate matters where Zelos was concerned any more than necessary for Regal. She and Presea started forward once again as well, but it was a matter of willpower to keep from glaring at the Chosen – especially when he started to hurry to catch up to Sheena and Regal again.

"Even if you searched all of Tethe'alla, you wouldn't find another noble who's got connections to high society, big business, and the jail cell," Zelos chuckled, throwing his arms wide to emphasize his point as he strolled behind the ninja and the shackled man –

- until that ninja spun on her heel to plant herself directly in the redhead's path, hands on her hips and her glare sharp on him. "Hey, hey, Zelos," she fairly growled, drawing herself up to her full height. "Knock it _off_!"

Regal paused, turning back to watch Sheena glare up into the face of the blinking Chosen for only a moment before he turned away and continued to walk. "A truly… shameful thing," he mumbled, just barely loud enough to be heard over Zelos' panicked defense.

The party – sans Zelos and Sheena – moved forward through the passage again, apparently content to allow the ninja and the swordsman to air whatever they needed to, but Liane's eyes trailed after Regal, guilt eating at her conscience. _He'll have to face things like this if he's ever going to heal,_ she told herself, torn over what she should do – if anything. _If Zelos got any ideas after last night… if he blurted something out in front of the others… the timing would be horrible… it would seem so disrespectful to Alicia… and that won't help Regal in any way…._

By the time the dark-haired young woman's thoughts cleared into resolve to try to speak to Regal, she realized that the shackled man no longer walked alone – he was not only flanked by Lloyd, but by Genis as well. It hardly looked mirthful, but the companionship was something she knew that Regal could use. _He needs to know that we're all here for him… not just me_, she reminded herself in an attempt to dispel her guilt. _It's probably a good thing I didn't run after him._

"You may walk with them, too… if you wish," came a small voice from beside Liane, bringing the swordswoman's eyes down. "I won't be offended."

Liane's eyes widened at Presea's words, and a nervous smile curled her lips. "What? No, no… it's okay. I should let them have their guy time and all that," she shrugged, inwardly cringing that she had been so transparent.

Presea's expression didn't change. "But Lloyd, Genis, and Regal are your friends," she replied. "You don't have to walk with me."

"Presea…" Liane's smile faded a little and she shook her head, suddenly glad she had stayed where she was. Lloyd and Genis would help regal just with their presence – she had her own chance to help a friendship, it seemed. "I'd like to think we might be friends, too…" she shrugged and hoped she wasn't pushing matters with the pigtailed girl.

The ax-girl appeared to consider her companion's words for a moment before she began to nod. "I believe we are. If you don't wish to walk with them, you can walk with me, then."

Liane's smile brightened, deciding that it was about as close to 'warm fuzzy' conversation as the girl had been – and it was more than good enough for her. "I think I will," she replied and continued to walk. _Even though I bet Genis would probably love to trade me places…._

Once the darkness of the sewers opened back into the late afternoon sun, it was only a matter of a short trip back to the southern mountains before they once again stood before the yawning black maw that marked the entrance to Shadow's temple. The party slowly edged into the reach of the darkness, all of them braced for the utter black to embrace them, even if their pace betrayed how less –than-eager they were to allow it to do so.

The shuffling of feet stopped just outside the reach of the sun and – for a few moments – there was nothing… no sound, no light… simply _nothing_. Then – finally – Lloyd's voice broke through the void. "All right, let's use that blue candle."

An instant later, there was a hollow 'pop' that voiced the party's concession that the darkness had been too much for them on their own. But the cool bubble of light that suddenly surrounded them was only a marginal reassurance to Liane. _It's as if the dark is just waiting there at the ledge of the light to grab us,_ she shivered, not paying attention to the voice in her head that told her she was being silly. It was no normal shade or even nightfall… even with the blackness pushed back, she was certain that she could still feel it there… as if it was alive.

"This should do," Lloyd nodded and handed the pale-burning candle to the professor as he let his eyes roam the room that had been revealed to them. "Now we can explore this place."

Raine started to move ahead of the group, taking the blue candle along with her as she gravitated towards the heavily etched walls that seemed set to funnel them deeper into the darkness. But Sheena held back, slowly shaking her head as she took in their surroundings. "But it's… kind of…."

"Yeah," Genis murmured, stopping at the ninja's side. "The feeling of mana here… the power feels unstable here compared to the previous seals," the young mage commented, concern keeping his voice low.

"Well, we've never seen a seal where the spirit's element is really 'overflowing' outside their temple, either. I mean, sure it was hot outside Efreet's ruins, and there were the geysers outside Undine's temple, but that was all… natural," Liane commented thoughtfully, moving into the core of the group. "Darkness just shouldn't be something that just… _spills_… over…."

No one offered an explanation or objection to Liane's comment for a few long, quiet moments – not until Lloyd drew in a breath and let it out as a sigh as he started towards the nearby doorway. "We'll find out what's going on once we get further inside."

The party filed through the portal, the cool light of the candle giving them what advantage it could as they stepped into a large room. A large lantern-like crystal stood at the center of the platform and – while it did seem to be generating light, the light was no different from that of the blue candle. It helped, but it was hardly enough to bestow any more surety to their surroundings. It was impossible to see further than the ledge that they stood upon, but the blackness beyond their bubble of light suggested a boundless abyss of blackness. It was a moment of hesitation that they all shared – the ledge extended into the darkness to either side of them. In the distance, there were small pools of pale light scattered below them – perhaps more of the lanterns like the one they stood beside providing only enough to be noticed… not nearly enough to reveal a path to those lights.

"Wh… what that…?"

Lloyd's choked exclamation broke the silence as the party spun to watch the swordsman edging towards the wall, almost crouching. It took Liane a moment to see what had caught her friend's attention, but when she saw the small shadow quiver without a source, she sucked in a quick breath. "Lloyd, be careful…."

The brown-haired teen crouched before the dark mass of shadow, almost at eye level with a faintly glowing purple orb that was only visible if one stared into the dark for long enough to pick out the color against the black. "Is this… a monster?" Lloyd asked softly, tilting his head to the thing, almost as if he was asking it as much as any of the rest of them.

Sheena took a step closer and then froze, a gasp just barely escaping her lips. "No… this is…" she shook her head slowly and then edged to Lloyd's side, reaching a hand out to the creature… her fingers passing through the shadowy wisps of darkness like smoke, "… a Summon Spirit!"

The thing didn't move… not at the summoner's touch and not as the others moved closer. "This is the Summon Spirit of Darkness, Shadow?" Colette asked, crouching to brace her hands on her knees as she leaned closer to the being, curiosity showing in both her crouch and her voice.

"It feels weaker than all the previous Summon Spirits," Genis murmured, staying back a few steps from the others as Lloyd, Sheena, and Colette stayed closer to the shadow. "About one-fifth the power. And the mana feels even more unstable than it did outside."

Raine moved closer, gently placing her hand on Colette's shoulder to urge her to the side so that she could take her place before the creature. She crouched to one knee, her rod in one hand while she reached out with the other. "My hand goes through it," she murmured quietly, speaking to no one in particular. "Could it be that the power of the Summon Spirit had leaked out from the seal and taken on this physical form? Does this mean that if we don't bring this fragment of Shadow to the seal, we won't be able to form a pact with Shadow?"

"Perfect…" Liane sighed and glanced around, shaking her head a little. "After everything we've had to go through just to get in the door," she murmured, taking a step back and looking around, taking a moment to try to consider everything they weren't seeing. "There are lanterns down lower. They have to have some meaning… or why would the Summon Spirit of Darkness keep something that casts light inside its temple?"

The professor stood up, her attention drawn away from the shadow being by the reminder that there were other wonders to be found in the Temple. She slowly approached the "Look at this wondrous crystal!" Raine murmured, her eyes glazing slightly as she reached out to place her hand on the face of the glowing lantern on the floor. "How does it function? Is it magitechnology? Is it the Summon Spirit's power?"

"Sis…" Genis groaned, his arms falling limply at his sides as his head lolled back on his shoulders to stare pleadingly up at the unseen ceiling.

Despite the siblings respective awe and exasperation, the quivering mass of shadow still held Colette's attention, leaving her to move back into the place Raine had nudged her from, her blue eyes caught in a thoughtful frown. The blonde Chosen watched the being for a moment before she looked over to the crystal lantern. "Lloyd, look," she murmured to the swordsman that hovered protectively over her shoulder, lifting her hand to point to the pale light. "It looks like this little fellow can't go into the light."

Lloyd looked between the spirit and the lantern for a moment before his eyes widened at the revelation. "Ah-hah!" he nodded. "It's the Summon Spirit of Darkness, so it doesn't like light!"

As simple as the realization was, Liane frowned as she watched Raine trace her fingers over the smooth sides of the crystal. "So it's trapped here by the lantern… but would it be any different if it was just the blue candle?" she asked, thinking aloud more than anything. "But it was here when we came in… so… maybe it just materialized here… and was trapped by the light of the lantern?" she shrugged as Genis looked up to her, trying to build from the Professor's theory of the Spirit's 'leaked' energy.

"Then we have to search for a way to put out that light and lead the Summon Spirit into the core," the silver haired mage murmured as he reached out to grab the sleeve of his sister's coat.

Colette stood and walked closer to the edge of the walkway, leaning out just a little to look over the area below them before turning back to the others. "Maybe if we corral all five of them into that wide open area below this floor," she offered her solution quietly, gesturing over the edge, "… we can take them from there down to the seal without them getting separated."

"Okay then. Let's get started and see what we can do," Lloyd nodded his approval to the plan as his eyes swept over the party and he started towards the darkened path that hugged the wall beside them. After a few steps, he slowed, hesitating and turning back with a roll of his eyes. "Professor! We're going now!"

Raine's head snapped up as the tug of her brother's grip on her sleeve grew more insistent. There was a look of despair in her eyes as she stumbled along after Genis, the aura of the blue candle following her to the head of the party as both the lantern and the fragmented creature were left behind them. "But I'm not done studying it!" she protested in a pout as she watched the lantern over her shoulder until the dark swallowed it away from her sight.

"There are other lanterns below," Liane reminded the silver-haired woman quietly as she found herself a few steps behind the Professor at the center of the group. The dark was already playing tricks on her mind, the idea that there were four more of the shadow-creatures lurking somewhere in the temple somehow bringing life to every dark corner. "I guess we'll just have to hope that it's not the blue candle that it kept it frozen in place – if we find a way to shut off the lanterns," the swordswoman sighed, sparing a glance beside her to Sheena. "Because I'm guessing you can't pact with one piece of a spirit at a time?"

"Not that I know of," the Summoner shook her head, her brown eyes also scanning the darkness around them, her voice kept respectfully low. "A partial pact was never even brought up as an option in my lessons, plus…" she glanced over to Liane. "I don't know if a mana link can be severed a little at a time. It might make for an easier fight, but seeing as how that one didn't really seem interested _or_ aggressive… I'm going to guess that it's all or nothing."

Liane nodded, but otherwise didn't reply. There was no need. _All or nothing_. When everything came down – all the façades, all the lessons, and all of the truths – there was no 'halfway' possible for anything they were trying to do. The Temple of Darkness seemed to emphasize that: the darkness was everywhere around them except for the small bubble of cool light that surrounded them, giving them only the vision that they needed to deal with matters at hand. _It's how both worlds have lived until now – not knowing what was outside of their sight._

Performing both a physical and a symbolic leap of faith, Lloyd had crawled through a small opening in the wall beside their path with only the blue candle for guidance, leaving the others to wait for him and rely only on one another and their crippled senses to stand guard until the swordsman returned. The gamble paid off, though, allowing Lloyd to alter the Sorcerer's Ring once again to give it power over the dark of the Temple. While the beam drew in light much as the blue candle emitted it, it proved to be exactly what they needed to extinguish the lanterns as well as move the eerie blocks that seemed to be branded with glowing eyes.

_The blue candle is great,_ Liane grimaced as she braced her back against one of the sliding blocks whose glowing green eyes watched her and Lloyd work with hollow interest before another fragment of the darkness Spirit – the fifth and final one finally dropped from its perch on the block to the ground beside them. _I could live without the Sorcerer's Ring's new talent, though. Without that, I might not have ever paid attention to those eyes,_ she complained to herself. Dusting off her hands, Liane tried to tell herself that it was just one more thing that they _had _to do, regardless of the fact that she was sure that she'd see those blank red or green stares watching her from the shadows for years to come.

The final Spirit fragment seemed livelier than its other counterparts, and it almost brought a smile to Liane's lips a few times as they led it down the sharply angled ramps to the lantern platform where they had gathered the others. The thing glided playfully around the party's feet – occasionally even passing through them. It was an unnerving sight to the swordswoman, but otherwise, as far as she was concerned, it seemed to be harmless enough.

Lloyd breathed out in relief as the shadow skittered away from the party to join with its companions just outside the reach of the lantern's dim light. "We finally got them all here," he murmured as the fractured spirits roiled in a dark mass that almost looked like a joyful reunion. "Now all we have to do is lead these guys down to the seal in the bottom level."

"Just as long as they don't reform and smack us from behind while we're taking them there," Liane sighed, keeping a cautious eye on the peculiar creatures. She found herself finding them _almost_ cute in their behavior and in how helpless they were on their own. _Cute… in a creepy kind of way. I wonder what they'll look like together… and if the whole spirit will remember that we helped them. _

While the path wasn't wide enough for them to walk more than two by two, the blue candle fulfilled its promise perfectly, casting just enough light for the party to keep track of each other as well as the energetic shadows that tagged along with them like silent, playful children. Lower and lower, they followed the paths into the depths of the Temple, slowed only by the occasional creature that seemed more than a little irate at the intrusion of _any_ light into their realm.

But when the seemingly endless ramps of stairs finally seemed to find an end at a platform of etched marble, the group's pace slowed, and the apprehension grew as if all the area above them had suddenly settled on their shoulders. Lloyd took a few steps out away from the party, his eyes following where the marble disappeared beyond the reach of the blue candle and he exhaled. "Since Shadow's the Summon Spirit of Darkness, the opposite of that would be the Summon Spirit of Light, right?" he asked thoughtfully without turning back to the others.

"Yeah," Colette nodded, slowly approaching behind the swordsman, her hands clasped behind her back as her hair fell forward over her shoulders. "But… why do you ask?"

Lloyd turned halfway, offering the blonde Chosen and the others a shrug. "Well, Luna was saying she wanted us to bring Aska, so…."

Liane blinked, returning to the top of the Tower of Mana… the monument a world away where the beautiful light Spirit had appeared to them on her own after the seal guardian's defeat, interrupting Remiel's bestowment of further angelic powers to Colette… and what they had all thought was almost the end of the mythical 'Journey of Regeneration.' "We'll have to make do with the abilities we have for now. Luna won't be able to help us against Shadow," she sighed and walked to the edge of the platform, slinging her pack down, knowing that the last thing they would need soon was baggage to trip over. _Luna… we thought she would be the end before… will… she be the end this time?_ It was a thought that she knew should be welcome… but even with what seemed to be an end in sight… there was still so much uncertainty that she couldn't trust that it truly would be that end.

"Yes… considering the time we'll need to spend to find Aska, we should save the Summon Spirit of Light for last," Raine sighed. She stared into the darkness ahead of them for a moment before shifting her weapon and the candle carefully from one hand to the other so that she could lower her pack to the ground, walking over to leave it near Liane's at the side of the platform.

Genis unhooked his kendama from his belt and experimentally bounced the ball off the top cup with practiced ease. "I wonder why Aska left the Guardian Tower of Mana?" he murmured quietly, his eyes following the ball for a couple of bounces, almost as if he was asking the weapon to explain.

Zelos chuckled, drawing his sword from his hip and spinning it out before him to straighten it out at eye level, almost as if he was aiming it at the seal that should be awaiting them just outside of their sight. "He probably just ran away to find some chicks."

"You're confusing him with yourself, Zelos," Sheena sighed as her arms fell to her sides with a huff of breath as she snapped her card from the folds of the sash at her waist and her form tensed before she strode forward. Confidence seemed built into her steps, even if the tension still showed even in the low light of the blue candle. "Anyway, here we go."

The Summoner strode forward into the center of the room, leading the others as Raine trailed only slightly behind, the pale light of the blue candle slowly illuminating what had to be Shadow's altar. For a moment, nothing in the room change… nothing moved, nothing made a sound. Then, as if they had been making certain of the party's intentions, the quintet of shadow-beings moved from behind them, streaming forward until they all moved up onto the altar. They began to silently swirl around one another, weaving an intricate dance at the center of the altar before they slowly merged, sliding together and growing until the very darkness around them seemed to give them more depth, more presence… and a form that could only be a complete Summon Spirit. Vaguely humanoid, the spirit's form heaved as if it was settling back into its completion, shifting blacks, blues, and purples clothing its form as something that looked like an eye formed at its middle, and pincer-like appendages sprouted at its shoulders and lower body. Then… it lifted its head, pale blue glowing eyes fixing on the party and the Summoner that stood at the foot of the altar. "Mithos and I… pact…" Shadow breathed out in a deep, rumbling rasp, the fingers of his elongated arms working at the air as if he was grasping for the ability to communicate with them.

"Mithos…" Lloyd murmured, his eyebrows furrowing as he tightened his grip on his blades at his sides. "We're doing the same thing that the legendary hero once did…."

Liane nodded, but didn't look to her side to her younger friend. All she had to do was hear the name and she saw the blue-eyed half-elf that they had left at Altessa's, all of the lessons she had studied over the years of the great hero of the Kharlan Wars somehow paling behind how he came to mind first. "The worlds needed to be saved then, too… it makes sense that he would have needed the spirits' help," she murmured, pushing away the illogical thoughts. "We can't do it without them… it makes sense that maybe he couldn't either…?"

"I am Sheena!" the ninja spoke, her voice carrying to the altar and beyond, though no echo returned to them. "I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos and establish a new pact with me," she stated her request with practiced formality, her experience showing in both her voice and in her stance as she faced down the questioning glare of the Spirit of Darkness.

Shadow drifted closer to the edge of the altar and Sheena… his movements slow and precise… almost like a feral creature sizing up its prey. While his eyes lacked pupils – simply a blue glow, there was no question that Sheena held his attention completely. There was an uneasy moment of still silence… and then Shadow threw his arms wide and dipped his chin, all the while never looking away from Sheena. "Fight."

The rasped command accompanied the spirit falling back and sinking into the altar, vanishing from the party's sight. "He's coming!" Presea hissed out, bringing her ax down over her shoulder as she and the others moved back to back and side to side, forming a core to watch the darkness around them as it became official that they were now officially at the mercy of the Summon Spirit of Darkness where that spirit would be at its strongest.

No sooner had Presea's observation fallen from her lips, the spirit was in motion, moving at them just fast enough to send a ripple of alarm through them. "Show your strength," the creature rasped his dry taunt and then sank into a seething pool of darkness on the floor that evaporated from sight a moment later.

"What the –?" Liane breathed out, her senses stretching out into the dimly lit room for some sign of the spirit that had just challenged them.

"Aaahh!!"

Raine's cry shattered the unnerving silence as the party whirled around as a whole in time to see the Professor land in a heap on the floor, her rod coming to rest just out of her reach. Shadow stood tall behind where Raine had been standing just moments before, his arm still drawn back as if to further taunt them with what he had done.

"Professor!" Lloyd choked out, throwing himself into a fun to stand between Shadow and the downed woman. "Let's go all out!!" he commanded the others without looking back as he drew back his blades and rushed at the spirit. Slashing silver blades picked up a glint of the blue candle's aura of light until they began to glow a pale green all their own. "Raging Beast!" the teen growled out, sweeping his last slash at Shadow up and slamming them down to release the visage of the snarling animal he had invoked and blowing the spirit back away from the party.

The party was instantly moving, the casters retreating closer to the fighters as Regal slid to his knees beside Raine and the room lit with a pink-purple wash as Colette's wings ignited the darkness. "He can be anywhere he wants, can't he?" Liane grumbled mostly to herself as she dipped her sword back and charged it with her mana for only as long as it took Lloyd to scramble out of Shadow's reach. "Double Demon Fang!" she called out, naming the twin arcs of energy as they zipped across the floor to slam into Shadow.

A green flare of light further colored the dark as Regal's Healer spell welled up around Raine, the convict remaining at her side as she reached up to steady herself when the gentle green faded away. But the room brightened even more from the energies that had built around Colette. "Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory," the blonde girl pled, throwing her arms wide to her power before she lifted her hand to shadow. "Angel Feathers!"

The girl's sharp blue gaze fixed on Shadow as the trio of bright pink-purple rings swarmed on the spirit and rocked his gawky form back, his arms flailing as an in human howl filled the air. The spirit retreated to the edge of the platform, faintly glowing eyes shifting over the party that spread out before him. There was but a flicker of movement – his clawed hand snapping at the air and the darkness responded immediately. The ground beneath Raine and Regal began to ripple with a sickly red glow as if the floor itself were bleeding. When the glow began to take an ominous pattern of dark-seeping runes, Regal grabbed the Professor by the shoulders and shoved her towards the others. The act narrowly allowed her to miss the blast of dark energy that caught the blue-haired man in its fury.

"Ow… oh, man…" Zelos groaned, having caught Raine from her stumble after Regal had pushed her away, righting her and then turning back to Shadow. "Now _that_ was just rude," he snorted, brandishing his sword out before him as he stepped into a run at the spirit. The redhead leapt up, guiding his blade to slash at Shadow on its way up and releasing a shockwave of mana on its way down. "Fierce Demon Fang!"

Liane glanced over across the platform as Shadow faltered, frowning even though she saw that Shadow's attack had brought Regal to his knees… but no further. She could see that he had caught himself with his hands and that his shoulders were heaving, yet he still looked like he had weathered the spell. _I'm no healer… stick to what you're good at,_ she chided herself and raised her sword defensively as she placed herself between Shadow and Genis. "Come on, Genis," she murmured, watching Shadow stagger as he tried to regain his menacing posture.

"I'm trying… I'm… trying!" the young mage ground out, strain showing clearly in his voice as the air around him began to churn with bright red runes. "Just keep him busy!"

Across the room, Sheena was already executing Genis' instructions even without hearing them. Her feet slid to a stop a short distance to Shadow's side and her spell card bit at the air as she snapped it in a precise pattern before her. "Force Seal!" the summoner called out, her voice ringing with determination as she faced her potential pact and a shimmering mist wrapped around both of them. The dark wisps only stayed until a curtain of cards formed from it… spinning around them until it snapped tight around Shadow and then vanished, leaving Sheena to leap away as Shadow hissed his complaint.

"Move, Liane," Genis murmured to the dark haired swordswoman. His spell runes were dancing frantically around him as she stepped aside, clearing his line of vision to the spirit as he thrust his kendama out at him. "Burn! Eruption!!" the boy ordered both Shadow and his spell as the runes flew out to swell at what passed for the spirit's feet. Pulse after pulse of mana-driven lava blasted up beneath Shadow, with the final wave knocking him back to the floor as the glow of the spell subsided.

Before Shadow could pull himself upright in the wake of Genis' spell, Presea was already bearing down on him, only her hurried footsteps announcing her presence. "Devastation," she murmured with calm that was completely out of place in battle for anyone but her as she gathered her feet beneath her and flipped into the air, ax leading the way. But even as the ax's blade made contact, Shadow once again sank into the ground, disappearing from sight.

"Don't let up!" Lloyd told the others in the suddenly once again quiet seal room, his eyes sweeping over their surroundings as he and the rest of the party edged closer together around Raine and Colette, who were both working their mana into spells. "He can't be done already… not that easily…."

"_Crumble…._"

The raspy command seemed to come from everywhere at once, but the spirit suddenly appeared directly in front of Sheena. Before she – or anyone else – could react, much less defend herself, Shadow's hand whipped out, striking the summoner and sending her flying much like he had Raine.

Sheena twisted in mid-air and almost succeeded in getting her feet back beneath her – almost – before she fell back to the floor near where Regal stood. The convict moved to stand protectively in front of her, but Shadow's attention was already drawn across the room by the sudden flare from the runes that surrounded his first victim in the fight.

"Light! Photon!" Raine's voice sang out as she pushed her Phoenix Rod up over her head, shattering the bands of golden runes that surrounded her and sending them out in a wave that enveloped Shadow. Shining bonds of light danced around the spirit and he recoiled… looking almost as if he was trying to sink back into the floor before the runes snapped tight around him and exploded, leaving the Summon Spirit of Darkness reeling.

Lloyd slipped up to Liane's side, both blades held out defensively. "Hey… hit him with one of your spells," he murmured, never looking away from Shadow. "Colette's gonna hit him, too… it should buy you some time."

The dark haired swordswoman nodded, silently reminding herself once again of her promise to not hesitate, though even as she gathered her mana and drew her sword up before her for focus, it was still a thought on what to use, though her choices were limited. _Lightning… it's not 'light' but it will do more good than wind or water… I hope,_ she reasoned with herself as the runes that began to form around her tinted purple.

"Oh, Holy One, cast thy purifying light upon this corrupt soul," Colette spoke even as Lloyd was promising her action to Liane. The girl's hands unclasped and opened wide once again. "Light of judgment… Judgment!"

A rain of light beams lit the room as bright as daylight, a few striking Shadow as he was pressed back up onto his altar in what looked to be a desperate attempt to escape. Zelos used the diversion to dash closer to Sheena and Regal, pale green runes already forming around him as he came to a stop. "I've got you," the redhead told them with a smile as the runes fell from the air to the floor and crept out beneath his feet to reach to the ninja and the convict. "Healing Wind!"

Liane heard the Tethe'allan Chosen's incantation and saw the flash of green through her closed eyes, but it accompanied the feeling that her own spell was ready and the knowledge that she had to trust the party's healers to take care of her friends. "Okay… my turn…" she muttered as she opened her eyes to target Shadow. Lloyd was already off and running at the spirit as soon as she spoke, so she knew she had to hit Shadow as fast as she could. "Lightning!"

The bolt stabbed down on Shadow as the tip of her blade found him for a target, the spirit throwing back its head in a show of pain. But as soon as he straightened, his arm whipped out at Liane. It was a swift retaliation as the air suddenly blackened around her, and a pattern of red-purple runes danced for only an instant before snapping tight around her, not unlike Raine's spell had done to him moments before. Her chest felt like it was being crushed as her knees collapsed and she fell to the floor, unable to draw breath. _Too… fast… _her thoughts complained as the blackness seemed to call out to her. "Owwwww…."

"Professor -! We need some help here!" Lloyd shouted without slowing his run at Shadow, passing by where Liane had rolled over onto her side as the spirit's spell dissipated. "We've taken down tougher than you," the teen growled through clenched teeth, his words sounding like they might not even be a lie as he approached Shadow and sidestepped a swat of the spirit's arm. "Sword Rain Alpha!" Lloyd's twin blades were a flurry of green-laced shine as they struck out at Shadow until he thrust them both out and then up in a savage upward slice. Shadow stood motionless for a moment as his constantly-moving form blurred for just an instant – and then once again sharpened, revealing no sign of any damage, even though Lloyd's blades had passed right through. "Dammit," Lloyd cursed and dropped into a defensive crouch as he darted away.

"Being impatient isn't helping," Raine mumbled under her breath and gripped her Phoenix Rod a bit tighter in both hands as she lifted it up above her head. Her expression was slightly scrunched as pale rune bands began to dance and swirl around her, quickly growing in intensity. "Help is on the way," she spoke as her spell was bright enough to illuminate the entire seal area. "Nurse!"

The spell burst and sent its troop of human mana shapes dancing silently out into the room. One by one – almost as if selecting a dance partner – each member of the party was visited by the spell. As breath finally flooded back into Liane's chest, she looked up, almost surprised to see what looked distinctly like a hand pulling back from her. While she hadn't lost consciousness, breathing had been all but impossible until Raine's spell helped her shake off the last of the spell's effects. "Heh… so you can dish it out, but you don't like it when we fight back, huh?" she murmured as she climbed back to her feet and adjusted her sword in her hand as she flipped her braid back over her shoulder to glare at the Spirit. "Tough."

Regal didn't wait for Raine's magic. He charged the Spirit while Shadow was still reeling from the multiple blows Lloyd had dealt with his swords. Having somehow sensed his approach, Shadow began to pivot but was instead met with a powerful kick from a Mythril greave that actually knocked the dark being back. Still in motion, the convict pushed off from the landing, going into a back flip with his left leg extended to add another hit to his attack. "Dragon Fury!"

"Yeah, we're not done with you yet," Sheena declared as she ran in close to where the spirit had finally stopped himself after the force of Regal's attack. Her card flashed an array of dim colors as she slapped it to his chest and glared up to him. "Life Seal!" the ninja bit out as a mist shifted from Shadow back to her. The spirit seemed stunned for the moment before he lifted his head to glare at Sheena, but by that time, she had already back flipped well out of his reach.

There was a pause of what seemed to be indecision as it looked like Shadow was going to pursue the summoner, but then he sank into the floor and vanished from sight. "No… not again," Colette moaned her frustration, her eyes searching the darkness. But before the blonde could elaborate further, the air around Lloyd began to glow a sickly dark red. The swordsman held his blades out defensively as Genis was casting behind him, but the swordsman stubbornly refused to move even as the spell tightened around him and squeezed as the same spell had done to Liane before. His head fell back with a grunt of pain that only drew out and grew louder as the spell pulsed around him.

Genis' spell flickered for a moment as his concentration was broken. When Shadow rose from the ground just a few paces in front of Lloyd – his hand raised as if it were his grip and not his spell that was squeezing the swordsman – the mage's spell flared brighter than before and he thrust his kendama up into the air. "Wanna charge?" Genis asked with anger that reflected in the flashing purple rune bands of his spell. "Thunder Blade!"

The seal room lit with a blinding explosion of light and sound as a sword of crackling lightning obeyed its master's anger and slammed down into Shadow, breaking the hold his dark spell had on Lloyd and drawing yet another eerie howl of pain from the spirit. It was enough distraction for Liane, who tried to push thinking aside for the moment and simply seize the opening. Lloyd was wheezing – but alive – and shadow was still upright, though wobbling. _Let's see if I can help that,_ she thought as she ground her teeth and braced her sword out before her, her mana coursing through it to the tip only to ripple back over the silver. "Sonic Thrust!"

It was far from the heaviest hit Shadow had taken during the fight, but the mana shockwave was enough to push him back up onto the altar, compounding with the fact that Genis' spell had left him unable to defend himself for the instant that Liane needed. Her attack gave the swordswoman the buffer of space she needed to cautiously back away from Shadow even as Presea took advantage of the opening and ran at the spirit before he could recover. "Resolute Infliction…" the pigtailed ax girl named her assault as the upswing of her weapon lifted her slight form from the ground only to have the second swing and resulting shockwave ground her once again. The ax carved a pair of shining crescents in the air and finally achieved what Genis and Liane before her had not: Shadow toppled to the ground with a moan that shook the room.

"Aww, he fell down," Zelos drawled sarcastically before the mock pity was punctuated with a chuckle and he broke into a run at the altar. "Here… let me help…." While the words could have been a genuine offer, the sarcasm that oozed within them teamed up with the spinning leap that the redhead made at the spirit that had only just rose from the ground to make it anything but genuine. "Light Spear!" the swordsman practically laughed as his blade glowed brightly against the darkness, the spiral trail it left behind slashing at Shadow.

The Summon Spirit of Darkness faltered once again, his form looking like he might fall back down to the altar. But in the last possible instant, Shadow caught himself with one hand and swept the other out at Zelos. The spirit uttered a wordless, breathy command heavy with malice, and as Zelos touched back down to the floor, it erupted with the same angry rune pattern that had brought Regal to his knees earlier. The dark runes lashed out at the Tethe'allan Chosen, a strangled groan of pain clawing its way from his throat as his form was hidden by the blast of dark energy.

And Liane would have sworn she heard Shadow laugh.

But even as time slowed to show the party how Zelos fell back to the floor, its pace rebounded quickly, each of them moving on their own yet still to the goal of finishing the fight as best they could. She had already wrapped herself in a web of intricate runes and Lloyd and Colette had moved to protect her, Regal was already at Zelos' side and pulling him safely out of Shadow's reach, Liane stepped into the role of Raine's protector as the Professor was once again lacing a string of golden rune bands together. And Genis and Presea….

Liane had to smile. Despite everything else, the sight of Genis and Presea clearly plotting something as the pink-haired girl stood guard over the mage was enough to convince Liane that they just had to win – _Genis and Presea still have to be able to one day see how adorable they are together._

"Presea! Go!!" Genis snapped, urgency putting an edge in his voice as he collected the purple runes of his spell around his weapon and cast it towards Shadow. "Lightning --!"

Presea was in motion as soon as Genis called her name, her metal-toed boots tapping at the marble floor as she threw herself into a run, drawing her ax back to her side in perfect time to catch Genis' spell and fling it at Shadow as she spun at him with her own attack. "… Punishment."

Shadow staggered back from the attack that Presea had landed as the pale green wash of Regal's healing spell illuminated how the spirit's shoulders were heaving, the tooth-like guards that curved over those shoulders only exaggerating the movement. Yet before even the quick wink of green could fade back to darkness, a golden flare consumed it, filling the room as Raine's voice rang out. "Light! Ray!!"

The golden runes of the spell traded their warm hues for a ball of bright blue-white that appeared in the air over Shadow's head. The ball flared brightly, pulsing with the power that exploded in the next instant into a rain of golden-white beams that either blocked Shadow from moving or stabbed through him, leaving the spirit bowed low where he struggled to remain standing at his altar.

"I call upon the hammer of godly thunder!"

There was no lag between the fade of Raine's spell and Sheena's invocation. Shadow lifted his head, but that was all that he had the opportunity to do as Sheena snapped her spell card through the air before her and swept it up high over her head. "_Volt!!_"

It was not a request. Sheena's voice was as hard as her glare on Shadow was sharp as she called on her right as Volt's pact-bearer.

And there was nothing in that moment that left Liane with any doubts of her friend's resolve or power.

To Liane, it seemed that fighting against a spirit for its pact was one thing… fighting alongside that spirit was another thing entirely. Fighting against one of the legendary Summon Spirits was like fighting against nature's primal forces at their worst, but as an ally, each of the spirits were nothing short of awe-inspiring. _And Sheena… to control all of that power…._ It truly was beyond her comprehension, and she – along with the others – could only stare and hope to stay out of the way as the lightning spirit appeared in the air above Shadow. The air in the seal chamber filled with crackling energy as a rune circle appeared around Shadow. The circle flared a bright purple the instant the circle closed and Volt's 'voice' echoed throughout the chamber, the only harbinger of the fury that quickly answered his unintelligible command by filling the circle with a rain of lightning. Liane had to lift her hand to shield her eyes, but after a few moments, it was over. The room faded again, and Volt vanished only an instant after she once again caught sight of him.

_Shadow…._

The swordswoman tensed when she realized her distraction, but it was quickly clear that the Spirit of Darkness wasn't ready to offer any retaliation. Shadow's eerily imposing form was slouched and appeared imbalanced – almost as if he might topple at any moment. Slowly making his way back up onto the altar, Shadow hesitated with his back to them. Liane couldn't stop herself from tightening her grip on her sword, standing tall and shoulder-to-shoulder with her friends as Shadow finally turned back to them. No one moved – neither Shadow nor the party – they were all simply frozen in a moment of measurement and anticipation.

"Vow…."

The single rasped word was labored and far from friendly, but it was enough to break the tension in the room. _We did it,_ Liane released her breath in a sigh of relief and lowered her sword as Sheena let out a single exasperated chuckle and stepped out ahead of the party.

"You don't waste any words, do you?" the summoner commented, stopping at the base of the altar and looking up to Shadow. "Um… for the sake of creating a place in which the two worlds must no longer sacrifice one another, I ask that you lend me your power." Sheena's voice was tired, but still reverent as she bowed her head to the spirit, leaving it up to him to seal the pact.

Shadow's form straightened, his eyes still glowing – if not just a bit more patiently for a few long moments before he nodded. "Agreed." No sooner had the word formed, the spirit began to fade, disappearing into a small spot of black even as the other spirits had vanished into light of their own colors. With the lighting being so poor, it was almost impossible to truly tell that Shadow was gone until a stone of the darkest shade of purple dropped into Sheena's outstretched hand. The Summoner closed her hand over the stone and pulled it close, bowing her head for a moment before she slipped the Amethyst into the pouch she kept in the folds of her sash and turned back to the others.

Lloyd sheathed his blades and watched Sheena return to them, excitement gradually creeping into his smile. "Now all we need to do is form the pact with the Summon Spirit of Light, and we can sever another mana link," the brown haired swordsman grinned, his eagerness clear in his voice. "All right, we're counting on you for the next one, too, Sheena!" he declared as he clapped her on the shoulder.

"You got it!" Sheena nodded, her own smile mirroring Lloyd's, though it was colored with a bit more relief.

_Another mana link…._ Liane blinked and sheathed her own sword as she allowed her eyes to shift over the party. Their goals had always stretched so far out ahead of them. And now those goals were so very close. She knew she should have been more excited, but it was all so much at once… and she couldn't shake the feeling that – if it all ended with Luna's pact – so many questions would never be answered. "But not tonight," she murmured before she really thought about it, earning curious glances from the others before she fully realized that she had spoken. "It's late… too late to go to Sylvarant to try to find Aska."

"We should get out of here… and set camp outside," Raine nodded in agreement. "The valley should give us decent protection for the night," she shrugged and stooped to pick up her pack.

"Camp?" Zelos flailed just enough to emphasize that he was trying to make a scene. "But there are comfy beds at Meltokio! It's even close this time!"

Sheena glared over at the redhead and crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "I am _not_ going through those sewers tonight," she stated. "You can go if you want, but count me out."

It was all the reaction Zelos needed, judging from his grin and how his voice pitched up as he began to whine directly at the ninja. It was getting easy for Liane to tune out their bickering, but, as she shouldered her own pack, she realized that even their dysfunctional relationship was something she could soon be missing. _It'll all be over._ She bit her lip and sighed. _I… don't think I'm ready for that… yet…._

* * *

Liane accepted the plate of steaming spaghetti from Regal with a grateful nod before she turned to walk back to the campfire that Genis had set and tended to become a roaring blaze in the night outside of Shadow's temple. She had had just about enough darkness for one day and compounding it by emerging into night was far from ideal, but rest would be for the best. Keeping her grumbling to herself, she settled onto one of the logs that Presea had toppled for them and swirled her fork into the noodles of her meal, the scent making her stomach react with a longing growl.

"Now, you made this with your hands, right?"

The swordswoman almost dropped her fork as she looked over to see that Lloyd truly was interrogating the shackled man as he eyed the meal suspiciously. _Oh, you've got to be kidding, Lloyd…._

Regal rested the spoon he had been serving the sauce with against the edge of the pot and looked down to the brown-haired teen with a sigh. "I told you, that was a joke," the convict sighed heavily. "Whoever heard of someone cooking with his feet?"

"It's 'cause you say everything with a straight face," Lloyd retorted and took a cautious bite of the meal. His eyes widened immediately. "Whoa, this is really good!"

"This dish… was one that a very dear partner of mine made for me," Regal commented quietly, almost soft enough to not be noticed considering how Zelos and Sheena were bickering loudly once again.

His tone was what Liane heard first… and when it combined with the words, she sighed, lowering her gaze to the plate in her lap. _Alicia… he's talking about Alicia._

"Mommy's flavor…."

The quiet comment from beside her made Liane realize that she wasn't the only one to understand the Duke's words. She turned, not even noticing that Presea had taken a seat on the same log while Lloyd and Regal had distracted Liane. The pink-haired girl merely sat staring down into her plate… and the swordswoman's heart ached for her. _She hasn't had time to come to grips with any of this…._

"Something wrong, Presea?" Lloyd asked, walking around the girl to take a seat on the log with Genis and Colette.

Presea's shoulders sank a little, but she still shook her head without looking up. "No… it's nothing."

Liane frowned, placing her fork back in her food as she tried not to stare at the ax girl. Lloyd seemed content to let the topic drop as he chattered with Genis, but she couldn't… not when two people both thinking the same thing were just steps away from each other – and they may as well have been on separate worlds. "Presea," she started hesitantly, waiting for the girl's wide blue eyes to turn up to her. For a moment, she almost listened to the voice in her mind that told her to butt out, but then she drew a deep breath and pushed on. "You should talk to him." She saw Presea's eyes dart back to Regal and she quickly scrambled to explain. "You don't have to be ready to forgive anything… but… maybe… sharing what you remember might help you… both?"

_Stupid… why would she want to help…?_

The dark haired young woman frowned at the mocking tone of the thought and her regrets for even saying something in the first place were quick to try to remind her of her place. _What would I do? Even if there was a deeper story to it, could I forgive the person that ended the life of someone that I loved? _The story may have revealed the tragedy to all of the players, but it would still be difficult – if not impossible – to just let it go. Regal was a dear friend, and Presea was a friend as well – and as much as she wished she could do something, Liane knew it was out of her hands.

"I… do not think he is ready to speak to me."

The swordswoman's eyes widened at the quiet response, especially considering that she had convinced herself that she didn't deserve one. "Presea, I think it would mean the world to him…" Liane responded quietly, her words honest and not needing to be filtered through any true consideration.

Presea stared down at her meal in silence before a heavy sigh finally fell from her lips. "I lost contact with Alicia after she left Ozette and I went to Sybak… he knows more about the person she grew to be. I want to talk to him. I just do not know if I'm ready, either."

It sounded all too familiar to Liane, just for different reasons. Liane listened, noting how the girl used the same reason for both herself and Regal to not speak with him. "If you both know that the door is open, maybe it'll make it easier for when you both are ready?" she offered, trying to make another bite of her dinner look casual. The swordswoman got no response, nor did she truly expect one – not until the log shifted ever so slightly as Presea's weight disappeared from the other end. Liane looked up, almost startled by the movement, her eyes following the pink-haired girl's trip back to stand beside Regal. Quickly looking away, she tried to give them the privacy she knew they would need to find their way to some form of common ground. _It's a start,_ she told herself as she took another bite of her dinner, watching the flames dance before her. _Even if they don't talk… or resolve anything… maybe just knowing that they're not alone will help. _Stray thoughts danced in her mind for a while longer until Genis disrupted them as he stood before her with his hand out to collect the plate she didn't remember emptying.

"Boy, you are spacing out…" the mage laughed and lifted the plate from her hands. "This is the third time I've asked if you wanted me to take your plate. I _was_ going to ask if you wanted to work on another spell tonight, but I think maybe you need your rest?"

Liane blushed and quickly tried to find a laugh for him. "I guess… but before Luna, maybe we'll get a chance?" she shrugged, casting a quick glance over her shoulder to find Regal and Presea seated on a log beside the cooking supplies. _Good_. The sight helped to warm her smile for Genis as she stood up and looked down to her young friend. "I mean, we have to find Aska first, so maybe there'll be time before we head back to the Tower of Mana?"

Genis chewed his lip, momentarily distracted as his eyes had followed hers before he nodded and looked back up to Liane. "Could be. But I was thinking fire this time – if you think you're ready?" he raised an eyebrow to her.

"Fire?" Liane giggled. "Hey, it's not like I'm Lloyd. I think I can handle it without making myself a danger," she sighed, lifting her voice just enough to get a pointed look and eye-roll from the swordsman. "But I'll leave it up to my teacher to decide, okay?" she offered the silver-haired boy a playful bow and grabbed her pack before she rose again. "But I think I'm going to get some sleep. We'll have to be up early…" she sighed and waved her good night wishes to the others, setting out for the spot she had found earlier. It was just outside the reach of the firelight and against the trees, but otherwise relatively open. She had chosen the site so that – if the dreams did come, she might not disturb them, but also so that no one would worry too much. _Regal's been sweet to sit with me, but he needs this time with Presea if she'll give it to him. I don't want to be an excuse to shorten that…._

As Liane settled into her bedroll, she looked up into the dense branches overhead. Though they hid the starfield beyond almost completely from her view, there was something soothing in the simplicity of the night. After the night before and all that had happened to bring them to Shadow's pact, the peace was uncomplicated… and very much welcome. With a deep inhale of the forest scents that reminded her of home, her eyes slid closed.

"You have to convince them to stop."

Liane's eyes shot open, though her mind was still sharp enough to contain her reaction to the quiet voice from the shadowed side of the tree behind her. She knew the voice immediately – there was no one else it could be. She decided to remain perfectly still even though her she had to fight the urge to turn towards him – make sure it wasn't some form half-waking dream that mimicked the encounter in Meltokio. "Maybe if you gave us more of a reason than 'because Kratos says so,' it might work better," she responded in a whisper that she hoped hid how her pulse had quickened.

_I don't have the excuse of the others being here… Goddess, what am I supposed to say?_

Silence was her only response, leaving her to wonder if it hadn't just been a dream… she had been close enough to drifting off to sleep. But then, a dry chuckle reassured her that her companion was truly there in the dark beside her. "If you know too much now, it will be obvious. If you knew why, your path would change too drastically to be a coincidence than if you stopped… and found your own way until you knew more about what is happening."

Her lips curled down into a frown. _Elusive as ever_, her temper hissed in the back of her mind. "Or you could level with us and stop trying to make us waste our time," she sighed, a slightly sarcastic bite in her words. _So much for setting a tone for some honesty…._

"You're already wasting your time," the shadowed angel responded indifferently. "You might even be making things worse, but until now, it all fits your pattern – and, at this point, stopping would be equally erratic to what you have been doing."

Liane sat up a little, doing her best to keep her frustration from building to an outburst and drawing the attention of the others. "Then, tell me _why_ Kratos. That's all it would take. Tell me why you want us to stop… and _why_ you seem to think that I could sway them? Are you trying to turn them all against me, too?"

"You're the only one that will speak to me without preparing for a fight," he answered without hesitation. "I suppose I was hoping that your reasoning behind that might also allow you to give what I say some merit."

She curled her hands into fists beneath the blanket and turned her gaze down. To any of the rest of the group that might be paying attention, she hoped she would merely look restless, but it was a struggle for her to choose her words. "Funny. There was a time when I tried to ask the same thing of you… and you told me to forget it," Liane replied sullenly. She couldn't help it – she could still feel the cold night wind of Flanoir as she stood watching him disappear into the fog.

The angel remained silent, her implied accusation falling into the silence between them. _What could he say, though?_ she asked herself as if trying to diffuse the anger – and the hurt – that still lingered whenever she thought of that night. _What did I want him to say even then? I can't talk to him…._

"Your dreams can't hold sway over you, Liane. This is no place – and there is no time – for them."

Liane's eyes widened in surprise and she sucked in a small gasp. She had expected him to ignore her – or brush her off once again – the acknowledgement wasn't something she had expected in the least. Turning her head just a little, she could just make out his profile in the darkness, though his uniform betrayed no glint of gold – he was clad as he had been in Meltokio earlier that day. _Kratos…._ "I can't help that," she answered with a sigh, testing him to see if he would push back. "When I close my eyes, I know this isn't right. I don't know why. I just… _know_ that we're not supposed to be enemies."

_More silence._

Then, just as Liane began to fidget uncomfortably, Kratos drew a long breath. "It is your choice to see me that way, Liane." She turned her head to object, but he held up a hand to stop her words. "It is the safest choice for everyone – and, honestly, the one I hoped you would all make."

_So he is trying to make us hate him._ The admission saddened her, but it confirmed her suspicions. Liane tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Whatever he was trying to do, he was doing it alone… because he thought he had to. "Kratos, I don't hate you," she stated softly, moving her hand to rest on the ground between them – partially just to move it and partially as an experiment. The touch of his hand was something that she remembered vividly from her dreams. "You frustrate me, yes. You make me mad, definitely. But I don't _hate_ you. I can't." She bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I –"

"Liane." He interrupted her, breaking her determination with his insistent tone. "I met you for the first time at the Temple outside Iselia. Whatever you've seen – or thought you've seen – since then, remember… no matter what you were about to say, I turned my blade on you, just like everyone else, at the Tower of Salvation. Don't take it for granted that I won't do it again." He shifted to look directly at her as if to drive his point into her. "If you want to trust me, trust me enough to listen to me and talk them all out of making another pact."

She felt herself deflate once again. She had seen what she thought was a chance, and it was slapped away once again. "I… don't know if I can do that without a reason," Liane murmured, her gaze falling to where her hand still rested alone on the ground.

Kratos watched her for a moment longer before he looked back into the surrounding forest. "Is the fact that you might do more damage than you could hope to set right to the world on your current path enough reason for you?"

Liane shook her head once and didn't look up. "I don't think so, Kratos. This whole system has to change. We can't sit back and do nothing – or pretend we don't know what we do." Her determination was easier to hold onto than her disappointment at the moment. "If you want to stop us… you'll have to fight us. Again." Her eyes slid closed as her mind saw fit to show her images of the swordsman with his blade drawn back and ready to strike – eerie images from both her memory and her dreams.

"Stay close to your friends, then… next time, I won't be able to hold back," Kratos sighed and pushed himself to his feet and then turned his auburn-veiled gaze down to her. "I'm sure the Duke will protect you to the best of his ability if you need it."

Her cheeks heated immediately at the mention of Regal, and her eyes widened as she stared up at him. _He… talked to Regal before,_ she reminded herself, trying to not leap to a more embarrassing conclusion, considering what she knew that she still needed to confide in the angel. _He couldn't have seen…._

The thought was blessedly cut short as Kratos began to move into the trees, the large trunk that had sheltered them for their conversation still hiding his departure from the view of the camp. She turned without truly thinking, her mind racing over what it was still desperate to know. "Kratos -!" she hissed, the name enough to stop him so that he could glance back over his shoulder to her.

"Who is Anna??"

The angel didn't move – he didn't turn or even twitch. He didn't react at all until – at last – a single dry chuckle puffed from him – and she would have sworn that she saw a ghost of a smile on his lips in profile.

"A dream, Liane. Go to sleep. You'll need your rest for what's to come," he replied just loud enough for her to hear before he disappeared into the woods.


	31. Chapter 31

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: One more pact… one more link. Then everything will change. It's a daunting thought just as it's the party's highest priority. Sometimes, it's too late to see that it's not always a good thing to get what you ask for. Spirits, enemies, and friendships are tested as the group takes another step forward.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 31:

"Come on, Liane… concentrate! You did it once already!"

The swordswoman grimaced at Genis' coaching, her eyes clenching shut just a bit tighter. The feel of the flat of her blade against her palm as she held the sword out before her was only a physical reminder of the truth in her young friend's words. Their day hadn't been that long after they had crossed over from Tethe'alla and their largest obstacle had been to find Nova's caravan – a relaxed day in comparison to how their days had been recently. Liane wasn't particularly tired, but she was sure that her new spell's first success had drawn on lingering anger from the night before. The realization was apparently enough to scatter her concentration… and leave her mind struggling to order the spell runes to fall to fire instead of water.

"Genis, if you push her too hard and she hits this flute with a fire ball – and we have to start all over – I'm blaming you," Lloyd grinned as he looked up from the half-formed instrument that the ax girl was helping him carve.

Liane frowned and cracked one eye open to glare at the brown-haired swordsman. "I… _won't_… miss…" she grumbled even as the rune bands that circled in the air around her snapped into pure crimson, finally losing the troublesome blue hints that she had been struggling against.

"Whoa… whatever that was… it worked," Genis breathed out, looking between Lloyd and Liane for a moment before he hopped a little in excitement. "That's it! Just a little more!"

"I… know," Liane replied, feeling the spell's mana level out. There was still a rush in that exact moment when she simply _felt_ that a spell was ready. It was something she knew that she shouldn't be able to do, but she still could… and that was all the justification she needed. She swung her sword out and up over her head, her eyes flaring open and fixing on the already charred rock against the cliff face that Genis had chosen for her target. "Fire Ball!"

The runes of the spell responded by knotting themselves over each other and igniting into a streaking mass of flames that struck the rock a moment later. Liane breathed out, brushing her hair back over her ear with a small laugh of relief as she sheathed her sword. "No rock stands a chance, now," she murmured and turned a quick smiled to her young teacher.

"Luna will be a good chance to practice some," Genis shrugged. "But after that, I guess there's a chance all you might need it for would be a campfire. Although, what you just did would be overkill… you'd have to scale it back some…."

Liane only partially heard the last part of the silver-haired boy's words. Her distraction drew her gaze to the group gathered behind them… each of them readying their camp near the base of the newly resurrected Linkite Tree for the night ahead. There was still a good deal of light within the depression that housed the tree, but the sun had long since disappeared below the rim of the surrounding cliffs. _One mana link left… then the worlds will be separated._ She knew she should be rejoicing – that they should all be celebrating… but none of them were. _Something just doesn't feel right. _The dark haired young woman knew that she might be able to shrug it off if her friends were more excited, but there was far more apprehension than excitement in the air.

"Liane, are you listening?"

She blinked and looked down to a rather-annoyed looking half-elven mage. _He was still talking… oops. _Liane managed a sheepish laugh as she realized that she'd been caught. "I am now… sorry. What was that again?" she asked apologetically in an attempt to soothe the boy's ire.

Genis huffed and threw his arms into the air. "Great. Whatever Lloyd has is spreading," he grumbled and leveled a pointed glare at her. "It's my turn to cook tonight, and every time I ask Lloyd, all he wants is Meat stew," he grumbled.

Liane glanced to Lloyd and back to Genis with a shrug. _If it's one of our last nights together, maybe something a little nicer would be appropriate. _How aboutTenderloin?" she suggested, remembering the way Genis had prepared it for them before. "I'm sure we have supplies, and it'll still have meat and potatoes to keep our favorite carnivore happy?" She couldn't resist a small laugh. "Just as long as there's no kelp, I know I'll be happy."

The mage had been nodding his agreement right up until her final comment. At that point, the boy's shoulders sank and he made a show of turning to stalk back to the pile of food packs and cooking supplies. "I swear… _no one_ around here _gets _food… it's always just… boring!"

The mage made his complaints known, but, as usual, he complied… providing a meal that made Liane's stomach growl at the first delicious whiff. It was enough to convince Lloyd and Presea to take a break from their work and for them all to settle to either side of the blazing campfire to enjoy Genis' work. Slicing the first juicy strip from her meat, Liane almost had the bite to her lips when she heard Raine sigh. She glanced over to her mentor to find the half-elven woman staring at the plate in her lap. "What, you wanted kelp?" Liane tried to joke as Genis returned to sit between his sister and Lloyd, knowing she would surely get a glare from the mage for her effort and having a smile ready for just that instance.

Raine glanced up, but her expression didn't change. She shook her head in response even though her eyes seemed to be looking through the swordswoman. "We're finally approaching the day when we will sever the last link."

Liane's playful smile faded quickly, even as she knew that she should have been ready for such an observation. It hadn't been far from her thoughts for a while, but hearing that it was the source of the Professor's distraction didn't make it any better. "Yeah," she sighed, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt. "Then I suppose we'll all go back to our normal lives… and pretend that we don't know that there's a whole other world out there." She took the bite of her meat, though it somehow didn't taste nearly as good as her anticipation had promised her that it would. Across the fire, the others were gathering with their dinners… friends she might never see again… friends that she might never know where their lives led them.

"You're staying, aren't you, Liane? In Sylvarant?" Lloyd asked, looking up from his already half-devoured meal with a curious tilt of his head.

_Staying?_

Why it sounded like such a strange question, she couldn't say. While part of her had already spent time mourning what would be lost to them in the salvation of the worlds, it had never truly occurred to her to be anywhere but Sylvarant. She nodded slowly, her braid rubbing against the collar of her tunic. "Sylvarant's my home," she murmured, the explanation forming grudgingly. "Even if I don't end up in Iselia, I couldn't leave my parents behind. All of my roots are there with them. Tethe'alla is fascinating, but… it's not home."

"I love Sylvarant, too," Colette nodded, keeping her voice low though she still wore a smile on her lips. "I'm just so happy that I might get to see the land get healthy again. I could never leave it behind."

Lloyd laughed and offered them all a grin. "Dad wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't waiting for whatever I was going to break next," he snickered again and pushed another bite of meat into his mouth. "Sylvarant is more laid back than Tethe'alla, anyway. I fit better here."

"You mean there are too many schools and libraries over there," Genis raised an eyebrow to his friend and then laughed as he popped a small potato into his mouth. He chewed it thoughtfully for a few moments and then swallowed, his smile mellowing a little as his eyes drifted to the other half of their party. "I wonder which world Presea and the others will remain in."

Over the roar of the high flames, Liane was fairly certain that the Tethe'allans hadn't heard their conversation. Sheena had apparently placed herself as far from Zelos as she could manage, talking to Presea as the quiet ax girl ate and nodded occasionally even as Zelos and Regal played out nearly identical roles on the other end of the log that they all shared. _Sheena's the only one I think I could even guess with,_ she realized as she chewed another bite of her meal. There was only one thing she was sure that she would wager on… and that was that not all of her friends would end up in the same place… at the some point, goodbyes were inevitable.

"What are you and the Professor going to do?" the blonde Chosen turned her blue gaze to Genis, either oblivious or ignoring the potential answers to his question.

Lloyd looked up from his nearly spotless plate. "Oh, yeah," his eyes widened a little. "You two were born in Tethe'alla, too."

Genis' smile was the swordsman's immediate answer. "I want to stay in Sylvarant," he announced, looking back to Colette. "'Cause Lloyd and everyone else are there."

While the silver-haired boy's answer clearly pleased both Lloyd and Colette, Liane couldn't ignore the labored sigh that issued from his sister. She looked to the woman at her side… and saw how her mentor was staring intently at her plate – and pointedly not at any of them. "Professor?" she asked softly, almost dreading what could be going through Raine's mind.

"I… I'm sorry," Raine murmured, slowly shaking her head and clearly distracted. "Let me think for a while."

Her brother's head snapped up at the quiet apology, alarm in his eyes. "Raine!"

_So I'm not the only one that didn't want to think about it._ Liane frowned and turned her eyes back to her half-eaten meal, her appetite gone. The Professor was always the one with the plan – even when she didn't share it with them. Though Liane knew Raine would have her reasons no matter her decision, it still shook the foundations of what she knew. If Raine went to Tethe'alla, there was the chance that Genis would also leave… that Iselia would be in need of a teacher… _and a much better chance that I won't ever leave Iselia. But everything will be different._ Liane knew that she had no right to try to sway anyone's decision… but that didn't change the fact that she didn't like how an uncertain future suddenly became a bit more muddled.

"I'm sorry," the Professor repeated once again, meeting her brother's alarmed gaze. "It's very important. I can't decide immediately," she tried to explain even as Genis slumped in disappointment where he sat beside her.

An uneasy silence fell on the five of them until Colette drew a deep breath. "Yes, I understand," she stated with a sad smile for her teacher, but a smile nonetheless.

_And so do I._ As much as Liane hated to admit it, she thought that she did understand at least a little. "If Tethe'alla's the place you've been looking for all this time, it would be selfish of us to try to convince you to stay," she spoke as evenly as she could, even trying to muster a smile of her own when her mentor looked up. "But as long as we know whatever you decide is what you really want, we'll… be happy for you." It was all the encouragement she could offer, given that she didn't even want to consider the possibility.

"I want you two to stay, but I'll wait for you to make a decision," Lloyd chimed in, bumping his shoulder into Genis' and offering the younger boy a grin when he finally looked up. The effort earned the swordsman a half-hearted chuckle from the mage, but Genis' posture remained hunched.

Raine nodded to the crimson-clad swordsman and lifted her hand to her brother's shoulder. "Thank you," she murmured, sweeping her gaze over her students.

Her gratitude was genuine, but it did effectively end the conversation. _It's up to them now,_ Liane reminded herself, and forced one more bite of her meal before she knew she couldn't eat any more. She had given her answer, and even though Raine's hesitance didn't change it, it felt like it was simply one more page turned in the last chapter of their tale. _Luna and Aska… will just be the last pages._ It was such a final thought that it made her stomach churn. She slowly drew a breath and rose to her feet, carrying her plate to the pot of warm water for washing and cleaning it, her thoughts nowhere near the task. _I guess… as long as everyone chooses what they truly want, that's all that matters. At least we've all fought hard enough to have the choice in the first place._

It _should_ have been all that mattered. But if she was honest with herself, Liane knew it wasn't enough for her.

The rest of the evening passed in relative peace. Presea and Lloyd went back to work on the flute and Genis seemed more than happy to keep them company. Sheena had fled from the lack of Presea's companionship to Raine's and Zelos had been content to prove how much more boisterous his conversation with Regal could be as his laughter filled the night air. Liane had taken a seat on the ground before the fire, her back against the log she had been seated on for dinner and her knees hugged to her chest, paying only enough attention to Colette seated beside her to keep a conversation going so that the girl wouldn't feel ignored. Colette had been through so much already - and if they did their jobs correctly, she – unlike so many of her line – would actually get to see the fruits of all of her effort and sacrifice. Liane was happy for the girl, but that didn't make it any easier to concentrate on her chatter about how cute the little girl that gave them the Linkite Nut was … or how she wanted to go back and see Cammy the dog in Triet."

Liane draped her forearms over her knees and continued to stare into the flames. She knew that she should be looking forward to a time when fighting wouldn't be a factor of daily life, but after spending so much time on the outer edges of her own life, she had finally felt what it was like to be even a small part of something important. She had helped save the lives of her friends and many others… and her own life had been saved many times, too. It would be hard to go back… to lose any of the bonds she had forged before and during the journey.

A glint of brighter light pulled her away from the thoughts that she didn't know how to handle yet. A delicate twist of silver draped over her wrist and peeked out from her sleeve to catch the firelight, burning a brief image of fiery wings into her eyes and into her thoughts.

_I wonder if angels can turn back time._

It was such a stray thought that she almost laughed. But was it really all that unthinkable? _After all the things we've seen Kratos… or Yuan… or even Yggdrasill do…._ It was an easy leap for her to make at that point… until she realized that if they could change the past, none of their group would probably be where they were.

_Either that or we're just playing our parts like good little toys._

Liane's frown deepened even more. Her theory had yet to be proven wrong… and Kratos' latest visit had actually only strengthened it. In trying to convince her to go to the others, he was trying to play the invisible puppet master.

_And the sad thing is… if he had just told me the truth – told me why – I probably would have done everything I could to convince them._

She wasn't sure if the thought made her a traitor, but it did convince her that she needed more space than she had – she simply couldn't smile and nod pleasantly for Colette to cover how her mind was wandering anymore. Excusing herself from Colette and the group at the fireside, Liane walked outside the log boundary, but no further, unrolling her bedroll not far behind where Raine, Sheena, and Colette were now all talking. It was far enough that they blocked the firelight from her view of the familiar stars above and that their conversation was mostly wordless to her, but close enough that Kratos wouldn't come unless he wanted to cause a scene. _If you want us to stop, you can tell us all why_, her mind whispered its defiant challenge as she rested her head against her pack and turned her eyes skyward. With the constellations she knew in the sky above, it was easier to relax… and to pretend that there was some order in the world, despite how that order seemed content to let the corruption of Cruxis warp everything.

"Liane...you look a little lost..." Regal commented when he came to a stop to stand at Liane's side, glancing down to meet her gaze. Offering her a small smile, he tilted his head to the side. "But, if you'd prefer, I can let you find your own way back...?"

Liane turned her eyes up, smiling a little at how he towered over her... how the fire light danced over his hair and shadowed his face. "You sure Zelos isn't going to come after you? He seemed pretty intent on proving that he didn't need to talk to Sheena all night long..." she laughed and gestured to the patch of grass beside her. "Sit... you don't have to just stand there, you know."

He chuckled as he sat down at her side, glancing back towards the fire where Zelos was chattering excitedly at Lloyd. "I think Zelos is properly distracted if you're worried he'll follow me, Liane. I can go if you'd rather not risk it." He curled his legs up under him, resting his hands in his lap. "I didn't mean to intrude if you wanted the time alone to think."

"Not sure I really want time to think too much, Regal," she sighed, turning her head back to look up to the sky once again. "I'm not sure that's what I need right now at all." Liane turned to watch him out of the corner of her eye. "But I'm not going any further away than this tonight… don't worry. Don't feel like you have to be here, okay? I know you probably want to spend time with the others, too."

"But if I go back, who will distract you from your thoughts?" Regal asked with one raised eyebrow, tossing his hair back over his shoulders. "The others seem to be enjoying themselves...and you appear to be the only one that might need some company." He bit his lip before he added softly, "Unless it was company that has left you avoiding thinking too much?"

She knew better than to try to tell him that he was wrong. "I didn't think anyone would notice. I was really hoping no one did," Liane murmured, glancing nervously back towards the others. "You had other things going on. He didn't threaten me. He... just talked...."

"I know that if he had done something like that, you would have told me about it, Liane. I trust you. I trust your judgment, though I question his," the blue-haired Duke replied gently as he leaned back on his elbows as best he could, letting his legs stretch out before him. He tilted his head back to look up at the sky as though he could find the star that had held her gaze for so long. "Forgive me, Liane, but I think after the other nights, I've come to notice how your mood changes in the aftermath. You seem to seek solitude most then."

_You do know me...._ There was comfort in how well he knew her... no awkwardness... no secrets anymore. After one more careful look back to the others, she turned back to Regal again. "He was trying to convince me to talk everyone into stopping the pacts again. Just like he tried to convince Lloyd in Meltokio."

"Stopping the pacts? I know he mentioned it in Meltokio, but he didn't give any reason to do so," he murmured, frowning slightly. "I doubt he gave you a good reason why we should stop then? Especially since it does not seem he feels the need to explain himself, and if he had, you would have told the others why we should stop before making the pact with the Summon Spirit of Light."

"He wouldn't tell me why." Somehow, the words even tasted bitter. "He wouldn't tell me a lot of things." Liane shook her head a little and looked back up to the stars. It was so good to be back beneath the stars she knew... it even made her feel just a bit more removed from the night before. "But you knew that before you even came over here," she sighed and tilted her head just a little again. "Did you see him there? Or did you just talk to Presea until late?"

"I saw him leave." Regal fell silent, as if biting off further explanation. "I wasn't sure what he might have come to say to you, but it seems that answers are never a part of what he feels he needs to say. I don't know why he'd want to stop us from acquiring the final pact."

"I don't either," she sighed, pulling the blanket up a little more around her shoulders. "I... I tried to talk to him."

Regal's frown deepened sympathetically. "Liane…."

"It's okay," she shook her head a little, even trying to reclaim a bit of a smile, though she knew that the shadows the others cast might hide the attempt. "I promised I'd try... and I did. I really didn't expect any different results, though." Liane wasn't lying, though she didn't like that truth in the least.

Sitting up, Regal reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Liane, I'm sorry. I know you promised that you would try, but I never wanted you to be hurt. I wanted you to take the chance to tell him because I thought it might change something. It might get you answers. It might make him change the game he seems to be playing. I thought...." He paused to sigh shaking his head. "I thought if you tried, something good might come of it."

"It still might..." she shrugged, but was careful not to move out from under his hand as she shifted to sit up and hug her knees to her chest. The gentle pressure reminded her that she wasn't alone... not for the moment, at least. "But I think I could consider last night a good one if you could tell me that something good came out of the time you had with Presea?" Liane asked, looking up to him. "Please tell me that you didn't both just sit there in silence...."

"No, it wasn't all silence. I really didn't have an idea of where to start...I don't think that she did either though," Regal remarked with the traces of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he allowed her to change the subject. "But I did offer to tell her anything about her sister that I could...all she had to do was ask. And I did ask that – perhaps - she'd tell me more about their life in Ozette if it wasn't too hard for her to talk about that some time."

"A trade...that sounds fair," she nodded, still watching him. He wore a slight smile that she could see by the shadow-laced light from the campfire. "But at least you opened the door?" Liane asked quietly. "I only had a guess at what you were talking about when you were talking about the recipe... but with the way Presea reacted, I was pretty sure the two of you would understand each other."

"It was something that Alicia showed me...part of the recipe. She'd learned it from her mother. Presea recognized it even after all of this time." Regal smiled wistfully, looking a bit lost himself as he looked back up to the stars. "She almost seemed happy that I was willing to talk to her about her sister. I know that it might take some time before she is ready to hear more than a little at a time. Things are still raw." He turned his head just enough to watch Liane out of the corner of his eye. "She did happen to mention that you were the one that pointed her in my direction though."

"Seemed like a good time. There was no point in both of you sitting there being miserable when you both were thinking the same things." Liane shrugged once again and allowed her eyes to follow his upward. "The spaghetti was excellent. Something like that… it's... a good way to make sure she stays a part of your life... the little things are what matter."

"Hm." He nodded, biting his lip for a moment. His gaze fell to the grass beneath them. "It was good to talk to her though… and to have the chance to tell her that I would be happy to talk to her about Alicia when and if she's ready. It even feels like a bit of weight has come off of my shoulders."

"You need that, Regal. If you're both willing to talk, then it should help both of you," she tried to smile, noting how he glanced away... and realizing how incredibly corny her words for him had probably been. "Sorry. I won't meddle anymore. I just had to know that you two would talk... even a little." Liane sighed and slowly shook her head. "You never know what the future will bring...."

"I don't think you were meddling. You didn't push her. I know you wouldn't do that, Liane. I think you were genuinely trying to help," Regal replied quietly. "I have been meaning to talk to her, you know that I have wanted to, and I haven't been taking the time or the risk to bring it up to her. Maybe you were just the push we both needed." His smile crept into his voice. "Thank you."

She looked over to him and smiled in return. "You don't have to thank me. I want the two of you to have the chance. I think you'll both need it... eventually..." she shrugged, looking back towards the others and then sighing. "I can't believe this could all be over soon."

"It's hard to imagine, although it's probably more difficult for you. You've been on a longer journey than I have. To think that we could finally end this cycle of one world flourishing while the other declines is unbelievable..." He tilted his head to catch her gaze. "But I still need to thank you. It means a great deal to know you care enough to try to help, Liane."

Liane smiled a little more, reaching up to push a tendril of hair back over her ear. "I do care. I told you I'd help you anyway I could," she shrugged. "Regal, I just want to know that you're going to try. I also want to know that Presea is going to try. It was just an opportunity... one like I hope you'll get again."

"Hopefully, we will, though that will depend on how things go tomorrow. If we can form the pact with the Summon Spirit of Light...well, time will tell," Regal commented as he stretched his arms out in front of his chest and then relaxed once again. "I heard you speaking with some of the others...of what you each of you might do when the worlds split."

Her smile faded and her eyes sought refuge in the stars once again. "Yeah. I knew we were all thinking about it... but... I wasn't really ready to talk about it yet," she shrugged, lowering herself back down to the ground and resting her head on the improvised pillow of her pack. "I know it has to happen – that the worlds can't go on like this – but...."

"But when you're fighting for the fate of the world, who thinks about what they will do once the battle is over?" The convict raised an eyebrow at her, his head cocked to the side. He sighed a little, letting a small stretch of silence weave between them before he added softly, "The effect that this will have is huge, and deciding what to do when we know there are two worlds but suddenly they're cut off from one another is a difficult decision. But...whatever you do, Liane, promise me you'll do whatever you have to in order to be happy."

"I... will..." Liane nodded, knowing his smile should reassure her, but somehow, it only made things worse. "I think I would have been okay... if it didn't sound like Raine - and maybe Genis - might be going to Tethe'alla." She sighed, her eyes sliding closed. "No matter what I've seen or learned, I won't be able to ever go back to where I was before... or who I was before. Everything will be different."

"We have probably learned far too much for any of us to go back to how we were before, but...if we didn't follow our hearts to where we thought we belong, we might never be happy." He turned slightly so that he could better meet her eyes. "Liane, nothing is for certain, you know that don't you? We don't know if the worlds will truly be cut off from one another, we don't know if Luna and Aska's pact will be what separates the worlds, and we don't know if we'll be done once we have the pact."

"I know. I guess I just figured when this was all over – however it ends – those of us that started in Iselia... would end up back there... at least for a little while," Liane huffed, but still looked up to him from where she rested against her pack. "The only way we're going to know what is going to happen... is to just get there... do it... save the worlds...."

"Yes, so it seems," he nodded as he offered her a small smile. "But you are a wonderful friend, Liane, and I hope that whatever happens, you find happiness."

"Thank you," she sighed, lifting her hand to rest lightly on his knee. "I want you to be happy, too. I want you to find happiness. I want to know that you... and Presea, Sheena, and Zelos... all find happiness." Liane let her eyes slide closed. "There are things I'll have to forget, though. It's clear that I'm never going to get some answers, so I'd rather just know that my friends haven't forgotten me... and that they're happy somewhere."

"Whatever happens," he repeated as he reached out to cup her chin with the fingers of one hand, searching her eyes when she looked up. "Do you think that I could forget you, Liane?"

Liane started a little at the gentle touch, but still opened her eyes to look up to him. He was her friend. No matter what had passed between them, he was her friend. "I just don't like the idea of my friends... being out of reach... of never being able to see them again."

"You have to have hope, Liane. And remember that no matter what, no one can take the time we've all shared away from us. We'll all have memories at the very least," the blue haired convict whispered and then drew his hand back with a sigh. "You should get some rest. Tomorrow could be a long day."

"I know…" Liane nodded and shrugged back under her blanket. He was right… and there really was nothing else to be said. They had followed what they thought was best… it was what brought them to the brink of facing the last remaining spirit… and possibly saving the worlds. Her eyes slid closed and she drew a deep breath of the night air. _It'll be worth it… it'll be worth any price._

********

The morning skies above the resurrected Linkite Tree still held a faint burn of dawn's colors as the party gathered near the tree's base. The night had passed maddeningly quickly for Liane… even though she had slept peacefully in general, facing what could be a pact battle first thing in the morning was hardly her ideal for starting a day. Sword in hand, she stood between Raine and Colette, she shook her low-bound ponytail back over her shoulder as she watched Presea approach Genis. Both Lloyd and Presea had worked on the instrument through the night, and it showed in their eyes and in Lloyd's weary smile.

"Genis. Here…" Presea murmured as she placed the Linkite Ocarina in the mage's outstretched hands and took a step back.

The silver-haired boy smiled as he lifted the instrument up a little to catch the light. "Lloyd, Presea, it's perfect!" he declared, turning his excited smile on them.

Lloyd perched his hands on the hilts of his blades, pride shining in his smile as he and Presea moved to take their places standing with the rest of the group. "Time for the last step!" the swordsman declared with just a hint of excitement creeping into his tone. "Genis! Sheena!"

"Yeah!" Genis hopped a little in response to his friend's enthusiasm and jogged forward with the delicate Ocarina clasped gently between his hands.

Sheena followed, her fingers freeing one of her spellcards from the folds of her sash. "You got it!" she nodded to the swordsman and walked to stand beside Genis and before the weeping boughs of the Linkite Tree.

Liane watched the young mage lift the Ocarina to his lips and tried not to get lost in the melody that spiraled up from the elaborately carved instrument. The trilling highs and sweeping lows were beautiful and distracting from the fact that they could be moments away from another pact-battle. After a few moments of Genis' concert, nothing seemed to happen or change… and Liane almost relaxed….

"Look!"

Regal's single word was enough to end the illusion of peace for Liane as her eyes flashed skyward to see a twin-headed bird slowly descending toward them, bringing all of the sky's vibrant colors along with it. The bird was as beautiful as Genis' song had been, but its appearance made her clench her hand tighter around the wrapped hilt of her sword.

"So this… is Aska…" Colette breathed out in awe as the bird hovered above the ground before all of them, its gaze drifting and finally settling on Sheena.

"Who calls me?"

A ripple of surprise went through the group at the sound of the voice that was clearly not human. It was mellow, peaceful… and neither high nor too low. Sheena stood mesmerized with the others for only a moment before she edged closer, and the bird swept its heads down to look her in the eye. "Aska!" the summoner called to the bird, her voice unwavering. "We need your power! Please form a pact with me!"

Liane blinked away her daze as the ninja spoke, her eyebrows knitting a little. It took only another moment for her to be able to name what seemed out of place. _Aska didn't claim to be pacted to Mithos… so she didn't have to ask him to annul his pact?_ Her request was simple and clear… and perhaps how she had originally been taught to forge a pact?

"Pact…" the bird replied thoughtfully, the feathers of its blue-purple tail flaring slightly in the morning breeze as it hovered in the air on the power of its great wings. "Where is Luna?"

Sheena hesitated for a moment at the question – just long enough for Zelos to step up to her side. "We haven't made a pact with Luna yet, but we need you," the redhead answered in the summoner's place, earning a surprised glance from Sheena, but no other retaliation… at least for the moment.

Aska swung his heads in Zelos' direction and blinked keen dark eyes before his heads began to sway slightly side to side. "I do not want to form a pact… unless Luna is with me."

The glowing bird's words hung in the air and all eyes went to Sheena. But the black-haired young woman merely nodded and placed her spellcard back into her sash. "Then let's form a pact with Luna." The statement was unrattled and even accompanied by a faint smile as the bird flapped its wings just a little harder to lift up higher into the air.

"Then I shall go to Luna," Aska spoke once again, his body catching more of the morning sun the higher he rose into the sky. "Farewell…."

Sheena nodded, squinting a little as she watched the spirit bird, her smile warming a bit more. "Yeah! That's fine," she nodded, sounding genuinely pleased. "Thanks, Aska."

The bird paused, looking back down to the Summoner and her companions. "Then until that time…" he spoke once again though his voice seemed to be mostly wind even as his form softened and slowly faded from sight.

"Wow…" Liane whispered, still staring up as she slid her sword back into its scabbard and adjusted her swordbelt over her tunic. Not only was Aska breathtaking, but there was something so natural about the entire encounter. The bird had answered their call, Sheena hadn't had to try to force the pact, and they had parted ways with an understanding that seemed to please everyone. It was a relief… even though she did feel a bit heavier once the party began to stir once again. _That's it, then… we know where Luna is…._

Lloyd approached Sheena, glancing up once again as if he was still expecting Aska to return before meeting the ninja's gaze. "Sheena, was that okay?" he asked hesitantly, a small frown on his lips as well as in his eyes.

"He said he'll make a pact," Sheena shrugged casually, tilting her head to the swordsman for a moment and then glancing over the others. "There's no reason to do it right now, right?"

Regal glanced down to the Ocarina that Genis still held and then lifted his eyes to where Aska had disappeared. "Indeed. Luna and Aska are both Summon Spirits of Light," he murmured quietly and then turned back to the group. "If Luna is performing the role as the mana link, then there is no need to attempt to force a pact with Aska here."

"The only thing left is to go to Luna and officially make the pact," Colette nodded, twisting her fingers together before her with an uneasy smile.

Liane understood that unease just as much as she understood the waver in her friend's voice. "Maybe they can't pact separately," she commented, more thinking to herself than really speaking to anyone else. "If they're both the Summon Spirits of Light – and they both _did_ ask of one another when we've seen them – maybe they have to be together."

Raine started to turn back to where they had stacked their packs and supplies that morning, but then she paused to glance back over her shoulder. "We'll be tested by both of them at the same time…" she sighed, nodding slowly as she spoke. "I guess it's unavoidable…."

"Well, whatever will be, will be," Zelos threw his arms in the air with a carefree chuckle as he strolled over to his pack, leaving the others to stare after him.

Lloyd watched the other swordsman walk away, his expression a bit puzzled until he finally shrugged and waved over his shoulder to the others as he followed Zelos. "Okay, let's go!"

_What else can we do?_

Liane's feet felt heavy as she walked over to her pack and lifted it up onto her shoulders. _The worlds can't wait,_ she told herself, trying to banish the ball of nerves that she felt tightening and twisting inside. _They can't go on like this… we have to finish what we've started…._

"_It is dangerous to engage in activities in which you cannot predict the outcome. It may result in something that you cannot undo."_

She could hear the angel's words almost as clearly as if he were standing over her shoulder. Kratos' words refused to leave her thoughts – they were tied for too tightly into his request of her… and it was all enough to fan the fires of her own doubts. Liane's stubbornness was enough to allow her to tell him 'no'… but the instincts that were telling her that she had to trust him wouldn't allow her to cast aside his words, either.

Liane sighed, allowing herself a moment to close her eyes. _Can I actually ask them to stop… when I can't tell them why?_ Her frown deepened and she dipped her chin. _What if I'm wrong… and they actually listened?_

"We from Tethe'alla will have to think about what we're going to do now."

Opening her eyes, Liane turned her head just enough to see that the Tethe'allans were gathering their packs a short distance behind her, but Regal's words made sure her frown remained in place even as she turned away again and knelt as if she was checking the straps on her gear. Regal's voice was quiet, but it was more than enough to confirm to Liane what they were talking about.

"In other words, whether we're going to remain in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla," Zelos replied knowingly.

Liane sat back and allowed her ponytail to fall over her shoulder so that she could watch them. It was almost the same talk she had shared with Lloyd and the others the night before. _It's none of my business,_ she told herself, though she still couldn't look away. _But I still want to know…._

Presea took a small step back from her pack and looked up to the other Tethe'allans. "I don't care which one I'm in," she stated flatly. "I'm alone in either world."

_Ouch._ Liane almost winced at the words – and probably would have, had they carried the emotion that they would have if they had been spoken by anyone else. She really couldn't tell the girl she was wrong, though… even if she had been a part of the conversation. Nothing could change the fact that her parents were gone… her sister was gone… all she had left to return to was an empty house on the outskirts of a devastated city. _We're – kind of – the only family she has. _The swordswoman's shoulders sank a little. _That's probably small comfort for her, though._

"I… think I'll be moving to Sylvarant along with the people of Mizuho," Sheena volunteered, casting a concerned glance to Presea as she tightened the straps of her pack over her shoulders.

The ninja was the only one that Liane would have even tried to guess at prior to overhearing the conversation… _and I would have guessed right._ But Sheena's decision did bring up something else… another factor that Liane hadn't considered before – _how fast will it happen?_ Moving the people of even a small village like Mizuho would take time… what if the separation happened quickly? The Mizuhoans would be stuck in Tethe'alla and the party would be in Sylvarant, whether they liked it or not. _The Professor and Genis would have to stay… and…._ Her eyes widened. _Noishe… he was hanging around Altessa's. He might be stuck there, too…._ She bit her lip. _We… they should have time. We can hope. But there's no way to tell for sure… is there?_

Zelos nodded slowly as if considering his two options, even placing a finger thoughtfully to his cheek. "I… hmm," the redhead huffed and then shrugged. "Sylvarant is kind of inconvenient, but I think Tethe'alla would be more peaceful without me."

It was a surprisingly mature statement, in Liane's view. _He didn't even use the word 'hunnies'…_she blinked, forcing herself not to turn and stare to watch for the moment he would start laughing. But the laughter never came… and that only emphasized to Liane how serious the decision was… and how close the time that they would have to make it truly was.

"That leaves me as the only one attached to Tethe'alla."

Regal's words didn't surprised Liane, but they did make her realize that he was the one that she hadn't really guessed at – that she hadn't wanted to. He was her friend… she wanted to see him put his life back together and see what he would do as he kept his promise to Alicia. _But I won't be able to do that._ Liane didn't like it, but she knew that part of Regal forgiving himself would be part of what he chose to do with his life. _I… should be happy for him,_ she told herself, pushing herself back to her feet as if it would strengthen her resolve. _I hope we can get him… and any of the others that want to change sides… where they want to be before we run out of time._

"I don't know," Sheena spoke up as she pulled out her wind pack and released her Rheaird from its captivity, her tone drawing Liane's attention back once again. "I think we all have all sorts of attachments. We still have some time," she shrugged and stepped onto the platform of the flyer. "We should all think carefully."

As Zelos voiced his agreement with the ninja's wisdom, Liane heard Lloyd call out to Regal. She turned to watch the swordsman wave the blue-haired man over to his Rheaird, and once again, another voice overpowered all other thoughts:

"_It is dangerous to engage in activities in which you cannot predict the outcome…."_

Liane held out her wing pack and watched her Rheaird bloom into shape once again with a sigh. She still didn't understand what he meant, but his logic was getting maddeningly applicable to too much that was happening. Stepping onto the flyer and firing the engine, she took a moment to look over her friends as they prepared to take off for the Tower of Mana and put an end to the journey. She would stay… and some would vanish from her life. _Regal… perhaps Presea, Raine, and Genis…._

_... and Kratos… will he disappear, too?_

_I don't want to have to say goodbye. Not to any of them_.

The words repeated like a mantra in her head as they lifted up from the ground and took to the skies once again. One moment, she would have to fight the urge to veer to Iselia – to go home, hide under a blanket and let what would happen just happen. In the next, she would chastise herself that she had to see it through… and if it came to pass, she would stand tall, wish her friends a good life, and watch them vanish from hers. As much as she hated it, she knew which would happen… the only option that she would be able to live with herself for taking.

It occurred to her to finally take the time to reflect on how far they'd come – their trip to the Tower of Mana would be over in a matter of minutes… not days, as it had taken them before. _If we had been able to move this fast before, it would have all been over by now. Colette would be dead and we might not have had the time to think to ask questions._ Landmarks that she remembered vividly slid by beneath them, and as much as Liane appreciated the abilities the Rheairds gave them, she found that she simply couldn't feel bad about what they had done and how they had done it. Before, her life had been sheltered and limited… her only friends in the world were Lloyd, Genis, Colette, and Raine. But the journey had opened the world to her – opened _two _worlds, actually – and she knew it would be hard… if not impossible… to go back.

The sight of the Tower of Mana rising from the landscape reminded Liane that the choice wasn't hers to make.

Time defiantly trudged on and delivered them all to the door of the Tower, all of them moving in what felt to Liane like nervous silence as they stowed their Rheairds and entered.

_The last time we were here, Remiel took Colette's voice,_ Liane reminded herself, her thoughts seeking some focus other than dreading the coming end. _There aren't any good memories here, though._

One by one, they filed up the narrow spiraled stairs of the Tower. Their march was silent other than their footsteps… and Lloyd grumbling something almost unintelligible about a 'quick jump' about halfway up. He refused to explain himself to Raine and Regal – the only ones that questioned him – but it was easy enough for Liane to write off his grumbling. She could understand….

_I don't want to be here, either._

The bridges of light that they had triggered during their first visit were still active – and still just as unnerving as they were before. But they remained inexplicably solid as they crossed one… and then the other….

"Stop!"

Liane froze amongst the rest of the party as she looked ahead to find Kratos standing between them and the warp pad that would take them to the rooftop altar once again. His presence didn't surprise her – but the urgency in his single word. The normally cold and calculating angel sounded almost… desperate?

Lloyd drew his blades and took a step out ahead of the others where they stood on the bridge, crossing them before him as he faced down his former companion. "Kratos! Don't get in our way!"

_Oh, Goddess… we _are_ going to have to fight him again._ Liane's arms felt heavy as she lifted her hand to her own sword, a wave of numbing cold sweeping over her from head to toe.

Kratos didn't back down from Lloyd, but he did lift an open hand to the party as if to stall their press forward as the others drew their weapons. "Hear me out!" the angel demanded, still not moving for his own weapon. "The Derris-Kharlan core-system just finished calculating its answer. If you form the pact with the Summon Spirit, the protection around the Great Seed will be completely lost!"

Liane blinked, her grip on her still-sheathed weapon faltering. _That's why he was trying to stall us… for an answer from this… core-system thing?_ Was it possible that he was simply trying to have firm information on his side – and not just being difficult? But before her decision on whether or not to trust the answer he finally had given them could make the jump to how it affected them, she was shoved harshly aside… and left stumbling into Regal's side as all she could see was a blur of a dark cloak and an aqua ponytail. _Yuan…!?_

"And that's exactly what we desire!" the Renegade growled as he pushed Lloyd aside. He swept his hand up, not giving Kratos a chance to react before Yuan hurled a small ball of crackling energy at the auburn-haired angel.

Kratos dodged the attack with inhuman speed only one spike of his indigo cape being even close to where the energy slammed into the tower wall. "Don't you understand?!" he snapped back, sliding his sword from its scabbard as his frame tensed to face the Renegade. "What you're hoping for will _not_ happen!"

"Silence!" Yuan snapped, lifting a hand that was already beginning to glow with mana towards Kratos. "Do you think we'll pass up this opportunity?!" The energy ball erupted into a crackling mass in the palm of the Renegade's hand as he turned his head just enough to keep an eye on Kratos. "Lloyd! Leave him to me! Go _now_! Form the pact with the Summon Spirit of Light!"

Lloyd dashed forward, moving behind Yuan and motioning for the others to follow as he stepped onto the patiently glowing warp pad, his form dissolving completely as Colette and Genis crowded on behind him. But Liane couldn't move, she stood frozen, her hand still tight on her sword. _What… is going on??_ If they had been acting without knowing the consequences before, it was infinitely worse now. Yuan was acting like a man possessed… and Kratos….

_Kratos… was trying to give us an answer._

"Liane, come on…."

Sheena's urging came quietly as her hand curled around the swordswoman's arm, tugging her from where her thoughts had rooted her to the warp pad where Zelos and Regal were waiting for them. The others were all gone. The ninja pulled Liane with her up onto the warp pad, but as the light flared up around her and her stomach lurched uncomfortably… for just a moment, she locked her gaze with that of Kratos –

- and the world stopped.

As certain as Liane was that they were being used to some unknown end… there was sincerity in the mahogany eyes of the angel who frustrated her so much. Sincerity… and defeated urgency… that she found she could only name as time lurched forward once again, and she found herself standing beside Sheena on the roof. Ahead of them, Lloyd, Raine, and the others were climbing the stairs to the altar. The whine of the warp pad behind them announced Regal and Zelos' arrival, but the only thing that mattered at that moment was the young swordsman leading them to confront Luna.

How she got there, Liane couldn't say. She didn't remember her feet moving. All she knew was that her hand closed around Lloyd's arm, and he snapped his head to look at her in surprise.

"Liane…?" Lloyd frowned. "What are you --?"

"Stop, Lloyd… something's not right!" Liane blurted out, not caring that the others were staring at her. When Lloyd turned to her, surprise mingled with doubt in his eyes, her heart sank, but she still shook her head. "Yuan and Kratos… they both know more about what's going on than we do! Isn't it worth a thought to stop and try to figure this out? This _is_ the last seal… and regardless of _why_ they're both concerned about it. Isn't that enough to just… stop and consider this?"

The surprise melted away from the brown eyes of her friend, leaving only the doubt… and a growing spark of anger. Lloyd pulled his hand out of her hold and turned to her. "Just because Kratos _finally_ thought of an excuse he thought we'd buy, we're supposed to just stop?" he retorted, his voice shaking slightly as his gaze started to narrow on Liane. "No way. The worlds can't stay this way! The seals are what's keeping Sylvarant and Tethe'alla stuck in this mess of sucking each other dry." He turned his back to her and took the last step up onto the altar platform. "This is it," he mumbled, his voice tainted with an almost vengeful cheer. "The protection around the Great Seed will finally fall after his pact."

Liane could only stare for a moment, her hand falling back to her side. _He's doing this… to spite Kratos._ She knew her friend well enough to know that it wasn't the only reason – Lloyd always _tried_ to do the right thing – but his mind was made up… and his stubbornness wasn't helping. As a last, desperate effort, she looked to Raine… but found the same doubt that had shone in Lloyd's gaze hiding in the shadows of her blue eyes. Their path was set. For better or worse, both Yuan and Kratos agreed that the protection would fall. _Beyond that… we can only hope…._ Liane nodded and stood back, finally aware of the uncomfortable silence around her. "Sorry. Let's… get his over with."

The silence persisted for a few moments longer before Colette Clapped her hands together and turned to Sheena, the girl's smile bright and excited even if none of it showed in her eyes. "We're counting on you, Sheena."

"You got it!" the summoner responded with a nod, sparing a quick, almost worried glance for Liane before she strode forward to the foot of the altar.

Liane kept her eyes down even as she felt the altar begin to react to Sheena's presence. _Please… Martel…_ she silently pled out of habit, hoping that her prayer didn't fall on deaf ears… that a power greater than all of them would hear her. _Please make this all right. I can't argue with them… not when all I have is a gut feeling. But this does _not_ feel right. _She wanted to believe that the anxiousness that had wrapped itself tighter around them ever since their meeting with Aska wasn't just her imagination… that they all knew something was off.

A bright spiral of light illuminated the altar area even more than the late morning sun above, the light pulsing a few times before giving way to the spirit that had confronted them there before. Still perched on her crescent moon, the blonde spirit tilted her head to look down at the party. "I am Sheena!" the summoner announced herself, drawing Luna's gaze to her. "I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos and establish a new pact with me."

Luna remained silent for a few long moments, paying no heed to the passage of time as she considered Sheena's request. "Where is Aska?" she finally asked, avoiding answering the ninja's request.

"He'll come," Sheena replied quickly, though her voice wavered slightly. "He promised."

"I see," the spirit nodded, shifting the golden staff in her hand as a warm smile curled her lips. "Then all is well. I shall test thy worthiness to wield my power."

Liane looked up, the spirit's acceptance suddenly destroying her last hope to stop the fight – at least until they could figure out what Kratos and Yuan wanted from them and why… and could decide for themselves. But even that faint hope shattered at the shrill cry from above as Aska swept down to hover protectively between Luna and the party. If she was wrong – if they were actually doing the right thing – they were a battle away from knowing for sure. _If I am wrong, it won't matter who stays where. None of them will probably ever talk to me again anyway. _The thought deepened her frown as she drew her sword and tossed her ponytail back over her shoulder. _Let's just get this over with._

"Show me thy true strength."

Luna's calm words contrasted with Aska's cry as he swept low and threw his wings out before him, feathers cutting at the air like razors as the party dove to either side to avoid the attack.

Liane almost stumbled into Zelos in the momentary panic to scatter, but when she regained her balance and a bit of calm, she realized that the bird-like spirit had effectively split the party. Luna was left to launch her attack on Sheena and those left on her side of the roof while Aska fixed his own half with a keen gaze that challenged them without the need for words. "Guess we get Aska," she muttered, tightening her grip on her sword as a rush of pink and silver dashed past her and Zelos.

"Beast!" Presea called out, her voice barely ringing over the strike of her ax against the rooftop before it was completely buried beneath the roar of the snarling visage that formed from her attack and blasted the sleek bird back away from them.

"All's fair, I guess," Zelos shrugged and spared the time for a quick wink for Liane before he ran in behind Presea, mana rippling back over his sword until he pushed it out at the unbalanced spirit bird. "Not like you'll probably fall, but…Super Sonic Thrust!" The shockwaves blasted out, knocking Aska into a backwards somersault that it quickly recovered from with a flap of its brightly feathered wings.

Aska had managed to right himself, but the convict had already closed the gap between them, fluidly swinging out his right leg in three rapid kicks while spinning on his left. After striking for the third time, he pushed off into a back flip with ease, leaving his left leg stretched out to catch Aska in the wing.

Liane nodded and took a few steps back from where Regal, Presea, and Zelos had formed the best wall they could against the flying spirit. She drew her sword up before her, turning it to press the flat of its blade to her palm. Genis was busy with Luna and the others… it was her turn to test their adversary against spells. _I don't have anything dark… so… let's try… water?_ Dark was her only guess at something that might actually damage Aska, but given what choices she had, it was still worth a chance. Blue runes obeyed her silent call, forming and lacing themselves together in bands that pulsed with the swordswoman's mana. "Some birds don't fly so well when they get wet…" she murmured, justifying the spell to herself one more time before her eyes opened and she swung her sword out to direct the spell. "Aqua Edge!"

A trio of water discs formed from the rune bands and flew at Aska, but even though each struck the spirit, its cry was hardly on of pain… it held far more anger than pain. In a heartbeat, Aska swept over the fighters that attempted to hold him at bay to hover over Liane for a moment before both heads were diving at the swordswoman.

Liane barely had time to raise her arms in a weak attempt to defend herself before the sharp beaks of the shining bird struck in rapid succession – one strike hitting her square on the top of the head and dropping her to her knees. The world tried to pull away from her as the dizziness began to blacken her vision. She was only vaguely aware of her sword clattering to the ground… though pain wasn't even a thought just yet. _Guess… he didn't appreciate the spell…._

Without thought, Regal charged at the Spirit, passing through the glowing bird-like Spirit of Light as though neither of them were made of flesh nor bone, and upon reaching the other side, he planted his feet driving his elbow back into Aska. "Heaven's Charge!" The blow sent the Summon Spirit tumbling, giving the Duke the chance to reach down, for Liane's hand, carefully helping her up when she instinctively used him for balance. "Are you all right?"

The swordswoman held on to Regal's arm only until she was sure she could stand. "I'll be fine," she muttered, stooping as carefully as she could to pick up her sword and then balance herself again. She couldn't stop herself from glaring at the bird that Zelos and Presea were keeping at bay… and that anger made it that much easier to charger her sword as she braced it out before her and lurched forward. "I am _not_ sitting this fight out! Sonic Thrust!!"

Aska floundered to the ground in the wake of Liane's attack, leaving the creature struggling to get airborne again. That struggle left him in perfect distance to Presea… who spared only a moment to glance to Liane and make sure she was clear before the pink-haired girl rushed Aska again. "Devastation," Presea named her attack as the swing of her ax lifted the girl to her feet only to slam down on the spirit, sending it back down to the rooftop.

"Do _not _mess with the ladies!" Zelos grinned. "Or me, either!" Taking a few small, measured steps and leaping up into the air, the redheaded Chosen's blade gleaming with mana the instant before he swung it down, unleashing a large arc of mana directly at the spirit. "Fierce Demon Fang!"

Aska turned his heads from the brunt of the attack's blow and limply tumbled into the air. But instead of falling back down, both heads swung wound and dipped toward the four fighters before him. It only took a moment for a tiny flicker of light in the air before the bird to grow into a blinding miniature sun, and barely a heartbeat longer for it to grow to an almost unbearable brilliance. The bird drew back from its creation, and then lowered its beaks to touch the ball of seething energy, touching off an explosion that blasted the spirit's enemies back, sending them all sprawling to the ground.

"That… hurt…" Liane groaned, pushing herself up from the ground to look around to her companions. They were all stirring, which was the only good thing she could see. Aska, on the other hand, merely hovered in the air before them, a silent dare to any of them to attempt to attack him again. _Well, if they're testing us…._ Somewhere over her shoulder, she could hear the other half of the battle along with the bursts of light that she saw occasionally from the corner of her eye. They were all fighting – they couldn't give up. Crawling back to her feet, Liane grasped her sword in both hands and pulled it up, almost as if trying to slice the air itself. When the blade was high over her head, she rushed at Aska, her steps only slightly unsteady as she stopped short, pouring what she could gather of her mana into the blade and slamming it down into the ground. "Beast!" she called out as the only-slightly deformed energy creature snarled at Aska, pushing the spirit back enough to buy them some room, even if it didn't do as much damage as Presea's.

The pink-haired ax girl took the opening that Liane had made, charging up to Aska and planting her feet before the spirit. She drew the ax up before her once and then, with a slight change in her grip, she dropped it and swung it up before her once again, loosing a pair of crescent-shaped shockwaves at the bird. "Resolute Infliction," she murmured as the force of her attack struck and pushed Aska up higher into the sky.

"Hey, hey now, hunnies! Save some for me!" Zelos chided Liane and Presea with almost out-of-place mirth as he ran between them and launched himself up into the air. The spinning attack was elegantly lethal as his blade struck at Aska, sending the spirit tumbling even as the swordsman dropped back down to the ground and lifted his glowing sword with both hands. "Light Spear Cannon!" Zelos grinned as the glow built and blasted out at the spirit, catching Aska in a direct hit that made the bird throw its heads back with a cry of pained distress.

Not allowing Aska to recover, Regal charged in throwing out his right leg in three devastating blows, then dropping into a crouch to strike lower. With the Spirit off balance again, he sprung into a back flip, his left leg catching the underside of a beak in a harsh blow. "Wolverine!"

Aska flailed on the ground for a few moments before he used a combination of his wings and legs to right himself and struggle back into the air. His heads swung wearily from one side to the other until his dark narrowed eyes fixed on the fighter closest to where he had landed – Presea. It was only an instant between the snap of the creature's focus and how it swept down on the girl. Aska lashed out at her with a barrage of brutal beak strikes that brought the pink-haired girl to her knees with a quiet cry of surprise.

The attack didn't surprise Liane nearly as much as the ax girl's reaction. Presea endured battle – she had done so every time Liane had ever fought beside her – and normally with a detachment that had become a part of her simple presence. _She's hurt. _Liane frowned, and suddenly found herself sprinting at the ax girl, sheathing her sword just before she launched herself at Presea, tackling the girl out of Aska's attack in a move Lloyd had taught her during her tomboy days. The swordswoman and the ax girl tumbled aside and came to a stop near the edge of the roof. Liane lifted her head, half-expecting to find herself nose to nose with Aska, but instead winding up staring as Zelos ran to place himself before the spirit.

"Okay, now picking on my cute little Rosebud is just _not_ cool," the redheaded Chosen taunted Aska with a click of his tongue. The spirit was visibly wobbly where it hung in the air, and he didn't even react at first when Zelos leapt at him. "You're finished…" Zelos smirked, spinning up into the air in a slightly less brilliant version of his previous attack, a spiral of pulsing mana beating out at the spirit as its wings flared desperately. "Light Spear!"

With his attention focused on Zelos, furious from the red headed swordsman's attacks, Aska didn't sense the convict close in on him once again. Regal was already in motion, the roundhouse kick striking the spirit in the back, and when he landed, he sprung into another back flip to add a second blow. "Dragon Fury." When he was in midair, he twisted to change his moment, his feet hitting the ground with an added wave of energy. "Eagle Dive!"

Liane looked away as the spirit hit the ground, turning back to find Presea pushing herself to her feet beside her. "Presea? Are you okay?" she asked, starting to reach out to help steady the pigtailed girl. Her tackle might not have been the most elegant rescue, but she didn't want to have made the girl's injuries worse.

"I'm fine," Presea replied flatly, her shoulders heaving for a moment before she hefted her ax back over her shoulder and looked back to Aska. "If you attack him one more time, I will finish this."

The cold certainty in the girl's voice only made Liane pause for a moment before she realized that Presea had probably not been hurt too badly by either Aska or by the tackle. "Okay," Liane nodded and pushed herself up from her knees, drawing her sword as she started into a run. Aska was having trouble rising from the ground for more than a few moments at a time – leaving him in perfect range for her. She dipped the tip of her sword to the ground and sent a rush of mana down into the blade. "Get ready, then," she spoke, her jaw set as she drew her blade up and turned it into another slash that formed an attack she had true faith in. "Double Demon Fang!"

Even as both mana waves struck Aska and brought the creature to the ground, Presea ran up to him, her boots tapping out the rhythm of her attack. "Finality Punishment," she introduced her attack to Aska, her voice betraying no emotion as her ax slashed at the golden bird first one way and then the other. She spun the handle of her weapon and gripped it between both hands for an uppercut that sent Aska up into the air in an uncontrolled flip that ended with the creature landing in a heap of legs, wings, and feathers that didn't shine quite as brightly as before.

"That's it…" Liane stated, spending the extra moment to be sure that Aska wasn't looking too eager to rise from his defeat too quickly before she tightened her hand around her sword and turned back to the others. For just a heartbeat, she saw Shadow looming over all of them… but then he was gone as if the wind had swept the spirit and his dark world away – leaving Sheena and the others gathered in a semi-circle around the blonde summon spirit that lay motionless on the ground beside her crescent-shaped perch. "Huh," she murmured, glancing to her side to see that Zelos, Regal, and Presea had moved to stand beside her. "Guess we had that timed about perfectly."

Zelos laughed and jogged forward. "Serves them right for messing with me and my summoner-ninja hunny!" he snickered, this time earning glares from more than just Sheena.

"Just Zelos and Sheena?" Liane murmured, catching Regal's eye as they started to walk back to the others with Presea. "You mean we could have just stood back and let Aska beat on him?"

Presea sighed and slipped her ax into its sling across her back. "He is trying to impress Sheena… and doing a poor job of it," the girl commented softly, drawing surprised looks from both Liane and Regal.

_If even Presea sees it…._ Liane was about to speak again when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning, she saw Luna lift her head, her dark yet calm eyes scanning over them as a small smile spread across her lips. "Careful…" the dark haired swordswoman spoke as her hand cautiously found her sword's hilt again. "Luna's awake…."

Luna hesitated where she lay sprawled on the ground, and then slowly pushed herself up. Her movements were labored, but she bore no outward signs of battle. She pulled herself up onto her moon, her smile only returning when Aska leapt up from the ground to float in the air beside her. The party stayed tensed only until the blonde spirit swept her hand to them and shook her head. "Thou art powerful," Luna commented, her voice as warm and unshaken as it had been before the battle. She looked down to Sheena and bowed her head. "Now state thy vow upon which thou wilt base our pact."

Sheena breathed out in relief, the gesture showing in a drop of her shoulders as she approached the altar once again. "I vow to germinate the Great Seed in order to realize the true regeneration of both worlds," she replied earnestly, her voice strong though her head was bowed respectfully to the spirits.

The Light Spirit spared a glance to Aska and then returned Sheena's nod with a gentle smile. "We accept thy vow. Our power is thine." The forms of both spirits shimmered and flared brighter for a few moments – until the light consumed both of them. Slowly, the two masses merged and condensed into a shining golden gem that slowly floated down into Sheena's hand.

Liane watched the scene, her heart creeping up into her throat. _The last spirit… the last mana link._ It was quiet – nothing moving around them except for the same pleasant wind that had welcomed them as they stepped from the warp pad. She watched as Sheena turned back to the party and saw the same nervous expectations that she felt reflected in the ninja's eyes. _Is that it?_

"You did it!"

The party spun to find Yuan running up the steps behind them, a hint of a smile on his normally impassive face. Kratos was but a step behind the Renegade, wearing a far different expression as he walked past Yuan and the others to approach the altar.

"No!" the angel breathed out as a pale light began to seep from the seal that encircled the altar, his head snapping up as a low rumble began to sound all around them.

A shiver raced up Liane's spine. _He's… he's truly worried._ She couldn't bring herself to believe that Kratos was actually frightened, but just the fact that he appeared so rattled after everything she had seen him do was enough to prove to her that worry was warranted. She heard the rumble, but more… she felt it. It thrummed far below their feet… and up into all of them. _This… this is what Kratos was trying to stop… but… what is it?_ Was it the worlds reacting as they had hoped and worked for… or was it something else that Kratos had tried to steer them away from? Sheathing her sword, she looked around to the others as the rumble began to turn into a roar….

And then the sound of the earth shattering overpowered everything else.

In the distance, a great cloud of dirt blasted upward as the gut-wrenching sound of the ground ripping and shifting filled the air. The Tower of Mana itself began to sway, and Liane was only vaguely aware of a hand on her arm – steadying her. Her attention was elsewhere – on the mountains to the south… on the lands beyond Hakonesia Peak – and on how, even at that distance, she was staring to see what was happening.

_Are those… tree roots??_

The rumbling continued, but the dirt that had been thrown up into the air was moving out from the main rise in a wave that obscured the mountains as well as the peak in the next few moments. It wasn't the oncoming wave of dirt and debris that stunned Liane, though. It was that the things that appeared to be roots were still writhing up above the sea of dirt… and at the core of it all, a mass of those roots were gathering and twining wildly over one another.

"What's happening?" Lloyd called out over the chaos.

But no one answered – if anyone even had an answer to offer. Zelos slowly moved closer to the edge of the tower roof as the shaking began to wane. "Oh my g…."

Liane understood the Chosen's words… the emotions… but words refused to form as she started to recognize a form in the chaotic twisting of immense tendrils. _It's… it's a tree?_ It was still writhing… warped… a mockery of the peaceful ideal of a tree… and at its heart was a glowing heart of green. The swordswoman stared, her mouth dry as the dust further settled… she began to realize that there was something within the glow. _A… woman??_

"Is that… the Giant Kharlan Tree?" Genis breathed out, lifting a shaking hand to point to the tree, turning so that his question could find Kratos… Yuan… Raine… Regal… _anyone_ that might answer him.

Liane knew that she had no answers for her young friend. But even that thought was secondary to how her eyes worked to give the form in the green glow shape. Slowly, she began to recognize a pair of arms spread wide, and a head that hung low… as if the woman was asleep. _Or…._ Liane stopped the thought there with a hard swallow. The woman might not have even been visible had it not been for the intense glow of the shell around her… it was too much of a leap to assume anything about her.

"That person," Colette murmured quietly, wringing her hands before her as she slowly moved forward to stand beside Zelos… as if those few steps might make it easier to see the tree and its captive. "I feel like I've met her somewhere before."

"Martel!" Yuan choked out, the single word sounding like it was ripped from his dry throat.

Blinking away her stupor, Liane finally turned from the tree, only then realizing that the hand that had stabilized her footing during the quakes was still there. She looked up to find Regal beside her… and realized that it had been him all along. She offered him a weak smile, hoping it would tell him that she was okay… and he lowered his hand from her so that she could turn to the others. "Martel?" she asked softly, a frown reclaiming the corners of her lips. Had she heard right?

"Martel?" Raine murmured, chorusing with Liane, though her curiosity was clearly driving her through her confusion faster as she faced Yuan. "That woman about to be consumed by the tree is Martel?"

Colette looked back over her shoulder to the Professor. "She reminds me of someone," the blonde girl murmured thoughtfully, her eyebrows just starting to knit together before her eyes widened. "She reminds me of –"

"_Why_ would Martel reappear with that giant, grotesque tree?" Yuan raised his voice enough to drown out Sylvarant's Chosen, his gaze narrowed sharply on Kratos as he pointed back to the tree accusingly.

_Martel…._ The arguments, the denial, the recognition… it was all just one thing on top of another for Liane to sort through as she turned back to the tree… to the goddess trapped in the tree. _She's real…._ The thought was only scraping the top of how her questions twisted upon one another. _The goddess that needed Colette as her vessel… she's right there. _The swordswoman's eyes slid closed as confusion threatened to make her already-throbbing temples explode. _And she does look _so_ familiar…._

"I was afraid this would happen," Kratos groaned, shaking his head as his shoulders drooped beneath his indigo cape.

Lloyd turned to stare at the angel. "What do you mean?"

Kratos exhaled and slowly shifted his gaze to the younger swordsman. "Having lost the stability afforded by the protection of the Summon Spirits, the Great Seed has gone out of control," the angel explained calmly, answering Yuan's glare with only a slight arch to his eyebrow.

The Renegade leader was already shaking his head in denial before Kratos could finish his explanation. "No! The purpose of the Summon Spirits was to isolate the Great Seed from the outside world and prevent it from growing!"

"That was only half of it," Kratos replied without further reaction to Yuan's alarm. "The two worlds were forced out of phase by Yggdrasill. They should have drifted apart from each other and have been consumed by the void. But this was prevented from happening because the Great Seed was placed in the center between the two worlds."

Yuan crossed his arms beneath his cape and snorted indignantly. "I don't need a lecture from _you_ to know that!"

Kratos merely drew another breath, all but completely ignoring Yuan's ire. "The Great Seed is constantly being pulled upon from both worlds as they try to separate from one another," he continued, his gaze fixed firmly on Yuan as if his words truly were the lecture the Renegade had complained about receiving. "It's a miracle that this delicate balance held up for even this long."

The party stood outside the debate between the angels… and it left Liane wondering if the two had actually fought inside at all – _or did they just save their argument for if we succeeded?_ She glanced back to the tree, her eyebrows knit in concern as she – like the others, she imagined – tried to process what Kratos and Yuan were saying. _So… Kratos was right. But would stopping or even waiting at this point have been any better? It seems the damage was already done…._

"Wait!" Yuan shook his head and clenched his eyes shut, holding a hand up to stop Kratos. "So the mana links served as a cage to contain the Great Seed in the space between the two worlds? Is that what you're saying?"

"Exactly." Kratos nodded once and then sharpened his gaze pointedly on Yuan. "And because you provided the unstable Great Seed with mana, it germinated in a twisted form and has gone out of control." The indigo clad angel nodded towards the tree, but his eyes never left the Renegade. "It's even engulfed Martel."

Lloyd stepped forward, stopping just short of placing himself directly between Kratos and Yuan. "Who cares shy this happened!" he snapped, his frustration oozing from his words. "I wanna know what's gonna happen if we can't stop this thing!"

Kratos and Yuan both stopped and looked down to the young swordsman. Neither answered for a moment, but then Kratos crossed his arms and looked to Yuan once again, his eyebrow arched in unspoken challenge. Yuan visibly bristled and then sighed heavily. "If what Kratos says is true, then Sylvarant will be consumed by the Great Seed. And if Sylvarant is destroyed, Tethe'alla will be destroyed as well, as it is linked by the Holy Ground of Kharlan and the Otherworldly Gate," he answered, sounding as if every word was being dragged from him.

Only the winds that swirled over the Tower rooftop seemed to be willing to comment until Presea's ax blade touched down to the stone, the girl's shoulders falling. "Then… everyone will die."

"Everyone except that twisted tree and the angels that live on Derris-Kharlan," Kratos nodded to the pink-haired girl, his tone grim.

"We have to do something!" Genis blurted out, his hands both curled into shaking fists as his wide eyes swept over the other occupants of the roof.

Sheena closed her eyes and shook her head, looking almost as if her frustration was truly painful. "But what _can_ we do?!"

The cold grip of panic was tightening around all of them, and Liane was no different. None of them wanted to die… and certainly none of them wanted a hand in the final blow that destroyed both worlds. "We can't… just put the spirits and the mana links back… can we…," she murmured, the thought not really a question – not when the architecture that had held the worlds – and the Great Seed – had clearly been so intricate.

"Yuan." Regal's voice sounded so solid compared to the desperation that was eating its way into the others' voices. When the Renegade looked over, the convict met his gaze and drew another breath. "How do you plan to rectify this situation?"

Yuan glared at the blue-haired Duke for a moment before rolling his eyes and exhaling heavily. "We can cut off the mana flow and stop the seed from receiving any more mana," he stated, his words clipped and rushed.

"But that won't subdue the Giant Tree," Kratos shook his head. "The process has already begun."

Liane sighed and let her head fall forward for a moment before lifting her eyes just enough to glare at the angel. _Enough._ "Okay, if that won't work and you have all the answers, how about helping for once?" she asked, her jaw clenched. "I still don't hear you offering any solutions – and I just can't believe that you're willing to just roll over and let that tree destroy everything," she grumbled accusingly. As easy as it was to look back and see that Kratos had tried to warn them from their path, it was just as easy to see that he had never offered them reasons _or_ options. "We may have been the ones to break the links, but given the information we had, it was our best option – that makes your hands dirty with this, too."

Kratos' expression was almost blank as he looked back to her – neither denying nor accepting her accusation with his silence.

"Is the Giant Tree going crazy like that in Tethe'alla, too?" Zelos asked, pointing at the tree and shifting his eyes between Kratos and Yuan.

"Highly unlikely," Kratos murmured, his eyes lingering on Liane for another heartbeat before he turned to face the Tethe'allan Chosen. "Although, I imagine they are feeling some effects, such as earthquakes."

It occurred to Liane to object to how she had been ignored, but the offense only lasted for a moment before her anger began to cool. _He said something about waiting for the core-system… and he's guessing at what's happening now. He knew it was bad… and why… but he didn't know the extent of it._ Kratos knew more than he was telling them all along – she was certain of that. But wasn't it possible that he didn't know how to put it right – even in the first place? Before they had even started breaking mana links on purpose?

"That makes sense," Raine nodded, her eyes almost glazed over in thought. "Because Colette activated the process of world regeneration, the Summon Spirits of Sylvarant are now active. Therefore, the Giant Tree was drawn over here by Sylvarant's Summon Spirits."

"Correct," Kratos nodded and turned squarely to the Professor. "The Summon Spirits exchange their respective roles of yin and yang each time a Chosen's quest for world regeneration succeeds. Currently, the Summon Spirits of Sylvarant are carrying out the role of yang by providing the mana. But because the Giant Tree has over-absorbed Sylvarant's mana, it has gone out of control," he explained to the silver-haired woman without looking to anyone else.

Lloyd huffed a moment after the angel's words faded and he lifted a hand to scratch his head. "If that's the case, couldn't we neutralize it by blasting it with the power of the opposing Summon Spirits?" he asked with a frown that bordered on confusion as Kratos, Raine, and the rest of the party paused to stare at him.

"Whoa, Lloyd!" Genis breathed out and took a slow step forward to look up to his friend. "You actually _understood_ what we were talking about?"

"Shut it, Genis!" the brown-haired teen snapped at his friend, his frustration making an easy trip to anger. "Professor once said that the negative and positive of a magnet neutralize each other," Lloyd huffed and looked back over his shoulder to Raine. "This is kind of the same thing, right?"

Raine considered the swordsman's question for a moment and then slowly started to shake her head. "That's not quite right, Lloyd, but nonetheless, it's a clever idea coming from you."

"But it _is_ a place to start," Liane stated and moved forward, both in defense of her friend and in hopes that his point was the start of an option that might be more productive than just talking about it until the only choice was giving up. "The spirits balanced each other – to the point that some are even dangerous to each other. Remember Efreet and Celsius?" She shrugged. "Sheena has the spirits at her command… isn't it worth a chance to use the Tethe'allan spirits against the tree that has absorbed Sylvarant's mana?"

Sheena was already shaking her head when she turned back to the tree. "Even if we did decide to try and set the Summon Spirits of Tethe'alla against it, how are we gonna go about doing that?" she asked and looked over her shoulder to the others, lifting her hand to use the tree as her exhibit. "We can't get close to that crazy thing the way it is now."

"The Mana Cannon."

The comment was almost quiet enough to not be heard, but in the void of options, Yuan's words still stood out against the winds that were beginning to churn around the Tower of Mana. Presea looked up to the ponytailed half-elf and cocked her head to him. "Mana Cannon? That machine Rodyle was building?"

Yuan looked down, considering the pink-haired girl for a moment before a dry chuckle shook his shoulders and he looked around the rest of the group. "We were actually manipulating Rodyle into building that," he stated with just a hint of pride in his tone. "Before the mana links started to disappear, we planned to have Rodyle destroy the Tower of Salvation."

_Destroy the Tower of Salvation.… _Liane had to admit that it was something she would have liked a hand in doing. _It would have saved so much trouble…._ But it wouldn't have changed that the worlds were still twisted according to Yggdrasill's will… it was just a thought that somehow made her feel better for a moment.

"So you're suggesting we feed the mana of Tethe'alla's Summon Spirits into the Mana Cannon and fire it at the Giant Tree," Kratos stated, his words punctuated with a sigh. "Hmm… I suppose there's no better option right now."

Raine's form straightened with purpose and she turned her rod in her hands before her. "First, we need to shut off the current flow of mana to the tree. It'll be too late if the tree grows any larger."

"Then, here's the plan," Kratos spoke firmly, his hand casually finding the hilt of his sword. He turned his head pointedly to the Renegade leader. "Yuan, I'm going to pretend I don't know who you've been working with or what you've been doing. In exchange, you're going to order the Renegades to stop firing mana at the tree immediately." His eyes shifted to Lloyd and the group gathered around him. "Meanwhile, Lloyd's group will head for the Mana Cannon."

Yuan's arms tightened where they crossed over his chest. "All right."

As if the earth itself felt the need to comment either on Kratos' plan or Yuan's acceptance, the Tower of Mana rocked once again, lurching beneath the group as another quake rumbled in the ground around them. Before they had all even had the chance to right their footing, the warp pad at the base of the nearby steps whined to life to allow a Renegade soldier to leap from its light and sprint up to Yuan, paying no mind to any of the others. He quickly bobbed his helmed head in a show of respect and drew a ragged breath. "It's not possible, sir!" the soldier wheezed. "Forcystus has executed our Iselia ranch infiltration team!"

Lloyd stood back and looked between the two Renegades, one eyebrow arched in curiosity. "What does that mean?"

Yuan sighed and dismissed the soldier with a wave of his hand before he pulled it back into his cape and shifted his eyes back to the young swordsman. "The Iselia ranch is still operational," he answered, irritation eating into his tone. "We had people working undercover to switch over the mana flow."

"In other words, we have to infiltrate the place right now and stop the flow," Zelos muttered grimly, tipping his eyes skyward in exasperation.

Liane took an involuntary step backwards. "The Iselia ranch?" she repeated numbly, somehow hoping that she had heard incorrectly. The shiver that went through her from head to toe was familiar even though she hadn't felt it in a while. Observing the ranch from the path that led to Lloyd's home was something she had gotten used to over the years, but the idea that they had to actually go _in_ tied knots in her stomach. _One last ranch… everything depends on this…_ she coached herself as she felt eyes on her for the comment she hadn't meant to voice. She blinked, willing herself to focus once again as she looked up to concentrate on Zelos. "It's the last ranch… and everything hinges on this. We have to hurry," she stated with what she hoped sounded like far more courage than she felt.

"Then I shall go."

The angel's words brought yet another wave of silence to the rooftop. When Liane snapped her gaze over to Kratos, she would have sworn that she caught his eyes slipping away from her. _But… why?_

"You?" Regal asked in thinly veiled disbelief. "Are you suggesting we should send you, _our enemy_, to do this by yourself?

Liane wanted to groan, but was fairly convinced that she contained it to a mere wince when she spotted the glare that the blue-haired man had pinned on Kratos. The challenge was there… and it was one of the last things she ever wanted to see. She had never heard the two men speak to one another, though she had heard Regal's story from outside the Temple of Lightning. She knew that she wasn't imagining the hostility in Regal's voice – but worse, she thought she saw it reflected in Kratos' eyes. _No… not now…._

"I'll send some of my men," Yuan offered with a shrug, his statement breaking the mutual glare shared by Regal and Kratos as the latter turned away from the convict to face him.

"Preparations for the Mana Cannon, the shutdown of the mana reactors throughout the world – there are too many things we need the Renegades to do," Kratos shook his head, his voice utterly calm. "You don't have enough troops to do everything."

As if taking a cue, Lloyd moved close enough to catch the attention of both angels. "I'll go."

Before either Kratos or Yuan could comment on the teen's declaration, Sheena was at his side. "What are you saying?!" the ninja asked with a deep frown born of urgency. "We have to head for the Mana Cannon!"

Lloyd was already shaking his head when he turned to answer the summoner. "You and the Renegades can take care of the Mana Cannon. Kratos and the rest of us will infiltrate the Iselia ranch. Fire the Mana Cannon when we give you the word." The swordsman shrugged at the momentary blank look that Sheena gave him and he nodded his head to the side that Kratos stood on. "You wouldn't be able to trust the signal if it came from Kratos alone, right?"

"Well, that's true," Sheena responded, standing back a little even if her frown was still in place. "But…."

Kratos tilted his head to the younger swordsman, the arch in his eyebrow revealed by a part in his spiked bangs. "Is it about Chocolat?"

The crimson-clad teen's eyes widened for a moment and then he glanced away. Before he could reply, Colette moved to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's right," she murmured quietly when he looked up to her smile. "Chocolat is held at the Iselia ranch. Lloyd, you remembered your promise."

"Why wouldn't he?" Liane asked quietly… almost sullenly, shaking her head. "Lloyd keeps his promises… he got you your birthday present, didn't he?" she continued when Colette looked up, irritated by the Chosen's surprise. She knew that it might have must been an easy distraction from the path that was unfurling before them, but Colette – almost beyond any of them – shouldn't have been surprised.

"All right," Yuan cleared his throat, _almost_ covering over a quiet groan as he turned to start back down the steps to the warp ring. "We'll leave it to you, then." He paused to cast a sweeping glance over the party and waited for Sheena to join him. "Don't let us down."

The party watched as the summoner and the Renegade disappeared in the warp ring's flare of light, leaving them to look to one another for a moment before Lloyd nodded decisively and started down the steps himself. "Let's go, guys!" he called to the others as he stepped up onto the warp pad and it whirred to life once again.

It was a direction… and this time, it was one sanctioned by both Kratos and Yuan. It seemed to be enough to get them all moving, but it didn't loosen the knot in Liane's gut. She tried not to be obvious about staring at Kratos, but she knew she might not be able to stop even if he or one of the others caught her. _He's back… he's fighting with us again._ There was a time when she thought it would be impossible, but fate once again saw fit to prove her wrong. While she was aware of Regal remaining protectively close, Liane couldn't help but feel better about their chances with Kratos with them… as if everything felt a little more right… a little more familiar. Even though she knew she would have to be careful and even though the world seemed to be literally shaking apart around them, having the original group that she started the journey with gave her a little more hope… for their journey… and that maybe… just maybe…

… _maybe things will finally start to make sense._


	32. Chapter 32

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: It's a homecoming the Sylvarant half of the party didn't want to face… the place that had always loomed over their lives. But what else does the Iselia Human Ranch hold? Uneasy reunions are only part of the trials that the party will face….

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 32:

"Why did you bring me along? You don't need me in order to stop the mana reactor."

Liane almost groaned, but she couldn't stop herself from casting a quick glare in the angel's direction. _Perfect. As if things weren't awkward enough…._ When Kratos had agreed to join them once again at the Tower of Mana, she had almost ventured far enough to hope that all the misunderstandings would be cleared and that they might finally all be fighting on the same side again. But Kratos seemed intent on remaining them all that he was only there by his choice – and that he was still separate from them. From how he insisted on flying on his own – with the wings that marked him as one of Cruxis' highest-ranking seraphim – to the goading question he posed to the younger swordsman, she was sure he was trying to prove that they were anything but united.

Lloyd's eyes shifted to Kratos as he shrugged in a show of indifference. "Because I don't trust Cruxis," he stated unapologetically. "It just happens that this time, our goals, your goals, and those of the Renegades coincide, but we don't know what's going to happen next. It's easier to keep an eye on you if you're close by."

"I see," Kratos nodded approvingly, a smug smirk barely visible beneath the fall of spiked auburn bangs. "A wise decision."

The party paused on the worn land bridge that linked the Iselian forest path to the ranch, their position already close enough to the imposing structure to constitute a breach of the town's agreement with the ranch, had it not already been broken. It was just one more thought that forced Liane to glance around to make sure she was near the center of the party – forcing herself into a physical reminder that she couldn't back out, no matter how she wanted to do so. She knew that none of them _wanted_ to be there, but she also knew that every step closer made her want to run in the opposite direction even faster. _It's always been there… nothing's different other that we're finally going to shut it down, _she tried to reason, though it did nothing for her nerves.

"How are we going to get in? The gate's closed," Genis asked from his crouch at the edge of the path, turning back to look over his shoulder for an answer from the others.

Lloyd stepped forward to stand beside the silver-haired mage for a moment before he gestured to the cliff that bordered the opposite side of the ranch. "I'll jump down inside from the cliff and open the door," he shrugged and moved to start down the path that led to the area before the gate and the cliff beyond.

But the crimson-clad teen didn't even finish his first step before Kratos caught him by the shoulder, drawing an almost-angry look from Lloyd. "No, let me go," the angel shook his head as his wings erupted from his back. "I can simply fly over the gate like this."

Before anyone could react, much less object, Kratos lifted up from the ground and swept forward. His flight was silent with a kind of lethal grace in every precise movement as he disappeared over the top of the ranch gate. Lloyd huffed his annoyance as the angel vanished from sight, but still waved over his shoulder to the others. "Come on. Once he gets the gate open, someone's gonna notice. We might not have much time."

The group started down the slope to the gates, following Lloyd without protest, but Zelos chuckled as he pushed his hands into his pockets, making his trek look considerably more leisurely. "Man, is it just me or does he creep anyone else out when he does that," the redhead raised his voice so that it would cover the group. "He reminds me of some kind of freaky gargoyle."

No one responded immediately to Zelos' observation, but Liane did see how Colette dipped her chin to hide beneath a veil of blonde hair. Liane frowned, keeping her lips tight over her urge to snap at the redhead too quickly. "He's using what he can do to help us," she finally shrugged, noticing that Colette had looked up to her. "I don't think it's creepy."

Zelos blinked and stopped where he walked at the front of the group, turning to face Liane with one eyebrow arched sarcastically. "Oh, come on, with the dark and the gloom and the doom… just add wings and it's instant gargoyle!" he flailed his arms with a laugh before his smile took on a decidedly smug edge. "Oh, _that's _right. We're talking Kratos here. You would _never –_"

_Smack!!_

The party had continued forward while Zelos stopped to make his point, but their speed was nothing compared to Raine's hand when it lashed out at the back of his head as she strode past without hesitating.

"Owww! What was that for??" the Tethe'allan Chosen complained, pouting at the silver-haired professor and hurrying to catch up to her.

"Because Sheena's not here to do it," Raine replied in a bitten tone, her eyes fixed on the gate ahead. "We don't have time for that. Now hurry up unless you want to be left out here alone."

Liane wasn't sure whether she should be relieved or alarmed by Raine's action, but she still tightened her jaw, deciding that silence was the best response to Zelos' waggled eyebrows as he offered her what would have any other time been an innocent shrug as he trotted back towards the head of the group.

_Goddess, is that what they all think?_

When no one else commented on the topic, it only fanned the sparks of paranoia within the swordswoman. Liane turned her eyes back to the ground and continued to walk. _At least they know what to think, I guess. They're ahead of me on that._ Her only consolation was that Kratos wasn't there to hear any of it… that perhaps her clumsy attempts to find truth in the tale that played out for her within the confines of her thoughts wouldn't further degrade their friendship.

… _or whatever it is._

The gates of the Iselia human ranch groaned open, swinging on their enormous hinges to reveal Kratos waiting for them on the other side, his wings once again gone and his arms crossed in a silent statement that protested how long he had waited for them. Was it a friendship? Liane knew that – no matter how he got under her skin – she couldn't bring herself to count him as an enemy. Calling him a friend was a stretch, though…

… _so why does 'more than friends' make more sense?_

"Liane, do you want to wait here?"

The quiet question snapped her out of her silent debate with the thoughts she couldn't understand and brought her gaze up to find that Regal had paused beside her. Liane blinked, frowning for a moment before she realized that her feet had frozen just under the archway of the gate. She was already shaking her head when she looked up to the monstrosity of a building that stood before them. The others, including Kratos, were already making their way to the entrance of the building. Quickly shaking her head once more, Liane found that she had to make a very physical effort to start forward again. "No. We need to do this," she told the shackled man, hoping her voice carried more confidence than she felt. "I just hate the ranches, that's all." She decided it would be believable – he knew she had spent a short time as a prisoner of a ranch… and she knew that – as her friend – he wouldn't push her for more reason than that. Regal was a friend, but that knowledge only made certain that the question of Kratos' status wouldn't die easily.

_But I do… _hate_… this place._

The feeling got worse with every step that brought her closer to the structure. Even knowing that her companions were nearby and that she wasn't alone did nothing to make it any better. Liane had always been scared of the ranch – but until the beginning of the journey, she was simply _supposed_ to be scared of it. She, along with all of the other Iselians, had to uphold the town's part of the non-aggression treaty. It was a part of life that Liane knew she should be used to – not afraid of. She couldn't say for sure that the Asgard ranch had finally completely ruined her on the existence of the human ranches. All that Liane knew for sure was that the steps that carried her over the threshold to actually enter the building were some of the most difficult she had ever taken. Keeping her eyes down, her senses tried to keep her aware of her surroundings, but her mind was processing that information as slowly as it could. The ranch was quiet… tomblike. It was almost as if, as quiet as the party was being, someone else was being more quiet… drawing the group further into the web. She was aware of the others around her – their quiet, questioning murmurs that echoed her own thoughts. But as her eyes traced over the seams in the floor of the metal hallway, she heard other voices that were impossibly close, given that she was still near the core of the party. They were voices she didn't know, but she had no doubt that they were aware of her….

_Move your feet, scum. Lord Kvar is waiting," came from one side as the strict pattern of seams passed beneath her. _

_A cruel chuckle came from her other side, and a hand tightened harshly over her upper arm. "Filthy human… you've put him through so much trouble…._

Liane's head snapped up with a sharp gasp. _Kvar??_

"Liane? Did you hear something?"

Genis' hushed whisper pulled Liane the rest of the way from the tightening grip of her thoughts. She quickly shook her head, noticing that Kratos and Lloyd were standing over a pedestal a few steps ahead… both swordsmen staring down at the sorcerer's ring on Lloyd's hand. "No… it's just… cold," she shook her head and smiled weakly for her friend. It wasn't entirely a lie. It just wasn't as cold as her own fear had been just moments before at the phantom words she had heard.

The answer seemed to pacify Genis, but Liane didn't chance looking around to the others. If there had been any other voices, at least Colette should have heard them. _It just has to be that it's a ranch,_ she chided herself silently, doing her best to keep her thoughts from wandering. _Kvar was at Asgard… it's just bleeding over. _It made sense, she decided, with the only real leap being that maybe she was remembering something from when she was still mostly unconscious after she was taken from Luin.

_That has to be it. It… makes sense?_

It had to be the explanation. The stakes were too high. Sylvarant had reacted to what they had done… and it was their responsibility to put things right before they simply blundered on ahead. It was enough to occupy her mind as they continued down the seemingly abandoned hallways… even though it was disturbing to her how much she could welcome thoughts of the chaos the tree had surely caused as a distraction.

As the group slipped into the room that contained an array of machinery and displays, the doors whisked shut behind them, affording them a reprieve from the threat of being found by a Desian patrol. Colette moved up ahead of Kratos and Lloyd, approaching a brightly lit panel for a moment before pointing to one section of it and turning back to the others. "This is the mana reactor."

Genis glanced to the map and then up to Lloyd and Kratos. "Can't we just destroy the ranch?" he complained, a frown etched deeply into his expression.

"If we're going to do that, we have to rescue the captives," Lloyd stated flatly, his hands tightening on the hilts of his swords.

Raine shook her head, one finger resting thoughtfully on her chin as she studied the glowing map. "We don't have time this time around," she stated, her brow furrowing slightly. "Let's destroy or stop just the mana reactor while rescuing Chocolat and the others."

_The captives._ Liane clenched her eyes shut and shook her head once in silent defiance before she looked back over to the Professor. "Can we be sure we can free them before we find the reactor? There's no guarantee we'll have time to rescue them on the way out if we take care of the reactor first," she murmured, still frowning as her mind elaborated for her – _we might be their last hope. If something goes wrong and the ranch is destroyed… it'll just be more blood on our hands._

Regal took a few steps closer to the display, his gaze narrowed on the map. "Where are the captives held?"

Zelos turned to consider the question and the map, studying it for a moment before reaching out to draw an invisible circle around an area to the west of them. "Around here, I think."

"That's on the way to the mana reactor," Lloyd nodded, a slight sparkle returning to his eyes as he looked back to the others. "We may be able to rescue them at the same time."

At first, Liane thought it was an answer that solved everything… but then logic started to tighten its grip on her and she shook her head. "We… can't bring everyone with us, though," she sighed. "We'd be too big of a group… and –"

"There is insufficient time," Presea stated, tying up the objection without turning her expressionless stare from the screen. "It would be a seventy percent loss."

Kratos groaned subtly and turned his back to the display, his eyes flashing over the party from beneath his bangs. "It's the same as in Kvar's ranch. We will have to divide into teams."

The soft whirr of the room's machinery attempted to fill in the gap left by the conversation as the party considered the angel's counsel. In the silence, Colette turned to Lloyd, twisting her fingers together nervously. "What should we do, Lloyd?"

"I'll go to the mana reactor," the brown-haired teen replied with a shrug that only betrayed a small glimpse of his disappointment. "Chocolat hates me, anyway."

Genis moved to his friend's side. "Okay, then, pick the members of your team, Lloyd," the mage grinned and then elbowed the swordsman playfully in the ribs. "I'm going with you, right?"

Lloyd blinked at the grin the silver-haired boy gave him and then laughed, nodding as he reached out to ruffle Genis' hair. "Couldn't do it without you."

"Well, of course!" Genis laughed, his chest puffed up as he hurriedly scrambled to smooth his hair and watch as Lloyd turned back to the others.

"I want to be where the most girls are!" Zelos declared with a laugh and a toss of a handful of red curls back over his shoulder.

Slowly, the teams started to take shape as Lloyd asked Raine and Colette to head up the rescue team… his further suggestion of Presea helping them solidifying Zelos' plea for placement. For just a moment, the mood lightened, even though Liane knew better than to think it would last past the door to the control room. She was torn… the party would split once they found the captives… with one group likely leading those captives to safety and the other continuing deeper into the ranch. _I could get out of here… help the captives…._

"Choose as you will."

Liane turned at the indifferent statement to find Lloyd and Kratos face to face… and the heaviness returned to the room. Even on the same side, the two were still awkward enough to watch together that it made her stomach twist.

"You're coming with me." Lloyd's statement was as little a request as Kratos' had been a plea.

Kratos reacted only with a nod, but it was Liane that spoke before the thoughts behind the words had solidified. "So am I." There was an element of familiarity in her declaration as Lloyd looked back to her, doubt flickering in his eyes. That doubt stung, but she still set her jaw. "You don't know what you're going to face further in. I can at least protect Genis if you two end up busy with Desians." _Or ripping each other to shreds._ She knew it was one of the more negative things she could have thought, but with the way Kratos and Lloyd had been, it was a possibility.

Lloyd took a moment to respond, but then he began to nod slowly. "Okay. I thought you'd want to get out of here, but we probably could use the help. Just in case."

"I place my strength at your disposal."

The blue-haired Duke's voice rose from just over Liane's shoulder and took away the stunned moment she had taken to marvel that Lloyd hadn't denied her request. She turned to find her friend's gaze fixed on Lloyd as the swordsman approached – neither looking to her, nor to Kratos. The tension at the Tower of Mana had been bad enough, but it was all she could do not to cringe at the thought of the trip to the reactor. _He won't tell me not to trust Kratos… but he doesn't trust him, either._

"I was going to have you go with the captives… but I guess Raine has enough backup in case they run into trouble… and you or Kratos can heal if we run into trouble… so…." Lloyd's smile returned slightly. "Yeah. I want you to come with me."

Regal dipped his head. "I understand."

When the shackled man looked up again, Liane caught the briefest of glances from him just before those blue eyes sharpened in an unspoken dare on Kratos. Her hand moved to the hilt of her sword, her knuckles going pale from the grip as she turned her head to look away and sigh. _As if Kratos and Lloyd giving up and finally just having it out wouldn't be enough fun._ She knew that Regal was very protective of their group – and she was grateful – but she knew she had done nothing to help his distrust of Kratos in confiding to him, either. _If any of them blew up, the Desians could be the least of our worries._

"I'll show you what a genius magician can _really_ do," Genis declared smugly, flipping his kendama in the air before him with a laugh as the group began to gravitate into the chosen teams.

Lloyd chuckled and tilted his head to his young friend. "What you're going to do is impress us _and_ stay safe," he shook his head and looked up to Liane and Regal. "You guys, too. Things might happen fast…."

Regal nodded and moved forward to stand beside Liane. "I shall follow any order you give."

"Don't worry about me," Liane added, squaring her shoulders and pushing the dread of the coming trip away from her thoughts. They had a job to finish and she had a part to play. "I'll be wherever you need me."

The brown-haired swordsman's smile warmed with determination and then he turned to Kratos… Genis, Liane, and Regal all gathered behind him. "You're still with us, right?"

Kratos' form squared and he drew in a deep breath. "I will observe how far your skills with the blade have progressed," he replied to Lloyd without looking to the others.

"Let's stay together until we reach Chocolat's location," Raine lifted her voice to focus the now-divided party. "That will be faster."

Lloyd nodded and waved over his shoulder for his team to follow. "Gotcha," he commented before joining the Professor beside a large piece of machinery that caught her attention.

Liane found that focusing on the team leaders' conversation was all but impossible. Her eyes traveled over her team… and she realized that she hadn't felt so awkward since the harvest festival in Iselia after she had returned from her Church journey. Kratos seemed to be content to pay casual attention to Lloyd and Raine, Regal was _attempting_ to not be too obvious about glaring at the angel, and Genis fidgeted at her side, sneaking quick glances to Presea when he didn't think anyone was watching. _We can't linger much longer now that our plans are made_. She reached out, placing a hand on a smooth wall panel to support herself for a moment while her eyes slid closed. _Goddess… please. Please let us get what we need and get out of here…_ she begged silently, ignoring the maddening thoughts she refused to recognize that told her she could guide them at least to the cell areas better than any map on a glowing screen could.

****

Kratos had long before decided to stop trying to predict how the party would react to the obstacles that their journey would place in their path. But that didn't mean that he didn't have to fight off the urge to do a double take when Lloyd made the same decision he would have – for the same reasons he would have. _Keeping an eye on me… wise. Taking a mage to handle potential trouble and balance out the melee fighting… tactically sound. Taking Regal as a healer…._

He sighed, and earned a quick, wary glace from Lloyd.

_Wise._

But Liane's presence wasn't a choice he would make. He let his eyes slide over to where the brown-haired young woman had propped herself up against the wall and did everything he could to keep the line that his lips had pressed themselves into from turning into a frown. She looked exhausted… she had every right to be. They all did. But after the rampage of the Giant Tree, resting after they gained Luna's pact was unthinkable – to any of them. As much as he had tried to warn them, he couldn't give them what they needed to believe him. The destruction was – once again – as much his fault as it was theirs. But the theme that had found a steady track of repetition in his life spreading to the others wasn't something he could be pleased about.

_This might finally be the wound that the world can't recover from. They'll all be as responsible as I am._

The thought wasn't comforting. His fate wasn't one he would wish on anyone – especially not those with goals as innocent as theirs were. They simply wanted to save the worlds. No one wanted to rule it… they simply wanted life to be better for the inhabitants of the worlds.

_Noble… but naïve._

"Hey, Liane… you're kinda pale… you sure you want to go?"

The worry in the mage's quiet voice would have caught Kratos' attention even if his words wouldn't have. He could still feel the convict's accusing gaze on him as he looked over to the swordswoman without bothering to disguise his attention. Liane's cheeks instantly tinted pink when the boy spoke to her, and her eyes darted up for just an instant to see who had noticed.

"I'm fine…" she shook her head, but her jaw was still set stubbornly.

Some masochistic side of Kratos wished for a moment that he could know what she was feeling… what she was seeing. Of course he could guess… and it would only help to fan his own guilt, but it wouldn't help her any. He banished the thought and turned his back on Lloyd and Genis to move to her side, ignoring how Regal took a protective step closer to the young woman. "You should go back to Iselia and wait," he murmured, reaching out to touch Liane's elbow to be sure he had her attention.

He had anticipated the angry intake of breath from Regal… but the sudden focused anger in Liane's eyes as she slapped his hand away actually surprised him.

"_No_. I said I wanted to be here. I can do this. I'm… not weak," Liane snapped under her breath as if answering a barrage of doubting accusations. Kratos withdrew his hand, though his gaze still studied her… seeing how the anger momentarily mixed with flashes of confusion and fear before all of it cooled and she looked back down to the ground.

"Thanks. But… at the moment, I'm not welcome there, either," the swordswoman elaborated without looking up, her tone more subdued, though still strained. "This is where I belong." She hesitated for a moment and then looked up – directly into his eyes, challenge flickering in the girl's hazel gaze. "Can you say the same?"

The auburn haired angel ignored a deep half-hearted-though-satisfied chuckle from over his shoulder, his attention still firmly on the swordswoman. Something had made her stronger. Kratos held his hand up in a sign of surrender and took a step back, but otherwise didn't respond. Liane was teetering between growing more defiant of him and crumbling before him every time they met. But now, something was pushing her beyond all of it… almost to the point that – even when he backed off and Regal and Genis both moved closer – she, herself, stepped back away from all of them, pushing herself almost sullenly away from the wall and turning her back to them. The three of them stood watching her in silence, though Kratos was certain that each of their interpretations of her actions was different.

_She's struggling to stay here. Not just to keep from running… but… in this moment._

To corner her and ask her would be too much – most likely, for both of them. But it was clear that her control was strained… especially when she couldn't even allow two of her closest companions near enough to read her. He watched as the girl edged closer to the doors that would let them back into the hallway and then froze in a moment of what had to be composure as her shoulders heaved. He spared a quick glance over to Regal and then to Genis, noting their grudging looks of confusion as they eyed him suspiciously… and then looked to Liane's back with a bit more sympathy.

_They don't trust me… and now they're blaming me for how she's acting. I suppose… it's probably true enough._

Kratos could only offer them an exasperated sigh – it was what they were expecting, anyway. It wasn't as if he could explain it to them. It wasn't his place even if he thought he could. Liane couldn't control what she was seeing – he had known that from the beginning. She had seen both the bad and the good… another certainty, given that she never seemed to be scared of him… and she had never given in to the urge he had seen in her eyes to hate him completely. If she was seeing what _she_ had lived, Liane was seeing all of it… including the parts that he could only guess at.

"Hard to believe I'm fighting together with you again like this."

The angel blinked, sparing only an instant to wonder when his concentration had lapsed so badly that even Lloyd could sneak up on him. He turned his head just enough to see that the others had gathered behind them, ready to continue now that their plans were made. He chuckled once, knowing that their conversation – no matter how quiet – would be a show for the others as well thanks to the acoustics of the room. "Does it displease you?" he asked coolly, trying not to let too much interest creep into the question.

The crimson-clad swordsman rolled his all-too-familiar eyes with a huff. "Oh, please," the teen groaned and shook his head before lifting his gaze back up to Kratos once again. "Of _course_, I'm not happy about it. And I don't trust you, either," he groaned, snapping out the last declaration defensively.

"Good," Kratos nodded approvingly and lifting his head to display a mask of indifference, choosing not to react to the addition with the smirk that wanted to appear. He could easily see why the boy had added it… he had the morale of his team in mind… and it seemed that the weakness of consorting with an agent of Cruxis wasn't something he was willing to show in front of them. "That's how you should be," he continued, deciding the boy's struggle was something he could at least help along. "Because you and I…"

He hesitated, the words he knew he needed to speak at that point suddenly uneasily difficult to form.

"… are enemies."

Kratos saw the boy's shoulders stiffen and took it as a sign that he had accomplished his goal… he had once again pushed Lloyd out of reach. It worked all too well… Lloyd's eyes narrowed on him as he stomped ahead and gestured to the others to follow him through the doors that whisked open at his approach.

"Wow. You must be so proud of yourself…" Liane grumbled as she shot him a withering glare over her shoulder and started out after the others.

_Proud? Hardly._

"Pride has nothing to do with it," he murmured in a calm response as he fell into step behind the swordsman, keeping his voice low, but making no attempt to be secretive. "What we have is a truce, nothing more. There are more important things to this mission than how Lloyd feels about fighting beside me, but he also shouldn't lose sight of the fact that he shouldn't turn his back on me. It seems that he is starting to understand that."

Liane snorted softly, tossing her braid back over her shoulder. "It must be easier on you… working with people's backs turned to you. I wonder what you would do if knew just how much attention you had. Being invisible… must be a huge help to you."

Her words held a sarcastic bite to them, though he could hardly say she was wrong. The swordswoman quickened her pace – to end the conversation on her own terms, he guessed – but he stayed close behind. Their party filled the corridor even as they were careful to avoid the laser intrusion systems, so he wasn't exactly the back of the group… but it was close enough. It would be a lie if he tried to tell anyone – including himself – that he had harbored regrets for even being called on to guide Colette. It would have been easier to hear of her flailing companions second hand… never having to face Lloyd and see the truth behind the boy and never having to face the fact that, once again, he was letting _her_ down. But blame for his assignment was a moot point, now… he danced on his strings like a good puppet, though he still tested how easily they could snap. _That_, he did for himself and his lost family, but he was beyond trying to be the hero because of it.

_Hero_. He almost laughed. _I haven't been one of those in lifetimes… if I ever was even then._

Lloyd still had a chance, though. He and his companions would have the chance to be the heroes that the world needed now. _And… if there is a way… I will help them._

The thoughts absorbed his perception for a few moments, to the point that he only vaguely recognized the 'whoosh' of the doors ahead of them as they opened.

"Chosen One!"

Kratos' sword was instantly out of its scabbard, the host holding area of the Ranch opening to them to reveal the girl that had been taken before their eyes from the Palmacosta Human Ranch and another tattered and weary man before them… and the Desian guards that were trying to herd them back into their apparently-empty cages.

Lloyd's blades also slid from their sheathes, twin hisses as the boy's eyes shifted between the girl that still grated on his conscience and the guards that appeared ready to do anything to keep them apart. "Chocolat!"

"Don't move!" one of the armored guards demanded, his voice echoing beneath his gleaming helm as he tapped his coiled whip menacingly against his thigh, a malicious grin curling his lips as he watched Lloyd and Colette at the front of the group. "So you're the intruders!"

_It's too narrow,_ Kratos grumbled silently, his eyes flashing over the second floor of the holding area, assessing the walkway. The guards were easily blocking them… and the group couldn't move to outnumber them or they would endanger each other. _Damn. If we were on the other side of the pillars…._

The closest guard snarled wordlessly and freed his whip from his belt. "The host bodies made a break for it when they heard you were here!" he grumbled, a hint of a dangerous chuckle in his voice. "You'll pay for this!" His anger grew through his demand, and his muscles coiled beneath his armor before he launched himself at Lloyd.

Kratos almost cringed as Lloyd hit the ground, but denied himself a groan at how the teen left himself open. Without exposing himself to the Desians, he couldn't leap over the others… and fighting his way through the others was an equally bad idea. His hands were momentarily tied as he watched Colette stumble over Lloyd and fall to the ground beside him. It was a colossal comedy of errors with a dangerous edge… and Kratos couldn't do a thing about it.

But then, even through the sea of tensed companions before him, Kratos saw something completely unexpected. The male prisoner that had been cowering beside Chocolat made a strangled noise that Kratos could only identify as his conscience winning over his fear… and lurched forward, throwing his fists into the back of the man that was attacking Colette. The man quickly backed off, eyes wide as he became the focus of both guards' attention… but it was enough to bring a smirk to Kratos' lips. _How is it I can still underestimate the resiliency of the humans of this world…?_

"Y-you!" the attacked Desian choked out his dismay as he and his partner began to advance on the man… giving Lloyd and Colette plenty of time to climb back to their feet.

It was all Kratos could do to force himself to replace his sword into its scabbard. He had said that he would observe how Lloyd's skills had progressed… and it seemed that fate was presenting him with the perfect opportunity.

"So you like kicking people around, huh?" Lloyd growled as the Desians slowly turned back to him, clearly realizing their mistake in forgetting him. Both the swordsman and Colette had their weapons drawn, as did those behind them. "Well now, it's payback time!"

Those of the party that had room to move forward did so even as a Sorcerer and a Spearman appeared, apparently having heard the commotion. Kratos remained in the shadows even once there was room to move forward, noting that the party actually seemed to follow their own patterns without commands… dividing off to keep their adversaries from using each other to gain an advantage. Lloyd was focused completely on the guards that had accosted him, and Colette was – as ever – by his side. The others all paired off to find their own Desian, an effective plan if the brevity of the fight as a whole was any indication. _They are getting better… working as a team,_ his thoughts critiqued as the last of the armored Desians fell, her spear clattering to the floor.

When it was clear that the Desians weren't going to get up to press the battle, the male prisoner exhaled, his shoulders heaving forward. "Thank you so much!"

Chocolat nodded, moving out of the shadows of one of the massive pillars to stand beside her companion. She twisted her fingers together before her and kept her troubled gaze on Lloyd as she dipped her chin. "Thank you," she murmured sincerely – yet still with enough hesitation that it was clear that she wasn't entirely sure they were the words she wanted to be speaking.

"Are there any others here?" the brown-haired swordsman asked, sheathing his twin blades and then making a rushed gesture to the empty cells that lined the wall beside them.

The male captive shook his head and glanced to the nearby staircase. "I think the people in the other rooms managed to get away already," he responded quietly, a slight waver of excitement in his voice.

It at least partially explained why only four Desians responded to the threat in the prisoner area. Kratos couldn't help but think that such a massive escape would look particularly bad for Forcystus when Yggdrasill heard of the failure. _Of course, that would mean that he would have to be able to get word of it at the dwarf's burrow… not to mention the possibility that Forcystus won't already be beyond the reach of Yggdrasill's fury by then anyway._

The auburn haired seraph's scowl deepened for a moment. The belief that they would succeed… that Lloyd's misfit band of fighters would accomplish their goal at the human ranch… was undeniably strong. It was an odd realization – one that would take time to adjust to.

"Well then, we'll take the captives, just as planned," Raine stepped forward from behind Lloyd to usher the male captive and Chocolat closer to the stairs and then paused for the rest of her team to join her.

Presea, Zelos, and Colette separated themselves from the rest of the party, only the blonde Chosen sparing a long, worried glance back to the others. Kratos drew a deep breath as the team that Lloyd had handpicked slowly tightened their formation around the swordsman. Lloyd seemed to straighten a bit at the show of support, once again smiling a bit with Liane to one side and Genis to the other – much how the boy's journey had started. The convict stood just behind Lloyd, effectively keeping himself between Kratos and both Lloyd and Liane, though particularly, Liane. It was a silent statement that fell well within the range of his discussion with Lloyd. _The Duke knows enough to keep an eye on his enemies. He won't be swayed by a fledgling truce until it's proven. Good._

"Right," Lloyd's tight-lipped smile answered his teacher's implied directions. "Good luck."

Raine seemed pleased enough with his response that she turned and gestured over her shoulder without another look back. "Come, everyone, this way."

Chocolat, however, lingered where she had been rooted since the fight had ended, almost as if she had never heard the Professor – or understood that she was supposed to leave as well. "I…" she started, her troubled brown eyes still on Lloyd.

The swordsman looked over to her. Kratos shifted his eyes beneath the protection of his bangs to the boy, curious how he would take the reluctance in her voice. It took only a moment for him to realize that he hadn't tensed… and that he was actually… smiling?"

Lloyd chuckled deep in his throat and shook his head to the girl. "If you don't want to be saved by me, just consider yourself rescued by the Chosen," he told her with a smile that earned him an even more surprised look. "Now hurry and go!"

Kratos watched as Chocolat took a moment to gather her wits and then hurried after Raine and the others. Lloyd turned to watch her leave, still betraying no sign of reluctance or regret. _It seems he's accepted her distaste for him._ It was better than beating himself up over something he couldn't change and distracting himself from what had to be done.

The Professor's group disappeared to the lower level of the prisoner cells, and Lloyd turned back to the others. "Okay, it's up to us, then. Let's get to the mana reactor and get out of here so we can get the signal to Sheena."

_His focus has definitely improved._ Kratos made no comment other than to turn and follow with the others. It seemed that Regal had nominated himself to keep an eye on him while Lloyd and Genis led them back through the hallways and around the laser traps. Liane stayed at the middle of the group, keeping pace with the younger boys in front of her, though her eyes were shifting from one side of the hallway to the other as they walked. There was more than simple caution in how stiffly she moved, as if any little sound might make her jump straight out of her skin.

It was an easy thing to tell himself to look away – that wondering what was going through the young woman's head was counterproductive and grossly out of step with the mission. But when her steps slowed to a stop in the middle of the hallway and her eyes fixed on a small plaque beside a rather-unassuming doorway, his feet followed her example.

"Liane?" Regal urged quietly, approaching to stand over her shoulder.

Kratos saw her blink, perhaps an effort to clear her thoughts, as she lifted her hand to the plaque, her fingers brushing over the etched lettering for a moment before she drew her hand back. Her lips curled downward, and then her eyes slid to him.

"What does this say?"

She didn't elaborate – her voice was already shaking just within those four short words. But she didn't need to do so. The plaque, like all of the controls in the ranch, was written in the ancient language that the Desians clung to. There was no point in denying her question or the plea in her eyes, though he wasn't entirely certain that he wanted to know why she asked. Kratos took a step closer, ignoring the distrusting glare of the convict as he glanced to the plaque and then back to her. "It translates roughly to 'Administrative Audience,'" he answered evenly. "Most likely a place where the ranch Cardinal would host other dignitaries or hold sensitive meetings. _Why? Why did this room stop her…?"_

"Oh," Liane answered with one more quick glance to the door before she turned to continue forward, leaving Regal and Kratos to stare after her.

Before she could look away, though, Kratos caught two things that kept him in place. The first was the shiver that Liane's shoulders betrayed… and the second was the way that her hand brushed over the base of her throat, lingered there for the space of a heartbeat, and then fell away.

The look that the convict shot him was more confused than hostile for once, but that lasted only until he started forward as well, leaving Kratos a moment without the halved party's cautious observation. His eyes scanned over the door and the plaque that named it, and a familiar, cold lump formed in his gut.

_Something happened here._ The thought was almost as sickening as the area outside the gates of the ranch. _Something that she had to bear on her own…._

****

"_You never would have been in such pain if you wouldn't have run away from us…."_

_The mocking sympathy drove her instincts into a fury – all at once, she wanted to reach out and rip the sneer from the squinty-eyed Desian, to break down and sob for the utter lack of hope, and to cry out for her family. She ground her teeth and denied herself any of the options, settling for what she could manage of a defiant jerk of her arms against the grasp of the soldiers that held her a few steps from the Cardinals._

"_Go to hell."_

_Her retort wavered even in her own ears, and it cost her even more effort to keep from cringing. Kvar's answering laugh left her torn once again between resurrecting her attempt to assault him and stifling a cry at the sharp wave of pain that suddenly lashed out from the jewel at the base of her throat._

"_It hurts, doesn't it?" Kvar crooned pitifully as he paced a few steps ahead of her, seemingly oblivious to her demand. Pronyma leaned against the nearby wall of the audience chamber with a devious smile marking her approval of the other Cardinal's technique. "I've been told that it's quite painful, really… more so than even the normal Exspheres, though other hosts… well, let's just say they didn't hold up nearly as well as you have, so I suppose what you're enduring is something exponentially more painful by now."_

_He stopped and took a single, lethally graceful step to harshly cup her chin and bring her eyes up to his. "Do you know why it hurts? It's done with you. It has what it needed from you… and _you_ are the parasite now." All traces of pity vanished into his frigid tone and glare. "You were quite the experiment – your mana signature was unlike any we'd considered for the Angelus Project before, but Lord Yggdrasill was insistent that we find something special for you. We really must keep watch for another like you…." His grin twisted and he leaned forward, almost touching his nose to hers. "Oh, that's right…" he threw back his head with a laugh that rang out in the room. "You have a son!"_

"_Stay away from him!!"_

_The cry tore itself from her throat before she could think to stop it – and it was followed by a familiar wave of excruciating pain that pulsed along with her heartbeat. She clenched her eyes shut against the pain, clinging to any control she could manage as her legs gave out on her and left her hanging limply in the grasp of the soldiers. "Leave… him… alone!"_

_Kvar smirked and clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth chidingly as he turned to lean back against the long oval table at the center of the room. "Ah-ah-ah. I told you that it's had enough… no need to feed it more," he crossed his arms and smiled at the disheveled woman when she finally lifted her head to him again. "Oh, but that crystal is exquisite – you can practically feel its power from here… such a fitting gift for Lord Yggdrasill…."_

"_Lord Kvar, might I point out that it was me who tracked them down?" Pronyma spoke in a dangerously velvet tone as she pushed away from the wall and strolled closer to the other Cardinal and their captive. "The gift is from both of us."_

"_Yes, yes, your little infatuation with Lord Kratos worked to our advantage for once," Kvar glared at the green-haired woman and then looked back to their human captive. His smile grew wider, tinted with just a bit of sarcastic glee. "Lady Pronyma has always fancied Lord Kratos, you know. Don't worry for him when you're gone – I know she'll happily take your place as his… plaything?"_

_She felt herself bristle even as she lifted her head to see the other woman through the unruly fall of brown bangs and note that she mirrored her reaction. She held herself to simply tightening her jaw to bite off any response he was waiting for. _I do worry for Kratos… for what he's trying to do… for what they're doing to him….

_Kvar frowned slightly at the lack of true response from either woman – silence from the captive and a distinctly un-ladylike growl from Pronyma as she turned her back on him and stormed back to the wall. He shrugged and tilted his head to the brown-haired captive. "You truly were perfect – for an inferior being – you know. The perfect bait to bring our errant Lord Kratos back into the fold, the perfect host for the Angelus Project, and the perfect broodmare to give us either another powerful ally like his father… or a host for a crystal even more perfect than the one you bear." His eyebrow arched to her. "It will probably be the latter, though. No matter the boy's lineage, he _is _still an inferior being. Lord Yggdrasill surely won't have use for him."_

_He was goading her into a reaction – she could see that. Her control was frayed enough that even the slightest reaction sent her reeling with pain. _This can't go on much longer._ It was a sobering reality that would only bring her more despair – and bring the end closer. She drew a deep breath and forced herself to glare at Kvar once again. "Kratos won't let that happen. You know it as well as I do," she kept her voice to a low growl. "He'll come for me… and no matter what happens to me, he'll make you pay…."_

"_Of course your beloved husband will come for you," Kvar nodded understandingly, almost eagerly. "And he'll bring that adorable child – because there's no one that either of you trusts enough to care for him, you know," his smile brightened. "And then, we'll have all of you… one tidy present for Lord Yggdrasill."_

_It couldn't be that easy, could it? Everything she and Kratos had worked for… everything that they had struggled through… the world that everyone could live in without worrying about what blood ran in their veins – gone… just like that?_

If that happens, who will fight? Will everyone think that the way things are is the way they're supposed to be?

_She sighed. _That's how I thought… before I met him.

_Shaking her head, she drew a steadying breath to answer the cold challenge in his eyes. "It won't matter. There will always be someone who can see what you are doing to the people of both worlds is wrong. There will always be someone to stand against you – no matter what Yggdrasill does to –"_

_Her words were stopped by the sharp slap of Pronyma's hand to her jaw. She fell to the floor, leaning forward to barely catch herself on her hands as the guards let her fall…._

She's so… fast….

"_How _dare _you even speak Yggdrasill's name!" Pronyma exploded furiously. "You rant so self-righteously, but your kind has always scorned ours. This is justice! This is the natural order!"_

_Pronyma's eyes widened as she was suddenly jerked backwards from where she had towered over the fallen human woman, nearly stumbling over a chair tucked beneath the table when Kvar finally released her. _

"_It's pointless, Pronyma," Kvar rolled his eyes as he shook his head to her. "The human has done her part to further our goals and won't live to see how wrong she is. Why waste your breath?" Taking a step closer to the woman on the floor, the Cardinal chuckled. He had only started to draw air to fuel his next words when the door to the hallway whisked aside._

"_Lord Kvar!" came a breathless voice from the doorway. "The gate guard just reported that Lord Kratos is approaching. I'm heading out to –"_

"_No," Kvar snapped, looking down to his prisoner at his feet and waiting until she lifted her head to offer her a thin smile. "No, Lord Forcystus. Return to your command. You won't be needed."_

_She frowned at how she was sure she could see the demented gears turning behind the Cardinal's squinty eyes, but even that observation was enough to freeze her blood. Any hope that had flared at the mention of her husband's name faded. _Won't… be needed?

"_But," Forcystus objected, taking a step into the room, "… with all due respect, Lord Kvar, I should be there with my men. This is my ranch, and it is my responsibility to defend it."_

_Kvar laughed again, though no amusement showed through. "You called me to handle this matter and bring it to a close." He pulled off his right glove and tucked it into his belt as he looked up to the turquoise-haired half-elf. "Return to your post. Leave this door – and any other between here and the exit – open. And command your men to retreat."_

_Forcystus' jaw dropped, as did Pronyma's. "L-Lord Kvar," the Iselia ranch master stammered. "What?"_

_Everything in her mind fell silent as she looked around to each of her captors. _Open… the doors…?

"_Do as I say. Leave. This is my fight and I have already chosen the correct weapon to win it," Kvar snapped. Forcystus grumbled wordlessly, but still nodded and spun on his heel to leave the room. "So little confidence is so disappointing from a colleague," he muttered as if his words actually might pain him. Then he snapped his bared hands toward the silent pair of guards that stood in silent respectful attention. "Hold her up."_

_She suddenly found herself hauled roughly to her feet, though the Desian guards were the only things holding her there. Her lip was quivering no matter how she tried to keep her mouth shut tight, the anticipation of what she knew had to be coming distorting how her mind had tried to construct the moment for her since she had been captured. With all the pain she had learned to live with, how could it get worse? _But it will… how can it not…?

"_Ugh…" Kvar made a face as he closed the distance between himself and the human host before him, both his nose and lips wrinkled in revulsion. "Aside from this distasteful part, my weapon against Lord Kratos will be perfection… a stroke of genius that I'm certain Lord Yggdrasill will approve of wholeheartedly."_

_The Cardinal's bare hand snapped out to the base of her throat and she could feel each cool fingertip take a moment to get a grip on the edges of the stone. Her eyes widened as every last bit of air rushed from her lungs… and all she could see was the calculating gaze of Kvar._

This… is it….

"_Pity that I couldn't get the grip I needed with my glove on…" Kvar murmured once again before his cruel smirk returned. "Oh, well… it shouldn't take but a moment… and then you'll finish my task for me…."_

_Before she could react, his hand twisted, fingertips pressing into the tender skin that had already been violated by the Cruxis Crystal. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream that couldn't move as fast as the bone-charring hellstorm of pain as she felt something snap… a connection she had never really understood weakening and beginning to fail._

_Then the scream came._

_Kvar stood back beside Pronyma, both of them wearing smiles of almost childlike delight as the guards dropped the host and stepped away as if they felt the heat within her as well. "That should be enough to start the process…" the thin-faced Cardinal nodded approvingly, wiping his hand on his cape as he looked down to the woman that struggled at his feet. "What are you waiting for…? Your husband and son are waiting for you… you'd best hurry…."_

_She could barely hear anything over the chaos in her mind, her entire body boiling over as she realized what it truly meant that the crystal had fed from her. It was still in place… it had to be, from how focused the pain was… he had done just enough to begin to separate them. _

Kratos….

_Instinct was all she had to fuel the push to her knees… and then to her feet that would barely carry her. All she knew were the motions… and the feel of the cold wall as she stumbled against it and slid towards the door. Her body was rebelling, protesting, disintegrating as she moved, the fire consuming her with every instant that passed._

_Ahead, she could see the gray-white of a winter's day calling to her… to a freedom that she didn't dare question…_

Liane blinked, gasping softly as her fingernails grazed lightly over the base of her throat, satisfying a gentle itch that was at least something to focus on.

_I… I have to get out of here…._ She knew it wasn't entirely her need, and it made her feel a little better, though she also knew that she had to stay with her friends there in the present.

_I can't go back to that… I don't want to see any more._ The pain that she had felt through the eyes of another was enough to make her never even close her eyes again. Everything had looked familiar as they had gone through the ranch… but the sight of that one room had been enough to pull her completely out of her own skin.

With a careful exhale, she glanced around, once again amazed that they were in a different hallway – one that she didn't remember walking to – and that none of her companions appeared to be paying any special attention to her. Even though her throat itched as if she had been screaming, there were no signs around her that such a scream had ever found voice.

_That should make me feel better, shouldn't it?_

But it didn't. None of her companions acted as if they had heard or seen any of what she had – or at least not her reaction to it. Yet it was once again all too vivid – the details that she could never guess at on her own. For just a moment, Liane had once again been plucked from her own life and placed in the middle – or perhaps at the end? – of another.

_Why?!?_

The small group of fighters moved cautiously through the labyrinthine hallways, and Liane's hand found its way to the hilt of her sword – perhaps in anticipation of attack… perhaps in preemptive defense against being tugged from reality again. The tense silence gave her a moment to gather and order her thoughts… something she didn't want to do, but knew that she had to do so while the memories were still disturbingly clear.

_Kratos won't help me… but he knows something,_ she started, chancing a glance to the angel. Wondering why she was being given the visions was becoming a moot point, but what she was to do with them was growing in importance.

_She loves him,_ Liane thought with a sigh, seeing Kratos' eyes begin to shift and quickly looking away. _And even Kvar referred to him as her husband. If… she was Anna… if she was the one he lost… his soulmate… it would all make sense why he won't speak of her to me._

Liane bit her lip harshly. _Even if I can't control it, I'm still intruding in his life. _She looked down. _I'd hate me, too, if I were in his shoes. Every time I try to bring this up, I'm hurting him._

For just a moment, all of the things he had done to them faded away… and her heart ached for him as pieces of the puzzle shifted and fell into place.

_He found us at the Martel Temple… not far from here. _The thoughts began to burn in her mind as they slowly started to find their order. _What if… what if he just came from here? What if he just lost his wife and his son… before we met him? _

Her stomach contorted violently as she suddenly remembered the screams… and the feel of the sticky crimson that coated her hands in her nightmares. _Did… she kill their son when she lost control??_

Liane's pace faltered and she had to closer her eyes and suck down a quick breath of the sterile ranch air as an earlier and almost-forgotten meal threatened to resurface.

"Liane? Hey, you're looking kinda… green…."

The worked words accompanied the cool grasp of a small hand to her forearm to encourage her to open her eyes… and force a smile for the wide blue eyes of her young mage friend. It took Liane a moment to have faith in her stomach's control before she could speak again. "Sorry… nerves," she lied, hoping it wasn't as transparent to the rest as it was to her. "Not sitting well with lunch after flying here." It was a reasonable addition, she quickly decided… but still a lie nonetheless.

Where, just moments before, she had been left relatively to herself, Liane was suddenly the focus for Genis, Lloyd, and Regal, with Kratos remaining a few steps back from the rest of them.

"I'll escort you back to the others," Regal stated flatly, turning so that she could go back the way they had come.

Lloyd nodded his agreement. "Yeah, you can't be fighting if you're sick –"

"And some air will make you feel better – it's kinda stuffy in here," Genis chimed in with a sympathetic smile.

But Liane quickly shook her head, her brow furrowed in frustration. "No. I'm not going back." She couldn't bring herself to say that she didn't _want_ to leave, but she did force her expression to harden. "Let's keep going."

Lloyd, Genis, and Regal all exchanged doubtful glances… but before the spark of irritation that she felt could ignite into an outburst, she heard the quiet clearing of a throat behind her.

"It's her decision. We're wasting time," Kratos murmured as he strode past the small group without actually looking at any of them.

The comment drew all eyes to the angel, but Genis quickly looked back up to Liane. "Are you sure?" he asked again before his eyes shifted meaningfully to the hallway ahead. "I mean, I know you hate warping and… well…."

Liane's eyes followed the path the mage's eyes had taken.

_Ugh._

Sure enough, Kratos was waiting – impatiently – beside a quietly churning warp pad, the gentle blue goal casting odd shadows over his face. With a sigh, Liane nodded. "I'll be fine," she responded, careful that her tone wouldn't betray her reluctance.

She wasn't surprised by the variations of 'if you're sure,' though she wasn't really listening anymore, either. Liane started to walk forward, and found that her eyes were refusing to leave Kratos. It was an odd study that she couldn't stop. While she couldn't be sure that he was looking back at her, for once, she was sure that she didn't feel her normal animosity towards him. _It all fits… he's clearly not entirely under Yggdrasill's control. Maybe he's working to avenge what Kvar and the others did to –_

It took every bit of control that she could muster to keep walking.

"_Feel the pain… of those inferior beings… as you burn in hell!"_

The memory was still fresh, though fogged from the tranquilizers the Desians had forced into her system. _Kratos was furious,_ she shivered involuntarily, remembering the one time that she had almost truly been afraid of him. _He and Lloyd finished Kvar… for what he did to their families._

Liane's stomach jerked again.

_How long had he been doing things like that? First, Lloyd's mother… now Kratos' family. Kvar was… he…._

"Do you want me to go first?" Kratos tilted his head to her, his hair shifting just enough to reveal a curious arch to his eyebrow.

The swordswoman was suddenly very aware of her other friends gathered behind her – watching for any excuse to overrule her stubborn need to stay there. "No," Liane shook her head once and set her jaw. "I'll go." For just an instant, it occurred to her that the 'no' would have probably been sufficient, but by then, she was already standing on the warp pad, a disturbingly familiar energy swarming around her and blurring her vision of her friends.

_I'm gonna be sick…._

Liane didn't remember closing her eyes, but when she opened them, she found herself in a large, circular room, lit mainly by a bright green glow from beneath the shadowed catwalk structure she stood upon. _Oh, no… couldn't have pushed Lloyd or Genis to go through first, could I?_ she rolled her eyes, drew her sword, and stepped down from the warp pad. The decision was sound, especially with Kratos being treated as something less than an ally, but the room was making her skin prickle. _It has to be the mana reactor,_ she told herself as the quiet whine of the warp pad sounded from behind her. _But I still feel like I'm being watched._

"Liane, we made it to the reactor. Now will you give up and let one of us get you out of here?" Regal was already speaking as his feet touched to the ground around the warp pad. He approached to stand behind her, wary blue eyes sweeping over the green-washed room.

She did her best not to groan as she swept her sword out towards the center of the room. "We're here. Why should I go back now? Let's just get done and get out of here together." It sounded logical to her… and she looked back up into his eyes as if daring the shackled man to argue further as the warp pad behind them came to life again.

Regal's frown deepened. "What happened to you back in the hallway?" he asked, dropping his voice slightly. "I saw the way you looked at that room. You saw something else, didn't you?"

Liane couldn't be angry with him – not even for noticing what she had hoped she had hidden. But even as Genis materialized behind them, she was shaking her head. "Not now…" she murmured the half-statement, half-plea. _'Never' would be better yet…._

The blue haired man sighed, but still nodded as he glanced over his shoulder. It seemed that he would let her drop the topic – at least for the moment – and she was grateful, especially when Kratos was the next one to arrive. She still had to think – to look for the holes in her logic – and she knew that she couldn't do that with the angel there. He could shake her with his very presence – for the time being, it was safer to tuck the fragile path of reasoning away before he could shatter it for her.

Once Lloyd arrived, he took only a heartbeat to glance around to his companions before he strode towards a nearby platform that held a pedestal not entirely unlike the machines back in the control room.

The party was only steps from the platform when the shadows to the side of the room shifted and a turquoise-haired half-elf stepped out before them.

"That's as far as you go."

Lloyd's twin blades ground together as he shifted his stance to confront the Desian. "You're… Forcystus!"

Liane remembered the Cardinal well enough from the day that Iselia had burned and she had effectively exiled herself along with Lloyd and Genis. But it was her fresher memories of him being dismissed by Kvar that tightened her muscles to the point of almost snapping. _It was just too easy… damn, I should have seen him._

"Well, well," Forcystus nodded approvingly, folding one arm over the other gold-shrouded one. "So you remember me. It looks like it was a mistake to let you live," he stated as amusement melted away to a stony tone that echoed in the round room. "I guess I'll have to take care of you personally."

It was an odd relief for Liane when she realized that her distaste for the Desian that stood before them felt like something that was all hers. He was the one that had used Marble against them… forced them into the position of releasing her from the misery that had been imposed on her from a simple stone. Even the handful of example of such tragedies that she had seen were far too many.

"So you're Forcystus," Kratos stated with a dangerous calm in his voice as he drew his sword. "If death is what you seek, you shall have it."

Forcystus snorted, tossing his head as his chopped hair shifted to reveal the eye patch over his right eye. "Tough talk from a _human_," he almost spat out the last word as his lips curled into a sneer. "You're the one who's going to die, along with this tainted world."

Kratos advanced on the Desian, though Forcystus didn't back down. A charged silence filled the room for a few impossibly long moments until one corner of the auburn-haired angel's mouth curled ever so slightly. "Even if the world is lost, you can escape to Derris-Kharlan… is that what you're thinking?" he asked, dark amusement dripping from his words that was punctuated by a single, dry chuckle. "How naïve."

The Cardinal's visible eye narrowed menacingly. "_What_ did you say?"

"Desians are nothing by expendable pawns to Yggdrasill," Kratos responded, though it was almost quick enough to appear that he would have continued whether or not Forcystus had reacted. "He'd never bother to save you."

Liane edged forward at the urging of some dark fascination, her attention fixed firmly on Kratos. It was a moment of insight on Cruxis and those that served them. Yggdrasill was their savior… their hero… and the fact that Forcystus didn't seem to recognize Kratos was a hint to the power that Cruxis held. She couldn't doubt that Kratos was one of Yggdrasill's top officers – she had seen them together with her own eyes without relying on her disjointed visions. That silent power was stunning… and Kratos brandished it effortlessly – not even needing to introduce himself. She watched his expression for a moment longer and then shifted her eyes back to Forcystus. _No wonder he won't leave Cruxis behind… whatever his goals are, this power… influence… has to be such an advantage…._

"Silence!" Forcystus barked, fury rising in his tone. "How _dare_ you speak ill of Lord Yggdrasill." The Cardinal was visibly shaking with rage as he swept his sheathed arm out at the intruders. "We have Derris-Kharlan! It is a world of mana, the very source of life!" he continued as if the mantra had been thoroughly drilled into him. "The destruction of this tainted world is of no concern to us."

The fanatical statement pushed the breath from Liane's lungs for a moment as she realized how truly frightening it was to stand before a being that openly didn't care if a world – especially one that he inhabited – was completely destroyed. At the edge of her senses, she slowly became aware of the gentle clatter of chain-on-metal and the presence that had moved to stand beside her.

"How can you so easily cast away the world?" Regal asked in disbelief as he stared at the Desian Cardinal. "Is it not the source of all life?"

Forcystus rolled his visible eye and drew an exaggerated breath. "_Mana_ is the source of life," he corrected the convict almost as if he were chiding a small child. "And the very _source_ of mana, Derris-Kharlan, will be our new world thanks to Lord Yggdrasill."

"So you just expect him to save you… take you to his world of mana… and leave behind the mess that you've all made?" Liane asked, unable to keep quiet any longer. Every word Forcystus spoke went more and more against what she and the others were fighting for. She knew that her words stretched to include Kratos' part in Yggdrasill's plans, but she was beyond caring. "What about the Great Seed? You obviously don't care for humans – but you're going to just let the seed die along with the whole world?" Her grip tightened on her sword as she glowered at the Desian. "I don't think your boss will like that very much."

Kratos nodded once in agreement with the swordswoman and then tilted his head to Forcystus. "The Great Seed is invaluable to Yggdrasill. If you stand in our way, the Great Seed will die, and _you_ will be held responsible." His words rang much less of a threat than of a promise.

The Cardinal threw his head back in laughter that continued until he brought his snide smile back down to Kratos. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he continued, his smile oozing self-confidence. "I am under direct orders from Lord Yggdrasill himself."

"Because Martel is fused with the Great Seed," Kratos murmured quietly, the previous edge to his voice gone.

Liane looked over at the angel's change of tone and could immediately see that Forcystus had actually managed to rattle him simply from how his frame had stiffened. _That… can't be good…._

Kratos' brow furrowed, shattering the mask of sadistic indifference he had worn. "Are you saying that fool would go this far just to protect her?!"

Forcystus' expression flattened as he eyed the swordsman suspiciously. "You speak as if you know him," he ventured, curiosity replacing the bravado in his words. "Who are you?"

_It took you that long…?_ Liane bit off a groan as movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she glanced over to see Genis and Lloyd edging around Kratos. Her pulse jumped and she shifted her weight back to lower her pack to the ground and nudge it aside with the heel of her boot – she knew the signs of Lloyd and Genis getting riled up for a fight all too well.

"We don't have the time to be goofing around with this idiot!" Genis announced as the rhythmic bounce of his kendama's ball began to give the room a heartbeat of its own. "Let's go, Lloyd!"

"I know!" Lloyd called out as he launched himself forward, almost knocking Kratos aside as he advanced on the Desian.

The confusion melted from Forcystus' gaze as he shifted his weight onto his back foot and lifted his left arm to level it at the brown-haired teen. "You will _not_ get past me!" Mana immediately began to swirl and pulse around the Cardinal and an eager smile curled his lips. "Inferior beings deserve to perish," he snarled tauntingly as the mana resolved into a definite pattern of runes and he threw his hand out to the intruders. "Air Thrust!"

The attack was mostly unfocused, a tactic to scatter the intruders, and it succeeded in that. Genis quickly backpedaled out of range of the spell even as Lloyd dodged it by dashing forward… and Kratos merely pivoted on one heel, appearing unfazed by the quick-cast spell as he was suddenly a blur of motion that blazed past Lloyd with a crackle of energy. "Lightning Blade!" he commanded, unleashing the lightning-tainted shockwave on the Cardinal and pressing him back closer to the edge of the walkway.

"Show off," Lloyd grumbled, drawing back both of his blades and winding them up, unleashing a pair of waves of glowing green shockwaves. "Demonic Chaos!" the teen named his attack as the flurry of waves struck Forcystus and made him scramble for his balance just before Lloyd launched one final wave that hit the Desian at full strength, knocking him back into the wall.

Before the Desian could gather his wits, Regal closed in, leaping forward to deliver a devastating kick with his right leg, and twisting in midair before he could land so that his body used the momentum for a back flip. His left leg had been extended to add on a second strike, catching Forcystus under his chin. "Dragon Fury!"

Liane watched the attacks, slowly backing off from the wave of attacks that the stronger fighters of their group had launched and keeping herself between Genis and Forcystus. She was standing close enough that she could see the shimmering red runes of the mage's spell turning beneath her feet. "Come on, Genis… we have to get into this…" she spoke softly before a whirring noise to their side drew her attention away from the fight. A panel in the wall had slid aside, allowing a pair of spinning golden machines into the room, their thin limbs catching the green light of the room on razor-sharp edges as they spun towards them. She shifted her stance and moved to intercept the machines, throwing her sword out to stop the slashing of the nearest one's blades and throwing the rhythm of its spin off. "Any time now, Genis!" the swordswoman called over her shoulder as the second machine closed in.

Forcystus chuckled where he crouched on the floor, swiping at the crimson trickle at the corner of his mouth as he glared at the swordsmen and the shackled Duke. "You really think you have a prayer, don't you?" he taunted them as his eyes momentarily flashed to the woman attempting to hold back his automated minions. "Your delusions will only bring your death," he sneered as he stood and threw himself at Kratos in one fluid movement. The dull sound of three quick connected punches resounded from the metal walls as Forcystus' momentum carried him up into the air with the auburn-haired man. An instant later, the Cardinal's next strike drove the swordsman back down to land harshly on the ground, with the finishing blow sending out a shockwave that made Lloyd and Regal both scramble to keep their footing.

"Genis, I can't – we can't – take a shot like that," Liane hissed as both of the bladed machines collided with her blocked sword, pushing her back towards the mage as she struggled to hold her ground. She knew his concentration was of the most importance, yet while she didn't want to alert Forcystus to her worries, she could see how even Kratos had been brought down by the attack. "Whatever you're cooking up, cook faster!" Liane ground out as the machines pushed her back yet another step.

"This… takes… time…" Genis muttered, his complaint just barely audible over the clash of Liane's sword against the pair of machines. His rune construct alternately burned crimson and pale blue-white, growing brighter to the point that the shifting colors soon overpowered the green glow from the core. "Okay… get him!" the boy insisted suddenly, stepping out from behind Liane's protection and casting his kendama out at Forcystus. "Raging Mist!"

At the mage's command, his runes dissolved into a roiling fiver of light that snaked across the metal-mesh floor and reformed at the feet of the Cardinal. An instant later, the shifting colors burst into an expanding circle of heat and steam that blasted up around Forcystus, its reach extending to the bladed machines that Liane had held at bay. Kratos leapt out of range of the spell, leaving Forcystus to weather the heart of the spell's storm and showing no outward signs of any lasting effects of the Cardinal's attack.

Liane used the momentary reprieve that Genis' spell had afforded her to push the machines further into the fiery spell and then turn to partially tackle and partially carry Genis to a somewhat safer distance from Forcystus and the machines. "Figure out how to hurt him some more," she ordered the mage as she turned and stared into the retreating glow, eyeing her distance from the Cardinal. _This is gonna be warm,_ she grimaced as she sprinted into the dimming fury of the spell, grateful for the thick soles of her boots for the protection they afforded her as she gathered her balance and leapt at Forcystus. The steam was warm, but no more than an annoyance as she slammed her shoulder into his gut enough to knock him off balance and buy herself time to regain her own footing and draw her sword up into the air. She fed the hungry blade mana as fast as she could to keep the attack moving before the Cardinal could retaliate, slashing out at him as she released the stored mana in the form of a snarling animal. "Beast!"

"Whoa, that actually looked like an animal this time," Lloyd spared a quick grin for Liane as he ran past her, his feet stamping out the last bits of the smoldering spell. In the next heartbeat, the brown-haired swordsman launched himself up into the air, his shallow trajectory buffeting the Cardinal with sword blows as he somersaulted through the air. "Omega Tempest!" Forcystus threw up his metal-encased arm to defend himself, but then Lloyd's spin changed, striking from another angle that threw the Desian back into the wall.

Liane spared a quick look to her oldest friend, noting how he still looked pleased with himself. "And you called Kratos a showoff?" she asked with a roll of her eyes as the ringing of metal on metal caught her attention. She glanced back over her shoulder to see that both Regal and Kratos had each taken on one of the mechanical blade attackers, and both seemed to have the upper hand. _Wish I could say that I softened those things up for them, but I know better…_ she thought with a sigh. _At least they're keeping them away from Genis._ She looked back to Forcystus and tensed, watching how he steadied himself and swept his hand up into the air, the green of the room suddenly paling in comparison to the runes that were building around the Cardinal. _Oh, boy…._

"Gentle winds, gather before me and transform into waves of air," the Desian commanded with a note of madness in his voice as the still air in the reactor room began to churn. "Cyclone!"

A column of wind immediately answered Forcystus' call, materializing at the rough center of the scattered group in a bright green glow that howled with all the strength of its natural counterpart. Liane crouched down low to the walkway, trying to stay under the brunt of the attack that targeted all of them to a lesser degree than it would have just one of them. It was a tactic to rattle them… and it was working. She winced as the mana-driven winds cut into her shoulder – through the fabric of her tunic. It stung, but it was shallow, leaving her to wonder how much worse it would have been to receive the full force of the spell.

As the winds faded, it quickly became obvious that Forcystus had seized the distraction of his spell to move on them once again, this time closing on Lloyd. The storm had rearranged them somewhat, placing Lloyd and Genis closer while Regal remained locked in his fight with one of the bladed machines. Kratos was already moving to intercept Forcystus when the scream of twisting metal and the crackle of energy announced that Regal had triumphed over his opponent. Liane's attention was being tugged in every direction, even though her instincts were already yelling at her in Kratos' voice to pay attention to their enemy.

"Lloyd, let's get 'em!"

The young mage called to his friend as he wove his spell, the ball of his kendama bouncing in time to the Cardinal's footsteps as Lloyd squared his shoulders and set his blades to the approaching Desian. Lloyd nodded without looking back to Genis. "You ready?"

"Lightning –" came Genis' answer as the boy thrust his kendama up into the air, setting his friend into a sprint that lifted him up off his feet with a savage upswing of both blades.

"Tiger Blade!" Lloyd finished the invocation as the force of the slash pushed Forcystus back a step, but not out of range of the downward swing that caught the bolt of lightning that Genis had cast to bring the Cardinal to his knees as his left arm rose to shield him from the full strength of the attack.

"Liane, finish the other Exbone."

_Exbone? _The dark-haired swordswoman blinked at the order, looking away from the synchronized attack to see that Kratos didn't even bother to look at her as he stalked past. She couldn't bring herself to be offended, though – it was that kind of focus she knew she needed – studying how Lloyd and Genis worked together had a time and a place, and neither were during a fight with a Desian Grand Cardinal. "Right," she nodded, quickly putting together that he was speaking of the remaining machine and starting to turn even as Kratos' blade began to glow a warm gold compared to the room's green hue.

Even as she squared her shoulders to the remaining thing that Kratos had called an 'Exbone,' the crackle and flashes of mana behind her brought her sword into a guarded stance as she ventured a glance over her shoulder. She had seen Zelos execute a Victory Light Spear before. There was simply something fascinating about the dark-clad angel and the spiral of pristine light that wrapped around him as he leapt into the air. Forcystus was picked up off his fleet by the attack and flung back against the wall with ferocity that made Liane cringe.

An instant later, the impact of a spinning blade with her sword reminded her of the fight she had been charged to finish. Grinding her teeth together, she braced her feet and leveraged her blade against her palm to absorb the attack of the Exbone. As she struggled to push the machine back, the edge of her sword bit into her palm, but the sting fueled one more push… one that bought her the space to take a small step backwards and dip her blade low to her side before she made it form a flowing sweep in the air before her. "Double Demon Fang," she called on the attack she trusted, watching as both crescents of mana hit the Exbone. The first arc hit it and blasted off one of its blade-arms, disrupting its spin into an unbalanced wobble. The second hit arc hit its central shaft squarely, sending pieces flying in all directions before the remains fell to the ground oozing sparks.

As the fighters gathered to close in around Forcystus, an oddly stuttered sound began to grow in the room. Only when the Cardinal pushed himself stubbornly up to his hands and knees and slowly lifted his head was it apparent from his grin that the noise was a chuckle. "I… will… not… lose… to the likes of you!" he snarled and pushed himself up, his left arm leveling at them. "_Die!!_"

The party tensed, but the quick trio of blasts from Forcystus' arm cannon hit Lloyd in the chest before any of them could react. Time seemed to slow just enough that they could all watch the teen fall, knocked back off his feet, his mouth open perhaps in shock… perhaps in pain. Then… he collided with the ground….

"I'm sorry… Dad…."

"_Lloyd!!"_

Liane didn't recognize the cry as her own, though she did see that her dear friend wasn't moving – and Forcystus' laughter filled the room. She spun on the Desian, her teeth barred as she set her blade before her and poured her mana into it without hesitation. "Kratos," she ground out without taking her glare from the Cardinal. "Don't hold back." And then, she threw herself into a headlong rush for Forcystus.

"I won't."

She heard the angel… and she heard Forcystus' laughter as they came closer. The only other thing she saw other than the Cardinal and the flash of mana over Kratos' sword beside her was a flick of the angel's wrist, and something that caught the light as it flipped back over his shoulder. It didn't matter. _Lloyd's…._ She couldn't finish the thought. "Cross –"

"Thrust."

Kratos finished the call with deadly calm as both he and the swordswoman pivoted to alter their run, not giving Forcystus the chance to choose a target before they both lunged at him, crossing before the half-elf to loose their Sonic Thrusts and once again dropping him back into a heap on the floor.

Barely noticing the rush that completing such an attack usually gave her, Liane eyed the cardinal warily for a few cautious moments before she forced herself to look back over her shoulder. What she saw made her thoughts flip incoherently a few times, but once they caught up with the sight of Regal helping Lloyd back to his feet, she found it was almost worth the chance to believe it was true. _But… he…._ The objection stopped when she saw something glimmer faintly in the Duke's hand. _A life bottle?_ She caught her breath as her memory matched the color of the flash she had seen slip from Kratos' hand and turned back to the angel. _He helped Lloyd… he…._ She stopped there, her thoughts scattering as she saw that the auburn-haired seraph was already in the eye of swirling runes that even she could feel the power behind. _Wow… he's really not holding back…._

"That's my friend!" Genis called from his place at the back of the group. The bright blue of his runes washed the walls in a cold light, his silver hair picking up the color and intensity of the glow even more. "_Drown!"_ the boy snapped harshly as he pushed his kendama up towards the high ceiling. "Spread!"

From the look of the sneer on Forcystus' face, Liane thought he was about to mock the young mage's protective declaration, but the geyser of shimmering water that blasted up beneath him was quick to wipe the act away. The Desian was tossed as the spell pulsed – and then finally dropped him back to the ground, his left arm ringing from its collision with the metal beneath him.

"You… are a traitor to your own kind, boy," Forcystus choked as he bounced back to his feet and wobbled, the magical deluge evaporating around him. He swung his hand out before him, the runes of a wind spell already blazing around it. "Fine. You can die with them! Air Blade!"

The blast ripped away from the Cardinal and instantly took Genis as its target. A brisk wind filled the room as the pale green blast almost struck the mage, who dodged and rolled to the ground at the last possible instant before the spell struck the wall behind where he had been standing.

"And you wonder why he's fighting with us? He's our friend – no matter what anyone else thinks of it!" Lloyd retorted hotly as the echoing impact of the spell slowly faded. He was already running at the Cardinal, showing no signs of weakness compared to Forcystus' wobble and steadying reach over to a nearby crate. Both of his swords were already blazing with fiery mana as he flew up into the air. "Rising Falcon!" he called before he dove down at Forcystus, the fires of his swords blowing back over him almost enough to obscure him from sight as he slammed into the Desian.

Forcystus tried to block the swordsman's blow but the force behind Lloyd's descent had him reeling, and Regal didn't waste the chance. Charging at the Desian, he sent his mana out, a thin thread, and that tiny little string of energy allowed him to pass through the half-elf as though he were a phantom. "Mirage!" The moment he stood behind the Grand Cardinal, Regal threw out three hard kicks to the man's back then leapt into another back flip to deliver another blow. "Crescent Dark Moon!"

Liane could see the Cardinal faltering under the barrage of attacks and she found that it served to enforce a slightly sadistic resolve to inflict even a small amount of payback all her own. By the time she had her sword braced horizontally before her, bands of glowing purple runes had already formed around her. As her focus took a moment to stabilize, she felt the tingle singing over her skin, begging for release as her eyes snapped on Forcystus. "My turn," she whispered, the encouragement meant for herself as she swung the tip of her blade out to direct her spell to the Desian. "Lightning!"

The air in the reactor room crackled as the charge raced between the swordswoman and Forcystus, his weakened reflexes having no mercy on him as the bolt collected and crashed down in a rain of light and sound. Just as the spell's roar began to leave her hearing, Liane caught the end of the Cardinal's groan as he staggered a step closer. "You… can't win…."

"_Please."_

There was an undisguised note of disdain in Kratos' soft comment as the light in the room shifted and distorted, somehow falling darker as the ambient light of the core dimmed. At first, Liane thought it was just her eyes adjusting to the light after her lightning bolt had struck, but when the blaze of blue-green erupted behind Kratos to silhouette his form, she knew it was no trick of her eyes. Runes of golden-white dance beneath his feet, catching in his eyes to reveal a cold glare fixed soundly on Forcystus. Liane's breath hitched and she took a slow step back, careful not to draw any of the wrath she saw in his eyes to her.

"Sacred powers, cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls," Kratos' voice thundered out into the room as the runes around him began to blaze with power. No one moved – even Forcystus stood still, his visible eye wide as he stared at the indigo-clad swordsman. But Kratos' grim scowl didn't change – his wings simply beat a slow, steady rhythm on his back, whipping the rune bands into a fury. "Rest in peace, sinners!" Kratos' invocation grew more demanding as he swept his blade up into the air. "Judgment!"

For a moment, the room went black, all the light blinking away along with the cold glow of the angel's wings. It was but an instant of uncertainty that quickly ended in a violent rain of light – blinding shafts stabbed down into the darkness, falling all around Forcystus. Liane crouched, squinting against the searing blasts of light as she watched Forcystus scramble like a cornered animal, his panic driving him into the path of more of the random beams than it saved him from. _Goddess…._ It was the only thought that would form in the mind of the swordswoman as a scream tore itself from Forcystus' throat as he staggered into the path of a beam. His form twisted in pain with his side bearing most of the force of the strike.

Slowly, the lights came back to what passed as normal for the room, and the Cardinal continued to try to right himself, clutching at his side even as the effort further unbalanced him. "How… could I lose… to inferior beings…" he rasped in dismay as a desperate few steps carried him dangerously close to the edge of the walk. He spun to face them, pain obvious in his expression as he overcorrected and lost even more of his balance… sending him tumbling over the edge of the walkway without another sound.

Liane took a hesitant step closer to the edge of the walkway and looked over. She had to squint to stare down into the seething green heart of the mana reactor, and she still couldn't see any sign of Forcystus…

… _but even if I did… would I help him?_

She decided that it wasn't a death that she would wish on anyone, but that was as far as she would allow her thoughts to venture. He was a radical – willing to stop at nothing to see his dreams as those of his twisted master come to fruition – at the expense of countless lives and even the world itself. _I won't say he deserved to die… but…._

"Now we can stop the mana reactor!" Lloyd called to the others, sheathing his swords and jogging out onto the platform that Forcystus had defended so ferociously. The swordsman stopped in front of the pedestal and hesitated, his smile faltering after a moment as he ran his hand back through his hair in frustration. "I don't have a clue what any of this stuff does," he admitted with a groan.

"I'll handle this," Kratos stated as he walked out to join Lloyd at the console. The younger swordsman stepped aside without question and backed up to stand closer to the others.

Liane replaced her sword in its scabbard and drew a long breath to focus on anything but the ranch so far. She watched Kratos' fingers dance over the lighted panels of the console with confidence that even Raine lacked when dealing with the Ranch technology. _He could have done this at any time while we were together before,_ she realized with a frown. _Was he testing us… or was he playing with us?_ The last option hurt the most – mainly because her doubts gave it the most power of likelihood.

The room suddenly darkened, the glow from below the walkway vanishing to leave a dreary-dark room lit only by a few pale lights somewhere high above. Lloyd chuckled and walked out onto the platform once again. "You sure are handy with everything," he spoke with a familiar admiration as he gestured to the now-dark console. "Swordsmanship, magic, even operating machines."

Kratos eyed the young man for a moment and then chuckled softly. "I've lived a little longer than most humans," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Lived longer?" Lloyd repeated as he stared up to the angel. "So you're a half-elf, too?" he murmured as he turned to glance to the spot that Forcystus had fallen. "But then again, he called you human, earlier…."

"_Human? It's been a while since anyone called me that…."_

Liane hesitated as she lifted her pack to her shoulder to glance over to the swordsman. Lloyd was clearly falling back into step with Kratos, and she dreaded seeing the moment that he would remember that they were enemies. But the whisper in her mind was what made her stare, her mind working to translate the words that Kratos had seemed almost amused to speak. _Twenty-eight… that's not old… maybe he just means that he's seen many things? Living and age don't always mean the same thing…?_

The angel shook his head, his eyes moving from Lloyd to sweep over the others and then back to the brown-haired teen. "Focus on what's important," he commented, once again serious, his words a simple reminder to all of them. "We must stop the Giant Tree."

Lloyd's expression fell along with his shoulders, but he still nodded. "Y… yeah."

The agreement sounded half-hearted, and Liane could only guess that it had been the reminder that she didn't want to see. After he took another precautionary glance around the reactor room, she watched Lloyd secure his blades in their scabbards and start back to the warp pad. As the light blazed around the swordsman, she looked back to Kratos only to find that she was also being observed. Freezing in place for the moment that it took to realize that she'd been caught, she found nothing but questions for those mahogany eyes.

_Who are you, Kratos Aurion?_ she asked silently, almost expecting him to answer with how he seemed to be staring through her. _Who are you… to me?_

An instant later, the angel broke the fragile connection of their gazes and strode past her and the others to step onto the warp pad.

Once he was gone, Liane realized that she had been holding her breath… a fact emphasized by the collective exhale that sounded from the remaining members of the reactor team.

"He's getting on my nerves," Genis grumbled as he hooked his kendama onto his belt and started to stomp towards the warp pad. His steps slowed as he passed regal, glancing up to the convict for just a moment before he stopped and glanced to Liane, a faint blush appearing on his pale cheeks by the dim light. "Ah… ladies first?"

Liane blinked, her mouth falling open for a moment. "Huh?" she started, tilting her head to him. "Since when do I qualify as a 'lady' to you?" she asked before she realized what had happened in that briefest of looks up to the Duke. "Oh. I get it," she smiled and reached out to ruffle her friend's hair. "You're practicing to be more of a gentleman for Presea, aren't you?"

The hint of color in the mage's cheeks shifted to a practically glowing red as his eyes widened. "N-No! I was just… trying to be nice…!" he protested, though his fluster spoke louder than his words.

"Um-hmm," Liane nodded understandingly, noticing that there was even a knowing smirk on Regal's lips. She didn't know if the Duke had been coaching Genis or not, but whatever the reasons, she was grateful for the lightening of her mood for at least the moment. "Sure. But keep practicing. It's cute," she grinned to the boy and walked over to step onto the warp pad, her amusement almost dulling her dread of the warp to the point that it was bearable.

Almost.

Lloyd and Kratos awaited her in awkward silence when she arrived on the other warp pad and the quiet persisted through the return of Genis and then Regal. The trip back through the ranch was faster than it had been to get to the reactor, and Liane did her best to keep her focus on her companions or at least the hallway ahead, forbidding her gaze from watching the walls. _No more… I don't want to see any more today,_ she begged silently. _Today… or ever._

The early evening light of the outside world greeted them as they emerged into the open grounds between the ranch and its retaining walls. People of all ages clad in the drab garb of the ranch's human hosts milled about, edging close to the still-open gates as if they were still waiting for the Desian guards to stop their escape. At the core of the captives, the members of the party that had been charged with freeing them stood, with Chocolat and Colette off to one side talking quietly. When Lloyd led his group out of the darkness of the ranch, the blonde Chosen looked up, her blue eyes brightening along with her smile. "Lloyd!" she called out as the swordsman approached. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"You're late, Lloyd. I was about to go in after you," Zelos chuckled playfully, one hand planted casually on his hip as his other tossed his hair back over his shoulder. "Well, anyway, I'm glad you're okay."

Lloyd laughed in response as the others behind him began to move forward to rejoin the rest of their group. "All we need to do now is contact Sheena and…."

"You will do _no_ such thing."

The voice sent a painful jolt through Liane's nerves as she and the others turned back to the ranch to find Forcystus standing in the doorway that they had just passed through. He was leaning against the frame, his right hand bloody and clutched to his wounded side as he struggled against the weight of his left arm to lift it. _He made it out?_ her mind raced as she saw the casing of his arm pop open, though her body refused to react. _Did he hand on somewhere until the reactor shut down? I didn't see him… I didn't –_

The arm-cannon that looked disturbingly like an eye suddenly blazed and shot a beam that caught Lloyd in mid-turn. The teen ground out a pained grumble, his body convulsing as he crumbled to the ground.

"No!" Presea gasped, surprise oddly clear in her small voice.

But even emotion in the ax girl's tone barely registered to Liane. "Lloyd!" she choked out, her focus completely on the fallen form of her friend as she threw herself forward towards him, only to be stopped by an outstretched arm wrapped in indigo. "No!" she objected. _How much more can he take?? _"He's hurt –"

"I am one of the Five Grand Cardinals… I won't die so easily!" Forcystus sneered as he pushed away from the wall and took a few staggering steps towards the group. "I'm taking all of you inferior beings with me!"

Liane struggled against Kratos' block for a moment longer until a hand closed over her shoulder. The firm grasp startled her at first, and she whipped her head to find Regal's eyes searching for hers. The moment they met, his shifted pointedly in Lloyd's direction, and she followed the silent instruction to see that the young swordsman was shaking, but still trying to push himself up from the ground. _He's okay…?_ she ventured the hopeful thought and stood back from Kratos' unyielding arm. _He's okay, but…._ Forcystus was still coming closer. As Regal's hand fell from her shoulder, she slowly drew her blade and began to feed what was left of her man reserves into it.

"So this is how the great Desian hero, Forcystus, meets his end," Kratos sighed heavily, moving the arm that had stopped Liane to cross it over his chest with his other arm. "I'm disappointed."

Forcystus' advance hesitated as he almost stumbled to a stop and glared at Kratos. Slowly, his pained expression shifted, his eyebrows lifting just enough to be noticed. "I see… I get it now," he murmured as a wry smile twisted his mouth. "I wondered how a mere human could exude the smell of mana. You're Kratos…."

Kratos remained motionless, his gaze locked solidly on the Cardinal. "What of it?"

"Lord Yggdrasill trusted you. Yet in the end, you betray us!" Forcystus snapped back in quivering anger. "This is why humans can _never_ be trusted!" The rage in his voice shook with the effort that it took to raise his left arm once again, his wild eyes searching for a target where his arm was pointed as he fought against its weight.

The eye-like end of the cannon crackled with mana once again and blasted out at Chocolat. Somehow, in the instant it took for the beam to travel from Forcystus to his improvised target, Colette threw herself into its path. She took the hit with a cry of pain and fell to the ground, landing harshly on her left shoulder.

"_No!_ You _bastard!"_

Faster than the Cardinal had attacked Colette, Lloyd was on his feet before Forcystus… one of his blades buried to the hilt in the Desian's gut.

_Lloyd…._ Liane almost dropped her sword. Everything had happened in a blinding blur… and Forcystus looked as shocked as she felt as he looked down to the sword that Lloyd held and then slowly up to Lloyd himself as his knees shook and he sank to the ground. _So fast… so…._ She didn't have the words for it – she had simply never seen Lloyd react so decisively… so ferociously.

"Lord Yggdrasill," Forcystus gasped as he slid down the length of the blade. "Glory to the new Age of Half-elves!!" The half-elf's form then shuddered and slumped to the ground at Lloyd's feet.

For a few moments, no one moved… _nothing_ moved. Liane could only watch, teetering on the edge of horror as Lloyd slowly turned to face them. So many emotions were playing over his features that it was impossible to read him – until she saw his eyes widen – and then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. _Colette's getting up?!?_

"Colette, are you okay?!" the swordsman blurted out as he ran to the girl's side. Just before he reached her, he planted his feet, his eyes growing even wider as he stared at her. "What's th –"

The blonde Chosen jerked in surprise as her right hand flew to her left shoulder and she turned to protect the bared shoulder from Lloyd's sight. "No… don't look!" she cried out, clenching her eyes shut. "_Don't _look at me!"

Liane found it almost impossible to honor her friend's command. While Colette may have turned her shoulder from Lloyd, she had turned it directly into Liane and the others' view. Where the white fabric of her tunic had been blown away by Forcystus' blast, a green crystalline sheen practically glowed under the light that filtered down into the yard. _Sweet Goddess…_ Liane's thoughts whispered out of habit. _What happened to her skin??_

"Lloyd!" Kratos' firm voice split the shocked silence and brought the troubled gaze of the younger swordsman up to him. "Send the message, quickly!"

Lloyd's frown deepened and he looked back to Colette, who was still cringing away from him. "But Colette…."

"The Chosen won't die yet, but if you don't hurry, this world will!" Kratos sharply cut off Lloyd's objection. "Now do it."

While Liane was taken aback by the tone of the normally annoyingly unflappable swordsman, she could see that he was right. _It was Lloyd's decision to go with Kratos because Sheena wouldn't be able to trust a signal from Kratos,_ she reminded herself. _He's making Lloyd follow through…._

It took only a moment for Lloyd's eyes to clear, though his cheeks burned a deep red at the reprimand. "A… all right!" he nodded, casting one more look to Colette before he ran over to the small box that Yuan had given Kratos. He knelt before the instrument, frowning as the lid popped up and a red button glowed. He hesitated for only an instant before slamming his hand down. "Sheena! _Go!!_"

The swordsman's voice echoed eerily around the yard and back from the walls of the ranch, gradually fading on the gentle winds. An uneasy silence settled over the group as well as the captives, and Lloyd slowly stood, looking over his shoulder to Kratos. There were no answers to the silent questions in the teen's brown eyes, only a slow hush that fell over the world around them, gradually spreading over even the forest around the ranch to still noises that none of them had even noticed until they were gone.

The deafening calm made the flash of light from the south that much more startling, taking them all off-guard just enough that the sharp crack of power drew gasps from the assembly that stood in the shadow of the ranch. Beneath their feet, the ground trembled – a small shiver that only started to betray the magnitude of what was happening across the sea.

And, in the wake of the sound that a thousand lightning strikes would have been envious of, another noise slowly rose… a wail that faded with the slowing rumbling in both the ground and the air.

"What was that cry?" Genis asked in a whisper that still sounded almost like a yell against the quiet.

Kratos drew a long breath and turned his eyes skyward. "Martel, I would assume," he answered the mage's question somewhat absently as if his thoughts were somewhere far away from the Iselia ranch. "The out-of-control Great Seed is Martel herself."

Genis looked up to the angel and then to the sky as if seeking what held Kratos' attention. "I wonder…."

The reactions that they had seen and felt after Lloyd's order indicated that Sheena had gotten the message. But was it too much to hope that their plan had worked? Liane's mind raced over patches of both optimism and pessimism… the latter strengthened by the glimpse they had gotten of Palmacosta as they had flown to Iselia. The town had been decimated, left broken and flooded at the base of the grotesque tree. _Is there anything we can do to set that right?_

The box on the ground at Lloyd's feet suddenly crackled to life, a small dish whirring in a circle on its post at the back of the box. "The Great Seed is once again bound in the Holy Ground of Kharlan," Yuan's voice sounded from the machine. There was a tentative sigh of relief from the party as the speaker buzzed once again. "For that, I owe you my gratitude. Thank you." The words seemed to grow more grudging as the absent Renegade leader continued. "It seems that you have managed to save the Great Seed as well as this world."

Kratos moved to kneel beside the box, reaching out to press the button. "If the Great Seed is intact, then I presume Martel, who's fused with it, is safe as well?" he asked with cautious curiosity.

The machine fell silent as Kratos withdrew his hand. A few more moments passed before the box came to life again. "I'm sure that's good news for you," Yuan spoke with out disguising the bitterness in his voice. "I wish I could say the same for me."

Lloyd's shoulders sagged in something resembling relief as he turned back to the blonde Chosen beside him. "Colette, it looks like things have settled down," he murmured as the girl shied away from him, acting like even his words hurt her.

"It's gross, isn't it?" Colette whimpered, still trying to hide her shoulder with her hand. "It's disgusting, isn't it? It's… it's…."

The swordsman shook his head. "It's not at all," he answered with a small, warm smile as he lifted his hand towards her.

The Chosen's eyes flared wide. "Stay away!" she screamed, backing away from Lloyd and his outstretched hand. "Don't look at me!"

Liane was frozen in place as she saw the stricken look on Lloyd's face at how Colette recoiled from him – but worse, she couldn't even move when she saw the blonde girl's knees buckle as she collapsed to the dirt. _What is going on?!?_

"Colette!" Lloyd choked, falling to his knees beside the girl, reaching for her limp hand as if he could pull her back to him.

Raine walked over to the pair of teenagers as the party gathered closer around them. She knelt across from Lloyd and reached out to brush her fingers lightly over a spot on the side of the girl's throat. "It's okay," the Professor breathed out, bringing Lloyd's attention to her. "She just fainted." She leaned back and pushed herself back up to her feet. "Let's take her back to the village."

Genis was already shaking his head before his sister stopped speaking. "To Iselia? But Lloyd and I were banished!" he frowned as his silver hair continued to sway.

"Colette's home is in Iselia," Raine reminded her sibling gently and then gestured to the former captives hovering nearby. "Besides, we can't just leave behind the people who were held at the ranch."

Lloyd frowned as he watched Kratos move closer and stoop to scoop Colette into his arms. His eyes followed how the angel shifted her weight and lifted her as if she weighed less than nothing… and he finally sighed. "All right," he slowly nodded. "Let's… go to Iselia."

_Home…._ It sounded so appealing to Liane… the idea of walking into her home… closing the door just for a break from everything they had done and seen. She knew she could never escape what she had helped to bring to her world, and she knew that there was nowhere for her to hide from the images she feared were just waiting for her to close her eyes to surface again. _Maybe just being home for a while will help. Maybe it'll give me a better perspective_, she thought hopefully as she heard the communication box crackle once again.

"Then I'll notify Sheena to meet you at Iselia," Yuan's voice spoke out from the box. "Farewell for now," he stated simply, and the spinning dish on the box slowed to a stop.

Liane watched as Genis walked over to the box and carefully closed it, handling the instrument carefully and as respectfully as could be expected by the brother of the Professor. But then, Kratos caught her attention... how he carefully cradled her against his chest so that no weight fell onto her disfigured shoulder. His expression wasn't quite as stoic as usual… no, there was something troubled in how he watched over Colette… and in how his eyes swept over the others.

_Now we'll be enemies again_, the dark-haired swordswoman sighed, finding it difficult to think that the pattern would ever stop. Liane fidgeted under the weight of her pack and let her had fall onto the handle of her sword. _How can we stop this? This cycle… is maddening…._

****

Kratos looked down to the girl in his arms, carefully minding his reaction to the subtle torment that still lined her features. He had seen it before.

He had seen it all before.

The girl that put on a smile like it was any other article of clothing – strictly for the benefit of her companions. The girl that never complained until the truth was revealed and it was almost too late to help.

The same story continued to play out in his life… only the players changed before his eyes.

He had chosen to pick up the girl without asking permission, partially as a test and partially because he knew that Lloyd would struggle with dragging her through the forest until nightfall if he had to do so to ensure that the girl was safe. The boy had improved almost more than he had thought possible, with some aspects going beyond surprising. _He dispatched Forcystus without a second thought…_ he mused silently as the party started to gather the captives to lead them back to the nearby town.

_He might have been as fast as I am._

It was a sobering thought… and not one that he relished. Lloyd had been called upon to act, and his instincts had driven him to do exactly what he had to. The only remaining question was if Lloyd would be able to handle walking the thin line that his abilities would force him onto if they continued to grow. _That kind of power is so dangerous… especially when driven by a need that the bearer knows is right._

Back when he knew what was right… the decision was always easy. The power to set things right was at his fingertips… it was a crime not to use it.

That was what he had believed once.

He hesitated and glanced back to the ranch, falling behind the others, though he wasn't particularly worried. His senses told him that the most dangerous thing remaining in the yard was the broken form of the Ranch's fallen master before the entrance… and Forcystus was no longer a danger to anyone.

It wasn't the Cardinal's corpse that caught his attention, though. It was the entrance. The darkened archway to the ranch that was a portal to so much more than he could tell the others… though he was sure at least one of them now knew exactly why from the stricken look on her face inside the ranch.

"_Noishe… if I give you the signal, you run with Lloyd as fast and as far as you can."_

_He was answered by a reluctant whimper that he understood all too well. But with the way that the guards that had been stationed behind the wall had suddenly withdrawn, there was nothing that felt right about the situation._

_But then, they had his wife… how could anything feel right?_

"_Daddy?"_

_The muffled call of his son made him look down, but it took him an extra moment of searching to see exactly where the boy had burrowed into the thick fur of Noishe's neck. "Yes, Lloyd?" he murmured once he saw the toddler's playful and blessedly oblivious grin and turned a wary eye back to the ranch._

"_Momma's hidin', huh…" the boy continued to smile and ducked back into Noishe's fur with a tiny giggle. "I'm gonna hide, too…."_

_He thought it was a game._

"_We'll find her, but you should stay in hiding," Kratos replied, deciding playing along with the boy was probably for the best. Noishe had the bulk ant the strength that he wouldn't reveal Lloyd's presence._

"_I'm hiding from Mom-ma," came a sing-song whisper from the slight ruffle in Noishe's fur… and it struck Kratos as the most subtle of daggers. The boy couldn't know how necessary his game might be._

_Suddenly, as if to add fuel to his fears, the gates of the ranch swung wide open, almost in a twisted welcome to the angel and his son. Kratos' gaze narrowed on the miraculously clear path straight to the open entrance to the ranch. His hand tightened almost painfully around his sword._

They have what I want… and they're daring me to come get it.

"_Noishe –"_

_But the command that he had steeled himself to give froze in his throat as the shadows just inside the ranch entrance shifted. He could only stand tensed as his senses told him what he didn't want to hear… what his eyes were already showing him. He knew her mana signature anywhere, but it was shifting erratically – a fact that alarmed him even more than his wife's appearance as she stumbled out into the snow-dusted yard of the ranch. Her clothes were tattered and torn… tears of pain streaked her face and every strained step she took from the entrance was accompanied by a groan of misery._

"_K-Kratos…."_

_There was relief mingled with the pain in her voice, and she couldn't help but take a step closer, his free hand stretched out to her._

_But when she looked up, he saw the blood that was seeping from around the crystal at her throat…_

… _and suddenly, her misery was every bit his as well._

"_No…."_

_His whisper was a denial of what every one of his senses were telling him. Before, she had still had time – time to find the dwarf, time to arrest what the crystal was doing to her. But they had taken that time away. They had broken the link between the crystal and the life force that had nurtured it._

_And even as she stretched her hand out to him, he could see that they were out of time. The thin, delicate fingers that had always seemed too feminine for the blacksmith work she had been doing when they had met were already twisted and distorted from the transformation that was taking hold of her body._

"_Noishe."_

_The faithful creature at his side tensed, awaiting his command even as his eyes followed every movement of the woman. But before Kratos could do anything more than lift his free hand to reach and meet his wife's, there was a ruffle of fur… and another giggle…._

"_S'prise, Momma!" Lloyd called out as he burst from his hiding place, arms wide open to his mother._

_Anna jumped at the happy squeal, her brown eyes going wide as she looked down to the boy in a moment of confusion._

"_Lloyd…."_

_Kratos could only watch as she turned her tear-streaked face to their son and shifted to reach out to him instead of to her husband._

_An instant later, she stopped, staring in shaking horror at the claws that had replaced her hands. Anna recoiled with a choked scream, stumbling back a step and collapsing to her knees as she clenched her hands around her head._

_The scream that wrenched itself from her throat was more than enough to change their son's happy laughter to a wail of fear, but even that wasn't enough to tear his eyes from Anna… from his wife and soulmate. A very physical pain tore through him as he saw her form contort and twitch… changing into something that he knew wouldn't be even vaguely human before much longer._

"_M-Momma?"_

_Lloyd's terrified whimper broke the moment of crushing realization for Kratos as Anna's head snapped up with a snarl._

"_Noishe! _Run!!"

_Faster than the faithful creature could obey his command, the claw of the unfortunate being that had just moments before been Anna slashed out – reaching for the child that had called her frantic eyes to him._

_There was a sickening rip of fabric that accompanied both Lloyd's scream of terror… and Anna's howl of primal fury…._

"C'mon, Kratos! It's starting to get dark!"

Kratos blinked away the images that he normally worked to repress – the guilt that he was too late to help was normally more than enough to ensure that no part of him would ever forget. The call of the boy that bore no apparent memories of that day brought him back to the present, but the sight of the open ranch combined with Lloyd, Colette's state, and what he simply knew in his soul that Liane had seen when they were inside seemed to be just enough to eat through his defenses.

Glancing down to the still-unconscious Chosen in his arms, he sighed and set about the task of patching the holes in his scarred psyche.

"I'm coming," he answered, though he didn't bother to add any resent to his tone for the boy's reminder.

Kratos cast one last glance back to the ranch before he started out the gates, tensing himself against the memories of the battles that he fought on the very ground he walked across once again…

… and the one battle that he lost – that had cost him everything.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one - once again, life has other ideas on things I have to do other than write. But thanks beyond thanks to Yama for her help and support... and to Aio for her encouragement! (See, Aio? I promised you more Kratos... =)


	33. Chapter 33

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The fate of Sylvarant's Chosen is now largely ugly rumors, thanks mostly to the destructive power of the Giant Tree and the disappearance of The Tower of Salvation. Time is now also counted as an enemy of the party as they race to find a cure for one of their own.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 33:

"I see. So the angels of Cruxis were really half-elves…."

_Not all of them,_ Liane thought sullenly, folding her arms before her on Frank and Phaidra's kitchen table as she studied the grain of the wood instead of glaring at Kratos. It was clear from Phaidra's careful choice of words that she was having trouble taking their story as the truth, though, compounded with her granddaughter's reappearance and condition, it was hard to fault her. The group decided just outside of Iselia to omit the parts of their tale that included Kratos' true reason for joining them in the first place, much less his betrayal. To Frank and Phaidra Brunel, their party had only gotten bigger since the last time they had seen them. It was easier, kinder, and – for the first time in her life – Liane almost wished she could change places with either of the elder Brunels because of it.

"Please don't tell anyone about this," Lloyd pled calmly as the woman turned her wizened eyes to him. "We don't want to start a panic."

Liane pushed herself back from the table with a frown. "The reception that we got just for walking into town seems to have been enough to get Iselia riled up," she commented, trying to keep her voice low to keep the bitterness from showing as she looked up to Phaidra. "News that their entire belief system is nothing but a farce is the last thing they need right now."

"Indeed," Phaidra nodded. "Especially now that the Tower of Salvation is gone, I wouldn't dare tell people the truth."

A collective gasp echoed around the room and only Genis moved, shifting uncomfortably where he stood near Lloyd. "Tower of Salvation… is gone?" he breathed out, his blue eyes filled with dismay.

Phaidra's head bobbed, her expression as grim as those of her guests. "After that frightening earthquake the tower disappeared from the eastern sky… along with that _monstrosity._"

It was easy enough for Liane to understand what 'monstrosity' Colette's grandmother spoke of, though it took her a moment to try to picture being able to see the tree from across the sea. Iselia had access to the coast, of course… and a view from the cliffs that led to the Temple, but she was suddenly oddly grateful to the geography of the ranch that hid the tree from them, even if it couldn't hide the sound and evidence of its disappearance.

"How could it disappear?!" Lloyd blurted out, spinning to glare at Kratos.

For just a moment, no one spoke… the demand that the swordsman made of the mercenary charging the air with a hint of nervous uncertainty until Kratos shrugged. "I don't know," he answered calmly as if simply to diffuse Lloyd's frustration. "The Chosen never completed the ritual of regeneration. The Cruxis core system, which controls the appearance of the tower, may have malfunctioned. It is of little consequence."

"No, it's _not_," Raine corrected him sharply, annoyance glittering in her eyes as they shifted to the angel. "It's a tremendous shock to the people of Sylvarant. After a giant earthquake sunders the land, the symbol of salvation vanishes," the Professor exhaled and shook her head, her expression softening into sadness. "The Chosen will be held responsible."

Kratos hand pulled off the act of still being one of them – with only a bit more knowledge than the normal folk – relatively well, but his removal from the plight of Sylvarant shone brightly to Liane. Phaidra didn't seem to pay the slip any mind, but Liane's still found it disappointing. "Colette's appearance here right after all of that certainly didn't help things in Iselia, then." She couldn't help that the thought made her sad – no matter their reception, Iselia was still her home.

"Why?" Zelos asked with a tilt of his head as his red curls swayed with the confused shake of his head. "Lots of other Chosen have failed up till now, too."

The old woman looked up to the redhead with a shake of her head. "The others have paid for their failure with their lives," she corrected him. "But Colette is still alive."

Regal sighed, the troubled look on his face merely emphasizing the gesture. "When people are suffering, they feel the need to place the blame on someone…."

"Zelos, Colette has been the embodiment of hope since she was born," Liane looked over to Zelos, her mind already running through the comparisons in the lives of a Chosen from a prospering world versus one from a declining one. She agreed with him, but it wasn't something he had ever had to confront in his life. "Now when the land and mana are drying up, her destiny to regenerate the world affected everyone. No matter how symbolic, it all actually is, it's what the people know – and her failing pretty much means that if anything gets worse, as far as the masses are concerned, she'll be responsible."

"It is not fair to Colette," Presea stated softly, turning her thoughtful gaze toward the stairs that led to where Colette had been taken to her room to rest.

Lloyd punctuated the ax-girl's statement by slamming his fist into the table, making everyone in the room jump at the sudden thunder of noise. "I'm gonna go see what's going on around the village," the brown-haired teen ground out through clenched teeth as he whirled on his heel to stalk toward the door.

"I'll go too," Genis quickly offered, jogging to his friend's side, expression filled with worry.

Zelos' hand snapped out to catch the young mage by the shoulder and earning a glare for the act. "Let's all go together, then," the redheaded swordsman shrugged. The quick change of Genis' anger to surprise put a smile on Zelos' face as he released the boy. "It sounds like it's a bit sketchy for you to be walking around by yourself."

"I'll… stay here," Kratos muttered quietly and pulled out a chair across from Phaidra at the table, waving over his shoulder to the others as he sat down. "Go on."

Liane frowned and stood up, tossing her loose ponytail back over her shoulder, almost as a reminder to herself to not glare at Kratos. He had done his part to help them… it was all she could expect of him. _He'll probably be gone by the time we get back anyway,_ she sighed and lifted her pack to her shoulder as Lloyd pulled the door open and stalked out into the front yard. The swordswoman hung back as the others filed out of the house and accidentally cast one more glance back to see that Kratos and Phaidra were already talking quietly. She had long before accepted the fact that Kratos had known far more than any of them from the start, but hadn't Phaidra, as well? She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

_But so did Colette. And Raine._

Liane tried not to wince as she strung together all the little facts she had known… how the only ones that had gone into the journey blind to the truth were Genis, Lloyd, and herself. It wasn't that they hadn't changed the original path that Colette, Kratos, and Raine had started out on, but coming home with their eyes open to everything that had happened was still sobering.

After Liane stepped out onto the Brunel's porch, Regal pulled the door closed behind them. She offered him a quick nod of thanks and started down the steps. Lloyd still led the group with Genis and Raine close behind, with the Tethe'allans following closely behind. Liane watched as Zelos, Presea, and Regal took in their surroundings, knowing all too well how it felt to be in a town that had been completely unknown to them until recently.

But she found herself observing as well, her eyes seeking the homes and features of the Iselia she knew, only to find some of it missing… and some marked with piles of charred timbers that served as grotesque grave markers in her eyes. _I didn't notice when we were coming in…_ she frowned, forcing herself to look away from the remains of the house beside Colette's. She had kept her head down to ignore the accusing glares she could still feel, intent – along with the others – on getting help for Colette. But now there was no reason to look away, and nothing to hold her thoughts back from her parents' farmhouse… and what had happened while she had been gone.

"Is it different from how you remember it?" Regal asked quietly beside her, his eyes taking in the town to either side of the packed-dirt town road.

Liane considered her answer for a moment. Did she still recognize her hometown? Yes. Had it changed from how she remembered it? Yes. Had the people changed?

She bit her lip as a couple of old women she had always known to stop by her home to gossip with her mother huddled near the northern turn in the road, pointing and whispering as the group filed by.

_Yes_.

"A lot has happened," Liane finally answered him with a shrug that couldn't quite shake the weight of the truth from her shoulders. "Iselia was buffered from a lot of what was happening to the other towns, especially ones so close to human ranches. I guess it would be silly to think that it could ever be the same."

"It doesn't change the fact that you want it to be how you remembered it," Regal murmured. "It seems that change always comes whether you're ready for it or not.

"Life is change, right?" Liane tried to muster a smile, though she knew that it had to look hollow. _All of our homes have been changed… or at least endangered. It's not just me… or Iselia._

Before the realization could go much deeper, the party tightened in on itself, the dull murmur of a crowd ahead slowing their trek through the Village of the Oracle. They crept closer to where the road curved towards the schoolhouse and stopped.

"The whole town…?" Liane whispered, edging closer to stand near Lloyd and the Sages. Mixed into the gathering were familiar faces and strangers alike, with most of the strangers being refugees from the ranch by the look of their clothing. But at the heart of the rumbling mob….

_Oh, wonderful. The Mayor._ Liane exhaled, with the end of the sound taking on the faintest of growls. "Perfect."

"This is an outrage!" the man with the meticulously flattened hairstyle and silver temple streaks pumped his fist into the air to keep the attention of his audience. "Those who were banished returning without permission… the Chosen failed atrociously!" he declared with fire in his voice. "It's the end of the world!"

Genis groaned and shook his head as he looked up to his companions. "Well, he certainly hasn't changed."

The Mayor's head snapped up as Genis spoke, looking out over the crowd to fix his wild-eyed glare on the party as he thrust his finger accusingly at them. "And on top of all that, people we thought were elves are actually half-elves?!" he spat out, now visibly shaking with his tirade as his face grew beet-red. "I bet _you _were the ones that led the Desians here to attack this village!"

Liane felt the breath press from her lungs at the sickenly eerie echo of what they had heard and fought against so often in Tethe'alla… and now it followed them home. _How…?_ She started to wonder as her hand curled into a tight ball before she realized that the answer was standing right before her. _If the Mayor heard the prisoners talking… he'd take any tidbit he could get and run with it… dammit._

"Wh… what did you say?" Genis ground out, starting a step forward before his sister clamped her hand onto his shoulder to stop him.

The crowd rumbled as the party slowly edged closer, though one female voice rose over the rest of the gathering. "Mayor!" the woman's voice called out without singling her out of the crowd. "He's only a child."

The mayor snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "It doesn't matter if he's a child. He's a half-elf!"

Lloyd stepped out ahead of the party, the group of villagers parting so that he could face the mayor. "I've heard enough from you!" the teen snapped back. "Now listen! It's true that the Professor and Genis are half-elves… but so what?!" he demanded as his party edged to stand behind him. "There are good half-elves just as there are bad humans!"

The mayor grunted and waved his hand as if to brush away Lloyd's argument. "What does a kid know? You were raised by a dwarf. It's no wonder _you_ caused the Chosen to fail her journey!" He advanced on the young swordsman a step, almost in challenge. "And you even brought a bunch of dirty prisoners back here! It's _intolerable_ how much pain you've caused the good humans of… this… village…." His rant slowly lost its steam as his eyes started darting over his shoulder. Finally, he turned slightly to his side. "Wh… what?" he demanded in irritation.

"That's enough," a familiar female voice retorted before the speaker stepped into view of the party. Chocolat that had separated herself from the gathering, her hands mounted on her hips as she glowered at the Mayor. "You're just complaining about everything! Does any part of you besides your mouth even work?!"

Lloyd's arms fell limply to his sides as he stared at the Palmacostan tour guide. "Chocolat…."

"She's been in town less than a day and even she can see the truth," Liane spoke up, emboldened by the Chocolat's stand. All their lives they had dealt with the Mayor's ego and self-righteousness. _No more._ "We're not going to take this… not from a close-minded blowhard like you." She gestured over her shoulder to let her friends and let her finger linger in the direction of Colette's house for emphasis. "We've all risked our lives for the world. What have _you _done besides complain and blame?"

"Yeah! You tell him!" Zelos blurted out, apparently riled by the stand being taken against the mayor. "I've had all I can handle of this chump," he snorted and flipped his hair back over his shoulder.

Presea took a few quiet steps forward to look up to the Mayor. "You criticize and attack people for their birth and upbringing – things they cannot change," she stated softly, the meaning behind her words carrying more anger than her voice. "It is you who are not human."

The Mayor stared at the pink-haired girl with a slack jaw, his lips feeling trying to form words as his cheeks reddened further. "What?!" he choked out and began to shake his head. "We have an arrangement with the Desians! I have a duty to protect this village." He lifted his eyes to sweep over the gathering. "Isn't that right?"

The silence that replied to his plea for justification was almost deafening as no one moved.

"_Say something!"_

A small dark-haired boy stepped out of the shadows of the schoolhouse and looked up to the Mayor. "Genis is the smartest person in this village," he spoke quietly, frowning a little when the Mayor turned his scowl down to him. The boy hesitated for only an instant before he puffed up his chest and glared back at the man. "He even knows factorizations that you don't know."

An older girl moved to the boy's side with a nod. "The Professor is scary when she's angry," she shrugged, but then spared a smile and a half-laugh for Raine before she drew another breath. "But when I know the answer, she's happy, too."

Liane could only stare at the pair of students… the boy being one of the youngest while the girl was one of the oldest. But just that they would come to the defense of the Sages gave her some hope that the world outside their group could see that there was good in half-elves.

"Lloyd isn't any good at school, but he's the strongest in the village," the boy continued, his voice carrying a little more confidence after the girl's input. "He saved me when I was attacked by monsters."

"Colette, she's always falling down and stuff, but she never cries," the brown-haired village girl continued, her smile growing brighter as the look of befuddlement on the Mayor's face grew. "She doesn't cry even when it hurts. Colette is really grown up."

The boy hopped a little as his excitement boiled over. "And Liane… she always tries to be fair to all of us when she's helping the Professor teach. Even though Genis, Lloyd, and Colette are her good friends, she treats us all the same in school. She's gonna be a great teacher one day."

_Me?_ Liane had nearly melted before the support that the students had voiced for her friends – human and half-elf alike – but the defense the boy offered for her was stunning. While she had exiled herself, much like Genis, she had known it would be a triumph for the Mayor to be rid of all of them. But just the thought that some in the village might still welcome them was a relief she didn't know she needed so badly.

"Everyone…" Lloyd breathed out, shaking his head as if it might help right his thoughts.

But before the swordswoman's words could go any further, Raine spun away from the group and sprinted down the road away from the schoolhouse.

"Raine…" Genis frowned, his eyes following his sister until she disappeared from sight, his shoulders slumping as he turned back to look to Lloyd and the others in a silent plea for guidance.

"Sh… shut up!" the Mayor bellowed, making the assembly jump at the volume of his demand. Suddenly, the portly man was once again the center of attention. "You children, go away!" he snorted, motioning to shoo the students that had defended the Chosen and her companions.

Chocolat stomped her foot, her arms stiff at her sides as she glared at the mayor. "Those children understand the truth much better than you!" she snapped as the Mayor turned back to her. "Who do you think you are?! And it's not just you! Everyone shoved all the responsibility on the Chosen and Lloyd and the others! What have you done?!" The brown haired girl shook her head, her ponytail whipping angrily around her face. "_You_ haven't done anything!"

"And you were more than willing to let Colette, Raine, Genis, Lloyd – _any_ of us – sacrifice ourselves to make you look good… to make it look like you had anything at all to do with saving the world," Liane added with disgust, riding the momentum of Chocolat's verbal assault.

The Mayor, once again, could only stare blankly at the demanding expressions around him. "We are powerless…" he murmured as if it was a true defense.

"Yes," a village woman standing near the edge of the crowd huffed, her voice both weary and gruff. "But even powerless, we can still aid the Chosen and her companions when they return exhausted to this village.

A comparatively smaller man that Liane vaguely recognized as one of her father's acquaintances nodded and made his way through the crowd to stand before the Mayor. "Mayor, your words are so shallow that even a child can see through them," he chided, sweeping his hand toward the students that had spoken up.

Another man that stood shoulder to shoulder with the party cleared his throat. "You say that you are powerless and force everything onto the Chosen," his voice rose as he tilted his head to level an accusing glare at the official. "But when push comes to shove, you turn and blame her? That's just too much!" Only the man's wide white hat betrayed a shake of anger.

"Forcystus is dead," Chocolat added from where she remained standing over the Mayor's shoulder. "There are no more restrictions on this village."

The burly woman at the edge of the group who had been one of the first to speak out nodded. "We _will _take in the Chosen and her companions _and_ the people from the ranch." She paused, waiting for the Mayor's wide-eyed disbelief to fall on her to smile. "And, Mayor, we're not going to let you say a word about it."

A chorus of agreement rose up around the party, leaving particularly the Iselian members of the party to look around in wide-eyed shock. "Everyone… are you sure?" Lloyd asked, finding his voice first though still sounding as if he expected the support to be pulled away.

"I'm… a half-elf… remember?" Genis asked, his eyes falling to the ground as his shoulders sank. But the silent gesture of defeat lasted only until a hand dropped onto the silver-haired boy's shoulder, snapping his eyes up to the man in the white hat.

"But you were raised in this village," the man smiled warmly at Genis and then looked over to the boy's crimson-clad friend. "And Lloyd is like a member of this village, too."

Liane smiled with relief. She was human and was born in the town – her acceptance was far less of an issue than it was for Lloyd or Genis. But as the crowd began to shift to gather around the party, something else caught her eye – a couple lingering in the shade of an old tree that she had climbed as a child. They were leaning back against the old wagon that her father had placed there to allow her mother a place to decorate their yard with urns of flowers in the spring. The only remaining urn was still empty, but the knowing smiles on the faces of her parents were anything but. _Mom… Dad…._

"Fine!" the Mayor roared, bringing Liane's eyes back to him as the crowd fell silent. "Do what you want!" The official's anger was obvious as he shoved his way through the crowd, storming across the street to enter his house, slamming the door behind him.

For a moment, Liane was torn. Her parents were waiting patiently just outside the fray, but the party remained at the heart of the quietly murmuring crowd. _They accepted us… but it can't be that easy. They're tired of the Mayor, but there are still the people from the ranch… and repairing the town. It won't be easy to forget what happened._

"I must apologize, too," Chocolat murmured as she moved to face Lloyd, her eyes watching her feet.

Lloyd cocked his head to the girl, his hands resting easily on the hilts of his twin blades. "What?"

Chocolat finally looked up, tensing as she locked her eyes on Lloyd. "You saved me, and yet I… I couldn't bring myself to accept it," she stated, the words coming out as a nervous stream as she kicked the toe of her scuffed shoe into the dirt. "I… heard at the ranch about how you were kind to Grandma." The girl sighed and dipped her chin to her chest. "Thank you."

Genis reached out for the girl's hand with a grateful smile. "Thank _you_, Chocolat," he told her, nodding his agreement with Lloyd.

"I'll always remember Marble… for the rest of my life," the young swordsman told the girl somberly.

And to Liane, it looked like Chocolat believed him. She watched as the Palmacostan girl and the other refugees began to disperse, some guided by town citizens. _Maybe those that don't have homes or families to return to can at least find a place to rest… or to stay._ It felt odd to be hopeful, but after the stand that the townsfolk had made on behalf of the Chosen, her companions, and the former prisoners, it was hard to deny the feeling.

"We should find Raine…I'm worried about her," Genis spoke up once the party was mostly on their own again.

Liane bit her lip and glanced back toward her home to see her parents still waiting patiently. "Ah, you guys go ahead… I have to make a quick stop. I'll catch up." She turned before anyone could question her and split from the main road. _Raine won't do anything rash,_ she told herself. _She couldn't have gone far. I just need a moment…._ She knew that she was rationalizing because she wanted to be there for her friend and mentor, but her parents had already welcomed her home once during her self-imposed and Mayor-accepted exile – she owed them at very least a few words.

Dora Dale's arms were already open to her daughter before Liane reached the fenceline. The swordswoman let her pack down to the ground to return the embrace, hugging her mother tight while her father hovered nearby. "It's okay, Mom. We're all here. We're all safe."

"But we heard Colette was sick… and then the earthquakes… and that tree!" the farmwife babbled, pulling back to eye her daughter skeptically. "And you've been gone for so long…."

"Dora, you promised… no smothering," Ben Dale quietly reminded his wife as he stepped in for a hug of his own. "It has been a while, though," he raised an eyebrow to Liane. "It's not so big of a deal if we know where you are, you know."

Liane laughed weakly. _Well, Dad, we were off fighting summon spirits, trying to give Colette back her soul… oh, and then there's this whole other world where we're all criminals. Yeah, that won't go over so well…._ "Most days, we don't even know where we'll be," she decided to tell them – a nice, simple truth instead of a frighteningly elaborate one.

"You're not staying," Dora murmured, deflating as she reached for her husband's hand. "I hoped… maybe this was all over… finally."

"Mom…" the dark-haired young woman sighed, but saw that the sentiment was echoed in her father's eyes as well. _They deserve more than this. Better than this._ Her mind worked quickly to find options that would suit everyone… and finally settled on one. She stooped to pick up her pack and held it out to her father. "Look, I promised I'd catch up with everyone, but I'll be back in a while. We can talk then?" Liane offered, deciding that her parents needed to know more – even if it wasn't reassuring, it would be a reason if they didn't see her for a while.

Ben took the pack with a nod. "You do what you need to do. We'll be here," he told Liane as he slid his free arm around his wife's shoulders.

"I won't be long," Liane told them, taking a step back before her conscience could make her stay and the others have to come looking for her. "I'll be back before dark." She spared them a quick smile that she hoped would be reassuring and turned, making her way down the edge of the yard to where it spilled down to the town road. _They can handle the truth,_ she told herself, venturing a smile and a grateful nod to one of the women that had defended them to the Mayor as they passed one another. _At least as much as we know is the truth. _There was still so much that didn't fit… so much that they couldn't put together. She would leave those parts out. But the rest….

_I owe them as much as I can tell them._

As she made her way through the small town, Liane was struck by the feeling that she should have recognized more of her hometown. But even while some houses – such as the Sages' – were still in charred shambles, others had already started being rebuilt. No matter its leadership, the town was pulling together and had refused to give up and fall. A small smile curled her lips as she realized that she was still proud to call the town her home, even if there were still things that would have to change before the world could ever truly be at peace.

By the time Liane reached the southern gates of the town, she still hadn't found the others of the group. But when a man that it took her a moment to recognize approached her with the message that the Chosen and the others had gone to Dirk's, she had to sigh. It wasn't that she was afraid of the forest. It was much more that she would have to pass by the ranch yet again.

_Oh well._

Hand on the hilt of her sword, Liane thanked the man and continued ahead, relying on her feet to lead the way as she let her mind wander to anything other than the hopefully silent ranch that would soon come into view. _Randall…._ The name slowly formed in her thoughts. _Randall Foley._ The man standing guard at the gate was Michael's older brother. A slight shiver ran through her as she remembered his smile. He had always been kind to her – more courteous than Michael, actually – but he was also the head of his own family, his second child born not long before the Oracle had come for Colette, if she remembered right. His smile had always been warm… and knowing.

_He's still sure I'm going to end up with his brother._

Liane choked down a laugh, almost surprising herself at her amusement. Even at the party that her parents had thrown to welcome her back from her travels with the Church, Randall had given her that same smile… and ushered her straight to where Michael was waiting for her. Apparently, three years' worth of learning and discipline with the priests had made her 'marriageable' material in the eyes of the Foley clan.

That was the night Michael had clumsily and egotistically tried to bestow her first kiss upon her.

That was also the night Liane had given Michael a black eye along with her refusal - and convinced him that she wasn't near ready to 'settle down' and be the nice little wife he seemed to want to see her as.

Randall's smile may have simply been kindness, but she couldn't help but think that there was still some bit of inevitability there. It wasn't being family with Randall that she objected to – it was being family with Michael. She had a family by blood – and one by bond of friendship – it was all she needed. _Anything beyond that…._ Liane sighed and glanced up to the chimney of Dirk's house through the trees.

… _can wait._

"Wait! Are you really going back to Cruxis?"

There was an almost frantic note of disbelief in Lloyd's voice as it filtered through the trees, but there was no doubt in Liane's mind who her friend was speaking to. The frustration of Michael's advances melted into the reminder of the state of their group, and she stepped behind the trunk of a shrub-wrapped tree across the creek from the dwelling Lloyd shared with his adoptive father. _Kratos is going back…_ she frowned, though she expected nothing different if she as honest with herself.

"I am an angel of Cruxis."

Liane cautiously peered around the trunk of the tree. The rest of the party was nowhere to be seen, so she guessed that they were all inside, allowing Kratos and Lloyd to have their discussion. She couldn't think of anyone else that would ask Kratos to stay – especially as she had already tried in her own way. With a glance back down the path to the town, Liane momentarily debated on a retreat to allow them the same privacy that the others were. But there was a chance her departure would be noticed and disrupt something that Lloyd needed, even if he didn't want to hear Kratos' answer anymore than she did. So she remained still, chewing on her lip.

"Then why didn't you follow Yggdrasill's orders to leave the Great Seed alone?" Lloyd asked, pressing the conversation with the angel.

Kratos watched the younger swordsman for a moment before he shrugged. "I have my reasons, that's all," he answered flatly. "But as a result, Martel was not lost. That goes along with Yggdrasill's wishes."

Lloyd watched his one-time mentor for a long moment before he finally shook his head. "It's true then. You really are our enemy…."

Biting her lip harder, it was all Liane could do to stay still. _But he's not… he can't be…_ her thoughts objected. Yet words to back up her instincts wouldn't form. Her experience with the angel left her with nothing to base her reaction on. He had betrayed them, left them, and even fought them – she had nothing reliable to believe in that told her he was anything but an enemy using them to his own ends. _But… still…._ Clenching her hand tight around her sword, Liane exhaled. _I can't even trust my own reactions to him._

"If you consider Cruxis and the Desians to be your enemy, then I suppose that makes me your enemy," Kratos reasoned, his words slow and calculating as if he was measuring Lloyd's response to each of them.

_He's still trying to push Lloyd away… to keep all of us at a distance._ That much was clear to Liane, though the part of her that didn't want to believe in the 'evil angel' theory was quick to point out that Kratos used words more than weapons to keep them at bay.

The brown-haired teen seemed to struggle with the statement, his eyebrows knitting together before he finally shook his head. "I… don't wanna think of you as an enemy."

Lloyd's declaration seemed to stun Kratos for a moment, but for Liane, it was less the words than the revelation that she wasn't the only one.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" the angel asked as if the curiosity was simply too much for him to ignore Lloyd's claim.

"It's not that I've forgiven you or that I like you or anything," Lloyd shook his head quickly, his response almost biting off the end of Kratos' question. "But unlike the other Desians, you abandoned neither the Great Seed nor this world." He stopped shaking his head and shrugged. "I just thought… it's weird to think of you as an enemy."

Kratos didn't move… he merely watched the other swordsman in silence for a few moments before he chuckled softly. "You've grown up."

The comment seemed to stump Lloyd, but Liane could see it as well. She carefully turned to rest against the tree and sighed. As Kratos began to explain his observation, Liane could see from his point of view… from the eyes of one that had been away long enough to see the change clearly. They had all had to change just to survive as far as they had – they had all had to accept that the world was a different place than they had grown up believing it was, but Lloyd had very likely endured the greatest changes of all of them. His entire world had been the village of Iselia – his best friend was an elf, and another friend was the girl that would save the world. The Desians lurked nearby – but never attacked – and he was an orphan that only knew his mother's name from the small amount of information that his adoptive father had gathered the day he was found with the dying woman in the forest. Lloyd's world had been filled with more truth than he had ever wanted or thought to ask for – but he was still fighting… still doing what he could to make things right. _You have grown up, Lloyd,_ Liane smiled slightly, part of her glad that Kratos that had brought it up. Lloyd had held them all together even as he was gathering the pieces of his own life. _He really is the heart of our group._

"I think it's okay for you to be here, too."

Liane pulled herself out of her reflections at the words and the way Lloyd spoke them, turning a little to look back to the swordsmen. Lloyd almost wore a frown as he watched Kratos, waiting for a response that she knew might not come. _We'd be stronger with him,_ she thought, feeling every instant that slipped by without the angel responding. _If even Lloyd can welcome him back…._

"No," Kratos finally spoke, though his voice sounded strained. "I cannot join your journey, for I still have something I must take care of."

The breath pressed from Liane's lungs as she heard the answer she had expected. No, it was more than she expected – she was expecting Kratos to turn his back and walk away – as he had so many times before. _He… sounds like he regrets it, though. Did Lloyd actually get through to him?_

Lloyd took a step closer to the angel, his open hands a plea for understanding on their own. "What do you have to take care of?" he asked, pressing the angel for a reason. "Is that why you've been wandering around Tethe'alla this whole time?" the teen lowered his eyes to the ground with a shake of his head.

"Lloyd."

The swordsman and Liane both looked up when Kratos spoke, though only Lloyd lifted an eyebrow in question as he faced the angel. "What?"

Kratos hesitated, shifting his weight as he started to turn away. "If you want to save the Chosen, you should research the records from the Ancient Kharlan War," he stated, his back almost completely turned to the crimson-clad teen. "Remember the words of the unicorn at Lake Umacy."

The angel was in full stride across the clearing by the time he finished speaking, leaving Lloyd gaping after him. "Wait!" the teen sputtered. "Why are you with Cruxis when you're a human?!"

_Good question,_ Liane frowned, shrinking back into the shadow of the tree in relief as she saw Kratos disappear into the woods across from the house instead of taking the path back to town. Once again, she might have been caught eavesdropping… and remembering how the last time had ended, she knew it wouldn't do any favors for whatever relationship she still had with the angel. _At least we didn't have to watch him fly away,_ she thought, casting a quick glance to where Lloyd remained standing by the house staring after Kratos. The wings were almost too much… a glaring reminder of who Kratos was – and, more importantly, that – human or not – he was _not_ one of them.

"Wow. You would _not_ make it as a ninja."

Liane jumped at the quiet whisper beside her in the brush, narrowly containing a yelp of surprise as she realized that she wasn't alone. Blending neatly into the twilight forest shadows beside her beneath the tree, Sheena stood shaking her head with a smirk. "Sheena??"

"Seriously, trying to blend into the forest in a red tunic? You may as well have been wearing a sign that said 'look at me! I'm trying to hide while I'm listening to you!'" the summoner laughed and clapped her friend on the shoulder as she stepped past her back to the path.

"It's dark red… I blend… kind of…" Liane huffed and pushed her way out of the brush. Even as she heard Sheena laugh, an all-new set of questions popped into her mind: how long had Sheena been there? Had she been listening the whole time, too?

_Do I really stand out that much?_

She swallowed hard.

_Did Kratos see me?_

"Sheena…" Liane started, following the Mizuhoan across the log bridge into Lloyd's yard, but Sheena merely laughed softly. _Damn._

"Hey, wasn't that Kratos just now?" Sheena asked nonchalantly, walking up to the swordsman that jumped at the sound of her voice.

Lloyd quickly laughed uneasily and ran a hand back through his hair. "Sheena!" he smiled for a moment longer before his eyes darted to where Kratos had disappeared into the forest. "Yeah… he returned to Cruxis."

Sheena's smile faded along with Lloyd's. "I see," she sighed, tilting her head to watch the young swordsman before she continued. "So he really is our enemy."

Once again, Liane fought back an outburst that no one – including herself – would probably believe. She stepped around Sheena to face her oldest friend with a shrug. She saw his eyes widen when he looked up to her, giving her some hope that he hadn't noticed her listening to his conversation. "He helped us… but he had his own reasons," she sighed, knowing that it was hardly a defense. "Nothing's really changed from before."

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded in agreement, his shoulders slumping a little only until he could draw another breath and slide his eyes back to Sheena, finding a weak smile along the way. "But anyway… welcome back!"

"Thanks!" Sheena squared her shoulders and grinned in response. "Thank goodness we stopped the Giant Tree," she breathed out with a small chuckle of relief.

The swordsman turned with a nod, reaching to push the door of his home open for the ninja and Liane. "Yeah," he sighed, gesturing for them to enter.

Sheena slipped past him into the warmly lit dwelling, but Liane remained where she was. "Ah, Lloyd? Is everyone staying here tonight?" she asked, keeping her voice low as another round of welcomes greeted Sheena inside, the loudest of course, being Zelos.

Lloyd nodded and released the door to close behind Sheena. "Dad said he doesn't know much about Cruxis Crystals, but he said we could stay the night to rest. I guess we're going to go back to Altessa's first thing in the morning."

It made sense – they had to help Colette as soon as possible, but they had forgotten their exhaustion all day long. "And Kratos wouldn't even stay that long," she frowned, not really worried if Lloyd knew that she had heard the conversation.

"No. He 'politely declined' and left," Lloyd sighed, shaking his head. He closed his eyes as his hand curled into a fist, the leather of his glove creaking. "I wish he would just stay or go – or fight us or leave us alone. You can't just come and go as you please…" he grumbled, his jaw tight.

A sad smile curled her lips as she reached a hand out to his shoulder. "You can if you're Kratos, I guess?" Liane shrugged when he looked up to her. "I know it's frustrating, but he did help us – again. We can't forget about that. Who knows how that fight might have ended without him?"

Lloyd's eyes grew troubled as he shook his head. "Kratos said that Forcystus was a hero to half-elves… that he killed an entire group of humans that were massacring half-elves. Look how strong that hatred made him, though. He couldn't – _wouldn't_ – see how dangerous Kratos was until it was too late. All because he just wrote him off as a human."

"I don't know," Liane murmured thoughtfully. "It looks like he underestimated you, too."

The swordsman sucked in a quick breath and held it, his eyes clouding a little more as he finally shrugged. "He did what he thought he had to… so did I."

The dark-haired young woman nodded, willing to let it drop for her friend. They had all been changed by the journey… had their eyes opened to truths that they never wanted to see – both about their world and about themselves. "Look, if it's okay with you, I'm going to stay at home tonight. Mom and Dad deserve to know what's going on. I promise to be back early so we can leave."

Lloyd tilted his head to her. "You're going to tell them? Are you okay doing that by yourself? I mean, maybe Sheena could go with you… you know, someone from Tethe'alla?"

_Because Presea wouldn't say much, Zelos would probably hit on my mother, and Regal…._ She shook her head, both to the thought and to Lloyd's suggestion. Regal would have been a perfect ambassador – familiar with both the world and with the balancing act the group was performing, but the timing was wrong, especially if she didn't want to worry her parents further. "Sheena's tired… let her rest," she smiled and patted the swordsman on the shoulder. "Have a good night, okay? Things will get better tomorrow…."

_I hope…._

It was dark by the time Liane made it back to her parents' home, the warm light of the streetlamps guiding her through the town to the house that always seemed so welcoming. The talk she knew that she had to have with her parents wasn't nearly as difficult as she had feared it would be, though when their questions began to come more slowly, she could tell that they were beginning to absorb it all. In just one conversation, she had overturned facts that they had simply _known_ their entire lives. Ben and Dora Dale suddenly knew about a world far longer than they had ever guessed at… and they had a better idea of the dangers their daughter and her friends were confronting.

Dora only begged her daughter to stay home once – Liane was surprised. But neither got angry… or tried to forbid her from continuing. Liane had half-expected the ultimatum of 'stay home, marry Michael, and settle down' – 'be a proper lady' – 'or don't bother coming back' – but it never came. Not even when Ben and Dora made their way to bed, leaving their daughter sitting at the kitchen table with a promise of breakfast before she had to leave the next morning.

Liane knew that sleep wouldn't take her parents for a while, even with the pretense of going to bed… not after what she had told them. She knew that almost as well as she knew that she wasn't ready to sleep, either. There was no point in sneaking out into the cool night air that she hoped would help her focus her thoughts and put them in order – her parents would hear no matter if she climbed out her bedroom window or walked out the door. So Liane quietly put out the kitchen lights and slipped out the front door. It was a mild night… cold compared to other cities she'd visited… warm compared to Flanoir… but exactly what Iselia should be. She made her way through the front yard, wandering around the flowerbeds that would once again bloom under her mother's care in the spring to sit on a small wooden bench beside the trellis that would wear a coat of crimson roses – the centerpiece of her mother's garden.

Liane felt stranded between two mysteries – one that she saw and one that she lived – both demanding her attention and even stealing it from her when they felt it necessary. She leaned forward to rest her forehead in her hands. _The only common thread in both of them… consistently… is Kratos._ If it was anyone else, she was certain she could confront them and simply ask about the things she just couldn't believe were imaginary.

_But it's not anyone else. It's Kratos._

The swordswoman longed for even just one simple day – no visions, no fighting, no questions that she just knew could change her life forever. _Just one day where I knew exactly where I stand in the world – who my friends are, who my enemies are… that I was anywhere near the right path._

_I'd know why Kratos avoids me when I try to ask for help… why he won't listen._

_I'd know that I'm crazy to worry that anything changed in Altamira… that worrying that neither of us talks about it doesn't have to mean that I ruined my friendship with Regal._

She sighed and turned her eyes up to the dark overcast sky. _I'd know that when this is all done, we're all going to have homes to return to._

It felt almost like a prayer to her… one to a goddess locked away in a tree or any other cosmic power that might see fit to bring order back to her world. But no matter who did or didn't hear the plea, she was already sure that she knew what the answer would be.

_If something is wrong, set it right. I have hands, legs, and a will of my own. The only wrong thing to do would be to sit back and do nothing._

Liane's eyes drifted closed at the words she knew would have to strengthen her. But in that moment of dark, perfect silence, a chill bordering on a thrill raced up her spine and she sucked in a quick breath. It was something she hadn't felt – or perhaps simply not paid attention to – since Flanoir. "I didn't go to Dirk's with the intention of eavesdropping," she spoke quietly without opening her eyes. "But you did ignore a very good question from Lloyd, you know." She knew under any other circumstances, she would have looked like a fool sitting there talking to herself… but she had learned to give her senses some benefit of the doubt where Kratos was concerned, whether she understood why or not."

"He didn't need the answer. Those that do need it… have it," came the low response from behind the swordswoman. "Perhaps you can tell him?"

He was testing her… and she fixed him with a sharp glare for it. "Anything I would tell him would probably be made up and – if I do it right – considerably less flattering than what you would tell him," she grumbled. Liane was only slightly surprised to find him still clad in indigo. _He didn't go back… he waited?_ The angel stood in the shadow of the bare trellis, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down on her. There was a wary glint in his eyes that she understood and shared, but beyond that and a faint ripple of annoyance, she hated that she was actually glad to see him. "You seem awful sure, though, care to share why?"

"No." His response was quick and firm. "You told your parents about Cruxis and Tethe'alla… you do realize that you have potentially placed them in danger, do you now?"

_Ah, so that's how we're playing._ Liane sighed and shook her head. "They understand what's at stake," she defended both her decision and her parents. "Look, it's nice that you cared enough to listen in to what I told them, but the only danger I see them at the moment… is you."

"I believe that's the first time that you've admitted that I am a danger." Kratos' comment sounded vaguely amused. "I wondered what it would take to get to that point."

Liane bristled and quickly turned her eyes away from him. "Is that all you wanted? You actually didn't scamper back to Yggdrasill just so I could tell you that you're scary? That's kind of needy for a big, bad angel of Cruxis, isn't it?" She couldn't help but snap at him. "You know, maybe we're not the ones that have to decide if you're our enemy or not."

The young woman's ire was stifled a moment later when the bench shifted beneath her, a faint creak of wood betraying that he had sat down on the opposite end from her. Liane's head whipped to see what she had already guessed – Kratos sitting not even a full arm's reach away. She had expected him to turn and leave – just as he had with Lloyd – yet, there he sat with his elbows braced on his knees and his hands clasped before him.

"The decision isn't as easy as you might think," the angel replied without looking over to her. An uneasy silence fell between them where it seemed that neither knew quite how to break it before Kratos drew another breath. "Whatever you saw at the ranch today, you have to let it go."

_Whatever I saw?!?_ Liane stared at her companion in disbelief, her mouth falling open as responses formed and then failed before they could be voiced. _He knows… he knows…._ "Wh-what do you mean?" she finally whispered, having to be sure, denying her mind from embracing what his acknowledgement would mean.

Kratos inhaled slowly and turned, lifting his eyes to meet hers. "The human ranches are behind you now," he stated, his voice even. "Whatever you've seen and feared in them, you have to let it go. There are far more dangerous places that you will have to go than the ranches… and you will have to keep your eyes open."

His words felt like a blow, no matter how she had tried to prepare herself. Liane looked back to the ground, her hands curling into tight fists. "Stop being the weak link… is that it?" she asked, her jaw tightening.

"You get distracted… leaving yourself open to attack," Kratos answered, unaffected by the frustration in her tone. "I only mean that the ranches are no longer a factor. You will need to stop searching the shadows for something familiar… keep your eyes open and forward instead of looking to the past."

Liane lifted her head and slowly looked back to him. Even if it wasn't in any kind of warmth in his voice, there was something in his choice of words… something removed that could almost pass as concern? "Will you ever just level with me?" she asked with a frown, her anger almost burned out.

"Maybe… if it's necessary… and if it is, if you are ready," Kratos replied, his eyes darting back towards the town for just an instant before he stood and moved back into the shadows.

Liane followed where his eyes had gone towards the road before she turned to search the shadows for him. Something put him on edge… something she couldn't see or hear with her weak human senses, she guessed. "Let me guess… I don't need the answer, right?" she sighed to the dark silhouette near the trees.

"It will be more of an answer if you find it for yourself," the angel's answer was quiet as his form melted even more into the dark. "Keep your eyes open, Liane… don't wait for anyone – especially me – to lead you."

There was a faint rustle… and then Liane was sure she was once again alone. She sighed and stopped searching for him, turning to look back to her hands, a frown set deeply into her expression. For once, he had left her without anger that she was used to feeling in his wake, though the frustration was still there. _He's right_, she had to admit. Waiting for his help or his answers to try to tie them to what she had seen was pointless. In her visions, her devotion to him was something almost tangible… something that left an ache when she resurfaced into her own world.

_Even if he does know what I've seen, I'm still an outsider with no rights… if it's real… I'm the trespasser._

It didn't matter that she hadn't asked to see what she had… it didn't matter that she wanted just one of those smiles she had seen in her mind's eye… preferably one accompanying him telling her that it all had – or would have – a happy ending. She clenched her eyes shut. No matter how close she felt to her visions, she had no right to them… not to know how it felt to love and be so loved in return… or to have so much faith in Kratos when he had given her little reason to do anything but doubt him.

Despite all of that, she was sure that she had pushed as far as she could without the angel's help. As real as it felt to her, could she really force that kind of knowledge… those kinds of memories… on him? Liane shivered, though the reaction had no connection to the temperature of the night air. _If he lost his family… it would be forcing him to remember it… it would be like forcing Regal to think of Alicia's…._

Liane forced her eyes open and shook her head in denial. If she started thinking about Kratos as well as Regal and Alicia, she knew she would never be able to rest that night. _Is it worse to force Kratos into remembering or to be so heartless as to disrespect Alicia's memory?_ One, she was guilty of considering… the other, she had thoughtlessly accomplished.

_There's so much heartache…_ Liane thought miserably, her shoulders slumping. _How is it that I can blunder my way into making all of it worse?_ She stared at the weather-beaten grass beneath her feet as if the answer might be hidden amongst the blades for a few deep breaths before an out of place flash of color beneath the streetlamps caught her eye. The swordswoman looked up, peering through the small stand of trees that shielded the heart of her mother's garden from the street, and she froze. Suddenly, Kratos' departure made sense.

_Regal?_

The shackled Duke lingered near the path that led from the road to her home's front porch. He appeared cautious – unsure of where he was –

_Or maybe just second guessing the directions he was given_, Liane exhaled, shaking her head. _Lloyd…._ She instantly kicked herself for not saying anything to Regal before she returned to Iselia for the night. He knew that she was holding back some of what troubled her, but he had always been willing to let her keep the secrets she chose. Liane knew it didn't stop him from worrying, though… and that was what brought her to her feet. She knew better than to think he'd approach the darkened house – especially if Lloyd had given him less than perfect directions. If she stayed where she was, she knew he'd probably give up and return to Dirk's, but she had seen the concern in his eyes at the ranch – especially when he'd offered to escort her out. _No, I won't avoid him_, she swore to herself and started away from the bench. _If I haven't already strained our friendship enough, I'm not going to make it worse. _When she stepped out into the edge of the dim light of the street lamp, she saw the fighter's eyes snap up onto her… and she had to chuckle. "Don't tell me. Lloyd told you to look for the house set back in the trees, didn't he?"

"You know Lloyd all too well," Regal replied sheepishly with a small shrug. He gave her a small smile even as he glanced around them, as if searching for another set of eyes in the darkness. "Shouldn't you be in bed though? We've had a long day, and we'll be leaving again in the morning."

Liane lifted an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "So... you were coming to tell me to go to bed? Really?" she shook her head and laughed again. She saw his eyes sweep over the yard behind her and was certain of what he was looking for. "So you just want me to leave you wandering Iselia... and go back in the house?"

"Actually, I was merely thinking I'm probably lucky that you could not sleep either..." Regal commented meeting her gaze for a moment before glancing back to her home. "Though, that might have been due to... previous company?"

"Maybe...." Liane looked back over her shoulder with a sigh, wondering if Kratos was still there and if Regal had seen him. When she was sure that the shadows of her mother's garden were empty, she turned back to her friend. "He's gone now. His story wasn't any different than what he told Lloyd earlier." There was no point in lying to him.

Regal nodded, his expression flat in light of her admission. "I had a feeling he wouldn't go back to Cruxis without speaking to you first. I didn't mean to interrupt... if that's what happened. I just wanted to see how you were doing... if you were awake."

"No... he's gone," Liane sighed, shaking her head. It occurred to her that Kratos might have heard the Duke's approach, but she couldn't feel bad about that. "And I'm doing fine, thank you. Now that we're away from the ranch... it's really all I can ask right now." A small shiver ran through her spine at the memory of the ranch and the things she had seen inside. She hung her head. "Thanks for your concern. I'm sorry if I was short with you...."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he assured her with a shake of his head. "But, are you sure you're all right? I know you seemed very tense while we were in the ranch...?"

"I'm fine now," Liane answered, though it wasn't entirely true. The ranch had rattled her much more than she wanted to admit. "It just felt like I had been there before. And then with Forcystus shooting Lloyd... and then Colette..." she hung her head. "I'm going to be happy to get this day over with, I think."

Frowning slightly, he tried to follow her eyes. "A lot happened today. But, we will find a way to help Colette. Lloyd is determined to speak with Altessa as soon as we return to Tethe'alla. Hopefully, he'll know something. But, even with everything else, I was worried about you. The ranch seemed to shake you... even before we made it to the core."

She really hadn't had any hopes of hiding the fact. "Yeah… I think something bad happened there," Liane murmured, dropping all pretense of trying to be cheerful. "I didn't want to see it... but it just kept coming. I wish I could have taken you up on your offer to leave, but I knew if I did, I'd have to explain why to everyone. I still don't think I'm ready for that."

"I can understand that, Liane. I just didn't want you to be overwhelmed. Like the rest of us, you're pushing yourself to your limits to fight the Desians and Cruxis, and it won't do anyone any good if you exhaust yourself by pushing too hard," he replied with a hesitant sigh. "What did you see?"

Liane hesitated, unable to look at him for a moment before she finally drew in a long breath and repressed a shudder. "I... was in that room we passed," she started slowly. "Pronyma was there. I saw Forcystus... and...." She tried not to wince. "Kvar. They were all there. They were taunting me... about Kratos." Looking up, she shrugged in a physical attempt to push the memory aside. "It was unnerving."

He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. Squeezing it gently, he sought her eyes. "That had to be awful. I'm sorry. Maybe I should have escorted you out. I could have come up with a reason to tell the others...."

"No… it's okay." Liane shook her head, but didn't move out of his grasp. "I don't think they would have been ready to let it go. And I don't think I'd be ready to explain the truth to Kratos, either." She waited a moment and then slowly found a smile for him. "It was a kind offer, Regal. But I have to be careful. This can't be about what I'm seeing. Colette's in real trouble right now... even if we stopped the tree. Don't worry, okay? I'll try not to let it get the better of me again." _'Try' is the operative word_. She didn't know enough about her theory on Kratos yet... and she wasn't ready to test it.

"But, if things do... you know that you can lean on me, don't you? The others don't know what you're experiencing, but I'm here for you, Liane. I might not be able to do much, but I will do what I can," Regal murmured gently giving her shoulder another squeeze.

She smiled for him and watched as his hand fell from her shoulder. "Thank you, Regal. I know I can depend on you. I can't thank you enough for that. Maybe things will look better in the morning. Or at least things will be a little less memorable. That will make it easier."

"You don't have to thank me for anything, Liane," the convict insisted as he clenched his hands into tight fists. "Perhaps things will look better in the morning since we're leaving the ranch behind us."

"That's what I'm hoping for... to get an early start so maybe I can leave these things here. We're not going to have room to carry baggage like that around," she told him, watching him for a moment longer before she glanced back toward the house. "I told my parents the truth of what's happening with our journey, though – I decided they needed to know the truth. I know it's putting them in danger, but at least they'll know why we don't come back... for a while...."

He nodded quietly, accepting her explanation before he drew a pensive breath. "They deserved the truth, and to hear it from you. So many rumors must have spread about what has become of the Chosen and her companions. It was probably a relief to see you here and well."

"I just wanted them to know... in case something happens. If we didn't return..." she sighed, deciding there was no point in finishing the thought. "I just need to make sure they're okay in the morning and then I'll be back to Dirk's. We can leave from there."

"Even after everything else, you're still more concerned about your family and Colette than you are for yourself," he remarked with a shake of his head, a smile threatening to curl his lips. He tilted his head to the side, lifting an eyebrow. "Will you be all right?"

She found the statement about her concern a bit baffling, but let it go with a smile to answer his. "I will. And my friends and my family will always be more important than my visions. With a little rest, I'll be ready." Liane watched him, and finally reached out to pat his shoulder. "Don't worry, Regal. I'll keep my head in the fight. I won't lose my focus." I hope.

The convict frowned at her response, taking a step closer to her and lifting her hand to brush a lock of her hair out of her eyes. "It's not your focus that I'm worried about, Liane." His eyes wandered back toward the arch in the garden with a sigh and then returned to her. "But, it seems that he kept you up already tonight, and now I am as well."

"I'm only here because I want to be," Liane reminded him, the casual gesture of pushing her hair back from her eyes taking her off-guard. She reached up to tuck the errant strands back over her ear. "You remember how to get back to Dirk's?"

"Yes, I should be all right," he assured her, glancing back to the path that had led him to the Dale family home with a quiet sigh.

"Okay..." Liane nodded and took a small step back. She knew it was best to let the day end. She couldn't ignore that she still had questions she wanted to ask him, but it wasn't the time or the place - and she doubted she would find either any time soon. "Well, it is kind of dark... if you get turned around and can make it back here, I'll help you, okay?"

"Thank you, but I think I'll be all right," the blue-haired fighter said with a small smile and a wave of his shackled hands. "Get some rest… and have sweet dreams tonight, Liane. You've more than earned them."

Liane waved back and clasped her hands behind her back. It was nice to see him smile... even if it was just enough to be clear that it wasn't just a trick of the light. "Thanks, Regal... you, too... don't let Lloyd's snoring keep you up, okay?" she laughed, trying to end the night on a good note after everything else. "Thanks for coming to check on me."

"You're welcome, Liane. I'll see you in the morning." He started down the path once again, glancing back to watch her for a moment and then continuing into the darkness.

"I'll be there..." she nodded, lingering on the steps that led up into her parents' yard. It was strange having all of her friends spending the night on the other side of the forest... but there was still an element of relief in the peace of watched the blue-haired man disappear into the darkness between the streetlamps and sighed, only barely holding back a yawn. _He's strong… _she mused as she turned and started toward her parents' house, finally feeling like she might actually sleep. Everyone around her had lost someone or something that was life altering. All she had ever truly lost was time, if she didn't count her dreams. But even as she wondered if she could ever be strong enough to endure what her friends had, she reminded herself that strength came in many forms. She hesitated with her hand on the doorknob, glancing back over her shoulder to the bench she had shared with Kratos.

_I just want to be strong enough to keep from losing my friends… my family… my world… even you, Kratos… whether you like it or not. That should be enough to make me strong like them… shouldn't it?_

_****_

"I see," Altessa muttered, stroking his coarse beard thoughtfully. "So that's what caused the massive earthquake the other day."

The dwarf's guests inhaled sharply at his comment. _It's just like Kratos said,_ Liane frowned, remembering with a shudder the emergence of the tree that had brought such destructive chaos to Sylvarant.

Lloyd tilted his head down to the dwarf. "Was there damage on this side, too?!" he asked with concern that bordered on dread.

"It seems that the other regions were not greatly affected," Altessa replied with a slow shake of his head that allowed his eyes to drift to Tabatha and Mithos. "But…."

"THERE WERE LANDSLIDES AND FALLING ROCKS IN THIS AREA," Tabatha offered in her quiet, flat voice as she lifted a hand to the blonde half-elf beside her. "AND BECAUSE OF THAT, MITHOS WAS…."

Mithos' eyes widened at the sound of his name and he quickly shuffled his hands behind his back, his chin dipping low as he found himself at the center of attention. Liane frowned, but didn't move any closer to the boy, though she was sure that she saw a bandage on his arm before it disappeared behind his back.

"Hey!" Genis exclaimed, approaching the other boy and reaching to take his arm. Mithos looked away as the wrap of white bandages was displayed for them all to see. "Mithos, what happened? You're hurt!"

The blonde boy's eyes shifted back to his arm and then he carefully pulled it out of Genis' grasp with a shrug. "Ah… this is…" he stammered, tucking his arm back behind himself once again before he looked back up again. "It's okay. I'm fine now."

Tabatha moved closer to Mithos. "DID YOU SEE THE BOULDERS OUTSIDE?" the green-haired girl asked, her eyes sweeping over the party without blinking. "THE OTHER DAY, THERE WAS A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE, AND THE BOULDERS FELL TOWARD ME."

"I see," Raine murmured, watching Mithos throughout Tabatha's tale, her lips finally curling into a smile when Mithos looked to her. "I'm glad you're safe."

Lloyd grinned, his hands finding their way to rest on the hilts of his blades. "Yeah. And that's really impressive the way you protected Tabatha like that, Mithos," he smiled as the boy turned a surprised look over to him. "You saved us before, too. You're a really nice guy, Mithos."

It was impressive… Liane had to admit that much. Saving Tabatha from a landslide and saving the rest of the group from death by dragon were things that she couldn't even be sure she could do if she was tested. She watched how the boy seemed to shrink from Lloyd's praise and hesitated, trying to ignore the nagging wariness she still held for Mithos to muster a smile of her own. "It seems that we all owe you, Mithos," she finally spoke, knowing that it was the right thing to do. "You're very brave."

Mithos fidgeted under the comments, his eyes fixed on the ground as he shook his head. "Ah… not really…."

"Mithos is a… kind… person," Presea murmured softly as she studied the boy.

Genis' grin grew brighter at Presea's addition, an excited hop moving him closer to Mithos' side. "Yeah! He helped us find Raine when she disappeared, too," he pumped his fist into the air with a happy laugh. "You're awesome, Mithos!"

The blonde boy looked up at Genis' declaration, the gold of his hair parting a little to reveal a faint pink tint to his cheeks as a sheepish grin slowly spread over his lips. "Thank you," he replied, clearly embarrassed by the praise.

Liane recognized the boy's tactic of accepting the praise just to get it over with, and she almost smirked. Almost. She would have, had she even a little fuzzier recollection of the malice that danced in the boy's eyes in her dream. While she knew it might not be fair to him, she couldn't stop it. Her fight with her guilt faded for a moment as she heard a mutter and a snort over her shoulder and looked back to find Zelos leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. _Is he… sleeping? Or –_

Altessa cleared his throat in what almost sounded like impatience. "Regarding Colette's illness, it's most likely Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium," the dwarf stated, his dark eyes searching the blonde Chosen as he continued to stroke his beard.

"Chr… chronic… angelus…?" Lloyd stammered, his mood darkening as he looked over to Altessa.

The dwarf nodded as he took a step back to seat himself on a wooden stool. "Rejection of the crystal is said to occur in one out of every million people," he replied without repeating his diagnosis for the swordsman. "But I've heard that knowledge of the cure was lost long ago. If you could find records from the Ancient War, then perhaps…."

Lloyd groaned and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling of the burrow. "So it all comes back to the Ancient War," he muttered and then looked over to Raine with a helpless shrug. "But where do we go to find records of it?"

Raine could only stare back at her student, her eyebrows knit together as she could only answer him with silence. When it became clear that the Professor didn't have an answer for the question, Regal took a step out from the party and nodded to the swordsman. "There's an archive building in Sybak that is dedicated to the history of Mithos," the blue-haired man stated quietly.

Seeing the shackled man's eyes shift carefully to the Professor, Liane guessed that he had remained silent for as long as he could, giving Raine the chance to respond seeing as how Lloyd had apparently posed the question for her. Raine didn't seem to take offense… in fact, her eyes took on a sparkle that Liane hadn't seen since before they had awakened the tree.

"Oh, yeah, now that you mention it, I've heard of that," Zelos nodded and pushed himself from the back wall with a bored yawn.

Mithos looked over to the redheaded Chosen and frowned for a moment as if lost in thought before he began to nod slowly. "Oh… yes. I do know about that."

"An archive building," Raine breathed out, her eyes narrowing a bit in thought. "I wonder if it will be of any use…."

"It's more than we have in Sylvarant," Liane shrugged. "If we had anything like that, it would have been in Palmacosta… and there's no saying what's left there right now," she sighed, trying not to think of the destruction they had seen when they had flown back to Iselia from the Tower of Mana. "It could be our best chance."

"If you like, I can show you around there," Mithos offered meekly, looking around the assembled group before his eyes settled on Genis.

The mage's grin took only a heartbeat to resurface before he nodded eagerly. "Yeah! That'd be great!"

Lloyd chuckled and shook his head. "You just want to go with Mithos," he raised an eyebrow to his younger friend, only to be answered by a snicker from the boy as he ran a hand back through his spiked silver hair. "Well, I guess an archive building will be safe enough," the swordsman sighed and then smiled for the half-elven boys. "Sure, let's go together."

Liane gathered her pack as the rest of the group readied themselves to leave Altessa's, but she couldn't resist the urge to watch Mithos and Genis laughing together as they threw open the door and ran out into the afternoon sunshine. She had tried to take Kratos' warning in stride when it came to the blonde half-elf, bolstering the effort with a cold reminder of where the warning had come from. _We've already seen how Sybak treats half-elves,_ she chewed her lip and started toward the door. _With as jumpy as he was around us… did he just chance trips into town from Ozette… passing himself off as an elf? How else would he know enough to show us around?_

"Something bother you, hunny?"

How Zelos had moved fast enough to catch the door and hold it open for her, Liane couldn't say – but she was already kicking herself for her distraction. "Only that you called me 'hunny'?" she lied to his smug grin and continued past without looking up to him.

"Ahh… something's bothering my Warrior Goddess, then. My apologies," the redhead crooned and hurried to keep pace with her. "Maybe I could help? I can be a _really _good listener."

Liane stopped and rolled her eyes to the redhead, only to see that he was waiting for the opening to waggle his eyebrows to her. "No thanks," she replied as politely as she could with her jaw tight. Zelos was not one she could consider telling about Kratos' warning, no matter how appealing the chance that he might leave her alone if she answered him was. "And, once again, it's Liane. Not 'hunny' and not 'Warrior Goddess.'"

Zelos chuckled and slowed down, falling behind her. "Mmm… feisty. The attraction just gets easier and easier to see!" he laughed aloud.

Liane didn't look back. She couldn't. The heat in her cheeks would be a giveaway for the fact that he had gotten to her – especially when she could _feel _the curious looks of the others on her. She wanted to know what he meant – what he saw, and who he was speaking of – but she refused to give him the satisfaction.

Ant it ate at her for the entire flight to Sybak. She would have even sworn that the Chosen was still laughing as they entered the University town, but she did her best to block him out and simply follow the others as Mithos and Genis led them to the library and then to a high-ceilinged building room set off the main hall.

"Materials pertaining to Mithos and his companions are on display in this area," the blonde boy told them as he gestured with wide arms to the shelves that lined the room.

The party hesitated, looking over the imposing shelves in silence for a few moments before Sheena strode forward with a sigh and removed a large, bulky book that was too large to stand with the others. The summoner backed away and crouched to the ground, carefully placing the book before her and drawing her legs up to her side as she opened the cover. The others slowly fanned out to other sections, some drawing their fingers lightly over the rows of leather spines until the ninja sucked in a quick breath and leaned over the pages spread out before her. "Hey, take a look at this."

Lloyd was the first to reach Sheena's side, peering down over her shoulder to the book. "What's up?"

Sheena frowned a little, her eyes scanning the words for a few more moments as the party gathered around before she reached out to tap the yellowed page with a finger. "One of Mithos' companions was afflicted with a disease that crystallizes the body."

"That sounds the same as Colette," Genis murmured, looking over to the blonde Chosen that now sat beside Sheena with her head ducked behind the curtain of her hair.

_Crystallizes the body._ It sounded so much worse to Liane when it was phrased that way, but she had seen Colette's shoulder along with the rest of them – there really was no reason to think such an infliction wouldn't spread. "So this…" she hesitated when Colette turned her sad eyes up to her. "It's been around for a while, then," she sighed, reminded once again of the toll the Chosen's Journey of Regeneration was taking on her friend. _If it's not the angels, it's the crystal trying to take her away._

"Colette is… sick?" Mithos asked quietly, moving a little closer to the girl.

The comment earned the boy a round of quizzical looks, including one from Colette, who quickly turned it into a sheepish smile. "Ah, yeah, a little," she shrugged and quickly looked back to the book. "What happened to that person?"

_Must have been too busy being shy about helping Tabatha to pay attention. _Liane frowned and moved around the party to crouch across from Mithos. _What an odd thing to have missed… isn't that why we're here?_

Presea also watched Mithos for a few moments longer before she looked down to the book and then back over to Colette. "It seemed it was cured," she stated, her small voice almost sounding relieved.

"Then there is a way to cure it, just as Altessa said," Regal breathed out with a heave of his shoulders where he stood over the party.

The Professor stood and dusted off her orange jacket with a quick swipe of her hand. "I hope the technique hadn't been lost," she sighed. Her eyes were fixed on Colette, though her lips made no effort to curl into an expression of hope.

Raine's comment seemed to darken the room for a few moments until a vaguely strangled sound of frustration ripped itself from Lloyd's throat. "So what's the cure?!" he blurted out, his impatience boiling over.

"It says a unicorn saved the maiden," Sheena answered, reading from the book for a few more moments before she looked to Lloyd and then to Raine. "Is that the Unicorn Horn that we got at Lake Umacy?"

Zelos looked between the women with just a hint of confusion marring his expression. "You mean the one that Raine used to learn new healing arts?"

Raine's shoulders fell as she twisted her hands around her staff. "If so, then we already know that those healing arts can't help Colette," she murmured without looking directly at any of them – Colette especially.

"Maybe there's just more to it," Liane suggested, pushing herself back to her feet to stand beside her mentor. She had already seen the silver-haired woman deal with the realization of the limits on her powers before – and those doubts weren't something they could afford with Colette's illness. "I mean, if what Altessa said is true and one in a million people reject crystals like hers, every case can't be the same, right? Maybe… it's just more involved?"

Presea nodded slowly as the swordswoman spoke. "I wonder if the unicorn itself… is necessary?"

The summoner looked up with a thoughtful frown. "Now that you mention it, the unicorn _did_ say that he lived for healing Martel's sickness… or something like that…."

"I guess it makes sense… considering that Cruxis tried to turn Colette into Martel's vessel," Liane sighed, glancing over to Lloyd and catching a glimpse of wide-eyed curiosity on Mithos' face.

Lloyd nodded, though his eyes were still troubled. "It's just as Kratos said," he sighed. "Remember the unicorn's words."

Colette chewed on her lip as she turned her eyes down to where her fingers had twisted together in her lap. "I wonder who Kratos really is?"

The question that was much more of a statement hung in the air for a few moments before Zelos snorted and crossed his arms contemptuously over his chest. "What are you talking about?" he demanded, rolling his eyes. "He's a traitor. What are you gonna do if you trust him and wind up regretting it?"

Lloyd's head snapped to face the redhead, his eyes clear and his jaw set. "I trust Kratos."

Colette looked up to Lloyd and then to Zelos, her uncertainty also gone as she nodded. "Yeah."

"Lloyd's right," Liane commented, forbidding herself from looking over when she was certain she heard Regal sigh. It didn't matter who agreed with them. "No matter what else has happened, he at least gave us a direction to start in to help Colette."

Mithos looked around the group and slowly approached the crimson-clad teen. "Lloyd… you're strong," he stated quietly, his expression oddly blank.

Lloyd looked down to him and a hint of a sheepish smile began to form on his lips. "You think so?"

The blonde half-elf nodded and drew a small breath with a shrug. "You can trust someone who's betrayed you once," he muttered and turned his eyes to the ground. "That's amazing."

"He… feels special," Lloyd commented, his words slightly unsure. "His eyes don't feel hostile when he looks at me…."

It was yet another moment of surprisingly keen insight from the swordsman… and even though she had to ignore the gagging sound that the Tethe'allan Chosen tried to cover up with a cough, she realized that Lloyd was right. _It is his eyes…._ When he had attacked her at Triet, there had been something fierce there, but she couldn't help but think that it was simply the circumstances. Even when he had turned his sword on them at the tower of Salvation, his eyes were lacking the edge that would have allowed her to write him off as easily as Zelos had. _Even when his words are cold… his eyes don't follow suit._ If anything, she would call it a cold resolve – but anything more menacing than that…. Liane shook her head. _I can't see that…._

Mithos shook his head and turned his bright blue eyes up once again. "I envy you, Lloyd. I wish I could have been like you…."

"Oh, no, you don't want that," Genis laughed, breaking the somber moment as he approached Mithos and clapped him on the shoulder. "If you became like Lloyd, you'd turn into an idiot."

"Hey!" Lloyd barked, glaring at the silver-haired mage. "Genis!"

The blonde half-elven boy blinked and then burst into laughter along with Genis. "Yeah…I really envy you."

Presea looked around the group, her eyebrows knitting together ever so slightly. "But… how can we find more information on the Kharlan War?"

The reminder dimmed the smiles on the boys' faces, and Mithos turned back to the pigtailed ax girl. "I've heard that the royal family has compiled and stored most of the materials concerning Mithos and the Kharlan War."

"During the Kharlan War, Mithos _did_ have various interactions with the rulers," Zelos nodded thoughtfully when the blonde boy glanced up to him.

Raine sighed, watching as Sheena rose from the floor with the book and moved to replace it on the shelf. "So it's Meltokio, then," she frowned. "But the Pope will be breathing down our necks. It's dangerous."

"We don't have the luxury of complaining about that now," the ninja stated as she glanced over her shoulder to the Professor.

"It's not like it's the first time we've gone where we shouldn't," Liane shrugged. "We probably shouldn't even be here right now…."

Lloyd leaned back with a sigh that was almost a groan as his hands settled onto the hilts of his swords. "Yeah. We'll head for Meltokio," he spoke before looking over to Mithos. "But you should go back, Mithos." His plan unfurling, the swordsman drew another breath and looked around to the others. "Anyway, we'll take Mithos back and –"

Mithos shook his head and waved off Lloyd's words. "It's fine, I can go back by myself."

The swordsman blinked. "But…."

"It's fine," the blonde boy repeated. "Don't you need to hurry? And, you're going to be infiltrating the castle, right? So be careful…."

Lloyd appeared torn before he finally sighed. "Yeah," he managed a smile and turned on his heel to gesture to the group. "Okay, then, let's go!"

Liane adjusted her pack and followed her friend's lead out of the library, casually listening to Genis' excited chatter about how they'd return to Altessa's soon to tell Mithos how things worked out. She had honestly been surprised when Mithos had bowed out of a trip to the Imperial City. He had been helpful… she couldn't deny that. It still didn't soothe her nerves, though. _How is it easier to trust Kratos after he has turned on us… than it is to trust Mithos?_

* * *

It was almost painful to watch Lloyd lead his friends from the library and stop to wave goodbye to the blonde boy they were leaving behind. The reaction had many levels, including that Lloyd truly didn't see the danger that the half-elf represented to them, and that the smile Mithos wore as he waved back looked so very much like the one he would wear when Kratos first met him. It bothered him almost as much that the smile could twist into such maliciousness as soon as the flock of Rheairds flew over Sybak.

Kratos stepped back into the shadows behind the window that framed the scene for him. The Academy housed enough mana-gifted individuals and experiments that he gambled his own signature might be muddled enough to be overlooked – or perhaps just taken as an echo of his presence. But he kept his eyes on the boy that waited only long enough for Lloyd and the others to vanish from his sight before he turned and strolled into the narrow alleyway between the inn and the library.

A heartbeat later, the passageway blazed with light that was so intense that it drew a few stray screams from the students milling in the town plaza. It would be explained away by an experiment gone awry, Kratos was certain, but he also knew all too well what the soundless burst truly was.

Yggdrasill was back.

_He has to know that I gave them a direction. I still have the excuse of protecting Martel's vessel and Martel herself, but even that will wear thin soon – if it hasn't already._

What was worse was that Mithos himself was baiting them with information… dangling threads that could unravel millennia of elaborate lies and secrets. He was toying with them… there was no doubt of that.

_But he's sending me a message as well._

It was as if he was daring Kratos to step in and steer the group in another direction, and Kratos knew that he had few options left. He could give up and simply hope that Lloyd and the others would blunder across a solution that he hadn't thought of and leave their fate to chance. Or he could continue on the path he had chosen and hope that siding with Lloyd would not only end Yggdrasill's madness, but also finally close the drawn-out drama that his life had become.

It wasn't difficult for him to choose between the options.

_I still have my own terms, though._ The angel set his jaw at his reminder and stepped back from the window, his eyes unfocusing a bit in the darkened classroom. Lloyd's open-hearted offer still haunted him, breathing life into a question he didn't want to consider… yet one that he simply couldn't ignore:

_What would I give to have stayed… to fight with them and finish this once and for all?_

It was a fantasy… one that Kratos was certain refused to fade because he knew how it would please _her._ Husband and son – _father and son_ – finally putting an end to the madness that controlled the worlds from an unseen throne. But the fight would only be part of it. _Even if I allied myself with him now, we would never be able to stand together in the end._

Kratos sighed.

_There was never a path open to me that didn't end with my hurting you… was there, Anna?_

A bitter chuckle rattled in his chest. Somehow, fate was going so far as to invent ways to show his soulmate every way that he could, had, and would let her down. It was all a part of his curse. He closed his eyes. _The same curse that tainted her the day we met._

Kratos drew a deep breath and squared his shoulders, once again forcibly pushing thoughts of the past away. The past was gone, nothing more than a specter to be ignored so that he might see the steel-lined path before him. He opened his eyes, his expression already set into the stony gaze that mirrored his resolve. But where he had expected shadows, he found a dim glow illuminated the room… a cool light that emanated from the jewel at the edge of his collar.

_Not a surprise…._

Yggdrasill was back – and it was a fact he wouldn't let any of them overlook. Kratos knew that the summons would come as soon as the blonde boy from the past disappeared into the alley.

He sighed one more time and lifted his hand to the teleportation gem that ensured Yggdrasill's call would be answered without excuse.

_Let's see how the rules of the game have changed this time…._

* * *

Even though the party moved in silence, Liane was sure that she could translate their collective mood.

_Great. The sewers. Again._

The sunlight disappeared behind them into the twists and turns of the waterway. It wasn't that Liane found the passage disgusting. It was more the rats that she still had to force herself not to remember them being three times her size. It was more that it was an oppressive reminder of how little they were welcome in Tethe'alla – how invisible their goals were to a world that was already prospering. The only thing that made the trip marginally better was that Liane knew she wasn't alone. She wasn't even allowed her normal position at the back of the group to sulk by herself. Regal paced her easily, yet still managed to avoid looking like he was hovering. It was sweet, really, she decided… accepting that there were things that she couldn't talk about – as he had the night before – while still offering her the strength of his presence. It was a truce more than it was a true understanding between them… but it worked, leaving the swordswoman to hope that she offered him the same courtesy.

"Here is the money."

The voice echoed from the stone walls and the rippling water, revealing no attempt to be quiet. But the words slowed the party almost to a standstill. _Not good. _Liane frowned as her hand found the hilt of her sword, nodding at the urgent glance Lloyd shot at each one of them as he motioned for them to edge closer. The swordswoman couldn't help but glance over to her shackled friend, finding the concern etched into his expression somehow reassuring that the others in the tunnel weren't there for them. _Just… someone else trying to stay out of sight, maybe?_

The bell-like sound of coins clinking together made a twisted kind of music against a throaty laugh. "Yup. It's all here."

The answer confirmed that there were at least two men ahead and that they didn't seem particularly concerned with the party's arrival or presence. Lloyd and Zelos moved closer to the wall that Liane remembered very well as the one that had provided the convicts – and later, Regal – the opportunity for an ambush. She hung back with the others, careful to stay out of sight. _Maybe they'll just go away now…._

"How long before the King is dead?"

The question wasn't one of concern… there was an element of pleased security in the man's tone. And, from the tension that tightened around the party, Liane knew she wasn't the only one that could hear it. She blinked and bit sharply on her lip as she looked around to her companions, taking in the range of reactions… from shock to anger. _Assassins?_

The gravelly chuckle from before answered the man's question. "Probably another month or so with this poison."

"It takes a while," the first speaker snorted in complaint.

"I've been _told _to make it look like he died from an illness," the rough voice retorted sharply. "It's slow, but he'll die for sure. Tell his Eminence, the Pope, to wait just a little bit longer."

_Goddess…._ Liane felt the breath creeping from her lungs as the implications all came together. She only vaguely recognized that Regal brushed past her to push closer to the front of the group. _I knew the Pope was evil… but this goes beyond any of that…._

"I see," Zelos murmured softly and stepped back from the corner, leaving room for Regal to take his place. "I knew there was something wrong when the normally healthy King got sick," the redhead turned to the others, his voice as low as the coursing water and his lips turned into a troubled frown.

Genis looked up to Lloyd where the swordsman still hovered near the corner and reached out to grab his red sleeve in an urgent tug. "What're we gonna do, Lloyd?"

Lloyd took a slow step back and turned. It only took a moment for his thoughtful expression to brighten as he shrugged to the mage. "Isn't it obvious?" One eyebrow took on an obvious arch. "If we save the King…."

"He'll be in our debt," Raine completed the statement, nodding her approval and shifting her staff in her hands. "Let's go."

As weapons began to carefully leave their protections, Sheena sighed softly, shaking her head as she glanced over to Liane and drew a handful of cards from her obi. "Why can't they just say that they'll save him?" she asked in a whisper that still conveyed a groan.

Liane shrugged, tugging at the straps of her pack one last time before she slowly drew her silver sword from its scabbard. "I guess the idea of having an advantage for once in this mess is just too much?" she replied as quietly as she could as the group pressed forward. It wasn't as if the King had been a friend to them, but if the Pope was poisoning him, it was still murder… and when they knew better, they just couldn't let it happen. She drew in a slow breath and tightened her grip on her sword, watching Zelos press to the front and stepping around Regal, who stood still as stone as he peered around the corner.

The quiet shuffle of activity must have stood out against the other noises of the tunnel as the first man's voice rose in alarm. "Who's there?"

_Here we go…._ Liane winced as she saw Zelos step out of the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest as he casually faced the conspirators. _I think I'm done with these sewers… all we do is get attacked at this corner…._

"It's the Chosen," Zelos answered the challenge, his confident smirk back in place as the rest of the party gathered behind him.

"Damn, it's Zelos!"

Liane could now clearly see two men by the dim light of the sewers, the shadows of the stairway not quite strong enough to obscure the fact that the man facing them wore earthen-colored light armor… and that the other with his back to them, was still strangely familiar. _Who --?_

"What?" the second man turned, the light slipping over his shorn head and rotund form as he tilted his head to the intruders.

There was a sudden rush of air from the dark at the side of the group as Regal strode out of the shadows, a living statue no longer. A low rumble grew as he closed on the greasy man and he made no attempt to recognize the others of his group or the fighter. "It's you, Vharley!"

Liane had thought for an instant to reach out to her friend and stop him, but that had come barely before her recognition of the man ahead of them was confirmed by Regal's angry declaration. She balled her hand into a fist to keep it at her side, certain that the anger she could hear and feel in the shackled man's voice would be turned on her if she tried to stop him. _The last time we met Vharley… the rest of us didn't know what he had done…_ she frowned as she saw the fat man shuffle back away from Regal's advance and heard a small gasp from Presea, who stood a few steps away at the other edge of the group. Watching Regal slowly close on Vharley became almost too painful… and the swordswoman shifted her eyes to the ax girl instead.

Presea stood almost as motionless as Regal had been, her eyes absolutely fixed on Vharley, her hands working absently turning the handle of her ax before her. Her expression was blank – as normal – but Liane stood at just the right angle from the girl to see into her eyes… and found the smoldering she saw there almost as frightening as the rage she heard in Regal's voice. _If either of them starts something… I don't think I can stop them…_ she realized, deciding not to think too hard on it. _Vharley… is responsible for so much pain…._

"_Feel the pain…of those inferior beings…as you burn in hell!"_

Wincing at the memory that was definitely her own, Liane chewed her lip and looked back to Vharley. _Are they any different… Vharley and Kvar? Both of them have brought so much misery to the worlds…._

"Damn," Vharley cursed, backing up another step only to be stopped by the wall. "I can't have people knowing about the assassination," he snarled and reached a bloated hand out to snag the armor of his companion, jerking him over to place him between himself and Regal. "Die here!"

The helmed fighter's form straightened as he struggled to regain his balance. But when he turned his visor up to the approaching convict, his steps were suddenly sure as he dodged to the side and dashed up the stairs, leaving Vharley on his own.

"Be quiet," Regal spoke in a low growl as he continued to close in on Vharley without acknowledging the knight's departure.

Liane watched the scene with wide eyes, frown firmly in place for what she was afraid was coming. _Regal… don't…_her thoughts pled quietly. She had seen Kratos end the life of the Desian that had made death an inevitability for Lloyd's mother – and perhaps had brought similar heartache for Kratos, if her visions were correct. But Kratos was different from Regal… battle made the angel cold and his life-or-death decisions swift if someone stood in his way. Whatever the rules of justice that Kratos followed, Liane understood Regal's more… and she knew that even if Vharley deserved death, the fallen Duke didn't need more blood on his hands.

"_I won't forgive you!"_

The cry was startling… jolting to everyone gathered at the base of the steps. Even as Lloyd's twin blades cleared their scabbards, there was a blur of motion laced with pink and a whisper of metal cutting air.

_Presea…._

Liane had found that most battles were bearable when the rush of adrenaline and the environment combined to clarify the need to fight in order to live. But there, in the dark of the sewers… where every sound was amplified and the uncertainty of the moment hadn't signaled for the rush of battle, the sickening collision of honed steel and flesh threatened to turn her stomach inside out.

The ax girl had escaped from the flank of the party with a call filled with pent-up rage and sorrow that finally exploded. Presea was out of the party's reach and past Regal before the surprise of her attack could register… and Vharley was cut down before any of them could even consider stopping her.

Vharley slumped against the wall with a wet gurgle, his slouch combining with the shadows to hide the gash in his bloated torso, but not the practically black stream that ran from the wound. Presea remained standing over the Exsphere broker, her red-tinted ax blade resting on the ground as she stared down at him with her shoulders heaving. It was as if she was daring him to rise again.

Regal remained at the girl's side, though where her expression was hardened, his was merely blank. Liane had to look away as the smell of blood reached her nose. _Whatever punishment Regal wanted for Vharley… that wasn't it…._

"I'm going to die here?" Vharley rasped, choking as he slumped closer to the ground. The next sound he made was a labored laugh that brought out yet another painful-sounding cough. "You've… got to be… kidding me," he shook his head and rolled over, lying on the floor against the wall. "I'm going… to die… here like… that damned… Alicia?"

Presea's ax was off the ground and poised over her shoulder in less than a heartbeat. "_Don't_ insult Alicia!"

Another wet chuckle answered the girl's anger, but it was pushed out by a long breath that seemed to deflate the fat man's form. Liane found herself watching in stunned silence… just like all of them. The only one that moved was Lloyd – and that was to drop his hand onto Presea's shoulder from where he stood behind the girl. _It's over_, Liane realized, finding herself unsure of how to feel… and finding no clues when she looked to Regal since his expression was veiled beneath thick blue bangs that only revealed a stone-set jaw.

"So he was the link between the Pope and Rodyle of the Five Grand Cardinals," Lloyd spoke quietly, looking back to the others while keeping his hand on Presea's shoulder as she continued to stare at the corpse on the floor.

Sheena shifted her feet uncomfortably and lifted her eyes from Vharley to nod to the swordsman. "The Pope is connected to Kuchinawa as well."

"The Exspheres in Tethe'alla passed from Vharley to Rodyle, and the experiments related to the Cruxis Crystals were passed from Rodyle to Vharley and ultimately to the Pope," Raine commented quietly, stooping beside the body for a moment to pick up a red crystal vial that rested on the ground near Vharley's vest pocket.

Liane noticed that the Professor had made no effort to try to save Vharley… none of them had tried to stop Presea. "The Pope has the power to keep all of it as invisible as possible," she added to her mentor's observation, moving her gaze to Raine, feeling like she was invading Regal's privacy in trying to read his reaction to what had played out before him.

"The Pope probably asked them to assassinate the King in exchange for his cooperation," Zelos muttered darkly, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

"_Insolence!_"

Regal's voice thundered through the stone-lined passageway and sent another wave of shudders through the party as he turned halfway back to them.

Lloyd nodded once and let his hand fall from Presea's shoulder. "All right. Let's go get the Pope!"

Presea was the first to turn her back on Vharley's shell and start up the steps without looking back. Lloyd and Genis followed the ax girl and the others slowly fell in step behind them. Liane wanted to leave… she never wanted to go through the sewers again. But she still hesitated in her walk to the steps with Sheena and Colette when she saw that Regal hadn't moved from where he still stood over Vharley. What she could see of his expression was still unreadable, his eyes still on the ground before him. "Regal…" she frowned and reached out for his shoulder…

… only to have the blue-haired man pivot out of her reach without a word, turning on his heel to start toward the ladder that would lead them back to the surface. Her eyes trailed after her friend, leaving her without any idea of how to help… or _if_ she should until she felt a tug on her sleeve and looked over her shoulder to Sheena.

"Come on… let him be," the ninja gently urged and tugged her toward the steps once more before releasing her sleeve. "He's got a lot to think about… and we've got to get to the Pope before he hears that we're on to him and he has time to do something about it."

Liane nodded and followed the summoner's suggestion, moving with the remainder of the party to the ladder, though her thoughts wouldn't be turned so easily. _Vharley got what he probably deserved,_ she reasoned, crawling closer and closer to the daylight at the top of the ladder. _But he wasn't brought to justice… not the way Regal wanted._ It was a guess, but she was sure that she knew the fighter well enough to be able to guess that much. _Death was too easy for him. He'll never have to answer for what he did to Alicia… or how many others?_ It was that thought that told her that Sheena was right – Regal needed space. Surely, he wouldn't fault Presea for her action… but he would have to come to grips with the fact that Vharley was forevermore out of his reach.

_Leaving him behind for the rats… almost seems cruel to the rats…._

Liane shuddered at the thought and accepted Lloyd's help to crawl up out of the manhole. _Now, I'm definitely never going back down there._

The party moved through the streets of Meltokio as quickly as they could without looking back. Zelos moved to the front of the group yet guided them from behind Lloyd, staying as out of sight as possible until they reached the Martel Cathedral. At that point, the redheaded Chosen pushed his way to the lead and opened the door not far from the altar, its ancient hinges announcing their arrival.

"You're late," the Pope snapped, his back to the door as the group filed in and slowly fanned out from Zelos to circle around the pontiff.

Zelos snorted, standing firmly at the center of the arc of fighters that now filled most of the office. "Oh, I'm terribly sooorry!" he crooned sarcastically, his lips curled into a sneer.

The Pope spun, scattering the handful of paper that had held his attention until Zelos spoke. His eyes wide, he backed into the credenza behind the desk. "What?!" he sputtered, wild eyes searching the party frantically. "What are you people doing here?!"

"We have something we want to ask you about," Lloyd replied with a shrug, though his gaze was far sharper than his casual stance.

The redheaded Chosen slammed his fist down on the desk, sending the Pope cringing back away. "You're poisoning His Majesty, aren't you?"

The Pope's head was already shaking his denial before Zelos was done accusing. "I… don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, his eyes still warily scanning the intruders to his office.

"You're certainly a stubborn little liar," Zelos snorted and leaned over the desk, bracing his weight on his hands on the desktop.

"Is there an antidote?" Regal asked with only the slightest of wavers in his voice. The shackled man stood at Zelos' side, and, upon speaking, clearly became more of a concern to the Pope than the Chosen.

The Pope clenched his eyes shut and shook his head, holding his hands up as he started to edge toward the side of his desk. "I don't know anything!"

It was only a small step around the corner of the desk for Presea to plant herself in the official's path, his eyes flashing open as she grounded the handle of her ax on the floor in a quiet threat. "Don't move," the girl spoke, her voice once again the calm, flat tone that the others knew her for.

Raine nodded understandingly and approached the Pope from the other side of the desk, reaching into the pocket of her orange jacket and holding the small, red crystal vial out to him. "Then, let's have you drink this poison," she shrugged and held the vial closer to the recoiling Pope. "It doesn't take effect immediately anyway…."

"It's a shame you don't know anything about it," Liane added with a sigh from her place beside Sheena near where Presea still blocked his escape. "The fighter we came across sure seemed to make it sound like you knew about it. Knowing where an antidote is would be a good thing right about now."

The Pope shot a frantic look to Liane and backed away from Raine. His frame shook for a moment in what looked like equal parts fear and anger before he lifted a finger to point to his desk. "A… all right!" he blurted. "It's in the drawer in the desk!"

Colette quickly rounded the corner of the desk where she had stood beside Raine. It only took a few moments for her to rummage through the drawer before she pulled back, holding up a small vial identical to the one Raine held, save that there was a pale blue tint to the crystal. "Here it is!"

The Pope took advantage of the moment of relief to back away from the group and edge toward the side of the room only to be stopped by Genis. The Pope took a quick step back, his lip curling back slightly as the mage propped his hands at his waist and glared up at him. "I have something I've been wanting to ask you, too," the boy tilted his head in curiosity, all the while his eyes never lost the hard edge to his gaze. "Why did you try to have Kate executed?! She's your daughter!"

"Sh… shut up!" the Pope snarled with a shake of his head and took a step back. "What do you know?!"

"Yeah, I don't!" Genis exclaimed, his arms flailing and sending a cringe through the Pope. "I _don't_ know, so that's why I'm asking! Are you stupid or something?!"

Liane chewed the edge of her lip as she heard Genis raise his voice. The party shifted to follow the Pope's attempted retreat, but Genis had other ideas. While she didn't know if she could count Kate as a friend, the woman had helped them… and Liane knew the frustration Genis felt over Tethe'alla's treatment of half-elves. "Half-elves are treated like criminals here… just for being born," she murmured, moving to stand beside Lloyd. "You use them… and when they're not useful to you… you can't cast them aside… how is that right?"

"You have a half-elven daughter!" Lloyd added his emphasis, shaking his head in dismay. "_Why _would you take the initiative in creating rules to oppress half-elves?"

For a moment, the Pope's expression went blank, his eyes glazing slightly. "When I was young, I also thought the oppression of half-elves was wrong," he murmured, the tone of his voice distant.

"Then why?" Colette asked, moving closer to the man that seemed lost in his memories. "The church exists to offer salvation to all, does it not?"

The Pope's eyes cleared immediately, fire blazing back to life in their depths as he shook his head and backed away from the blonde girl. "Are you capable of understanding the terror of growing older while your child, who supposedly shares your blood, does not?" he demanded as his face grew redder with every word.

"That's not Kate's fault," Genis retorted. "That's the kind of species half-elves are."

"Yes!" the Pope agreed with a sarcastic smile and nod for the mage. "And that's why they are shunned!" His chest puffed with another deep breath. "I understand the feelings of those who persecute them, because my daughter is a half-elf. She terrifies me!"

Cringing at the declaration, Liane had to take a moment to phase the outrage in her thoughts. "But she's _your_ child! She's a half-elf because you are her father… and her mother is an elf! You're so terrified of half-elves, but it's equally your fault that Kate is the way she is… you're just going to blame her… instead of taking responsibility?"

The Pope snorted haughtily and reached to tap a panel beside light sconce on the wall with his staff. He had been slowly edging toward the wall, through the entire debate, and his smile was now confidently sarcastic. "I just called the guards," he told them. "If the Chosen dies here, the Church will be mine in both name and reality."

Regal tilted his head as he took a step closer to the Pope. "Will the Church of Martel last without the Chosen?" he asked with just a hint of disbelief.

"We have Seles!" the Pope laughed and rolled his eyes.

Zelos drew his sword, his previously smug calm gone. "So you did intend to drag my sister into this, you pathetic old _geezer_!"

_Sister?_ Liane blinked at the notion, staring at Zelos for a moment and then noticing that Colette was apparently sharing the reaction. She knew that the Mana Lineage was a carefully protected and directed line, with precautions in place such that there could always be a secondary Chosen… but Zelos actually had a sister? _Colette… would have loved that…._

The Pope's glare hardened on Zelos. "It's your fault," he declared, his taunting fading in the malicious statement. "Why is a worthless and irresponsible man like _you_ the Chosen?! If it weren't for you, no one would have interfered with my half-elf banishment project!"

"Why do humans… treat us this way?" Genis muttered in dismay, hanging his head as his silver hair swayed.

Throwing back his head with a throaty laugh, the Pope sneered at Genis. "Those who are different must be eliminated."

"Shut up!" Lloyd snapped as the Pope retreated another step out the door. "It doesn't matter if you're a half-elf, a human, or whatever." He shook his head and swiped one of his blades through the air as if to punctuate his stance. "No matter who or what you are, you're born in this world, you have the right to live!"

The Pope laughed and stepped back once again to reach out and grab a leather-bound book from his bookshelf. He tilted it forward and turned a triumphant smile back to the party as the shelf whisked aside to reveal a passageway – and a pair of green-armored knights that quickly parted to allow the Pope to pass.

"D… don't move," one of the knights stammered, shaking his halberd in Zelos' direction as he and his companion crowded into the room, effectively cutting the party off from the Pope.

"Hey!" Zelos complained with a huff, pointing his sword to the dark passageway. "He's gonna get away!"

Liane drew her sword warily and drew a breath. "I think that's the point," she grumbled. She was in the middle of the party, and the room was far too confining for all of them to fight the two armored knights together. _We could backtrack through the Cathedral, but who knows where the Pope went… or how many knights are waiting there – he's probably arranging it so that we never make it to the King…._

Presea stepped out from the group, coming at the knights slowly with her ax drawn and ready before her. "I will take care of them."

Both of the knights quickly looked away. In any other instance, Liane knew she would have laughed at the sight of two fully armored guards backing away from a pigtailed girl not even half their size. Maybe they knew of her strength from her work with the sacred wood… _maybe one of them is the knight from the sewer… or maybe it's just the ax._ Whatever the reason, the stammering knight and his companion backed away, opening the path for Lloyd to dash into the passageway to lead the others after the Pope. The walls were dark as Liane followed along, a pale light beckoning them from somewhere ahead.

"The door's closed… Regal!"

Liane turned at Sheena's voice, frowning as she saw the summoner holding the sliding door closed. Then she saw the shackled man moving in the shadows beside her, his form almost a blur as he spun into a quick kick at the box beside the door. A quick shower of sparks later, Regal and Sheena were running to catch up with the others. When they got close, Sheena's hand flashed out to grab Liane's sleeve, giving the swordswoman no choice but to run along with them.

"It was controlled on the outside… so we had to lock it from the inside…" Sheena smirked at Liane as they dashed past lanterns recessed into the dark walls towards the light. "Permanently."

It was sound reasoning, Liane decided as she ran, sparing a glance ahead to Regal as she once again pushed aside thoughts of making sure he was okay. There was no time… and he was clearly still with them. Talk could come later… but with the Pope's treachery and the King's life on the line, all they could do was keep running.

The passageway emptied into the light in a bright white corridor with pristine marble floor. The group hesitated, most blinking at the return to the light. _This is… the castle_… Liane realized, her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword at the memory of the last time they had been there – and in anticipation of what it could mean that the Pope had fled there.

"Damn!" Lloyd cursed in a hiss, looking around the quiet corridor. "He got away…."

The quiet only lasted as long as the swordsman's words hung in the air… until they were replaced by the sound of metal colliding with metal that revealed its source when a pair of green-armored knights approached before the party, their weapons drawn and ready. "Ch… Chosen!" one of the knights spoke, his surprised recognition echoing both in the hall and in his helm. "I'm sorry! Please prepare yourself!"

_So that's it… we're to be killed on sight?_ Liane ground her teeth and backed away a step with the others as they closed together to defend themselves. _The Pope must have come through here… told them we were coming._

Colette dropped her chakram down into her hands and released her wings, kicking away from the ground to hover and draw her weapons back.

It was something that the knights apparently hadn't been prepared to see. Both of them recoiled, and the closest went so far that a choked scream sounded from his helm.

"It's an angel!" the second knight whimpered in awe, his arms falling limply to his sides, his fingers only barely holding on to his weapon. "An angel has come down from heaven! It's the second coming of Spiritua!"

The party – Colette included – froze at the knight's exclamation. Only Zelos moved closer to stand between Colette and the knights. He watched them in measuring silence for a moment before he turned and lifted a hand to point to Sylvarant's Chosen. "Look! Your heretical deeds have brought down an emissary of Cruxis!" the redhead declared, his voice building in force.

_He… has lost his mind_, Liane gaped at Zelos and exchanged puzzled looks with Lloyd and Genis. _What is he doing??_

"Chosen One!" the knight that had uttered such a brave scream at the sight of the winged girl breathed out, his helm shifting to look between Zelos and Colette. "Then this must truly be…!"

"Yes," Zelos nodded knowingly and solemnly before he shook his hand at Colette and flailed his other arm wide. "She is the angel of death and destruction. Spiritua has returned!"

The knights both cringed in unison, averting their eyes to the ground from the angle of their helms. "Pl… please forgive us, oh, great angel!"

All eyes were suddenly on Colette… and the girl's eyes were wild with doubt. "Ah… um… um…" she stammered, sounding almost panicked. "What should I do?"

Liane almost smacked herself in the forehead. _Oh, very 'angel of death and destruction,' Colette,_ her thoughts groaned before her breath caught and she blinked, carefully glancing around to the Tethe'allan members of their group. None of them carried any of the doubt that their Sylvaranti companions did – Presea and Regal were stoic as ever, Sheena was _almost _smirking… and Zelos looked as if he might be delivering a repentant sermon in his next breath. It was a true effort for Liane to not smile at that point. While she might not be familiar with Tethe'alla's legends, it was clear that Zelos was. _Way to put those years of lessons to use, Zelos…._

"Hey, what's going on?" Lloyd hissed, glaring at Zelos as the knights started to murmur softly, their words falling in unison almost like a chant… or a soft prayer.

Zelos turned his head only enough to catch sight of Lloyd. "Don't worry and just follow my lead," Zelos mouthed, adding just enough breath to almost make the instruction a whisper. Then he drew a breath, turned squarely to the knights, and threw his arms wide to the heavens. "Oh, _holy_ angel," he cried out, his voice echoing dramatically in the corridor. "How shall we deal with these creatures?"

Liane saw the knights cringe again, but she also saw confusion furrowing Lloyd's brow. _Come on, Lloyd… just… let him work._ She leaned forward just enough to catch the younger swordsman's gaze… and when his eyes met hers, she offered him a quick wink and a nod, carefully minding her expression so that she didn't smile. For just a moment, Lloyd looked even more confused.

Then the brown-haired teen's eyes lit up, and Liane had to hold back a relieved sigh as she saw Lloyd edge closer to the blonde angel.

"Colette," Lloyd whispered, standing behind her shoulder. "Say you're going to kill them."

_Good boy, Lloyd,_ Liane silently praised her friend, once again proud of him.

"B… but…" Colette turned a little to look down at him.

"It's okay," Lloyd assured her softly, nodding toward the chanting knights. "Just say it like you're in command."

Zelos cleared his throat in subtle impatience and Liane edged closer to Colette. "And don't smile. Look angry…."

Colette nodded and floated closer to the knights. "Um, um…" she stammered, making an intense and very visible effort to turn her expression into an angry scowl. "Die!"

The second knight shook again and threw an arm up as if it might shield him from the angel's wrath. "P… please! Forgive us!"

Arching an eyebrow at the plea, Liane somehow managed not to roll her eyes. _They bought that?_

"Holy one!" Zelos began again, folding one arm to his chest and bowing his head to the angel. "Please spare their lives in my name. I will defeat those who oppose you and once again act as the Chosen to spread the teachings of Martel." He lifted his head to fix an imploring gaze on Colette. _"Please._"

Liane was certain that she heard Sheena gag, though a quick glance to the ninja revealed no outward sign of it.

Lloyd nudged Colette. "Say you'll forgive them."

"Ah, okay." Colette nodded to both Lloyd and Zelos and then forced her scowl again. "I shall forgive you."

Zelos threw his arms wide to the ceiling again. "Did you hear that?!" he demanded joyfully. "The angel had recognized the Chosen as the true holy will of the Church." He waited until the knights looked up and gestured dismissively down the hallway in the direction they had come. "Leave at once and capture my enemies, the Pope and his private soldiers, the Papal Knights!"

Both knights quickly bowed to him. "Y… yes, sir!" the first one answered the command of the Chosen.

Propping one hand on his hip, Zelos waved them off with his other. "Revoke the wanted status of the Chosen and his companions at once!"

"Yes, sir!" the knight responded once again, pivoted, and led his partner away. "Everyone do as the Chosen commands!"

Liane stood with the others and watched the knights disappear down the corridor. Colette slowly touched back down to the ground as her wings flickered away, and in the moment of quiet, Liane heard the redheaded Chosen snicker. She finally set the groan she had been holding back free. Granted, Zelos' act had at least saved them from a fight, gotten the knights chasing after the Pope, and possibly fixed their status as wanted criminals – but he just looked so proud of himself. "I thought you were going to send them to do your laundry and bring back food, too with that list of demands you were rattling off…" she shook her head a little and sheathed her sword.

As Zelos snickered, Colette ran to his side, her hands clasped before her as she shook her head in gleeful awe. "Wow! Everyone did what you said, Zelos!"

"We were saved by the legend of Spiritua," Regal commented quietly as he strode to the foot of a nearby flight of stairs, watching them warily, his back to the others.

Raine's brow furrowed in thought, her eyes unfocusing slightly. "Is that related to Spiritua, the Chosen of Sylvarant?"

Zelos rolled his shoulders as if shrugging off the grasp of an oncoming nap. "Beats me," he answered, sounding thoroughly bored with the question. "If you want to know the details, go read the books in the church or something." He drew a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Anyway, Spiritua is famous for saving a Chosen by killing a King who tried to dispose of the Chosen."

"Kind of like what's going on now," Genis muttered with a frown.

Liane walked to the boy's side and rested her hand on his shoulder. She would have had to be blind not to see how the half-elf persecution was wearing on him. Giving his shoulder a small squeeze, she looked to Zelos again. "That was pretty quick thinking, using the legend like that…" she commented. _Credit where credit is due, I guess…._ When she saw him start to grin, she quickly worked to qualify the comment. "You were quite a ham, thought…."

Zelos arched an eyebrow to her and chuckled. "I'll take it that a 'ham' is a compliment where my Warrior Goddess' backwater homeland, so… I'll thank you kindly," he smirked and offered her a quick half-bow.

Sheena's gentle elbow to Liane's ribs cut off her groan. "_Don't_ compliment! It's like feeding a stray… he'll never leave you alone!" the ninja hissed, offering the swordswoman a sympathetic smirk.

"Does this mean they won't be chasing us anymore?" Presea asked without paying attention to the women's' quiet interaction.

"The church should be fine now anyway," Zelos responded, his cocky grin melting as he glanced pointedly to the stairs near Regal. "What's left is His Majesty."

Lloyd nodded and turned, waving over his shoulder for the others as he started for the stairs. "We need to let him know he's been poisoned."

Though no one appeared to stop them, moving further into the castle still felt like walking into a lion's den to Liane. Zelos and Regal led the way through the corridors without hesitation, leaving Liane's mind uncomfortably idle. Chewing her lip for just a moment in indecision, Liane glanced over to Sheena and decided just to ask. "So is that why he doesn't leave you alone?"

The ninja cast a confused look back to Liane. "Huh?" She blinked again. "Because I complimented him?" Her expression broke with a soft snicker that was almost hidden by their footsteps. "No… no way. He wishes. He's still waiting for that to happen. But he'll use any opening he can find to flirt. Trust me."

Liane could recognize the end of a topic when she heard it. She knew that there was more than either Sheena or the Chosen seemed willing to talk about, but there wasn't time for her to dig any deeper. They had reached the gold-accented doors of the chambers of the King… and Zelos paused for only long enough to rap twice on the wood before pushing both doors open wide and starting in. _Here we go…._

In a rush of hissing satin and perfect sandy brown curls, the Princess was suddenly before them, her arms spread wide as she made herself a barrier between the party and the bed-ridden King. "W… wait!" she protested, her eyes wide in fear.

Zelos hesitated for a moment and then slowly approached the girl, his hand open to her in a sign of peace. "Princess," he spoke with no sign of his previous cockiness. "Please let us see His Majesty."

The girl shook her head, the defiant look in her eyes drawing attention to the dark, damp circles that shaded them. "I don't know anything about the return of Spiritua, but my father is sick," she declared, her voice cracking a little as she slowly lowered her arms. "My father only wanted to protect Tethe'alla…."

Liane sighed. Word of "Spiritua's" return had spread quickly. _She thinks we're here to kill her father…._

"We know," Zelos assured the Princess carefully and nodded. When she sucked in a quick breath, he edged closer and turned his eyes to the bed. "Are you aware that His Majesty has been poisoned by the Pope?"

The Princess' hands flew to cover her mouth. "That can't be…" she shook her head in horror.

"It's true," Lloyd spoke up, drawing the girl's distraught gaze. "The Pope has run away upon being investigated for it."

"We must hurry and neutralize the poison," the Professor sighed heavily, moving through the group to address the Princess. When Hilda looked to her, Raine pointedly nodded toward the bed. "Please move."

The Princess stared at the silver-haired woman… then to Lloyd… Zelos… and quickly glanced over the rest of the party before casting a long look over her shoulder to her father. Her shoulders dipped with a heavy sigh… and she stepped aside.

Raine accepted the silent agreement by moving around the Princess and the corner of the bed to approach the King. The Princess gathered her skirts and hurried to her father's side opposite from Raine, taking the King's hand in both of hers. As the rest of the party circled the bed, Raine reached into her pocket and removed the blue vial that Colette had found in the Pope's desk. "It looks like this is definitely the antidote." As if in response, the King stirred, a pained moan rumbling in his throat. The Professor set her jaw and leaned over the monarch, pulling the tiny topper from the vial as she guided his head up and tipped the antidote to his lips.

Watching as the liquid flowed from the vial and over the King's lips, Liane couldn't help but look to the Princess. Zelos and Regal stood closest to her, but she wasn't concerned about their presence any longer. Tears streaked her cheeks as she watched her father – and Liane realized how little difference titles meant at that moment. _If it was Dad, I'd be just like her. I'd just want him to get better… I'd take the chance…._

Raine stood and replaced the stopper, sliding the vial back into her pocket. A moment later, the King coughed… a dry, weak sound… and his eyes slowly slid open.

"Father!" Hilda gasped, a tear of relief falling from her cheek as she brought the monarch's hand up, hugging it to her cheek as the King blinked in confusion.

The King groaned softly, his eyes slowly focusing on his daughter. A weak smile had only just started to curl his lips before he appeared to notice that there were others in the room. The smile faded. "What…."

"It looks like he's regained consciousness," Zelos murmured and moved to take Raine's place as she stepped away from the bed. "Your Majesty, do you recognize me?"

His wary gaze hardening on the redhead, the King melted back into the pillows. "The traitor… Zelos," he breathed out, the sound stopping just short of the effort it needed to become a groan. "Have you come to kill me?"

"No!" Lloyd was quick to shake his head in Zelos' defense, drawing the King's startled gaze to him. "Zelos saved you!"

Even as doubt filled the monarch's eyes, Zelos shook his head with a dark chuckle and waved off Lloyd's reaction. "Traitor… yes, that does suit me," he sighed before squaring his shoulders to the King. "Anyway, we were set up by the Pope. We have no intention of harming Tethe'alla."

"Zelos has been true to Tethe'alla, no matter what you've heard," Liane murmured, speaking before she really thought about it. Her cheeks warmed as she realized that she probably hadn't properly addressed the King. But then again, neither had Lloyd or Zelos… and they still hadn't been tossed into prison. It simply bothered her – no matter the differences she had with Zelos – how everyone was so willing to believe that he had turned his back on his home. It wasn't that much different from how the Iselian Mayor and others were so ready to consider Colette a failure. No one could see that they were working for something far bigger than they had ever guessed at. _It's not fair_.

"Even if the ruling family were to doubt him, the church, its soldiers, and citizens will certainly side with Zelos," Raine murmured, her voice just over a whisper from where she stood behind Liane's shoulder. When the dark-haired young woman glanced back to her mentor, Raine raised an eyebrow. "We have the return of Spiritua with us, after all."

The King looked up, his frown deepening as if he were trying to process some of what he heard. Frustration knit his brow as he finally huffed and looked back to the Chosen. "What do you want?"

"We want to see the documents concerning the hero Mithos and the Kharlan War that are maintained by the royal family," Lloyd replied without waiting for Zelos or the others to answer.

The bearded man remained still, his eyes studying the crimson-clad teen as if waiting for more demands. When none came, he drew a cautious breath. "They are stored in the archive on the second floor. Do what you will with them…." His voice was weak as he turned to face his daughter once more, almost pointedly not looking at any of the party as his eyes drifted shut. "Do not show yourselves in front of me again. I am… tired." His hand tightened on that of the Princess. "I want nothing more to do with the church's power struggles."

"You're just being selfish," Genis grumbled, shifting his weight uneasily from one foot to the other.

Zelos turned his head just enough to smirk down at the mage. "It's all right, kid," he sighed and then turned back to the King with a deep bow. "Then, Your Majesty, we shall allow ourselves access."

The party obediently filed out of the bedchamber, and Liane had to fight the urge to send the ailing monarch a resentful glare. It didn't matter that he had no interest in them… that they were simple bothers to him. He was a victim as well… _and he gave us what we wanted from him. I guess we can't ask for more than that._

The entire situation left a bitter taste in her mouth, but Liane found that it was easier to ignore with every step that they took away from the King's chambers. They had his permission to search the royal library and they were no longer wanted fugitives. _It has to be an improvement, doesn't it? _she mused as Zelos led them to a large pair of doors and pushed them open wide. The air that rushed out smelled of old papers and inks… and Liane couldn't help but slow down for a moment to draw in the comforting scent. _So much history… so many things that Sylvarant has lost all memory of…._

"All right, let's start looking through the books," Lloyd suggested, his voice echoing just enough to be noticed in the high-ceilinged room as the rest of the group walked past and began to fan out between the towering shelves of books.

Liane was certain she'd never seen Lloyd so eager to be anywhere near books before. Any other time, she would have at very least spared a smile for the thought, but the glimpse of Colette taking her place beside the others at the shelves silenced the urge. She found a curved stretch of bookshelves and started at one cross-brace. As her eyes trailed over one metallic-embossed leather spine after another, she found the topics to be a bit of a wistful distraction – enough to keep her focus on the fact that they weren't the books she was seeking. It was not, however, enough to keep her from wondering how much the worlds could have shared – how much different things would have been for the people and perhaps even the lands – if they had just been aware of each other.

The book titles began to blend into one another before her eyes, with none of them giving her any kick of recognition to think she might have found something. _We could search those shelves for days_, she thought dismally, taking a moment to let her eyes slide closed. It was only disturbing for the first instant that she could still sill random bits of titles dancing behind the dark of her eyelids. _With our luck, it's some random paragraph buried in a book -- _

"Oh!"

The swordswoman's pessimism was suddenly jolted by a collision that was more unexpected than violent. Her eyes flashed open as a hand closed on the shoulder to steady her, though it only took a moment to understand what had happened… all the explanation she needed was easily readable in the concern of the eyes of the blue-haired man that steadied her.

"Liane?" Regal frowned. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you when I rounded the corner…."

Liane quickly found an awkward laugh to answer his concern. "No, it's okay… I wasn't paying attention," she dismissed his apology with a shake of her head. Her balance returned quickly, and Regal only watched her for a moment longer before he turned back to the shelf. For just an instant, her friend was back, the hollow, melancholy shell that she had seen him become right before her eyes too many times already gone in the flash of concern – only to return with his next breath as he pulled away again. _No._ She frowned slightly and stepped back up to the shelf to stand beside him. "Regal, are you going to be okay?" she whispered, knowing better than to ask if he _was_ okay.

The shackled man turned his head only enough to shift his eyes to her. The glance lasted only long enough for him to draw a deep breath, and his eyes were back on the books again. "I will be," he finally answered. "It… just wasn't what I… expected."

It was easy for Liane to see how carefully he was choosing his words. But just that he had responded was all she could really hope for. She nodded and turned back to the shelves, though her thoughts weren't fully grounded in the titles that slid past her eyes. "It was too quick," she muttered, voicing her own opinion. "For everything he did…."

"That's not for us to decide," Regal spoke, the words themselves carrying more resolve than the voice that formed them.

Liane bit her lip to physically contain the thoughts that could accidentally spill out if she wasn't careful. Presea had made the decision. The pigtailed girl had lashed out at the man that had used both her and her sister… taking him out of the reach of any form of earthly punishment. Now he was beyond anyone's reach. It felt… unfinished. But it was still at least some closure. The dark-haired young woman could only hope that it was enough to allow Regal and Presea to move on. _I just hope Presea doesn't carry the same revenge over onto Regal…._ The thought formed a tight knot in her stomach as she forced herself to focus on the books, her hand lifting to trail over the spines. _I… don't think he'd try to stop her if she did…._

"It's no use!"

The collision of a book with a wall somewhere else in the library punctuated Zelos' frustrated declaration and mercifully evaporated Liane's dismal thought as she glanced back to Regal. He met her gaze with a nod and they both hurried back down the aisle to the entry area where the others were gathering.

"I can't believe we've searched through all this and still haven't found it," Genis grumbled, his shoulders slumped in defeat as he kept his eyes on the floor, his frustration pushing him into yet another odd moment of agreement with Zelos.

Sheena shrugged helplessly. "Are there any other books?" she asked, her eyes sweeping over the library and finally landing on the hallway door.

"Maybe another room like in the library at Sybak?" Liane suggested, her spirits falling at the realization that none of them had found anything. "Something like this – especially if it affected one of Mithos' companions – there has to be something left that can help us. A legend… a hint… something?"

"I'm not going to give up," Lloyd stated quietly, his gloves creaking as they twisted over the handles of his swords. "There has to be a way."

"Lloyd." Colette turned from the bookshelves with a weak smile and a shake of her head. "Thank you. But…" she shrugged and slowly moved to walk around a tall stack of books. "It's okay, you can stop." The girl's words stopped all conversation and drew all attention to her in disbelief. Despite the grim offer, her smile was still warm – right up until the toe of her boot caught on the floor and she lurched forward. Her arm flailed as she fell, striking the stack of books and sending it into a precarious wobble. About the time the blonde girl was fully splayed on the ground, the stack broke, sending a rain of books down on Sylvarant's Chosen… and dropping another book neatly into Raine's surprised grasp.

As the literary carnage settled and Lloyd slid to his knees at Colette's side to dig the girl out, Raine shifted the book to support its spine with one hand and opened it with the other. "This is… angelic language?" she murmured, frowning at the pages, paying no attention to Lloyd hauling Colette back to her feet. "No… they're ancient elven letters… wait." The Professor's eyes widened. "This may be it!"

"I certainly didn't expect to find the book that way," Regal commented as the party gathered close around the silver-haired woman.

"I don't think we can complain…" Liane shrugged, reaching out to pat Colette's shoulder with a slight arch to her eyebrow when the younger girl looked up. "Especially when it sounded like _someone _was telling us to give up…."

Colette ducked her head and giggled at the thinly veiled chastisement. But her laughter was almost lost to Sheena's chuckle. "Colette's clumsiness seems to truly be blessed."

Lloyd approached the Professor, his expression still set and stony as he tugged the corner of the book down to peer at the page. "Professor," he looked up to Raine impatiently. "What does it say?"

"Wait." Raine shook her head, turning a page and then holding her hand up to hold off the swordsman. She studied the page carefully for a few more moments as the room fell into silent anticipation before she began to nod and drew a long breath. "In order to prevent the erosion of the Cruxis Crystal, a Mana Fragment and zircon are fused using Boltzman's technique, to create a Rune Crest. Fibers from the Mana Leaf Herb, when placed in the crest, protect against the crystallization caused by the illness…." Her voice trailed off as she turned the page. "Ah, the rest of this is just theory."

"So, in other words, we need a Mana Fragment, zircon, and a Unicorn Horn, right?" Genis asked, his small form barely containing his excitement as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

The Professor closed the book and looked down to her brother. "And a Mana Leaf herb," she reminded him and turned to Colette. "Then, we make something called a Rune Crest, and attaching that to the Key Crest will suppress the crystal's activity."

"Who's going to make that?" Lloyd asked with a thoughtful frown.

Zelos rolled his eyes and mounted his hands on his hips. "Well, a _dwarf_, I guess…" he sighed heavily, the breath almost disguising a note of sarcasm.

"It's more information than we had before," Liane spoke up as she saw Lloyd's gaze sharpen on the redheaded Chosen. "We're lucky that someone documented the cure." _Focus, Lloyd… Zelos is just pushing your buttons…._

As Lloyd blinked away his glare and shuffled back a step, Presea approached Raine. "What is happening to Colette's body?"

Raine didn't reply immediately, her eyes falling back to the book in her arms with a sigh. "It says it's called 'Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium.' Just like Altessa's diagnosis." Her bright blue eyes slid closed. "It's an illness that causes the entire body to become a Cruxis Crystal."

The atmosphere in the library grew heavier for a few moments… until Lloyd planted himself at the Professor's side with a warm smile that only looked partially forced. "Okay, now we have some hope!'

Liane was glad for her friend's attempt to steer them back toward optimism, but even with hope, there were still things that had to be done and found before what was happening to Colette could be righted. She looked down in attempt to make sure that the only thing Lloyd, Colette, or any of the rest of them would see would be positive. _We have a long way to go…._

"But there's not much time," Raine murmured quietly, her frown deepening. "It says that epidermal crystallization begins within a few months, and the final stages of the disease cause the body to completely crystallize." A few long exhales sounded from t he group as Lloyd's smile finally succumbed to the gravity of their situation. "The internal organs start to crystallize once the epidermis has crystallized, and then finally…." Raine's explanation finally faltered, and the room fell silent.

"The subject dies."

Colette's somber completion of the Professor's description brought all eyes back to the girl. Liane was no different. She watched the girl she had seen grow up alongside them once again take on the guise of a woman far older… and Liane had to wonder if she would ever be strong enough herself to accept such a truth if she saw it coming for her. _She knew that she was supposed to die for the Regeneration… and still went on with her life with a smile. I suppose this isn't all that different for her…._

"I suppose there's no point in trying to mince words," Raine sighed and nodded. "Yes, exactly."

"Then let's hurry," Zelos declared, sliding up to Colette's side with a bright-eyed smile as he threw an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Cute girls deserve to live long."

Presea watched the pair of Chosens for a moment before turning back to the Professor. "Where are the materials?"

"My company once handled zircon," Regal spoke up, his shoulders squaring as the party looked to him. "If we go to the main Lezareno building, we should be able to find information on it and where it is stored."

Raine began to nod slowly as she hugged the book to her chest. Her eyes were ever so slightly unfocused as she finally spoke. "Mana Leaf Herb… is probably in Heimdall."

Genis moved closer to his sister and reached out to gather a handful of her jacket, tugging on it gently until she blinked once and looked down to him. "The elven village?"

"Yes…" the silver-haired woman nodded, her eyes clearing a little. "I think I've heard the name of that plant before, when I was a child…."

Zelos released his hold on Colette and shook his head, a frown settling where his smile had been. "But the people of Heimdall forbid anyone that is not an elf to enter the village."

"Why?" Lloyd asked, cocking his head to the Tethe'allan Chosen.

"It seems there was some trouble between them and humans a long time ago," Zelos answered with a small huff. "These days, no one enters without a permit from the King of Tethe'alla."

Colette clasped her hands together and turned to her counterpart. "I wonder if the King will give us a permit?"

"Well, he did brand us as criminals thanks to how he listened to the Pope… and he might well have died if we hadn't found out what was going on and found an antidote," Liane reasoned, trying not to let the bitterness she felt for the leadership of Tethe'alla completely consume her voice. "It doesn't sound like that big of a favor to me."

Zelos rolled his eyes and let his arms fall to his sides. "Who knows? He doesn't seem to want to see me." The dreary resolve in his tone fell into a long sigh. "We could try asking Princess Hilda."

"Then, assuming we can get the Mana Leaf Herb, what about the Mana Fragment?" Sheena asked, her eyes following Raine and the book Colette had "found" as the Professor placed the book back on the now-shortened stack on the floor. "What is it, anyway?"

"Beats me," Lloyd murmured as he also watched Raine as if dreading another lesson that might be coming as a result of the question.

When Raine turned back to the others, however, she was silent, offering no explanation to the summoner's question. A few moments of silence passed before Colette sighed and dipped her head. "In the scriptures of the Church of Martel, there is a passage that says, "The colossal man of the great motherland, Derris-Kharlan, rained down upon the earth in fragments, giving birth to all living things.""

There was a reverence in Colette's voice that took Liane off-guard. Even after everything they had been through and learned, Colette could still sound so solemn when she called on her teachings… but more… _they could actually have enough truth in them to help us?_ "That would explain why we've never heard of such a thing… if it's buried in the teachings of the church…."

"So it's in Derris-Kharlan?" Lloyd asked as he once again move to the blonde girl's side.

Colette looked up with an uncertain nod. "There's no proof, but…."

Lloyd accepted her answer with a firm nod and looked around to the others. "That's the enemy's main base," he stated. "Let's do that later. First, we'll go to either Heimdall or the Lezareno Company in Altamira."

"We're here… so we may as well push our luck and try to get the permit for Heimdall, shouldn't we?" Liane offered, tightening the straps of her pack as they began to edge toward the hallway. As much as she didn't relish the idea of tempting the anger of the royal family, she knew it made the most sense.

It was a fact she regretted for each of the long, painfully awkward and silent moments that they spent in the throne room waiting for the Princess to return with the King's decision. Even talking felt taboo with the royal guards keeping their stations to the flanks of the pair of thrones. Liane couldn't help but fidget – even though she knew that the guards should no longer be a danger, the palace made her skin crawl just with how deeply she felt the truth that she didn't belong there. It embodied the differences between Tethe'alla and Sylvarant just in its order and splendor… and it made her want to get away as quickly as her feet could carry her.

When the Princess returned with a neatly folded and sealed letter from the king, it was a pleasant surprise – and one that none of the group seemed to want to hesitate or question. Zelos thanked the Princess with a deep bow and a kiss to her hand… and they were free of the palace. The skies over the Imperial City were just starting to streak with sunset colors, but Liane couldn't find the strength to mourn the day that had been shortened by the trip from Sylvarant to Tethe'alla – the fact that they were no longer wanted by the throne and Church worked surprisingly well to brighten her perspective.

"Where's Heimdall, anyway?" Lloyd asked as they reached the foot of the split staircase and moved to gather near the fenced garden in the corner of the Plaza.

Zelos stopped a few paces past the other swordsman, glancing toward the elegant homes further down the path with a longing sigh before he turned back to the group. "The Tower of Salvation is located at the center of the world, right?" he reasoned with a wave of his hand generally to the gates of the city. "It's south of there. I heard it's surrounded by the Ymir Forest."

Lloyd's eyes lit up at the direction, his expression once again set with an eager determination. "Okay, let's go, guys!"

"Whoa," Liane caught the brown-haired teen's sleeve before he could get a full step away from the party. A sea of wide eyes that he hadn't noticed had responded to his command. "Lloyd, I'm not that tired, either… but if Heimdall is in a forest that we're not familiar with, waiting until morning, stopping by Altamira, and getting an early start might be a better idea?" she suggested with a quick glance over her shoulder in hopes that she wasn't speaking out of turn.

To her relief, now one corrected her.

The enthusiasm melted from the swordsman's face as he slowly pulled his arm out of Liane's reach and looked up. "Huh…" he sighed, running a hand back through his hair and chuckling absently. "Guess I forgot what time it is…" Lloyd shrugged and brought his eyes back down. "We can wait until –"

Lloyd froze in mid-sentence, his almost-embarrassed smile fading as his eyes fixed somewhere over Liane's shoulder. "What the… why is _he_ coming out of the castle?"

It was more of an observation than a question the way Lloyd spoke, but the effect was the same as it turned the party back toward the front entrance of the palace. Descending the far spur of stairs, and afforded just as much civility by the guards at the door as they had been, was Kratos. Liane felt her throat go dry as the angel crossed the plaza, paying no attention to anything but the steps ahead of him. He had once again donned the uniform of the Cruxis angel… forcing her to remember that he was not one of them… and that he had once again left them behind. She turned her eyes down as the auburn-haired man disappeared down the steps to the lower levels of the city. _Just another errand that we can't accompany you for, huh?_ she questioned in silent bitterness. _We're even in the same place at the same time, Kratos. Why does it have to be this way?_

"Who knows?" Zelos snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, thrusting his nose into the air to emphasize his indifference. "Who _cares_? It's not like this is the first time he's done something weird."

Lloyd was already shaking his head by the time his eyes shifted to the Tethe'allan Chosen. "We can't just ignore it," he stated sharply. "If the King turns out to be working with Cruxis, that'd be a disaster." It was all the explanation he offered before he set into a jog across the Plaza. "Let's follow him!"

The group the swordsman left behind exchanged puzzled glances as Zelos sighed and let his shoulders droop. "Okay, fine," he grumbled and started to follow Lloyd without waiting for the others. "Guess you've never heard that wise men avoid danger…."

"Wow, talk about worst-case scenarios," Liane frowned, but still fell into step with the others as they followed Lloyd and Zelos in cautious pursuit of the man that couldn't seem to decide if he truly wanted to be their enemy or not. As she started down the first steps, she could just see Kratos disappearing to the lowest level of the town… and Lloyd was just a few steps behind. _If the King were aligned with Cruxis, would we have been allowed to leave Meltokio with Colette in the first place?_ The swordswoman shook her head to answer her own question as the group's pace quickened when Lloyd threw himself into a stair-skipping sprint. _Come on, Kratos… please level with us… with all of us… just once?_

"Kratos!"

Lloyd's call sounded clearly in the evening calm, turning the angel's eyes up just as the younger swordsman reached the bottom step. Liane stopped on the top step, hesitating when she saw that her friend had drawn his twin blades and now stood tensed before Kratos. Another man hurried away from Kratos' side toward the gates, but Liane hardly noticed… not when her eyes locked with those of Kratos for just an instant. Her heart sank as he looked back down to Lloyd. _He's treating you as an enemy,_ she told the angel silently as she forced her feet to carry her forward with the others. _It's what you wanted… right?_

The angel cocked his head to Lloyd as the others gathered behind him. "Do you intend to fight here?" he asked, keeping his voice low and making no move toward his own weapon.

Lloyd glared at Kratos for a moment before a heavy scraping sound caught his attention and drew his eyes to the gate. The man that the angel had been speaking with was struggling with a chunk of wood similar to the one Presea had been handling when they had first met her. Lloyd's eyes shifted between Kratos and the gate a few times as the other man disappeared outside the city until he seemed to find his voice. "What are you going to use the sacred wood for?"

Kratos shook his head once and crossed his arms. "You do not need to know."

"Maybe we'd stop bothering you if you just humored us, then," Liane lifted her voice, waiting until Kratos looked up before she shrugged to make her point. "Might be less chance that we'd stop you every time we ended up in the same place at the same time," she offered, attempting to show as much detachment as the angel was showing them. _Maybe… but probably not._

Presea slowly approached Kratos, though her eyes were still fixed where the man had disappeared with the wood. "Sacred wood burns several times hotter than normal firewood," she stated softly before turning her searching blue eyes up to the angel.

"Are you… are you going to melt Aionis?" Genis asked, moving with the others as the group closed around Kratos.

"Aionis is a fictional ore," Raine stated, the words sounding like they were meant to correct her brother, though their tone and her sharp gaze on Kratos were clearly a challenge to him to contradict them.

Kratos was unfazed by their questions and comments, though… his expression so even that he almost looked bored. "Yes," he agreed with a sigh. "So they say."

"Stop being so mysterious about everything!" Lloyd demanded, swiping one blade out to his side as if it would alleviate his frustration.

The show didn't appear to impress Kratos, however. He merely cast a cold glare to Lloyd and sighed, turning his back to the party and beginning to walk toward the gate.

"Wait!" Lloyd's hard stance shattered as he dashed away from the group to plant himself in Kratos' path.

Kratos' pace slowed, but he didn't stop as he drew closer to Lloyd, his hand casually falling to the sword at his hip. "Move…."

Only Lloyd's eyes betrayed a reaction to the command. His thin frame tightened and he drew himself up to his full height – if not beyond – as he stared Kratos down. "I said, _wait._"

Liane's hands clenched into tight fists, her short nails digging into her palms. Both Kratos and Lloyd looked ready to toss away all pretense of alliance. _Lloyd's had enough… Kratos can't – won't? – change… where else would this lead?_ If they fought… Liane realized there was no way she could remain stuck between them – Kratos hadn't given her enough ground to defend him – and her visions just couldn't be counted as evidence. She forced herself to keep her hands away from her weapons even as the others tensed. "Kratos… Lloyd…" she spoke up, alarming herself even as a small bit of surprised rippled through the companions around her. "Stop this. Now." Where it came from, she couldn't say, but her voice was hard as stone even to her own ears. _No more… please._

No one moved, though Lloyd set his jaw tightly at Liane's demand, his eyes searching the angel for a reaction.

Then, slowly and almost subtly enough that Liane doubted the movement, the swordswoman saw Kratos' hair shift. She told herself it was just the wind… until she saw the glint in his eye that told her he truly did glance back to her over his shoulder. She caught her breath – and in that moment, the look was gone, the angel's eyes fixed on Lloyd again.

"The more time passes, the less likely you will be able to cure the Chosen's illness," Kratos stated sharply and sidestepped around the slack-jawed teen to continue toward the gate without looking back.

Lloyd's head turned to follow the angel's retreat. His mouth finally snapped shut and he spun to the city gates just as Kratos disappeared from sight. "What?"

The rest of the party moved forward to gather around Lloyd as his shoulders sank. Once again, Liane felt as if one kind of tension had replaced another. She remained at the outer fringe of the group, cautious though no one had sent her so much as a curious look for her outburst. _Maybe they're all tired of it,_ she reasoned hopefully. _Maybe I just got to it first… maybe someone else would have said something._ It all sounded good, though she knew it ran deeper… much deeper… to the part of her that couldn't stand the thought of her friends squaring off against one another.

"Kratos…" Lloyd groaned after a moment and then finally slid his blades back into their scabbards, silently accepting the angel's retreat.

Zelos moved to stand behind Lloyd's left shoulder, dropping one hand there. "I hate to say it, but he's right," the redhead stated, his voice curiously devoid of its usual mirth. When Lloyd glanced back over his shoulder to him, Zelos shrugged and let his hand fall. "Let's hurry up and save Colette. Okay?"

Lloyd's eyes slipped back to the gates as he nodded and then turned to Colette. "Yeah," he murmured, his smile resurfacing just enough to be unmistakable.

_He'll smile for her… for his friends._ Liane breathed out as she heard Zelos reclaim his usual excited banter as he offered his house as shelter for the night. She ventured another cautious glance to the others for reassurance that she hadn't managed to ostracize herself yet again. _They all seem relieved…._ And why wouldn't they be? They didn't need to fight… they had direction… a roof over their heads for the night… and some even had closure in one form or another. Liane turned to Regal… and caught the barest hint of a smile as he nodded her ahead of him to begin to climb the city steps again. She returned the smile… and began to walk… willing the tension away… even if for just one more night.


	34. Chapter 34

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Colette is sick… but the worlds seem bent on staying in the way of a cure. There are loose ends to be tied and favors to be called in… with just a bit of revenge and research along the way. Time is growing short… for Sylvarant's Chosen… and for truths of the past to stay hidden from the party.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 34:

"_Tell me about Tethe'alla?"_

_She saw his steady pace falter as he made another circuit of their camp, but he didn't look at her. It had become their pattern over the handful of weeks since he had rescued her from the ranch – travel as far as they could by day and set a camp barely big enough for her by night. She never saw him sleep – and she couldn't count the nights that she had been awakened in the dark of the night by being swept into his arms and whisked away to a place she didn't recognize when the morning came. It was all becoming habit – including how after he made sure she was fed, he hardly spoke. She knew he was far more than she had ever guessed at back in Luin, and that both fascinated and horrified her._

_But it seemed like he was pulling further away from her with each passing day – she felt that she knew less about him… and worse, she felt that it was how he wanted it to be._

_If she thought _too_ hard about it, she started thinking that he regretted saving her from the ranch._

_Those were the thoughts that usually found her in the dark silence as the tiny fire they built each night died away and she drifted off to sleep._

Not tonight.

_It was a promise to the fears she couldn't bring herself to speak to him – that he would disappear one day… that he would finally see the folly in his rescue of the poor, weak thing from Luin. She had been so scared… angry… and alone at the ranch. It was easy to lash out at him… and she knew it would never be as easy to be with him as it had been before the ranch._

_But as he had seemed to be content to keep her at a cautious distance, her options for breaking the ice were limited. In the early days of her freedom from the ranch, he had been the one trying to get her to speak to him, offering glimpses of the man to which she had so blindly tied her heart. Those were the memories that churned in her mind as she tried desperately to avoid another night of silent insecurity._

"_Tell me about Tethe'alla… please?" she repeated again, slightly annoyed that he might give her so little credit as to believe that he didn't hear her the first time. She had chosen the topic out of the chaos of bits of information he had given her to explain himself –and the one that still sounded insane - but just insane enough to be true in light of everything else._

_This time, she saw him stop, his eyes flashing at her for a moment before he turned his back to her, peering out of their tiny wooded refuge at the ocean beyond the clifftop path that had brought them to their night's camp. He was as dark a silhouette as the trees around her, but she couldn't look away for long enough to make her question which shadow was actually him. She wanted an answer… a word. Anything. She sighed and then drew the breath back in to fuel the words a third time – _

"_It would be safer for you if you didn't ask that," he responded in a clipped rasp, freezing a third iteration of her request._

_Her surprise didn't soften the glare she quickly fixed on him. "I already did. Twice," she bit back before she could stop herself. "Is 'safe' really an issue right now? How is asking a question possibly endangering my safety at this point?"_

_Kratos remained still and quiet, and his lack of response fanned her smoldering temper as she prepared to repeat her question and start the cycle over again._

"_What do you want to know?" he asked, his voice not quite disguising a groan._

_She blinked in surprise, her anger evaporating as it seemed that she had won. Then, the moment of triumph flitted away as she blinked again. _What _did_ I want to know? _She had wanted him to speak – preferably to her – but there wasn't anything in particular that she wanted to know. Her mind contorted quickly in the face of him shutting down on her even more. "Um…." Ducking her head, her eyes sought the fire but couldn't hide the fact that Kratos had actually turned back to her, his gaze piercing through his crop of bangs to push for an answer. _Think!!_ Her mind demanded. _Think faster!!!

"_Ah… what… dothepeoplelooklike?" she blurted out, the words tumbling over once another._

_Kratos' expression went completely blank by the firelight._

_The look that he gave her was the first thing that froze her. Then, her mind slowly unwound and explained what had spilled from her lips to her. Then, her cheeks flushed hotly… and she clapped her hands over her face with a groan, wishing she had just given up and gone to sleep as he had wanted._

"_What… do… they look like?"_

_His voice was closer now, and – if she didn't know better – she would have sworn that he was on the verge of laughing. But, he was still talking to her, so she did the only thing she could – she nodded, her face still buried in her hands._

_He didn't reply right away, but there was a shift in the soft needles that lined the floor of the wooded area. "What do you mean?"_

_The question was quiet, the indifference she had come to expect at that time of night absent completely. Carefully, she cracked her fingers, her hands still acting as a visor as she watched him for a moment. He sat on the other side of the low-burning fire, his legs crossed beneath him… his hands both resting on his knees as he studied her, awaiting her answer. It was conversation she had wanted – but now she was in the role of the questioned. Lowering her hands, she looked back down to the fire and wished the heat in her cheeks away as she shrugged and tried to find words to explain herself. "Well… do they look like us… or are they different colors… like blue or green?" she asked sheepishly, allowing her imagination to run to answer him. "Is it all watery so they have to have gills or fins or –" her eyes widened and snapped up to him. "Or do they all have wings… like you?" When he had first told her of Tethe'alla, her mind had reeled at the idea of an entirely different world that she didn't know existed. All the possibilities… all the ways it could be better… they had all boiled in her imagination – and, though it still looked like her theories amused him, she still wanted to know._

_Kratos watched he, the small flames of the fire dancing in his almost-hidden gaze… and the corners of his mouth curled upward ever so slightly – though, at the mention of his wings, the smile clearly backed away from his eyes. "The people of Tethe'alla look just like those of Sylvarant… remember that I told you they were once the same world?" he asked patiently and then sat back with a sigh that sounded vaguely unwilling. "There are humans, elves… half-elves… dwarves… anything you'd find there, you should be able to find here." Then, he made a sound that sounded vaguely like a sad chuckle and his gaze fell to the flames between them. "There may be some with fins or gills… but… fortunately… there are precious few with wings like mine."_

"_How can you say that?" she asked quickly, her fascination with his answer of how "normal" Tethe'alla was gone in an instant. "Kratos, you can fly! You can fly anywhere you want… any time you want! You're not tied to the ground like me and everyone else! You're not tied to…." Her enthusiasm vanished as her voice trailed off. _You're not tied to me._ He could fly away whenever he liked… he could leave her behind and there would be nothing she could do about it. "… this place," she finally decided to finish her statement, though her voice was considerably more quiet. "I think if I had wings, I'd fly to Tethe'alla," she murmured and shifted to hug her knees to her chest. "Somewhere different. Some place new. Maybe I could start over… be someone else."_

_The mercenary remained still and silent through her musings as if he was waiting for her to finish. Then, he drew a long breath and let his chin fall to his chest. "It wouldn't be that much different," he stated, though his tone was much more flat than it was reassuring. "The people you would want to leave behind here… people with wings like mine… would be the ones that could still reach you there. Tethe'alla isn't that much different."_

_Her spirits sank a little lower and she rested her chin on her knees. She knew he wasn't trying to hurt her… she could tell that much by how he spoke. It was so slight… but it was somehow enough to make her world a little lighter. He still cared. Tilting her head to look at him over the fire, she couldn't help but let her lips curl into a small smile at the realization. "So… since you can be on either world… are you from Sylvarant… or Tethe'alla?"_

_Kratos looked up, his expression puzzled for a few moments as he seemed to be pondering the shift in her thoughts and questioning. Slowly, the set of his jaw softened. "I would have to say… I was born in Tethe'alla… but my place is now in Sylvarant," he answered quietly… thoughtfully. "There is nothing for me anywhere but… here."_

_The way he spoke surprised her enough that she didn't realize that she was blushing again for a few moments. The man before her… probably one of the strongest, most powerful people she had ever seen… would stay with her. He would choose her and her world even though he _had_ other choices._

He… chooses me….

Liane's eyes drifted open to a room just starting to fill with sunlight and the gentle snoring of the summoner that slept in the bed closest to the door. She realized that her lips were still curled into a ghost of the smile she had felt as her dream-self. It left the swordswoman in no rush to wake too quickly, instead opting to commit as much as she could to memory.

_He's from Tethe'alla…._

For the moment, it was easy to keep the annoyance she held for the angel at bay… holding tighter to the dream that had started out tense yet managed to lighten. It was actually a sweet dream as compared to other recent ones of pain and loss.

Sitting up from her nest of blankets and impossibly soft pillows that she had borrowed from Zelos' guest room supplies, Liane yawned and ran her hand back through her hair, taking full advantage of the fact that it seemed she had awakened early to ease into the day… and back into her own life.

_Her thoughts are so erratic…_ she mused silently, twisting her hair into a quick bun to keep it out of the way as she began to fold her blankets. _Maybe he just flustered her that much… like he does me?_ The thought made her pause, her smile falling. _Or… maybe it is all just a dream… my imagination trying to pretend to be more…._

She didn't want to believe that. The details she had seen and felt were too much to be made up… and the pain and terror of the other visions_… no one should be disturbed enough to make that up._

The stubborn declaration made it easy enough to banish the thought for a while… until it would gather the strength to return. Liane knew that it was inevitable, but for the moment, there were other things to focus on.

_He told her that he was from Tethe'alla. That's something, isn't it?_

Liane pushed herself up to her feet, nodding her approval of the neatly stacked bedding along the wall where she had slept before she gathered her brush and soap along with a change of clothes from her pack and stepped into the washroom that joined to the bedroom. _If I need proof that what I'm seeing is real, I can tell Kratos that I know he's from Tethe'alla, can't I? _she questioned her reflection in the mirror as she scrubbed her face and then set to pulling her hair up into a high ponytail and twisting it into a tight braid.

_He could tell me that it's a fifty-fifty chance I could guess where he was from,_ her pessimism whispered in her thoughts as she replaced her sleepshirt with dark brown breeches and a tan, short-sleeved tunic. Liane tied the tunic's laces at her throat, spared a quick frown for her reflection, and sighed as she returned to the bedroom and repacked her things. _It's not as if that talk will happen… anytime soon,_ she reminded herself, the last part of the thought a defiant tag to her own pessimism as she stepped into her boots and reached for her swordbelt. It was as much stubbornness as she could muster… especially considering that every time she thought about even trying to gather the courage to speak to Kratos, her stomach wrenched violently.

_He'd want to know why… why I'd want to tell him these things… what I wanted… and why I would want to see them as anything but dreams._

Liane tucked the end of her belt back under itself and quietly closed the bedroom door behind her. _I don't know if I could answer him. _It was one more reason she could use for postponing the confrontation. If she was honest with herself, she could only see a few reasons… some more mortifying than others. _I want him to help me prove that I'm not crazy… maybe help me find a way to stop them. _That was the reason she liked. _That would be so much easier to explain than I want to know that I'm feeling those things… that there's depth to them… that they're real. That I could really feel that way._

She chased that thought away with a punishing bite to her lip as she started down the stairs to the main level of Zelos' mansion. _Not now, _she chided herself sharply. _Maybe never. He wouldn't want to hear that… and I know I don't want to say exactly that to him…._

When she reached the landing of the stairs, a different sense helped her to dismiss the troubling thoughts. It was a scent that Liane could only describe as heavenly that reminded her that there were other more pressing matters to deal with in her waking life… and that she had only nibbled on a slice of buttered bread as her dinner the night before. Her feet were carrying her toward the kitchen without her direction as her mouth watered… and Liane gave no thought to resisting until she realized that there were voices ahead of her… voices she recognized. She stopped, blinking away the effects of the hypnotically delicious scent.

_Regal… and Presea?_

Liane edged closer to the kitchen, keeping her steps light as the identities of the speakers gave her hope against some of her more dismal thoughts from the previous day. She carefully peeked around the corner into the informal dining area that adjoined the kitchen to see the shackled man and the pink-haired ax girl sitting across the table from one another, a plate of still-steaming blueberry muffins in the center of the round table between them.

"What will you do now?" Presea asked softly, her fingers picking a chunk from the crown of the muffin on the plate before her.

Regal clasped his hands together, his chin lowered so that his hair fell forward to veil his face. "For the sake of Lloyd and the others who aided me in my revenge, and for Alicia's sake as well, I shall assist in what meager ways I can to eliminate Cruxis.

Presea's question and Regal's answer worked together to bring an immediate smile to Liane's lips. When the ax girl had so decisively cut Vharley down in the sewers the day before, Liane couldn't remember ever seeing the girl react so emotionally. She had worried that it would over-power her… that she would carry her punishment over to Regal. The conversation over the plate of muffins all but completely banished those fears… and strengthened her hope that it meant that the two could turn the tragedy that tied their lives together into something better. _In some ways… they're kind of family… thanks to Alicia. This could be good for both of them._

"Yes," Presea agreed and placed another bite of muffin in her mouth. Silence passed between them again before the girl tilted her head to the Duke. "Defeating Vharley does not mean that everything is over."

The blue-haired man sat a little straighter in his chair and nodded, waiting for a moment before he reached his hands out for a muffin from the plate. "In fact… it may just be the beginning."

"Beginning…?"

Liane heard the flicker of confusion in Presea's voice, but from the smile that had started to curl Regal's lips, she couldn't bring herself to worry beyond a slight curiosity as to what the Duke was thinking. She drew back from the doorway, torn between allowing them their time to talk and the luring scent of the muffins.

"A new beginning," Regal clarified his answer for Presea, "… for the sake of turning our eyes from the past, and toward the future."

Her friend's declaration turned Liane's eyes upward with thanks to whatever higher power had drawn her out of her sleep in time to hear the discussion. _I don't have to worry, do I? _she asked, though she already felt the answer. No matter where else their quest against Yggdrasill and Cruxis led, she was sure that Regal and Presea would find their common ground, at the very least. She drew in a small breath and stepped away from the wall, doing her best to make it look like she had never even hesitated, and walked into the room, smiling when both of the occupants looked up. "Good morning," she nodded, glancing between them for a moment to be sure she hadn't misjudged and interrupted them. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but something smells wonderful…."

Presea reached out to nudge the serving plate of muffins toward one of the open seats. "We were just talking," she murmured, implying in no way that Liane was unwelcome. "And Regal baked blueberry muffins. They're very good."

There's more in the oven for the others," Regal added casually, nodding to the chair and the plate of muffins.

From the hint of a smile on the shackled man's lips, Liane guessed that he knew she had overheard their conversation, but he didn't say anything – and neither did she. It was enough reassurance for her after her worry on his behalf the day before. Things were slowly righting themselves for Regal and Presea – enough so that they could be talking about facing the future. "I think I'll take you up on that offer," Liane smiled and pulled out the chair to sit down, reaching for a muffin once she was settled. "They smell heavenly… more than enough to make me glad I woke up early…."

Much to her delight, they were more than good enough… so much so that she was sure to carefully pack an extra one in her bag for later. It made her supply pack that much more precious as the party left Meltokio and returned to Altamira. As it had the last time they had visited, the seaside paradise welcomed them with warm sunshine and endless blue skies. Though the group's visit still carried life-or-death importance, Liane still allowed herself to embrace yet another sign of a good day. Even Colette laughed and ran out ahead of the party to play with a dog that was sunning itself on the boardwalk.

As they boarded the railcar bound for the Lezareno building, Liane glanced back toward the city… admiring the soaring glass tower of the hotel and the bright white sand of the beach. Before she realized it, her cheeks were hot, and she quickly made sure that her back was to her companions. She knew all too well where the blush had come from.

_He still hasn't said anything…._

The observation held a note of grateful awe. She kept the memory of that one night locked away tightly… one of the most precious and embarrassing of her memories – and a secret that Regal had seemed content to let her keep. Not thinking about it was safer than worrying about how she had endangered a friendship – or tread on that friend's time of mourning for lost love. _If anything… maybe it made us better friends_, she reasoned and drew in a deep breath of the sea air as the railcar lurched under her feet. _We were both weak that night… it was just something we both needed – just to be sure we weren't alone._ Carefully, she tucked the memory away and tested herself by glancing over her shoulder to find Regal standing at the bow of the vessel, watching the headquarters of his company creep closer. _My friend… _she labeled him silently, finding a smile by how she couldn't feel any doubts in her mind at the thought. _Thanks… for not holding that night against me…._

The pleasant woman in the lobby of the Lezareno Building warmly welcomed Regal and his companions, directing them to the President's office. A few moments and one cramped elevator ride later, the Duke led them out of the lift and crossed the room to the old man in the maroon suit that stood before the windows. The man turned when the elevator rang the announcement of its arrival, but he waited until Regal stood before him to bow his head cordially to the Duke.

"Is everything running smoothly?" Regal asked when George lifted his eyes to him.

George opened his mouth to answer, but then hesitated. "Yes, the business is," he answered, his voice hitching slightly as his groomed mustache drooped with a frown. "However, the sealed Exsphere mine was raided by someone. We believe it was the work of Vharley, but fortunately, it appears that access to the core area was prevented."

Liane would have sworn she felt the mood of the party darken at the servant's report. She tightened one hand into a fist and looked away toward the windows with a sigh. _Knew it was too good to be true._ Just the mention of the Exsphere broker's name was enough to bring back the seemingly endless parade of trials, no matter how well the day had started.

"So it would seem," Regal responded with a heavy sigh. "But it is safe to assume that there will be no more trouble of that nature. Vharley is dead."

The elder servant's jaw dropped at the President's news. "Are you certain of this?!"

"In _other _words," Zelos lifted his voice to insinuate himself into the conversation. "Alicia was avenged, through the actions of Regal and Presea."

There was an edge in the Chosen's voice that Liane couldn't quite place… and it brought her back into the conversation that she had tried to slip away from for a few moments. Zelos wore a smile, but the look he had fixed on George was definitely a glare. _George was at least as responsible for what happened to Alicia as Vharley,_ she reminded herself, the explanation neatly defining why her skin had been fairly crawling since they had entered the room to meet with the servant. _I wonder… if he was punished in any way for his hand in things._ Though she hadn't pressed the topic, it seemed to her that George had escaped the incident almost disgustingly well. _He took Alicia away from Regal… and in return, he's been running the Lezareno Company for eight years while Regal's been away._ It was at that moment that she realized that she, too, was glaring at George. _You certainly aren't hurting in the least, are you?_

"I see…" George murmured, stroking his neatly groomed beard thoughtfully. "This is good news."

Liane bristled at how he spoke… the 'good news' declared with as much emotion as if he had just noticed that he had a hangnail.

George lifted his eyes back to the blue-haired Duke and clasped his hands behind his back as if shrugging the previous discussion – and any of the group's reactions – away. "Are you just here to report this information?" he asked, his jovial tone only barely masking the impatience in his words as he turned to move back behind the desk.

"No," Regal replied evenly, his eyes following the movements of his servant as he waited for George's attention to return to him. "I have other business. I want to take a look at the records concerning past mining operations. Please unlock the door to the archives."

The servant remained still for a few long moments as if he was considering Regal's request. Finally, he sighed softly and reached to the side of the desk, where he pressed one of a discrete row of buttons set against the dark wood. "Documents related to past mining operations should be in the left room of the second floor of the archive," he stated and clasped his hands behind his back once again.

"I see. Thank you," Regal replied with a quick nod before he turned on his heel and started to cross the office back to the elevator without another word or look for George.

The party was slow to follow their companion, the discussion left seemingly unfinished. But when Regal reached the elevator and turned to wait for them, it appeared that he had nothing left to say to George. Liane took one more moment to frown at George – only to find that he may as well have been a statue – stiff and still… simply waiting for them to leave. _I do _not _like you._ She glared her declaration at the old man because she knew it wasn't her place to speak such things… and even if she had, she knew it wouldn't affect his life in the least. _Regal is a far kinder person than I could ever be_.

Liane found the idea a little easier to accept when she realized that she wasn't the last one to step into the lift. As she turned to face back into the office, she saw that Zelos had actually stopped a few steps from the elevator and made a special effort to cast an acidic glare back to George before joining the rest of the party and reaching for the button that would take them to the second floor.

_Hmm. Okay… I forgive you for a few of those 'Warrior Goddess' cracks_, she smirked, mentally amending the redhead's annoyance tally.

The damage had already been done to the mood of the party, though. Conversation as they passed through the archive was minimal at best, but the records they sought were all labeled meticulously to the point that their search was limited to Lloyd pulling a single file from the shelf. The swordsman turned back to the group, the file open across his arms. "The last zircon shipment was –"

A sharp wind swept through the archive room, cutting Lloyd's words off before they could become useful. It was a moment of stunned chaos as a dark form darted around the room only to solidify well out of the reach of the party into the form of a masked man swathed in deep red. "Wh… what the…?" Lloyd choked, staring at the intruder, his mouth hanging open.

"Well, well. What have we here," the masked man chuckled as he flipped the file open, paying no attention to the presence of the room's other occupants.

"Kuchinawa!" Sheena gasped, pushing her way through the group to face the ninja.

Lloyd was suddenly at the summoner's side, both blades drawn. "The Pope is gone. Vharley is dead," the teen growled in frustration. "Why do you still get in our way?!"

It was a reasonable enough question, Liane decided as she took a step away from Genis and drew her sword._ There's no room to fight… and the records could be destroyed if it got out of hand._ It was a reflexive thought… one of several that flooded her mind. Kuchinawa's appearances had coincided with some of their most pivotal moments – including when they'd been forced through the Otherworldly Gate and before Regal had confessed the truth of his crimes. _What is he doing… just waiting for us to come to Altamira?_

"This is about me, isn't it?" Sheena asked, her voice low, though it was clear that it was a statement instead of a true question as she lowered her arms to her sides.

"Of course!" Kuchinawa snapped, his mask adding a slight rasp to the sneer as he slapped the file shut and his glare pinned the summoner. "Because of you, my parents and countless members of our village died." He advanced a step on Sheena. "The Chief has not awoken from his coma for ten years!"

Sheena hung her head. "I… I'm sorry."

The masked ninja shook his head once in a violent flash of denial. "You think apologizing will cut it?! I will _never _forgive you!"

The summoner winced as if she had been struck, but she still lifted her eyes to Kuchinawa, her arms stiffening. "Kuchinawa! If I'm the one you hate –"

"Sheena!" Lloyd called as he reached out for her arm and squeezed. "If you're going to suggest sacrificing yourself again, I'll never forgive you!"

Sheena shook her head, but never took her eyes from Kuchinawa. "No. If I'm the one you hate, let's have a one-on-one duel, as dictated by village custom."

Liane frowned. She didn't like it, though her friend's suggestion at least implied that she would fight instead of simply handing herself over to Kuchinawa's revenge. There was an odd calm in her voice as she had replied to both Lloyd and Kuchinawa. _She… seems to be in control,_ the swordswoman observed, shifting her eyes to Sheena and keeping her sword tight in her hand. _But he's not giving up on this… he's already followed us this far._

Kuchinawa snorted and crossed his arms, the file tucked neatly beneath his arms. "Do you really think you can defeat me alone?"

"Well?" Sheena retorted without responding to his condescension. "Do you accept my challenge?"

The masked ninja's glare sharpened, the look building to the point that it was almost scathing before he finally nodded. "Very well. Do you want to do it here and now?"

Sheena shook her head and slowly shifted her stance, the tension in her frame easing slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "We'll follow the village custom and fight on the Isle of Decision," she stated and turned partially to the swordsman beside her. "Is that all right with you, Lloyd?"

Lloyd looked to Sheena and sighed before slowly sheathing his blades and sliding his untrusting gaze back to Kuchinawa. "I guess it wouldn't be much use to try to stop you."

"Thanks," Sheena murmured, her gaze following Lloyd's back to Kuchinawa as if to seal their bargain.

In the space of a few tense words, Sheena had masterfully taken control of the situation… and she was now poised to end it on her own terms. Though Liane didn't like the idea of her friend facing the ninja that made it clear that he wanted her dead on her own… she had to admire Sheena's skill… and her confidence.

Kuchinawa grumbled without forming words, finally turning away from Sheena and her companions. "I'll be waiting for you on the Isle of Decision," he rasped, his displeasure more than obvious.

"Wait," Sheena called after the ninja, stopping him in mid-stride as he retreated from the archive room. When he turned just enough to shift his eyes back to her, she moved out a step ahead of the rest of the party, her arm extended expectantly. "Give us back that document."

The ninja looked down to the folder in his hand and shook his head. "This is the proof of your promise to fight."

Liane's grip on her sword tensed as the others shifted restlessly. _Do we have to fight after all?_ she wondered dismally. _At least Sheena wouldn't have to fight alone after all…._

Sheena's hand curled into a fist. "Colette may _die_ if we don't have that!" she exclaimed, her calm melting away for a moment. Then, her shoulders heaved and she loosened her fist to reach into her sash, producing a small golden ball that dangled at the end of a ribbon. She held it out to the other ninja. "If you need proof of the duel, I'll give you this," she spoke, her voice softer as her eyes never left her offering.

"And that is…?" Kuchinawa sneered without reaching for the item.

"Corrine's… memento…" Sheena replied, sounding just a little more lost than she had before.

The archive room fell silent… no one moving until Kuchinawa swiped the bell out of Sheena's hand and thrust the file at her. Liane felt horrible for Sheena as the bell rang with the movement, a mockingly cheerful sound that brought back memories of the friendly little summon spirit. _All this… to save the girl that she was originally sent to kill,_ she sighed and slid her sword back into its scabbard, the depth of Sheena's commitment to the group and their goal coming into sharp focus… and giving Liane one more example of the immeasurable strength and spirit of her companions.

"Very well," Kuchinawa snapped, muffling the ringing bell with his hand and stuffing it into a pocket on his belt. His eyes shifted back to Sheena within the shadows of his hood. "If you do not come, I will grind this bell to dust." With his threat delivered, the ninja turned without a sound and disappeared from the room.

Sheena didn't watch her former friend's retreat. She remained still, her expression betraying no sign of anger or regret even though she was the absolute center of the group's attention.

Colette moved to the summoner's side, watching her with wide, worried eyes for a few moments as her lips worked to shape words. "Sheena… I know how important that was to you," the blonde girl finally spoke as guilt weighed her shoulders down. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," the black-haired young woman responded, a weak smile curling her lips as she looked to Colette. "All I have to do is… defeat him. I'm… not going to run away any more." She waited for the blonde girl to lift her eyes before turning back to Lloyd and drawing in a deep breath. "The Isle of Decision is reached from Mizuho, so can we stop by there later?" This time, she didn't wait for a response as she turned and placed the file in Regal's hands. "_Anyway_, we have to get the zircon first. Colette's health is more important."

Liane knew that she couldn't be the only one that noticed Sheena's disjointed words that really served to point out how Kuchinawa had rattled her. While she wished there was something she could do, Liane could see that Sheena was trying to settle the grudge as fairly as possible using the ways of her people. _Trying to dissuade her would probably be disrespectful…_ the swordswoman sighed, hoping that the ninja would tell them if she needed then… it really was all that could be done. "Let's get moving, then," she sighed. "I don't think we'll get lucky enough that the zircon will be waiting for us here."

"Yeah, all right," Lloyd mumbled with a frown that lingered on Sheena for as long as it took him to speak his reluctant agreement before shifting to Regal. "Where's the zircon?"

The shackled man shifted his fingers over the folder as it balanced over his arms, blue eyes scanning the pages for a few quiet moments before he nodded and looked up again. "It says the last shipment was sent to the Imperial Research Academy in Sybak."

"Okay, let's get going," Lloyd accepted Regal's observation and reached out to take the file back. He returned it to the shelf and then paused to make sure everyone was following before leading them back to the elevators.

To Liane, Colette looked more miserable with every step, and Sheena didn't look much better, though she hid it better under a mask of calm. They had a direction, which was all they had asked of Lezareno and Altamira, so the trip wasn't a waste… it had simply brought more complications. As the railcar churned back through the water to the mainland, everyone seemed to feel the building weight of the tasks before them… and somehow, Sheena appeared to be the calmest o all. Liane debated on speaking to the ninja for a few moments, but she still ended up standing beside her at the railing, keeping her eyes on the expanse of water to the side of the craft – just as Sheena did. "Is there anything we can do… or will it just make things worse for you?" she asked, partially dreading the answer.

Sheena didn't react at first, but then her shoulders slowly relaxed. "His complaint is with me… for something that happened long before I met any of you," she answered evenly. "Even Kuchinawa wouldn't drag any of you into this unless you got in his way." Then she turned to look to the brown-haired woman beside her with a sigh and a decidedly sad half-smile. "This is the way our clan has settled challenges throughout its history. It will be a final answer and the dispute will be done… one way or the other."

"But… if you have to fight…" Liane started to object before she realized that she didn't _want_ to finish the statement.

"Like I said… it will be done," Sheena shrugged and looked back out over the waves. "If Kuchinawa is claiming vengeance on the part of the clan, even he will accept that. It's really the only way to get him to let go of this."

Her decision was set… her reasoning sound and probably as fair as it could be. But even the recognition of those facts didn't make it any easier for Liane. Knowing that she couldn't speak out against the Mizuhoan tradition without offending Sheena or making it harder for her, Liane kept her jaw locked tightly and tried to ignore the half-options that struggled to form in her mind as they moved back through the tourist town and out into the open plains beyond the city gates. _It's about honor…_ she told herself as the group's Rheairds lifted up into the clear morning skies. _Sheena… Regal… Lloyd… they're all trying to do right by their own honor and that of the people they care for._ She steered her flyer along with the others, though her thoughts drifted somewhere considerably further away. _I wonder why Kratos is doing all of this… it has to be his own plan… it's too inconsistent to be all Cruxis… all Tethe'alla… or Sylvarant… or us…._

The distracting need for reason kept Liane from noticing that their flight path had shifted from Sybak until the group began to slow… and she realized that there was a grassy landing pad beneath them – suspended in mid-air. _What in the…._ The swordswoman's thought trailed off. It may have been 'in' the world… but it was definitely not 'on' the world… the patchwork of blues, greens, and browns far below making that fact beyond obvious. As Raine's Rheaird touched down to the meadow that gave "out of place" an all-new definition, Liane realized that it wasn't just the meadow… it was an entire village sprawled out on a series of suspended limbs. It was difficult for her to consider cutting the power to the engine that held her Rheaird aloft until she realized that she was the last one to do so. With a cringe, Liane heard the powerful whine the she was growing accustomed to wind down into silence… and carefully stepped down from the metal platform of the flyer, still half-expecting the ground to fall out from beneath her feet.

When the ground proved itself solid, Liane's stomach began its slow crawl back out of her throat as she realized the quiet peace that had taken over in the wake of the engines. Even the winds were surprisingly calm, which helped a little to set the place apart from the only other place she could think to compare the floating town to… the dragon's nest.

"Raine… what is this place?" Genis lifted his voice over the light winds as he led the others to his sister. Raine, however, was standing at the junction of the platform and the walkway that tied it to the rest of the floating town. She didn't respond to her brother, keeping her back to him and the others and her eyes on the town. The silver-haired mage waited… and then finally reached out to tug on the Professor's jacket. _"Raine!"_

Raine looked down, apparently startled by her brother's insistent call. She blinked in her distraction and finally turned halfway back to the party. "Exire…" she finally answered, though the single word was still uncharacteristically unsure and shaken for being spoken by the Professor. "The only place safe… for half-elves…" she murmured, her eyes fixing on Genis for a few long moments before she turned and started across the walkway without another word.

"What?" Genis choked, staring after his sister until he threw himself into a run to catch up to her. "Hey! Raine! Wait up!"

Liane and Lloyd exchanged puzzled looks before she realized that the rest of the group wore the same expression. _Whatever's going on, Raine can't let it go…_ Liane realized and bit the edge of her lip. Raine being so lost was unnerving to her… she was used to the Professor being the focused one… the one that would always be their constant. Liane sucked in a quick breath refused the urge to look over the edge of the walkway and waved over her shoulder to the others. "Come on…" she called, steadying her voice as best she could – just like in the early days of her apprenticeship with Raine in the classroom. "We can't let them run off on their own."

To her surprise, the others followed her without question. Leading wasn't a position that felt natural to her, even though she knew that it would have to be something she got used to if she was ever going to actually achieve her goal of being a teacher. It was something she had slowly begun to realize that she envied in Lloyd – how easily he led the group through their disturbingly blind tasks without actively demanding that leadership.

When they reached the next platform, the town began to take form…. The fact that it floated in the sky growing less prominent as buildings and milling townsfolk appeared, making it feel no different than any other small town they had visited in their travels. Raine and Genis had stopped in the center of the platform, both of them looking around the modest buildings. Liane held back for a moment, wondering if she should let them be before finally deciding to leave that up to the Sage siblings. _If this is a village of half-elves… maybe this is something they need to see on their own. _It seemed that the townspeople only regarded them with mild curiosity, though, and she made the decision to approach Raine and Genis… leading the others to stand with their friends. "Raine? Genis? Did you want us to wait for you back with the Rheairds… or…?"

Genis looked up to his sister in deference, but Raine was already shaking her head. "No… no, I just saw it… I remember it," the Professor murmured, her voice still slightly distracted, though now bearing a slightly apologetic note as she looked back to the others. "I remember it… like I remembered the Otherworldly Gate, and – "

"Virginia."

Raine's eyes widened at the word and spun to the man that had approached from her other side. She stared blankly at the man for a moment before she spoke again, and control she had reclaimed gone by the time she found her voice. "You know my mother?"

Liane saw surprise in the elder man's wizened eyes, but what concerned her more was how the one almost-sternly spoken name had shaken her mentor. _Her mother?_ She looked gown to Genis to find the boy's expression mirrored that of his sister. _Goddess…._

The elder frowned a little and leaned closer to Raine before he began to nod. "I see. So you are Virginia's –"

"I you know my mother, please tell me…" Raine interrupted the man, her voice wavering as she blindly grasped for Genis' hand. "Is she… she's in this city, isn't she?"

The man studied Raine closely before his eyes slid to Genis… and then briefly to the rest of the party before he turned and motioned for them to follow him to a nearby stone house. He waited at the door for a moment to be sure they were still following before he opened the door and led them inside. Once the party stood before him, the door closed behind them, he drew a long breath and looked directly at Raine. "You should not meet her," he stated simply. "Even if you did… it would do you no good."

Raine stood tall and quiet, staring back at the elder man. Slowly, her gaze narrowed on him, her expression hardening in defiance. "Lloyd… please, find Virginia," she asked, almost as casually as if she were calling on the teen to solve an arithmetic problem… all the while never looking away from the man.

Lloyd started slightly and appeared unsure of where to look. "R… right," he muttered after watching his teacher and Genis as if waiting for them to repeat the request. Then, when neither sibling gave him what he seemed to seek, he looked around to the rest of the party. "Okay."

The elder man made no attempt to stop them, but Liane couldn't help but hear the sigh that accompanied how his shoulders drooped as the party began to depart. Standing back to let Lloyd lead Raine, Genis, and the others from the dwelling, she studied the man. He had just enough point to the tips of his ears to suggest that Raine had correctly guessed the city's identity… but as hard as she tried, she couldn't find any sign of maliciousness to go with his words to Raine. _Why would he deny them seeing their own mother? He obviously saw the resemblance…._

The man had already turned his back on the party before Liane reached the door, eliminating the need for goodbyes or other pleasantries. It didn't seem that he would stop them - nor did any of the others they passed on the cobbled paths try to even slow them down. Lloyd walked out ahead of the party with Raine and Genis… leaving enough space between them and the rest of the party that Liane felt like she could speak without upsetting the Sages. _Maybe someone else had noticed something…._ "What am I missing here?" she sighed, carefully keeping her voice low as Lloyd led their silver-haired companions closer to a vendor that was tending to the front of her shop. "No one's trying to stop us… he didn't deny that their mother was here… but… something is not right."

"Maybe Virginia is gone… you know, maybe… she's shopping or just not home?" Colette turned to the swordswoman with a shrug. "It wouldn't do them any good… if she wasn't home…?"

Regal shook his head. "He also said that they _should_ not meet her. I'm afraid it might not be that easy."

"If their mother is here, maybe she's into the whole 'leave the world behind' thing," Zelos huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and watching any inhabitant that got close. "Maybe she doesn't want to see them."

"That would just be cruel," Liane frowned at the redheaded Chosen. She heard a bitter note in his voice, but she was more concerned that Raine and Genis hadn't heard him. Ahead, Lloyd was leading the siblings down yet another walkway… and Liane breathed out in relief. "Come on… maybe that woman told them something…."

The group quickened their pace to stay within sight of Lloyd, Raine, and Genis, but midway across the path that joined the platforms, Presea slowed down. "Perhaps Virginia is dead," she murmured quietly, almost coming to a stop. "It would do them no good to merely find a grave."

The winds that had at least been pleasant the moment before now seemed ice-cold to Liane._ It just gets worse and worse, _she thought miserably even though she couldn't come up with a reason to shoot down the ax girl's theory. _It happened to her… graves are all she has left of her father… and her sister._

Sheena slowed down enough to place her hand on the back of Presea's shoulder to urge the girl to continue forward. "That would have been easy enough to tell them," the summoner reasoned. "Plus, he said 'even if you did' after he told them that they shouldn't. Who can say why she sent them away… without _knowing_, they can believe whatever they want."

Once they reached the other end of the walkway, they almost walked into where Lloyd, Genis, and Raine stood outside of a small, humble house that stood out in no way from any of the others around it. Liane exchanged looks with the others, but continued forward with them until they had closed back into a single group again. Lloyd glanced back nervously, and Liane caught his attention, pointedly shifting her eyes to the house that the swordsman had been watching. _Is that it?_

A single nod of his head made her heart twist. Liane saw Raine's shoulders straighten… and the silver-haired woman stepped up to the door, hand outstretched to knock on the wood….

"You'd best avoid that place…."

Raine hesitated, pulling back from the door slightly as a woman passed by. The townswoman didn't stop, she merely watched them all with interest as she continued down the path.

"Why?" Lloyd asked as the woman continued to the house next door.

The woman shrugged and paused on the stoop of her house. "There's an elf woman who lives there, and she's a bit of a strange one," she murmured as if passing on a bit of tasty gossip before pushing open her door and disappearing inside.

"It can't be…" Raine murmured, her voice wavering as she looked back to the door before her. "Mother _is_ in this house?"

With that, the Professor pushed the door open, entering without knocking as if something was physically drawing her in. Genis looked over his shoulder to the others and frowned, swallowing hard as he stepped over the threshold of the house to follow his sister.

"Who's there?"

The voice was delicately feminine and sweet as it filtered out to the others. They exchanged quick looks as if they were all looking for reasons to follow or stay… but when Lloyd finally sighed and stepped through the door, the decision was made. Liane entered with Colette behind the swordsman, the Tethe'allans all hesitating until the original Sylvarant core of the party had entered. She understood… though that didn't mean that she wanted to be there any more than before. _She's not dead then… that only leaves the sad options…._

As the group gathered in the small central room of the house, Raine and Genis stood before a figure hunched in a chair. The siblings stood together with Lloyd just a step behind and to their side… their eyes fixed on the woman with obviously familiar silver hair.

"Excuse us," Raine cleared her throat when the woman wouldn't look up. When the other woman didn't respond, she took another small step closer. "I have something I would like to ask you…."

At that, the woman looked up, her hair falling down into her face as she peered up at Raine. "Oh, half-elves," she murmured without acknowledging the request. "My child is a half-elf, too." She shifted her arms before her, the movement slow and deliberate as she held out the thing she clutched so close that it had been unnoticeable until that moment.

"It's a doll," Lloyd breathed out, his eyebrows knitting tightly together.

It _was_ a doll… complete with bright blue button eyes and frayed white yarn for hair. Liane stared at the doll's forever-happy smile… and felt her blood run cold. _No…._ But the woman paid no heed to her silent plea as she pulled the doll back into her arms and gently cradled it against her once again.

"See?" the woman crooned, curling a finger beneath the doll's chin. "She has such an intelligent looking face, doesn't she?" she whispered and nuzzled the doll to her cheek beneath the silver veil of hair. "Her name is Raine. She's my pride and joy."

Genis took a step back, his hair swaying gently as he shook his head. "Huh?" he murmured. "She has the same name as…." His voice grew more lost with every word. "It can't be…."

The woman continued to lovingly rock the doll, humming softly for a few moments… a noise that would have been easily lost had there been any other sound in the room. "Right now, I have another child on the way," she whispered happily. "I've already decided on a name. If it's a girl, it's Jean. If it's a boy, it's Genis." It wasn't entirely clear who the elven woman was speaking to until she looked up and freed one hand to tuck her disheveled long silver hair back over her ear. "What do you think? Aren't they lovely names?"

Liane could only stare at the face of the blissfully happy woman. She may as well have been Raine's sister – her features only slightly more delicate if they were closely searched. _It's her… it's really her…._ It should have been a happy reunion – but that chance was long past. _She doesn't see them… right in front of her…._ The dark haired young woman forced her eyes to the ground, unable to continue to watch the scene playing out. _That's why the elder… didn't want them to see her…._

"What?" Genis whispered, a faint whimper in the word. "Then…."

Lloyd moved to stand behind Genis, facing the woman with a frown. "Are you Virginia?" he asked quietly, even though his tone said that the boy who _could _be so oblivious already knew the answer.

The woman's face lit with a smile. "Yes, that's right," she nodded and continued to rock the doll. "How did you know?"

Liane looked up… she had to. She heard Genis' gasp as any doubts there had been evaporated… and she saw Raine hang her head. No one spoke… though Liane was sure she heard Colette choke softly beside her. There was only the humming… a lilting lullaby, perhaps… and then there was the rustling of the thick fabric of an orange over jacket… and the light creak of a hand grinding its grip around a staff.

"_Stop this!"_

Raine's voice shook with pain, though she didn't look up. The humming stopped abruptly, and no one dared even breathe. Only Lloyd moved… reaching over to place a hand on Raine's shoulder. "Professor Sage…."

But Raine shrugged out from Lloyd's touch with a violent snap of her shoulders. "Stop this!" she demanded again, advancing another step on the woman in the chair. Virginia clamped her eyes shut, cowering as she pulled her toll tightly against her chest. "What were you thinking?! Do you know what happened to the two of us since you abandoned us?!"

Lloyd hovered near the Professor, almost as if he was ready to hold her back… while Genis hung his head, his shoulders drooping as he didn't even react to his sister's anger. Liane edge up behind the mage and placed her hands on his shoulders, allowing him to lean back against her. _Raine's right to be angry… no one can deny her that,_ she frowned as she felt Genis shake. He was her friend… her little brother almost as much as Lloyd was. He had no memories of his mother or father… not entirely unlike Lloyd. But he always had Raine… his true big sister… the woman that had raised him and had every right to be proud of him. _His own mother… doesn't even know he exists…._

"Wh… what?" Virginia stammered, her eyes still clenched shut and her head shaking to free her hair to fall back into her face. "Why were you raising your voice like that? You'll wake Raine."

"_I'm_ Raine!" the Professor exploded in grief-fueled anger. She towered over the woman in the chair as Virginia cowered and curled herself around her doll. "_I'm _the daughter you shunned and abandoned! Not that doll!" She thrust a shaking hand out toward her brother. "Genis is here, too!"

Virginia cringed, her shaking head splaying her straight hair as it swirled around her face. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice weak… lost. "There must be something wrong with you."

Genis turned a little more into Liane's grasp. She felt the shaking in his shoulders becoming a constant… and she ached for both him and his sister. There was nothing she could do… they probably deserved the truth, though it was hard to believe they deserved something so cruel.

"You're the one that's wrong!" Raine retorted angrily, her voice choked with tears. "How could you… how could you…."

The woman in the chair curled up more, her rocking almost frantic as she cooed to her toll. "Oh, now you've gone and made Raine cry," she murmured softly before her head suddenly snapped up. She glared out from under the fall of silver hair, though her blue eyes danced erratically… looking _through_ those that stood before her. "Please, leave!" Then she lifted her hand to the doll in her arms, stroking her 'daughter's' cheek lovingly. "There, there… it's okay… the scary people have gone now. Don't cry…."

Liane realized that the words were right… they were meant for Raine… _but it's not the doll that needs comforting._ She cringed as a strangled sob ripped from the Professor's throat and Raine spun, pushing through the group to throw the door open. The awkward quiet left in wake of Raine's departure slowly filled again with the humming of an adoring mother… and Liane saw Genis lift his head to Virginia.

The young mage was still for a moment… and then he turned his back on her. "Raine!" he called, slipping out of Liane's reach to follow his sister.

The swordswoman couldn't stop him. She couldn't tell him he was wrong… and she couldn't defend his mother. She was right there… the woman who had given birth to both of them – but she couldn't – or wouldn't? – see them. It took only a moment for the party left behind to exchange quick looks before they also turned away from Virginia and slipped quietly out of the house, Sheena closing the door behind them.

Raine hadn't made it far from the house… she was on her knees in the waving grass as they approached, Genis standing behind her, his arms draped around her neck. "How could she?" Raine muttered quietly, her voice still shaking. "First she abandons her children, and then she abandons the memory of doing so!" She shook her head and turned enough to wrap an arm around her brother. "She… she doesn't even remember us."

"Raine… don't cry…" Genis sniffed, still clinging to his sister as the others quietly gathered around them.

No one seemed to know what to say. Lloyd hovered near the siblings but looked to Liane as if he was ready to crawl out of his skin in his helplessness. _At least he knows his mother loved him… even if he doesn't remember her,_ Liane mused, biting her lip as she knelt to pick up Raine's Ancient Rod where she must have dropped it in her flight from the house. She wanted to leave the floating city… gather all of her friends and leave without looking back – but the damage was done… neither Raine nor Genis would forget.

"So you met Virginia."

The observation came from the path that lead back through the town, and all but the Sage siblings turned to find the elder man that had advised against the meeting watching them quietly, his hands clasped behind his back. Liane rose, Raine's staff in hand, as Lloyd cast one more long look to Raine and Genis before sighing and walking to face the elder.

"Why is she here?" the crimson-clad teen asked, his voice respectfully low as he gestured toward the house behind them.

The man looked to the house, his eyes lingering on it for a moment before he took a few steps past Lloyd to approach Raine and Genis. "Several years ago, I found a husband and wife collapsed of exhaustion in the Ymir Forest," he stated gently, his eyes searching the siblings until Genis looked up to him. "It was Virginia and her husband, Kloitz."

"Father…" Raine murmured miserably, without looking up, clasping her hands together before her as Genis pulled away, his attention on the elder.

The man nodded. "It seems Kloitz was dispatched from Meltokio to investigate the elf village. He fell in love with Virginia and remained in Heimdall, but –"

"But a half-elf that lived in the village tried to sell out our father to the soldiers," Raine continued his story without looking up, her voice sounding far away… lost in a memory. "It became a huge incident. Fighting broke out between the elves and half-elves…."

Liane had never heard the story before. To her, Raine and Genis had always simply been in Iselia, even though she knew that she vaguely remembered the brief time before the girl and her baby brother had arrived. Raine was only slightly older than she was, but because of her own accident and of how Raine had always been more of a protective mother figure to Genis, it was easy to forget that the gap was as small as it was. _She's carried this story with her the whole time…._

The elder nodded slowly along with Raine's recollection, and turned his sympathetic gaze back to Genis. The cause of the incident, Virginia's family was banished from the village. They travelled from land to land, but the world was not kind to half-elves…."

"And we were abandoned," Genis finished the statement sullenly, hanging his head as his hands curled into fists.

"So it would seem," the elder agreed softly. His frown deepened. "And Kloitz must have been ill, for he died soon after they arrived in this village. Virginia began to lose her mind from that day."

_It all fell apart._ Liane closed her eyes and moved back to stand with the others, Raine's rod grasped tightly in her hands. The story of her friends' family got more tragic with every addition. _Their story started with love… as it should… and it all went away… they lost everything. _How many versions did the story have? _Raine and Genis… Lloyd's parents… Regal and Alicia… maybe Kratos and his wife and son… why does love always have to be linked to loss?_

"She's _unbelievably_ selfish!" Raine suddenly exploded, on her feet in the blink of an eye, her rate turned with her glare on the village elder. "She tosses us aside on a whim… and then forgets us…." Tears boiled out of her reddened eyes as she turned to glare accusingly at the house that held her mother. "And then goes off into her own little world of dreams!"

The elder turned his patient gaze to the Professor and fell silent as if waiting for another outburst. When nothing filled the silence, he drew another breath. "Even so, Virginia was worried about you two," he stated calmly. ""In the legendary land of Sylvarant, surely half-elves will be free from discrimination…." "I want them to be happy." That's what she said."

Raine turned to the elder with wide eyes. "I've heard enough!"

Genis sighed and walked to his sister's side, reaching out to take her hand before he turned back to face the others. No one seemed to be willing to break the silence until the elder nodded his apparent acceptance and began to turn back toward the town. "I've been keeping Virginia's diary safe here," he commented quietly before his back turned completely to them. "You can come get it at any time, if you ever decide you want it."

Liane exchanged a glance with Lloyd… and they both sighed at the same time. With Raine and Genis merely standing in silence, it was difficult – if not impossible – to even consider doing anything that they wouldn't agree to. Looking down to the staff in her hands, Liane chewed her lip. _It can't be good for them to just stand here… in limbo…._ It wasn't any kind of closure… not really. _But how much more can they take? It's already more than they wanted…._

After a few more moments of growingly uneasy peace, it was Presea that separated herself form the party to approach the frozen siblings. Without any sign of hesitation, she reached out to Genis' arm, her hand closing over his wrist. The boy jumped as if he'd been shocked, but the ax girl merely waited for his eyes to settle on her. "You should look at the diary," she told the boy softly before she looked up to the Professor. "There may be more of your mother there than there is in that house."

Raine's expression remained blank for a few moments before it melted into a frown as she looked down to her brother with a sight. "I know I can't face her again… not now," she murmured almost apologetically. "I'll leave it to you."

The half-elven boy nodded slowly and looked back to Presea… and then to the others. His eyes remained clouded with indecision for a few more moments before he finally lowered his head. "I think I want to see the diary. I don't remember Mother or Father. I don't want to only remember my Mother like…." Words failed him and he shifted his eyes back to the house. "Like that."

Presea let her hand fall away with a nod. Liane was grateful to the girl who had broken them free of the tortured silence and still allowed it to be Raine and Genis' decision. Approaching her mentor, Liane held the Ancient Rod out to her. "We can go whenever you like," she told them both, knowing that she spoke for the others as well. "Just make sure it's what you want to do."

The Professor accepted the weapon with a nod as she drew in a breath that seemed to rejuvenate her form a little. "Maybe we shouldn't have come," she murmured thoughtfully, resting her hand on Genis' head for a moment. "Maybe it was better not knowing. "I'm sorry."

Genis was quick to shake his head. "No," he stated sharply and reached for her free hand again. "It's never better to not know. You taught me that."

The party allowed Raine and Genis to lead the way back through the town, but Liane, Lloyd, and Colette followed behind them, ahead of their Tethe'allan comrades. It had become a matter of not only friendship, but also family, and no one spoke of any delays that Exire had caused. Liane was content to follow and let the Sages set the pace, though it admittedly left her trying to ignore some uncomfortable questions – including wondering how she would deal with the losses most of her companions had suffered in their lives. Many of them had lost family… though she could only speculate with Regal, Zelos, and Sheena.

Raine paused when they reached the elder's house, glancing down to Genis before she inhaled and rapped on the door. They only had to wait a moment before the door opened and the elder eyed them knowingly. "Do you want to read the diary?" he asked, opening the door wide for them all to enter.

"Yes, please," Genis replied politely for both himself and his sister. The elder waited only long enough to look to Raine as if checking for an objection before he turned to a small bookshelf and removed a small book with worn leather binding. He held it out between the Sages, forcing it on neither of them… waiting for them to accept it.

A frown began to tug at Lloyd's lips after a few moments that left neither of the half-elves reaching for the book. "Professor… this is…."

"You don't have to do this," Liane spoke almost surprising herself, though her voice was soft. Her friends were already hurting… they could all sense it. "But no matter what's in that diary… remember… you have each other, and… you have us. I know it's not the same… not really… but…." She stopped, only barely holding back a groan. After waiting for a moment, she slowly relaxed when she realized that no one had laughed or contradicted her. All of them had been content to let the siblings deal with the revelations in peace… not even Zelos tried to lighten the uncomfortable atmosphere.

Raine lifted her hand and took the diary from the elder. She stared at the unmarked cover for a few long moments before her eyes slid to her brother. A sad smile curled her lips and then she turned to her apprentice… watching Liane for a long, silent moment before holding the diary out to her.

Words failed the swordswoman at what she could only interpret as a request. _Me? But…._ It slowly made sense. _They've been through enough. I don't know if I could read it if I were in their place… and certainly not aloud. _Liane accepted the book, lifting it from Raine's hand and opening the stiff cover from the back… paging through several blank and time-browned pages before she found writing. To her relief, it was legible… a tight, neat scrawl that graced all the pages from that point to the front of the book. Biting the edge of her lip, she turned back to the last pages of writing, deciding that it was still a deeply personal item for the Sages. _The last few pages… would be closest to when they were last with her…._ Her eyes fell on words near the end that names a place she herself was familiar with… and she drew a breath. "The Otherworldly Gate had opened," she started evenly, lifting her voice only high enough that they could all hear. "Raine, Genis, please forgive your powerless mother. Surely even the Imperial Research Academy will not follow you to Sylvarant. This must be a better choice than to spend your life in that damp, filthy dungeon like a slave. Please, make your way to freedom…." She stared at the page for a moment and then slowly closed the book, unsure if she could read any more of Virginia's plea… though from the startled looks on Raine and Genis' faces, she also wasn't sure she needed to. _She sent them away… she let them go… because she thought it would save them…._

Genis slowly turned from Liane to lift his eyes to his sister. "What did she mean?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Raine," the elder spoke up before the Professor could answer. "You must have been incredibly talented. It seems the Imperial Research Academy was dying to get its hands on you."

The silver-haired woman bowed her head as Liane slipped the diary back into her hands. "That's why we couldn't settle down anywhere and had to keep traveling…" she murmured, her voice distant once again.

The man that had kept the diary safe nodded. "Eventually, you were chased to the Otherworldly Gate. It seems she managed to send you through it."

"Mother…" Raine whispered, the anger that had tainted her nowhere to be found, though she still wouldn't lift her eyes.

Genis leaned in closer to his sister, craning his head to look up to her as he reached for her hand. "Then… she didn't abandon us because we were in the way or that she hated us or anything!" he spoke, a smile spreading over his lips.

"Yes, that's right," the elder confirmed the boy's words quietly.

To Liane, the man sounded pleased. She understood completely as – after only reading the brief passage in the diary – she, too, had a bit more insight into their mother. _No one has the right to tell them how to feel about how they were left alone, but there was more to it._ Liane sighed, honored to have helped bring even a bit of insight to her friends… though she knew what they did with it was entirely up to them. _She sacrificed her time with her children for the chance they could be free… and happy. Virginia lost everything… she never got to see that her gamble actually worked._

"Raine, this is great news!" Genis' voice lit with happiness… and his smile brightened even more once Raine lifted her head.

The Professor watched her brother for a few long moments before the faintest hint off a smile answered his… and she turned to face the elder. "This diary…."

The man smiled knowingly and reached out to gently push the leather book closer to Raine. "Take it with you. It is your mother's after all."

"Thank you," the silver-haired woman responded gratefully, her smile still soft as she held the diary to her chest and returned her gaze to her brother.

The elder didn't seem to Liane to be under any illusions that the Sages or their companions would be staying, though, as they filed out of his house, she heard his suggestion that they stop in to see Virginia one more time now that they knew the truth. Outside the stone dwelling, the party gathered around Raine and Genis.

"Raine, can we go see her? One more time?" Genis asked hopefully with an open-armed shrug. "She might not know us… but we know her, right? Maybe it will be easier this time… now that we know for sure?"

The Professor didn't reply right away. She kept her eyes on her brother, studying him as her expression gradually slid from troubled to content until she finally nodded and looked up to the others. "She deserves a chance… and so do we," she sighed uneasily and placed her hand on Genis' shoulder. "I don't think we'll be long…."

"We'll wait with the Rheairds," Lloyd smiled. The swordsman put no deadlines on the Sages as the siblings exchanged looks and started back into the town. He waited until they were gone to turn back to the others – and Colette in particular. "Are you doing okay? It won't be long now – we'll get the zircon, and –"

Colette shook her head, her perpetually happy smile on her lips. "I'm fine. I think I would have been upset if they hadn't gone back, anyway. Virginia loved them… and they wouldn't have been so hurt if they didn't love her, too." The blonde Chosen laughed and reached out to grab Lloyd's wrist. "Come on… watching clouds has to be so much better this high in the air!"

Lloyd's startled laugh hung in the air as he had to practically jog to keep his balance. But even as the Iselian teens disappeared down the narrow walkway to where the Rheairds waited, it was Zelos that began to chuckle. "Wow. Nothing gets her down, does it?"

Liane looked over her shoulder to the redhead, trying not to assign any possibly unintentional meaning to his words. "Well, it would be kind of hard to be a bearer of hope to an entire world if she was a cynic, wouldn't it?" she reasoned.

Zelos shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm just saying that it's hard to imagine being able to go watch clouds – and being excited about it, mind you – when you're in the middle of becoming a walking crystal." He started to walk without waiting to see if the others were following. "I mean, I'm a pretty cheerful guy… but I think that would be a bit much to take, ya know?"

Sheena, Liane, Regal, and Presea stood in silence as Zelos departed… until the summoner finally sighed. "Guess Sylvarant is even luckier that it got Colette, then," she shook her head. "The land declining _and_ a Chosen that was just as ready to fall apart under the stress? People might not care if the world got regenerated at that rate."

Liane wanted to snap at Zelos… she really did. But as she began to walk with the remnants of the party, she found that she couldn't. "I think it might be more than should be asked of anyone, actually. I mean, with as much responsibility as the Chosens have for just being born, everyone has this idea that they're supposed to be happy about it," she shook her head, "… even though it seems that the Chosens themselves know full well that they aren't supposed to live if they receive the Oracle. It seems to me that it's a lot to live with on either world. You either know that you might have to die… or it might be your child or grandchild if it's not you."

"I wonder if Colette would have been more like Zelos if she would have been Tethe'alla's Chosen."

The quiet musing almost made Liane trip over her own feet. The mental image of Colette surrounded by a herd of noblemen falling all over themselves to be with her made her clasp a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing before she saw the sincerity in Presea's wide blue eyes. "Oh… um…" she stammered, the glimpse of something so bizarre even in her thoughts robbing her of any coherent response.

She might have felt worse if she didn't catch sight of Sheena whirling away from the ax girl to _almost _hide a muffled snicker.

"I think Colette would have been the same in either world," Regal responded calmly. "Perhaps, in Tethe'alla, her happiness might have been not only for her world, but also a bit more for herself as well, but otherwise, I don't think she'd change."

Liane cringed slightly at the thoughtful response, but then she saw the slight arch to the Duke's eyebrow when he glanced to her – and then she saw the fleeting flicker of amusement in his eyes. She nodded her agreement and turned to continue walking, though she did give in to her smile.

_He was thinking the same thing…._

The explanation appeared to be satisfactory to Presea, who didn't comment any further on the switching on the Chosens. When they reached the flat, grassy clearing that held the flock of Rheairds, Zelos was already sitting with Lloyd and Colette, chattering boisterously as the younger adventurers both rested on their backs, their eyes fixed on the sky above. Regal wandered closer to the small group, Presea trailing along silently… and Liane moved to sit against her own flyer with a sigh. She was nervous for Raine and Genis, but some part of her was jealous, as well. _Raine has recognized places we've been… now she understands why. _Frowning and drawing her knees up to hug them to her chest, the swordswoman closed her eyes. It wasn't a fair comparison – she knew that. _Just because they remember and find their roots won't make it any easier on them – they can't get that time back. _She knew that being happy for them was acceptable, though. At the root of their exile from their parents, now at least they knew that their mother had loved them – whether or not her actions were the best or only option remained to be seen… but they knew her intentions were for the best. It was something, wasn't it?

"You think they're going to be okay?"

Liane lifted her head, not entirely surprised to find Sheena standing a few steps away, her eyes following the clouds that seemed so close. "Raine and Genis? Yeah," she answered, releasing her legs to stretch them out before her. "They at least have the truth now. It's easier to build on that than to not have any foundation at all."

"Maybe… when you don't have that, you can only speculate," the summoner agreed, crossing her arms over her chest. "At least they know where they're from… their history."

"Is the history of Mizuho that secretive?" Liane tilted her head to her friend, hearing something slightly out of place in her voice.

Sheena shifted her weight from one foot to the other and finally sat down beside Liane. "Mizuho? No, not really - as long as you're part of the clan. But I was only raised there. I wasn't born there."

Liane started to understand why the ninja had been so quiet throughout their visit to Exire. "Something happened to your parents, too? They had to flee to Mizuho?" It was an easy leap to make after being confronted by the Sages' story.

"I don't know, to be honest. But I'm pretty sure Mizuho wasn't their goal," Sheena shrugged and laughed awkwardly. When she glanced over to Liane, she shook her head and leaned her weight back onto her hands on the ground behind her. "The people of Mizuho found me abandoned in Gaoracchia Forest. They took me in… and Grandpa adopted me… raised me and trained me as if I truly was his. I can't remember a time that I wasn't Mizuhoan… or a part of the clan."

"Sheena…" Liane started, but found herself unsure of how to continue. Sheena quickly shook her head.

"No… it's not like that… it's okay," the black-haired young woman assured her friend with a smile. "I'm Mizuhoan… I have family and friends. That's all I really need, so don't even think about it like that, okay?" She turned her eyes back up to the sky. "I guess… just hearing about what Virginia went through… what Raine and Genis are going through every day of our journey… makes me wonder how far back my relatives went through the same thing. I know it really doesn't matter, but… it makes me curious."

The swordswoman frowned. "Your relatives went through the same thing? Sheena…" she shook her head. "I'm confused."

Sheena looked back down, turning to her friend. "Well, since I can make pacts with Summon Spirits, I probably have elves somewhere in my history. The researchers said that only those of elven blood can call forth the spirits… so I guess I just figured if I'm a summoner… then somewhere in my family tree, there were elves… and if everything about _me_ is human, then there were half-elves there at some point, too." The ninja sighed and shrugged. "It was probably many generations back… but I can't help but wonder if they went through anything like what Raine and Genis are."

Liane found that her explanation made sense… falling into line with what she had been taught by the priests. "That makes sense, I guess…."

"You know, you probably have some elves in your family, too," the summoner murmured. "Any technique that uses mana of the natural world requires some elven blood… and you can use some sword techniques… and even some magic, so…."

"The priests told me that I didn't…" Liane frowned at the thought. All magic required elven blood? "I guess I just figured I was a quick study or something. They told me that they had studied my family line back through the Church records when I applied for their training… and that I didn't have any links to elves."

Sheena's eyebrows knit slightly for a moment and then she shrugged. "Elves have been around for a long time. Who knows…? Maybe the Church records were wrong… or maybe the researchers were."

"Maybe," Liane agreed, though she was sure her thoughts wouldn't let go that easily. With no Exsphere and limited mana, what other options did she have? She shifted to cross her ankles and exhaled. There was no point in worrying at that moment – either for a long-lost ancestor or for the source of what meager techniques and magic she could muster. "Is there really no other way than to duel Kuchinawa one-on-one?" she asked, the question forming and slipping out of the lull in her thoughts.

Sheena blinked in confusion at the shift in conversation, but a dry laugh quickly filled the lapse. "What, don't you think I can take him?" she asked and leaned back again.

Liane rolled her eyes at the quick appearance of the ninja's defenses. "It's not that. I just don't think any of us are fond of the idea of you facing him alone when it's clear that he's out for blood… and you aren't."

"Hmm," the ninja commented without looking back to her friend. "Maybe. But it is a Mizuhoan tradition that we both honor," she replied after another small sigh, her amusement melting away. "If I win, it's settled, and he's not allowed to seek further revenge. If he wins, he has his revenge. It's neat, clean, and serves the will of the clan. It's like I said earlier: I just have to beat him."

Liane didn't like the words any more than she had the last time she had heard them. But further discussion pulled out of her reach when she looked up to see Raine and Genis approaching. Climbing to her feet, she spares a quick glance to Sheena. "I still don't like it… but… if it's what you need to do…."

Sheena stood and brushed the grass from her black leggings with a smile. "Thanks… that's all I can really ask. You can just be mad at me for going through with it after I win, okay?"

Any other time, it might have sounded like a deal, but it ended up being one more thing she couldn't dwell on as the Sages approached and the group reformed around them.

"She was already gone by the time we got there," Raine spoke before anyone could ask. "A man passing by said that she left… that she said someone was chasing her." The silver-haired woman sighed and smiled weakly. "It's all right. We'll see her again someday. For now, though… we have to help Colette."

Genis nodded, his smile present though he looked a little less resolved than his sister. "Yeah… we need to get to Sybak and get that zircon!"

The boy's weak enthusiasm didn't immediately spread to the others, however. All eyes shifted to the Professor… who offered them a small – but reassuring – smile. "Don't worry about us. We both have more information about our parents than we've ever had before. Things won't change for Mother for now… when there's time, perhaps Genis and I can come back and try to help her. But for now, we both want to continue with what we've started – helping Colette as well as Tethe'alla and Sylvarant."

From the way the siblings stood together and their matched expressions, Liane found it difficult to doubt them and impossible to argue with them. _It's their mother… their family. If this is their decision, then it's not our place to object._

It was the end of the discussion, though Liane knew that Virginia wouldn't be leaving the thoughts of her children any time soon. She hoped that the flight to Sybak bought them both time to think… and she couldn't help but hope that they would find Virginia again… that they could open her eyes to see how well they had both grown up. _If she sees that… she'll probably still feel guilty,_ she frowned slightly as she followed the other Rheairds to land on the plain outside Sybak. _But at least she'll know she gave them the chance… and they did everything she could have hoped with it._

The afternoon sun was just starting to cast shadows over the central square of Sybak when the party passed through on their way to the Academy. It was an unspoken plan that was now almost habit to keep Raine and Genis shielded at the center of the group, but none of the students or merchants seemed to pay them any attention as a result. Though it didn't make the trip through the town feel any shorter to Liane, she was at least glad when they slipped into the entryway of the Academy. _At least they can't come at us from all sides in here, _she told herself, silently giving in to the memory of how they had been rounded up and imprisoned in the basement with Kate. _That was exactly what Virginia gave up her children to help them avoid… a life in the dark like Kate and the others._

"Ch… Chosen One!" A male researcher suddenly appeared before the group, stopping them and almost pushing them back a step with the alarm in his voice. "Please forgive me!"

From the way he pled, Liane could only guess that the researcher had been the one to turn them in to the knights before, though she had tried not to remember too much of that time. _Now he wants forgiveness?_

Zelos approached the researcher, taking a step out ahead of the party to cock his head to the lab-coated man. "What?"

The researcher's eyes flashed around the group and back to Zelos, his bottom lip quivering for a few moments before he clenched his eyes shut in apparent pain – as if the words were being dragged out of him. "I heard that a ten foot tall angel had descended from heaven and devoured those who oppose the Chosen!" he declared woefully.

The tension that had gripped the party at the researcher's appearance vanished into exchanges of puzzled looks.

"Ten feet tall?" Lloyd murmured, glancing over to Colette with disbelief.

Genis looked up to his friend and then followed his gaze to the blonde Chosen. An instant later, his eyes widened to reveal his struggle to contain a smile. "Devoured… hmm."

Colette, however, looked genuinely alarmed as her mouth fell open into a stunned gape. "Wow, I didn't know there were scary angels like that."

A ghost of a groan rippled over the party. _She actually looks scared._ Liane frowned with a small exhale. "Apparently, word of Spiritua's return has spread… from Meltokio?" Liane raised an eyebrow to her blonde friend and watched… waited.

"Oh," Colette murmured nervously, twisting her fingers together for a moment before her eyes widened and her head snapped up. "Ohhh!"

_There it is…_ Liane nodded as the excitement of realization began to build in the blonde Chosen's eyes. She smiled back at the girl, though she still inwardly sighed. _If this guy knew it was Colette he was supposed to be afraid of, we just might have ended up back in the dungeon._

The researcher looked over to Sylvarant's Chosen when she had spoken, and his eyebrows lifted higher. "Th… that girl with the Cruxis Crystal doesn't devour humans whole too, does she?!"

_Then again…._ Before Liane could actually release a groan, she saw Sheena shift her weight and cross her arms impatiently over her chest.

"Don't be stupid," the summoner snorted, making the researcher jump.

"I… I trust the Chosen, really!" the researcher professed, drawing the attention of his coworkers that strolled nearby. His eyes had only reluctantly turned from Colette back to Zelos, where they took on a fearful look of pleading. Zelos rolled his eyes and nodded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Good, good," he muttered. "Is there any of that zircon left here that was purchased from the Lezareno Company?"

The researcher blinked, his blank expression slowly changing to an eager nod. "Zircon?" he asked, his smile growing wider. "Yes, there is!"

Zelos' smile suddenly mimicked the researcher's as he nodded in time with the other man. "Could you just give us some?" he asked with just a little too much enthusiasm.

Liane smirked at the way Zelos was leading the researcher. _Poor guy… doesn't even realize Zelos is making fun of him…._

"Of course!" the researcher responded, the two words filled with happy relief as he gestured to the nearby door. "It's in the next room past this door. There are books scattered all over, but you'll still be able to find it right away," he chattered, backing away from the group so fast that he almost stumbled back against the door when he pushed it open. "I'll leave it unlocked."

A moment of silence passed after the door closed behind the researcher. "Wow… he was eager to please Zelos," Genis finally snickered, though he kept his voice low in the echoing entry hall.

"When they think their Chosen has friends that can and will devour a human whole, it makes them almost pleasant, doesn't it?" Liane shrugged and glanced over to Colette with a chuckle. "So how's it feel to be ten feet tall, Colette?"

The blonde girl frowned. "But, I'm not…" she started… and then her cheeks reddened brightly as she started to laugh as well. "That's just silly. Why would they say something like that?"

"It's an easier story for the big, tough knights to spread than one that has them running from a teenage girl with pastel wings," Sheena laughed and walked over to the door, pushing it open for the others.

The ninja's reasoning really was the only thing that made sense to Liane, though she was more impressed by how fast the news of Spiritua's return had spread. _No one's tried to stop us, either… so news that we weren't wanted anymore must have spread… and taken the little incident with Colette with it._

As the researcher had promised, the room was unlocked… and the storage chest that contained the zircon was amazingly easy to find amongst the clutter of the windowless room. Liane couldn't help but find the zircon simplistically beautiful as Lloyd handed it to her to store in her pack… a handful of clear crystal what was so unassuming that it may as well have been invisible.

The stop was as simple as they had hoped it would be, with no one stopping them going into or out of the town and finding little to no difficulty in getting the zircon. As they gathered back on the coastline outside the town, Zelos seemed almost troubled as he turned his eyes to the sky that was just starting to darken. "Maybe we should go back and get rooms at the inn," he murmured. "Then we can go to Heimdall in the morning. It's too late to head there today."

"It would not be in Raine and Genis' best interest to stay in Sybak," Presea objected in her soft, even voice.

Genis looked over to Presea and a sigh accompanied a drop of his shoulders. "After today, I think I'd rather sleep in Gaoracchia Forest than sleep anywhere near the Academy… even if it is in an inn."

Liane watched Raine step up to her brother's side and place a hand onto his shoulder. "I don't think our only option to camping in a haunted forest is staying in Sybak's inn," she reasoned with a shrug. "I mean, we could camp right here? We'd have good visibility if anything comes close, we'd have water –"

"I'm going back to Mizuho."

Sheena's quiet declaration from where she stood beside Liane may as well have been a shout. But no matter how quiet it was, it still banished all other voices and options as the ninja with the downcast eyes became the center of attention. _Now? So soon?_ Liane had tried to tell herself that the duel wouldn't happen for a while… that Sheena would have time to train… or maybe find a way that she wouldn't have to fight at all.

"None of you have to come. But if I don't show up soon, Kuchinawa will claim victory by default. I need to end this the right way," Sheena continued explaining though no one had spoken. She started to turn away from them. "I'll meet you back here in the morning. And… if I'm not here –"

"No way, hunny. You're not doing this without us," Zelos shook his head and walked to plant himself in front of the ninja, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Sheena looked up, backing away a step. "This doesn't concern you, Zelos. It doesn't concern any of you," she told the Chosen with the slightest of edges growing in her voice.

"That's where you're wrong, thought," Lloyd lifted his voice though he didn't attempt to approach her, much less cut off her retreat. "It concerns _us_ because it concerns _you_. It might be something that you have to do, but we're still going with you."

The summoner took a moment to huff at Zelos before she turned back to the others. "This fight is between Kuchinawa and me… if you all get involved… if I lose…."

"We didn't say we were going to interfere," Liane stated, not wanting to hear the rest of her friend's argument. "We're just not letting you go alone."

"And you're not going to lose," Colette chimed in. "This duel proves who's right, right?" the blonde girl reasoned with a shrug and a smile. "Kuchinawa's wrong… so he'll lose. Then we can all leave for Heimdall in the morning and this will all be behind you."

Sheena's mouth opened as if she was trying to construct a response, but she wasn't quite fast enough. "We need to stay together… especially now," Raine spoke, taking her turn to quiet the ninja's objections. "We'll respect your traditions as much as we can, but you'll have to respect that you are part of our team… and what you do _does_ affect us."

The black haired young woman frowned for a moment… and then hung her head with something that sounded like a dry chuckle. "I guess if all else fails, you guys can just _talk_ Yggdrasill into submission," she muttered, shaking her head before she turned her eyes back up to the sky. This time, she wore a slight smile, though it didn't quite reach her brown eyes. "Fine. I know the people of Mizuho will let you stay for the night, no matter what happens… but…." Her smile faded away. "I need your promises that if Kuchinawa wins…." She quickly held up her hand to silence Colette. "_If_ he wins… you will not retaliate against him. This is the way of our people… and this is how I've chosen to settle this."

"Not going to be an issue, my voluptuous hunny," Zelos smiled, draping an arm over her shoulder as he moved up from behind her. "You heard my cute little Colette. That pig-headed ninja's going down."

For a moment, Liane was sure that Zelos was just an instant away from a quick elbow to the gut, but it didn't come. In fact, except that Sheena tensed slightly, she actually chuckled again. The swordswoman had to smile… somehow pleased with the resolution of the problem. _It's all going to be up to her… but it will help her to know that we're there for her, won't it?_ They wouldn't be able to offer her their blades or spells… but Sheena was a more than competent fighter on her own… so a little more confidence would help…

… _won't it?_

While Liane wished she could have actually voiced her question, she knew that it could do more harm than good as the party took the maddeningly quick flight over the mountains to Mizuho. Evening was just starting to assert its hold over the valley as they stowed the Rheairds and Sheena led them to the gate of the hidden village. Lloyd and Zelos followed her a bit closer than the others, but there was still no conversation. _Everything's been said… it's settled,_ Liane told herself as she saw movement from the shadows of the gateway arch and recognized the masked blue-clad ninja from before. _Orochi… I think that's his name,_ she mused before the distraction failed to keep her thoughts from her friend. _Any more debate might make this even harder on Sheena._

The ninja held out a hand to stop Sheena… and the rest of them in turn. "Sheena, Kuchinawa declared that he will duel you on condition of leaving the village," he stated, concern lacing the slightly muffled words.

"Yes," Sheena nodded once, her shoulders squared as she accepted the news. "I know."

Orochi withdrew his hand and shook his head. "What happened? Kuchinawa was carrying out Tiga's orders to act as liaison to the Elemental Research Laboratory in Meltokio. Why is he dueling against you?" He sighed and his eyes found Sheena once again. "Vice-Chief Tiga is angry, saying this is personal."

The summoner sighed heavily and offered the ninja a slight shrug. "I'll report the details to the Vice-Chief," she responded without giving Orochi any true answers, her tone flat with resolve.

"Then I will go as well," Orochi stated with only a hint of annoyance. "I have that right as Kuchinawa's brother."

"Yeah," Sheena nodded, her troubled expression obvious in her voice long before she turned back to the rest of the group. For a long, silent moment, she looked at each of them – almost as if she was reinforcing their promise to her.

Liane refused to see the glance as any kind of farewell.

Finally, the summoner's eyes fell on Lloyd with a sigh. "Lloyd, you come, too."

The swordsman's lean form snapped in surprise. "What?" he blurted out and glanced around their companions before he nodded. "Ah, okay…."

With Lloyd's acceptance, Sheena turned on her heel without another word and began to walk, leaving Lloyd hurrying to catch up. Orochi hesitated long enough to nod to a woman that stood in the shadows of the closest hut, only her dark orange kimono truly making her form stand out. "Miyaka will take you to a place you can all settle for the night. Please… follow her."

"Hey, why does Lloyd get to go?" Zelos finally complained, sounding as if it had already been bottled up too long.

Orochi paused, glancing over his shoulder to the redhead. If I had to guess, Sheena has invoked her right to name an observer for the duel. Her reasons are her own." He then continued, his easy pace carrying him to follow Sheena and Lloyd.

"What does he have that I don't?" Zelos called… his voice carrying well beyond the open area inside the gates.

Liane thought Genis looked as if he was going to jump at the redhead… and she debated if she would stop or help her friend until the woman Orochi had called 'Miyaka' approached and silently gestured to them to follow her down the path to the right of the gate.

"Hey, my exotic flower, can you believe how cruelly I was cast aside?" Zelos crooned, sliding up to the young guide's side as she led them away. "You know, your company might help me feel better, though…."

_Wow. That didn't take long._ Liane rolled her eyes and walked with her friends through the edge of the town. She had almost thought that the redhead was finally dropping his act with the way he had objected to Sheena's plan. _Almost._ She sighed and shifted her pack on her back as she and the others followed Miyaka's guidance. _Lloyd's supposed to be an observer? So he's probably part of the duel… she won't be alone._ It was somewhat reassuring, though she knew Sheena had made a good choice in Lloyd. _Honest, kind-hearted, loyal Lloyd. He'll do whatever he has to for his friends._

Once they reached a large hut that Miyaka told them was normally used for storage, she offered to return with blankets and lanterns that would make it comfortable for the night for them. With an additional gracious offer to bring them food later, the Mizuhoan woman disappeared back down the main trail to the town, conspicuously leaving behind the fact that she hadn't responded to Zelos' flirting in the least. The redhead seemed utterly crestfallen.

Liane was thoroughly amused. _Serves him right. We're all worried about Sheena, but he has to put on an act like that?_ She shook her head and entered the hut with the others. It was dark, but clean and it would keep them all out of the elements for the night. "This really isn't bad," she commented, placing her pack against the wall and smoothing her bedroll beside it. She saw Raine, Colette, and Presea setting up their own sleep spots nearby. "And they're even bringing us dinner?"

"They're treating us as guests," Raine murmured, eyeing where Genis was setting his bedroll near Regal and Zelos on the other side of the room. "Their culture is fascinating… secluded – almost completely removed – from the rest of society, but still accepting of the outsiders that they do allow in. They truly would fit well in Sylvarant."

"After hearing about how there are towns that won't let people in without written permission? Yeah, they were definitely in the wrong place," Genis grumbled, looking back to his sister.

Regal stood, his jaw set in a careful mask of neutrality. "While Tethe'alla does have its faults, there is more to it than the corruption you've seen. Now that the King will be recovering and the Pope has been removed from power, I have faith that things will begin to change for the better."

Liane couldn't fault Regal for defending his homeland, but she couldn't help but notice that Zelos was paying as little attention as possible to the conversation… and definitely not chiming in to support his fellow Tethe'allan. _Is this world so far lost that even its Chosen has given up on it?_ "Both worlds need to change," she spoke with a shrug. "Neither is perfect… but at least we're trying to give them both a chance. Then, it will be up to the people to help their worlds live up to their potential." _Of course, they're going to have to want to change…._

"Everything is going to work out for the best… I know it will," Colette nodded, her smile projecting the optimism in her words.

The blonde Chosen's statement was suddenly punctuated by the sliding wooden door striking back against its frame as Zelos stormed out of the building, his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets. They watched in uncertain silence as he disappeared from sight down the path back into the town.

"He is worried for Sheena," Presea quietly stated her observation.

No one contradicted her.

"Let him go," Regal murmured. "He'll return."

The sunset filtered down through the slats of the room's roof vents as well as the open door, casting a warm glow on the wooden walls of the storage building. As the silence drew out, Genis finally sighed. "Hey, I saw a fire ring outside… we should have a fire while we're waiting for everyone to come back," he turned to the others and smiled weakly before jogging around his sister to grab Liane's wrist. "You need to practice, anyway."

"Practice, but…" Liane stammered as she staggered behind him for the moment that it took to find her balance. The bonfire was a good enough idea… things were definitely growing melancholy inside their makeshift bunkhouse. _The only think that will help that is if Sheena, Lloyd,_ and _Zelos come back._ "What exactly am I going to practice?" she asked, embracing the distraction with a laugh as Genis released her and hurried over to grab an armload of wood from the stack near the hut.

"Well, for starters, _you're_ going to light the fire for the others –" he stopped after unloading the wood into the center of the large rock-ringed fire pit, "- with _magic_. No cheating." The boy grinned mischievously and ran back for another load of wood. "Then, we'll see after that."

Liane blushed a little at the boy's expectation of her, but still followed him back to the woodpile. The others were starting to come out of the storage hut. _It's different in battle… no one's really paying attention,_ she frowned and gathered wood to carry back to the fire pit. "Wouldn't it be quicker if you just let me start it the normal way – or _you_ start it with magic? Then we can go practice?" she suggested hopefully. _I really don't want to make myself look like an idiot in front of everyone._

Genis spun and fixed a playful glare on her. "I'm the teacher this time, remember? You start the fire. I'll help you with your magic after. Otherwise," he pivoted, but not fast enough to hide his grin. "You can just keep casting lame ol' Wind Blade and Lightning and such…."

"They're not lame," Liane retorted, almost pouting as she followed him. She knew he was enjoying being the teacher for once – and he was quite good at it. _It's just one spell… even if it's new, I know I can do it,_ she told herself as they approached where the others were settling around the fire ring. Genis dumped his logs in and quickly arranged them before reaching for the wood she carried. "Okay… just give me a second…" she sighed as the silver-haired boy grinned his approval and stood back. _Great… they're all watching,_ she groused silently as she drew her sword and braced it out in front of her, her gaze fixing on the pile of wood.

"Don't put as much power into it," Genis coached her. "All you have to do is light the wood – not like taking down a Fenrir…."

_Not as much power…._ She was far more used to trying to pour as much mana as she could into a spell, but if it was about control, Liane could see the point of the boy's lesson. She closed her eyes and began to picture each of the runes she needed, feeding them a little from her mana reserves as she strung them together into the pattern that would invoke the fire element.

"Good… give it a little more…."

Genis' words were whispered, but just loud enough to creep into her concentration. She nodded, giving the spell a small additional bump of mana – and then opened her eyes. She saw the spinning red rune bands and she saw the woodpile. That was all she needed. "Fire Ball!" she invoked the spell and released it on the wood, her blade tip directing the three fireballs to their target. While it seemed to Liane that they traveled a little slower than normal, they still struck… and the wood burst into flames. With a relieved smile, she realized that her friends had come closer to the blazing fire… and that she had actually done as Genis had instructed her. Looking down to her young friend, she lifted an eyebrow. "Now take back what you said about Wind Blade and Lightning."

"Yeah, yeah… they're cool," Genis snickered as he grabbed her wrist again and started to tug her towards the end of the hut. "But I'm gonna show you something _way _cooler."

It was good to know she had done well for him… but it was even better to see him smiling. Liane followed along with the mage, almost laughing with him. "Cooler, huh? Icicle?" she guessed, wondering what the boy had in mind. _That would be nice… another option to have anyway…._

Genis stopped at the corner of the building and turned to loop up to her, his head tilted. "Ahh… we could… but I thought we'd see if you could learn something a little… bigger," he told her, the twinkle returning to his eyes.

"Bigger?" Liane's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?"

The boy crouched and brushed the pine needles from the ground before him. Picking up a small twig, he started scrawling runes in the dirt. "I think you can do this," he muttered, carefully forming each rune and eyeing the series carefully before he looked back up to her. "It's a fire elemental, and you didn't seem to have any problem memorizing that sequence," he looked back down and drew a line beneath the last six characters. "Build the Fire Ball spell, but you add on this part." He sat back on his heels. "It takes more mana, but it's worth it."

Liane was almost unnerved by his grin when she knelt beside him to study the sequence. _More mana…._ Her eyes lingered on the new runes as her mind tried to commit them to memory even as she knew that she shouldn't be too attached to the idea. "Genis, are you sure?" she asked without looking away from the runes. "What is this?"

"Eruption," the boy answered casually. "And you might not be able to do more than one before it tires you out, but it would be good for you to do something that might do more than tickle our enemy…?"

By the time her glare reached him, Genis was already grinning again, his hands held up in a sign of peace.

"Come on… you have to have noticed that our enemies are getting stronger," he shrugged and slowly lowered his hands as her glare waned. "This is just a mid-level spell… but if you really needed it, it would be better that you knew how to cast it, right?"

Liane exhaled and took a moment to consider his reasoning. Their enemies were far stronger than those they had faced at the beginning of their journey. _And he's right… at best, my spells just help to whittle an enemy down right now._ The idea of learning a tougher spell intrigued her, though she knew it would have to be a last resort. She looked back down to the runes. "Genis… is it true that you have to have elven blood to work magic?" she asked softly, the question still bothering her from earlier in the day.

"Well, it's a pretty popular theory in most of the books I've studied," Genis answered after a moment, his words suddenly careful. "I've never seen it stated that a human absolutely can't do it… but… let's just say most studies take a link between using mana of the natural world and elven blood as more of a given than really debating it." The silver-haired boy looked over to her. "Why? Are… you worried about…?"

It was as if he couldn't finish the question. Liane silently cursed herself for bringing it up, especially after the day he had been through. "No," she shook her head and reached for his shoulder. "I… wish I did have elven blood, actually… it would at least be an explanation," she smiled for him. "And maybe I wouldn't worry about my mana and learning mid-level spells if I did. But I don't… there's no record of any elves in my family. It just doesn't make sense, that's all."

Genis shrugged, though he looked more relaxed by the answer. "Who knows? Iselia is close to a ranch where there was Exsphere research going on… maybe there's something in the water."

Despite the boy's playful grin, Liane shuddered at the thought.

"It doesn't change the fact that you can use magic, though… for whatever reason," the mage continued, either not noticing or not paying attention to his friend's unease. "It's not any rush, anyway, especially if we're going to a forest. We can work on it. Then you can have a big spell when you need it, okay?"

Liane's thoughts gradually retreated to the point that she heard the boy's plan, and she nodded. "It would be good to have a spell that wasn't 'lame,' after all…" she smirked and pushed herself to her feet.

"Oh, come on… I was kidding!" Genis groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. The boy stood and looked up to Liane with a roll of his eyes. "You weren't even going to try to light the fire _or_ try to learn something stronger if I didn't bully you a little!"

_Genis… a bully…._ Liane laughed and reached over to ruffle his hair. "Just proves you have the makings of a great teacher," she told him and took one more look at the rune sequence before the building's shadow completely obscured it. "So… start with the sequence, then?" the swordswoman asked as she drew her blade and brought it up to brace it against her palm.

"Yeah… power it up like you would if you were going to cast it… just take it slow," Genis coached, his arms crossing over his chest.

With the sequence for Fire Ball still fresh in her mind, Liane closed her eyes and offered her mana to the spell once again. She felt a faint heat and could clearly picture the rune band that was responding to her call, but once she felt confident enough in the spell, she began to add the new extension of runes. In her mind's eye, the first two fell neatly into place, and she took a moment to check herself… that she was keeping the right order… feeding it enough mana so that the spell didn't falter….

"Good… good… keep going," Genis urged quietly.

Speaking wasn't an option for Liane at the moment, so she merely nodded. _The next rune… it's…._ A brief moment of panic hit her as she realized that she couldn't picture it. In the next instant, her memory became clear… and it joined the others in the ancient order….

Suddenly, Liane's knees buckled. She recognized she was falling at the same time that she felt the mana she had tied to the spell rush away from her. "No…!"

"Liane!"

It took her a moment to realize that she still had her eyes clenched shut. Then she heard the concern in Genis' voice… and then, she realized she wasn't on the ground. "What…?" Liane opened her eyes cautiously to find Genis staring worriedly up at her… and Regal standing beside her, his shackled hands firmly laced around her upper arm. She looked up, stunned for a moment that her blue-haired friend was there until she saw nearly the same concern as Genis' etched into his expression. "Um… thanks?" she murmured, blushing slightly as she realized how well she must have proven that she couldn't handle a stronger spell and carefully shifted her weight to stand on her own again. "What did I do?"

Genis frowned and finally sighed as Regal released her arm. "You hesitated… it looked like you lost your concentration… then you panicked and threw more mana into the spell right at the point where it gets stronger and harder to maintain." The boy shook his head a little. "Your mana got unstable and you lost control of the spell… it might have made you start to black out at the sudden loss."

"Oh," Liane murmured sheepishly, pushing her braid back over her shoulder. "Guess I was biting off a bit much after all…."

"I really thought you were going to do it… you were really close," the mage offered her a smile.

"The spell looked stable enough… but when you hesitated, you pushed yourself too hard," Regal stated calmly, and Liane and Genis both turned to look up to him. "I think if you practice, you'll be able to easily use the spell," he told the dark-haired young woman… and then held an orange gel out to her.

Liane smiled a bit more at the encouragements and accepted the gel, starting to nibble on it as she looked over to Genis. She was almost surprised that he was wearing a smile as well.

"We'll work on it," Genis nodded. "It's not like you _have_ to learn it tonight. It just seemed to be a good time to start… you know...?" He kicked his toe into the ground. "It's better than sitting around worrying… when there's nothing we can do?"

Popping the rest of the gel into her mouth, Liane glanced back to the fire that she had started. Raine, Colette, and Presea sat watching the flames, but not speaking… each of them apparently locked in their own thoughts. "Hmm… yeah, I guess watching me try to set fire to the forest is probably a little more entertaining than having too much time to think," she murmured and then shifted her eyes back to Regal with a questioning arch to her eyebrow.

Regal blinked and took a quick step back, shaking his head. "I thought I might be of more use here than simply sitting and waiting for word on the outcome of Sheena's duel," he defended himself with a weak smile. "You do tend to push yourself sometimes, you know."

"Yeah… and I don't think I could have kept you on your feet, either," Genis grinned. "I really need to remember to bring mats or pillows next time I offer you a big spell… 'cause I _know_ you're not going to turn that chance down no matter how tired you might be."

"Hey!" Liane laughed, taken off guard by how Regal and Genis were cooperating in her good-natured teasing. But before that defense could become more eloquent, a whoop of elation echoed through the woods, making her jump and all but completely forget anything she was about to say as they spun back to face the fire. _What the…?_

"She won! She won!" Zelos proclaimed as he emerged from the shadows of the trees, his arms thrown up in celebration. "She handed Kuchinawa his head and sent him packing! That's my ninja hunny!!"

Liane blinked as his words soaked in, her smile growing when she realized that the redhead hadn't returned alone. Sheena looked as if she was debating between smacking Zelos or slinking back into the town out of embarrassment at Zelos' announcement, but Lloyd's smile was only slightly less exuberant than Zelos. _She did it!_ The swordswoman began to walk back to the others flanked by Regal and Genis… and found that she was laughing in relief. _Finally, something goes right…._

Sheena remained mostly silent as Lloyd recounted the battle for the others, only nodding her gratitude even when Miyaka and another man returned with the meal she had promised for them. Kuchinawa was gone, now honor-bound to let go of her grudge. The prospect of one less enemy and the reality of a hot meal and a safe place to sleep for the night brought an odd relaxation to the party as they reunited around the fire. _The peace can't last… but we can enjoy it… can't we?_ Liane wondered as she stared down into her dark bowl of noodles.

_Who knows what's waiting for us in Heimdall…?_

* * *

Kratos crossed his arms with a heavy sigh. He had always held a deep appreciation for the way the morning light slowly crept down through the high tree canopy of Ymir Forest to claim Heimdall from the night, but he had already had ample time to refresh the memory. At first, the stony glare of the elven guard had been almost amusing… perhaps even a distracting challenge.

But that had been before the sun rose.

_Now… it's just… irksome._

Kratos had always held great respect for the elven race, though his own race and his association with half-elves normally left him with little opportunity to explore that respect. The elves of Heimdall wanted as little to do with him as they did with half-elves. They knew –or rather, the elders knew – exactly who he was… and of his association with and embodiment of the corruption of the natural world that Cruxis had all but perfected.

That was why he had been held at the gate when he approached the town for the first time in centuries – and it was why he was still there… pinned under the scrutinizing gaze of the armored elf. Kratos knew that he could dispatch the guard before the man could even consider crying out, but that wouldn't help his cause… and the knowledge only made the wait more annoying.

He needed the favor of the elves of Heimdall… and he had nothing to trade for it. Hacking his way through the town to reach the elder wasn't an option.

Worse yet, time was growing short. _Lloyd and the others will be here before long. The forest will only hold them back for so long._

Kratos sighed again.

The elf didn't even blink.

_Dammit._

With leaving out of the question and complaining about the wait surely to be seen as a sign of weakness, Kratos stood his ground, part of him wondering if the elves were actually testing him. He only had enough time for his mind to start presenting evidence for the theory before he saw movement over the guard's shoulder… someone coming down the path towards them.

The angel straightened his stance, the standoff with the guard no longer his concern. The woman that approached wore a serene smile as she approached, her sandy brown hair swaying with each deliberate step that brought her closer to the gate. Even to Kratos, she looked young… no older than Liane or Sheena, though he knew that, as a pureblooded elf, she could potentially be as old as he was.

"Please forgive the wait," the woman spoke in a musical tone, stopping beside the guard and offering the auburn-haired angel a partial bow. "If you will accompany me, the Elder will see you now."

Kratos only waited long enough to glance to the guard once again to be sure he wouldn't stop his entry before he answered the bow with a respectful nod. "I know my arrival wasn't expected," he spoke as the woman turned to lead him into Heimdall. "I will be sure to offer my apologies to the Elder."

The elven woman turned to him with a gentle laugh, amusement sparkling in green eyes that betrayed more wisdom than her youthful appearance should rightfully bear. "The Elder said that your return was never in question. It has only been a question of when. It is not your presence that has given the Elder pause." Her expression softened and she returned her eyes to the path ahead of them. "His concern is more with the implication of your presence here."

"I see," Kratos replied, knowing it would be rude to not respond, though the implication she spoke of was enough to darken the morning even more for him. _No… not yet… not this time._

The rest of the trip passed quickly, and the woman stepped aside at the foot of the steps that led up to the door of the Elder's home. Once again, she bowed to him. "Safe travels."

It was such a simple and courteous wish. Kratos nodded to the woman. "And to you as well."

_Although, I'm not the one that needs such wishes._

The woman smiled again and walked away, leaving Kratos to climb the steps to the Elder's residence alone. He paused before the door, making one last mental check to see if the visit was necessary… even though he already knew the answer. The sound his hand made as he rapped twice on the wooden door stood out almost obscenely against the peace of the village, but the voice that answered the wordless request for entry didn't seem particularly alarmed.

"Enter."

Even though wood, the Elder's voice carried an authority that only time could bestow. Kratos pushed the door open, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him before turning to face the man that stood across the room. "Elder, thank you for seeing me," he spoke evenly before lifting his eyes to the elf. Unlike the woman that had escorted him to the cottage, the Elder showed signs of age… from the silver streaks in his dark hair to the creases etched into his forehead. "I know I am not particularly welcome here."

The Elder shook his head and moved a step closer to the angel. "Lord Kratos of Cruxis is unwelcome. Kratos Aurion is… another matter. Seeing as how you have come alone, I will assume you don't come under the banner of Cruxis," he murmured, keeping his voice low so that the conversation wouldn't travel beyond the surrounding walls.

_Not unwelcome… but 'another matter' stops short of welcome_, Kratos silently observed how the Elder chose his words. He had met the Elder countless years before… and had always held deep regard for him – even when his allegiance to Yggdrasill had dictated an end to any camaraderie. "I do not come as a representative of Cruxis, Elder," he assured the man with all sincerity. "But I do need one thing that only you can grant."

The Elder chuckled. "You are still quick to get to your point. I've always liked that about you… you've never had any use for mincing words." He sat down in an ornately carved chair and looked up to Kratos. "Is this about Origin?"

The auburn-haired angel tensed, fighting back the urge to shudder at how the end of his journey was looming… suddenly so close that a single word could shake him so easily. _If I run out of time…. _Kratos set his jaw and shook his head to deny both the thought and the Elder's question. "No, Elder," he replied, his voice remarkably calm even to his own ear. "There will be travelers coming here soon… most likely today. They will request the Mana Leaf Herb to save their friend. I ask that you give it to them."

"Mana Leaf Herb?" the Elder repeated, clearly puzzled. "If they are coming to request it, why not let them do so on their own?"

"The chance that you would turn them down because of who the boy that leads them truly is wasn't a chance I could take," Kratos replied, fighting to distance himself from the fact and finding that getting so close to actually speaking the truth was harder than he thought it would be. "You have your differences with me. Do not let that carry over to the boy and his companions." He sighed and lowered his eyes, bristling at what he knew he had to add. "Please."

The Elder remained silent for a few moments before he began to nod his understanding. "Ah. So the young Aurion lad is making his way here at last, is he?" he mused and leaned back into his chair with a sigh. "It will be interesting to meet him."

Kratos shook his head and set his wary gaze on the elder. "His name is not Aurion… it's Irving. He took the name of the dwarf that adopted and raised him. He doesn't know of any other name that was ever his – and it needs to stay that way." It didn't entirely surprise him that the Elder knew of Lloyd's existence, but it did worry him. There was no perfect way for the boy to learn the truth… not when the lie was so much easier to keep in place. He tilted his head to the Elder, raising an eyebrow in question. "You already knew he was here, didn't you?"

"No matter how misguided your loyalties have been, it goes without saying that you are a powerful being," the Elder shrugged before walking over to a nearby window, his back to the angel. "A mana signature like yours can't hide… not even in your progeny. Our scouts reported his presence not long after he crossed over from Sylvarant."

"I see." The Elder hadn't agreed to his request… nor had he acknowledged his wish that Lloyd would not learn his father's secret. They weren't getting anywhere… and time was growing short. Kratos closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. "My sins are my own… they do not belong to my son or his companions. The girl they are trying to save is Sylvarant's Chosen, whom they have kept out of Cruxis' grasp… and they are trying to fix the wrongs I have helped to bring to these worlds. If you won't help me, I understand. But, I _am_ asking you to help them."

The Elder did not turn, only the slight rise that breathing brought to his shoulders suggested that he wasn't a statue. "You know where they will have to go to find the Mana Leaf Herb, don't you? You are aware that they could leave with far more truth than you seem to want them to have?"

Kratos nodded grimly. "I do. And I am." _Perhaps the truth will finally make them see that I am not one of them… maybe it will open their eyes to the fact that they are fighting corruption far more ancient than they ever guessed._

"Then all they will have to do is ask." The Elder turned back to Kratos, studying him before he drew another breath to speak. "The half-elves they travel with will not be allowed into the village, but if they make it here and they will respect out laws, we will help them."

Relief trickled over Kratos' irritated nerves. He knew he had no right to call the Elder his friend any longer, but he knew the man would keep his word. He could ask no more. "Thank you, Elder," he spoke with a grateful nod. "I will let myself out." The angel turned and strode to the door, knowing his time was short to get out of Heimdall.

"About Origin. We… will be seeing you again, won't we?"

Kratos froze, his hand tightening around the scrolled metal of the door handle. It was inevitable… even the Elder could see that. To right the wrongs he had helped Cruxis impose on the world, it would come down to Origin. "There is no other way, Elder," he answered, his eyes tracing over the grain of the wooden door before him. "When it is time, I will be back."

The Elder sighed. "Then we will be waiting… my old friend."

Pulling the door open, Kratos couldn't look back. "Thank you once again, Elder," he murmured and crossed the threshold, closing the door quietly behind him. One by one, the chapters of his life were closing. There was still much left to do, but he knew regrets would only slow him down.

_I've let them all down… everyone that ever placed their faith in me._ He walked down the stairs, feeling all of their presences – past and present – weighing on his shoulders. _Redemption is more than I can ever ask… but if I can help them accomplish what I never could… in the end… it will all be worth it._


	35. Chapter 35

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Even when the truth is right before your eyes, it's sometimes difficult to believe it… or even see it. The Chosen's cure is tantalizingly close… but each step brings the party closer to secrets long forgotten... and explanations some simply don't want to believe.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 35:

"Hi-yah!"

The cry echoed through the area that was much more swamp than forest, as far as Liane was concerned. She cringed at the sharp contrast of Lloyd's call to the peace of Ymir Forest, but found comfort in the fact that she saw others flinch as well. _What a weird place for a Sorcerer's Ring pedestal,_ she mused, finding an odd amusement at Lloyd's expression as music – not fire balls, mana, or anything else that could be used as a weapon – sounded from the ring.

Lloyd turned his hand to look down to the ring, clearly disappointed. "Oh, this time it makes sounds," he sighed heavily.

"He looks like someone told him his birthday was cancelled," Liane whispered to Genis, smirking slightly as she saw him nod and quickly slap a hand over his mouth. She knew Lloyd probably wouldn't hear them, as they stood at the back of the group on the small island… but it was worth the chance to see Genis smile. They were heading for the birthplace that the Sage siblings had been exiled from as small children… and, after the day before, the 'homecoming' really couldn't be anything but bittersweet at best.

"Nothing happened," Colette murmured in confusion as her crystal blue eyes scanned the forest around them from the shallow, murky waters to the dense canopy of trees above.

Lloyd huffed again, his gaze turning into an impatient demand on the ring. "Yeah, how do we use this?"

Regal approached the brown-haired swordsman, his eyes sweeping the area before he shrugged. "It may be that it only has an effect in specific places," he suggested, the calm in his voice countering the frustration in Lloyd's words.

"Hmm." Lloyd looked back down to the ring, the hostility fading from his eyes as he began to nod. "I see…." He lifted his eyes, chewing the edge of his lip for a moment before side stepping the glowing device that had changed the ring and hopping up onto a stump that blended neatly into the shadows of the forest. He shifted his footing so that he didn't crush the pale pink flower that grew on the edge of the stump and thrust the ring into the air again.

The party exchanged confused looks as the same light melody as before filled the air. Liane was about to suggest that they find another place to try the ring that wasn't just a few steps from the place that had already disappointed him, but before the thought could be spoken, a distant, rhythmic rumble began to grow. "What is…?" she whispered as she turned, her mind working to identify the noise. The wooden boardwalk that marked the forest as inhabited was easy to hear, but it took a moment longer to realize that the rumble was a specific pattern of strikes… _like running… or… galloping?_

The answer took the form of a small – but apparently extremely agitated – boar that slid around the turn in the boardwalk and threw itself into a headlong rush at Lloyd. The party scattered, the confusion over the boar's sudden appearance making fighting an afterthought. Liane grabbed Genis by the shoulders and spun them out of the boar's path, placing herself between the creature and the mage as her mind weighed the possibility of toppling into the water. As she felt the creature thunder past, she looked up to see Lloyd frozen, staring at the animal charging at him. _Lloyd -!_

The instant before the boar slammed into the stump, Lloyd leapt back, landing in a crouch as the sound of the collision ripped through the forest like a miniature clap of thunder. As the sound slowly wafted away, the creature staggered back from the stump, its footing erratic as it swayed in its attempt to stay upright. Then, with a surprised snort, the creature looked up… appearing just as startled as the party that stood around it. Its footing suddenly once again sure, the boar reeled and launched itself back in the direction it had come, looking far more frightened than angry in its retreat.

The party stared after the boar in stunned silence for a few tense moments, none of them moving as if it might bring the boar back.

"Whoa," Zelos breathed out, finally breaking the quiet as he shook his head and swiped his hand over his forehead. "That was scary!"

Sheena crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes over to the redhead. "Heh," she huffed, her lips turned into a smirk. "You're pathetic!"

Zelos' eyes widened, and he shook his head. "No," he objected, his hand slapping to his chest as he gasped for breath. "I _totally_ thought Sheena was charging at me."

"What?!"

The summoner's amusement turned to outrage in a heartbeat as her arms stiffened at her sides and her hands curled into fists.

Liane exhaled, shaking her head as Zelos' feigned fright resolved itself into a wide grin. "I'm not even going to try to stop her," the dark-haired young woman muttered to no one in particular, even though she couldn't help but hope Zelos would hear her. It occurred to her that if Sheena didn't hit him, she just might. _I know he likes her… he's so transparent about it… but he constantly goes out of his way to annoy her_. Liane shook her head as Zelos dashed behind Lloyd with a laugh. _Every time there's a chance for him to be serious about it, he pushes it away._ If she thought too long about it – once she got over being irritated at him – it made her sad.

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Lloyd groaned, stepping out to the side and pushing Zelos back towards the others as the redhead flailed and laughed. The younger swordsman shook his head and sighed, looking back down to the ring on his hand. "So this ring is…."

"It's able to call animals… maybe?" Colette shrugged, her eyes on the ring as well. "It looks like it had an effect when you used it on top of that tree stump."

Raine walked around Lloyd and the blonde Chosen to stand before the stump, touching her finger thoughtfully to her chin as she shook her head. "I have a feeling that it's reacting to the flower and not the stump," she stated, lowering her hand to lightly brush over the delicate spray of pink flowers.

Lloyd turned at the Professor's suggestion, a slight frown curling the corners of his lips down. "That's a weird ability," he sighed. Then his expression brightened. "Oh, well! Calling animals is fun!"

The mercurial mood shift almost made Liane dizzy… but she still shook her head and laughed. "We're going to get eaten, aren't we," she muttered under her breath as Lloyd stepped out ahead of the others to lead them back to the boardwalk. Genis snickered and hurried to catch up with Lloyd and Colette, but Sheena paused beside the swordswoman, one eyebrow arched playfully at her.

"As long as Zelos gets eaten first, I think I'd be okay with it… the rest of us would have a chance to get away," the ninja lifted her voice and turned enough to pointedly watch Zelos walk by.

The redhead answered first by sticking his tongue out at her… and then blew her a kiss… his steps never hesitating as he lapsed into boisterous laughter.

Sheena sighed and shook her head, though she, too, soon started to chuckle as she and Liane began to follow the rest of the group. "If anyone's ever just begged to be monster bait, it's that guy," the summoner groaned, her eyes set forward where Lloyd was leading them deeper into the watery forest.

At that particular moment, Liane knew she wouldn't disagree with her friend, so she remained silent. Her thoughts, however, went back to the night before… and particularly, how excited Zelos had been when Sheena returned after her duel with Kuchinawa. He had carefully stayed just out of her reach most of the night as they all sat around the fire, but he had stayed at her side. He had actually looked happy… truly happy. Even in the times that he clearly was trying to get a reaction out of Sheena… even his eyes betrayed that he was only being playful.

And – perhaps it was just the rush of having things settled with Kuchinawa – Liane would have sworn that Sheena looked at least as happy.

Liane looked over to her friend as she heard the song of the Sorcerer's Ring sound once again. Inwardly, she cringed at the thought of something else crashing through the forest at them, but she couldn't help but take the opportunity. "He was really worried about you last night," she spoke, dropping her voice enough to keep the comment private. When Sheena stopped to look over to her, Liane drew a deep breath. "Really. It didn't look or sound like an act."

The ninja didn't respond immediately, though the laugh that looked like it had been ready to bubble from her lips faded. "I guess that makes two of us that were worried, then…" she shrugged, and they all moved off to the side of the path as another boar rushed past them without paying the party any heed. "Although, I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything from that idiot that I could be certain wasn't an act."

As the boar retreated with a squeal of mixed pain and surprise, Liane bit off any further press on the topic. It wasn't entirely because she didn't think Sheena was listening, though. There was a wistful note in the ninja's dismissal that made her wonder if it was actually hurting her friend to even consider that Zelos could be sincere. _If Sheena's content to let it be, I have to be as well,_ she told herself as the party began to walk again.

_Maybe I'm wrong._

That particular thought drove the idea of trying to push Zelos or Sheena into opening their eyes even further from consideration. Liane frowned, her hand absently closing over the hilt of her sword. _Aren't two people just supposed to _know_…?_ Even as the thought formed, she knew how fantastically simplistic it was – that if it was that easy, no one would ever be alone. _Or… at least no one would question it._

Liane bit her lip when she realized that she didn't know exactly who she was thinking of anymore. All she did know was that it felt much more like self-pity than it did pity for Sheena and Zelos.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," came a quiet voice from over her shoulder. "They've been like this for years, from what I've heard."

The swordswoman's eyes widened as she glanced back over her shoulder, though she didn't have to do so to know his voice. "Sounds painful," she replied carefully as a small shiver danced over her nerves. Liane knew she wasn't cold, but being caught in the patient blue of her friend's eyes left her unable to name her reaction to him. Regal had already found his other half…. He had found her and fallen for her despite all obstacles… _and he lost her._ Liane forced herself to look forward as she heard the others begin to move again. _If everyone has one true, destined love… how can you go on knowing that they're gone… and never coming back?_

She swallowed hard. _And Kratos lost someone, too._ The link was impossible to ignore… and it twisted her heart painfully in her chest, the sharp jab smashing the controls she had been building around her thoughts in a single, aching heartbeat. _What if the person you're supposed to love… has already lost someone? Does that mean you lost them… before you even met them?_

"Liane? Are you all right?"

The warm concern in Regal's voice pulled Liane out of the thought, but it didn't keep her from realizing that she was still shivering. The question was gaining strength… gaining more power to shred her defenses every time it caught her off guard enough to form. "Idiots," she sighed, keeping her jaw tight as she had to rely on her physical strength to hold where her emotional strength had failed. "They're both right there… and they're both going to let it slip away." Though her words were true enough, Liane still sent the ninja and the Chosen a silent apology for using them as scapegoats.

A hand closed gently over her wrist to keep her from walking away… and almost shook the fragile walls she was trying to rebuild.

"What happened?" Regal asked as he pulled her wrist around so she would face him. "You… slept well last night… didn't you…?"

Liane frowned. She knew what he was asking. Kratos had not come to her in the night… nor had she awakened in the cold sweat that her dreams sometimes left for her. But none of that meant that her mind let him – or other recent events – stray far from her thoughts. "I'm fine…" she murmured. "It doesn't have anything to do with that."

_Liar._

There was venom in the thought that reprimanded her for her answer, but she still swallowed it down and gently freed her wrist from his grasp. "I'm just frustrated. Really."

She knew it was true… and as close to the full truth as she was willing to tread. Liane saw a flash of doubt in Regal's eyes and felt a pang of guilt that helped her find a small smile for him. "Thanks, though. I'm okay. I just really want to knock their heads together sometimes."

"By the time this is over, you might have to take a number," Regal responded with a nod as he gestured for her to start walking again. There was a thin smile on his lips that answered hers.

It was easy for Liane to see that the smile didn't reach his eyes, though. She sighed and nodded, following the others while doing her best to smother the embers of her guilt. He was trying to help… but such kindness almost made things worse.

_Dammit, Regal. You're not supposed to be able to read me that well._

"Lloyd, why are you squaring off against a fish?"

Genis' huffed statement was just odd enough to hush the more troubling thoughts that were already retreating to the back of her mind as she stopped with the others at the edge of the boardwalk. Liane's eyes widened when she saw the spine-backed creature Genis was talking about… half-submerged… its overbite extremely pronounced thanks to the shining, dagger-like teeth that accented its jaw.

Lloyd groaned and looked down to the young mage. "Shut up!" he blurted out, his cheeks red. "I was just taking notice."

Liane edged closer to Genis and nudged the snickering boy's shoulder. "Just stop him before he jumps in after it… then everything will be okay." She smiled sweetly as she saw Lloyd turn to her in disbelief. She could only shrug innocently as the crimson-clad swordsman threw his arms into the air and continued down the boardwalk.

The banter was, at least familiar. It was easier for her to join Genis in teasing their friend than to find a way to banish the lonelier thoughts… or just the ones that she didn't understand. Liane knew she had left things unfinished with Regal, but she just had to hope he'd forgive her for the time being.

With the fierce-looking fish watching them warily, the party continued down the narrow wooden walkway until the forest around them seemed to brighten. The tree canopy overhead thinned, giving the area an almost ethereal feel that slowed the party's pace. Even as the serene beauty of the sight stole their momentum, another unmoving oddity soon brought them to a stop. A few steps ahead, and so still that he seemed to be a natural addition to the scene was a small boy. Distinctly pointed ears marked an elven bloodline within the boy, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes as he watched the party approach.

Lloyd glanced over his shoulder to the others and carefully gestured for them to stay back as he began to edge closer to the boy. The small obstacle stiffened, the fear overtaking the sadness that had been in his eyes just moments before, but he didn't move, almost as if his feet had been rooted in place. Slowly, Lloyd knelt before the boy – well out of reach – bringing himself almost eye-to-eye with the child. "Hello," he smiled warmly, keeping his hands at his sides. "Could you let us through?"

The boy blinked, studying Lloyd and then his companions for a long moment before his expression suddenly hardened. "No!"

"Huh?" Lloyd sat back on his heels as if the boy's denial had actually pressed him back. "Why?"

His bottom lip quivering ever so slightly under the shadow of the boy's pale hair, the boy made no attempt to answer Lloyd with anything but a glare.

"He can't be Heimdall's guard, can he?" Liane whispered as she stared at the boy. She knew that elves aged slower than humans, but not only did he _look_ like a child, he wore no armor and bore no weapons. "That's not right…."

"No… something weird's going on," Sheena commented to the swordswoman beside her and then strode forward to stand over Lloyd's shoulder. "Why won't you let us through?" she asked, her voice more curious than angry.

The boy's eyes widened as they shifted up to the summoner, but he remained silent.

Raine sighed and started forward as well. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice taking on the edge of authority that she normally reserved for her students.

The boy took a small step back.

Lloyd sighed and stood up, arms crossed over his chest. "We can't tell if you don't say anything," he muttered, the smile that had even been in his voice slowly vanishing.

"You don't want to make us angry, kid!" Zelos called from where he stood blocked behind the rest of the group.

As the redheaded Chosen's words rang into the forest, the boy cringed, cowering slightly as he quickly clamped his jaw over something that sounded almost like a sob.

"Stop it, everyone. He's scared!" Colette demanded as she shot Zelos an annoyed glare and pushed forward, weaving around Raine, Sheena, and Lloyd before she lowered herself into a crouch before the boy. The two exchanged uncertain looks, but the boy didn't retreat any further. Slowly, Colette lifted her hand to the boy and offered him a bright smile. "What is it?" she asked softly. "Is something wrong?"

While the boy didn't respond, he also didn't pull away from her. His eyes fixed on Colette, his lip quivered again… and he sniffled….

"Do you want to tell us about it?" Colette asked gently, her hand still patiently extended to the boy.

Liane remained silent with the others, watching as the boy edged forward toward Colette. His eyes danced as he measured her nervously… and then finally placed his hand in hers. She had to smile, releasing the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in. _The rest of us only scared him… but he could sense Colette's gentle nature_, she reasoned as the girl once again proved her ability to relate to people. _That has nothing to do with being Chosen… that's _all _Colette._

"Mommy is…" the boy murmured as he leaned toward Colette, almost as if imparting a secret.

Lloyd knelt back at Colette's side, worry curling his lips into a frown. "Hmm?"

The boy looked between Colette and Lloyd for a moment before he clenched his eyes shut and squeezed Colette's hand. "Mom is sick," the elven boy blurted out, cringing as if the words were pulled from him forcibly. "I need a Ymir Fruit from this forest to save her, but there are monsters…." The boy's voice trailed off into a flurry of stifled sobs.

"So… you were standing here… because you were afraid to go any further…?" Liane asked softly as she moved closer to the gap that separated the rest of the group from the crying little boy. It tugged at her heart to hear how badly the boy wanted to help his mother. She saw him nod and pull himself closer to Colette. "Well, we're here… we can take care of monsters…" she murmured and shrugged as Lloyd looked up. She knew they were running out of time for Colette, but from the way the girl let the boy hug himself to her arm, she had a hard time believing the blonde Chosen would object. "Maybe we can… help?"

Lloyd nodded with a bright grin as he turned back to the boy. "Okay, gotcha!" he spoke cheerfully, drawing the boy's curious gaze. "Then we'll go get that Ymir Fruit for you. Then will you let us through?"

The boy with the pale brown hair stood back from Colette and swiped at his eyes as she stared at Lloyd. "You'll really get it for me?"

"Dwarven Vow #11," the swordsman climbed back to his feet, his chest puffed up proudly. "Lying is the first step down the path of thievery. So I don't lie. 'Cause that's my mortal."

Silence fell over the sun-filled patch of watery forest. Liane ground her teeth together as she saw Raine hang her head. _Lloyd…._ He had such good intentions… and the elven boy clearly didn't know the difference if the smile he wore was any indication….

"You mean, "motto," idiot," Zelos hissed, chasing it with a snicker, effectively breaking the silence.

Even as Sheena pinned a burning glare on Zelos, Lloyd shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, anyway, we'll go get it for you, so just wait here," he told the boy as he reached out to pat the child's head.

"O… Okay," the boy agreed uneasily, ducking his chin as he clasped his hands behind his back.

Lloyd nodded, his posture sliding into casual confidence as his hands found the hilts of his blades and his eyes scanned the nearby trees. "So where in the forest is it?"

"Or maybe you can tell us what it looks like?" Liane suggested when she saw the boy's eyes widen suddenly. _He's afraid of the forest. Maybe he hasn't been in it very often…?_

The boy's shoulders sank. "Actually," he muttered in a small voice, "I don't know much about it. Just –"

"What?" Zelos groaned as he rolled his head back. "How are we supposed to search for that!"

Sheena spun on her heel to face the redheaded Chosen, both hands curled into shaking fists. But just as the ninja began to shift closer to Zelos, the boy quickly lifted his voice again. "But Mom said, when you're in trouble, the butterflies of the forest will guide you."

While Liane was glad that the boy had spoken up, she still watched Sheena and Zelos with a worried eye, much like the others. She felt her disappointment rise once again even as Zelos offered the ninja his annoyingly arrogant snicker – the one that she could tell sorely tempted Sheena to just hit him and get it over with. But when the summoner grumbled and turned her back to the redhead again, Liane could only shake her head. "So… are the butterflies attracted to the Ymir Fruit, maybe?" she asked, trying to find a link in her own mind between the clue the boy had given them and the fruit.

"They say the butterflies of this forest react to people's hearts," Raine murmured, her voice slightly distant until she turned to look at Lloyd. "If we're having trouble with something, we should look for the butterflies."

Lloyd nodded and looked back down to the boy again. "Okay. Then just wait here," he told the child and then turned to the rest of the party. "So, we probably don't all have to go… the forest isn't that big and someone should stay with him," he slid his eyes toward the elven boy. "Who wants to go with me to find the fruit?"

Colette looked torn for a moment, but then sat back down on the boardwalk beside the boy. "I'll wait here for you, Lloyd," she spoke with a small smile and patted the wood beside her for the boy to sit. "We'll be fine."

"Someone's got to watch you so you don't end up calling a monster you can't handle on your own… or trying to fight one of those fish!" Genis grinned even as Lloyd huffed at him. "I'm going with you."

Raine sighed. "Well, that makes my choice easy…." The silver-haired woman moved to stand with Lloyd and Genis. "You two are not going off on your own to go call monsters… plus, you might need help identifying the Ymir Fruit."

Zelos yawned and pivoted on his heel to stroll back to the island on the other side of the walkway. "Count me out of a glorified babysitting job," he groaned and sat down against the base of the tree, stretching his legs out before him. "Wake me up when it's time to move."

"And _that_ makes my choice easy," Sheena rolled her eyes and moved to Raine's side. "Looks like it would just be babysitting for _me_ if I stayed here."

Liane saw Zelos look over to Sheena and waggle his eyebrows… and found herself grateful that the two were splitting up. _If they both stayed here, I might have had to just give up and yell at them._ "I think I'll stay, too," she smiled and walked to the edge where the boardwalk met the island, shifting her sword and lowering her pack to the ground before she sat down. Colette had made her choice to stay, but Liane knew that someone needed to stay close to her, too.

"You will be able to move faster with a smaller party," Presea stated softly as she looked up to Lloyd and then made her way back to the island as well, sitting down just out of Liane's reach and pulling her heels up beneath her.

"Presea has a point," Regal nodded. "Heimdall must be close if the boy is any indication. We can continue together as soon as you return," the convict reasoned and also returned to the island, choosing a place beside the tree but within sight of his companions that had chosen to stay behind.

It was a good split, Liane decided as Lloyd led his group back into the forest with a promise to hurry. Both groups would have defensive and healing capabilities if they were attacked – and the forest wasn't so big that if one were attacked, the other couldn't reach them in time to help. The plan was good, but it did leave the group that stayed with the child in a bubble of silence that was only broken periodically by a quiet comment from Colette to the elven boy. Liane shifted to hug her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them as her eyes drifted absently over the muted blues and greens of the forest around them. As her fingers brushed over the warm metal that delicately encircled her wrist beneath her sleeve, Liane couldn't keep her thoughts in place. _I wonder… why he gave me this bracelet…_ she mused, careful to restrain herself from looking down to the silver links. She had wondered about his reasons since he had given it to her on that night that seemed so fateful in retrospect. Some part of her liked to think of it as a promise… one that Kratos would return and lend his strength to them. But every time he did return… it was either to prove that his path was not theirs, or to give her hope some validity so that he could crush it yet again.

_Why? Is it all just a game?_

Liane sighed and pulled her sleeve down over the bracelet, placing a barrier of cloth between her hand and the metal, deciding no answer was better than the one she didn't want to hear. She looked up to where the colors changed from green and blue to green and golden-white where the sunlight poked through the canopy. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust… and realize that the fluttering amongst the sun-laced leaves wasn't the wind.

_Butterflies…._

Once she recognized the creatures, she realized that there were many of them… silent, elegant dancers on the rays of light that spilled down on the top of the nearby island's tree… and more further down the path where the forest opened more to the sun… the place she guessed Heimdall to be.

"… _the butterflies of this forest react to people's hearts…."_

Raine's words hand sounded like superstition… but it was an intriguing invitation to give in and believe… _could the butterflies be showing us the way?_ Liane smiled, feeling a bit silly after the thought as she looked back up to the butterflies that flitted around the crown of the tree that spread out above her and her companions on the island. _They're probably everywhere… but it's a nice story._

"This is a beautiful place," Regal breathed out, his voice calm as his eyes drifted around the forest, stopping on nothing in particular.

Presea glanced over her shoulder to the shackled man, observing him before she allowed her eyes to roam over their surroundings as well. "Yes, it really is," she finally spoke, her agreement almost reverent.

"There's just something about the times that all you can see or hear are the things that are supposed to be in a place… whether you or anyone else had ever been there or not," Liane agreed, lowering her hand to touch the surface of the water at the edge of the walkway.

"Things of such beauty move the hearts of those that gaze upon them," Regal murmured and turned to rest against the trunk of the tree opposite Zelos. "Whether it is nature, or a song… or someone's heart."

Zelos sat up, a puzzled look passing over his face before he leaned around the tree to grin at Regal. "Hmm… you're a poet, huh, Regal?"

"You don't have to be a poet to appreciate what's around you, Zelos," Liane sighed as she slid her eyes back over to the island. Regal appeared to be unfazed by the Chosen's teasing, but she still worried that it might break the rare moment of peace that they had been given. "How often do we get the chance to just stop and look around?"

"I… I wonder if my heart was moved…."

The soft words were spoken more to the water than to any of her companions as Presea leaned out over the barely-rippled water. If the question was for anyone… it seemed to be for her reflection.

"Presea…" Regal sat up, his mask of calm tainted with concern as he turned to watch the pigtailed girl.

The ax girl slowly drew away from the water's edge, but to Liane, she looked even more lost than she sounded. _For so long… how she felt wasn't even a consideration for Presea… and now it's catching up with her._ "That's up to you, Presea," she tried to smile for her small friend. "Things affect people differently… sometimes, there's nothing you can do about it. Some people like sunsets while others will stay up all night to see a sunrise. No one can tell you what moves you."

Presea blinked her wide blue eyes and watched Liane for a moment longer before looking back down to the water. "Am I really thinking by my own will?" she again asked the question of her reflection. "Were the words I just said really the words I thought?"

"No one but that person can truly know what she is thinking," Regal shook his head and pushed himself up to sit on his heels. "Presea, you –"

"It's pretty and all, but it's just water, you know?" Zelos spoke over the Duke's attempts to reassure Presea, flipping a handful of curls back over his shoulder as he turned and crawled over to the ax girl's side. Settling beside her, he crossed his legs and answered the girl's curious look with a grin. "Now, if it tasted good, that'd be another story." He tilted his head to her and waited a moment before reaching out to dip a cupped hand into the water. "Wanna try drinking it?" Zelos asked playfully and lifted his dripping hand to his mouth to take a loud slurp.

Presea, Liane, and Regal could only stare at the redhead until Zelos laughed.

"Oh! It's delicious!" the Tethe'allan Chosen declared happily, looking down to Presea with a wide smile. "Presea, you gotta try some!"

The girl eyed Zelos for a moment and then nodded. "Okay," she agreed and turned to cup both of her hands together and dip them timidly into the water. Presea lifted the improvised cup to her lips and sipped at it, apparently unaffected by the three sets of eyes on her. "Oh, it is good," she commented softly after she pondered for a moment and then lifted her hands to her lips again to finish.

"Isn't it?" Zelos agreed in triumph, waiting for her to finish the water before leaning over to catch her gaze and shrug. "Then, isn't that enough?"

Regal chuckled and turned to settle back against the tree with a shake of his head. "You are right…."

_Now, why couldn't Sheena have seen that?_ Liane couldn't help but watch how Zelos seemed content to stay where he was beside Presea… and how he had shown Presea one way to know that her reactions were her own. It was patient… and kind-hearted… and even if Presea still had a long way to go before she knew herself, Liane had to believe that any progress was good.

"Lloyd!! _Don't let go of the bird!!!_"

Genis' frantic call split the peace of the forest, leaving the party half of the party that had stayed behind frozen.

"Huh. Maybe I should have gone with them," Zelos muttered with a huff. "Sounds like a good show if Lloyd called a bird big enough to carry him off. "The redhead's display only lasted or a moment longer until it dissolved into a snicker as the redhead flopped back down into the grass of the island.

Liane and Regal exchanged concerned looks, although her thoughts betrayed her and constructed a picture of Lloyd dangling from an oversized bird's talons as the swept through the treetops. Before she realized it, a laugh bubbled out of her throat.

Regal's worried expression twisted into disbelief as one eyebrow angled sharply up at her.

_He thinks I've lost my mind…._ Liane clapped a hand over her mouth, an act that seemed only to make Zelos laugh harder. But before she could even start to construct her defense….

"Yeeee-hahhhhh!!!"

The laughter sounded far louder than Genis' worry had… and Liane exercised every bit of her willpower to keep her expression even as she met her blue-haired friend's gaze… and simply lifted her hand in the direction of Lloyd's exhilarated laugh to plead her case for her before she giggled again.

Regal shook his head… but then chuckled as well as he leaned back against the tree without comment.

Zelos just laughed louder, leaving Presea to watch him with wide-eyed curiosity.

"It sounds like they're having fun, huh?" Colette murmured as she and the elven boy moved closer to sit beside Liane. She looked down to the boy with a reassuring smile. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about."

Liane swiped the back of her hand past her eyes to wipe away the tears her laughter had brought. She almost hated to do it… she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard. "I still can't believe no one would help you go get the fruit for your mother," she sighed as she watched the boy twist his hands together.

The boy looked up to Liane, still curled under Colette's arm as if the Chosen was the only one that made him comfortable. "Well, the man in the purple and gold said he'd help me if I didn't have it by the time he came back," he told her meekly. "But he was the only one that offered."

_The man in… purple and gold…._ All laughter faded from the dark-haired swordswoman as her eyes flashed back to the path ahead. Forcing her lungs to draw in air, Liane bit her lip… and tried to ignore the butterflies floating lazily in the sun.

"He sounds like a nice man, but Lloyd and the others are going to have that fruit for you soon… and then your mother can get better," Colette smiled, paying no attention to how Liane had fallen silent.

Liane clasped her hands in her lap, her eyes fixed on the water before her. _It can't be… it has to be a coincidence… others can wear purple and gold,_ she reasoned. _A real guard, maybe?_

But the possibility refused such easy dismissal. Her knuckles were white and bloodless before she realized how tight she was clenching her hands together. Wouldn't it be bad if Kratos _was_ there? After Meltokio, she couldn't think things would be any easier.

_Do I… _want _him to be there?_

Every question grew more troubling than the one that formed before it, but that question in particular made her look back over to Presea. While she didn't envy the girl's search for her own buried identity, Liane realized she could relate to at least her newest dilemma: were her reactions to Kratos her own? Was the urge to see him or have him back with them something with its roots deep in her mind? Or was her inability to push all o that away and finally see him as an enemy a residual of the fractured life she led when her dreams and visions took her away from reality?

It felt like there was something missing… a hole that was both obvious and invisible at the same time. Was it something she couldn't see… or wouldn't see? Liane sighed and looked back to Colette and the elven boy simply to stop staring absently at Presea before any of them caught her. _No. I want to see… I want to know!_ her mind protested and her jaw tightened. _I want my life back…._ She blinked, almost surprised by the thought that bordered on anger, though she couldn't argue – the visions had taunted her since the day Colette had received the Oracle. Though they had come and gone as they pleased, it all came back to Kratos.

_That's why… I need him. I need to know… to understand why…._

It always came back to the certainty that Kratos was the key. And while it wasn't logical or necessarily fair to him… she blamed him. He somehow awoke the visions… and he wouldn't tell her why.

_I don't think he did it on purpose… _her frown deepened. _He always seems to hate me more when I try to ask him about them._ Liane's anger faltered once again. _I didn't ask for this._

_But if it started with him… and if he seems angry when I bring it up…._ The swordswoman considered the link as her newest attempt to force the situation into the confines of logic twisted on her. _Did I… steal something from him?_ It was one of the more disturbing and bizarre turns her thoughts had made, but was it impossible? If the journey had shown her anything, wasn't it that nothing was as it seemed?

"Here you go, it's the Ymir Fruit we promised. Take it to your mother."

Liane jumped at the sound of Lloyd's voice behind her. It was only slightly reassuring that it was her own thoughts that had made her so oblivious to the return of her friends. But they were back and safe… it was the extra nudge of strength she needed to tuck away all of the questions for a little longer… along with the speck of guilt her new theory had brought along with it.

_I didn't mean to…._

"Th… thank you," the elven boy climbed to his feet and reached out with both hands to accept the pinkish-orange fruit that the swordsman handed to him. He admired the fruit for a moment before he looked back up again. "They said humans are inconsiderate, but you guys are different," he began to smile and dipped his head, the flipped curl in his hair bouncing as he straightened and shifted the large fruit to one hand while his other hand went to his back pocket. "Thank you very much," he beamed and held his hand out to Lloyd, his fingers uncurling from a silver metal sphere. "Here… take this."

As soon as Lloyd lifted the sphere from his hand, the boy turned and dashed toward the brighter part of the forest ahead before the swordsman or any of his companions could say anything. "He was in a hurry to help his mom," Liane shrugged as she stood and grabbed her pack once again. "Heimdall has to be that way."

"I guess," Lloyd murmured, looking down to the gift in his hand for a moment longer before placing it in his trouser pocket and turning back to the others. "But it looks like he kept up his end of the deal. Let's go get the Mana leaf herb. It can't be much further now."

With the party reunited, it was easier to keep her thoughts from drifting… but with Lloyd at her side, Liane was pleased that the familiarity brought her solidly back to what she considered reality. Liane Dale… working with the friends _she_ had made toward a goal that affected _her _life and those of her friends and their worlds. It was as solid as she could ask. Glancing over to Lloyd, she had to smirk. "Big bird?"

Lloyd grinned sheepishly and ran a hand back through his hair. "Huge. It was a blast, though… even if I thought it was going to eat me…."

"Either that or it might have saved you and taken you back to its nest and feed you to its baby monster birds," Genis laughed as he trotted up to walk at Lloyd's other side. "It looked pretty hungry… you got lucky, Lloyd."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Lloyd shook his head and reached out casually to ruffle the mage's hair. "Besides, if it had tried anything like that, you would have barbequed it. I was perfectly safe."

Liane chuckled at the boys, glad that the ugliness of the journey didn't seem to have changed their friendship. They were almost like brothers in her eyes… and she hoped for both of them that they never lost that. As Genis and Lloyd chattered, the forest around them began to thin, as the sunlight had promised, revealing a path that became better worn with every step they took. Then, at a bend in the trail, Liane saw a roof among the trees. _Heimdall…. _A few steps further revealed buildings that almost blended completely into the trees… a few more steps revealed a wooden archway… and another step after that….

Liane froze.

_Kratos._

It wasn't a surprise. It was a confirmation that made her head spin. _How? Why would anyone expect him to be here?_

Her frustration faded and she almost laughed. _Because he's everywhere._

The angel stood beneath the archway, his arms crossed impatiently, his glare on the party obvious even beneath the veil of thick auburn bangs. "So you've made it here."

Lloyd edged one foot closer to the angel, but didn't complete the full step. "What?!" he snapped, his anger almost as obvious as the fact that he was holding himself back. "Then you _do_ know how to cure Colette's illness!"

Kratos shrugged. "And if I did?"

Liane watched, her heart sinking at what she was certain was another attempt on Kratos' part to goad Lloyd on. _They're going to fight again. There's no way around it. It's not a matter of if… it's when. And with the way Kratos is pushing… he won't walk away._

"Why are you helping us?!" Lloyd demanded. "Why are you giving us clues about how to save her? And how did you know that Colette's Angel Toxicosis was the same illness that one of Mithos the Hero's companions had?!"

The angel tilted his head, looking thoroughly bored. "And what do you hope to accomplish by asking that?"

Lloyd drew back, his hands still on his blades, though with the way his shoulders fell, it wasn't hard to guess that using them was no longer an option for the teen. "Ah… well…."

Kratos didn't wait for any further answer to form. He uncrossed his arms and walked forward. "There's no time. Hurry," he muttered as he walked past Lloyd, his tone casual even if his words were cryptic.

No one stopped him. Lloyd didn't even turn to watch the angel walk away… but Liane shivered as he walked past her. He was close enough that all she would have had to do was lift a hand and she would have touched him. _No one expects him to stay… no one expects him to help. We're all just braced for him to attack us again._ She knew she couldn't speak for the others, but those were the truths that kept her in place, denying any urge to turn and watch his retreat.

"This is the village of the elves. No half-elf may pass."

If the pair of guards had been there during their encounter with Kratos, Liane hadn't seen them. But the two men in light armor now blocked the gateway, and it was clear that their cold gazes were locked on Raine and Genis.

"What?" Colette shook her head, her eyes troubled as she clasped her fingers together before her.

The guard standing furthest from the party stepped forward to his partner's side. "This is a defensive measure against those who brought catastrophe to our village," he stated. "If you cannot accept that, then you humans may not enter, either."

'_Catastrophe?'_ Liane looked over to Raine and Genis, hating that her mind had found a link between the tragic story of their family and the words of the guards. She knew it was probable… and sadly likely… but that was as far as she would take it. _So it really isn't just humans that hate the half-elves._

"Lloyd," Raine moved to place her hand on her brother's shoulder and waited for the swordsman to look back to her call before speaking again. "We'll wait here. We'll leave the rest in your hands."

Lloyd's eyebrows knit together, but he began to nod. "All right."

The Sage siblings retreated back toward the forest without another word or complaint. Liane knew it was easier to accept the misguided rule than to fight it, especially since all the guards were asking was that no half-elf were allowed in. _No one's going to prison… no one's going to be hurt. We just have to get the Mana Leaf Herb and get out._

But even though Raine and Genis were clearly not attempting entry, the guards remained in place. "Talk celebrating Mithos as a hero is forbidden in this village," the first guard suddenly stated.

"Wow, that was random," Liane grumbled, an additional condition striking her as strange and leaving her to wonder how long it would take to get through the rest of the list.

Lloyd shrugged, watching both of the guards. "Why?"

The second elf sighed heavily and both he and his partner stepped to either side of the gate to open the path for the party. "We have no need to explain. Just do as we say."

The party entered the town slowly, almost as if they expected to be stopped again by the guards. But when the men made no attempt to stop or slow them, their pace picked up to a casual walk. "Huh. Kratos must have rubbed them the wrong way… they seemed just itching to take it out on us," Zelos grumbled. "Some day, we need to get someplace first and set a trap for _him._ See how he likes _that._"

"I don't think it was a trap," Liane commented as she watched Colette step off the path that wound through the town to ask directions to the home of the village leader, unaware that her comment had brought the group's attention to her. When she looked up, she realized that her defense of the angel hadn't exactly brought on a rush of support. She sighed. "He wasn't being kicked out. Those guards weren't trying to force him out faster. There's nothing burning and the village seems fine…" _and he offered to help that boy, too._ Liane drew another breath and shrugged. "I don't think it's fair to call it a trap."

"Yet," Sheena groaned her correction to Liane's statement as Colette returned with the news that the path would lead them to the home of the village elder."

Liane couldn't look over to the ninja. She knew that Sheena held no trust of Kratos… and she couldn't blame her. In truth, she almost wished she could share that level of detachment. But, as things stood, silence was the only reply she knew wouldn't turn around and bite her.

The elves of Heimdall paid them minimal attention as the group passed through the village, most not even looking up from their chores. The town seemed to Liane to be a part of the forest, even the buildings giving the impression of being built around the ancient trees instead of disrupting them – especially those built up off the ground, almost as if the trees themselves had lifted the structures up so that they could serve as foundations. _And I thought Mizuho blended into the woods well,_ Liane mused as Lloyd led them up the steps of the house Colette had pointed out to them.

A wizened elf man opened the door almost before Lloyd's hand fell from knocking on the door, welcoming them all to step inside without questioning their presence. While Liane found it a bit unnerving, it was easy enough to write it off as a sign of another culture that was removed from the outside world. Though she didn't like that the discrimination of half-elves persisted there, she knew that Heimdall at least had something of a reason. _It's not blind hatred like the rest of the world..._ she reminded herself as she stood to the side of the group while Lloyd pled their case to their host. _It's not right to hold a single incident against all half-elves, but I suppose if they're going to hold grudges, simply banning them from the town is about as passive as one could ask…._ The thought trailed off as she caught the elf Elder's eyes resting on her… and then quickly whisking away as soon as their eyes met.

_We're strangers in his home, stupid,_ Liane chided herself and tried to forget the momentary flash of paranoia. _You'd be inspecting a bunch of strangers in your town closely, too…._

"… Mana Lea Herb, you said?" the Elder asked Lloyd as he watched the teen out of the corner of his eye. He had been slowly pacing the floor in front of a large window that looked out over the forest, stroking his chin thoughtfully as the swordsman spoke for his companions.

Lloyd nodded once. "Yes. We need it."

The elder stopped his patient walk and turned to face the teen. "That is an important plant that we elves use in our magic," he stated with a slow shake of his head, though his eyes never left Lloyd. "We can't simply tell anyone where it grows."

The room seemed to darken at the Elder's denial. Liane looked over to Colette… and saw how the girl slumped, her shoulders already giving in to defeat. Liane shook her head. "We're not asking for all of it… and we have no reason to tell anyone else where it is…" she started, trying to reason with the Elder before she was aware of the presence at her side.

"Isn't there anything that can be done?" Regal summarized Liane's argument neatly as the Elder looked up. "Without that plant, a friend of ours will die."

The Elder drew back, his eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Lloyd lifted his head, standing tall before the Elder. "We have a friend who is sick," he replied, his voice firm with the statement as he met the elf's gaze. "She has… uh…" he blinked, his eyebrows knitting together, "… angel… effect…."

"No, no," Zelos shook his head with a huff. "It was chronic angelus –"

"Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium," Presea stated, her words clipped and precise.

Lloyd quickly nodded and looked back to the Elder. "Yeah, what she said."

Liane rolled her eyes. While she knew how Lloyd didn't like to be bogged down in details, if the Elder took his impatience as any kind of disrespect, he could refuse to help them….

"What?!" the Elder exclaimed, the dry edge in his voice cracking a little in surprise as he stared at Presea for a moment longer before looking back to Lloyd. "That's Martel's…" he breathed out, eyebrows knit together as he turned and walked over to the corner of the room. "So that's why Kratos…."

A jolt of uncertain energy went through the party at the Elder's muttered response to the name of Colette's illness. "What?" Sheena spoke up and slowly approached the Elder. "Did you just say Martel?"

"And what about Kratos?!" Lloyd insisted as he watched the Elder walk past Sheena to return to the place he had stood before Lloyd a few moments before. "What did he come here for?"

The Elder shook his head as he held a wooden staff out to Lloyd. It looked to have been only partially carved… only the shaft smooth and worn while its head was a natural knot of wood – unsymmetrical, but still oddly fitting for the look of the staff. "Don't worry about Kratos," the Elder stated, his eyes boring into Lloyd as the teen accepted the staff. "Mana Leaf Herb grows in a region southeast of here known as the Latheon Gorge," he spoke slowly, as if to be sure there would be no misunderstanding. "It lies deep within mountains covered with mist. Show this staff to the watchman."

Lloyd stared back at the Elder and then to the staff. Liane shared his confusion at how quickly the Elder had changed his denial into help without strings. It was the mention of Martel and Kratos that kept the party in place… and the Elder himself suddenly became another piece of the puzzle of their journey. _Why does almost everyone we meet seem to know more about our journey than we do?_

"Elder!" Lloyd raised his voice plaintively as the elf turned away from them and walked to the window, his back squarely turned to them.

The elven man clasped his hands behind his back and sighed heavily. "I have no more to say to you, humans."

Lloyd drew a quick breath, but any complaint it might have been meant to form vanished when Regal dropped a hand on the swordsman's shoulder and offered him a single, pointed shake of his head. For a moment, Liane thought her friend was going to argue with Regal's silent guidance, but then, that worry melted as Lloyd turned, striding back to the door and pulling it open before leaving the house.

The group Lloyd left behind exchanged looks, but then slowly backed away from the Elder and turned to follow the brown-haired teen. _We were lucky to get this much_, Liane told herself as she waited her turn to leave. Whether or not the Elder knew more didn't matter… it was their fight and he had helped them all that he cared to do so… asking any more was rude, no matter how much they wanted what he knew. Taking the door handle in hand, Liane hesitated in the doorway and glanced back over her shoulder to the Elder.

She wasn't expecting to meet the elf's gaze.

"Ah… thank you," the dark-haired young woman spoke, feeling that something _had_ to be said. "We know you didn't have to help us… but we do thank you."

The Elder nodded without speaking, though she felt his eyes on her almost as clearly as if he were physically touching her.

"The answers he wanted are not mine to give," the elf finally murmured. "But you will have them soon. What you do with them will be entirely up to you." Then he turned his back to the door once again.

Liane bit her lip to hold in the urge to beg the Elder to explain. But even that didn't obscure the fact that her stomach spun itself into a knot. _We're going to get answers?_ She drew in a deep breath and stepped out of the dwelling, closing the door behind her. Her eyes lingered on the wood of the deck beneath her feet before she looked down to find the others waiting for her at the base of the steps in varying states of impatience.

_Finally, answers instead of questions?_ It was a strange concept that she mulled over as she descended the steps. But instead of the relief she had thought such a concept would bring, she only found more apprehension….

_The truth isn't supposed to make things worse. Anything we find… it'll make things better… right?_

* * *

"Humans are so predictable… it really does make them boring…."

Yggdrasill sighed… a long, dramatic noise that lingered in the throne area as he lifted his hand to inspect his fingernails.

"It's a good thing it makes them fairly useful for the time being… wouldn't you agree, Kratos?"

"Yes, Lord Yggdrasill," the auburn-haired angel answered. He hadn't really been listening to the Cruxis Leader's self-indulgent rambling. After so many years of hearing it, Kratos was fairly certain he could perform the entire conversation on his own and save them both the time. But this time, he knew it was probably better to humor the rote… and it kept him from thinking on the insult too much. One change… one snapped retort… could be all it took to unravel everything.

Yggdrasill threw back his head and laughed, his hair falling in a smooth golden curtain over the side of the throne's arm. "Their stupidity makes them so eager… so compliant. It's like fishing… with just a little bait…" he laughed again. "Like obedient little puppies, they do all my work for me!" He rolled his head to look at Kratos with a wide smile. "And you know the funny thing? They're actually bright enough that they could actually find what they were looking for! All it took was a little push… and they were off! It's like they're eager to bundle the vessel up with everything it will take to fix her and leave her on our doorstep!" His laughter grew louder. "It would almost be charming if I could get past their stupidity."

Kratos merely crossed his arms over his chest. He knew that Yggdrasill was baiting him just as he was bragging about doing so to the Chosen's party. _He has to know that I've been in contact with them. Lloyd and the others probably haven't seen any reason to withhold that kind of information from their new friend._ The angel put the energy it would have taken to groan into forcing himself to stay still. Being forced to remain reactive grated on every nerve that had been absolutely conditioned to be proactive, but he had no choice. _I tried to warn them. If they won't see until it's too late, I can't open their eyes for them._

"You're awfully quiet, my old friend," Yggdrasill crooned as he rolled his eyes to Kratos, the bright green-blue showing a token spark of interest. "You must be tired from that unfortunate incident with the tree? I'm sure there were many details that kept you busy after that…."

"It was relatively easy to contain," Kratos responded casually. "I simply didn't know if you wanted commentary from a human, Lord Yggdrasill." The words were carefully respectful… their meaning was not.

Yggdrasill laughed again, a full, throaty sound that almost seemed ready to carry true amusement. "I value your input, Kratos! Surely you know that!" The elegant blonde man turned and righted himself in the seat of the throne, leaning his weight onto the arm so that he could casually cup his chin in his hand and brace himself there. "Besides, you're not human. We cured you years ago…" he purred, his gaze narrowed on Kratos. "You left all those silly human things behind, remember? Why… you're practically a god… even if those stupid humans can't see it."

As much as she knew Yggdrasill was taunting them, Kratos knew that he actually believed what he was saying. He couldn't say which annoyed him more. "It was safer to guess that you included me with the humans, Lord Yggdrasill. You've seemed so… distracted… since your return."

"Oh, it's just the excitement of having the vessel returned… along with the parts to fix it properly," Yggdrasill sighed with a sweep of his hand to indicate how exhausting it was. "It's such a bother, really, but I've come to hope that it's finally a sign that this vessel will be compatible." He closed his eyes, a peaceful smile curling his lips as if he were dreaming. "At this point, my only worry is if my sweet sister will forgive me for imprisoning her in a human body. Granted, we've gone through all the steps to prepare it properly, but still…."

If one didn't work, it was tossed aside and another was prepared… the human Chosens were simply raw, imperfect materials... expendable resources to Yggdrasill. The hypocrisy was almost enough to make Kratos laugh. "Your sister had a forgiving soul," he stated, his voice flat so that it could hide that there was much more he wanted to say. _But even she would have a difficult time forgiving what you've done in her name…._

"_Has_, Kratos. My sister _has_ a forgiving soul," Yggdrasill shook his head, his tone one of playful reprimand as if he were chiding a child, though when he opened his eyes, there was unmistakable malice in their depths. "She'll be overjoyed when she sees what we've done for her to bring her wish to life! And she'll even be able to be at our side to usher in the age of peace that she wanted!"

Kratos sighed. It was a concession to the urge that screamed at him that he simply couldn't remain silent. There had been times when such a calmly explained plan could be excused as part of the boy's grief over his sister's passing. That time had slowly become a habit. To speak after all the time that had passed would almost be worse. _No… silence for a little longer is best. Let him believe he's close to winning._

Yggdrasill was suddenly on his feet. "And you, my old friend… will be the one to assure that it comes to pass!"

_What?_ For a moment, Kratos cursed how easy the years had made it to tune out Yggdrasill's rantings. "Lord… Yggdrasill?" he asked as his mind slowly fed him clues to what he might have missed, even though he was already certain that he didn't want to know.

"You will finish what you started!" Yggdrasill's smile beamed down on Kratos from his throne. "The Chosen's little group will inevitably return to the Tower of Salvation. And you will be waiting for them. The vessel will be ours, we will perfect her… and then Martel will live again. My sister will know that her dear friend, Kratos remained true to her after all this time… and we can all move on together! It will be even better than before."

Some small piece of Kratos shrunk away at the thought. The times Yggdrasill sought to recapture were hard but good times… but they were gone. Perhaps at one time, that had been the draw that made it possible to ignore the atrocities Cruxis was imposing on the worlds… but there was no way it would ever be the same again. Even if Sylvarant's Chosen were to serve as a proper vessel, things wouldn't go back to how they were.

_And Martel wouldn't want this, either._

Kratos squared his shoulders. Yggdrasill's command was one he had anticipated, but that didn't make it any more welcome. "They could come at any time," he stated with as much indifference as he could manage. He knew it was a test – everything was. "Will the research department be ready for the Chosen in time?"

"With our little pets collecting what we need, there should be no question of it," Yggdrasill shrugged. "If they're not… well, we have researchers that might be less eager to disappoint me." The Cruxis leader took a step closer to Kratos, his smile growing a bit more smug. "You won't let me down – again – will you, Kratos?"

Kratos didn't even try to hide his glare. "You won't be here to see for yourself?" he asked as smoothly as he could manage.

Yggdrasill slowly shook his head. "Oh, Kratos, I _trust_ you. You know how important this is. And you'll be reporting to me once you return with the vessel. A leader has to be able to trust his closest advisors, doesn't he?"

_So I'll be stuck… under his watch… until they come._ There would be no warning for them… there would be no more preparation for him. _Dammit_. He would need all the time Lloyd and the others could give him… and perhaps more… but he might be able to come up with an alternative to killing all of them except Colette by then. Maybe. Kratos nodded. "Of course, Lord Yggdrasill," he replied carefully. "I will deliver the Chosen to Welgaia."

"Oh, I know you will," Yggdrasill nodded understandingly. "I know you won't let me down. My honorable, loyal Kratos. You and I… we are family." His smile widened. "Fate has made certain of that… and more over…." He closed the gap between himself and Kratos… and leaned up to his ear.

"I own you."

The whisper was a malicious dare… and there was nothing Kratos could do about it no matter how he ached to do something. Yggdrasill's retaliation would not only lash out at him, but also Lloyd… Liane… potentially, all of them. None of them were ready for that yet. He was still their best chance.

And to remain in that position, he knew he had to remain silent. He had done so before… the last time Yggdrasill had spoken those words. The difference was that the last time, Kratos and his broken spirit had believed him.

"Bring me my sister's vessel, Kratos," Yggdrasill sighed with a confident smile as he patted the angel's shoulder and continued walking. "It will assure your place at our side in the glorious new age to come."

"Yes, Lord Yggdrasill," Kratos answered, somehow keeping his teeth from grinding together.

"_Bring me my sister's vessel…."_

_How wonderfully vague._ Kratos considered smirking. It would mean a bit of faith in the Chosen's party, but with a little manipulation, he knew it could work. They had all proven themselves stubborn… that would be their greatest asset now. _All I have to do is push as hard as I dare… and wait._ Waiting for the party would be difficult… and worse, time consuming. But it might buy him that last bit of freedom he would need.

He heard the large wooden doors of the throne room swing shut, but he didn't look back.

_I'm counting on you, Lloyd._

* * *

"If we lose… and the worlds get destroyed… I hope this place goes first."

Liane groaned her deep wish of the moment as she leaned over the edge of the bank, letting the spray of the rushing water wash over her face. She was certain that she had left her stomach somewhere near the elven guard that had allowed them passage into Latheon Gorge… in fact, her nerves were frayed enough that she was sure they were still tied to her stomach. Heights didn't bother her… not with the Rheairds or the transparent steps that had held them up out of the reach of the abyss at the Tower of Salvation. But a bubble that was made of magic that seemed to have a lifespan no longer than that of one made of soap being the only thing between her and a plunge to a watery, rocky death.

"Ughh."

"Boy, I bet if I told you I saw a warp ring right about now, you'd actually cheer, huh?" Genis asked as he sympathetically patted the back of the swordswoman's shoulder.

The odd thing was that Liane thought he might be right. It didn't stop her from lifting her head to glare at the mage, though… even though it might have been the thing that kept her hand at her side from reaching out and curling into the front of his shirt to push him into the water. "If you're trying to make me throw up, you're doing a good job. It won't take much more…."

Genis laughed again. "Eww. Just be sure to do it over there… a few of the others look a little green, too. Don't want to encourage them too much, you know?"

Just the start of the image in her mind made Liane's stomach lurch again and she clenched her eyes shut. She told herself that her own height wouldn't be too much of a challenge to her rebellious stomach if she could just have a few more moments beside the river. _It couldn't be as easy as the guard at the mouth of the gorge saying, "Sure! Mana Leaf Herb? It's right here! Take what you need!" now, could it?_ she grumbled silently as she tried to coax her stomach back into place. _Noooo. It has to be all the way up the side of a mountain… and then we have to beg some storyteller for it. Perfect._

"Lloyd!" Zelos' call was unnecessarily loud in the rocky canyon, and it filled the area around the wet, mist-cloaked bridge. "Are we there yet? How far is it to that storyteller dude? I'm tired…."

Liane braced herself and lifted her head to see the redhead flopped on his back a few paces down the grassy bank from her. As Genis had indicated, the party did seem to be slightly out of balance – Raine and Sheena in particular stood tall and still… their skin slightly off-tone.

Lloyd rolled his eyes from where he stood near the end of the bridge and landed his glare squarely on the Tethe'allan Chosen. "Hey, how should I know?" he groaned with a shake of his head.

"Don't blame Lloyd," Liane murmured and pushed herself back to sit on her heels, trying the new position out before attempting to rise again. "If any of us would have known about this, I think we could have found a way to lower ourselves in by the Rheairds… or something," she reasoned, even though she doubted the mists that hung in the canyon would have been helpful for that.

Zelos moaned again and threw an arm over his forehead. Presea moved a few steps closer to him and shook her head just enough that it looked like her pigtails were swaying with the breeze. "Zelos… you're pitiful…."

The ax girl's words of disappointment were enough to speed Liane's plans to find her feet again. Even though Zelos merely chuckled at Presea's scorn, he made no effort to get up. "We could stay here all day, but it won't make things any easier, she sighed and finished pulling herself back up to her feet. The break and the cool air of the rushing water had helped, though if the magic bubbles of the Sorcerer's Ring had much more say in their stay, she wasn't certain that she would make it out of the gorge under her own power.

"It looks like we can climb up from here," Colette called over her shoulder without fully turning away from what looked to be a rough-hewn footpath along the cliff wall. Her smile grew just a bit wider. "I'm sure we're close. Let's hang in there, everyone."

Liane looked down at a gentle nudge to her side to find Genis holding her pack up for her. She laughed a little at the realization that she hadn't even considered stooping to pick it up – but thanks to her friend, she didn't have to. It took a few moments and a good bit of grumbling to get the party collectively back on their feet, but once they were, the path Colette had found was surprisingly easy to climb – not to mention blissfully solid compared to the bubbles that had lifted them on the winds of the canyon. While Liane couldn't bring herself to even consider what the trip back down the gorge would be like, the sight of a small hut and colorful sprays of wildflowers that _weren't_ puffing air emerging from the mist ahead was enough to make her smile in relief.

Lloyd led the group up to the hut's door, waiting only a moment for them to gather behind him before he reached out to knock on the door. A muted mechanical patter sounded from behind the hut, but it was the only sound save for the nearby rushing water until the sound of the door swinging back open on slightly rusted hinges revealed a hooded figure peering out from within. "Humans? And half-elves?" the man breathed out instead of a greeting, a confused scowl on his mostly-hidden face.

The old man's voice cracked with disuse, but his quick – and accurate – assessment of his visitors kept the party still and quiet with caution until Lloyd drew a breath and cocked his head to the man. "Oh, you must be the Storyteller," he began with an awkward chuckle in his voice. "Can you give us some Mana Leaf Herb?"

Colette's eyes widened in alarm as she pointedly nudged Lloyd in the side and offered the hooded man a smile. "_Please_," the blonde Chosen added to soften Lloyd's hasty request.

A frown emphasized by the shadows of his hood darkened the Storyteller's expression, though only flecks of light in his eyes betrayed any reaction from the man. He looked down and hesitated when he saw the staff strapped to the underside of Lloyd's pack. "I see you've brought proof from the Elder," he nodded, his voice warming slightly, thought when he looked back up to the expectant gazes of the party, he was still frowning. "I'd like to say just take what you need, but…."

Lloyd took a step back, his shoulders sagging. "Is there a problem?"

_Oh, please don't tell me there's no more of it,_ Liane sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she felt a ripple of apprehension slide over the group.

"It's in a somewhat difficult place," the Storyteller responded almost apologetically. "I don't know if you'll be able to go get it."

Silence answered the Storyteller's declaration until Zelos snorted indignantly. "We've made it all the way up this mountain," he groaned and stepped up to drape an arm over Lloyd's shoulder. "We'll get it no matter where it is. We'll just send Lloyd."

"Hey!" Lloyd retorted, shrugging out from under the snickering Chosen's arm and backing further from the door.

Presea observed the swordsmen for a moment before she walked forward to take Lloyd's place before the Storyteller. "Please, tell us where it is."

"We need it for our friend. It really doesn't matter how difficult it is to get to now. We don't have any other options," Liane shook her head when the old man looked up from Presea. "All we need are directions."

The Storyteller remained still for a few moments and then slowly began to nod his head. "Hmm…" he hummed thoughtfully and then nodded once more as if he had reached an internal decision. "All right. Follow me." He crossed the threshold of the hut and moved out into the diffused sunlight as the group parted for him to pass. Moving slowly but deliberately, he led the party down the path that had brought them to his hut and to an old, wooden gate. "The leaf can be found in the cave ahead," he declared as he unlatched the gate for them, waiting for it to swing completely open before he turned back to them. "Be careful."

"Okay!" Lloyd agreed, the Storyteller's aid apparently bring back the teen's optimism as he gestured over his shoulder to his companions. "Let's go, guys!"

Liane heard Colette murmur a quick thank you to the Storyteller as they passed by him, but her thoughts were already moving past gratitude to whatever it was that the old man considered 'difficult.' The long hanks of silver hair that framed the thin face within the hood as well as simply where the old man lived combined to make her wonder what would worry him so much to give such a warning. He lived in the gorge, didn't he? If he wanted supplies, he would have to make the trek down and up the mountain… and if the creatures they had seen on their way up were any indication, the gorge was hardly an easy life. Glancing over to Sheena, she saw a pensive expression there that seemed to agree with her own thoughts. "What do you think? More cliff scaling? It's out on a ledge we'll have to crawl to get to?" she asked quietly as the path began to narrow to hug the cliff face once again.

"With our luck, all of that," the summoner responded in a hushed voice as she moved into line in front of Liane as the path continued to narrow. "I this path gets much smaller, we're going to need ropes to get across."

Liane tried not to groan. "Sounds about right," she agreed. It was just one more scenario – and one that didn't quite seem bad enough. _Wouldn't the Storyteller warn us if it were just a matter of gear?_

As the group continued forward, the roar of a waterfall grew ahead of them, but the path beneath their feet widened into an outcropping on which they could gather. It was an unexpected burst of good luck that allowed them a moment to regroup, catch their breath… and remind themselves to stay away from t he edge and what had to be a plunging drop from the ledge. Lloyd carefully walked around one of the gorge's native vermilion plants, craning his neck to see around the stream of falling water at the edge. "Ah, that must be the cave," he spoke, reaching out to balance himself against the cliff face to remain steady against the plant's gusts.

Liane looked ahead… first, to the plant that was puffing its own wind currents without any regard for their presence… and then to the gap between the ledge that they stood on and the one beneath the opening of the cave that Lloyd had spotted. Her stomach flipped angrily.

"Ah, I see," Raine nodded, looking up into the rainbow-flecked sky above them. "You can't enter it without splitting the waterfall."

"It certainly is in a difficult place," Regal commented just loud enough to be heard as he moved closer to Lloyd and the plant.

Lloyd turned back to the others with a smile and lifted his hand. "But the waterfall split in two, so we don't need to worry about it."

Liane could still hear the crack as the boulder had come loose from the rock face of the canyon. It was just one more memory she hoped would eventually fade from their trip up through the gorge. But it also served to slow her realization that everyone was gathering around Lloyd and his ring – at the puffing end of the flower – until she felt a small hand curl around her wrist and pull her forward. "Genis?"

"You puke on me, no more magic lessons, got it?" the mage grinned up to her and dragged her to stand closer with the others.

Zelos laughed as the group tightened around Lloyd and the teen lifted the ring higher into the air. "Hey, Liane… don't listen to the brat. If you get sick on him, _I'll_ teach you anything you want to know!"

As the bubble of magic from the Sorcerer's Ring began to form around them, Sheena's hand flashed out to slap the back of Zelos' head, and Genis turned to fix a burning glare on him. Liane clenched her eyes shut as she felt the lurch of the ground falling out from under her feet as they drifted across the gap between the ledges. "Okay, everyone… just stop talking like that…." _My stomach doesn't need any more encouragement._

The flight was considerably shorter than others had been, though… and the bubble dropped them neatly on the ledge at the mouth of the cave as it dissolved. It was short enough that Zelos was still backpedaling away from Sheena with a laugh… and oddly, that Liane opened her eyes to find that her stomach wasn't nearly as angry as she thought it would be.

Lloyd turned and led the party into the mouth of the cave. It seemed to be fairly shallow, but idyllic in a strange way. The ground was covered with soft grass that Liane guessed thrived there thanks to the moisture from the waterfall, and an opening in the high ceiling allowed a single shaft of sunlight to illuminate the cave. _As much as I hate to say it… it's really pretty…._

"Ah-ha! So that's the plant!" Lloyd exclaimed, pointing into the heart of the miniature meadow.

The party fanned out to fill the opening of the cave and Sheena nodded in agreement. "That's pretty distinctive," she commented.

Liane had to agree with the summoner. A single plant rose above all others in the cave… one with pale leaves that seemed to draw in and keep the sunlight as its own. "That has to be it… there hasn't been anything else like it in the gorge…."

"You're saved, Colette," Lloyd turned to the blonde Chosen with a wide smile as he started forward into the cave.

Colette breathed out in relief, her hands clasped before her. "Yeah… thanks, Lloyd!" she smiled… her reaction to the boy's encouragement unwavering despite the illness that had darkened her life.

No sooner had Lloyd separated himself from the party, the ground suddenly began to shake. "Wh-what the…?" the teen stammered, throwing himself against the smoothed wall of the cave. The party followed his example and crowded to the walls of the cave for stability.

As a fine mist of dirt began to drift down from above and the shaking continued, Liane began to worry. "An earthquake? It could bring down this whole cave!" _And then where will we go? Jump?_

Presea looked up to Liane and then back into the cave. She lifted one small hand to point toward the Mana Leaf Herb and shook her head. "There's something here!"

Behind the plant, the ground was beginning to bulge, the blanket of green grass ripping and falling away as a bloom of people-red petals tore its way free of the ground. The monstrous plant snapped its vines at the air as the rumbling slowed… and it turned the face of its flower toward the group as if it could not only sense their presence, but also could actually see them. "A giant plant!" Regal breathed out, regaining his footing and moving to separate himself from the others as he assured his battle stance.

"It's guarding it?" Lloyd choked out in disbelief as he drew his blades and threw himself into a headlong rush at the plant. He leapt over a swipe of a thick vine and gathered his feet beneath him to launch up into the air, his blades catching the stream of sunlight as they lashed out at the plant. "Tempest!"

Liane dropped her pack and kicked it back against the wall of the cave as she drew her sword. A rain of purple and red-flecked petal shards rained down around the cave as Lloyd threw himself back away from the plant. "Guess out friend wasn't worried about the waterfall after all," she grumbled and ran forward, ducking under the angry whip of a vine as she braced her sword before her and pushed her mana down its length. "Sonic Thrust!"

The moment that Liane was clear, Regal charged in, his right leg already in motion to deliver a strong blow only to be followed swiftly by a kick from his left. As soon as the blow landed, he coiled the muscles in his legs to send him into a back flip, using the arc his body created to strike again. "Crescent Moon!"

The plant's stem rolled as if reeling from the force of the shackled man's attack. But even as it stretched back up toward the sunlight, the ground beneath Colette's feet suddenly split open and a vine snapped around one of her ankles. Colette cried out as the vine jerked her up, dangling her upside down while the rest of the vine freed itself from the ground and arched up near the roof of the cave, pulling the girl up higher into the air.

"Hey, if anyone is sweeping a girl off her feet around here, it had _better_ be me!" Zelos called as he leapt up into the air, his blade leading the way. "Fierce Demon Fang!" the redhead named his assault as the green arc the swing of his blade formed slammed down into the plant.

All of the plant's tentacle-like vines waved as Zelos' attack struck true, but even as the plant recoiled, Colette dropped her chakrams down out of her sleeves and spun where she still hung from the vine's jerking grasp. "Ray Thrust!" the girl called as the golden weapons flashed out around the room, obediently cutting through the vine that held their mistress captive and dropping her to the ground before sticking into the ground to either side of her.

"Ouch… guess that's one way to rescue yourself," Sheena winced as she dashed past where the blonde girl was clumsily trying to right herself to approach the plant's body. "Pyre Seal!" the summoner called as she spun and threw her spell card out before her, sending a barrage of cards blasting out at the plant and sending its vines reeling away from the party.

The plant-creature recoiled, protectively retracting its vines, but as it wrapped them tighter around its stalk, its flower turned up toward the ceiling of the cave. For a moment, it shrunk, but then it began to expand, as if it was drawing in a deep breath. The inhale lasted for only an instant before the air filled with a rain of tiny black seeds, sending the party scattering in an attempt to avoid the attack.

Liane threw her free hand up to shield herself form the razor-sharp rain. The seeds seemed to be able to cut whatever they fell against, the numerous tiny slashes in her tunic and the stinging cuts on her hands attesting to the danger of the plant. _Okay, this is not good…_ she grimaced as the rain began to subside and she lowered her arm to find Presea already rushing at the plant. _We have to end this, fast…._

"Devastation," Presea muttered as she held her ax close and leapt into the air, allowing the weapon to lead the way as she flipped into a downward strike at the plant. The creature's remaining vines whipped into a frenzy as the cut severed their brethren from one side of the plant.

As Presea landed and retreated, Genis laughed, a slightly cocky sound set against the battle they hadn't anticipated. "Wanna charge?" the mage asked from the back of the party where the purple light of his rune bands lit the rock wall. "Thunder Blade!" The cave roared with the strike of the blade Genis had summoned as it struck the creature's body squarely, the crackle of lightning rippling down the length of its vines.

"Help is on the way," Raine called to her companions from the mouth of the cave. The Professor pushed her staff up into the air, releasing a flurry of pale green wraiths out into the cave. "Nurse!" she commanded as her spell sought out each of her companions. "Don't underestimate it!"

As if to prove the Professor's point, the creature snapped its vines against the rock walls of its corner of the cave and then sent them out at the fighters that circled it. The vines were writhing… grasping for anything it could catch of them.

"That's getting harder to do," Lloyd grumbled as he ran from the place he had taken in front of Genis, jerking his blades up into the air with a leap at the plant. "Tiger Rage!" the young swordsman called, striking out at the creature as he fell back to the ground and quickly sidestepped a retaliatory swipe of a vine.

Ducking under a vine, the Duke jumped at the plant monster once again, throwing out his left leg to sweep it back and forth across a thick stock. Smoke rose from where his Flame Greaves connected with the creature. "Don't like that, huh?"

"Yeah, and take some of this, too!" Zelos laughed as he dashed in to take Regal's place as the shackled man retreated. "Burn, baby!" he grinned as he dropped into a slight crouch and launched himself up into the air. "Hell Pyre!" A graceful arc of the redheaded Chosen's blade flashed and took the form of a trio of fireballs that struck the base of the plant.

The attack faded to leave a few small fires burning in the grass at the base of the plant, but the creature continued to contort and flail even after the flames burned away. After another shudder, the air once again filled with a black rain of seeds.

"Everyone's a critic! Sheesh…" Zelos groaned and swiped his shield out before him to deflect the rush of the attack.

"That's it…" Genis murmured from where he crouched down behind the protection of Lloyd and his Guardian shield. "Liane! It's practice time!"

Liane looked over as she released her own Guardian. _Fire… plants hate fire,_ her mind whispered as her heart thumped nervously. He was right… it was a good chance… a large target surrounded by rock walls. "Okay…" she nodded, seeing that the mage was already working his own fire spell. Colette was already sweeping in close to the plant, and Regal had placed himself between her and the plant without a word. She sighed and drew her sword up before her, closing her eyes to picture the rune pattern Genis had tried to teach her the night before. _Got to watch the order…._

"Ring Whirlwind!" Colette called out as she threw her arms wide and into a spin, her momentum carrying her chakrams through a series of slashes that further marred the petals of the plant.

"Cyclone Seal!" Sheena's demand came as Colette pulled her chakrams back and floated up out of the reach of the creature's questing vines, giving the blonde girl only barely enough time to get out of range before the winds began to whip around the plant. A green glow built from the base of the spell up… and it finally resolved into a wall of swirling cards. No sooner had the spell taken shape, the ninja swiped her own physical card up into the air – and the cyclone collapsed onto the plant, cutting into petals and vines alike.

Presea patiently edged closer to the plant until Sheena's attack began to fade, but before the green cards that lodged in the bark-like flesh of the creature could completely evaporate, she was already leveling a horizontal swing at it, as if she was intent on chopping her enemy down. "Beast," the pink-haired girl murmured as her ax arced up through the air and turned for a downward slash that blasted out at the creature and rocked it back against the cave wall.

The plant shook, convulsing against the rocks, even its roots twitching. The motions slowly grew into waves of deliberate jerks that finally succeeded in righting the creature. It swayed wildly for a moment longer before it suddenly stopped and dropped the frayed petals of its head to the group. The petals suddenly snapped open to reveal an empty-eyed skull, its jaw open in a silent howl that suddenly spewed a black cloud of angrily buzzing beetles at the party.

At the edge of her concentration, Liane heard Regal invoke his Bastion… and she quickly double-checked her spell. Something had happened… and she needed to fight for herself, not hide behind the others. She could feel the spell pulling on her reserves… but she could also feel that it was stable. "Time to clean out the garden," she sighed and set her jaw as she opened her eyes and swept her sword out to direct the spell past Regal. "Eruption!"

The ground beneath the plant began to split at Liane's command, bleeding an angry glow of red mana that swelled up beneath the creature until it engulfed it almost completely from sight with a blast of golden-red mana that painted the cave with color and heat. _I did it! It worked!_ Liane started to smile and turn to Genis….

"Reduce this evil soul to ashes!" the young mage commanded from the heart of his own burning rings of mana before he thrust his kendama up into the air. "Explosion!"

Liane's jaw fell open as she looked back to the plant. It was still swaying from her attack when the air above it tore open to allow an enormous fireball to slam down on the creature. The force of the blast rocked the room, but the dark-haired swordswoman looked over to her young friend, she could clearly see the glint of excitement in his eyes. "Glory hog," she laughed and shook her head.

Genis only laughed sheepishly as he slid his eyes back to her and shrugged.

"Light! Photon!"

The Professor's call sounded over the residing crackle of her brother's spell, but even as the air above the plant split to rain down a shower of light, Zelos ran in close, purple mana crackling over the length of his blade as he shoved it into the plant. "Lightning Blade!"

Limbs charred from the rapid series of attacks, they could only tighten and twitch as lightning stabbed down into its skull-faced flower. For a moment, the plant swayed, its roots almost losing their grip in the churned-up soil before it slammed its viney tentacles down into the ground and released another wave of hissing beetles. Zelos ducked under the swarm but they arced up through the air to fall down on the casters that had so thoroughly punished the plant.

"Run in close!" Lloyd called out, following his own command as he charged forward, running under the rain of insects, his blades crossed before him. "Finish this thing!" His twin blades swept out to his sides, the metal streaming mana as he leapt up into the air and then angled down at the plant. "Rising Falcon!"

_Wow…_. Liane's eyes were fixed on her friend's attack with a mixture of awe and envy, even though her feet were following his orders on their own. Lloyd's attacks were changing… growing more powerful, revealing an instinctive talent that couldn't help but impress her. The beetles were just beginning to rain down on her as she ran out from beneath the biting, stinging curtain, but her path to the plant was open. Aware of heavy footsteps behind her that beat in time with her own, she carefully swept her blade down to her side and opened her mana stores to the sword as she swung it up, releasing one and then a second arc of mana with the rolling slash. "Double Demon Fang!" she called, waiting only long enough to be sure the attack struck before pivoting to get out of Regal's way.

The monster shrieked as Liane's attack caught it off guard, reeling from the onslaught, temporarily stunned. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the convict spun on his left leg to deliver three strong kicks with his right, falling into a crouch to deliver a low kick, and then he leapt into a flip leaving his left leg extended to deliver one more blow with the fire elemental greaves. "Wolverine!"

Lloyd walked past the shackled man to approach the unmoving plant, kicking it gently with the toe of his boot before he looked back to his companions in the now-quiet cave. "That thing was pretty touch," he muttered, shaking his head with a long exhale.

"I don't think 'pretty' had any part in that thing," Liane sighed and sheathed her sword. It hadn't been a particularly difficult fight, but she didn't feel the mana loss quite as much as she thought she would after actually completing a spell like Eruption. She smiled at the thought. "I'm never going to look at my mother's garden the same again, though."

Raine moved through the group to kneel beside the plant that the fallen creature had protected so ferociously. "So this was the real reason it's in a 'difficult place,'" she murmured and reached out to carefully snap off the upper part of the plant, leaving the rest to recover and sprout again.

"Oh, well," Lloyd shrugged and guided his blades into their scabbards at his sides. "We got the plant, so it's all good."

Regal nodded and shook his head so that the bulk of his blue hair fell back over his shoulder. "Indeed."

For once, Liane felt like she had actually made a difference in a fight. Her friends had protected her and taught her… and, though she knew she still needed practice, she had helped. It lightened her steps slightly as she shouldered her pack and turned to watch Raine gently store the Mana Leaf Herb in her own pack. _That's it… we almost have what we need to save Colette._

It was more optimism than she had allowed herself in some time, but it helped. It was even easier to remove herself from the stomach-twisting trip back to the path that returned them to the Storyteller's hut. It was more a matter of will, she decided – giving in and turning green was acceptable – getting sick and slowing the group down was not. _They'd worry… _she frowned as she looked to the front of the group to where Regal and Lloyd stood before the door of the Storyteller's home. _I can handle this…._

The hooded man opened the door after Lloyd knocked, offering them a pleasant nod and a hint of a smile. "So you've made it back safely," he observed, his calm voice sounding pleased with the outcome.

"You knew about the giant plant guarding the Mana Leaf Herb, didn't you?" Lloyd asked with a tilt of his head as the Storyteller moved aside and gestured for the party to enter.

"Yes," the hooded man replied, though there was no apology in his tone. "But even if I had told you, your actions would not have changed. I felt a very strong will from you."

Lloyd nodded as he led his group into the hut. "Of course. It's for our very important friend."

"Lloyd…." Colette murmured as she paused to look back to the swordsman, her smile both shy and grateful.

Liane saw Lloyd blush. Colette was special to all of them, but she knew him well enough that if any of them needed help, the boy would move the earth and heavens alike to be sure those he cared about were safe. She followed the others to a small sitting area and sat down on a wooden stool, taking advantage of a moment of rest before they continued. The churning sound that could be heard outside the hut revealed itself inside in the form of massive tears that resembled the inner workings of a clock. It was almost hypnotic to watch, but not distracting enough to keep her from hearing the curiosity in Raine's voice as she chatted with their host while they crossed the room to rejoin the others.

"By the way," the Professor added to her questions about the plant-defender, which the Storyteller called 'Plantix.' "Have you lived here long?"

The Storyteller chuckled softly and bobbed his head as he passed through the group and then turned to face them. "Yes. I am the one who passes on the lore of the elven village to the next generation. Here, I weave various stories into the mana leaf cloth."

"What kinds of stories?" Presea asked softly as she crouched to the ground and shifted to sit back on her heels.

The hooded man smiled. "Legends of elves descending from the sky, and the birth of humans… the rise and fall of the Balacruf Dynasty. The arrival of angels. The Giant Kharlan Tree, the Kharlan War… and the story of the hero, Mithos."

A ripple of gasps lifted from the group at the Storyteller's answer. "Hey, hey, hey!" Zelos shook his head, one eyebrow arched accusingly at the hooded man. "I thought the hero, Mithos was taboo in Heimdall!"

"This is not Heimdall," the Storyteller replied with a sweep of his hand as if brushing the question away. "I live here to pass on the legends without being bound by the customs of Heimdall."

Lloyd's eyebrows knit together for a moment of uncertainty… and then he drew in a quick breath. "Just who was the hero, Mithos?" he asked as the breath pushed the question out. "We hear his name everywhere we go."

"His name came up in the pacts with the Summon Spirits," Colette added eagerly as the Storyteller's gaze slipped to her.

"The legend of Mithos was involved in curing Colette's illness, too," Sheena commented, a ring of suspicion in her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Liane twisted her fingers together to keep from fidgeting. Hearing all of the 'coincidences' strung together made her anxious. "Even schoolchildren know his name and the stories of his deeds. But so much of that is shared between the worlds… it's getting difficult to see what the truth is."

The Storyteller nodded as each of them spoke, the motion constant as he merely clasped his hands behind his back and let them speak. When the questions faded into the mechanical whirr of the gears at the back of the hut, he lifted his head. "Mithos was… born in Heimdall. He was an outsider who was cast out of the village when the Kharlan War began. He ended the Kharlan War with his three companions so that he could return to the village."

"An outsider?" Raine murmured, her perplexed expression fading as her eyes widened. "Does that mean… he was a half-elf?"

Zelos turned to stare at the Professor in disbelief. "Mithos was a half-elf?! That's impossible!"

Liane glanced over to the redhead, taking in his surprise. _I suppose as the Chosen, he probably had a lot more faith in his education than most others,_ she told herself as she saw that Colette looked almost as surprised. "Not really impossible," she murmured as she slowly took in the new possibility. "If Mithos the Hero and the Mithos that the spirits claimed to be pacted to were one in the same… it actually makes sense." _Especially if what Sheena said about summoners having elven blood is true._

"Yes, Mithos was a half-elf," the Storyteller confirmed their discussion calmly. "Only one of his companions was human, and the others were half-elves. They were treated as outcasts, but overcame that and put an end to the war."

"_I believed in him…."_

It was the faintest of whispers in the back of her mind… like the words to a long-forgotten song. Liane blinked, realizing how easy it was to empathize with such a human. "Even then, there were people that could see past the labels," she murmured, somehow reassured by the thought. She believed in Genis and Raine… trusted them with her life… would that have been that much different for Mithos' human companion? "That just proves how irrational the discrimination is… a half-elf brought peace to the world…."

"Then why is his name taboo in Heimdall?" Regal asked, his mouth set in a frown as he looked from Liane back to the Storyteller.

Genis huffed and kicked his toe into the ground, his eyes fixed down. "It's because he's a half-elf," he muttered sullenly.

The Storyteller shook his head. "No, that's incorrect," he told the silver-haired boy, and waited for Genis to look up before he swept his eyes over the party again. "It is because the hero, Mithos, loved by Origin, is also a fallen hero."

"A fallen hero?" Lloyd repeated the term with a deep-set frown. "What do you mean?"

"Mithos… is a hero… it's how we're all taught," Liane murmured, shaking her head. "There wasn't anything in the legends of a fall," she continued. Intellectually, she knew that it was silly to cling to legends that had been passed down – and likely twisted – over so many centuries… especially when they had already found faults in those legends. But it didn't keep her mind from trying.

The Storyteller tilted his head, observing his audience for a few moments before he drew a deep breath. "The ones who betrayed Origin and used the power of the magic sword given by Origin to split the world in two, were none other than Mithos and his companions." He paused as if he was expecting one or all of them to object. When none of them did, he lifted his chin. "Mithos Yggdrasill, his older sister Martel, and their companions, Yuan and Kratos. The four angels changed the nature of the world, and that is why their names are taboo in Heimdall."

The sound of the gears at the back of the hut suddenly became deafening as the party stared at the Storyteller.

"Yggdrasill of Cruxis is… the hero, Mithos?" Lloyd breathed out, his eyes wide and his head slowly shaking from side to side in denial. "And his companions were Martel, Yuan, and Kratos? That's impossible!"

"No," Liane whispered, though the growing volume of her friend's voice only barely pierced the fog that had closed in around her. Whether the single word was echoing Lloyd's declaration or disagreeing with it, she felt cold. _Kratos…?_

Colette moved a step closer to the Storyteller, her arms limp at her sides. "Kratos is… the friend of a hero from 4,000 years ago?"

"Even an elf cannot live that long," Regal murmured, clearly skeptical of the Storyteller's words.

_Kratos can't be… 4,000 years old._ The thought was soft in the back of Liane's mind… so quiet it was almost silent. It was crazy… it almost made her want to laugh. But somehow, she couldn't. The seemingly wild leap was amazingly easy to take – no matter how impossible – when set against everything else they had seen and learned, it actually made perfect sense. "He… _is_ an angel…" she spoke before she could stop herself.

"Angels can use special combat abilities developed during the Kharlan War," the Storyteller nodded. "One ability uses the body's mana to alter its metabolism and stop the body's internal clock. This allows them to stop aging and become capable of living longer than elves…."

"I think… it is not good for one to exceed the lifespan of its species," Presea commented as her small hands curled into tight fists.

"_With all that you've seen… all you've lived through… why would you ever want me…?"_

The despair in the question made Liane clench her eyes shut, the sensation of speaking the words so strong that it almost completely washed Presea's comment away as the swordswoman fought to be certain she wasn't speaking them out loud. Behind her eyelids, there were no visions playing out for her… there were only voices… one that sounded almost as familiar to her as her own… and the other….

"_The wait was worth it… to be with you."_

Liane struggled to take control back from the memory as she clenched her jaw tight over a sob that fought to break free… a feat made even harder as another sensation was added… the unmistakable feel of fingertips brushing over her cheek as if to wipe away tears.

_It's true._ There was no doubt in her mind. No matter how improbable, after everything they had seen on their journey… after how many "certain" things that they _knew _as fact had crumbled before their eyes… she knew that, even if she believed nothing else that their journey had revealed, the Storyteller's tale was true. Liane opened her eyes, keeping her eyes down. "It… makes sense," she spoke carefully, hoping no one would catch the shake in her voice. _But… what does it change…?_

"I'm totally confused," Lloyd shook his head harder and looked back to Liane with a frown. "_None_ of this makes any sense."

"Really?" Zelos retorted as Liane looked up when Lloyd contradicted her. The redhead rolled his eyes and huffed. "There's at least one thing we know for certain. The power of Origin is involved with the splitting of the world. And the magic sword… that's the key."

Liane closed her eyes again, trying not to think of Lloyd's response as one of anger toward her. They were all confused.

"_He won't stop until he has me back. I can't change that. His power depends on Origin…."_

Once again, Kratos' voice pushed its way past Liane's own thoughts. There was something behind the words, though… a deep sorrow… an unspoken apology. She was losing control… but she was still clinging to what little she could. _Not now. This is _not _the place,_ she told herself and forced her concentration back to the conversation going on around her.

"We must be careful not to lose sight of the true problem," Raine stated calmly as if addressing her students. "Our final goal is to save the worlds."

Sheena turned to the Professor. "Yeah. We couldn't control the Giant Kharlan Tree, but if we can return the worlds to their true form…."

"At the very least, we can reform this system that vies for mana," Regal completed the summoner's statement and looked back to Lloyd, awaiting the teen's input.

Liane looked up as well, attempting to keep her thoughts focused on matters at hand… things that could be changed or affected more than phantoms of her mind. "We know more of the truth than people have for centuries… we have to use that to our advantage," she offered as Lloyd looked over and met her gaze. His brown eyes were troubled… clouded… and she understood completely.

"Yeah," the swordsman finally sighed as a look of frustration passed over his face and he ran a hand back through his hair. "You're right."

"It's a waste of time to think when you have no good ideas."

It was a duet of voices that commented on Lloyd's careful agreement, but no one looked more surprised than the speakers themselves – Zelos and Genis. The two merely stared at each other in muted shock for a moment – and then broke into grins that contrasted drastically with the heavy discussion that the Storyteller's revelation had spawned.

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "You guys are mean."

Even as Genis and Zelos chortled at the first true instance of agreement that they had shared, Presea reached out to touch Lloyd's glove to get his attention. "Let's go on to our next destination."

Colette spun back to the Storyteller, who had been silently observing the party as they grappled with the information he had given them. "Thank you very much for telling us the story," she clasped her hands together and nodded to the hooded man.

"May the Giant Kharlan Tree protect you," the Storyteller replied, bowing his head to the blonde girl and watching as the party slipped out of his hut.

_It wasn't doing much protecting in Sylvarant,_ Liane frowned and stood from the stool to follow the others. But even as the rest of the party quietly muttered to each other as they gathered outside the hut, Liane found it harder to keep her thoughts from drifting to the things that suddenly made sense. _That's how he knew what to do about Colette's illness,_ she realized even as her mind continued to string the impossible elements together. _He traveled with Martel… she was sick… it's why her name pops up with the pieces of the cure._ Her eyes widened as she moved into the gathering with the others. _He traveled with the woman - the half-elven woman - that both worlds regard as a Goddess._

"Now we just need a Mana Fragment," Lloyd sighed as his hands closed on the hilts of his swords. "I wonder if there really are any in Derris-Kharlan…."

Raine tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I'm also curious about Origin's magic sword. That might be a key to saving the world…" she murmured, her voice drifting off as she twisted her hands around her staff.

Liane shivered for no particular reason. "If… if Mithos split the worlds with its power, we might have to have it… but where would he keep something like that," the dark-haired young woman mused, rubbing her hands over her arms to shake off the chill that the mention of Origin's sword had brought for her. "It might be in Derris-Kharlan? Maybe we can find out something about it while we're there?"

"But… it will be dangerous," Regal stated, turning his even gaze on Liane after her suggestion.

The Tethe'allan Chosen shrugged indifferently. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?"

Lloyd tilted his head to Zelos. "What's that mean?"

The party fell silent as they stared at the swordsman. Genis finally let his arms fall to his sides. "It means, if you don't face danger, you won't receive anything important," the mage groaned in exasperation.

"Oh," Lloyd nodded, his smile slowly returning as the translation settled on him. "I see."

Raine sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, Lloyd. You make me sad."

Liane couldn't have stopped herself from glaring at the mentor even if she had wanted to try. "Because that helps things," she grumbled and turned slightly away from the party. She knew as much as the revelation about Kratos and Cruxis had put her off-balance, Lloyd was dealing with the same thing in his own way. _Criticism isn't going to help him any… not with this much more on his mind._ She shook her head and tried to push the flash of anger away, knowing that she'd already made enough of a spectacle of herself.

Lloyd shrugged off the Professor's comment as he normally did and chuckled. "But Zelos is right," he continued as if nothing had broken the conversation since the redhead had spoken. "Let's go to Cruxis' main base, Derris-Kharlan!"

"But how are we going to get there?" Colette asked with a worried frown.

Zelos shrugged casually. "According to the scriptures, the Tower of Salvation is the entrance."

_Derris-Kharlan… Kratos will be there…._ Liane frowned, her eyes on the ground. Would it be different… knowing the truth? It had been bad enough when they had first seen him after he betrayed them… she had wanted to see the man that she inexplicably saw as a friend… but that person was mixed with the angel that had drawn his sword on them and tried to take their friend away from them. _What will he be now?_ She knew the difference would likely be entirely in her mind, but that was almost her greatest fear in itself. Biting her lip, she turned back to the group. "If that's the ultimate destination for the Chosen in their journey, it would make sense that it is the link between the worlds and Derris-Kharlan…."

"Then we should go to the Tower of Salvation," Lloyd nodded, his decision made as he looked at Zelos. "There's one on this side, too, right?"

The redhead nodded. "Well, yeah, there is one," he answered, though there was hesitation in his voice. "But unfortunately, we need my Cruxis Crystal. The Cruxis Crystal acts as a key to the Tower of Salvation."

"You know a lot about it," Raine commented with a slow nod of approval.

Zelos laughed. "Well, I _am_ the great Chosen One, after all."

"I see," Lloyd's eyes widened in understanding before they flashed to Colette and then back to Zelos. "You were born with a Cruxis Crystal, too."

"Yep," Zelos puffed out his chest with a slightly smug smile. "My sister has it right now. She's in the Abbey located southeast of the Toize Valley Mine."

Liane looked up. The fact that Zelos had a sister had struck her as strange enough, but that she had his Cruxis Crystal was bizarre. _The Priests in Iselia would have flipped if Colette's crystal was too far from her,_ she thought as she remembered the temple elders… and particularly the ones that gave their lives so that Colette could receive the Oracle. _Maybe it's not such a big deal for the Chosen of the flourishing world?_ Then she looked at Zelos' smile again. _Or maybe it's just that Zelos does as he likes…._

"Okay, let's head there," Lloyd nodded and turned to lead the party back toward the river….

… _ugh. Now we have to leave._ Liane clenched her sword's hilt tighter as she waited to fall in with the others, locked in a momentary debate of which was worse – having more information that remarkably opened _more_ questions… or the trip down the gorge via magic bubble. But before she even got closer to a decision, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a worried look from Regal. She knew better than to think he had missed her reaction to the Storyteller's tale, but what could she tell him? With no option other than a blatant lie, she gave him a weak smile and a small shake of her head that she hoped only he would see. _Sorry, Regal. I don't even know what to tell myself._

The blue-haired man gave her a subtle nod and gestured for her to walk ahead of him. Liane knew the topic wasn't closed, but she also knew that he would wait until she wanted to open it to him. It was a courtesy that left her alone with the shards of truth as Lloyd cast the Sorcerer's Ring to wrap the magic bubble around the party and set them drifting back down the canyon.

_He's four thousand years old._

As Liane attempted to keep her mind from the slightly nauseating float of the bubble, she found it easiest to start with the most basic pieces… those that would frame all the others. While it was crazy on the surface, it made sense even before she added in the fact that she simply _knew_ it was true.

_He fought in the Kharlan War… he joined Mithos, Martel, and Yuan to end the war._

Again, the concept felt like more fact than fiction. _The only given… was that there would be another battle. It was never clear that the war could end… until Mithos stepped in._ For a moment, Liane felt as if she could almost tell a version of the war that she had never read in a book… a tale told from the point of view of a veteran. It was disorienting even without the lazy bobbing of the bubble. As much as the part of her that she recognized as sand screamed at her that she was letting her imagination get out of control, she was sure that, even if she didn't know the exact words, she knew the stories.

Worse, she knew that Kratos was the one that had told them to her.

Liane swallowed hard.

_Not to me… to her._

The ride in the magic bubble suddenly seemed a world away. _She_ was the reason Liane wasn't truly surprised by the Storyteller's revelations… she was the reason Liane couldn't find it in herself to call Kratos an enemy and move on with the rest of the group. Even with those certainties more clear than ever before, the woman her visions had once named 'Anna' felt like almost more of a mystery than Kratos. Perhaps it was how genuine her visions felt – absolutely real except that Liane knew they weren't something she had ever experienced. She had felt what it was like to fall in love… to fight for her life… to be a wife and a mother… and to die… all through the eyes of another.

_It's not fair._

How many times had she heard and even acknowledged that life wasn't fair? Liane almost felt like a hypocrite for her complaint. But even as she closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment to embrace the anger, she knew it couldn't last, even if it wasn't quite ready to fade just yet.

_I just don't want someone else's experiences. I want my own._

Liane didn't want a stranger's influence on whether or not she trusted Kratos… wasn't knowing 'why' better than simply knowing that she _did_?

Wasn't finding that she could love someone better than just knowing that she should and perhaps did?

The dark-haired young woman sighed out a pent-up breath as the ground beneath her feet was suddenly solid again.

_Four thousand years…._

She opened her eyes to see the familiar path back to the mouth of the gorge ahead. One more trial was almost behind them… but how many more awaited? Would Kratos be harder or easier to face now that they knew the truth?

_I wonder how long he's been alone…._

The twist in her thoughts sent a tremor through her that she didn't have time to brace against. Her wild theory that had hatched from puzzled frustration fit so nicely with when they had met Kratos at the Temple of Martel, but it had also had been bound by the fact that Kratos was twenty-eight – not that much older than most of the party. _But without that limitation…._ Liane's mouth went dry.

_If he hasn't aged… he looks the same… sounds the same. It could have been any time. The man I've seen in my dreams and visions could be long gone by now._

Liane felt her cheeks heat and she quickly ducked her head. She wasn't embarrassed… it was far more shame that washed over her. _Could I be that blind? How could I be so stupid to assume that it was all new? All fresh for him?_

She almost laughed as her heart sank further. _He still went back… after all Yggdrasill did to him… to them._

'Insanity' suddenly leapt to the top of the list of preferable explanations for what she'd seen. The strength of its claim was only rivaled by another theory… one she either hadn't or wouldn't have truly considered before.

Reincarnation.

Liane followed the others in a silent daze as the elf that guarded the entrance to the gorge wished them well on their journey. She saw her companions releasing their Rheairds and she mimicked their actions though her thoughts were nowhere near the Latheon Gorge. _Is it really possible?_ she interrogated herself as the flock of Rheairds lifted into the air. _In another life… I was his… and he was mine? _Some part of her had always liked the possibility that there was more after one drew their last breath – another chance… or maybe just that some part of that person would live on in the world. The question was something more existential than she ever truly liked to think about – not with her early brush with death. But she never even considered the chance that she would be an exhibit of proof that reincarnation was possible.

Setting her jaw as the group banked their flyers to follow Zelos' lead, Liane pulled herself back from the thoughts that were beginning to spiral into the abyss of the unanswerable. _It's just another possibility, _she told herself stubbornly, refusing to give in entirely to the answer that seemed to tie everything up so neatly. _Everything I've seen… it's been fractured… out of order. Maybe there's something else._

Then, that same voice of logic laughed, though it was eerily without amusement.

_Would it be so bad if it were true?_

The answer came so quickly that she gasped, the puff of air blasting back into her lungs from the speed of the Rheairds.

_Yes._

It wouldn't be like the epic literary romances where lovers parted by tragic death recognized each other in the next life. Kratos was still living his life. Even if she was this other woman reborn, he was still Kratos… and she was different. She wasn't the same person he had loved and allowed into his life.

_It does explain why he seems protective one moment… and shoves me away in the next. He knows… he sees that I'm just a shadow of her._

She couldn't stop her heart from clenching or from giving in to the possibility that so deviously wove all the reasons together. _Love of a lifetime…_ she choked, grateful for the whipping winds and whining engines that brought her privacy for the moment.

_Except his lifetime is still going._

Liane bit the inside of her lip sharply as she realized that their flight was slowing, the bitter tang of blood pulling her back from the despair she was building for herself. _It's just one theory,_ she sniffed as she throttled back on the Rheaird's engine and dropped into the waving grass plain bounded by the ocean. _Just another possibility. It doesn't change anything if it's true… and I don't have time to humor it now._ The silent chastisement was cold, but there wasn't time for her to fall apart and crawl into herself. _Not with what's coming._

_Not even if Kratos is there._

Stowing her Rheaird into its wing pack bought Liane enough time to quickly swipe at her eyes and check her control… just to be sure that the vexing possibility was locked away for another time that she already feared would come too soon. She drew a deep breath and turned to join the others as they started out onto the sun washed peninsula that held a small stone structure up as if it was showing it off to the waves.

_Just breathe,_ she coached herself. _Don't look any of them in the eye yet… you can do this._

Zelos led the way to the front door of the abbey and pushed it open without hesitation. Tossing a quick wave to the pair of armored guards that stood sentry beside the staircase just inside the door, the redhead seemed familiar with the abbey… or at least enough to give Liane the confidence that he knew where he was going. It was enough for her to cautiously let her mind wander… especially with the eminent promise of meeting Zelos' sister. _They keep her in an abbey… probably to keep the Chosen and a potential Chosen from being in the same place… some kind of Cruxis backup plan._ Even though she knew she was assuming quite a bit, the wary distrust of Cruxis felt good… comfortable.

When they emerged from the stairwell into a room with a wide ocean view, Liane's eyes widened at the sight of the redheaded girl that turned to them. There was no way that she could deny the resemblance between Zelos and the girl that looked no older than Genis or Presea. Her fair skin contrasted with what appeared to be a Wilder family trait – flaming red hair – and wide eyes of ocean blue that widened as they fixed on Zelos.

"Big bro – " the girl started, the excitement that lit her eyes just starting to creep into her voice before she suddenly snapped her mouth shut with a huff and crossed her arms over her chest. "I see that the _Chosen_ is his usual self," the girl groaned haughtily, "… wandering around aimlessly."

The party exchanged puzzled glances at the mercurial shift in the girls' mood, but Zelos merely chuckled and approached her, his hand extended to her. "Yo Seles!" he greeted the girl. "I need that Cruxis Crystal I left with you. Give it back to me."

Seles glared up at her brother for a moment before the glare slipped to his hand… and then she turned with a snort to the small bed table beside her. "As you wish!" she declared with well-sugared fake pleasure, flipping open the lid of a small wooden box and dipping her fingers in to remove something that flashed gold and red as she spun back and quickly slapped it into his outstretched hand. "After all, it rightfully belongs to the _Chosen._"

"Yep," Zelos agreed and flipped the crystal up into the air before catching it and shoving it into his pocket.

"Now, if your business here is done," Seles sniffed in irritation, her petite nose thrusting up into the air as he lifted a hand to point to the stairs. "I _humbly _request that you leave. Immediately."

The party stood in shocked silence as Zelos chuckled and shrugged, an exaggerated sigh drawing his shoulders down as he pivoted on his heel. "All right, all right," he held his hands up in surrender. "Guess I'm as unpopular as ever," he shook his head, though he was still smiling as he began to walk back to the stairs. "Poor me…."

The interaction disturbed Liane in a way she couldn't quite find words to describe. The thought that Zelos had a sister had charmed her somehow… but after seeing them together… _they… can't stand each other?_ There was no apparent familial tie in how they spoke. _How… sad…._

"W…wait… big bro…."

Seles' voice was suddenly soft, and completely lacking the sharp edge it had bore just the moment before. Zelos stopped, hesitated, and then turned to look over his shoulder to the girl… one eyebrow arched and his grin resurfacing as his eyes fell on his little sister. "Hmm?" he purred. "What is it, my darling little sister?"

Seles' eyes flared and her cheeks were suddenly as red as her hair as she growled in frustration and spun back to the window, her back squared to him. "Nothing!"

"Oh, all right then," Zelos pouted, though his eyes still danced with amusement as he shrugged and started down the stairs with a casual wave over his shoulder.

As Zelos' footsteps echoed down the stone passage, no one moved… except for Seles, whose arms went taut at her sides as her hands curled into fists. Her shoulders then heaved with a sigh. "Please take care…."

The girl's soft plea was little more than breath, but in the silence, it stood out clearly. Lloyd tilted his head as he watched Seles for a moment and then shook his head. "He couldn't hear that, you know."

"I didn't say anything!" Seles exploded as she spun once again, an accusing anger in her eyes as she seemed to take notice of her brother's companions for the first time. "So it doesn't matter if my big brother couldn't hear it."

Genis grinned as an indignant snort punctuated the girl's statement. "Aha!" he pointed at her. "You called him _big brother_!"

"N… no, I didn't!" the redheaded girl shook her head vehemently, her bobbed hair flaring and almost matching her cheeks where it brushed over them. "There's no _way_ I'd have a brother like _that_," she ground out through clenched teeth as she stomped her foot and pointed to the door. "Now, please leave!"

Liane heard Genis still snickering as he and Lloyd both turned with a shrug, but Liane was slower to turn away. Zelos didn't seem surprised by his sister's treatment. _He might be annoying… but he's still her brother._ It was clear that it was one more story she hadn't heard… but it still struck her as sad…

… until she caught the last part of a mutual glare between Seles and Sheena the moment before it was Sheena's turn to stomp down the stairs, leaving Line to follow after the ninja with a frown. _Now I really feel like I missed something. Sheena's mixed up in this, too?_

The group found Zelos outside the abbey, leaning casually against the wall as he waited for them. "Well, what do you think?" he chuckled and nodded his head to the stone tower of the building behind him. "I'm well-loved, aren't I?"

Despite his carefree grin, it was impossible to miss the bitterness in his tone. Exchanging uneasy glances with the others, Liane fidgeted with her ponytail where it fell over her shoulder for a moment. "I… don't think she's what I expected…" she murmured carefully, holding back the questions she wanted to ask – like how a brother and a sister could treat each other so coldly.

"She's certainly not very friendly," Lloyd shrugged, his observation hesitant as he watched Zelos push away from the wall.

The redheaded Chosen chuckled and waved off the other swordsman's comment. "Don't be too hard on her," his smile mellowed slightly. "She was sickly ever since she was a kid. But despite that, her mother…" his voice trailed off into a sighed laugh. "Ah… never mind."

'_Her' mother…?_ Liane raised an eyebrow. _Not 'our'…?_

Colette moved a step closer to Zelos, her hands clasped together as she watched him with concern. "As you left, she said, "Please take care,"" she told him quietly, her lips curled into a half-hearted smile.

"Oh." Zelos blinked, his easy smile faltering for only an instant before it was back brighter than before. "Well, anyway. We're ready now, right?" He pumped his fist once. "On to the Tower of Salvation."

"Yeah!" Lloyd nodded in agreement, his excitement flaring along with Zelos'.

"Wait…" Liane sighed as she fought to keep the shiver from her voice. Her objection earned her the full, questioning attention of the party that proved how she really hadn't thought things out. _If we go to the Tower, we might end up in Derris-Kharlan… and if we go to Derris-Kharlan…._ It was incredibly selfish… letting her fear of what she might find if they ran into Kratos delay their search for Colette's cure… but no part of it seemed right just yet. She drew a deep breath… and carefully met the eyes of her friends again, one by one. "We're not ready," she shook her head. "We don't know what we're walking into. None of us has been to Derris-Kharlan before… we don't know what to expect. We need to make sure we have supplies… and we can't just go in expecting to not have to fight." _Sounds good so far…._ When no one countered her reasoning, she shrugged. "It's not long before evening… let's get stocked up, set up camp somewhere… and go in the morning?" _Although, I have no idea what one night will help…._

"Camp, schmamp…" Zelos groaned, his grin betraying no hint of turmoil over the meeting with his sister. "We'll go back to Meltokio! A roof over our heads and supplies nearby… that beats camping _any_ day!" He threw an arm over Liane's shoulders. "Leave it to our Warrior Goddess to come up with a plant to be sure we can deliver the hurt to Cruxis!"

Liane rolled her eyes and shrugged out from under his arm. "Enough with the 'Warrior Goddess' stuff already," she grumbled, hating that her cheeks felt hot. "And it's really not much of a plan… really…."

"Well, it is more than we had," Raine commented. "We shouldn't treat this lightly. We do need more of a solid plan before we walk into Cruxis' grasp." The Professor nodded thoughtfully. "Meltokio will do. We'll leave first thing in the morning, then."

Lloyd cast a glance to Colette as if giving her the chance to object, but when the girl simply smiled, he followed her example and nodded as well. "Well, let's get back to Meltokio, then. Get a good meal and a good night's sleep – then we'll be able to take on all of Cruxis if we have to tomorrow!"

"Hey, don't think I'm feeding you! You're a bottomless pit!" Zelos flailed his arms in mock despair as he started to lead the party away from the abbey.

Liane had to laugh at Lloyd's plan for the evening, but even that didn't do anything for the knot that curled tighter in her gut at the thought of what they would face the next day. _All of Cruxis…._

"Good that some things never change," Sheena laughed as she walked beside Liane. "That boy's swords and his stomach make for a force not many could hope to stand against. Glad he's on our side."

"It's always been that way," Liane murmured, watching the summoner out of the corner of her eye. The others were nearby… but it made things feel more normal. "So, what was that with you and Seles back there?" she asked casually. "It didn't seem to be the same 'guilt by association' that the rest of us got from her…?"

Sheena's cheeks flushed as her eyes darted to Zelos and then back to Liane. "It… was nothing," she stammered before a small groan pulled her shoulders down. She edged closer to Liane and sighed. "The last time I saw that girl, she accused me of bewitching her brother or something," she shrugged, but kept her voice low over an undercurrent of disdain. "She thought I was one of his 'hunnies' or something. I don't know why she ever thought that… much less why she would care… but… I guess it's safe to say we just don't get along."

The swordswoman might have laughed at how the idea of someone mistaking Sheena for one of the Chosen's groupies seemed to bother the ninja, but she understood the concept well enough herself. And she didn't feel the need to point out her suspicion that Sheena would actually like it… on more of an exclusive basis, of course. Instead, she nodded and chose to ponder the second part of Sheena's response. "They really don't seem to get along. I think it's kind of sad," she offered, but still wondered if Sheena knew any part of why."

"Their history… is sad," Sheena murmured, her annoyance melting over the space of those four words. "I guess this is just how they deal with it," she shrugged and reached for her wing pack as those of their companions began to pop into form around them.

_Must be the end of the conversation,_ Liane frowned but followed her friend's example and released her own flyer. _It's probably for the best, _she told herself and stepped on to the Rheaird to fire its engine. _It has to be a long story to do that to a brother and sister… and probably one that only hurts them the more they have to tell it._

The landscape that slid by beneath them became a mindless distraction as Liane realized that even Tethe'alla was becoming familiar to her. It was almost a pleasant realization… and the flight was just short enough to give her the ability to keep other thoughts at bay until later… when she might be able to count on Sheena's snoring and the protection of a dark room to sort out her thoughts and brace herself for what the next day could bring.

_If that's even possible._

The late afternoon bustle of the Imperial City helped as well. Meltokio was considerably larger than any of Sylvarant's cities… _and now that we're not wanted criminals any longer…._ Liane allowed herself to look at the wares of the street merchants as they passed… and actually make eye contact with the occasional passing citizen without quickly looking away. It was nice… even if Zelos managed to collect a few stray hunnies that adhered themselves shamelessly to his sides until they reached his home. She would have had to be blind not to see the smirk on Sheena's lips as the redhead pried the last and most tenacious of the women from his arm and slammed the door between them to get rid of her once the party was inside.

Liane knew there was no point in bringing up the fact that Sheena seemed pleased as the two of them stowed their packs in the room they had shared just two nights before. _Meddling won't help things, _she told herself as she noticed the pillows and blankets she had used for her bedding during their last stay had been washed and neatly stacked in the corner of the room… yet another touch of familiarity that brought a smile to her lips.

But before they could settle into their accommodations and get ready for the oncoming night, Lloyd's voice sounded from the lower level of the house. "Hey! Everyone! We have to go to the palace! Now!"

"What's that all about?" Sheena huffed and pulled herself up to her feet from where she had been seated on the foot of the bed. "I thought Sebastian was making dinner while regal and Lloyd went and got supplies with Zelos…" she grumbled. "And here I bought into the whole 'get a good night's rest' thing… you'd think I'd learn by now, wouldn't you?"

With a sigh, Liane tightened her swordbelt over her tunic. "As long as they're not declaring us criminals again, I guess we can't complain… if that were the case, I'm sure there would have been a platoon of knights waiting for us."

_I hope._

The party met Lloyd and Zelos in the entry of the Chosen's home where the swordsmen relayed what little they knew: something had happened to Princess Hilda. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to get them on their way to the Palace, where the knights stationed at the doors were quick to usher them directly to the throne room. Just walking in to the Palace was enough to set Liane's nerves on edge, but seeing the King – seemingly once again healthy – sitting on the throne with a man clad in velvet robes beside him as he beckoned the party closer threatened to bring what little she had managed to eat that day back up.

"Chosen!" the monarch called out, clearly in relief. "It is good to see you again."

Zelos chuckled and crossed his arms, tilting his head to the bearded King. "Ah, well. As you had expressed a deep desire to avoid gazing upon my visage again, I had thought it would only be a burden for you to see me," he retorted, his voice rippling with sugary sarcasm.

Liane cringed and rolled her eyes up to the vaulted ceiling of the throne room. _I hope the prison's blankets aren't too scratchy…_ she thought miserably, seeing the stack of clean, soft blankets back at Zelos' mansion in the back of her mind. _Or that they even have blankets… that would probably be enough._

"Chosen!" The man standing beside the King sputtered, his jaw dropping. "What rudeness!"

"Rude?" Lloyd repeated from where he stood at Zelos' side. "He's the one who was saved by Zelos and didn't even thank him!"

A disturbing silence fell on the throne room as all eyes fell on Lloyd… and it was only broken when the King himself lifted a hand to silence his minister. "I cannot deny that," the Monarch dipped his head to Lloyd with a sigh before he lifted his eyes back to Zelos. "But, Chosen, while I realize the impudence, I have a request for you."

The King's humble tone brought Liane a flash of hope… and she wasn't the only one if she read the exhales of her companions correctly. But when she saw the King and his minister exchange looks, she knew the relief would be short lived.

"Princess Hilda has been… kidnapped," the Minister stated evenly as the King cast his eyes down.

"Princess Hilda?" Regal breathed out, his eyes wide as he stared at the man on the throne. "Is this true?"

The King looked up with a thoughtful frown. "Oh, Bryant," he nodded slowly. "So you, too, are a part of the Chosen's group." His frown deepened as he continued to nod. "Yes, Hilda… my daughter, was taken away by the Papal Knights."

Or a moment, Liane had worried for regal above all of them. How long ago had he told her how his freedom was ill-gotten… and if the King didn't know the Duke was helping them while he was suffering the effects of the Pope's poison, had they truly just walked back into the Palace – practically handing the blue-haired man to the king on a platter? _But Regal came of his own choice – and without hesitation,_ she reminded herself, glancing over to her friend before she looked back up to the King… telling herself that the Monarch actually sounded relieved when he spotted Regal. "That's horrible…" she murmured softly, even though the room seemed to amplify her voice. "We stopped him… and he's taking it out on the Princess?"

"Those guys," Genis grumbled. "So they're _still_ up to no good."

Zelos shifted his weight impatiently, his eyes still fixed on the King. "So then why was I called?"

The King lifted his chin and drew a deep breath. "They want to exchange Princess Hilda for you."

Again… silence.

"Wait a minute!" Lloyd exclaimed, shaking his head as if he didn't believe his ears. "Are you saying you want Zelos to take her place?!"

The King was already shaking his head before Lloyd's outrage was done echoing in the hall. "No. We cannot afford to lose the Chosen," he stated firmly. "I want you to pretend to go along with the exchange and round them all up for good."

Liane blinked. As unfair as the request had seemed to be at first, it actually had merit. "An exchange would draw the Pope and his men out of hiding…" she reasoned, glancing over to find Zelos' expression flat. "It could work…."

"I wonder if it will really go as smoothly as that," Raine murmured skeptically, shaking her head from side to side but not offering any resistance to the idea."

Zelos finally sighed and shrugged as he uncrossed his arms. "It's all right with me."

Lloyd turned a stare of disbelief on the Chosen. "Zelos?! Are you serious?"

"Princess Hilda hasn't done anything, right?" the redhead answered, almost sounding bored. "And besides, it'll be a chance to settle things with the Pope."

The younger swordsman's jaw tightened, but his expression quickly began to soften. "All right. If you say so," he murmured and looked back to the King. "I'll help, too."

_You're going to get us all tossed in the dungeon, is what you're going to do,_ Liane frowned as she noted the irritated expression that the King's Minister wore every time Lloyd spoke to the King directly. They might not be wanted criminals anymore, but was there any reason to push things? "Your Highness, we will all help," she stated, lifting her voice to speak for the rest of the party as she knew that none of them would let Zelos and Lloyd fast the Pope and his knights on their own.

The Minister nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "Then, Chosen, please come this way," he gestured to Zelos, who stepped forward without hesitation. "As for Duke Bryant and the attendants, please go to the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge with the soldiers."

As the Tethe'allan King rose from his throne to accompany Zelos and the Minister, Liane heard Lloyd grumble under his breath again – and she had to smile. It was almost amusing when set against everything else that was happening… it was the man in shackles that was addressed correctly – while the rest of them were simply all attendants. It really didn't matter… it simply made Lloyd grumble. But Liane couldn't help but glance to her blue-haired friend as a troop of armored soldiers filed into the room to join them.

_It suits him,_ she thought with a smile eve as the soldiers began to bark their orders. Surrounded by the splendor of the Palace, especially, Liane was sure she could see Regal as the noble he was. _He'll be needed more than ever once we're done_, she told herself and pushed her attention back to the soldiers' instructions. _Regal will be a good guide for his world…._

The party joined with the Tethe'allan soldiers – something that was all but impossible until recently. But the soldiers treated the fighters cordially – even Raine and Genis – and the feel of a common goal helped the trail between the Imperial City and the bridge pass quickly. It was clear that Zelos was going to be transported separately, but when she saw the redhead standing out ahead of a pair of the King's knights on the bridge of the deck, the buzz that the newfound goodwill of the Tethe'allan leadership had given Liane faded away. _I know he probably couldn't show up with an entire platoon of soldiers… but… two? _Zelos may as well have been alone… and the pretense of the group's presence was to escort the released Princess… but it still didn't seem – or feel – right.

A few paces out ahead of Zelos stood Tethe'alla's Princess… flanked by four papal knights. They all stood extremely still… all of them waiting… the tension building in the air.

"The Chosen and Princess Hilda will walk forward at the same time," one of the soldiers behind Zelos called out to the Papal Knights. One of the Papal Knights responded by grabbing the Princess and pushing her out before him, as if placing her on display. "When the exchange is over, we'll raise the drawbridge."

Lloyd looked over to the Professor as Zelos and Hilda began to walk toward each other. "Is Zelos going to be okay?" he asked in a worried whisper.

"I don't know," Raine answered, shaking her head but keeping her eyes on the exchange. "Don't let your guard down."

"He's still armed… and we can get to him fast if something goes wrong," Liane murmured, her hand closing over the hilt of her sword as the Chosen and the Princess got closer, her pulse picking up pace.

Sheena shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back again as her agitation manifested itself. "I can have a spirit out fast if they try anything…."

Liane shivered at the memory of the fall from the opening bridge. Undine had saved them then….

Suddenly, Zelos stopped in front of the Princess, and the girl staggered to a stop as well. "You're not the Princess!"

The sound of armor shifting and weapons being drawn echoed from the metal and stone of the bridge as Hilda stared gaping at the redhead. "I'm…!"

"You can't fool these eyes!" Zelos declared, sounding truly insulted as Lloyd led the others up onto the deck of the bridge behind him. "The Princess is more slender."

There wasn't even enough time to comment on either appreciating or condemning Zelos' observation before a cloud of smoke billowed up around the form of the Princess… and then faded on the winds to reveal the form of a woman with the blue-green hair and glasses… wearing an all-too familiar lab coat.

"Kate!" Lloyd called out in surprise as the group closed around Zelos and the researcher fell forward into Zelos' arms. "Why are you here?"

For once, Liane found herself glad for Zelos' roving eye… and how it complimented his apparent eye for detail. She drew her sword as she saw the Papal Knights rushing at them, halberds raised and ready for attack. "The Princess isn't here…" she shook her head. "We need to get out of here…."

"The Pope," Kate choked as Zelos scooped her up into his arms and retreated a step behind the others. "My… father… intends to kill… both the Chosen… and the Princess," she groaned, her face contorting in pain as she curled against Zelos' chest.

_It was never meant to be an exchange,_ Liane set her jaw as she turned into the rushing Papal Knights and lifted her sword to deflect the closest Knight's weapon, bracing her feet and using the momentum of their locked weapons to turn him away from his companion, catching him in the side with a firm kick. She saw Zelos retreat with Kate out of the corner of her eye as she and Sheena squared themselves against the knight while the others took on his trio of companions. It was clear that they weren't prepared to fight – or perhaps it was that the Pope had sent four of his more expendable fighters. No matter the reason, it was only a few sword strokes, the blast from a Pyre Seal, and all of Liane's weight thrown into her shoulder as she slammed into the knight and sent him toppling over the railing to land flat on his back on the beach below.

The others had no more difficulty humbling the other three knights, leaving the royal Guards that had accompanied the party from Meltokio to round them up as the group gathered around Zelos.

Zelos looked up from the half-elven woman with an angered scowl. "She's been poisoned," he growled as he shook Kate lightly, her head lolling against his chest. "Hey, are you all right?!"

"My father… is… in Gaoracchia Forest," Kate replied weakly, her eyes pinched shut in pain.

Raine approached and placed her hand against the researcher's forehead. "It's all right. There's still time," she stated and cast a meaningful glance around to her companions. "Let's treat her in Meltokio."

"But… she was fine when she was the Princess," Liane frowned and sheathed her sword as the decision was made and the party turned back toward the road to Meltokio. "She wasn't staggering… or anything?"

Sheena looked over and shrugged, though her eyes were troubled. "It was an illusion technique we use in Mizuho… I'm certain of it," she sighed. "Special ones like that are created with great care… based on the illusion of disappearing that smoke bombs use. They must have laced that one with a fast-acting poison." Then the ninja shook her head in disgust. "Damn."

If it was a Mizuhoan technique, Liane knew of only one link: Kuchinawa. Sheena told them that he exiled himself from Mizuho after she had beaten him in their duel and spared his life. _Now she's going to blame herself?_ Liane shook her head as she walked beside the summoner. "We don't know when this was planned," she told her friend quietly. "The Pope could have been planning this from the beginning… in case he got caught. He had to have had it at least as an option before you beat Kuchinawa. This isn't your fault, Sheena. If he was a part of this –" she refused to say 'is' – "it _was_ his choice."

"Yeah," Sheena ground out her quiet agreement. "I know."

Liane knew that it would be up to the summoner to accept that Kuchinawa's path was truly his choose – the fact that he was acting out against her wasn't something she forced him to do.

The party took Kate back to Zelos' mansion, deciding that keeping her there until the Pope was in custody was easier for them… and might possibly slow the Pope if he tried to get her back and he expected her to be held at the Palace. It was a simple matter for Raine to purify the poison in Kate's system, even though it had weakened the researcher considerably. Placing her in one of the mansion's unused guestrooms, the party gathered near the canopied bed as the half-elven woman slept.

"Damn the Pope!" Lloyd growled, one hand curled into a shaking fist. "I can't believe he keeps using his own daughter to do things like this!"

Regal nodded and took a step back from the bed. "We should hurry. The Pope may try to kill the Princess."

"He'll only wait so long after his men don't come back with Zelos," Liane agreed and glanced out to the window into the Chosen's garden. It was just starting to get dark. The Pope needed to be stopped, or there was no telling what else he would do. "I'll stay here with Kate… in case someone figures out where she is and comes after her." She looked up to Zelos' manservant that lingered in the doorway as she felt questioning looks falling onto her. "There isn't much chance… but if they do come, it's not fair to Sebastian to expect him to fight."

Liane really didn't expect any objections – she knew her reasoning was sound – they could spare a melee fighter and they had stronger spellcasters, but in the small chance of an attack at the mansion, she would be enough of both to hold her foes at bay until help could arrive. Then, she caught a small, grateful nod from Sebastian… and knew she had done the right thing.

Lloyd sighed, but he still nodded and turned toward the door. "Gaoracchia Forest, right?" his smile grew a little. "Let's go."

Liane breathed out as she settled into a chair between the bed and the window and offered her friends a small wave. "Good luck…."

Raine, Sheena, and Regal all gave her looks heavy with the sentiment of 'are you sure?' but she still nodded… and found herself oddly flattered that they didn't argue. _It should be quiet,_ she told herself with a glance back out the window. _The Pope will be taken care of… they'll save the Princess… and I'll be ready to face… tomorrow… when they get back._

She sighed, her reflection looking uncertainly back at her.

_I hope._

"Zelos. Are you certain? You dislike half-elves."

The whisper was almost unnoticeable in the shuffle of feet on the floor as the party slipped out of the room. Liane only just barely heard the words, but she shifted her attention from her own reflection to that of the whole room with a frown. _Sebastian._

"It's all right," the redhead answered just as softly as his servant had spoken. "She… the half-elf who killed my mother long ago. They're both victims of the Pope."

Liane sucked in a quick breath. _A half-elf killed his mother??_ It explained a lot – especially set against the backdrop of a world that already disliked half-elves. But while so many people hated half-elves just because the rest of the world did… Zelos almost had a reason. _But other than bickering with Genis… he's helped us and he's helped them. Even when he didn't seem like he wanted to._

Zelos reached out to pat Sebastian on the shoulder. "I'm going to try to stop hating people just for being half-elves."

It was a big step – Liane had to recognize that, even if she couldn't help but be a little disappointed by how he phrased it. _"I'm going to try to stop…."_ It meant that he still did… but it also meant that he was willing to change. He had to give him credit for that.

"I understand," Sebastian nodded and turned to leave the room.

Liane turned as well, watching the redheaded young man that lingered for a moment with a long sigh. _It has to be hard,_ she told herself.

Then Kate moaned… softly… restlessly… and Zelos turned, meeting Liane's distracted gaze before she could turn away. It was just an instant… a silent exchange, but she _knew_ that he realized she had heard the hushed conversation he had just finished with Sebastian. The redhead hesitated for a moment before he winked at her and offered her a small shrug before he pivoted on his heel and strode to the door. "I leave things here to you, hunny. Tell Sebastian if you need anything," he waved over his shoulder and disappeared from sight.

For a moment, Liane could only stare at the empty doorway. She knew Zelos probably didn't mean for anyone to hear the conversation… but she had. She couldn't make him – or anyone else – change his mind, but she realized that she could respect him a little more for what she had heard.

"Chosen…."

The dry rasp in Kate's voice reminded Liane of part of her reason for staying behind. As she heard the echo of the closing front door of the house ripple through the house, she scooted her chair closer to the head of the bed and reached for the glass of water Sebastian had left for Kate. "Here," she murmured as she turned to help the researcher lift her head so that she could drink. "Just rest. You're safe here."

_I hope._ The Pope should have been more than busy enough with the group of fighters on their way to confront him… but Liane had already seen enough of his twisted schemes to be wary.

"Why did you save me?" Kate asked as she leaned back into the pillows with a pained exhale. "You should have left me on the bridge…."

Liane frowned and clasped her hands, bracing her elbows on her knees as she watched the researcher. "Because that's something the Pope would do," she answered, choosing the man's title over his relationship to the girl on the bed before her. "We're not like that. None of us are."

The half-elven woman closed her eyes and fell silent for a few long, deep breaths. "None of you owe me anything. I should be dead by now."

The sullen response angered Liane, but she bit her lip to keep from snapping too quickly. "You're right. We don't owe you, but is that what you really want? Is your life really that worthless to you?" The Swordswoman shook her head and leaned back into her chair. "I guess he really got to you, huh?" she grumbled. "No life – not yours or anyone else's – is worth anything when the Pope is involved – is that it? Presea… Princess Hilda… how many other lives have you willingly helped to destroy?" It probably wasn't a fair accusation – or the time for it, if it was – but she couldn't simply sit there and listen to Kate's self-pity. She closed her eyes and sighed, debating on just getting up and sitting in the hallway – it would still fulfill her duty… and be infinitely less frustrating. But when she opened her eyes, she found Kate watching her with a look that was all at once curious and shamed.

"It wasn't just for my father," the researcher shook her head. "It was all supposed to make the world a better place."

Liane could only stare at her. Kate genuinely believed what she said… but it was still so cold and removed from the truth. "What about all the people that wouldn't get to see that better world because of your research?" she asked, barely keeping her words even. "What about what you did to Presea… or what was done to her sister or… others?"

Kate looked down. "Great strides require sacrifice," she murmured quietly, though without any real conviction. "In the new world that they helped create, they would be heroes." Her eyes cleared a little. "And in some ways, they would still be part of it."

"What are you talking about?" Liane demanded, lifting her voice more than she meant to. A flash of the ghostly image of Alicia before her own tombstone flashed in her mind and Liane had to force her hands to stay on the wooden arms of her chair. "And don't you dare tell me that you consider Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals a way of existing in your glorious new world!"

"But it is," Kate countered, her brow furrowing slightly. Her eyes flashed to the white-knuckled grip Liane had on her chair, and she slowly drew another breath. While it's true that, in those lost to the creation of Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals, the elements that make that subject a unique being are lost, the elements that are just as important to consider it a life do live on in the resulting crystal."

Liane had to look away with disgust. "You're insane."

"The Crystals retain life energy. Life is not possible without it, therefore, it is _part_ of a living being," Kate continued as if she hadn't heard Liane's accusation. "Energy cannot be destroyed… nor can it be created. It can only be changed. When you consider that the only other part – the consciousness, or the 'soul' as some might call it – might be lost, the other part continues to exist in the world. It is… sad that both cannot necessarily survive, but –"

"Wait." Liane shook her head and the half-elf complied. While it was a wild justification for conscienceless slaughter, there was something else to it. She met Kate's gaze with a glare. "Alicia… Presea's sister… she was trapped in her Exsphere for years… her personality… her image… all of it. Are you saying that's not normal?"

Kate tilted her head. "There have been some studies that suggest an occasional residual presence in the crystals, but it has never been proven… or replicated in a laboratory setting." She fell silent for a few moments and shook her head again. "The crystals only require energy. Any other retention is an abnormality." Then she blinked, curiosity filling her eyes. "Did you say that Alicia Combatir's Exsphere still contains her consciousness?"

Liane shuddered at the interest Kate showed in the information and ground her teeth together. "It _did_. It was destroyed. Don't even think about it," she almost growled. _Let her rest in peace,_ she demanded silently at the thought that Kate would consider trying to further desecrate Alicia's resting place.

"Perhaps… at that stage in her bond with the crystal, her consciousness and the energy were still fused," Kate murmured as if she hadn't heard Liane. "It would be difficult at a later stage when the energy was more bound to the crystal than the consciousness… the consciousness would be lost without being held in bond to its energy… it would be weak by that point – and dissipate quickly once the bond was severed."

The prattling was almost enough to make Liane put her hands over her ears, but, through some kind of morbid fascination, she continued to listen. _Exspheres… and Cruxis Crystals… tear their hosts apart on that deep of a level?_ She shivered. _They take all the energy they need… and cast out the rest._

Kate pushed herself up against the pillows on the bed. "No matter how you see the results, the process is natural," she stated, her voice quiet but still firm. "Even without Exspheres in the equation, the separation of consciousness and life energy still happens occasionally and its' still considered life. So how much different is it to consider that same life energy in a crystal any different kind of survival?"

"What are you talking about?" Liane shook her head, an angered pain pulsing in her head as she heard Kate's calm series of justifications. "Natural? How can you say that a stone leeching life energy from a living being is natural? That person is gone… what made them special… it's gone – it doesn't come back."

The researcher looked down. "The introduction of the crystal… isn't natural," she shook her head. "But the separation can happen without Exspheres… the process isn't specific to their presence. In the case of some injuries – _severe_ injuries – only the life energy might be left with the body. The bond to the consciousness can be weakened and broken from the strain… but the person still breathes… still technically lives. How is that any different? It's the same energy… just different kinds of bodies."

Liane suddenly felt cold… chilled to the bone. "Energy… alone… is not life," she stated, her throat dry as she forced the thought into such a removed analysis of life. "Without a soul… or "consciousness"… that person is lost to everyone that cares about them… to their world."

"_It was only a matter of time." _She remembered the story being told in the father's voice because her mother wouldn't tell the story. _"You wouldn't wake up… and you were getting weaker every day."_

Kate shrugged. "It makes little difference – it's all symbiotic… it's just a matter of combinations. Consciousness bound to life energy… life energy bound to a crystal. Each holds the other together in balance. The only time there is true death is when the energy is allowed to wither on its own and nothing stabilizes it. The only thing in the equation that can't survive on its own for long is the consciousness. It's too fragile." She blinked at Liane. "By that fact, an Exsphere is an infinitely superior creation. Its energy benefits the world far more efficiently."

Liane drew in a quick breath and stood so quickly that it made Kate jump. "You're deluded. That's not life… it's just existing. Those two things are very different." Her own voice scared her just a little – it was too firm… too cold. She simply couldn't listen any more. "You should sleep. Once Zelos and the others return with the Princess and your father, I'm sure you'll be moved. You'll need your energy." Turning on her heel, it took her a few steps toward the door to realize that the fists she had curled her hands into actually hurt where her nails dug into her palms.

It had only been a discussion… a theoretical discussion… an exchange of beliefs. But it had struck far too close to home.

"_If I stay like this, I will live on forever. An isolated consciousness, unable to even speak, existing for eternity. It would be true hell…."_

_That's not life._

Kate was wrong. Exspheres weren't alive… they were a shadow of a life. Life wasn't just a state – being alive was the ability to interact… to influence… to affect. Exspheres could only be used.

_It's not the same._

_It's not natural._

She closed the guestroom door behind her, sagging against it once she heard the latch click shut. Liane knew that she shouldn't have engaged the researcher in a conversation in the first place, but she had actually felt bad for her… so desperate for her human father's love. It had been a slow horror to realize that Kate truly didn't seem to have any remorse for what drove her research even if she did seem to bear some guilt for those it had hurt.

_It's not natural. It's not._

Nothing of what the Exspheres or Cruxis Crystals did was natural. _Beneficial… in certain instances? Yes. But not at the price of a life._ Liane couldn't see it as a worthy trade – ever.

She swallowed the bitter taste of her argument with Kate and drew a breath, her eyes sliding open to trace the pattern in the polished floor tiles.

_She's wrong. It's not natural. I'm proof._

She was getting weaker… she wouldn't wake up. The doctor… her parents… the priests… they had all but given her up for dead.

_It's not the same._

Liane shook her head, refusing any part of her own history being linked to Kate's blind rationalization.

_I was asleep… and I woke up. I survived. Exspheres steal lives… but they were never truly alive._

She set her jaw against the insult of association.

_I was asleep… healing. I was alive._

She had always been told that she was lucky… that she had beaten the odds… even with the memories she'd lost. Liane let out the breath she'd been holding. _They said I was strong… that someone weaker would have died. _

The swordswoman let her eyes close.

_I _am _alive._ _Kate's wrong about me. I was never like an Exsphere._

* * *

_A/N: We're getting closer to the end! I thank those of you that have reviewed from the bottom of my heart... I wouldn't be this far without your support and your kind words! They definitely keep the inspiration going... and I do very much need that at this point!_


	36. Chapter 36

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Tethe'alla's Tower of Salvation beckons… calling to the party with the promise of a cure for the Chosen. But more waits for them than any of them can guess. The lines between friends and enemies and past and present all blur together, leaving the party to question everything that they once knew as truth.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 36:

_Dear Goddess, he knew our names… all of us…_.

The summons from the King had come so early that it made concentrating on anything else almost impossible… especially when it came with each of their individual names on the sealed message. Liane couldn't help but see it as a mercy. Zelos and Lloyd hadn't returned with the rest of the party until well after dark, but the Princess was safe and the Pope was in the custody of the throne. It felt like closure of some small sort, and it had been relatively easy to ride the adrenaline rush with her friends once they'd come back to Zelos' mansion until her mind finally surrendered and allowed her to fall asleep.

That sleep had been less than restful, but also less terrifying than other nights, and Liane felt grateful for that, though she was sure that her mind just didn't know what to do with all of the new thoughts.

_Kratos is a four thousand year old being._

It was the only revelation that truly felt solid. The rest were leaps to cope with the fact that it made connecting what she had seen all but impossible – in a logical world.

_A four thousand year old human that helped split a world in two isn't exactly logical either._

It was only slightly more unthinkable that she would be called before the King and thanked – even if it was as an "attendant" – for helping to bring the Princess back from the Pope's clutches. Liane knew that her role was minimal compared to the others, but she had somehow still managed to be invited to a celebration for the Princess' return… complete with outfits from the 'royal designers.'

Liane almost groaned. _That has to mean a dress. Lovely._

She had tried her hand at playing the 'proper' classroom assistant in Iselia, much to her mother's excitement. Long, cumbersome skirts were favored by most of the women in Iselia, but she had never been one of them – it was just one more thing she had willingly left behind in her hometown when she had started on the Journey of Regeneration.

A party at the Tethe'allan palace had the potential to make her truly appreciate those simple skirts.

Contemplation of such a silly matter as her wardrobe seemed like such a frivolous waste of time that Liane knew she_ should_ be embarrassed. But the rush of cold morning air against her face and the blinding white of the morning sunlight reflecting from the Tower of Salvation tamed that urge. The sight of the structure that soared into the bright blue sky somehow made everything else a dull roar in the back of her mind.

Regeneration and reincarnation… lives cut short and seeming immortality. Each concept on its' own threatened to leave her in a drooling stupor… but all of them combined….

Liane focused on the Tower that came closer with every heartbeat. It was the most immediate conundrum… the rest would have to take their turn torturing her.

The swordswoman set her jaw… the only defiance she could offer. There was no way to go back – to forget what she'd learned or to ignore what she had seen. She could only deal with each thing as she had a chance. And – more and more – it was becoming obvious that she was the only one that could deal with some of them.

Alone.

Her only proof of their existence was locked in her mind in memories she didn't want. No matter her friends' good intentions, there wasn't time to explain… and it wouldn't do any good if she could. _None of it changes the fact that I'm here… and I'm the one that has to help._ Liane knew that hobbling herself with questions that might never be answered – or that might be a flight of insane fancy – wouldn't help anyone. Worse was the knowledge that the one person that might hold answers – the _one_ person that might hear what she said and believe her… and possibly be able to explain what she saw when she closed her eyes – was quite possibly waiting somewhere ahead with no other desire than to end their journey once and for all.

Liane throttled back on her Rheaird, allowing it to drop into the grassy valley that funneled to the Tower of Salvation… the only access to the structure from any direction.

_I've faced him before,_ Liane told herself as the group's Rheairds powered down one by one. The attempt at bravado failed miserably as her instinctive reaction was to laugh at the notion. _And lost both times._ A flash of anger snapped her hand out to the Rheaird to draw the machine into the wing pack. _Once,_ she argued with herself. _I've lost once._

_The other time wasn't me._

That was the time he'd killed….

She refused to complete the thought even in her mind. The concept was enough to make her knees shake. Clinging to her stubbornness, she realized that that particular memory itself was all she needed as she stared up at the Tower that was a symbol of hope to so many.

_I'm alive. I'm not dead. It wasn't me._

The same declaration pointed back to two options: someone else's memories or insanity.

Liane had officially decided she liked the latter choice. It was easier to accept it than to try to convince herself – and others – of the first, ultimately only to arrive at the same conclusion. It was a time saver that she could only hope wouldn't end up harming her friends.

_I don't want to be anyone else._

At one time, she had felt secure in who she was – a tomboy that time had forgotten for almost three years… a girl that knew she could trust her family, her friends, and herself… and a young woman with a future that she would choose. Liane wanted it back – all of it.

_Even if I have to go through Kratos to do it._

Her hand tightened on the hilt of the sword he had given her as if the tiny act of defiance sealed her demand and followed the rest of the party through the shallow valley to approach the base of the tower. When they reached the foot of the translucent blue-green steps that led to the only visible entrance, they slowed to climb the steps two-by-two. Liane walked beside Sheena, but she couldn't lift her eyes from the hovering steps that marked the place of Cruxis. It brought back memories of another tower… marked by the same features that still struck her as absolutely _wrong_.

"Coming here reminds me of my journey to regenerate the world," Colette murmured as they reached the platform outside the tower's doors, her eyes fixed on the portal as she twisted her fingers together before her.

Lloyd approached behind the blonde girl and dropped a hand on her shoulder. "But this time, we're here to cure your illness.

As Zelos approached the oracle stone, the party fanned out around him, all of them looking up. "We're here on our terms, this time," Liane stated quietly as she stared up along the smooth skin of the structure… absently wondering what happened up above the clouds… if that was where the angels plotted against the world below. "This time, Cruxis is going to give us what we need."

"I'm curious to see what the design of Tethe'alla's Tower of Salvation is like," Raine breathed out, her hand trailing over an etched pillar beside the door before she turned to look back to the redheaded Chosen. "No, Zelos!" she lifted her voice, breaking the pensive atmosphere. "Open the door! Quickly!"

Zelos arched an eyebrow at the Professor and shook his head. "You know, you can get really scary sometimes," he complained with a shrug and approached the oracle stone. He hesitated for a moment before he sighed and placed his hand in the depression in the stone.

Liane had almost expected the Tethe'allan Chosen to further backtalk the Professor, but as a deep rumble sounded from within the Tower a moment before the doors slid open, she realized that he had truly upheld his part in their search for Colette's cure. It wasn't the first time Zelos had surprised her that day.

"_Find a way to repeal the half-elf laws enacted by the Pope."_

Zelos had made it sound like a condition of his cooperation with the King of Tethe'alla when the monarch requested his help. It would have surprised Liane enough without overhearing the quiet talk between Zelos and Sebastian the night before, but that he had carried through with his promise to stop hating half-elves to the point of making such a request of the King made her wonder how much she had misjudged him from the beginning.

"Oooh, yeah! Check me out!" the redhead crowed with a laugh that echoed back from the stone walls ahead of them once the doors had retreated to open their path. He propped his hands proudly at his hips, his grin spreading almost from ear to ear. "It's my time to shine! Do I look like a Chosen or what?"

Liane sighed. _Maybe 'misjudged' isn't quite the right word…._

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lloyd groaned and started toward the gaping doorway. "Let's get going."

The Chosen's cocky grin didn't fade in the least from the lack of Lloyd's excitement. A dry laugh that bordered dangerously close on being a cackle shook Zelos' shoulders. "Roger!"

Regal paused to regard the redhead with a distinct tilt of his head. "That's a very disturbing laugh…."

"Maybe it's got something to do with the Tower," Liane shrugged, eyeing Zelos and receiving a playful wink in return. "He did open the door after all." It seemed like a silly theory, but it came to mind quickly once she realized how the Tower of Salvation had become something entirely different in her mind. It didn't embody salvation at all – all she could see was corruption. _I wonder if Colette laughed like that when she opened Sylvarant's Tower…?_ It was a stray thought that drew her gaze over to the blonde girl, but the puzzled look on her face as she, too, stared at Zelos suggested that she hadn't. _Huh._

Presea walked up to Zelos and stared up at him. "Zelos, is something wrong?" she asked in her soft voice that only barely betrayed a hint of concern.

"What?" the Tethe'allan Chosen shrugged innocently as he turned his grin down to the pigtailed girl.

"You're even more… um…" Presea began to answer, her expression growing more troubled as she spoke.

Sheena groaned and walked up behind the ax girl to place her hands on Presea's shoulders to steer her toward the open door of the Tower. "Even more obnoxious than usual?" she offered, with a quick roll of her eyes to Zelos. "Naw, he's always like this. Just ignore him."

Zelos continued to chuckle as Raine led the party into the darkened interior of the Tower. When Liane paused beside him with a confused look, he merely shook his head and jerked his thumb in the direction of where Sheena had already disappeared into the Tower. "She's pretty sharp."

"And you never give up, do you?" Liane shook her head and followed the others. She knew that Zelos and Regal were behind her, but she wasn't going to pay the redhead's performance any more attention. There were other things to worry about than Zelos' endless bid to be the most obnoxious man to walk either world.

_Things like… warp rings._

Liane had a moment just before her form dissolved at the entrance to wonder which was truly worse – warp rings or magic bubbles held aloft by nothing but a gust of wind. Her answer came when she solidified in an eerily glowing green room… but only after her stomach crawled back into place. _Warp rings. Warp rings are much worse. I bet that sadistic bastard Yggdrasill made them because tormenting two worlds just wasn't enough… so he had to take it out on his own people, too…._

"Ugh."

The sound of Zelos' disgust came from behind Liane, reminding her that Regal and Zelos had followed her through the warp ring where they all stood as a group once again – frozen by the sight of the area beneath the transparent walkway. It was only distant thought that Regal and Zelos hadn't seen the endless spiral of wrapped bodies before… but she had… anyone that had made that first crossing from Sylvarant had.

_Even warp rings are better than seeing this again,_ the swordswoman shook her head and forced her eyes up with a shiver. _It's the same as before… another world's Chosens set on display…._

"Ghastly…" Regal murmured, his voice a low rasp as he and the Tethe'allan Chosen walked forward, gathering Liane between them as they moved to join with the rest of the group to edge down the walkway.

The group moved slowly, almost as if caught between fear of profaning such a horrific place of rest for so many souls and turning in retreat from the sight. "Such a sad place," Presea murmured quietly, though her words easily reached all of her companions.

"Wait a minute," Sheena suddenly stopped, her dark eyes flashing around the circular tower, "… is this really Tethe'alla?"

Genis took a small step closer to the edge of the walkway to look down and then turned his eyes up. "Yeah!" he breathed out before looking back to the others, his eyebrows knit in confusion. "It looks identical to Sylvarant's Tower of Salvation!"

"My body," Colette murmured miserably, wrapping her arms around herself as she walked out ahead of the group, stepping onto the suspended central platform and the sweeping walkway that gave it a second level. "I can't stop shaking," she whispered and turned back to her companions with wide blue eyes. "This is the same place!"

Liane realized that she was shaking as well as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. _The same place…._ Her eyes were fixed on the platform… where her mind showed her a ghostly flicker of a memory she wished was someone else's. One by one, in a wave of cold sensation, Liane's nerves began to prickle. Perhaps it was the memory of the man revealed as an angel… the first sight of the wings that she somehow remembered… but she suddenly felt cold. "This is it," she whispered, rubbing her hands over her sleeves as if the effort stood a chance to banish the cold that was far more than skin deep. "This is where we fought…." It took all of her fraying control to force her voice to trail off before she could complete the statement.

"It can't be," Lloyd shook his head in denial as he approached the pillar-lined platform.

As the party slowly pushed out onto the lower level of the platform, Raine's breath hitched, the broken sound standing out distinctly against the silence as she approached one of the pillars beside the walkway. "Lloyd," she lifted her voice, waiting a moment to be sure she had his attention before lifting her finger to point to the scarred masonry. "Remember this?"

The party remained silent as they all turned to watch Lloyd approach the pillar. He was still shaking his head as he reached out to touch the edge of a jagged break that revealed the gently glowing ball of light within the pillar. "That's… wait," he whispered as his jaw fell open wordlessly for a moment before he looked up to the worried, knowing gaze of the Professor. "I broke that!"

Liane could still remember the sound of Lloyd colliding with the pillar. She closed her eyes, seeing the scene play out for her once again with a cringe as she found herself actually wishing away a memory she knew was entirely hers. An uncontrollable shiver shook her to her core.

"The two worlds are connected here. Of course it's the same place."

_Kratos._ She heard the others turn… a sign that his voice laced with cold condescension wasn't just in her head. Liane turned to the voice… opening her eyes as slowly as she could before all that was left was to look up to the angel clad in white and gold that stood within the curve formed by the upper walkway. _That explains the shiver,_ his thoughts whispered miserably as her heart sank.

"Kratos," Lloyd glared at his former mentor as he moved to place himself between the angel and his companions. "It's you again." The leather of his glove creaked as he curled his hand into a shaking fist. "Who are you, really?" the swordsman demanded. "Are you really one of Mithos' companions from 4,000 years ago?"

Liane wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Lloyd's words weren't a question… they were spoken as an accusation, and the image of the indifferent gaze of the angel in response was seared into yet another memory she didn't want.

The angel's lips curled ever so slightly into a thin smirk. "Good. Since you figured that out, it saves me the time to explain," he stated, his tone frigid. His arms were loosely crossed over his chest as he looked around each member of the party. "We will take the Chosen as the new body for Martel."

Lloyd groaned in frustration. "You're _still _trying to do that?" The words came out in an aggravated rush as his glare sharpened on Kratos. "Are you so intent on resurrecting Martel that you're willing to distort the entire world in the process?!"

I have no need to explain," Kratos stated, smirk vanishing as he drew his sword and leveled its point at Lloyd.

Liane sighed and let her eyes fall to the ground for a moment as a ripple of tension flashed thorough the group. _There's no way around it now, is there?_ He had drawn his blade on Lloyd – on all of them – once again. As if nothing had allied them before… as if he had never helped them. She slowly lowered her pack to the ground by its strap and lifted her eyes. He may as well have been a stranger to them, his eyes reflecting a glint of unyielding ice as they caught a stray sparkle from his honed blade. Liane refused to allow her itching hand to close over the hilt of her sword… but in that instant, it was so easy to see the timeworn fighter that had outlived any other human from his time.

"So in the end, you really are our enemy," Lloyd breathed out, shaking his head as his shoulders sank. "I kept thinking… hoping that you might be good…." The young swordsman squared his frame and drew his lean form up to his full height. "But you're not!"

Kratos chuckled… a dry sound with an edge carrying an unspoken insult. "I should think that would be obvious at this point."

Liane felt her eyes burn as she saw Lloyd draw his blades. The act set off a cascade of weapons leaving their protections… including her own. The kindness she was certain Kratos Aurion was capable of at one time wasn't something she would see in her lifetime, reincarnation or not. _This is my life. And in my life, we are enemies._ He left her no choice – not when he drew his blade on them once again. A flash of anger ripped through her… at Kratos… at herself for expecting – or hoping – for anything different. And oddly, she was also angry with the fortune teller in Triet. The woman had suggested that there was more to the frustration Liane felt for the auburn-haired mercenary… and, in turn, brought it to her attention that the man that was supposed to be her soulmate was irrevocably her enemy.

"_Don't_ hold back this time!" Lloyd ordered the angel as he leapt, both blades flashing out in unison as they snapped forward only to be blocked by a single swipe of Kratos' sword.

Kratos appeared more curious than taxed in any way as he shrugged off Lloyd's strike and shoved him back at his companions. He watched Lloyd catch his balance without advancing, his only reaction to the younger swordsman's attack being the return of his shadowed smirk. "I hope you've improved."

Before Lloyd could react to the taunt, the angel stabbed his blade forward. The motion was so quick that the flash of mana and the crackling ripple of lightning over the length of the blade was barely visible before a blast knocked Lloyd off his feet and gave him only an instant to roll out of the way before the lightning caught up to him. "Super Lightning Blade!"

"Hey, that's my bud you're trying to electrocute there, old man!" Zelos called, rushing past where Lloyd was still gathering his wits after narrowly avoiding Kratos' lightning strike. He slid to a halt between Kratos and Lloyd and swung his sword up before him. A heartbeat later, the ground beneath his feet flared with green runes and in the next instant, the runes exploded as the redhead pushed his sword up into the air. "Air Thrust!"

Liane watched as the air around Kratos began to flash with a flurry of fine green blades… and then she realized that the angel had barely flicked his wrist to send up a Guardian spell that kept him insulated from the attack. _He… hardly moved…_she backed away a step, caving in to a growing despair. It was one against nine, but she knew the odds were heavily stacked against them. Kratos looked amused… not worried in the least.

_Why did he let us live this long… only to kill us now?_

"Mass Devastation!" Presea ran at Kratos from behind, her ax slamming into the ground at the angel's feet as his Guardian vanished. The platform began to quake from the power of the ax girl's strike, but Kratos leapt aside, practically dancing over the rippling golden waves of energy before he flipped up through the air to land in a crouch on the upper walkway.

"Thy faithful servant asketh for thy blessing," Colette's voice rose above the shuffle as the party moved to fortify against the angel's next strike. "Honor us with the splendor of thy song." The girl threw her arms wide in prayer as the pink-purple signature of her angelic abilities flared and almost washed away the Tower's innate green. "Holy Song!"

As Colette's spell reached out to her companions to wrap them in a protective glow, Kratos rose as well. His sword swept up before him, the motion chased by a raging flare of angry red mana. "Ready?" he asked, the single word making his grim smile look infinitely more sarcastic by the crimson glow. "Eruption."

An instant of numbing silence followed the disappearance of the angel's rune circle, but then the ground at Raine's feet answered his call by blasting up in a fury of mana-driven flames that engulfed the silver-haired woman before she could even cry out.

"Raine!!" Liane was already running before the Professor hit the ground. While the burn of the spell had evaporated along with the flames, the Professor took the full brunt of the blast that left no mark on her. As the others moved to become a barrier against Kratos, the swordswoman reached her mentor's side just barely in time to keep her head from striking the ground. _She's still breathing,_ Liane assured herself as she eased Raine's unconscious form to the ground. There were closer fighters to the angel, but even she could see that his attack was hardly random. _He's taken out our strongest healer…_ her mind whispered as she turned her scowl up to Kratos.

"You bastard," Lloyd snarled as his feet beat a quick rhythm up one side of the ramp. "You're just going to pick us off one at a time??" he demanded, drawing a casual glance from Kratos as he crouched and sprung at the angel, his blades whipping around him as he landed on the back of the walkway and raised both weapons high into the air. "Raging Beast!"

Kratos was only partially turned to Lloyd when the visage of the howling mana beast blasted him off the upper level of the platform. The angel seemed to hang in the air for a moment, his lean form twisting with lethal grace until he landed lightly on his feet and looked up to Lloyd with a huff that sounded more like a chuckle than annoyance. "_Please…._"

"This is for Raine!!"

Genis' call earned him a look of interest from Kratos as the air around the angel began to crackle with power. "Get him!" the boy's voice cracked slightly as he thrust his kendama out at Kratos. "Gravity Well!"

Dark energy responded to the mage's call as an almost-black bulge grew out of the ground to obscure the angel. A deep thrumming sound filled the air as mana crackled in blue and purple hues over the surface of the hemisphere. Lloyd hopped down from the walkway to join the other fighters as they slowly circled the seraph's magical prison, but when the spell faded enough to reveal the outlines of a brightly glowing green sphere within, they all retreated a step in unison.

"Well, that didn't work," Sheena huffed and snapped her spell card through the air at her side as it quickly became clear that Genis' spell had only forced Kratos to use his Guardian. With a flick of her wrist, she set off a swirl of mana that reached out for the angel and wrapped around him just as he shrugged off his defensive spell. "Cyclone Seal!" the ninja commanded as she swept her card straight up and the gentle swirl turned into a raging gale around Kratos.

Liane slowly climbed to her feet, her blade drawn up before her with both hands as she watched Sheena's seal sweep Kratos' feet out from under him as he was tossed up into the air. She watched, aware of her unconscious friend on the ground behind her and the others cautiously circling the seraph. They were making their stand in a place that as neither Sylvarant nor Tethe'alla… _if we die here, no one will ever know._ The thought was disheartening enough before she realized that she truly… truly… still didn't want to fight Kratos. Her sword shook in her hands as she stood protectively over Raine and watched Kratos flip in the air… but she simply couldn't advance. _It… doesn't have to be this way!_

Suddenly, a blaze of blue-green drowned out the green glow of Sheena's seal as Kratos' wings flared behind him, righting his tumble to suspend him in midair above the group. His smirk implied amusement, but nothing so benign made it as far as his eyes as he glared down at the group. "Do you _want_ to die?" he asked as he swept the blade up into the air, leaving a trail of crackling fingers of purple energy. "Thunder Blade!"

The air on the platform sizzled at the angel's command, but before anyone could do any more than brace themselves, the air over Genis ripped open and dropped a blazing sword of lightning down squarely on the young mage. If the boy cried out, it was lost to the sound of the strike… but once the light died back, Genis was curled into an unmoving ball on the ground.

"You're… cruel…" Presea murmured as she arched her ax up into the air, carving a hissing crescent of mana into the air before she crouched and allowed a second swing to lift her into the air before Kratos. "Dual Infliction," the girl named her attack as she forced the angel to defend. He blocked her blow with the ringing sound of metal on metal, but the attack's momentum blasted him back down to the platform and slammed him into the wall beneath the walkway.

The angel was not down for long, but before he could make it to his feet, the convict had charged in, not slowing for an instant, leaping into the air with his right leg sweeping out to strike. "Dragon Dance!" The metal of his greave was still ringing from the hits it had delivered to Kratos' chin as Regal propelled himself into a back flip, twisting to gather his momentum and bring the energy crashing down upon the enemy. "Eagle Fall!"

Liane understood that her friends were facing Kratos – each of them with all the strength they could muster. But her eyes lingered on Genis… his small form moving just enough that she knew he was alive. _Our healer… our strongest caster… it's methodical._ The sound of a very physical impact as Regal's attack threw Kratos back against the wall again drew her out of her thoughts with a cringe. There was no other way they would leave the Tower breathing if they didn't fight. Swallowing that bitter truth, Liane pushed herself to turn and drop the tip of her sword to the ground. _My friends are fighting for what we're doing… and for our lives. I can't hold back either…._ The thought felt like cold, heavy armor, but when she saw Kratos lift his chin, she saw a faint smile tainted with just a hint of satisfaction as he wiped a think trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. For just an instant, she panicked as his eyes flickered from Regal to her, and that sent a rush of mana down into her blade as she reacted instinctively. "This has to stop!" she demanded as an arc of blazing mana flashed out at the angel and she turned her sword around to loose its twin. "Double Demon Fang!"

In the moments that it took her to realize she had reacted rashly… seeking only an attack and not considering how she could possibly do more damage than with the technique the angel himself had taught her… Liane saw the first crescent strike, though it hardly made him hesitate before he was on his feet to deflect the second. Her eyes locked on his… and she froze. Had her desire to avoid fighting him crippled her with panic? The thought barely formed before she realized her friends were calling out to her… and long before she realized that the golden flash of light from Kratos' sword was a spell.

"You'll have to do better than that."

Liane heard him clearly, as if he had spoken the words directly into her ear. There were no other sounds and no other thoughts… not until she started to understand that the shaking wasn't entirely her… it was also the ground beneath her feet.

"Grave."

She thought she heard her friends call out to her, but their words were lost to the roar of the shining rock spires that drove up on every side of her. Throwing her arms up over her head, she barely remembered to keep her grip on her sword as she tried to curl into a ball… tried to protect herself from the magical rocks that collapsed onto her. Clenching her eyes shut, she thought she had actually weathered the attack –

- until the last spire jutted up from below and threw her harshly into the other rocks, her head colliding with one particularly rough surface that made her world explode into a spray of blinding light… and then dropped her into absolute blackness.

_No. Not again… please, no._

The plea repeated again and again, though it took Liane a while to realize that the words were her own… and she wasn't actually speaking them. A dull thrum of pain pushed at the edge of her senses… she could feel it waiting for her just outside the uneasy blackness that had taken her in.

_I'm alive._

It was a cautious statement, but it still felt almost defiant… in what she knew was a pathetic way. She had rushed in… let her emotions push her to a stupid decision… and she had practically thrown herself into his attack.

_Damn._

Pain became more obvious with every heartbeat that pounded in her ears – her head _hurt_ – and her arm was twisted beneath her, but moving wasn't an option. One by one, Liane's senses were checking in… and they were all in agreement that unconsciousness would be a blessing… especially as she felt a liquid warmth beneath her cheek. It was blood… probably from whatever wound she had gotten from her collision with the rock… and it contrasted sharply with the cool marble beneath her. The darkness blackened more… a hypnotic offer to keep the pain away. But then there was something else. It was soft… no more than a whimper, really.

_Colette._

Her friend cried out… and then the noise stopped. But it was her friend – one of her friends – one of them that continued to fight after she had fallen. They hadn't given up.

_I can't either._

Ignoring the warning of her senses, Liane cringed and forced her eyes to open. At first, all she saw was a muted mush of colors – some of them moving and exploding into brighter blooms of light that her mind slowly decided were attacks. The world seemed tilted… something that was only strange to her until she remembered she was lying on the ground. Her eyes focused slowly… first on the blonde girl that sat slumped and dazed just out of her reach.

A roar of a beast drew her eyes to the distance… and she forced her eyes to show her Presea's assault. Lloyd was nearby… she could hear him talking to Colette, urging her to her feet. _Lloyd…._ She felt her lips curl into a smile. Lloyd was safe… he was fighting.

And he was losing.

An unearthly howl filled the air, much like a scream in a windy hallway… and Liane's smile faded.

"I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss. Shadow!"

The ground shook once again as another shiver pulled her further out of her daze, though the darkness that started to cloud her clearing vision almost made her miss the dark of unconsciousness. Images from the Temple of Darkness – shadows that moved without sources – unnerved her more than enough to push her up to her hands and knees as Shadow answered Sheena's call to encircle Kratos in a rune ring of seething black.

Zelos was barking out orders as Kratos hesitated under the brunt of Shadow's assault, but it all felt so far away to Liane. She realized that she had actually made it to her feet as she saw Regal close in on the angel, a barrage of kicks crowned with a shimmering crescent left by a backflip that knocked Kratos out of the remnants of the summon spirit's fading influence.

_I still have my sword,_ Liane coached herself as she lurched forward in an unsteady run, bracing her blade before her even as her vision wavered. _I can fight… I can – _

She barely caught the glint of light as the angel's eyes fell on her… and she had no time to react to it before he was suddenly before her… a blur one instant… his hand around her throat in the next as he jerked her up off her feet.

"Stay… down."

The command was almost lost to the sound of blood pounding in her ears, but it was over in an instant… even before her lungs had started to protest his chokehold. Liane felt the arm that held her up flex, and then he turned her, her body flailing for a moment before he released her, casting her aside like a rag doll.

Liane clenched her eyes shut, having no way to stop her flight as she waited for a wall to stop her…

… _or maybe I won't stop,_ her mind grumbled, reminding her of the plunging abyss at the edge of the platform. It could be a never-ending plunge… or a sudden end if she found the bottom… or –

She suddenly stopped, but not by anything unyielding… or even particularly painful. There was only a soft grunt of impact… and a glimpse of familiar blue as she started to open her eyes once she realized she was no longer tumbling… but rather suspended by warmth.

_Regal?_ The swordswoman blinked and drew a hesitant breath as she looked up. _He caught me?_ The shackled man held her against him in an almost awkward cradle, but his attention was utterly fixed on Kratos… a seething anger in the blue depths. Liane barely had the chance to understand that Kratos hadn't hurled her to her death before she finally heard the angel's voice again… and she turned a little to follow Regal's intense gaze.

"You're right, Lloyd," Kratos sighed heavily. "Taking your group out one at a time isn't fast enough," he stated, his voice practically dripping with challenge as his wings blazed behind him and lifted him into the air.

It was a taunt. Liane knew she would have to be deaf, unconscious, or dead not to hear it. _He's… testing Lloyd?!_ He was testing them all by removing Raine and Genis – and denying the party their respective aid and potentially massive damage… _but he also attacked me… and Colette…._ He was systematically removing Lloyd's oldest friends… pushing the young swordsman harder. _But… he's left all of us alive?_

"Sacred Powers, cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls," Kratos' dangerously smooth voice called out as the blaze of his wings effectively dimmed the rest of the tower to blackness.

Liane couldn't look away from the angel at the height of his stunning power even though she curled a bit more into Regal's protection. _Kratos… what are you doing?_ The question was unspoken… it was simply something her heart wanted to know. The sight of the man she wanted to trust eclipsed by the rune-laden aura of his terrible glory distracted her from the fact that she was being lowered to the ground until the arms that had caught her pulled back and her view was blocked by the form of the man crouched before her. She blinked once again and found Regal's shadowed gaze. "Regal…?"

"Stay down," he told her only as loud as he had to over the building roar of Kratos' attack.

Nodding and curling into the tightest ball she could, Liane knew she should protest… that her friend shouldn't be shielding her… but as she looked around, she saw the others huddling similarly… and flashes of green protective spells standing out in between waves of white light. _Stop being useless…_ she grumbled at herself and dropped her hands to the ground at her sides. "Guardian…." Her sword was just out of reach where it had fallen when Regal caught her, but the ground seemed to work well enough as she reached deep into her mana reserves and pushed it out into a bubble to protect both of them… even while her mind was mired in how differently two little words could be spoken together…..

"_Stay down…."_

"Rest in peace, sinners! Judgment!"

Liane could see the light blasts even though her eyes were clenched shut. She could hear them… and she could feel them rattling through the platform beneath her. But worst of all, she felt the ray that struck her Guardian field with enough fury that it shattered like glass. The force that remained was enough to batter both the swordswoman and the fighter to the ground by the time the barrage was over.

Then… again… there was only silent darkness.

"Blame your fate."

The sound of a blade grating into its scabbard was enough to rub Liane's nerves raw, but even with that mostly intangible pain, she thought she heard regret – or perhaps disappointment? – in Kratos' voice. But a very real pain in her temple and warning twinges of pain that raced through her limbs when she even considered moving helped her to put her concern for Kratos aside. _He led us here… beat us down…_ her thoughts rambled dismally. _I wonder when he's just going to drop the games and kill us… we're obviously not passing his tests…._

Hands under her arms as she was dragged across the platform made Liane clench her jaw shut over her complaint, but once those hands were removed, leaving her in a submissive kneel, her curiosity finally demanded that she open her eyes. To either side, her friends were around her, all of them on their knees and slumped under the weight of their defeat. Behind them was a ring of empty-eyed angels in armor… and watching over all of them was the one angel that she _wanted_ to hate more than any of them.

"I would advise against resisting, for there will be no mercy this time," Kratos stated quietly, his eyes on Lloyd, though the warning easily applied to any of them.

Liane glanced over to her crimson-clad friend and found the anger she wanted so badly there in his eyes as he glared up at Kratos. It felt hollow, but it somehow made her feel better that Lloyd could express his hatred for the angel… even as she hung her head again. A small lurch of the ground beneath them was only one more worry for her as they moved up through the tower. She could see the pile of their belongings – weapons included – on the other side of the ring of angels. While Raine and Genis were both still unconscious, the rest of them weren't much better off as outnumbered as they were - fighting simply wasn't an option.

_Whatever he wants with us, he'll take now,_ the swordswoman thought as her shoulders slumped and her eyes slid closed again. _We're at his mercy… the mercy of Cruxis._

* * *

"Put their belongings in the trunk and make sure the locks on the cells are secure."

The angel bobbed her head obediently and floated back over to the box that held the party's weapons and gear while her companions separated the group into males and females. Kratos watched the process as any good captor would, keeping his expression as cold and unreadable as was expected of a Seraph of Cruxis. They had done better than he'd hoped faster than he'd hoped. They had all played their parts perfectly.

_Now, I just have to hope that they'll follow the rest of the plan._

They had fought well, though he knew he had to hit them hard and fast. Defeat would anger them to greater heights… and it would be the only way they would be left unattended in Welgaia. Kratos had played his own role as far as he could, but he would have to trust Lloyd and the others. They would have to fend for themselves – find the mana fragment that they needed and return to the surface.

_By then, you will have to be strong enough to beat me._

Kratos turned his eyes to where the angels were hauling Lloyd's dazed form into the males' cell. A defeat without any true loss would only damage Lloyd's – as well as the others' – pride. It was also the easiest way to bring them into Welgaia. Yggdrasill had demanded the recovery of Sylvarant's Chosen – but he hadn't – ordered the deaths of her companions. It was the perfect loophole – almost too perfect. But if Lloyd and the others did what he was certain they would, the Chosen would be cured… and there would only be a few final touches before the young swordsman would be ready to claim the Eternal Sword.

_It would be a good thing to be able to see._

He almost smiled. Almost. Instead, he pushed it behind the mask of ice that complimented his gilded uniform and watched as the angels attending to the males of the party slipped out of the cell and locked it. The true test was about to begin… and the first phase was simply for the party to free themselves. Lloyd, Genis, Zelos, and Regal were all vaguely conscious, as were their female counterparts, but Kratos' eyes lingered on the shackled man for a moment longer than the others. His challenge – like Lloyd's – would be a bit more involved, no matter how Kratos didn't like it. Lloyd's job would be to step up and end the cycle that had persisted for too long… the Duke's would include keeping Liane safe to see the end along with them all. The blue-haired man had already passed a first, minor test, but more would come… especially with how quickly the girl had put aside her own well-being to push back into a fight she wasn't ready to be in. If they had faced anyone else, she would probably have died in the fight. But Kratos could only hope he had given her reason to fight as well.

As much as it grated on his nerves to admit it, the man with hands as bloodstained as his own looked to be Liane's best chance at surviving both the war and her own stubbornness… and Kratos' best chance at preserving that inexplicably familiar spark he sensed within her.

"Lord Kratos? Should we take the materials for the Chosen's treatment?"

Kratos shifted his eyes to the angel that had approached him from the side, the light accent of the male's voice a hollow shadow of the being he used to be. "There's no need," he shook his head once and turned on his heel as the group of angels that had seen to the party's imprisonment gathered behind him. "We'll return for the Chosen once the researchers and their facility is ready for her… we'll get them then."

"Lord Kratos," a meek female voice called after him, keeping him from walking away from the cells. "What about the others?"

"They are of little consequence," the seraph answered with ease that he hated. "Once Martel's vessel is complete we'll harvest their Exspheres and Crystals and dispose of them." Kratos turned his back and continued to walk, trying not to hear the hiss of the fuse his words had lit.

_This is all the time I can give you, Lloyd,_ he thought to the boy with the glaringly familiar eyes back in the cell. _Use it wisely._

* * *

"Thanks, Raine," Liane murmured quietly, lifting her hand to the place that the magical rock had chewed into her scalp to try to free her hair from the matted blood that had collected there. It had been a shallow wound that required only a minor First Aid spell to banish.

_I can't believe he used Judgment on us._

The blinding light was still brilliant – even in her memory. It was harder to believe that they had all survived, but just the fact that Kratos had turned such an attack on them was all she needed to understand that the Kratos she thought she knew was long gone – if he ever actually existed outside her overactive imagination.

With a huff, the brown-haired swordswoman hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them.

_Now if that felt just a little more right… I might be able to believe it._

Kratos had turned on them, used them, toyed with them, and stopped just short of killing all of them. It should have been so easy to see what it all pointed to – that he was their enemy.

_But he stopped._

If Liane could have kicked herself, she would have. Instead, she hugged her knees tighter and glared through the bars to the last place she had seen Kratos stalking away with his feathered lackeys.

_This is all one big, sick joke to him._

It was no longer a question of if she wanted to believe in him – she wanted to hate him. After a spell that he surely knew would terrify her in concept alone, she knew he was making a point to her.

But then he had gone to the trouble to warn her… to cast her out of the fight when she had tried to rally.

"_Stay… down."_

_How else can I take that? He could have just knocked me out… or… worse._

Liane bit her lip sharply._ Dammit, Kratos._

"Damn, this is a good lock," Sheena grumbled with a frustrated puff of air that blew her hair back out of her eyes as she backed away from the door in the bars. She slipped a thin twist of metal back into the folds of the bow behind her back and glared at the lock for a moment. "We can't break it and we can't pick it. What's left?"

Hoping the question was rhetorical, Liane sighed and stretched her legs out in front of her. Only she and Raine hadn't tried to open their prison… leaving that task to the strength or finesse of the others. Raine claimed only to be sore after she had regained consciousness, and according to the conversation with the other half of their group in another cell, Genis was no worse for wear.

In the swordswoman's mind, that all added together to equal nine frustrated fighters that could do little more than rattle their cage bars.

"Dammit! This thing's built solid as a rock!" Lloyd's disembodied voice floated over to them without losing any of its growl. "And I can't open the lock, either."

The summoner groaned and leaned back against the wall that separated the halves of the party. "Same here," she sighed loud enough to let her voice carry to the other cell. "It won't budge at all."

"Can Colette or Presea break it?" Lloyd asked hopelessly.

Colette stepped closer to the bars and curled her hands around them. "Nope," she pouted her answer.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of use," Presea added from where she crouched in the corner formed by the bars and the wall that separated the group.

"It's not just you, Presea," Liane sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. "Strength and skill have no effect on the lock and even if I could muster a spell, I don't think it would help." The walls had a perfectly smooth finish… she almost worried that if she did try a spell, the cell would turn it against them. "And seeing as Genis is locked up just like everyone else, I'm guessing they're not terribly worried about magic." She leaned over against the bars, her eyes once again roving the open area outside. "Unless someone else has a different idea?"

Another heavy sigh sounded from the males' cell. "So we're completely trapped…."

Liane glanced over to Raine, only to receive a small shrug. _Not good._ The swordswoman frowned and looked back out of the cell. Not even the Professor had any ideas… though Liane suspected that – despite the silver-haired woman's denial – Raine was also still feeling the effects of Kratos' punishment. She had insisted on handing out healing spells to her cellmates, but she had remained quiet after doing so, uncharacteristically offering no logical options that the rest of them had missed… _and no hope, either._ Biting her lip to keep in another deep sigh, Liane leaned against the bars a little more. _We know what they want from Colette… but… what about the rest of us?_

"Move."

The voice was unmistakably Regal, and it brought Liane back from the spiral of dismal thoughts that pondering the future had pushed her toward. _He's okay…._ Her relief was particularly pointed as he had tried to protect her… and she had tried to return the favor until Kratos' spell had flattened all of them. She sat up as the determination in that one word seemed so different from how any of the rest of them had spoken.

In the next heartbeat, a blast of energy so bright that it rivaled Kratos' Judgment crashed away from the males' cell, accompanied by the ear-splitting sound of ripping metal. By the time it occurred to Liane to clap her hands over her ears, the blast was gone… but a moment later, she saw the familiar forms of Lloyd and Genis stagger out onto the walkway outside the cells. _They're free… but what… was that??_

"Wh… whoa!" Genis breathed out as he and the brown-haired swordsman turned back to their cell.

Lloyd's eyes were still wide as Zelos and Regal stepped out onto the platform. "How did you do that?" he asked, clearly in awe as he looked up to the shackled man.

Liane's mouth went dry as she only vaguely realized that the other females of the group had joined her at the barred front wall of their cell. _Regal… did… that?!_

"I originally specialized in fighting with my hands, not my feet," Regal answered calmly, his head lowered. "And since Exspheres amplify their user's abilities far above their maximum limits, this result is to be expected."

As Lloyd walked over to the other cell and began to work at the lock with a small pocketknife that the teen normally kept for whittling, Zelos stood before the Duke with his head tilted in confusion. "Then why don't you just fight with your hands?"

The cell door slid open as Lloyd stepped back to allow the woman to exit the cell. Genis had already started to pull their weapons from the storage trunk and hand them back to their owners, but Liane's steps were slow as she passed where the Chosen stood questioning Regal.

"… _but with my own hands, I –"_

"I swore I would never fight with these hands again," Regal answered, though the words hardly sounded willing. Then he looked up as Lloyd stopped beside him. "This time, I used them in order to save you, Lloyd. You're going to unite the worlds and save Colette, right?"

_That's… how he killed… Alicia._ Liane forced herself to look away to keep from staring at her friend, instead reaching for her sword and her pack when Genis held them out for her. But a morbid fascination forbid her thoughts from being swayed so easily. _All that power…._ She looked over to the cell that had held the males and had to try to keep from gasping at the sight of the peeled-back bars and ruined masonry. _It would have been quick… merciful._ But no matter how the realization enforced how she knew he simply didn't want her to suffer, if the attack could do such damage to metal and stone… what it could do to a living being…

… _and what it had to have done to him in the aftermath…._

"Yeah, that's right," Lloyd agreed with Regal and took his blades from Genis to replace them in their scabbards. "All right. Everybody, grab what you can and let's get out of here!"

The party moved out of the cell area together, their pace quick but cautious. The building they were in was eerily silent, making each footstep seem almost loud enough to be a cry. But once they gathered around a malfunctioning warp pad that seemed to be their only way out, Liane decided she could finally trust herself to look over to Regal without the chance that he would see her surprise and take it the wrong way. The shackled man hovered at the edge of the group, all but forgotten while the others discussed the options to the transporter. His eyes were still lowered, but as Liane started to edge closer, she saw his balance waver… something she was certain she had never seen before. _That technique… has to be exhausting…._ Liane reached to a side pocket of her pack, fished out one of the party's stock of Pineapple Gels, and held it out as she approached. "Just guessing you can use this?" she offered him a weak smile as he lifted his eyes to her.

Regal hesitated, but then reached out to take the gel from the swordswoman. "Thank you. It has been a while since I last used that technique," he murmured almost apologetically as he took a bite of the gel.

_Like… about eight years?_

Liane shrugged the question away. It didn't matter, and pressing him further even if she was wrong would only reopen his wounds. "We'd all still be in those cells if it weren't for you," she stated and clasped her hands behind her back. "Thank you… and… thank you … for back on the platform." The dark haired young woman truly didn't want to think about Kratos' latest betrayal yet… but Regal had at least stopped her from at least a nasty collision with a wall.

The Duke's eyes widened slightly as he chewed the last of the gel and slowly shook his head. "Thanks really aren't necessary. I was simply the one who could free us. It could have been Lloyd or Sheena or Presea as easily as it was me." He sighed, the act bringing his shoulders down just a bit. "As for the platform, no one would have simply stood by and let you be harmed. Again, it could have been any –"

"But it wasn't," Liane interrupted with a dry laugh and a roll of her eyes. "And even if it had been, I should have thanked them, too… so… just smile, not pleasantly, and accept my thanks, okay?"

Regal watched her for a moment before a ghost of a smile curled just the corners of his mouth. "You're welcome," he finally murmured with just a hint of amusement. "But you protected me, as well, so will you accept my thanks?"

Liane almost winced at the memory of how it felt for the blast of light to shatter her hastily constructed Guardian spell. "It didn't really protect either of us," she shrugged her response. "So… no, I don't think so."

He arched a single eyebrow at her.

The look was all it took to set the playful smile she had held back free. "Fine… fine. You're welcome. But I'll do better next time." _And there will be a next time…._ It was a depressing certainty, but before it could grow any stronger, the flare of Colette's wings drew her attention back to the others. Slowly, the blonde girl floated up, and Liane lost the downward spiraling thought. "Wonder where she's going…" she mused softly as Regal turned to follow her gaze.

"Lloyd and Raine don't look too worried," Regal observed as Colette disappeared over what had to be the lip of another platform high above. "Colette is probably the safest of all of us in this place."

With a frown, Liane lowered her eyes. "You're right… she has value to them as Martel's vessel," she agreed as a chill settled on her. "I'm surprised that… they… bothered bringing us back here." They failed… Kratos beat them soundly… but once again, he didn't finish them. _Why??_

"Liane…" Regal looked down at her, his voice showing his concern clearly. "Kratos doesn't seem to do anything without a reason, it's true, but that doesn't change the fact that we can turn it to our advantage. While we can still fight, we will, correct? Whether by plan or chance, we will use it."

It should have stirred encouragement in her… and Liane almost felt guilty that it didn't. _He warned me to stay down… used a spell that tossed me around… why bother?_ "It still feels like he's waiting for something, like he's lurking… waiting for us to do something," she shook her head slowly, the act showing her the ragged remains of her braid. Catching her hair in one hand, her fingers worked to loosen it into a plain ponytail, dropping her eyes to the ground while she used the gesture to buy time to gather her thoughts. "Whatever it is… what will happen when we do it? Will he finally just kill us? Will he join us again?"

No sooner had she spoken, she felt the Duke's skeptical gaze on her.

"I don't think we can count on him, Liane," Regal told the swordswoman quietly, his tone betraying his doubt. "Enemy or ally, he could be either at any given instant. At this point, even if he declared himself our ally, we shouldn't depend on him."

Liane knew Regal wasn't trying to be cruel… that he was only speaking the truth, as dictated by common sense. That knowledge was the only thing that buffered her from the sting of the truth. She needed to hear it, no matter that she didn't want to. "I know," she muttered and took a step back without looking up to him. "But that doesn't change the fact that it feels wrong."

There was a flash of light that drew their eyes before Regal's heavy sigh could be capped with any more words. _The transporter works?_ Liane blinked and drew in a breath that squared her shoulders. "It feels wrong. And as much as I know that I should write him off – hate him – I can't. Maybe that makes me a traitor. But I can't."

She turned before the shackled man could speak again. _I won't betray my friends for Kratos, but as angry as I am at him… as much as his power terrifies me… I can't let go of the fact that he could still be our only chance to survive. _Liane heard the Duke's heavy footsteps behind her, but she kept her eyes on where Colette had materialized on the warp pad before Lloyd and the Professor. _I trust him with my life._

Liane shivered at the depth of the silent declaration. She simply couldn't bring herself to believe that he wanted them dead. He had his chances, he had his power… and yet, they were all still alive.

_Like she trusted him to take hers._

"I never called you a traitor, Liane," Regal stated quietly before Liane could turn to walk away from their conversation. "It just worries me to think about what he's going to have to do before you see how dangerous he is."

With a long exhale, Liane lowered her chin before she looked over her shoulder to the shackled man. "You're not the only one," she smiled weakly and shrugged before she waved over her shoulder for him to follow. "Let's just hope it's not as bad as we're afraid it is."

From the sigh she received in response to her words, she knew he wasn't happy with her response, but she wasn't happy giving it to him, either. Liane continued walking, joining the others to step onto the warp pad one by one without looking back. She followed Presea and the world dissolved around her, leaving her with the realization that she couldn't really even complain about the disorienting transporter…. The journey was only getting more uncomfortable as they continued and mere physical discomfort was becoming more negligible with every challenge they faced.

"Whoa! They're all angels!"

Lloyd's awed declaration was the first thing Liane heard once she solidified on the other side of the transporter, but it was impossible for her to miss what he was talking about. _They're everywhere…._ No matter where she looked, beings with graceful, feathered wings drifted, a sight more breathtaking set against the deepest blue star field she had ever seen. She had to force herself to not think about how the beings resembled Remiel or the other winged soldiers that had rallied around Kratos after he defeated them again. Instead, Liane gathered with the others where they were still partially hidden by a row of crates, but the presence of the lurking angels coupled with the fact that they had no idea where to go made the swordswoman nervous. "They're not armed," she observed. "They're not paying us any attention so far… maybe we can look around and figure out where to get a mana fragment?"

"We're gonna get caught if we keep wandering around here," Lloyd sighed and turned his frown back to the others, his eyes landing on the Professor.

Raine's eyes darted around the open area around them and slowly began to nod. "You're right," she murmured, still not looking back at the young swordsman. "We'll pretend to be Colette's prisoners. She should be fine because she's an angel."

Liane was already shaking her head. "She may be an angel, but she's not an angel like them," she pointed out with a deep-set frown. Colette's wings were more like those of Kratos, Yuan, and Yggdrasill… and they differed greatly from the pristine white feathers of the nearby beings. She looked back to Lloyd. "It's probably our best bet, but let's not take any chances?"

Lloyd nodded and made an obvious effort to force his hands from their casual perches on the hilts of his swords. "Okay."

Colette took the lead of the group with her signature uncertainty yet without objection while Raine and Genis trailed after the rest as they started out into the open. The blonde Chosen hovered just enough off the ground to emulate the other angels. It was as good a plan as they could hope for, and Liane knew it, but it was still hard to keep her eyes to the ground as she figured a good captive should.

"Desian Class and a lower class angel taking human prisoners?" a female angel with pale aqua hair murmured absently as they passed by her, though she did not attempt to stop them. "This is a strange sight."

Liane glanced to her side to catch a confused look on Sheena's face with the sentiment echoed by Zelos, who trailed behind the summoner. _Desian Class is clearly Raine and Genis… but Colette's a _lower_ class angel? _It puzzled her for a few more steps until a possibility occurred to her. _Maybe because Colette didn't complete her transformation into Martel's vessel…? I'd bet Yggdrasill wouldn't let that angel live long if she referred to Martel reborn as a lower class angel…._

The blonde Chosen kept her eyes forward, acting as if she hadn't heard the angel's observation. She was guiding them toward a tall building with no visible windows, and Liane couldn't help but hope that Colette had a better idea of where to go than she did. While the city was quiet, the atmosphere made what little conversation there was stand out as they moved through the angels that seemed to have no interest in them.

"I've heard that Origin is sealed. What kind of power can seal the King of the Summon Spirits?"

Liane wasn't the first to stop after overhearing the question, but she heard those behind her stop as well. Sheena was the first to come to a halt, her eyes still forward, though she was leaning slightly in the direction of the conversing angels. _Origin…?_

A male angel bobbed gently in the air and dipped his chin once slowly in acknowledgement. "I've heard one of the leaders handled the seal of Origin by Lord Yggdrasill's orders," he answered solemnly before he sighed. "I wish I could receive that level of trust."

It was an incredibly wistful statement to come from one of the placid beings, but it still made Liane shiver without any particular reason.

"… _Origin's seal."_

Liane closed her eyes, making the snap decision to give herself over to whatever vision would take her. _She knows something…_ she realized, trying desperately to hold on to the broken and faded memory of Kratos' words. _Come on… there has to be more…._

"Liane… come on…."

Lloyd's hushed urgency as he tugged on her arm brought Liane out of her plea with a blink. She stumbled forward a step as the others looked back at her… her thoughts having drawn her away to the point that she had almost allowed herself to be left behind. "Sorry," she whispered, ducking her head and hurrying to keep up with the others as they became to file into the door of the tall building. Silently cursing that her visions had little to no care to cooperate with her wishes, the swordswoman fisted her hands into the hem of her tunic at her sides and stepped into the building in time to watch Colette wander up behind an armored angel and politely tap him on the shoulder. Liane's jaw almost fell open when the angel turned, and she flinched at the pasty white pallor of his face as he stared blankly at the blonde girl. _Aaaaand back to the cages we go…._

"Hi," Colette beamed at the angel's grim visage, her tone cheerful as if they were old friends. "Could I please have a fragment of mana?"

The angel continued to stare at Colette for a few more moments before he shook his head. "Fragments of mana are no longer being distributed," he stated coldly, his expression absolutely unchanged. "Return to your area."

Lloyd hurried to stand at the blonde girl's side. "You won't give us one?"

Liane had to bite her lip to keep from groaning. It was lucky that the storehouse was so close to the cells that had held them, but in an instant, Lloyd had tossed aside the pretense of being Colette's captive. She saw something flicker in the angel's eyes as he shifted them to Lloyd and she tensed, trying to guess how he would react to Lloyd's interruption. _This is bad, this is bad…._

"A human?" the angel murmured, sounding more intrigued by Lloyd's presence than offended.

Raine reached out to grab Lloyd's shoulder and hauled him back to the rest of the group with just enough of a tug that it almost cost him his balance. "These are the subjects needed for the Cruxis Crystal research," she stated sharply, sparing a quick glare for Lloyd to emphasize her role.

Running her hands over her arms, Liane felt a distinct chill in the air. _Maybe the angels don't need heat,_ she reasoned, trying not to listen to the idea that it could be Raine's mention of research subjects.

'Hi-Exsphere research?" the angel repeated, a hint of surprise in his tone as his gaze moved over the party. "I see. Now that you mention it, I've heard that research involving humans was being conducted.

Raine nodded and pulled Lloyd back another step to place him behind her. "Yes, exactly. And we require a fragment of mana for that purpose."

"Understood," the angel responded to the authority in the Professor's voice with cool cordiality. "Then please show me your identification."

Absolute silence fell over the room as no one dared to breathe, much less move. If the angel found their hesitation odd, he gave no outward sign… he only waited patiently for their compliance. Liane's fist tightened, but she wouldn't allow herself to move it to her sword… the angel hadn't threatened them, but it seemed that he was simply following the protocol of his position. _If he were even slightly observant, we'd have been locked up by now,_ she realized, though the thought didn't give her any other options. _We could fight him… but we might not find the mana fragment before reinforcements came,_ she chewed the inside of her lip as her eyes trailed up over the towering stacks of unmarked storage containers.

"Do we need that?" Zelos asked, clearly annoyed by the angel's request.

"Of course," the angel nodded crisply to the redhead. His wings beat evenly at the air for a few moments as he offered no further qualification. Then, a high-pitched whine filled the room and the angel's eyes suddenly widened and focused on a place just behind the group. "Lord Kratos!"

Liane saw some of her companions turn, but she didn't… though she wasn't sure if that was because she couldn't or simply wouldn't. From the look on Lloyd's face – the anger that flashed there in particular – she could tell that he was truly looking at the seraph, but it wasn't the same as any other time. _I… I can't feel him…._ Kratos' presence was an indescribably distinct itch on her nerves… and that sensation was completely missing. The realization somehow emboldened, and she turned partway to see the image of the angel that had beaten and imprisoned them as a vision of flickering light. _He's not here,_ she reassured herself even as she noticed that he paid no attention to any of them… his cold mahogany gaze fixed on a simple point, and apparently on no one in particular. _He doesn't see us?_

"We need a fragment of mana for the ritual of the Chosen," Kratos spoke, his voice hollow with an artificial ring. "I've sent a courier over to pick it up."

The storeroom keeper bowed sharply at the waist to Kratos' implied command. "Understood."

Before the angel could even straighten, the image of Kratos flared and faded away. Liane's eyes lingered for a moment where the image had been, carefully measuring her reaction to the encounter. Her heartbeat had sped up for a few beats, but it felt more like fear than the sensation she had begun to link to his presence. There was no twisting in her chest that made it hard to breathe or think… no urge to beg him to acknowledge her. There was very little… other than the feel of her nails biting into the palm of her still-fisted hand.

"Yeah, that," Lloyd suddenly spun back to the nameless angel and pointed to the space that had held Kratos' image. "That's us!"

The party spared a moment to stare at the teen that had slowly stepped into the role of their leader with an odd mixture of horror and admiration for his sudden claim, but their gaze didn't stop on him… it continued to the faintly-puzzled expression that the angel wore.

"Are you saying you're Lord Kratos' couriers?" the pale-faced angel asked with a slight tilt of his head.

"Y-Yeah!" the young swordsman replied quickly, his voice wavering for an instant.

Raine's hand once again snapped back to Lloyd's shoulder as she pulled him back with a scowl. "Silence, _human_," she snapped, her voice as cold as the look she gave her student.

Colette quickly turned back to the angel, her polite smile firmly in place as she clasped her hands before her and gave him a quick bow. "We're with Kratos."

The angel remained frozen in place, complete with the subtle, curious tilt of his head. "But just a moment ago, you said you were going to use it for hi-Exsphere research."

"That's right," Raine snapped and advanced a step on the angel. "And it just so happens that it's also needed in the ritual, so we came to retrieve it. Please hurry."

The angel's even expression finally broke and drooped into a concerned frown. "But without identification," he started to object, shaking his head from side to side. "Besides, you seem to be of the Desian Class, and you have humans among you…."

"Humans that the researchers are waiting on… you forgot that part," Liane murmured sullenly, keeping her eyes to the ground the way she hoped a good little expendable human would. "There can't be hi-Exspheres without hosts, now, can there?"

Lloyd moved to Liane's side and shrugged to the angel. "While you're complaining about these little _nitpicky_ details you're keeping Yggdrasill waiting," he stated, sounding almost sorry for the winged being. "Do you _want _to tick him off?"

"That's right," Genis nodded, his voice carrying a slight edge as he poked his kendama pointedly into Lloyd's side. "_Lord_ Yggdrasill is scary if you cross him," he stated as if his words were meant as a warning.

For just an instant, the angel looked truly torn as his eyes flitted over the group. "A… all right," he finally muttered and stretched his wings out to catch enough air to lift him up into the air.

The party watched the angel rise together, no one speaking as he selected one container out of the wall of seemingly identical ones and removing a chunk of a substance that just fit into his hand – a chunk that glowed a writhing purple-black. _He… bought it…._ It was an odd hopeful dismay that Liane felt as she watched the angel turn and begin to float back down to them with his precious cargo. _It was almost too easy._ A chained set of coincidences had fallen into place and apparently benefitted them – once again making it seem that Kratos had helped them.

As soon as the angel's booted feet touched the ground, he held the mana fragment out to Raine, his expression once again blank. "Make sure you get it to them!"

Raine nodded curtly and took the mana fragment. She inspected the faintly glowing substance for a moment before she shifted her pack and stowed it in one of the bag's side pockets. Without another word, she turned to the others and gestured toward the door in a silent demand.

Liane stood back as Colette floated out ahead of the group to lead them out of the stockroom. The angel didn't seem to need or expect any pleasantries, which actually made their retreat easier. She saw Genis playfully jab his kendama into Lloyd's ribs one more time before they reached the door, the swordsman turning a glare on the mage that the silver-haired boy answered by sticking out his tongue, a response that would have been hidden from the angel, even had he been paying attention. She wanted to smirk, but she knew it wasn't safe yet… that it probably wouldn't be until they returned to the surface of their fractured world. _That's it… we got what we needed, _the swordswoman breathed out when she heard the doors to the stockroom whisk shut behind them. _Now we just need to find a way out of here and – _

"_I am… Origin's seal…."_

She hadn't realized how pleased she had been with the results of their encounter with the nameless angel until Liane felt the sense of accomplishment flitter away at the touch of Kratos' voice in her mind.

_What?!?_

Taking care to continue walking, it was as much attention she could steal from the bizarre claim. _What is that supposed to mean?!_ Liane demanded of herself, though it was easy enough to picture Kratos and say it was of him. So much of what he had ever spoken to her was a riddle that it truly wasn't a leap, but beyond that, it was nonsense. _A person isn't a seal!_ She argued. _A seal is a spell… or an object. Not a person!_

She almost groaned. _Lovely. My own mind is making fun of me now._

All she had asked of the fickle memories that she bore against her will was an answer… simply a request to finish what it wanted to tell her about Origin's seal. _This… just isn't fair. It's crazy._ And her mind had even gone to the effort of setting it to his voice – worse, his voice shrouded in warm regret that made her want to melt. Almost every weakness she had for the angel was exploited in the way four mockingly sincere words laced themselves together for her.

"Hey, look at that."

Liane looked up when she heard the spark of awe in Genis' voice. The walkway that they were on seemed to have a large round platform as its only destination. It was built up to the point that if there was anything _on_ the platform, none of them could see what it might be. "It has to be important," she murmured, trying to ground herself back in the moment and focusing on the armored angels that were patrolling the edge of the platform. Somehow, pondering the presence of the guards was easier than acknowledging the low, familiar sound that pulsed in the air around the platform that was only unfamiliar in its strength.

Raine paused after moving to the head of the group, her head cocked slightly in thought. "A giant… transporter, perhaps?" she mused as her eyebrows furrowed slightly with her curiosity."

"They come in different sizes?" Liane breathed out. The entire party could use a warp pad the size of the one before them at once… _or Yggdrasill could move a lot of angels fast._ It was a thought she didn't relish. "Wherever it goes, it has to be somewhere important."

Lloyd was already nodding when he turned so that his eyes could find all of his companions with a sweep. "Maybe we can use that to get back to the ground," he suggested with a smile that was almost cheerful as he started out ahead of the group to step onto the platform before anyone could stop him.

As soon as Lloyd's boot touched the outer edge of the platform, one of the armored angels that had been a few steps away flared his wings and was suddenly directly in the swordsman's path. "Wait," the angel demanded in an empty tone. "Show your identification."

"Gah!" Lloyd threw his arms in the air in frustration. "Identification again!"

The angel frowned at the outburst and moved back in an act that was partially a step and partially hovering. "You. You're human!"

_Uh-oh._ Liane ground her teeth together at the angel's reaction. They had passed unnoticed through much of what seemed to be a city filled with nothing but angels – the inhabitants either absorbed in their quiet existence or simply finding the visitors to their city to be beneath their notice. The angel before them – while resembling the keeper of the stockroom – not only reacted to them, but he seemed genuinely alarmed by their presence. _This might be bad…._

Raine was already moving before Lloyd could react to the angel's observation. She caught the swordsman by the shoulder and once again pulled him back so that she was in front to face the winged being. "He's being transported for an experiment. Excuse us," the Professor stated, eyeing the unmoving angel for a moment longer before she turned and prodded Lloyd back to the others.

"We don't have any identification," Colette lamented quietly as she twisted her fingers together, her eyes fixed longingly on the platform that was still cut off to them by the watchful angel.

Genis' arms hung limply at his sides. "How are we supposed to get back to the ground?" he asked, turning his wide blue eyes up to his sister.

"That can't possibly be their only method of transportation," Zelos sighed and rolled his eyes as he gestured to the giant transporter without looking to it. "If that thing breaks, they're screwed."

Liane nodded slowly in agreement. While their arrival in the angel-filled city was still fuzzy in her memory, she couldn't say for certain that the transporter had brought them there. Zelos made a sound point. "Yggdrasill doesn't seem like the type to leave himself or his angels with only one way to leave or enter a place. He'd plan better than that."

"Yes," Raine agreed and walked through the group to lead them back the way they had come with a wave over her shoulder. "Let's have a look around."

Liane followed her mentor along with the others as Raine led them through toward one of the buildings at the edges of the circuit of walkways. Entering any of the city's buildings struck her as practically turning themselves in to Yggdrasill, but so far, she couldn't ignore that they had been able to roam, even with all of the angels that surrounded them. _Are we being allowed to wander… or… are they all seriously just not concerned with our presence?_

"_If you're so fascinated with wings, perhaps I should tell you that there is a city of angels?"_

There was amusement in the words that whispered in her mind, Kratos' voice bearing a smile that she didn't have to see to feel. _Now??_ Liane hesitated for only an instant before she gave in to the beckoning call of the memory. She was safe at the core of the party… if she could spare enough of her concentration to see what the vision would show her, perhaps she could finally have an advantage. _Please… please show me…._

"… _tell me about it?" she begged, looking up at the auburn haired man from where her head was pillowed on his thigh, his face a dark silhouette against a blazing star field. "A whole city? Is it beautiful there?"_

_Kratos chuckled, though the amusement wasn't quite as warm as it had been before. "On the surface, I suppose," he replied. "The stars are always visible, and it's quiet," he continued, his eyes fixed somewhere in the starry heavens above. "The angels there all have their tasks… researchers, guards, historians, mechanics… all of them completely focused on their commands."_

_She felt her smile slip as the image she had of winged men and women flying free and joyful began to melt away. "Commands? Could… could you command them?" she asked, her voice shaking in anticipation of his answer._

"_At one time," he answered with a single nod. "I highly doubt I could now… I'm certain Yggdrasill has made sure that I no longer have any control over the angels now that I'm not at his side. While they would obey me before, their fealty has always been to Yggdrasill and his goals. If they were ever forced to choose, they will always side with him."_

"_Oh."_

_He looked down at her and one hand closed over hers. "No matter how you seem to want to see the angels – any of the angels – they are not natural, Anna. You have to remember that. The angels of Welgaia are little more than dolls… they simply do what they are told until they are told to do something different. It may be beautiful and peaceful there, but it is simply Yggdrasill's construct." He frowned, the shift in his expression subtle, but still visible in the shadows. "There isn't an angel you will see in this life that didn't surrender some part of themselves for their wings."_

Liane sucked in a quick breath as the sound of a door whisking aside ripped her from her vision. _Welgaia… he called this place Welgaia._ He hadn't told her any more than Liane had already guessed, other than the explanation for why the party seemed to be invisible to most of the angels. _They hadn't been commanded to pay us any special attention. _She walked into the building along with the others, but it took her a few more steps to realize that her hand was still warm – the same hand Kratos had taken in her vision. _What…?_ She looked down… and fought not to jump when she realized that no one held her hand – instead, she was the one that held on to Regal's arm.

With a small gasp, she released him, realizing that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, but otherwise gave no outward sign that there was anything wrong – or at least nothing to alert the others to. When she had reached out for him, she couldn't say, but Liane could see that he had honored his word without her even coming close to asking… and that he was quite possibly the reason her thoughts had been able to slip away without alerting the others or damaging herself. Offering him a quick, grateful nod as they continued into the building, she saw the hint of a questioning arch to his eyebrow. "Welgaia… this place is Welgaia," she mouthed, putting just enough air behind the words to make them the softest of whispers. Everything else she had learned, they could all guess at simply from watching Colette's struggles.

_What price did you pay for your wings, Kratos?_

As Colette turned away from the group and led them to a metallic bank of lights and buttons, Liane realized how she almost envied her dream-self… and the innocence that had let her be thrilled by the existence of a city of angels. After everything she had gone through and everything that she already knew before Kratos would open up to her like he did with such a simple story… she was still disappointed that the angels weren't free - Liane could still feel it.

"What's this?" Colette asked, turning back to the others to point at the blocky monolith that caught her eye.

Zelos shrugged and made a weak attempt to hide a yawn with his hand. "Looks like some kind of information terminal," he answered, somehow sounding less interested with every syllable.

Even as the redheaded Chosen's interest waned, the Professor's shone brightly in her eyes as she walked past Colette to approach the terminal. She tapped her chin with a single, delicate finger for a moment before her hands moved to dance over the buttons. After a few different sequences, she straightened and huffed at the console for how it ignored her. "It's useless," she finally declared, shaking her head. "It won't start up."

"Really?" Colette asked in disappointment as she started to turn, her wide-eyed pout already in place.

Whether it was just that she knew the blonde girl well enough to look for the signs or something else, Liane couldn't say… but when the toe of Colette's boot clipped the heel of her other foot, the swordswoman saw it clearly – and quickly clenched her eyes shut as the girl started to stumble forward. _Lift your feet, girl!_ her thoughts grumbled, though she knew that there was no point in saying it yet _again._

As Colette collapsed into a heap beside Raine, one hand flailed against the metal panel, and a ripple of winces raced through the party. But before the Chosen's hand could hit the floor beside her, there was a soft popping noise within the terminal, and a gentle whirring noise accompanied a steady glow that lit the buttons on the console.

"Oh…" Raine murmured with a quick glance between Colette and the terminal that finally settled on the panel of lighted buttons. "It stated up."

Zelos chuckled and reached out to pat the blonde girl on the back as Sheena and Lloyd helped her back to her feet. "That's our Colette!"

"I'm so glad I didn't break it," Colette laughed sheepishly and smoothed the front of her white tunic.

"One of these days, you should just be glad that you didn't break _you_," Liane shook her head and gathered around the Professor with the others as the silver-haired woman's fingers danced over the flashing lights on the terminal.

As the Chosen's cheeks grew pink, she continued to laugh softly, but a few heartbeats later, another voice drowned it out as its inflectionless words sounded from the console.

"A terminal to the surface is located in the center area," the voice that was neither male nor female stated as Raine stood back from the controls and crossed her arms. "Please use the emergency route located in the rear of the Idea District while it is under maintenance."

"Maintenance… or just those that don't have proper clearance," Liane murmured as she turned with the others to spot a small warp pad at the back of the cavernous room they stood in. "This must be the Idea District," she shrugged, though she decided quickly that she didn't want to know what kind of ideas would come out of such a place.

Lloyd slowly nodded as his eyes scanned over the room and settled on the transporter device. "Okay. Let's use that emergency route thing."

The Professor, however, never turned away from the control panel. "This seems to be this city's data bank," she stated quietly, her voice wavering on the edge of awe as her fingers punched another series of buttons.

"Professor, can you operate it/" Lloyd asked as he turned to look back to his teacher.

"I'll try," the half-elven woman answered as she frowned at the characters streaming across the screen in front of them. Suddenly, a triumphant smile lit her face and she slapped her hand down on a large button that changed its glow from red to green. "Got it! Now we can get data from this terminal."

The terminal whirred for a few moments before the lifeless voice from before spoke again.

"Derris-Kharlan is protected by the force field emitted from the Eternal Sword. If this force field is removed, Derris-Kharlan will be released from the planet's gravity and will wander in space again as a comet."

"A comet?" Liane breathed out, her eyes wide as she remembered the occasional gathering in her hometown when Sylvarant's scholars claimed that a comet would be seen. The tiny abnormalities with the delicate tails always caught her attention and her imagination because they could travel amongst the stars that she watched at every chance she could take. "Derris-Kharlan is a comet?"

"There's more," Raine stated as she turned a dial beside the green button and then pressed the button again. Once more, the flat voice sounded into the alcove.

"The magic sword was given to the leader Yggdrasill when he formed the pact with Origin. Its immense power is able to control time and space. It is said to be the source of the leader Yggdrasill's power. The leader Yggdrasill was able to split the world with the power of the Eternal Sword. If this sword were to be lost, the leader Yggdrasill's power would diminish and Welgaia would surely face its doom as well."

_Welgaia._ Liane shivered as she glanced over to Regal and caught a flash of surprise in his eyes before they both looked back to the Professor. "That's the Eternal Sword, right?"

Raine nodded thoughtfully. "I believe that's the translation of that file's title," she muttered and looked back at the screen. "I can't imagine… that much power in a single weapon." She sighed and adjusted the dial again. "This one says, 'World Prolongation Project…."

"Origin hands out swords like that… and the other spirits only give gems?" Sheena mused, shaking her head as the terminal came back to life. "The gems hold an amazing amount of power… I can't imagine the power behind that sword…."

"The world was split in two in order to keep the mana depletion to a minimum and to sustain the world and the seed of the Giant tree," the terminal's voice stated. "Additionally, the usage of Summon Spirits to guard the Mana Links and restrict the flow keeps the world from prospering. Great prosperity leads to the possible development of magitechnology, which causes meaningless wars. The World Prolongation Project, proposed and put into effect by the leader Yggdrasill, is an outstanding system to maintain the world."

"And allows Yggdrasill the power to decide who will thrive and who will prosper," the shackled Duke stated grimly with a shake of his head. "No matter how hard one works on either world, it could all disappear under this system…."

Lloyd breathed out and dropped his hands onto the hilts of his blades. "That's some pretty mind-numbing stuff."

Raine turned a slightly indignant glare onto the swordsman. "We've obtained some very valuable information," she corrected his complaint before she sighed and her shoulders drooped. "Lloyd, we shouldn't stay here long. Let's escape through that emergency route we found earlier."

"Yeah. Let's go," the crimson-clad teen turned and led the group out into the massive room.

Liane's eyes traced over the perfect seams in the floor as they walked. There were still angels milling about, but none of them gave the party anything more than a passing glance. She knew that she couldn't claim that she knew the stories that the terminal had told them, but they were familiar… and the confirmation of the city's name just strengthened the feeling. _It all started out… as a desire to protect the world from itself,_ she reasoned, piecing together hazy shades of memories with what she had just heard. _But then it got twisted._

"You heard the name… in your vision?"

The swordswoman's eyes widened, but she kept them down. Pulled from her thoughts, she was aware of Regal's heavy footsteps beside her, as well as of the carefree whisper that almost blended in to the atmosphere around them. _He really does believe me,_ she realized, smiling just a bit in relief, though she didn't look up to him. "Yes."

"Hmm," Regal responded, but kept his eyes on where the others were beginning to surround the warp ring.

Liane understood as well… the questions and the conversation would have to wait if it was going to continue. Their friendship allowed them both to keep the secrets that they needed to along with the clause that they could safely speak of them if they needed to do so. She wasn't sure what she would have traded for the chance to talk to him the night before, but by the time the rest of the group had returned and moved Kate to the custody of the King's guards, there was no time to explain how deeply the researcher's words had cut into her… much less why.

"It looks like this is the emergency exit," Colette observed, her eyes slipping over the area around them as if searching for something to compare the warp ring to as an alternative.

Lloyd's expression hardened with determination. "Okay, let's go before anyone sees us…."

"No, it looks like they already found us," Regal's voice cut off any further plans of the group's young leader.

Liane's eyes snapped up to regal and then turned to follow his gaze back into the room behind them where a trio of armored angels was slowly advancing on them. Drawing her sword was largely instinctive, but when she recognized one of the three as the angel from the storehouse, she could see that their luck in Welgaia had run out.

"Th-that's them!" the lead armored angel declared, jabbing his finger out at the party as the other two flanked him.

The angel that had given them the mana fragment frowned, his hollow gaze sharpening on the party. "You're the ones that pretended to be working for Lord Kratos!"

The last angel lifted his finger to point directly at Colette. "It's the Chosen! The Chosen of Mana has escaped!"

_Probably Kratos' flunky courier, _Liane frowned as she backed up a step. "Lloyd… they're not going to play nice this time," she called over her shoulder without taking her eyes from the advancing angels. They would reach her, Regal, and Presea first with the way the group was positioned at the warp ring… and their recognition of Colette made it all that much more important to keep her out of their reach. "Are we fighting or are we running?"

"Dammit," Lloyd hissed the curse as he grabbed Colette's arm and spun her onto the transporter pad. "Let's just get out of here!"

Colette only had an instant to squeak her objection before her form evaporated. Lloyd quickly followed, leading the others as they disappeared one by one. The angels hastened as the party dwindled to the last three fighters, and Liane cast aside both worry of what was on the other side as well as her dread of the device itself. "Presea… Regal –" she called as she looked to where they were both still guarding the retreat. "It's just us! Let's go!" she commanded, hesitating only as long as it took to assure herself that her friends were moving before she stepped up onto the pad. The disorienting tingle took hold of her almost immediately, but even as Welgaia splintered into shards of light around her, she knew that rejoining her friends on the other side was preferable to all of the winged drones of the city of angels descending on them.

The swordswoman gathered her wits as quickly as she could after a rust-paneled hallway reformed around her, finding her companions waiting for her. Liane stumbled the short step down from the warp pad to get out of the way and allowed herself a moment to catch her breath as she watched first Presea then regal appear from the upward rain of energy from the transporter. Satisfied that they had all made the retreat safely, she looked over to the Professor. "Any ideas on where we are? I don't recognize this place," she stated, her eyes warily watching the patient blue spin of the warp pad for pursuers.

"I would have to guess either a lower level of Welgaia… or an upper level of the Tower of Salvation, if this is supposed to be an escape to the surface," the silver-haired woman replied as she inspected a series of panels and signs on the wall before she turned back to her companions. "Either way, we aren't safe here… and it's too tight an area for a fight. We should move along before the angels catch up to us."

"Angels… or worse," Lloyd grumbled as he spun on his heel and stalked down the hallway. "Come on. Either way, we need to move down… we won't get out just standing here."

The party exchanged quick glances and then fell into step behind the crimson-clad teen. _If we can get out of here, we have a chance,_ Liane coached herself as they all pushed up against a corner to avoid the unblinking eye of a familiar hovering robot patrolling the other side of the hallway. _We're still on their turf here… they might even still be watching us._

The unnerving thought made the dark-haired young woman itch to get away from wherever it was that they were. Occasional windows allowed narrow glimpses of a sea of stars almost as deep as those that had been overhead in Welgaia. The stars had always been a comfort for her – now it was simply a reminder of how very far from home they were.

After the Raybit made its circuit around the area and continued down the hall, the party slowly crept forward, silently alert for any other patrols as they spiraled down the corridor. Just as the urge to question if they were actually going in circles was beginning to grow to the point of finding voice, Liane glanced to the head of the group just in time to see Lloyd advance a step… and float up into the air. _What…?_

"Whoa, I'm floating!" Lloyd exclaimed in wonder, still keeping his voice low even though he chuckled as he slowly tumbled into the ceiling of the hallway.

Raine hesitated for a moment before she followed the swordsman over the invisible barrier and slowly floated up into the air, reaching out to the wall to stop herself near her student, who was slowly spinning and nearly upside down. "So this is weightlessness…."

Lloyd placed a hand against the wall and pushed to right himself as he looked back to the Professor. "What's that?"

"Well, on the ground, the mana from Gnome, the Summon Spirit of Earth, gives rise to the effect known as gravity," Genis explained as he stepped forward, placing his foot cautiously as if he were testing the strength of an ice sheath on a pond before he, too, floated into the corridor.

Raine held a hand out to her brother with a nod and waited for him to take it before she looked back to Lloyd again. "The reason we fall to the ground from high places is because Gnome's power pulls at us," she continued Genis' lecture. "But this place is so far away from the ground that Gnome's power doesn't reach."

"It's an old theory," Liane continued thoughtfully as she followed Colette a step closer to the unseen line that divided the corridor, watching with an odd sense of envy as the girl floated gracefully into the air without the assistance of her wings. _This is more her element that it is ours,_ she thought, realizing the experience of flight was probably a distinct advantage at the moment. "No one's ever documented the extent of Gnome's reach before… no one's been able to get this high up and return to tell about it." _No one that wanted to share the information, anyway…._ "This must be the spot between some kind of artificial gravity on Welgaia and Gnome's pull on the ground."

Lloyd moved aside so that Colette could join them against the wall. "And so we float like this," the swordsman nodded, his eyes brightly in understanding. "He had an annoying attitude, but I guess gnome's a pretty important Summon Spirit."

"Be careful and move slowly," Raine stated, her instructions clearly for the entire party. "Once you start moving, you won't stop until you hit something."

_I wonder if it's like flying…._

The thought was almost hypnotic as Liane started to step forward into the hallway. As she pushed off from the floor behind her, there was a strange moment of disorientation. She found that nothing truly felt like 'up' or 'down' – and, while it wasn't quite as disturbing as the Latheon Gorge's bubbles, it was far more the lack of control that bothered her as she reached out to steady herself against the sidewall of the corridor. "This is either going to make things go a lot faster or be a disaster," she chuckled a little as Lloyd looked over to her with a laugh of his own.

"Yahoo! This is fun!"

Liane's head snapped back toward the hallway at the call of the redheaded Chosen in time to see him leap into the field, shifting his weight to fold his arms behind his head and cross his outstretched legs as if he were relaxing on a beach somewhere far away. She saw him sail past –as carefree as she had ever seen him –and then she saw the sharp bend in the hallway ahead. _Oh no…._

"Augh!"

The Chosen had no chance of avoiding the collision with the wall – and his speed only made it worse. As if he were a rubber ball, he crashed into the wall and rebounded, careening out of control as he floated back past the others limply. Regal and Presea stepped into the field around the groaning Chosen, while Sheena waited… lifting a hand to stop Zelos from crossing back into gravity's pull. "You don't listen, to you?" she sighed, waiting only until his eyes unclenched and batted open at her. The summoner rolled her eyes as the redhead suddenly grinned at her, and, with a flick of her wrist where she had caught his ankle, she sent him into a gentle roll as she pushed herself into the field as well.

"Sheeeeena!!"

Lloyd chuckled, nodding to the Professor as he watched Zelos flail for a grip on something – anything – to right himself as Sheena floated calmly to the front of the group where she easily stopped herself in an almost upright position with one hand to the ceiling. "I… I'll be careful," he promised before bracing himself and gingerly pushing off to continue down the hallway.

Liane chewed the edge of her lip for a moment before she reached out to catch Zelos' wrist to stop his spin and pulled him to the sidewall of the hallway. "If you were going for smooth, that wasn't it," she sighed, glancing pointedly up to Sheena and back.

"She stopped me, didn't she?" Zelos shrugged with a smug smile. "She wants me." Then, he made a show of tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Now, wait. Come to think of it, you stopped me, too!" he declared as his expression shifted to one of sheer mischievousness.

"Well, I wasn't just going to leave you rolling in the middle of the hallway," Liane groaned, hating that she could feel the heat in her cheeks. "Maybe I should have," she sighed and used her grip on a wall panel to turn and push off to catch up with the others, trailing a hand over the wall to keep some control. Hearing Zelos' snickering behind her only made her blush more. _How can he turn _anything _into an opportunity to flirt?_ Her thoughts groused as she approached the back of the party. It took a little concentration to navigated the first turn, but she was just starting to get a feel for the drift when she realized that Zelos' laughter hadn't stopped – in fact, it was getting closer –fast.

"Cannonball!!!"

Liane looked back to see Zelos tucked into a headlong tumble right at her. Her eyes widened, but she didn't have time to get out of his way. "Zelos!" she choked as he hit her. The impact was relatively gentle, but it was more than enough to knock her away from her grip on the wall and send her tumbling into the back of the party. While her impact was far softer than the Chosen's had been with the wall, she heard a soft grunt of breath being pressed from lungs behind her. _Again…?_ Her tumbling stopped, she ventured a glance over her shoulder, though she already knew what she'd find.

A pair of surprised blue eyes met Liane's as regal shifted to look down at her where she had bounced against his back. "Liane, are you all right?" he asked, catching her shoulder to right her as Zelos floated past them in the middle of the passageway.

"Thank me later!" the redhead saluted them as he sailed past, looking oddly in control except that he was on a collision course with Sheena.

_He's working with Kratos, _Liane sighed, closing her eyes as the heat in her cheeks quickly became uncomfortable. _They're both trying to kill me._ "I'm fine," she answered after a moment of gathering her wits to look back up to her shackled friend. "Say, do you know if there's an actual law about choking Chosens in Tethe'alla?" she asked, not even trying to mask her grumble.

A flicker of concern showed itself in the way the Duke's eyebrows began to knit together… but then it vanished as the faintest hint of a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. "We're not technically _in_ Tethe'alla," he shrugged and pulled back as if satisfied she was back under control.

The dark-haired swordswoman stared after Regal in shock before she realized that she was already falling behind. _Was he… blushing?_ Logic nagged at her that it was simply the lighting and shadows that seemed to have tinted his cheeks for that instant. But combined with Zelos' comment, Liane realized she was barely a heartbeat away from wishing Kratos would show up with another helping of Judgment just for her… anything to spare her the embarrassment of seeing things that weren't there.

Somewhere ahead, Liane heard Sheena deliver what sounded like a potent curse on Zelos – it was hard to tell, though… she guessed some of the words had to be Mizuhoan. But she still moved carefully, even with the distracting commotion ahead. One by one… from one point to another… the party crossed corridors and rooms, and while the redhead could be heard almost constantly, his voice began to fade into the background as Liane's thoughts lured her away. _Why would he knock me into Regal? _she asked silently of no one. _It's not as if he didn't already have to catch me once today. He's probably getting tired of it by now._

_But why was he blushing?_

The thought even sounded mockingly innocent in her mind… making things worse._ He wasn't. It was the light. Stop looking for things that aren't there._

But no matter how she chided the thought, something in her wouldn't let go of it. It was just a flicker of a needy, selfish spark, but Liane had to recognize it for what it was… a tiny, warm flame where she was beginning to feel colder and colder with every day that passed. It was the part of her that wanted to be remembered… not pushed away and forgotten. After seeing so many things that weren't hers to experience… after the things that had happened to her that she told herself she had to let go of… there was still a part of her that clung ferociously to those moments.

The feel of a warm hand closed over hers that vanished when Raine appeared.

The kiss on a darkened beach of white sand that was left behind out of respect for the memory of love lost.

Liane knew she shouldn't hold on so tight to things she shouldn't have had. But they were hers. Hers. Long before she had started on the Journey of Regeneration, she had fought for her life… and against the odds the doctor had given her, she had survived. The visions of another life and another time seemed intent on imposing themselves on her life… pushing memories of things she had never lived on her. _Maybe it's a punishment… for fighting too hard when I should have given up._

She shook her head defiantly at the cruel thought, wandering for a moment who would think such a thing… even though she recognized the acidic tang of her own pessimism. Glancing ahead as Raine opened a doorway off the side of the hallway, it occurred to Liane that Gnome's influence had taken them again… it had either been an effortless transition, or she had truly been that lost to her own thoughts.

_Not to my visions… to my thoughts._

_I still have some say in my life,_ the dark-haired young woman insisted as she spotted another warp pad – a normal sized one – at the center of the room and tried not to groan. _I'll fight for my world… my family and my friends. But I'll fight for my life, too._ A person's experiences shaped them… and Liane silently swore that she wouldn't let anyone take that away from her, punctuating the declaration as she stepped up onto the warp pad after Genis, her feet landing a bit harder than necessary on the surface as the round room fell away from her.

_I won't spend my life as a voyeur… living on someone else's experiences._

When she materialized in a room washed with too-familiar green light, Liane's defiant stand faltered ever so slightly. _The Tower…._ It was distinctive, and while the sight told her that they had almost made their escape, she couldn't help that she simply wanted to run faster.

Stepping from the spinning pattern of light on the floor, Liane glanced back as Presea appeared behind her, followed by Sheena, Regal, and finally Zelos.

"We made it," Genis breathed out, leaning forward to brace his hands on his knees with a grateful exhale. "That place was creepy."

"It was fascinating," Raine corrected her brother with the finest of edges in her voice. "I can't imagine all the knowledge that must be stored there… information stolen from or just _kept_ from Sylvarant and Tethe'alla for centuries…." the silver-haired woman breathed out with a sad shake of her head.

Zelos snorted softly and tossed a handful of hair back over his shoulder. "Oh, I don't know if it's so bad. I mean, yeah, Sylvarant has the short end of the stick right now, but if we balance it all out, won't it just prove that we don't need what they're keeping from us? And there's nothing to say we won't get it all on our own terms someday, anyway."

"The technology is impressive… it would make fools of most of us," Liane nodded, clenching her hand absently around the hilt of her sword as she looked over to Raine. "But if we can come to it on our own like Zelos says, maybe it doesn't have to cause wars… like Cruxis claims."

Lloyd tilted his head to look up to Liane, his mouth falling open as if he was going to speak, but then his eyes caught somewhere behind the group. He passed through the group and back over the transporter where they had emerged from their trek down the Tower without any reaction from the device. He stopped at the inside of the arch formed by the platform's sweeping upper walkway, staring at the purple and silver sword that was stuck into the tile. "This is the sword Yggdrasill struck me with," he breathed out, leaning closer to the weapon with wide eyes.

Raine approached behind the young swordsman, a curious frown on her lips. "Could this be the Eternal Sword?"

"No way," Zelos laughed, though amusement didn't play a part in the sound. "Nobody'd leave a sword that important in a place like this."

"Can't you feel it, though?" Liane asked softly as she stepped out to Lloyd's side. "Even _I_ can feel the power that's radiating from it," she lifted her arm with a shiver, noticing how the charge in the air prickled her skin. "Whatever it is, it's not a normal sword…."

Lloyd's eyes lingered on the sword for a moment longer before he turned back to the party that had gathered to either side of him. "How about we take it to Heimdall and show it to the Elder?" he suggested with a shrug.

"Good idea," Genis smiled, sounding just a little bit surprised. "That way we'd know for sure."

The brown-haired swordsman set his jaw, determination flaring in his eyes as he turned back to the sword and reached a gloved hand out to the hilt.

"You have not the right."

Lloyd jumped at the voice that seemed to come from everywhere all at once, but his hand still grasped for the sword. Before the voice could fade, a blazing flash of light filled the platform and Lloyd was knocked back into the center, landing in a heap as the others could only stare, stunned.

"Oww…" Lloyd complained, pushing himself up onto an elbow and running his other hand back through his hair. "What happened?"

"A waste of effort," came the voice once again, this time from much closer… much more real… the condescension almost tangible.

Liane looked up, her concern for Lloyd sated when he sat up and spoke. She turned, forcing her eyes back to the upper level of the platform. A wave of cold that made Welgaia seem tropical in comparison washed over her nerves as her eyes met the frigid green-blue glare of the leader of Cruxis.

"Yggdrasill!" Lloyd growled as he scrambled to his feet, blades in hand.

Yggdrasill's lip curled slightly into a sneer. "The Eternal Sword cannot be touched by those who lack the right," he stated, glaring pointedly at the young swordsman.

Liane, however, couldn't draw her weapon. _Yggdrasill… is the hero, Mithos._ They were standing in the presence of a being that was legendary on both worlds for bringing peace to the land… the one whose deeds they were all taught to celebrate as soon as they could understand the concept of a hero…

… _and he is our enemy._

The swordswoman couldn't have stopped staring even if it occurred to her to try.

_He looks even younger than Kratos._

"The right?" Lloyd bit back, his tone colored more by confusion than anger.

Sheena edged up to Lloyd's side, a cautious glare fixed on Yggdrasill. "He must be talking about the pact with Origin!" she ventured and her frown deepened. "That's the sword Yggdrasill tricked Origin into giving him!"

The Cruxis leader blinked, his expression going blank before he threw his head back, his peal of laughter ringing within the tower walls. "You really are a pathetic bunch," he shook his head, his words insultingly snide as they faded into a heavy sigh. "It matters not. Origin is under Kratos' seal. Either way, it is impossible for you to wield that sword. And without the power of the Eternal Sword, you cannot reunite the worlds." He crossed his arms and cocked his head tauntingly. "Your journey is futile."

Liane's mouth went dry as she vaguely heard Lloyd launch into an angry retort.

"_Origin is under Kratos' seal."_

The swordswoman looked down, needing to look away from further proof of Kratos' story – both from the Storyteller and from the accusations that Kratos hadn't refuted. _Origin is under Kratos' seal? What does that mean?_ Liane demanded of her now-maddeningly silent visions and voices. _Is this what he meant when he said he _was _the seal? How is that even possible??_

"The worlds still exist only because they were separated in two," Yggdrasill stated sharply, watching as Lloyd stalked closer but making no move that resembled alarm in the slightest.

Liane pushed the puzzle pieces that simply wouldn't fit together in her mind away and drew her sword as she saw Lloyd stalk past. Every muscle in the boy's body was taut… his jaw was set so hard that it made her own ache. _Yggdrasill came for us… he didn't send Kratos… or the angels._ She tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat. _He wants to end this._

"_No_!" Lloyd almost shouted up at the smug angel and lifted the point of one blade to him. "It's because of being split in two that there's not enough mana and countless people are suffering!"

Yggdrasill groaned and rolled his eyes. "Think for a moment," he ordered. "_Why_ is there a shortage of mana?" he asked, his voice taking on a mocking tone as he tilted his head to slide his gaze to Genis. "Well? What do you think, my fellow kinsman?"

"Me?" Genis' eyes were wide as he shifted his weight to his back foot. The boy squirmed uncomfortably for a moment before he shrugged weakly. "Um… because the development of magitechnology resulted in a large consumption of mana?"

"Yes… and that magitechnology led to a great war," Yggdrasill nodded, a dangerous smile curling his lips as he looked back to Lloyd. "War consumes an abhorrent amount of mana."

Lloyd stomped his foot, shaking his head to deny the angel's argument. "Don't change the subject. There's a mana shortage because _you_ won't let the Great Seed Germinate."

"I am _not_ changing the subject," Yggdrasill retorted though his voice stayed carefully even. "Even if the Giant Tree were to be revived, another war would make it wither and die. Wars are caused by two opposing forces," he spoke, his tone smooth and cordial as if he was lecturing a room of schoolchildren. "That is why I split the world in two. To isolate the powers that caused that foolish Kharlan War into the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla."

Raine sighed, her eyes sliding closed as she shook her head. "By alternating between prosperity and dearth, the development of magitechnology is subdued," she murmured, disbelief mingling with realization in her words. "So that was your plan."

Yggdrasill's lips curled into a faint smile as he offered the Professor an almost casual shrug. "Although, at the moment, Tethe'alla has prospered for a little too long."

Liane's free hand curled into a fist. "So just because you had Origin's sword, you thought – you _think_ – that it gives you the right to decide who lives in prosperity and who has to claw just for survival?" she asked without bothering to rein in her anger. "When _you_ decide one world is too strong, you just send an Oracle, pluck a Chosen from their world, and change everything for everyone in both worlds?" She saw the angel's narrowed gaze slip to her and knew she should stop – she simply couldn't. "You hide your actions behind the will of a Goddess… but you're no God. No matter what power that sword gives you."

"You're lying."

The Cruxis leader was still glaring at Liane when Lloyd spoke, the two little words spoken as both an accusation and a realization. When Yggdrasill turned to face the young swordsman, Lloyd drew another breath and pressed his observation. "You're sacrificing the Great Seed just to save Martel."

A cruel smile bloomed on the angel's lips. "That's right," he crooned sarcastically. "The same way you abandoned the declining world of Sylvarant in order to save Colette."

Colette blanched as she twisted her fingers together, her eyes darting between Lloyd and Yggdrasill as she shook her head. "That's…."

Yggdrasill's smile widened, his gaze still locked with Lloyd's. "What you're doing is exactly the same."

"No, it's not!" Lloyd shook his head to emphasize the refusal, a flash of pain creasing his features as he swept one of his blades through the air before him as if to banish the accusation.

"Yes, it is," the angel insisted smugly, his eager eyes searching Lloyd for any and every sign of the torment his claim was causing the teen.

_Lloyd…._ Liane hated that she wasn't closer… that she couldn't even reach out to place a hand on his shoulder. _He can argue with you all day, but you're the only one who knows why you've done what you have._ To Liane's eyes, her purpose for being on the journey had changed from helping just Colette to finding a way to stop the torture of two worlds that would help Colette as well as any other person that would have ever worn the mantle of Chosen in the future. More information – more truth – had changed her goal and forced it to evolve. Each of them had their own reasons, but she would have gambled that all of them had changed over the days they had been together. _Even if he did start out to help Colette… even if he left Sylvarant to find a way to help her… more will come of it,_ she reasoned, the cool metal in her hand reassuring her that their goal was still true as she blinked away the questions. _We're not abandoning Sylvarant. We're still going to save it._

"No, it's not!!" Genis suddenly exploded, his anguished exclamation ringing into the tower as his hands shook in small fists and he glared up at Yggdrasill. "Lloyd isn't like you!"

As surprised as the boy's companions were by his outburst, it also managed to banish the smile from Yggdrasill's face. "What…?" he breathed out, Lloyd no longer his focus as he frowned down on Genis.

"Lloyd is looking for a way to save both Colette and the world," the mage shouted back, his face red. "You're a coward who gave up!"

Yggdrasill stood still for a few moments before he began to shake his head, though his expression remained even… neither smug nor angered. "It _is_ the same thing," he insisted in a low voice. "I am trying to create a world without discrimination. That is a way to save the world."

Lloyd slowly lowered his blade. "A world without discrimination?" he breathed, the anger starting to melt away from his expression. "That's…."

Yggdrasill's eyes slid to the swordsman for a moment, but he never turned away from Genis. "People fear and hate what is not normal. They are scared of those that are different," the angel stated quietly as his gaze found the young mage once again. "Then the solution is for everyone to become the same. By using Exspheres to eliminate the different bloods that flow through elves and humans, everyone on this earth will become the same lifeless beings. Discrimination will vanish. That is the grand age I strive for."

A stunned silence settled over the party… and Yggdrasill seemed content with that silence, a faint smile once again sliding over his lips.

"Everyone… the same…" Genis whispered, clearly struggling with the angel's words.

The Cruxis leader nodded. "Yes. Desians and Cruxis both exist for this purpose," he explained, a small bit of pleasure building in his explanation. "The conflicts between the raced born from discrimination will disappear, Genis."

"You're insane," Liane breathed out as her jaw tightened. She saw Yggdrasill's eyes widen, but she couldn't – wouldn't – stop. "That's not how you end discrimination! No one can change how they're born – not humans, half-elves, and not elves. All of us can be shown how we're wrong… we all have a choice to change. Isn't what you're trying to do the biggest discrimination of all?" Even through the haze of her angered shock, Liane realized that another piece of the puzzle almost snapped into place – almost.

_That's why Kratos left him… but… how could he ever go back…?_

"People will stop treating us differently? Really?"

Liane looked over to Genis, the ache in his voice dissolving the anger she had held for Yggdrasill as she saw the boy take a step closer to the walkway, his eyes dancing with flickers of hope. "No, Genis…" she started to plead before she saw that Lloyd was already at the boy's side.

"Genis!" Lloyd lifted his voice, placing himself between the mage and Yggdrasill. "Don't fall for it! Think about how the Exspheres are made! They're made at the cost of people's lives, like Marble," he insisted as he reached for Genis' right wrist and lifted the crested Exsphere as his proof. "Don't you see what's wrong with that?!"

Before the confusion could disappear from Genis' eyes, Yggdrasill snorted in disgust. "With revolution comes sacrifice," he stated, ice creeping into his voice once again. "If you cannot understand that, then you deserve to die with the others." There was a sudden blink of light and the instant after Yggdrasill disappeared from the top walkway, he suddenly appeared standing before Genis and Lloyd. "However, first you'll hand over the Chosen."

Lloyd reached out for Genis' shoulder and dragged the stunned boy back before drawing both weapons up before himself. "No!" The swordsman shook his head defiantly. "I won't let you!"

Yggdrasill chuckled… a dark sound that went against the pleasant smile on his face. "You have no choice." The full menace of his words seemed to ignite as his wings – long, graceful feathers of purple light - flared on his back and he swept a hand out at the party. "I shall show you the meaning of true power. Ground Dasher."

Liane leapt back along with the others, spotting the jagged rips of golden mana that splintered out beneath their feet as the platform began to rumble. _This is it,_ she told herself as she drew her Silver Sword up before her and braced the flat of its blade against her palm. "Guardian," the dark-haired young woman ordered as she tried to keep her thoughts firmly in the present. The future was too much to hope for in facing Yggdrasill himself already. As his spell exploded, sending heated winds and chunks of glowing rock to rain on all of them, she set her jaw and forced her spell to remain solid. _This won't be like fighting Kratos…_ she told herself as the rumbling began to subside and she saw Lloyd cast off his own Guardian and leap at Yggdrasill. _Yggdrasill really wants to kill us._

As the angel floated back, Lloyd caught him with the upswing of his blades and sent them both up into the air. "Tiger Rage!" the young swordsman called, his voice still carrying all of the anger of the debate he had shared with the Cruxis leader as he swiped at him twice more before delivering a downward stroke that sent Yggdrasill plummeting back to the platform. "Let's go all out!" the teen called over his shoulder even as Presea rushed past.

The pink-haired girl's feet beat a slightly metallic edged rhythm as she ran headlong at the angel as he righted himself from the fall. "Beast," Presea named her attack in her sweet, calm voice as she leveled a horizontal swing at the angel. Yggdrasill backpedaled a step out of range of the swing, but when she drew the ax up and spun it before slamming it down into the ground, the blast of howling energy that the attack released threw the angel into the support wall for the upper walkway, downing him once again.

In the few seconds that Yggdrasill was dazed, Regal ran at him, determination set in his jaw and quickening his steps. The instant that the angel's cold gaze focused on him the convict vanished, passing right through him. "Heaven's Charge!" In a blur, he was behind the blonde angel, spinning on his left leg and throwing out his right. "Triple Kick!"

Watching the gracefully brutal assault that the shackled man delivered to Yggdrasill, it occurred to Liane that they truly did seem to be damaging the blonde half-elf. The front of his pristine white jumpsuit revealed a crimson slash against the pale skin from Lloyd's attack and his elegant face already showed hints of bruises from Presea and Regal. _But he's still smiling… _she frowned, noting that his mocking expression had never faltered. With a snap of her arm, she dropped the tip of her blade and fed her mana into it. _A little at a time, then, _she told herself as the Tower suddenly brightened with a flash of pink-purple.

"Thy faithful servant asketh for thy blessing," Colette sang, her arms open in plea to the Goddess. "Honor us with the splendor of thy song." The aura of energy that had built around the Chosen suddenly exploded and sent at shockwave out over her companions. "Holy Song!"

Liane's nerves tingled as Colette's mana washed over her and she felt the mana she had been feeding into her blade suddenly jump. Her gaze sharpened on Yggdrasill. _No time like the present,_ she coached herself silently, holding on to the charge and sweeping her blade to release a pair of mana-arcs that – to her eye – even _looked_ stronger than normal as they cut across the platform to slam into Yggdrasill. "Double Demon Fang!" she named them as they staggered the Cruxis leader. _That's only the start of what you deserve for what you've done to the world…_she told the form of the hunched angel as her eyes slid to Genis. The boy put up a good front, but he still hung at the back of the group near his sister, his hesitation to join the battle clear as he watched Yggdrasill fight. Liane fisted her free hand as her glare returned to the blonde half-elven man. _You opportunistic monster… you shook him… you made him think – even for an instant – that your plan was an answer…._

"How sad," Yggdrasill lifted his eyes with a mocking sneer and threw his shoulders back, launching himself up into the air and lifting a hand toward his opponents. "Perish." A flash of pale blue mana ripped a large circle on the ground around the party. "Outburst!"

At the angel's command, the energy leapt up into a crackling cage. The instant it sealed, Liane felt an overwhelming wash of power that set every nerve on fire at the same time. She heard her friends cry out as she was barely aware that she had fallen to her knees. _He makes it look so… effortless_… her thoughts struggled as the onslaught continued. _Can… we… actually… win this?_

Slowly, the assault wanted, the half-orb of energy finally breaking open and falling in sizzling shimmers back to the ground. Before the magical wall could fall completely, though, Sheena vaulted over its falling top, a fan of her cards drawn back over her shoulder as her leap carried her almost eye-to-eye with Yggdrasill. The seraph's eyes widened as she slapped her cards into his chest. "Pyre Seal!" she demanded, her voice slightly hoarse from his attack as a blast of cards threw him back to the ground. He landed on his back in an impact that sent a tremor through the platform, and then Sheena landed lithely just out of his reach, her brown eyes narrowed in wariness.

"I'll help," Raine offered, pushing her staff up into the air and shattering the rune bands that spun around her. "Acuteness!"

Her footing almost stable again after Yggdrasill's attack, Liane saw the air before her shimmer as the Professor's spell found her, just as she saw similar waves enveloping her friends. Another rush of strength helped her shrug off the last bits of the half-elf's attack, and she looked back over to spot Genis at the back of the group, his kendama clutched in both hands as his eyes followed Yggdrasill's every move. She took a slow step back as she saw Zelos throw himself into a headlong rush at the angel. "Genis… you have to fight," she murmured as she placed herself between the fight and the mage. "We need you, too… he's too strong. If we don't work together…."

"But," Genis started, his voice shaking. "What if he's right? What if it's the only –"

"It's not," Liane snapped as gently as she could force herself to do so. Lifting her sword before her and turning her eyes forward, she saw a huge wave of mana wrap back on itself on the redheaded Chosen's sword. "What good is it if no one has the awareness to appreciate that there is no more discrimination? It's cheating!"

Liane couldn't look back to her friend in the hesitation that followed… she couldn't force him to feel one way or the other. The decision was his. It also helped that Zelos' approach to Yggdrasill grew more impressive with every step, his mana practically enveloping him. Then she felt a change in the air around her… and glanced down to see the edge of a black-purple rune circle beneath the edge of her heel. "Thanks, Genis…" she murmured, unsure if he would hear as she renewed her defensive stance before him.

"Come and get some!" Zelos grinned as he thrust his blade out at Yggdrasill, the mana whipping back from him to blast out at the Cruxis leader that had just managed to find his footing. "Super Sonic Thrust!"

The blast threw Yggdrasill back into the wall beneath the walkway once again, just out of reach of the Eternal Sword. But just when the blonde lifted his head to display an anger-glazed grin, Liane felt a thrum of power from behind her that forced her forward a step. A smile instantly curled her lips. _Thanks, Genis…._

"Get him!" The young mage sounded fierce as he commanded his spell and threw the ball of his kendama out toward Yggdrasill. "Gravity Well!"

Genis' mana howled as it rushed at the Cruxis leader. It pooled at his feet before it suddenly boiled up around him, completely obscuring his form before he could recover from Zelos' blow and rise above the spell's reach.

"Yeah, Genis!" Lloyd cheered as he ran at the still-writhing bulb of black mana. He leapt up, hopping just as his feet reached the outer extent of the spell and pushed himself from the ground. He twisted his lean frame into a ball, blades outstretched as he flew into the spell. "Tempest!" His blades sliced into Genis' black mana, ripping into the spell as tendrils of mana trailed from his spinning swords. Lloyd planted his feet against the wall and launched himself back to the ground as an angered growl sounded from the slowly dissolving black bubble. "I'm counting on you, guys!" the teen called over his shoulder as he landed and pivoted back to Yggdrasill.

"All out, huh?" Zelos chuckled as he took a step back behind Liane and lifted his sword. "Gimme a sec, hunny," he kept his voice low but amused as she glanced back to him. "You come up with a Beast… and I'll set it on fire, 'kay?" he winked at her as a blazing red ring of runes sprung to life around him.

_Fiery Beast?_ Liane couldn't help but smirk as her thoughts raced to walk her through Lloyd's training. _So I am going to get to do some damage after all,_ she told herself the instant before the remnants of Genis' spell melted under a blast of blinding light.

_Oh, hells…._

"That's all?" Yggdrasill smiled, his voice on the edge of a laugh as he stood, arms crossed over his chest…

… and then he disappeared.

There was a full heartbeat for a sickening wave of anticipation to wash over the platform before he appeared again… behind the group…

… near Lloyd…

… and he lifted his hand.

"Ray."

The crackling blue-white ball formed before any of them could react – least of all Lloyd. The teen threw himself to his side, narrowly avoiding the first few stabs of light only to stagger directly into the path of another. The swordsman's form convulsed with a pained yelp and he crumbled to the ground as the light faded.

"Lloyd!" Liane called out for her friend, running before she realized she was moving. _Not again… no one is going to just pick us off!_ She shifted her sword to both hands as she drew it up above her head and ran at Yggdrasill.

"Hunny!! Dammit… _now_ you choose to get a hair-trigger?" Zelos called after the swordswoman, grimacing as his rune circle flared erratically. "You can't rush greatness… but… Fiery –"

Liane saw the blaze of red mana overtaking her just as her sword reached the apex of its swing, her mana mingling with the fire spell he had sent for her just before she reached Yggdrasill and slammed the blade down toward the ground. "Beast!" she completed naming the collective attack and watched as the visage of her snarling attack caught fire and threw Yggdrasill back against the railing near the column that Lloyd had broken. Once she was certain their attack was good, she edged back to kneel beside Lloyd as her friend tried to push himself up to his hands and knees. "C'mon," she murmured as the group began to move to shield a retreat for them and she draped his arm over her shoulders. "Not the place to take a nap, Lloyd…."

The crimson-clad teen chuckled once, though it mixed with a ragged cough. "Funny…" he rasped. "Even I don't want a nap right now."

"Don't worry, leave it to me," Colette smiled for Lloyd as she drifted past the swordsman and Liane, her glide getting faster as she cleared the others and rushed at Yggdrasill with growing speed that almost made her form a blur. "Ring Cyclone!" the girl's voice sang out as the angel pushed himself away from the stone railing and turned to be almost face to face with Colette. The girl spun, her chakrams in her outstretched arms as the speed that had pushed her to confront him suddenly propelled her into a spin as her weapons bit out in a furious hiss at Yggdrasill.

To prevent the angel from recovering from the blonde Chosen's attack, Regal twisted mid-stride, throwing out his right leg into a sweep that caught Yggdrasill in the chest. When he landed on the same foot, he propelled himself into a back flip with ease, his left leg stretched out to thrust his toe into the angel's chin with all the force he could muster. "Dragon Fury!"

As the blue-haired fighter finally relented on his attack and leapt back from the angel's reach, the platform beneath the party flared to life with bright green-blue runes that seemed to eclipse the ambient green of the Tower. "Root of all creation, grant us the breath of life!" Raine called, her voice coming back a moment later in an echo as she held her rod up over her head. "Revitalize!"

The Professor's spell erupted into a shimmering mist of mana, a rejuvenating rush that even straightened Lloyds' beaten form after a moment. But Yggdrasill merely rose back up into the air, a quick swipe of his hand to the corner of his mouth wiped away the thin trickle of blood that Regal's attack had drawn out. "You're only delaying the inevitable, you know," he sighed, his voice weary as he lifted his hand, fingers hanging limp as if to emphasize how little effort he was making. "Holy Lance."

On the ground between Colette and regal, a small area of rainbow-hued light flared. The convict looked down just as rips of shimmering light appeared in the air above them, and the instant before those tears erupted, he threw his shoulder into the blonde Chosen, his momentum only barely removing them from the brunt of the attack as the streaks exploded just behind them."

"I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss," Sheena's voice rose above the retreating thunder of Yggdrasill's assault. The summoner stood at the heart of the purple-black runes that dominated the pale stone of the platform once again. Her jaw visibly clenched, she swept her card up into the air, and the runes blasted upward. "Shadow!"

As Liane watched the black circle form under Yggdrasill, she couldn't help but notice the Cruxis Lord's expression – a kind of glazed anger appeared in his eyes… and he actually smiled the instant before he was engulfed in a rush of darkness. _The pacts were his,_ she realized, taking a step back behind the stronger fighters where she saw that Genis was already working a purple-hued spell. _It's adding insult to injury, now._ Lifting her blade before her, Liane grimaced and closed her eyes. The half-elf was crazy… she was certain of that, but using his own former pact on him ran the chance of only driving him harder. _Have to hit him hard,_ she set her jaw and opened her mana to her own spell… one she could feel heat from only a moment later.

"Go, Presea!" Genis commanded, his voice charged with forced determination. The pig-tailed girl dashed across the platform as the mage thrust his kendama up into the air. "Lightning – "

"Punishment," Presea completed, planting her feet at the edge of Shadow's fading circle, drawing back her ax to catch the bolt that Genis sent for her and then drawing the ax forward, slashing at Yggdrasill with a swing that left a crackling trail of mana even as the angel emerged from Shadow's grasp.

Lloyd rain in Presea's wake, and leapt up over the girl as she pivoted for her retreat, leaving Yggdrasill singed, staggered, and just distracted enough to remain in the path of the swordsman's attack. "Didn't like that, huh?" the brown-haired teen asked, though as he cleared Presea and continued upward, he showed no sign of waiting for a response. His mana flared from his blades, washing back over him like a fiery cape as he changed directions and dove at Yggdrasill. "Rising Falcon!"

The half-elf stepped back at the last instant – another step away from his Eternal Sword, but also out of the brunt of Lloyd's attack, though the force pushed him back even further. The angel still hovered, but when his knees struck the edge of the walkway, he hesitated for a moment to regain his balance.

It was the same moment that Liane's eyes snapped open from her concentration and saw her opportunity. Her spell was stable, but she could feel it seething and pushing the boundaries of her control. "Don't get too comfortable," she ground out, her control growing thin as she swung her blade tip out at Yggdrasill. "Eruption!" Her runes swirled once more around her, then rushed at the half-elf with what almost could have passed for a roar as the mana left her, her knees almost buckling from the loss. But she couldn't look away, leaving her balance to her instincts. _Come on… come on!!!_

As if responding to its creator's prodding, the spell immediately flared beneath Yggdrasill – both on the floor of the platform and over the walkway, suddenly blasting out at the angel in a rain of fiery mana. The spell pulsed twice more, the third and final strike throwing Yggdrasill back to the ground between the Eternal Sword and the party. It was a soft sound, but Yggdrasill did groan as he pushed himself up and lifted his scalding glare to where Lloyd had edged back closer to Liane after she cast her spell. "You're all… nothing more than bothersome… gnats!" he snarled and threw back his arms, his wings lifting him in the air again as he pushed his hand out at the Iselians. "Outburst!"

Liane tensed, but couldn't react before the ground at her feet began to rumble and shimmer with blue-white light. But before the option to curse her lack of response could fully form, Lloyd tackled her to the ground and crouched over her as the light bloomed up around them.

"Guardian!!" Lloyd called out, dropping to one knee to keep the protective bubble low around both him and his friend directly behind him. His blades crossed, the punishment of Yggdrasill's spell battered at the shield, but Lloyd forced it back, almost crawling back to his feet. "Hold on, Liane… it won't last much longer," he ground out through clenched teeth.

She knew he was fight, but even as the spell crashed against them, Liane crawled back to her knees. Perhaps her attack was just the last straw, but she had gotten his attention just as much as any of them had. She was pleased, even if she needed protection for a few moments to recover. Looking up, the first thing that caught and held her attention was how strong Lloyd was… enduring the wrath of the spell. But then it was a flash of blue against the blinding energy that licked the outside of their protective shell that demanded her notice… a pure blue… bright and pulsing as if it had its own heartbeat. Liane stared even though she knew the attack was dying away, fascination keeping her attention on Lloyd's hand. _His Exsphere…._

The angel was far too distracted observing the young swordsman and Liane to notice the convict closing in on him once again until it was too late. Regal struck hard and fast, his kicks catching the Cruxis Lord in the face, in the chest, finally the shackled man crouched down, muscles coiling to propel him forward with his left leg coming around in a powerful roundhouse kick. "Swallow Kick!"

"Don't run!" Zelos shouted with just a hint of edged glee in his voice, waiting only as long as he absolutely had to for Regal to leap clear before stabbing his sword up into the air and igniting the purple rune circle at his feet. "Thunder Blade!"

As the air above the floating angel tore open to strike at him with the sword of pure lightning, Colette advanced. The girl shielded her eyes against the blaze of Zelos' spell, but when it had only just started to fade, the blonde girl clasped her hands together. A ball of shifting silver and gold light appeared around her hands, growing for a moment before she tossed it forward as if she was throwing it up for Yggdrasill to catch once he was done with the Thunder Blade. "Hammer Rain!" she sang out at the moment the other angel's form emerged from the lightning – and the ball exploded into a shower of redheaded hammers.

For just a moment, Yggdrasill made the mistake of throwing his arms up to deflect the rain of Colette's spell. Sheena rushed in close to the angel - but only close enough that none of her companions came between them. "You're in for a world of hurt," she taunted him as her card bit at the air and she snapped it up into the air above her head. "Cyclone Seal!"

The sweep of the ninja's spellcard set off a swirl of mana that reached for Yggdrasill and wrapped him up, throwing him into a dizzying spin as the windless cyclone constricted around him. After a few long moments, the spin stopped, dropping the angel back to the floor…

… and directly in the path of Presea's ax.

"Resolute Infliction," Presea stated almost conversationally as her ax cut a slice of light in the air. Yggdrasill's eyes widened as the edge of her ax caught his sleeve, but when she hopped forward with the momentum of her first swing and drew back for a second, the surprise in his eyes melted to ice and he narrowly sidestepped another blow.

Yggdrasill's lips drew back in a snarl and he lifted his arm to strike again, but froze along with the rest of them when a stifled cry sounded from Colette. The girl dropped to her knees on the ground, her arms wrapped around her middle.

"Colette!" Lloyd was instantly at the girl's side, the battle forgotten for the moment as her shoulders heaved.

Liane forced a breath into her lungs, though she couldn't even consider relaxing her grip on her sword. _What happened?_ the adrenaline in her blood demanded as the group slowly gathered closer to Lloyd and Colette. It was obvious that Colette's condition was worsening, but even Yggdrasill was still, his attack forgotten as he watched his enemies with a narrowed gaze. The adrenaline in her blood demanded as the group slowly gathered closer to Lloyd and Colette. It was obvious that Colette's condition was worsening, but even Yggdrasill was still, his attack forgotten as he watched his enemies with a narrowed gaze. _Why did he stop? _Only once answer came to mind… and it sent a bitter sting through her.

_He doesn't want Martel's new vessel damaged… or dead._

"Now!"

Genis broke the charged silence, pushing his kendama up into the air. "Fire Ball!"

Once again, Yggdrasill and the group of adventurers that stood against him shared the same shocked expression, though his was marred by a flash of pain as all three of the fire balls struck him.

As the Cruxis leader slumped over, Liane could only stare at Genis… gaping at the angered hurt on her friend's face. It was such an alien presence on the boy's normally cheerful features. Of course she had seen him hurt – more in the past weeks than ever before, admittedly – but the anger was practically scorching. _Yggdrasill's mind games backfired,_ she told herself as her eyes slid back to the angel and her grip tightened on her sword as she braced herself for some sign of retaliation.

"Lord Yggdrasill!"

The breathless velvet of a female voice drew all eyes save those of Yggdrasill up to where Pronyma stood on the upper walkway. Liane had to lock her jaw shut at the sight of the green-haired female Cardinal, though she could clearly see that the woman's anger belonged entirely to Genis. _Reinforcements… perfect,_ the swordswoman grimaced, her eyes shifting between Yggdrasill and Pronyma as she watched to see who would press the fight again and tried to ignore the whispers in her mind that shared the Cardinal's voice.

"_You are weak."_

"_You are unworthy."_

"You little vermin!" Pronyma's elegant features twisted with fury that lashed out at the young mage. "You may be one of us, but you shall _pay_ for your treachery!"

Time fell back to a slow crawl as Pronyma pushed her palm out to Genis, her fingers spread almost as if meant to fend him off. A painfully long moment later, the ring of long metallic slats reminiscent of feathers that the woman wore over her shoulders glared and flipped out before her, splayed like the rays of a stylized sun.

But the power that gathered to her hand was the opposite of light… darkness that spun and swirled at Pronyma's command. All of the occupants of the lower floor of the platform looked up – friend and foe alike - all of them frozen by the demonstration of Pronyma's anger. Liane's arms and legs felt like lead as she realized that none of them would reach Genis in time.

The Cardinal's spell built and burst at Genis…

… and suddenly, Yggdrasill lurched back to his feet. What looked initially to be a hasty overcorrection suddenly placed the legendary hero directly in the path of Pronyma's spell as Yggdrasill took the hit with a strained growl of pain.

Once again, Yggdrasill fell to a knee… once again silent shock took over the platform.

"W… why?" Genis breathed out, his blue eyes wide with shock as his feet shuffled him a step closer to the Leader of Cruxis.

It was baffling beyond any further words. Liane saw Yggdrasill lift his gaze back over his slumped shoulder, peering at Genis through the veil of fine golden hair for a moment before Pronyma appeared behind him. _Yggdrasill… protected Genis._ It was a fact… he defended the boy from his own officer. _Because Genis is a half-elf, too? Is he trying to sway Genis to his forces… or…?_ Fighting against her young friend wasn't something Liane wanted to consider, but the fight against Yggdrasill had ended up being far more than she feared. A fight to the death would have settled things – yet more questions were the only true result.

"L… Lord Yggdrasill!" Pronyma stammered, concern and confusion etched into her face as she watched Yggdrasill stand and maintained a wary distance from his reach.

Yggdrasill hesitated for a moment before turning partway to set a stony glare on the green-haired woman. "Pronyma," he spoke, his voice a little too contained. "Why are you here?"

Pronyma frowned, her mouth falling open, but no words falling out for just an instant before she blinked and visibly collected herself. "Sir," she nodded sharply and her eyes darted over the others on the platform before coming back to him. "Ah… new activity in regards to that _certain_ matter has –"

"Understood." Yggdrasill cut off his underling's nervous explanation and looked back to Genis. The two half-elves stood locked in silence for a few moments before the blonde began to shake his head. "Not always is there a way to save everyone. Remember that." It was a somber warning, though it lacked in malice. When the Cruxis Lord's eyes moved back to Lloyd, their blue had taken back their ice-cold edge. "Lloyd, the path you seek is nothing but an illusion."

Before Lloyd, Genis, or anyone else could respond, Yggdrasill and Pronyma faded into twin bursts of light, leaving behind only the Eternal Sword and the confused fighters.

"Why did he let us go?" Lloyd's eyebrows knit together as the party once again found themselves alone in the Tower of Salvation.

Liane clenched her sword a bit tighter in her hand as she looked over to the brown-haired swordsman. "Are you really complaining?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow to him. "It's not over… we all know that. But I don't think we are strong enough to have won this time." It was a difficult admission. _We… or I?_ "It's an opportunity we can't waste if we want to live."

Confusion in the teen's expression melted into a frown as he dropped his eyes.

"Lloyd, we must treat Colette as quickly as possible," Raine stated, urgency saturating her tone as she kept a supportive arm around the blonde girl's slouching shoulders.

Lloyd looked up, his eyes clearing as everything but concern for his friend fled from their earthy depths. "Right," he nodded, casting one more glance to the Eternal Sword before he sheathed his blades and gestured to the warp ring down the walkway. "Let's head back for now."

It occurred to Liane that it should feel like more of a defeat… that they were slinking away from Yggdrasill with their tails tucked like scolded dogs. _He would have worn us down… beaten us… left us dead or dying… and taken Colette._ There was no doubt in her mind as she stepped onto the warp ring and materialized in another part of the Tower to walk behind her Sylvaranti friends.

_We need more than we have now if we're going to have to go through Yggdrasill._

A twist in her gut followed the grim thought as Lloyd jogged to open the Tower doors to the evening light of the outside world. Realizing she was still clenching her sword, Liane forced herself to push it back into its scabbard as a breath of fresh air finally made its way into her lungs. _We'll find more. We have to,_ she coached herself, though she couldn't banish her frown.

_I want to live._

"Let's go to Altessa's place," Lloyd suggested once they were all out of the Tower and the doors were closed behind them. "We need to cure Colette."

Altessa's would be a quick trip. Colette would be cured….

_And then what?_

Kratos had made his allegiance clear. Though they still lived, Liane knew any future fights would have to set the past aside. She frowned and removed her wing pack along with the others.

_Especially when that past still wants me to believe that he doesn't want us dead…._

* * *

"TREATMENT IS COMPLETE."

Tabatha's statement shattered the melancholy silence of Altessa's dining room and the party was instantly on their feet, gathering around the green-haired doll.

"How's Colette?!" Lloyd blurted out, his eyes on the door behind Tabatha as Raine and Altessa stepped into the room and the dwarf closed the door behind them.

Altessa's shoulders sagged with a sigh as he nodded. "She's sleeping now. When she awakens, her body will be back to normal. And the Cruxis Crystal should be fully controlled by the Rune Crest."

"That's good to hear," Presea stated softly, the hint of relief in her voice magnified in the others around her as a sigh rippled around the room.

Lloyd lifted his eyes from the dwarf and back to the closed door with a weary smile. "I see…" he exhaled as if he had been holding his breath. "Now, Colette doesn't have to suffer any more."

"Thank you, Altessa," Liane smiled at the dwarf, offering him a grateful nod when he lifted his dark eyes to her. It felt like the only thing that had gone right for longer than she wanted to think about. Everything they had done had led them deeper into the twisted web that had spun out of the relatively simple-yet-ignorant- goal of regenerating their world. All paths had led them to more dire consequences – or even just more than they ever wanted to know about their worlds – or themselves. "Finally… we can end a day on a good note."

Zelos laughed and threw his arms into the air. "Okay, then!" he cheered with a grin that threatened to split his face in two. "Let's have dinner in celebration of Colette's full recovery!"

"What's with you and wanting to eat so much?" Lloyd turned to the redhead, curiosity arching his eyebrow as the Tethe'allan Chosen ran at him.

Before the brown-haired teen could react, Zelos had spun him and locked his arms around Lloyd's shoulders. "'Cause we're best friends, right?" the redhead laughed. "I'm worried about you. You've _got_ to be tired."

Mithos tried to hide a snicker behind his hand at the sight. "It looks like you're good friends."

"Yep," Sheena nodded in agreement, her hands perched on her hips as she shook her head with a laugh. "Doesn't it though?"

"They must be," Liane shrugged and chuckled at Lloyd's struggle to free himself from Zelos' bear hug. "Looks like Lloyd's appetite has even worn off on him.

The blonde boy laughed again and turned to the silver-haired mage that stood a few steps away from him. "Are you tired, too, Genis?" the boy asked as the others started to gather around the table.

Liane paused as she pulled out a chair, glancing back to the boys. _Genis…._ Being tired was a possibility, but since their fight with Yggdrasill, the boy had hardly spoken. In the worried silence while they awaited word on Colette's condition, it hadn't stood out too much, but even with the knowledge that she would finally recover, Genis still didn't come out of his brood. She hesitated for a moment, considering going back to him, but then she saw the way he was looking at Mithos. The swordswoman blinked. _Mithos… Yggdrasill._

"Mithos… we're friends, right?"

The quiet question made Liane's heart clench a little for her friend. _He's still thinking about what Yggdrasill said,_ she told herself. The half-elven boy that had befriended him had to be a reminder that he had sided with Lloyd against the angel's quest for something Genis wanted badly as well. _It's not the way, Genis… you know it's not._ She sat down and watched as Tabatha circled the table with a stew pot and ladle, but she couldn't keep herself from hearing the boys.

"What?" Mithos laughed once. "Of course. What are you talking about?"

"We're really friends, right?" Genis insisted, his voice betraying a small waver.

A wave of guilt danced over Liane's conscience. Yggdrasill had called him 'kinsman'… something Genis had never really had in his life – other than his sister – before the journey. Then, he had seen how poorly those with mixed blood were treated. To have a half-elven hero – a legend – appeal to him had probably shaken the boy to the core.

_And I encouraged Genis to fight him._

Genis may have chosen to fight… he may have felt pushed to choose… but in his frustration, was it that unthinkable that he would be confused? Liane frowned as she leaned back to allow Tabatha to fill her bowl.

_Join the club, kiddo._

"Y… yeah…" Mithos nodded, the laughter that had been in his voice gone.

"I believe you, okay?"

Liane could tell that the mage was suddenly feigning cheerfulness. _Some part of him feels like he's betrayed his own kind,_ a grim whisper slid through Liane's mind as she saw the boys sit down across the table from her. Genis kept his gaze down… but Mithos looked directly at her as her eyes slipped to him. He offered her a thin smile that came nowhere near his eyes as he folded his hands in his lap…

… and she shivered.

Though she tried to cover it with turning her attention back to her meal, there was a flash of smug satisfaction in the boy's eyes. Liane couldn't say for sure where it struck her first – in her memories or in her guilty thoughts from the fight, but neither helped make her any more comfortable around the boy.

Picking up her spoon once again, Liane continued to eat, occasionally letting her attention slip to Zelos' nonstop chatter to distract herself from the feeling that Mithos was still watching. Near the bottom of her bowl, she glanced down the table and did her best to hide a yawn that crept up on her. Everyone looked tired… it had been a long day for all of them. But when she accidentally met Regal's gaze, she couldn't stop a small smile.

_The journey is almost over… and I still haven't found the courage to talk to Kratos as if I promised I would._

Liane knew the promise was for her own benefit, but for her friend's patience, she felt like she was letting him down as well. _But Kratos declared himself our enemy… my chance might be gone now. _Looking back down, she lifted her coarse cloth napkin to hide another yawn.

_He'd just walk away anyway,_ her pessimistic side grumbled. _Even if my guesses are right… real… I'm not her. I'd probably only disgust him more._

Her stomach rolled as her heart twisted.

_But what would I want from him?_

The thought seemed to wake her a bit more, a frown forming on her lips. Recognition? Explanation? Simply a confirmation that she wasn't crazy?

She chewed her lip.

_Do I… want him… to love me?_

Liane could feel it… the rush of connection that could only be a soul-deep love… but it was dulled, as if she was trying to feel the warmth of a hearth through a window while she stood outside in the snow. It wasn't her home… it wasn't her love. Even if it was offered… could she accept it? If she was right… if they could prove that she had been his wife in another life, could she ever meet his eyes and know that it wasn't _her _that he sought?

"Now I feel sleepy all of a sudden," Lloyd stood with an exaggerated yawn, his chair's legs scraping the floor. "I'm going to bed."

Grateful for the reprieve, Liane looked up and reached for her cup of water. _It doesn't matter,_ she told herself to banish the dismal thoughts. _He wants us dead… and I deserve to feel all of those things for myself…._

Raine frowned and looked up to watch the teen swordsman walk past the table. "It's not good for your digestion if you sleep right after eating," she told him with concern.

"Are you all right?" Regal asked, turning in his chair to watch Lloyd walk past. "Your fatigue may have finally caught up with you."

Lloyd smiled weakly and waved off their concern. "I'm fine," he assured them and pushed the bunkroom door open. "I'm just going to lie down for a little while."

As the door closed behind him, Liane chewed the edge of her lip and stood as well. Her eyelids were growing heavier by the moment. _Maybe I won't dream tonight._ With everyone sleeping in the same room, there was a chance, but it would only serve to cap the day perfectly if she woke everyone up with a scream. "I think I've had enough of today, too," she sighed and replaced her chair, trying not to meet anyone's eyes. With a wave to answer the wishes for a sound sleep, she retreated from the day. Lloyd was already snoring on the bed at the far end of the room as she spread her bedroll on the floor and pulled her blanket up around her shoulders. Her eyes were closed beyond hope of opening as, one by one, her thoughts blinked away into the darkness.

_Maybe tomorrow will be better… maybe things will be clearer._

It was a futile hope, but a hope nonetheless.

And then, even that simple wish was gone along with the rest of the world as sleep swept her away.

* * *

Kratos sat back in the ornate armchair, the overstuffed velvet cushions doing little more than buffering the faint sounds of his own body's minute movements in the dark silence of his quarters. His eyes were closed, though the fact did almost nothing to make the room any darker.

Countless eyes that could report to Yggdrasill had seen him enter after he had gone through the motions of leading the research department through preparations to cure Martel's vessel. Not a single pair of those eyes had seen him leave. He had performed his given duties to the letter – even going to far as to once again best the Chosen's companions in battle and reclaim the girl for Yggdrasill.

He had set everything up, given them as much time as he could to escape from the detention cells and opened the opportunity to gain the mana fragment, then he had retreated to his dark sanctuary. For once in longer than he could remember, he embraced an almost blissful ignorance of what had happened since he left the research department. Whatever Lloyd and the others encountered after that point, they would have to overcome without his aid.

_They'll have to get used to it soon._

"Look at you. Retreating from the fight. Your eyes wired shut to what you're allowing to happen. Pathetic."

Kratos allowed himself a faint scowl, but nothing more. The voice was unexpected, but too familiar to doubt its identity.

"Slinking around with your own little group of misguided minions doesn't seem that much different to me," the auburn-haired angel replied evenly. "We both still answer when he summons us, Yuan."

_Damn. How long has he been here?_ He didn't dare show the aqua-haired half-elf any more reaction – not even in the dark. Kratos knew he wasn't prone to musing aloud, so Yuan knew nothing more than he had when he entered the suite - whenever that had been. Just watching and waiting were things that Kratos could overlook – he knew Yuan almost too well to be surprised by those tendencies.

It was the fact that he had spoken that concerned Kratos. Impatience on Yuan's part implied a deadline or a goal.

"If I had known you were coming, I would have left a light on," Kratos stated and pushed himself out of the chair, his eyes scanning the darkness, every sense on alert for any movement. Yuan had only spoken once… another bothersome indication that his visit wasn't a social call. "So what is it this time? Trading insults? You've never been one for reminiscing," he continued, keeping his voice low so as not to miss even the softest sound. "Checkers? We'll need light for that."

There was a huff in the dark to his right. Kratos smirked. Yuan always had been one to lose what little sense of humor he did possess in the presence of even the slightest irritation.

"Allow me."

A flash of blue light burst in the air of a few steps ahead of Kratos, the twisting mass of hissing mana casting a cold light over the study as it writhed in Yuan's hand and cast sharp shadows over the half-elf's accusing scowl.

It was that instant that Kratos realized that he had left his swordbelt on the hook beside the door in his haste to change out of the gilded uniform that Yggdrasill preferred for his officer to worn and familiar indigo wool.

_Messy._

Yuan advanced a step, his glare only growing sharper. "No more games, Kratos," the half-elf almost growled. "It's time for you to decide who you are once and for all. Are you Yggdrasill's lapdog –fetching for him and begging for scraps or are you going to finally have the strength to be the hero that the history we've forced down the throats of two worlds claims you are as one of 'Mithos the Hero's' companions?"

Kratos remained still, his gaze searching the man that was – all at once – his oldest friend and, apparently, his oldest adversary. He had a grasp on exactly how far Yuan would have to be pushed to step out of the shadows of his rebellious Renegades and press his war on ground that was unquestionably Yggdrasill's.

There was no doubt in his mind that Yuan was a dangerous man.

"What do you want?" Kratos asked, his gaze narrowing as he tried to decide on his options. Even without his sword, he knew he was far from defenseless, but Yuan would know that as well.

The aqua-haired half-elf tilted his head, the light of his unreleased spell glinting in his eyes. "You know what I want."

Yuan was right. It was a stupid question.

"I can't give you that."

Every word was laden with truth. _Lloyd needs it. I can't give it up yet._

The Renegade leader's lips curled slightly upward at the corners. "I could take it."

Kratos tensed, his instincts reaching for his mana reserves. "You could try."

"You're right. I think I will…" Yuan sighed, a sound laced with smugness… and an undercurrent of reluctance.

A moment later, the room erupted with twin columns of light – one to either side of Kratos. It didn't even take him a heartbeat to realize that they were transporters, but that was all the time that it took a pair of armored Renegades to reach out from the light and each of them to seize one of his arms.

"Yuan…" Kratos growled, flexing his arms against his captors' grip as faint trails of mana began to flit in the air around him, ready for his command.

Yuan, however, did not move. He merely held the azure ball of light and watched Kratos with the eyes of a predator. "Fight us and we'll go to Lloyd before you can even consider stopping us. His blood will be on your hands. Then you can give me what I want. What _we_ need to finally stop this."

Kratos stilled, the ice in his blood scattering the spell that had been building. "Yuan… I can't," he breathed out, his teeth clenched.

"But you will. But, in the honor of our history… I'll give you one more chance to make the choice yours," the half-elf stated. Yuan's ball of light snuffed like a candle's flame an instant before light erupted around all four of them, illuminating the inside of his study for a moment before it began to dissolve.

"This is war, Kratos. You _must_ choose a side," Yuan stated even as the words began to fade into the whine of power that fed the transporters.

As much as Kratos hated it, he knew Yuan was right. He could see the path his friend had chosen, though the details that formed the half-elf's plan remained shrouded. Kratos didn't like it. His consciousness began to grow fuzzy as his body was pulled elsewhere… and he closed his eyes.

_Forgive me… Lloyd._


	37. Chapter 37

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: One night can truly change the rules – as the party finds out, much to their dismay. Truths that would have seemed impossible just one day before can't be denied any longer… and one dawn brings resolve to set everything right once and for all.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 37:

It was still dark when Kratos opened his eyes, though it wasn't nearly as dark as his study had been before Yuan had appeared. They were outside – the four of them – and Yuan's Renegades still maintained their death grip on his upper arms. Kratos knew he could overpower the pair of soldiers before they knew what was happening, but Yuan was the wildcard. He'd seen the half-elf pushed to every emotional and physical extent over the years he'd known him, but there was something new in him this time… resolve and desperation mixed into a dangerous frame of mind that even Kratos knew he couldn't afford to underestimate.

_He already threatened to kill Lloyd, _he reminded himself, his jaw tightening as he glared at the back of Yuan's head. There was no reason to believe that Yuan didn't see the truth in the boy from the first time they met. The urge to berate himself for not tying Lloyd to a post in Iselia and breaking his wooden blades before he left the town with Colette and Raine rose once again, though he actually did still realize how futile it was. Leaving Iselia had exposed the boy to those who were sensitive enough to sense his father's mana signature in him, those who could feel the unique power in his Exsphere, or simply those that could see the resemblance that even Kratos himself couldn't deny.

In Yuan's case, Kratos suspected that all three clues to Lloyd's identity had stood out clearly. The boy had been both fortunate and cursed to be raised in the Village of Oracles – protected from Desian detection while leaving him to form a friendship with Sylvarant's Chosen.

_It was only a matter of time._

As Yuan led his men and his captive through the dark field of soft grass, Kratos indulged in a few moments more of reflection… particularly how fate seemed to rule stronger than any treaty or leader ever could have in Iselia. 'Chance' was simply far too random a term for how the town had entwined lives – his own included. It had sheltered Lloyd and Liane… who both held precious pieces of a life he had wanted so badly. And it had given both worlds the seeds of their best chance for survival… perhaps their _only _chance.

Kratos looked up to the sky where a light blanket of clouds skittered past a half-moon and its attendant stars. They were in Tethe'alla… that much he could tell. His thoughts gradually pulled away from Iselia, knowing that wherever they were going, they had to be close – Yuan wouldn't waste any more time than he needed to in his mindset. _He said I would have one more chance… where…._

The wind suddenly shifted, bringing the angel the scent of ocean and forest…. And it was just enough of a gust that Yuan had to adjust his balance over the slightly uneven field. The almost unnoticeable bobble revealed a patiently glowing lantern in the nearby distance over his shoulder… a touch of civilization and welcome outside a primitive dwelling set into the hillside.

The auburn-haired angel planted his feet. "No more, Yuan," he snapped. "This is between you and me. There is nothing for us here." Kratos could see – feel – why they were at the dwarf's burrow, but he didn't want to believe his old friend could be so ruthless.

"Wrong," Yuan retorted, spinning on his heel to focus his shadowed glare on Kratos. "This is between you and the world. I'm just trying to give you one last chance to be a hero instead of a beaten and defeated coward hiding behind your insane master." His eyes picked up a flash of moonlight as they darted between the soldiers. "Bring him closer, but don't come in. I'll be back in a moment."

"Yes, sir!" the Renegades chorused as Yuan lifted his hand to his shoulder and vanished in a rain of light.

"Yuan –!" Kratos growled through clenched teeth as the soldiers drug him closer to the burrow. It was worse than before – he knew he could escape the guards, but he also knew Yuan was still close by…

… and so was Lloyd.

If he escaped, he couldn't count on Yuan not killing the boy without a second thought.

_Everything I've done would have been in vain._

As the soldiers jerked Kratos closer to the packed dirt terrace outside the burrow, the seraph could feel his options evaporating. _If Yuan killed Lloyd…._ Kratos' gut twisted sharply, his attempt at logic falling apart.

_I would lose him yet again._

Another solid jerk to his arm pulled his thoughts back into order. Dammit. _Perhaps Zelos… or Liane… could wield the sword. _Both met at least the barest of requirements, but….

_No. Lloyd will not die._

There was no point in planning for the eventuality. Lloyd would not die… not before Kratos could make sure he had everything he could give him to take over where his father had failed.

_Yuan… no matter what you're planning, it won't happen._

The Renegades held him back a few steps from the burrow's door just as a shimmering curtain of light brought Yuan's form back into sight beside the doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest and his lips were set in a tight smirk. Kratos set his jaw and kept his face in an expressionless mask when he saw that his old friend was alone.

"I should have done this long ago," Yuan breathed out, every word smug. "Now, Kratos, it's finally time that you came face to face with the consequences of your actions… as well as those of your inaction."

Despite his control, Kratos almost jumped when the door to the burrow unlatched from the other side and swung open to the darkness inside to admit a bleary-eyed but clearly worried Lloyd out into the night air.

_Lloyd…._

The brown-haired teen's eyes flashed around the porch area and settled on Kratos with a confused frown as he all but ignored Yuan and another guard standing in the shadows to either side of him. "Kratos!" he exclaimed, his jaw falling open. "The Renegades and Cruxis are enemies, aren't they?! So why…?"

"Quiet," Yuan snapped, taking a step closer to the swordsman before a single dry chuckle shook his shoulders. "Of course, the drug should have everyone sleeping soundly."

Kratos remained silent, though his glare remained on the almost-proud smirk on Yuan's face. _He's been planning this all along…._

Lloyd looked over to the Renegade leader, his confusion slipping to anger. "Drug?!" he blurted out before he shook his head and his expression hardened. "Where's my dad? If you've done anything to my dad, I'll tear every last one of you to pieces!"

The ferocity in Lloyd's voice only stunned Kratos for a moment before everything started to fall into place. Yuan had been padding his options all along… Lloyd was simply a surprise advantage that had dropped into his lap… _one more weapon to hold over my head…._

Yuan chuckled and shrugged off the boy's threat with a slightly wider smirk. "Now, now," he chided mockingly as his eyes slid to meet Kratos' gaze pointedly, "… is that the way to act when you're about to meet your father for the first time?"

Lloyd's jaw went slack, but it was all Kratos would allow himself to notice. He kept his glare on Yuan as the extent of the half-elf's plans became clearer with every passing instant, answering suspicions that had followed him for weeks as it all began to come together into a picture of Yuan's plan. "So it was you," Kratos murmured in understanding. "You were the assassin who tried to kill me at Hima." It had been dark… there had always been a chance that being seen as a guardian of the Chosen of Regeneration would make him a target, but it made so much more sense that it would be Yuan in hindsight.

Amusement danced in Yuan's eyes. "Kratos," the half-elf spoke, the word heavy with dark implications on its own. "If you value your son's life at all, do as we day."

Lloyd slowly tuned a wide-eyed, blank stare at Yuan. "What are you… talking about?" he breathed out, though he made no further attempt to draw air back into his lungs after.

"Release Origin's seal," Yuan purred, ignoring the boy beside him as his eyes blazed with the challenge for Kratos. "Otherwise, Lloyd will die right here."

Kratos stared back across the distance, though he didn't meet Yuan's gaze – he didn't have to. He could see what Yuan was doing… and it was working. His eyes were riveted on Lloyd – on his every move and every tick of his expression. Kratos had seen the labels of 'Lloyd' and 'son' as synonymous since the first time he heard the boy's name at the Temple of Martel. But it was the first time Lloyd had put them together… that much was clear from his expression.

"No," Lloyd shook his head with the shaken whisper as his eyes finally drifted back to the swordsman who had already taken the roles of both 'teacher' and 'enemy' in his life. "Kratos can't be my dad." The sway of his head grew more pronounced. "I c… I can't believe that… I won't believe that!"

They were practically the words Kratos had wanted to hear from the boy all along… spoken with all the disbelief and disgust that Kratos had once hoped would keep him safe from the truth. Yet… after hearing them, only one thought whispered through Kratos' mind….

_You really did forget me, didn't you, Lloyd?_

To Lloyd, his birthparents were dead and buried. _I'm an unwanted ghost._

Yuan chuckled again, a dark sound as he looked back to Kratos. "How does it feel to have your own son reject you like that?" he asked, his voice heavy with mocking pity.

_Don't react,_ Kratos told himself, almost disappointed with himself for how deeply it had struck him. He pulled his arms free from the soldiers, and - while they moved to restrain him – he merely crossed his arms over his chest. It seemed like the kindest thing he could do for Lloyd.

The Renegade leader rolled his eyes and gestured back to the burrow where the other Renegade soldier that had been motionless until that point. The soldier obediently stepped toward Lloyd. "I'd guess from your attitude, you don't plan on releasing Origin…" he huffed and turned to Lloyd with a nod to the soldier smiled and looked back to Kratos. "One move, and your son dies!"

Kratos did not move. His mind was occupied with finding ways to remove Lloyd from the equation without further endangering him… and discarding them almost as quickly as they formed. Yuan was holding Lloyd's death as a last resort… that much was clear as the half-elf turned and strolled closer to Kratos.

"You changed once you got a family," Yuan stated, his amusement melting from his expression. "Just like that time fifteen years ago. When Anna was transformed into a monster, you lost your ability to fight back."

Clamping down on every nerve that the taunt had struck, Kratos fought for the control to not wince – and more importantly, to not cross the distance that separated him from Yuan to rip out the half-elf's throat. The secret he had kept even over his role with Cruxis and his past had been laid bare before the one person it would hurt the most.

"What?" Lloyd gasped, staring only at Yuan, his attention far from the soldier with the weapon trained on him.

Even though Yuan didn't look back to Lloyd, the boy's choked dismay made the Renegade's smile just a bit wider as he stalked another step closer to Kratos. "If she hadn't been together with you, she would have never turned out like that," Yuan continued, thick sympathy too obvious in his tone as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and shook his head. "Such an unfortunate woman."

Kratos refused to look away from Yuan. _It's nothing I didn't already know,_ he coached himself, though he couldn't keep his hands from closing into tight fists. They were the same thoughts that always waited for him when a moment of idleness came into his life… they were the truths that waited for him when he closed his eyes. _If I would have been stronger… strong enough to walk away in the first place…._ It was all familiar –he could easily take over for Yuan… and he was on the verge of offering when he heard a scuffle behind Yuan that sent such thoughts back into darkness to wait for their next chance to drag him down. Lloyd was on the ground, the soldier that had been threatening him towering over the boy. Kratos' muscles coiled as Yuan turned to the commotion… and then he saw the fiery defiance in Lloyd's eyes as he started to push himself back to his feet.

"_Don't mock my mom!_" the young swordsman demanded as he threw himself forward, his blades clearing their scabbards as his traction caught and he leapt at Yuan.

Yuan merely arched an eyebrow and lifted his hand, the blue ball of mana that had lit Kratos' study already powered and blasting out at Lloyd.

_So fast…._

Yuan had always been fast… but Kratos could push himself to be faster… a fact his instincts remembered before he did as Kratos was suddenly between Yuan's mana ball and Lloyd with no further plan.

The attack struck Kratos in the back with a ruthless torrent of pain that set every nerve on fire. He threw his arms wide – all the defense he could muster for his son.

_My son. Our son._

Kratos was almost surprised how peaceful his thoughts felt even as his body began to burn. His eyes met Lloyd's – _her _eyes – as he recognized the shock in those expressive brown hues. He was sure he still saw anger mixed into the dumbfounded stun that held the boy frozen in place. But as Kratos' knees collapsed, he almost smiled. Lloyd wouldn't have survived the fury of the blast, not considering that Kratos found the night already darkening around him as the ground rushed up to meet him.

_I deserve your anger, Lloyd,_ his thoughts whispered as he attempted to catch himself on shaking arms, suddenly aware of the boy crouched before him. _I couldn't protect your mother… and I gave up on finding you._

"Kratos…?" Lloyd choked out in a broken whisper that shook with so many emotions that they couldn't be named individually.

The auburn-haired seraph looked up once more at the boy's call of his name… and he almost smiled. _Kind hearted… as your mother…._ For just a moment, reality lurched before his eyes… and it was indeed his Anna that sat before him, concern shining in her tears for him. Then… on the next ragged breath, she was gone again. "Are you all right?" Kratos heard himself ask. He lifted a hand toward his son, though he couldn't say why – and he collapsed to the ground at the boy's feet. "Good…." His body no longer responding, the gentle darkness closed in around him, quieting all thoughts but one.

_I'm sorry… Lloyd._

* * *

Liane rubbed her eyes as she followed Colette from Altessa's bunkroom, considering complaining that her mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. Her arms and legs felt like lead and it was all she could do to keep moving and keep her thoughts centered on anything but giving in to the darkness that beckoned her back.

_No… Colette said Lloyd was gone… I was the first one she could wake,_ she argued with the thoughts of how warm her bedroll might still be. _Where would he go? Should we wake everyone else? Is something wrong?_

As if to answer the thought, Liane's foot caught the leg of a chair at the dining room table. She flailed forward, her body too sluggish to stop the fall – until Colette's hand shot out to steady her.

"Liane…" Colette whispered as she helped the swordswoman find her balance again.

_Funny…_ _Colette holding me up,_ the dark-haired young woman mused as she planted a hand against the smoothed wood of the table. While she was happy to find her friend awake and apparently recovering as Altessa had promised, Liane's eyelids were stubbornly resisting her attempts to open them, sleep's call becoming more difficult to resist with every passing instant. "Go on without me… I'm just… going to rest here…."

Colette huffed and stooped to drape one of Liane's arms over her shoulder. "No. There're voices outside," the girl insisted. "Lloyd's in trouble… I know it! she declared and pushed Liane's sheathed sword into the hand that wasn't over her shoulder.

Liane knew better than to argue with the girl's hearing, but how much trouble could Lloyd really get into if he woke out of a dead sleep to do it? He was already snoring when she fell asleep! _But then… I guess we are talking about Lloyd… he could find trouble even if he was bound, gagged, and blindfolded…._

_Wake up._

The command that ripped through Liane's mind sounded like her own voice – only without the weariness that made it almost impossible to even considering moving. She sighed and tried to force her eyes open as Colette tugged her away from the table.

_If Lloyd's in trouble, the time for sleep is over. Wake up. Open your eyes._

Liane complied slowly, frowning at the flash of anger that the thought turned on her. "I'm awake…" she groaned, a declaration to convince both herself and Colette, taking a few steps with the girl to regain her balance and momentum before straightening and taking a wobbly step on her own.

A sudden flash of blue lit the interior of Altessa's burrow… and then it was gone in just enough time to make Liane wonder if she had seen it in the first place.

"Come on!" Colette hissed, grabbing Liane's hand and pulling her faster toward the door.

_She saw it too. _The urgency in the blonde's voice spread to Liane. Her hand tightened over the worn leather of the scabbard. She took a moment to wrap the swordbelt around her waist as her mind took the moment to try to grasp what was happening. It was still very dark both inside and outside, judging from how bright the flash had been. _It's still late… or really early, _she reasoned as she heard Colette start to turn the doorknob.

That was when the scream split the night… one filled with pain, frustration, and confusion… one that could only have come from one person.

_Lloyd._

There was no doubt in Liane's mind as her sword cleared its scabbard and Colette pulled the door open. Both of them broke into a run that halted just a few steps out onto the packed earth by the warning swipe of a blade held by an armored soldier.

_What… in… the… world…?_

Liane's mind shrugged off its fog as she began to piece together what she was seeing: _Yuan… Renegades… Lloyd… and…._

She clapped a hand over her mouth.

_Kratos…._

Lloyd stood over the fallen form of the angel, his body shaking… his twin blades hanging loosely from his hands.

_Goddess…_her mind whispered out of habit. _What happened…?_

"Lloyd?" Colette called out to the swordsman, clasping her hands together and nervously twisting her fingers, her voice full of concern. "What's wrong? What's going on?!"

Lloyd's legs shook though his eyes were firmly locked on Kratos. "What am I… what am I supposed to believe?!"

His words were strained, his voice shaking… Liane frowned, wondering how much longer her friend could remain upright with the way he was beginning to sway. Then she noticed Yuan… his blank expression… his wide eyes as his gaze shifted between Lloyd and Kratos. "Yuan!" she called to the Renegade, her eyebrows furrowing as a cold lump formed in her stomach. "What happened?" Why was he there… his soldiers… and _why _was Kratos there??

Yuan looked up, momentarily looking surprised by the Iselian woman's call before a mask of indifference slid into place.

"Lloyd, calm down!" Colette lifted her voice to reach the young swordsman as he began to crouch, his eyes clenched shut and his arms started to curl protectively over himself.

Liane tore her eyes away from Yuan, but it slowly occurred to her that the Renegade leader seemed as surprised as any of them. "Did they fight… or…" her voice trailed off, aching at the sight of the pain that Lloyd appeared to be in… and finally letting her eyes fall to Kratos.

_He's… not moving…._

"It's not true!" Lloyd shook his head, desperation in his voice. "Kratos can't be…." Then he let his arms fall as he looked towards Colette. The light of the burrow's lantern revealed tear-streaked cheeks and eyes that were practically pleading on their own to wake up from whatever nightmare was strangling him. "The man who betrayed us and made you suffer, he couldn't possibly be…." He choked and clamped his eyes shut again as his shoulders slumped, "… my dad."

Liane's thoughts were immediately swallowed into a silent roar of nothingness. Every other thing in her mind banished as the last two words Lloyd spoke made them all explode into infinite unimportance.

_Kratos is… Lloyd's dad…?_

Silence crept in on her again.

_But if Lloyd's father is Kratos… and his mother is… Anna…._

Her mind blasted into more thoughts than she could keep up with in one almost nauseating instant.

_It's not possible… was it so obvious all along? It's not possible._

_The Anna that I've seen in my dreams… is Lloyd's mother??_

_Kratos - not some nameless, faceless man – had to take the life of his wife._

A sudden jolt jarred the scattered bits of realization and denial enough for Liane to catch her balance just before her knees buckled. She blinked, almost expecting to awaken from one of her most bizarre dreams yet only finding that the scene before her didn't evaporate into daylight or even more darkness. The only thing that changed was that Colette was slowly approaching Lloyd.

"Lloyd, don't lose sight of who you are!" Colette insisted, reaching out to her crumbling friend's shoulder, all others forgotten. "No matter who your parents are, no matter your background, you're still you!"

The swordsman slowly lowered his arms back to his sides and looked up to where Colette stood over him. He blinked, almost looking like he was in physical pain as the blonde Chosen's words sank in. "I'm… me?"

Liane bit sharply on her lip. _But… who am I?_ Unshed tears blurred her vision, though she couldn't honestly tell herself who they were for – were they for Lloyd, who just discovered that his father was not only alive, but had been right before his eyes? Were they for Kratos, who lost his wife and son only to discover that his son lived and no longer knew him? Or were they for herself, caught somewhere between Lloyd and Kratos and her wish for choice in her own life. Both Lloyd and Kratos had suffered deep loss… so much so that she felt selfish in even considering herself in the equation… but she couldn't fully say where someone else's memories stopped and her own began. It was a struggle she felt she was losing more with every dream, nightmare, and vision… her life blurring with that of someone else.

_Not just someone… Anna… Kratos' wife and Lloyd's mother._

" I… hurt her. And I lost her. And every so often… I think I see her in you."

A hot tear slid down over Liane's cheek. It had been the night Liane revealed the words the fortune teller of Triet had spoken to her in her need to understand why someone who was supposed to be her soulmate could be so cold to her. Kratos made it clear that his soulmate was gone… that her words meant nothing, even if all she was asking for was friendship. Anna was his soulmate… and he had been forced to take her life. It was a scene that had terrified her when it played out in her mind's eye at first… but then – slowly – she began to feel the emotions – the sick twist of pain, fear… and then gratitude and pure love. It was what had allowed her to see through Regal's crime to what it truly was – no matter if anyone else saw it that way or not.

How can it be? Liane blinked, clearing her vision as she took a shaking step toward the swordsmen. It all made sense when logic pointed out that the memories had been carried over from another tragically ended lifetime. But… Anna and I were alive at the same time…?!

Colette nodded to the brown-haired teen as her eyes glanced over to Liane's approach and then back to Lloyd. "You're the one who told me that no matter what I look like, even if I become an angel, I'm still me," she told him, her smile warming. "And don't forget… Kratos saved you."

Liane saw some of the despair fade from Lloyd's eyes as he looked down to Kratos. She and Colette moved to flank him, though she couldn't bring herself to forget the Renegades' presence. Having seen enough of the Renegades to know that they seemed disciplined enough not to act without a leader's authority, she focused on Yuan and his watchful yet passive stance a few steps away. For the moment, the half-elf showed no sign of movement, so Liane allowed her eyes to fall back to Kratos. She could finally see a subtle rise and fall of his chest… and that he bore no visible sword wounds. _Lloyd didn't do this,_ she reassured herself and readied a glare for Yuan… until she saw Lloyd shift to face Kratos once again.

"Yeah, you're right," the swordsman murmured to Colette and drew a ragged breath as he dipped his chin, his eyes cast down at Kratos. "Thanks."

At that one unsure word, Liane saw that Kratos was fighting the weight of his eyelids, small ripples of consciousness bringing life back to his still form. Even as she realized that the near future had never felt more uncertain than it did at that moment, that single, quiet word from Lloyd pleased her. Nothing was settled… it felt like a calm that she simply couldn't trust before an impending hellish storm, but more than that… her friend had found a bit of lost truth in his life.

She envied that.

_Friend…._

Lloyd sighed heavily and shook his head once resolutely. "But I still can't call you Dad."

"Lloyd…" Colette murmured, frowning once again as she reached for his shoulder.

The crimson-clad teen held up a hand to keep her touch and words at bay without looking up as he drew in a deep breath. "I hate what you… what _Cruxis_ does," he stated, his words firm even as his voice sounded strained. "Too many people have died. People from Sylvarant, people from Tethe'alla… Desians and Renegades and members of Cruxis. They're all victims. I _refuse_ to accept the idea that it's okay to sacrifice people for a cause. It's not okay to lose your life."

Liane could only stare at the teen, a profound sense of pride washing over her. What he was to her at that instant didn't matter to her… she had never heard him speak so eloquently… so expressive. Whether or not Kratos could hear the boy's declaration, she couldn't say… but she heard him. She heard his strength… and it wasn't tainted by anger. Glancing over to Colette, she saw the girl's smile and knew that the blonde girl shared her pride in Lloyd's words. _Lloyd will win… where others have lost._

"No life should be born for the sole purpose of dying," Lloyd continued after a moment, his voice further steeled. "I won't sacrifice the world to save Colette. I'm _not_ giving up until I find a way for everyone to live."

"Wow, _that _was an _amazingly_ corny speech. Congratulations."

Lloyd was on his feet in less than a heartbeat, spinning with Colette, Liane, Yuan, and the Renegade soldiers back toward the burrow at the new voice on the earthen terrace. "Mithos?"

Hearing and sharing the confusion that she heard in Lloyd's voice, Liane couldn't stop a shiver that had nothing to do with the cool night air at the sight of the boy and the sarcastic smirk he wore. Her hand tightened around her sword, but her voice faltered beyond hope of words at the look on his face.

"_He's going to be strong. He resonates with the power of your crystal. I can feel it. And I'm not the only one that can… it's not something you can hide from us…."_

The dark-haired swordswoman's chest constricted as she clenched her eyes shut. Night flickered to day, the Tethe'allan dwarf's burrow to a bustling Sylvaranti city of Palmacosta… but the cherub's face with the grin of a demon remained the same.

"_What did he look like??"_

_She stood in the shadows of a tall brick building, the salty scent of the ocean everywhere around her as she stared up into the same mahogany eyes that had always promised that everything would be all right without the need for words. This time, she saw something else there in her own private sanctuary as his hands closed firmly on her shoulders. She instinctively pulled her son closer to her chest. "Blonde… shoulder length hair… blue-green eyes. Maybe a teenager… but not by much…" she replied, unable to hide the shake in her voice. "Kratos, he talked about Lloyd… he knew about my crystal… he…!"_

_The bundled child in her arms whimpered softly… and she held him tighter as she saw something truly dangerous flash in her husband's eyes. "Do you know him?" she demanded, panic swelling within her as he swept her up into his arms, his wings bursting from his back an instant before he leapt into the air leaving only cries of surprise and his forgotten bag of food behind on the street below them._

_She cringed, breath pressing from her lungs at their speed as she held Lloyd as tightly as she dared, shielding him as best she could from the wind and the boy that sent them running._

"_Mithos," Kratos rasped over the wind. "It was Mithos."_

_Lloyd…._ The child in her arms finally fit with a name. Liane opened her eyes and took a small step back as she realized that the blonde half-elf before he did as well… the same… yet different from before.

_Mithos._

There was satisfaction in the half-elven boy's eyes as he started forward, his hand snapping up to the soldier closest to the burrow's door. There was a flash of light… and the soldier was left in a broken, unmoving heap on the ground without even being given the chance to cry out. Two more blasts eliminated the other soldiers that stood guard at the back of the terraced area. Mithos continued to walk, his gaze fixed on Yuan as his hand flashed out again. Yuan attempted to dodge, but the shockwave of the light burst still caught him and hurled him to the ground. "Did you think I didn't notice what was going on?" the boy demanded, sounding like he might burst into laughter until his lip curled into a sneer. "How pathetic," he snarled and stopped just out of the aqua-haired half-elf's reach. "I had Pronyma keep tabs on Kratos, since it seemed he was leaking information to Lloyd's group."

"Dammit!" Yuan blurted out, pushing himself up to an elbow and wiping his sleeve back over his mouth as he glared up at the blonde boy. "Yggdrasill! How the _hell_ did you find out…?"

Lloyd's expression was blank as his arms went limp at his sides. "What?!"

"They're the same… Mithos and Yggdrasill…" Liane murmured as she watched the boy cast aside his meek persona, though the words felt like she was trying to explain what she was seeing to herself as much as to anyone else. "Mithos… Yggdrasill." _I knew. I knew about Kratos… Mithos… Anna…._ Her eyes shifted to Lloyd and she bit her bottom lip. _Lloyd. I knew all of it… I just didn't see it. I didn't want to see it._

"That was a pretty amusing scheme you had going," Mithos nodded in exaggerated appreciation, still glaring down at Yuan. "Hard to believe those filthy Renegades that were always getting in my way… were actually led by _you_." The boy's smile twisted again into a malicious grin. "If it weren't for my sister's wishes to spare your life, I'd kill you right now." The threat was heavy with revulsion as the boy threw back his head with a high laugh that echoed from the cliff face and he drove his foot into Yuan's ribs.

Over and over, Mithos pummeled the fallen half-elf, his laughter growing more frenzied with every kick. Finally, Lloyd stepped forward, his blades once again tense in his hands. "Stop it!" he demanded, even though it was weak with disbelief. "Wh… what _are _you?"

Liane cringed at the question with so many answers that she could see. A power-mad lunatic? A monster? A being pushed past the breaking point? _One person in two bodies or two people in one…?_ The last option struck her far deeper than she had even considered when the thought formed… and it lingered – _festered_ – as Mithos continued to kick Yuan.

"What's going on?!"

The gruff voice was new to the bizarre scene playing out on the small terrace, but Mithos' laughter died back as Altessa led a small group from the burrow. Tabatha, Presea, and Raine remained behind the dwarf, all of them wearing an array of looks of worried confusion as their eyes swept over the scene, but when Genis moved out of their shadows to stand in front of all of them, there was no confusion in his empty expression. "Mithos…" the mage murmured sadly, "… so it's true…."

Mithos spun with another laugh, his wicked smile almost giddy as his eyes danced. "What's true?" he asked, arching a delicate eyebrow to the silver-haired boy. "That you shouldn't have trusted me?" He snorted. "Good guess, Genis. Because I didn't trust you, either!"

Genis winced as if he'd been struck, but before he could react or respond in any way, Mithos' hand snapped at the air again. A ball of crackling light identical to the ones that had incapacitated Yuan and his men flashed in answer to the blonde boy's gesture and flew at Presea. The pink-haired girl's eyes flared wide with the start of a cry as she saw the blast coming for her….

Suddenly, Altessa was there, speed that his small body didn't look like it could possess driving him between Mithos' attack and Presea. His arms thrown open wide, the ball of light struck, knocking the dwarf from his feet and leaving him unconscious at Presea's feet.

A blanket of shock fell over the porch area, only a soft chuckle from Mithos starting to grow from the quiet until there was a soft shuffle of footsteps against the dirt. Liane lifted her eyes from Altessa to see Tabatha slowly moving toward Mithos, her arms rising as if imploring the half-elf… and a distant frown marring her normally peaceful face.

"MITHOS… SAVED ME…" the green-haired doll murmured mournfully.

Mithos' face contorted with fury. "Shut up!!"

There was another flash of light… and Tabatha flew back, blasted off her feet and thrown back into the cliff face before she, too, fell to the ground, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared up at the night sky. "MITHOS… SAVED… ME… MITHOS…." Her voice faded to silence.

"You… brat…." Liane clenched her teeth as she looked around her… friends and foes alike littering the ground while Mithos laughed. "You…." She faltered when Mithos turned his glare on her, but then – perhaps it was years of conditioning – all she saw was Raine lifting her hand to silence her.

"How could you do that?!" the Professor took a step forward, an angry glare for Mithos sharpening her features as she swept a hand back over Altessa and Tabatha's still forms. "You even risked your life to save her!"

The blonde half-elf blinked, his jaw tightening as he shook, looking ready to explode again.

Genis walked to stand between Mithos and Raine… his hands open in their own plea for understanding as his frown deepened. "Mithos, why?" the silver-haired boy asked sadly. "Why are you doing this? How could you hurt Tabatha and Altessa! You got along so well with them!"

Mithos shook once more, but then he snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, his glare landing on Tabatha. "Tabatha!" he spat out as if the doll's name alone was poison. "That doll looks so disturbingly like my sister… I never could stand her!" his teeth clenched angrily and shook his head. "She's a failed vessel who couldn't accept my sister's soul! Just _looking_ at her makes me sick!"

"You little _bastard!_" Lloyd interrupted Mithos' rant and anger that rang from the rocks that surrounded them. "How _dare_ you betray my best friend!" The blonde boy only got the chance to begin to turn to the swordsman before Lloyd had his blades up and slammed them back down to the ground, sending a pair of crackling arcs of mana to strike the other boy and drop him to his knees.

Genis was suddenly between Mithos and Lloyd, his outstretched arms making him a barrier between the two, his back to the blonde boy as his pleading eyes sought Lloyd's. "Lloyd, stop! _Please!_" the mage begged. "You're both my friends!"

Liane felt her anger fade to a wave of pity for her young friend even as a part of her screamed that he had turned his back to Mithos. "Genis… move," she kept her voice low and her hand tight on her sword as she saw Mithos' body shake where he had been driven to the ground by Lloyd's attack. _If he attacks Genis… if he hurts Genis for defending him…._

A shimmering veil of light suddenly appeared beside Mithos, bathing the terrace in light for a few moments as Pronyma's form solidified. As the transporter light faded, the green-haired woman paused for a moment to take in the sight of the occupants of the terrace, her eyes lingering on Yuan and then just slightly longer on Kratos before she turned to face the blonde boy with a respectful nod of her head. "Lord Yggdrasill, your wounds are not yet healed," she spoke with heavy concern in her voice. "Please leave this to the angels."

The mad glimmer in Mithos' eyes faded along with his smile as he sighed and nodded to the Cardinal. "All right," he murmured almost sullenly as he shifted his weight squarely to both feet and lowered his arms to his sides, palms up to the sky.

Another flash of light obscured the boy's lanky body, but it quickly vanished, leaving the Cruxis seraph the party knew as Yggdrasill in Mithos' place. Liane stared as the angel stretched out his arms… almost as if settling into the new body like it was just another change of clothes. _How did we not see it?_ As much as she had to recognize the answer that perhaps they didn't _want_ to see the similarities… it still felt like – once again – everything had changed. Once again, their enemy had been one of them… privy to every high and low moment of their quest. She felt her eyes begin to burn… and she let them fall to the first to have betrayed them… the one person she had been so sure could actually help her all along. _Kratos, did it amuse you?_ She asked silently. _To push me away… like you told Anna you should have done to her?_ It wasn't a vision… it was barely a solid memory… it was simply an emotion tied to a few fateful words of regret for Anna's life had been irrevocably changed. _What about me…? I just get left with hand-me-down memories and experiences?_ Her hand tightened into a fist…

… and suddenly, Yggdrasill, Pronyma, and Kratos' still body lifted up into the air, the darkness swallowing them even as a trio of armored angels descended.

"No…" Liane breathed out, the exchange happening so quickly that she couldn't even think fast enough to reach for Kratos' hand… to pull him back… to make him give her the answers she needed. "Dammit," she huffed in a low growl as she swiped a hand over her cheek and forced herself into a defensive line with Lloyd and Colette.

_That's the last tear I'll shed for you, Kratos,_ she swore as she saw the blank-eyed angels draw their swords, hoping the vow wasn't just another lie she would have to deal with later.

Yggdrasill, Pronyma, and Kratos vanished into the night… no flamboyant light display and no sound… and only the angels moved until Lloyd threw himself forward with a wordless growl of frustration to break the silence. "Out of the way!" he demanded angrily, the teen's crossed blades blocking the first swing of one of the angel's swords. Liane and Colette exchanged a quick look and followed his example, each of them moving to block one of the two remaining angels. With Raine, Presea, and Genis tending to Altessa and Tabatha and Yuan still barely moving, the three of them were the only defense the others had.

The instant Liane's blade connected with her angel's, the song of steel on steel giving her a moment of forgetful liberation in its simplicity… the red-haired angel becoming her sole focus. It was all too simple… almost blissfully uncomplicated. The angel was faster – Liane had no doubt of that, but blocking and shoving the hovering fighter back gave her precious instants to plan… to evade… to observe.

_There's no one there…._

The angel's completely flat expression as she pressed the duel with Liane betrayed nothing. There was no will to win, no exertion, and no pleasure. She simply… was.

_This is how we'll all be… if Yggdrasill gets his way?_

Liane's stomach lurched as her blade slid along the length of the angel's, locking the weapons at their hilts for just a moment. In that instant, Liane stared into the angel's cold eyes… and she would have sworn that the outcome of the fight didn't matter… the empty being simply fought because she was ordered to do so – there was nothing at stake for her.

"I will _not_ be like you…" Liane told the angel, her jaw clenched over the words as she drew the angel's press closer to her, her arms giving in to her opponent's blade only enough to give herself the space to draw up her leg and plant her foot against the angel's middle to kick her back. This time, however, she didn't embrace the reprieve. This time, she followed the winged creature… and before the angel could right herself, Liane drew back her blade with both hands and thrust it into the narrow break between the angel's chest plate and armored belt.

"I'm sorry…."

Liane froze, unable to keep herself from apologizing as the angel went still as well. Time ground to a halt as the swordswoman waited for something – anything – to touch off her guilt. Her strike was true… that much was clear from how the soulless creature stopped. But there was nothing else. In the eyes of the angel, there was no anger, regret, fear, or pain. The angel's sword clattered to the ground, and her form went limp even as it shimmered into a dull mist and evaporated into the night.

It was easier to deal with than the broken corpse of an angel on her blade, but Liane still couldn't move for a few long moments. Slowly, the world around her came back into focus… and she realized that Altessa's terrace stood in an uneasy silence. Liane looked over to find Colette and Lloyd both also stood tensed just as she was, as if they were all awaiting the next wave… perhaps a stronger wave. There were no angels in sight.

"No life should be born for the sole purpose of dying?" Mithos' voice drifted over the area almost as if it were part of the calm breeze itself, wrapping itself around all of them with its gentle taunting. "What do you think those Exspheres are that you're using?"

And then, even the wind stopped… as if those that had been roused from their sleep were all finally alone and Cruxis' presence was gone – at least for the moment.

Lloyd heaved a heavy sigh and turned to look at Yuan. The half-elf pulled his arm protectively to his side and slowly sat up, paying no mind to the others on the terrace. "Are you all right?" the teen asked grudgingly.

"With this, all of our efforts have been rendered useless," Yuan grumbled with a scowl set deeply in his face, though he didn't look up to the young swordsman.

"You planned to form a pact with Origin and use the Eternal Sword," Lloyd stated, his arms crossing over his chest as he fully turned to face the Renegade leader.

Yuan spared a fleeting glare for the boy and nodded once. "Correct. And then, we would use the Mana Cannon to destroy that infernal Tower, allowing the Great Seed to sprout. That was our plan." He winced slightly as he made a show of dusting off the shoulders of his cape before his gaze settled accusingly back on Lloyd. "Upon learning of your existence from a Desian insider, I was certain I would be able to force Kratos to participate."

"By… using his son against him," Liane shook her head in disgust. She couldn't look at Lloyd for the moment, afraid of what might happen if the fragile peace while the facts revealed themselves faltered. When Yuan glanced over to her for her quiet observation, she didn't look away, though. Oddly, it was easier to meet his questioning look with a glare of her own. "Weren't you supposed to be his friend?"

"That was a long time ago," Yuan retorted, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Before he lost his spine and allowed Yggdrasill to do as he pleased… chasing after this insane plot of his to turn everyone in the two worlds into soulless husks."

Lloyd cocked his head to the aqua-haired half-elf. "You… didn't approve of Mithos' Age of Half-Elves?"

Yuan snorted, his nose tipping up into the air. "That plan was the result of a twisted perception of Martel's last wish." His jaw tightened. "It's not what she truly desired."

"What was Martel's last wish?" Colette asked softly, interest mixing with sadness in her wide blue eyes.

For just an instant, Yuan's expression softened, looking as if he just might actually smile. Then, it was gone with a shake of his head. "She said she wanted to see a world free from discrimination." His scowl deepened, and he climbed to his feet, wobbling ever so slightly before he set his jaw and reclaimed his balance.

"You shouldn't move," Lloyd frowned, eyeing the half-elf and clenching his fists at his sides.

"No, there's no time," Yuan waved off the boy's warning and turned away from him and the others. "I must evacuate the Renegades before they are killed by Yggdrasill."

'_Yggdrasill'… not 'Mithos,'_ Liane observed silently, trying to reconcile the story that was evolving before her eyes with what she knew from the Church's teachings… and from the other things she simply knew without explanation. _For Yuan, there is no Mithos the Hero anymore – if there ever was. _She frowned. _Now, there's only Yggdrasill._

"Wait," Lloyd called out… and the Renegade stopped without looking back to the swordsman. "Is Kratos really the only one who can release Origin's seal?"

Yuan remained still for a moment, but then a bob of his smooth ponytail betrayed a nod. "Yes," he answered evenly. "The seal will be released upon freeing the mana from his body."

Liane sheathed her sword and turned to the half-elf. He had no reason to lie. Then she saw the look in Lloyd's eyes… and she realized that she understood it completely.

"If he does that, he's likely to lose his life."

The convict's low, smooth voice shook the dark thoughts from Liane's mind and gave them voice as she looked back to see that the rest of the party had come out onto the terrace. Somehow, just hearing Kratos Aurion's possible fate spoken aloud made her feel like her heart was in an icy death grip… freezing her slowly from the inside out.

Yuan's hands clenched as he turned once again to the fully assembled party. "Yes. The seal is based on his own life."

Liane clamped her jaw shut, unsure of what to do or say. She only knew that she couldn't do what she wanted to – cry. To the others that didn't know the truth, she would be crying for the enemy… and to herself, she would be admitting defeat. Neither was acceptable at the moment. Instead, she watched Raine kneel beside Altessa's unmoving form, lifting her staff and its gentle green glow over the dwarf. _It's not over yet. It's not over. We still have options._

"Kratos'… life…" Lloyd murmured, his eyebrows knit together. "Are you saying we have to trade his life in order to get the Eternal Sword?!"

The Renegade leader's scowl softened into a frown and he sighed heavily. "Lloyd. You won't be able to use the Eternal Sword. It does not require the power of a summoner. You must merely be acknowledged by Origin. However, there is one thing you can't do anything about."

Lloyd edged a step closer to Yuan. "What do you mean? Yggdrasill… Mithos said that, too."

_So… Lloyd is choosing to see him as Mithos… and Yuan sees him as Yggdrasill._ Liane bit at the inside of her lip as she found herself watching Lloyd again. He corrected himself, choosing to identify the Cruxis leader that stood in their way with the lonely half-elven boy they had found alone in Ozette. _How very… Lloyd…_.

"Only half-elves can wield it," Yuan answered. "That sword was created by Origin for Mithos."

The brown-haired swordsman's arms went limp at his sides. "What?!"

But Yuan only sighed, shook his head, and turned from Lloyd and the others, his feet carrying him back to the open grassy plain beyond Altessa's burrow even as a bright transporter light flared around him and swept him from sight.

_So… we can't use the Eternal Sword… and even if we could, Kratos would have to die._ If Liane's control would have been just a bit thinner, she might have laughed. _Fate is just going out of its way for us this time._ She shook her head and saw Lloyd walk back to stand with the others around Altessa and Tabatha. She had known him for long enough to see how every step was strained… how far away his thoughts were.

_But I've known him longer than that… haven't I?_

It was unreal… and utterly improbable. But more and more… everything was saying that some part of her had once been Lloyd's mother. Liane took another step closer to the others, but everything seemed so far away as her own thoughts drew her in and away from her friends' attempts to comfort and revive Altessa and Tabatha. _Yuan and Kratos must have told Lloyd,_ she reasoned, wishing she had been just a bit more coherent to come out of the burrow… and hear what had been said… how Lloyd had found out that Kratos was his father. There was no reason to doubt Lloyd, but if there was anything more than the revelation that Kratos was his father, it could be a help.

_Kratos is four thousand years old… he could have had other loves… other children… right?_

Liane's heart twisted a bit at the thought. It made sense… it could answer why she bore the memories of loving the angel… and it could be a way to keep the only plausible explanation that had come to her alive. But then there was a big piece of evidence that went against it. Her eyes fell on Lloyd as his confusion faded into concern for the dwarf and her helper. Lloyd was her proof. He had always felt like more of a brother than a friend. When he hurt, she did as well. When he was happy, she couldn't help but laugh. Their bond was too deep to deny even the most unlikely of possibilities.

_There could have been other Annas… but… there could only be one Lloyd._

Such a simple fact suddenly found itself at the heart of Liane's puzzle. Lloyd had always been more than a friend… more than just another sad orphan with a hole in his memories where his parents had been. The doctors had once told her parents that it was a miracle that Liane had awakened from her coma after so long…

… _but it was Lloyd's crying that woke me up,_ Liane chewed her lip and sighed, hanging her head as she turned away from the others. _It's a mother's instinct to comfort her child, isn't it?_

"Don't talk!" Lloyd suddenly exclaimed, the young swordsman kneeling beside the fallen dwarf. "Don't push yourself!"

Liane's thoughts skittered away as Lloyd's panic pulled her back and she looked back over to the others. Presea remained with Tabatha as Colette hovered between the dwarf and the doll, clearly torn over where to be as she wrung her hands together.

"Altessa saved me," Colette murmured miserably, her pacing hesitating at Altessa as the blonde girl looked pleadingly down on Raine. "Please, Professor! Please save him!"

Raine didn't look up, her troubled gaze focused completely on the dwarf that was bathed in the healing glow of her Rod. "I'm doing everything I can," she stated, strain cracking her statement.

Genis stood behind Raine… his small hands clenched into fists, his silver hair swaying with the slow shake of his head. "Mithos… why?" he muttered. "Why did he do this?"

No one answered the boy. Perhaps no one wanted to do so, but Liane knew it was just as likely that none of them _could._ _I'd be scared of myself if I could explain Mithos… Yggdrasill…._ She wasn't even sure what to call the boy. Even though she'd never been comfortable with him… he had still played two roles to the party – in one, he had helped them when he could have let them die… and in the other, he had tried to kill them himself.

_I wonder how much of the boy Genis called his friend was real…._

For Genis' sake, she hoped there was something, though she knew she wouldn't be able to put too much faith in that hope. Liane watched the boy step to the side as Raine directed Lloyd and Zelos to carefully lift the dwarf and carry him inside the burrow, but she finally had to look away when Colette and Presea did the same for Tabatha. It was still night… and they would all have time to name their own personal demons as Raine worked to save their friends. She heard a shuffle of feet as the others followed the melancholy procession into the dwelling, their only conversations the barest of whispers as if actually speaking might further damage Altessa or Tabatha, but Liane kept her eyes out over the dark field before her. She was no healer, nor did she possess the strength to be gentle enough to ensure that neither the dwarf nor his helper would be harmed by moving them. She could, however, stand watch… hold off any angels that might be sent to finish their job, at least.

_I hope…._

Hearing the burrow's door latch behind her, Liane sighed and crouched to the ground, settling beside a wooden fencepost that bounded the terrace and pulling her knees to her chest. Her eyes restlessly scanned the darkness, though she had no hope of holding her thoughts to only searching for the shape of danger in the night.

_I wonder what Yggdrasill is doing to Kratos._ The thought slipped past her defenses before she realized it, sending a shiver down her spine. Yggdrasill had taken Kratos and left Yuan. _He has a use for Kratos, I guess… as Origin's seal…_ she told herself with a deepening frown. _But that doesn't mean that he needs him in any shape better than just alive._

_Would he lock him away? Keep him prisoner?_

_Does he know about Lloyd?_

Liane shuddered again as – somewhere in the back of her mind – she saw the bright sunshine of a day in Palmacosta and felt the phantom warmth of a baby in her arms.

She swallowed hard and tried to push the sensations away.

_He knows._

"Should I even ask what happened here tonight?"

The quiet question made Liane lift her head to glance over her shoulder, though she wasn't truly surprised to find that she wasn't alone as she had thought. Her back to the cliff's burrow had given her security that she hadn't second-guessed enough to check that everyone had actually gone inside. It was a fact she didn't want to admit to – considering she had placed herself on watch – not even to her blue-haired friend that stood behind her a few steps, so she merely shrugged, allowing a sigh to slip from her as she looked back out into the night. "Honestly, I wish I knew," she replied. "I missed the first part of the show."

Regal remained silent, and Liane realized that he was leaving it open for her to sit in the quiet of the night if she chose to do so. Part of her was grateful… and seriously considering taking him up on the unspoken offer. But if she didn't tell him, someone else would… and it might have to be Lloyd. Liane wasn't sure if Lloyd would be ready to offer an explanation for something he might not have accepted for himself yet… but she knew Regal would see past it to what she had already told him… that he would tie the threads together. Forcing a deep breath that did nothing to calm her, she hesitated for a moment, keeping her eyes forward. "Lloyd… found out that Kratos is his father."

And then she waited.

Liane was fairly sure she heard a soft inhale of breath from the shackled man… but then, there was nothing. She thought she knew what was going on in his thoughts – how it was hard to speak as one thought tumbled into another and the process continued to pull other thoughts in with its subtle gravity. Expecting nothing – not a comment or for him to even remain – Liane scanned the dark, seeking a distraction from hearing him turn to leave. She could offer him no explanations… and, if she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure she even wanted to put anything to words yet.

"Are you all right?"

His second question almost startled her more than his first. It was a careful question… it could have just as easily been a reference to the fight with the angels – a simple check before he went to find Lloyd to see how he was holding up before the revelation. But as the instant of surprise wore away, she heard more in those four words… a gentle insight under a careful veil of concern.

He understood.

She knew he would… she knew it would only be a matter of time. But it felt instantaneous to her. Regal knew the implications. Liane hugged her knees to her chest a bit tighter… and shrugged. "I don't know."

A few moments passed before Liane heard the terrace's dirt shift under the shackled man's footsteps, but she saw out of the corner of her eye that he walked over closer to the path down to the field and sat down on the small ledge. Some part of her was disappointed, but only until she realized that he was only out of reach physically. They could easily talk if they wished – if _she_ wished – but he hadn't left.

Regal drew in a deep breath. "No one can tell Lloyd how to feel about such a thing," he stated quietly. "But no one can tell you how to feel, either. You should be careful to see to your own reactions before trying to help Lloyd."

For just an instant, Liane felt a defensive edge flare inside her, but it quickly died away. She tightened her jaw just a little and let her eyes fall shut. _He's right. How I'm reacting to this… Lloyd could notice it. It could confuse him even more._ No matter how difficult and possibly even impossible it seemed for her to sort through… no matter how deep her bond with the young swordsman – there was no way that she wanted to complicate things any more for him. _If Lloyd needs me, I have to help him._ "I know," she murmured, conscious of both syllables to make sure she wasn't snapping at Regal. "That's why I'm out here. When and if he needs me, I want to be ready."

"Fair enough," Regal replied. "And when and if either of you need me, I will be ready as well."

Liane realized that it was all she could ask – and all she truly wanted at the moment. She didn't look over to her friend… she didn't have to. She knew he was there, standing vigil with her against anything or anyone that might return for another attack. His presence made it safer for her to let her thoughts roam where they wished, though their chaotic destinations usually resolved into a few solid places.

What would Yggdrasill do to Kratos?

How could Lloyd ever accept what he had learned?

The swordswoman frowned and hugged her knees tighter.

_What am I supposed to do if it's all true…?_

In her heart, she knew the strength of that 'if' was waning more with every passing moment. Liane could _feel_ the truth… she had been able to do so for a long time, whether she wanted to admit it or not. The only thing she knew was that the answers _were_ in the mire of her thoughts somewhere - she simply had to recognize them as the options that she would be able to live with.

_What if I told Lloyd… and he didn't believe me?_

_What if I tried to have something with Kratos? Would it be fair to him? To Anna… to me?_

Answers to each question that she forced into form swirled in laughter, tears, and confusion that only she could hear. _Why me? _She focused on the two words in an attempt to keep everything else at bay for a few moments. _I just don't understand._

Liane found that the silence of the night didn't help, but it didn't make things worse. The stars continued to turn overhead… and it felt like one of the longest nights she could remember… but she wasn't alone.

Slowly, Liane and Regal were joined by others… the swordswoman guessed that they were each too restless to remain inside with the uncertain fate of Altessa and Tabatha. The first to emerge was Sheena… with Zelos following closely behind. Somehow, with more people on the terrace, the silence began to grow maddeningly deafening. No one spoke, the gravity of the night weighing them all down, if Liane read the quiet correctly. Everyone simply found a place out of reach of anyone else… and sat. Liane didn't think she wanted to guess at the cause and depth of everyone's melancholy – and it was something she wanted to avoid even more when Genis and Presea stepped outside. Her eyes followed the smallest members of the group as Presea made her way to the edge of the terrace – closer to Regal than anyone else – and Genis started down the path to the field, stopping just at the edge of the lantern light's reach and sitting down. The mage kept his back to everyone… and for a few moments, Liane's worry for him outweighed everything else.

_Mithos was his friend._

From what the silver-haired boy had said, he already suspected the truth. But that didn't stop Liane from feeling the gnawing of guilt. _We should have seen. I should have said something._ Liane pulled her knees tight to her chest. Her fear of revealing the instability she had tried to lock away had kept her from buffering her friend… and had kept her eyes closed to the true identities of Mithos… of Kratos…

… _and Lloyd._

The dark-haired young woman bit her lip. Some part of her had known ever since the night the boy's cries had pulled her out of a hopeless, dreamless sleep. For all the time between that night and the start of their journey, Lloyd's parents had faded from his memory, Kratos had given his wife and son up for dead… and Anna….

Liane tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat and let her eyes drift shut. Anna lost everything. _Her family, her son and husband… and everything she was… or had ever been._ Her name was remembered without ties to any family name… neither her birth family nor Kratos'. The only living being that still seemed to hold the true memories of who she had been in life was Kratos… and he kept those memories locked tightly away from everyone else.

_It's like they only boil up when they take him off guard._

The swordswoman understood. Liane couldn't find a trigger that tied every vision she had together… other than Kratos. Meeting him had awakened both nightmares and sweet memories that came to her of their own will, but often in response to him. _It's as if she's been reaching out for him,_ she reasoned, resting her chin on her knees with a sigh. _Her son was closer… her husband… returned to who he had been before she met him._ Her eyes began to sting, and one hand's grip on the other became almost painful, but it wasn't anger she felt. For once – where Kratos was concerned – Liane was certain that what she felt was her own. While she couldn't deny the presence of a deeper throb of sorrow, the base tragedy of it all wasn't something she could ignore.

_Everything he waited centuries to find… just… vanished from his life._ Liane shifted to rest her forehead on her knees, an attempt to muffle a choked sob she didn't want to release. _He lost what he fought for… he lost his reason to stand against Yggdrasill._

Even as Liane held tightly to the reaction, growing more and more certain that it was all hers, she almost missed the sound of the burrow's door opening somewhere behind her. Almost. What truly caught her attention was Presea springing to her feet and rushing past Liane to the door. _What…?_ The swordswoman blinked through the haze of confusion to realize that the group was once again whole… including Genis, Colette, the Professor… and Lloyd.

"Is Altessa… going to be all right?" Presea asked softly, her voice hesitating as slow steps brought her to face the silver-haired woman.

Raine's expression remained flat as she looked down to the pigtailed girl and sighed. "I managed to administer first aid using the Unicorn Heart, but we should bring a doctor as soon as we can."

Zelos pushed himself to his feet and brushed a handful of red curls back over his shoulder with a grim nod. "Yeah, unlike us, Altessa isn't using an Exsphere. Healing arts won't be very effective."

A small shiver slithered down Liane's spine as she rose from the ground. Even Kratos' reaction to her request for an Exsphere made sense under the lens of possibilities that had started to solidify in the night. _At the core, it's the same reaction Regal had… for the same reasons._ A stab of guilt reminded her that her request – as thought out as she had believed it to be at the time – he poked both men in wounds that she knew would never truly heal. "We owe him that much," she muttered, forcing the urge that bordered on need to apologize to both Regal and Kratos away for the moment, at least. "He helped us… healed Colette. Finding a doctor is the least we can do for him."

"I know a good doctor," Sheena offered thoughtfully, bringing the attention of the party to her. "We called him from Flanoir when our chief suffered a serious injury."

Colette spun to face Lloyd, her fingers nervously twisted together. "Let's go there, Lloyd," she pled, her eyes wide. "Let's call the doctor for Altessa."

Lloyd looked up, blinking as if clearing his mind to catch up to Colette's words, though he was already nodding. "Okay, Flanoir right?" he asked with just a hint of uncertainty until his gaze sharpened. "Let's go!"

There were no complaints and the only hesitation was to make certain that the burrow was closed solidly to protect the wounded dwarf and his helper. Beyond that, it seemed to Liane that a blink of her eyes later, they were airborne once again with Sheena leading the flock of Rheairds through the night skies. Another blink and they were stowing the Rheairds as the snow-dusted entrance to Flanoir beckoned them to enter the city.

Glancing up as she freed her cape from her pack, Liane saw Zelos bound up the steps of the entrance… with what she considered entirely too much energy. Even through the woolen fabric, the cold was hardly swayed, but its touch helped to focus the night that seemed to have no end in sight. _What's going to happen when it does all make sense? _the swordswoman wondered dismally as they started up the steps as a group. It was both an encouraging and a terrifying thought all at once – the price of optimism frightening her almost as much as the uncertainty. _What's going to be left?_

Lloyd hesitated at the head of the group when he reached the top of the stairs. His frown grew deeper and a bit more frustrated as the others gathered around him and his eyes scanned over the night-cloaked streets of Flanoir. "Hmm? Where's Zelos?"

"What's _wrong_ with him?" Sheena groaned, her head rolling back on her shoulders as if imploring the heavens for an answer. "Why is he wandering off at a time like this?!"

"Maybe he's cold," Liane offered with a shrug, unable to give them a direction even though she had seen the redhead dash ahead of the others into the town. "He couldn't have gotten far… and all the roads eventually lead back together, so finding him shouldn't be hard, right?"

"We don't have a choice," Lloyd sighed heavily and trudged on ahead through the dusting of snow.

_One more complication._ Liane's thoughts grumbled as she lifted one boot to follow the swordsman before a hand closed over her elbow. Looking to her side, she met the Professor's tired but urgent gaze. "Raine…?" she murmured as she glanced ahead to the others that were leaving them behind.

"I need you to do me a favor," the Professor stated, her voice hushed. "I'll be going back to Altessa's with the doctor and whoever else wants to go, but I am leaving Lloyd, Genis, and Colette here." Raine pushed a drawstring pouch into Liane's hand, but didn't look away from her eyes. "You've all had a long night already, but if I could ask you to get some rooms at the inn and keep an eye on them, I'd appreciate your help."

Liane's hand closed over the pouch as she nodded to her mentor. From the weight of the bag, she knew it wasn't enough gald for many rooms, but she would get what she could. "I'll get a room to share with Colette," she replied, knowing that the Professor had always preferred to keep the blonde Chosen close to her, "… and whatever else I can get, Lloyd and Genis and anyone else that wants to stay can use?" It was a good enough plan, and one that would ensure some safety while giving at least some of them the chance to rest. "But what about you?"

Raine smiled weakly. "We'll meet you back here in the morning and we'll decide our next step together. For tonight, we just have to make sure Altessa gets the care he needs… and that as many of us as possible are rested.

Liane paused as they passed the inn, the cozy light that filled the windows somehow already warming her against the snowy night. "I'll have them get rooms ready and leave keys at the desk?" she offered. "Just be sure to get some rest when you can, okay?" She was concerned for the Professor, but knew that trying to sway her from attempting to help Altessa would be a waste of time.

"I will. Thank you, Liane," the silver-haired woman nodded and turned to hurry down the dark road after the others.

Liane remained for a few moments as Raine's muffled footsteps faded into the silence. It was far from warm in Flanoir, but with a break in the wind that stirred the falling snow, it was infinitely peaceful. Closing her eyes, she willed the peace to take her and wrap around all of the confusion churning inside her, but – much as she expected – it was reduced only to a dull roar.

"_If we're enemies – if you're so wrong about me – then why is it so easy for me to have dreams that I'm telling you that I love you??"_

"_If you do, forget them."_

"I can't," she sighed in response to the phantom demand and opened her eyes again. Reminding herself to thank Raine for even a few moments of quiet to try to sort through what she had learned that night, Liane brushed the snow from her shoulders and entered the inn. Even though it was late, the innkeeper welcomed her with a smile… and within moments, she had paid the night's rent for the last three rooms the inn had to offer. Pocketing one key, leaving a list of possible occupants that might come to claim others, and quickly scribbling instructions for Colette to join her in her room, Liane shouldered her pack and started up the wooden steps to the guest rooms.

The room she had randomly chosen was next door to one of the others, though it was just on the other side of a bend in the hallway – still satisfactory arrangements so that the part could stay close. She let herself in to the dark room and tossed the key on a nearby bed table, closing the door behind her, but not locking it. The physical barrier between her and the outside world felt almost as good as the silence outside – if not just a bit better, thanks to being inside and out of Celsius' icy reach. Debating for an instant on just leaving the lamp unlit, she decided against it and turned the small valve on the wall-mounted light. The warm light and faint hiss of fire within the glass bulb filled the room, and Liane crossed to the window that granted her the view from the side of the inn… and a look at the snowy wasteland beyond the city gate.

There wasn't a soul in sight - no one moving anywhere between the swordswoman's window and where the white of the snow faded into the black of the horizon. Propping her pack against the wall, Liane settled onto a simple wooden chair and chewed the edge of her lip.

_It's so quiet…._

With the others and the ever-present weight of their goal hovering over them all, the only person she didn't have time to listen to was herself – and she couldn't expect anyone else to speak for her or to untangle her confusion, no matter that she would like nothing more.

_Wake me up when it all makes sense._ Liane chuckled humorlessly and looked down to where her elbows propped her up against her thighs. Her right hand moved, and it took Liane a moment to realize the goal of the absent action as her fingers hooked lightly under the bracelet that was tucked under the edge of her sleeve. _Yeah. Right._

As the delicate, sweeping edge of a few of the silver links caught the light, the bracelet held her attention completely. _Kratos gave this… to Anna,_ her thoughts whispered with certainty. She could feel that truth, even though the true memory eluded her, no matter how her gaze sought every curve of the silver for it._ Did… does… he want me to remember?_ Liane blinked, the thought suddenly more troubling than ever before. _Why? Is it a test… or… is he trying to draw _her_ out_?"

A flash of hurt ripped through her, though she couldn't truly say why. The life- and death – of the woman Kratos had called his soulmate had played out for her in short, broken bursts since the start of the journey – but there was nothing so obvious before Kratos appeared in her life. For fourteen years, she had lived and grown as Liane Dale… the only thing missing from that life being memories from her first six years – something she and her parents had come to consider payment for waking from her accident. _Does Kratos… see her… in me?_ He had admitted that she reminded him of his soulmate when she told him of the fortune teller's words, though he didn't venture far enough to recognize her claim.

_What does he want?_ Liane looked away from the bracelet, afraid of allowing someone else's memories the chance to answer. _Does he want me to fade away?? _Her jaw tightened as she stared out the window. _I can't be her… I can't just throw away who I am. Not for him… not for her… or… even Lloyd._

_That_ thought snapped back her with a sting of guilt. Lloyd… her dear friend… practically her little brother. Lloyd… who had lost his family so young and so cruelly that he didn't even remember how. _Even if I could give him his mother back – surrender to her memories, it still wouldn't be the same._ His 'mother' would be nothing but memories in the shell of a friend.

The dismal thought nudged Liane just a little too hard… but just enough to set her thoughts to a slightly different path. _The memories have always come mixed into my dreams… or in blackouts – but they haven't taken over completely. _Murmurs in her sleep – certainly, but she hadn't ever actually acted as the woman she now knew as Anna.

_Not since the night I woke up to Lloyd's cries._

Liane shivered though the room was still pleasantly warm. _Was it Anna that woke up? Then, she just… faded?_ Was that her earliest contact with Anna? It was a part of her own history that she vaguely remembered… _but was that where we blurred together?_

Any time before or after that moment seemed impossible. Before that, Anna lived on the run with her husband, son, and unstable Cruxis Crystal… and Liane had been a happy young girl in Iselia, according to her parents. After… there was only Liane… a girl left slightly behind others her age by the hole in her memories. She had never been anyone extraordinary… no one to notice.

The sound of the door's latch shifting made Liane suck in her breath and tuck the spiral of thoughts away as she turned to find a tired but smiling Colette entering the room. The swordswoman drew a deep breath, made sure that her smile was in place but not _too_ out of place, and stood. "Is the doctor going to Altessa's? That was quick," she asked conversationally, realizing that she had no idea how long she had been alone in the room.

"Yup," Colette replied, hope dancing in her weary blue eyes. "Raine took Presea and Sheena back with the doctor. Zelos was already waiting for us at the hospital and the doctor went as soon as he heard what was happening." Then she stopped and blinked, her head tilting thoughtfully. "Lloyd was kind of annoyed when the doctor brought up his payment right away, though."

Liane had to chuckle, even though without hearing the whole story, she had to agree with Lloyd. A few moments later, she heard the familiar high-pitched howl of the Rheairds somewhere out in the snowy darkness… and a small flicker of relief settled over her. "Sounds like something Lloyd would do," she shrugged, watching as Colette plopped down onto the mattress of the bed closest to the door. "So everyone else stayed then? No complaints that I could only get three rooms?"

The blonde girl shook her head. "Nope. Genis was going to stay with Lloyd, but not until he got something warm to drink from the kitchen downstairs – he said Lloyd made him cold just by talking about how cold it was outside." She giggled and fell back on the mattress, her arms splayed out to her sides. "And Zelos was really excited. Something about 'no chaperones' and 'hunnies.' Then Regal rolled his eyes and did this heavy huff thing… and Zelos called _him_ a chaperone… and pouted his way down the hall. I guess that means he and Regal were going to be roommates." Then, she lifted her head to give Liane a questioning look. "It's kind of late for Zelos to find girls to hang out with anyway, isn't it?"

_Only the nice kind,_ Liane thought, her mind showing her an image of the questionable noblewomen that had been hanging on the redhead when they first met him. "I'm sure he was just trying to get a reaction out of Regal," Liane laughed, deciding that it _might_ be true… and it was the easiest way not to scar the innocent Chosen for the rest of her life. "It is pretty late, though… you should get some rest. Raine would never forgive me if I let you get too worn down when you're still recovering."

Colette sat up suddenly, her eyes wide with disappointment. "But… but it's _snowing!_" she complained, sweeping a hand toward the window as if to offer evidence. "And it's cold!"

Liane tilted her head to the girl, wondering if the healing technique Altessa used had left Colette a bit more…_ giddy?_... than usual. But before she could phrase her concern, the truth hit her. Not only had Colette been mostly sheltered from even Iselia's mild winters growing up, she had also given up her senses for a time in her bid to regenerate the world. The swordswoman chuckled and shook her head. "I wonder how long that fact would make you happy if you lived here."

"I'd want to go someplace warm… then come back… then find another warm place," Colette laughed. "Just to make sure I never forget how it feels." Her smile brightened even as her voice trailed off. "I hear Lloyd… he's talking to someone…" she murmured before bouncing to her feet. "I think he said something about going outside!" the girl excitedly reached out to grab Liane's wrist. "Come on! Let's go with him!"

With a frown, Liane tried to stand her ground, but found the reminder of the girl's strength hard to resist. She was tugged forward a step as she realized what was happening. The walls were thick enough that she couldn't hear anything outside the room – but Colette didn't share that limitation. "Lloyd and Genis are going outside?" the swordswoman sighed. _Thanks, Raine… this is going to be like herding cats, isn't it?_

Colette's excitement died back a little at her friend's resistance and she shook her head. "I don't think it was Genis… but then, whoever it was was being quiet," she shrugged and tugged again. "I heard a door close! Come on, Liane… _please_?"

The begging was almost more than Liane could take. It was a perfect example of why her parents had been convinced to send her out of Iselia for schooling. Some part of her _wanted _to relent… _wanted_ to go with her friends… but there was more to it. With a sigh, she freed her wrist and turned Colette by the shoulders to sit back on the edge of the bed. "You _have_ to rest – Raine wanted me to keep an eye on you and the boys and I don't think she'd be so happy with me if I let you go out and catch colds –"

"But --!"

Liane shook her head, forcing her expression to harden even if it was painful under Colette's pleading eyes. She reached for her cape from the cook beside the door and glanced back to the crestfallen Chosen. "You can feel again… so you should be able to sleep, too. I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you risk your health now after all we had to do to get you back." Colette's shoulders slumped dejectedly… and it took everything Liane had to reach for the door. "We'll all have time to play in the snow once the worlds are safe, okay?" she murmured, trying to smooth things somewhat. "But I'm going to go get Lloyd and the others, too. We all need rest. Please… try to sleep? I promise I won't be gone long."

Colette nodded, though she clearly didn't want to do so. In an effort to escape even more guilt, Liane grabbed the key from t he table and stepped out into the hall, locking the door behind her. Looking around the corner and back toward the stairs, Liane saw no movement. _Damn… _she cursed and pocketed the room key, tightening the collar of her cape as she hurried back to the lower level of the inn. Lloyd and his companion were nowhere to be seen, even when she reached the front door. A quick glance into the kitchen that was set just off the desk area showed her Genis' slouched form staring into a steaming mug… and her heart tugged. But the mage's solitary presence only indicated that he wasn't the one to lure Lloyd outside. Two of the three she had been charged with watching were accounted for.

_All right, Lloyd. It's a quick game of hide and seek, then._

Bracing herself for the cold, Liane pulled the front door open and stepped back out into the night. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the warm inner light of the inn to the stark contrast of white snow under the streetlamps of the black Flanoir night, but after a moment, she found a pair of foot prints leading from the inn… slightly drifted over, but still fresher than other impressions in the powder. Pulling her cape close around her, the dark-haired young woman set off into the city, following a trail that degraded a little more with every gust of frigid wind that whistled past the stone buildings. She wasn't really worried about Lloyd… it was quiet and late… even if he had been alone and still distraught over what had happened at Altessa's, she knew he was tired. He wouldn't avoid sleep any longer than he had to do so. _He's got to be with Regal or Zelos. They wouldn't take him out for long, would they?_

Up stone steps and down curved streets where ice sometimes hid beneath the blanket of snow, Liane made her way past darkened shops and residences. She had just topped another flight of steps when she began to consider a strategy of backtracking to find her friends… but then a flash of red under the streetlamps ahead caught her eye. "Hey…" she called out, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the night too much. But as she drew another step closer, the red shifted to her call… and the Tethe'allan Chosen froze in place at the point where two sets of steps came together. Liane stopped, frowning a little. _He's… alone?_

"Whoops!" Zelos grinned, his eyes sparking playfully beneath the light of a nearby lamp. "The babysitter cometh!!!"

Liane sighed and crossed her arms over her chest beneath her cape as her glare narrowed on the redhead. "I'm _not_ a babysitter."

"Babysitter… chaperone, whatever," Zelos rolled his eyes with a shrug and strolled closer. "It's all the same. Unless you prefer 'Mini-Raine' maybe?" he arched an eyebrow at her and stopped directly in front of her, looking down into her eyes with a grin that served as a prodding challenge.

The swordswoman didn't back down, though she got the feeling he didn't think she would. "What is it with you and nicknames?" she sighed, knowing he'd probably never answer the question. "Zelos, it's late. No one knows what's coming tomorrow… you and Lloyd need rest just like the rest of us. So… let's just get this night over with?" Her eyes swept the shadows of the empty streets. "Where's Lloyd?"

"Hmm… a slight hint of nag in that one, "Zelos murmured, cocking his head thoughtfully even as his eyes continued to dance. "Maybe 'Nanny'? That might fit…."

Liane didn't move. She merely continued to glare at him.

"Whoa, ouch. Okay, we'll stick with Warrior Goddess, then," the swordsman held up his hands in a sign of surrender. With a nonchalant sigh and another shrug, he jerked his thumb toward the steps he had just descended. "Bud's up there. Yeah, yeah, I know he's had a crappy night and all… I just thought he could use a little perspective, that's all."

"Perspective?" Liane repeated, her ire shifting to curiosity as her glare on him softened.

Zelos nodded, though the sparkle was gone from his eyes. "I'll have to tell you about it sometime," he smirked and patted her on the shoulder as he began to walk past. "But I'll be a good little boy and go back, no need to punish me – unless you _really_ want to. Oh… and unless it would be fun." He paused to waggle his eyebrows at her before he chuckled and continued to walk. "Kid said he wanted to think, so I gave him space. Everyone needs a little 'self' time sometimes, ya know?"

"Yeah," Liane sighed, letting go of the groan that was an instinctive reaction to his flirting. She watched him disappear down the road she had just traveled, and exhaled. Watching her breath dissipate into the fluttering snowflakes, she turned her eyes up the steps he had indicated… and saw the stained glass of the city's cathedral rising above the surrounding rooftops. _Lloyd's up there… _she told herself, all too aware of the knot that was tying itself into her stomach. _He's my friend… no matter what._ She frowned and forced a foot onto the first step. _I owe it to him to be here for him._ While she wasn't sure what she could offer him other than just someone to listen, she would offer. That resolve set a slow pace up the steps, the snow muting her steps. Her heart was pounding harder in her chest with every step.

She hadn't faced him alone since before Altessa's… before the truth.

_What if I see something else… what if everything's… different?_

Her pace slowed.

_Sweet Martel. What am I supposed to say to him?_

Liane drew in a breath and let the air's icy tingle distract the tension for a moment. _I say what comes naturally,_ she answered her doubts. _I answer what he asks… and I listen to what he wants to say. Just like always – there's no need to change._

For a moment, the ground beneath her felt just a little more solid. If she was worried about the truth, Liane realized that there was one more that overshadowed all of the newest ones: she and Lloyd shared a history all their own. It had gotten them through years of friendship, pranks, and tears… of knowing that someone always stood at their side. That knowledge was strength on its own, and Liane continued up the snowy steps.

"Did you know I was your son the whole time?"

The soft question froze the swordswoman in mid-step, just before the spread of the plaza outside the cathedral came into view. The voice was unmistakable, but the question set her stabilized thoughts reeling. _He saw me… he figured it out… and now…._

"I realized it when I found Anna's grave at your house."

_Kratos?!_

Liane wondered if she would ever find her balance again – and it had nothing to do with her footing. _Lloyd's not talking to me… Kratos is here… how did he escape… he's known for this long?_ Her shock jumbled the thoughts together – and for a moment, she almost gave in to the urge for them just shut to up. But instead, she found herself crouching, easing herself up to sit in the shadows of the railing at the top of the steps. Leaving wasn't an option, but neither was going forward. There, on a balcony that had to offer a breathtaking view of the snowy city, stood Lloyd, Kratos, and Noishe. The presence of Lloyd's green and white furred pet was puzzling - she had last seen him sulking around Altessa's – but it wasn't enough for her to take her eyes from the swordsmen. From the shadows, she watched… unable even to consider leaving, even though she knew she was invading the most private of moments. _I… need to hear this…._

"How did Mom die?" Lloyd asked after a few moments of silence, the hesitation in his voice revealing his struggle to digest what Kratos was saying. "You know, don't you?"

Kratos took a few silent steps closer to the rail, leaning his weight onto his hands and staring out over the city – but not looking at Lloyd. "Like Presea, Anna was a research subject of the Angelus Project. They were trying to create a Cruxis Crystal inside her body." His voice was low… even… paced in a way that suggested he was choosing each word with excessive care. "When I learned of Mithos' plan to create an Age of Lifeless Beings, I turned against him and descended upon this land, where I met Anna."

Liane closed her eyes, drawn in by the tale the seraph told. For just a moment, she saw a pale yellow dress before her… hanging on a closet door… and the ghost of a thrill of anticipation danced on her nerves. _Anna… adored him… from the beginning,_ she realized as the fleeting vision faded along with the excitement back into the snowy night. She opened her eyes again and leaned against the stone railing.

"So Mom was an experimental subject, just like Presea…" Lloyd recounted the story to Kratos with a prodding edge.

Kratos' form straightened slowly and he turned just enough to shift his eyes to Lloyd. "After meeting Anna, I realized my mistake in believing that accepting Mithos' vision would be the fastest route to reunite the worlds. I began to search for a way for a human to wield the Eternal Sword."

Lloyd edged closer to Kratos, leaning to catch the indigo-clad angel's eye. "So you can reunite the worlds?"

"Yes," Kratos nodded and shifted to face the teen. "However, Anna and I were pursued by Cruxis. We traveled from place to place, and when you were born, with you as well, but we were finally caught by Kvar."

Wrapping her arms around her middle, Liane felt countless twinges of emotion and sensation testing her already shaky defenses. They were representatives of more things she had never experienced… visions of places she had never seen… flashes of emotion that brought a very real heat to her cheeks. Being sheltered by warm, strong arms from a downpour… those same arms around her, helping her grip on a sword… those same arms sweeping her up and holding her close as a fleet of armored, winged archers sought to wound, not kill. If she had been standing, Liane's knees would have buckled under the weight of the string of disjointed sensations. Instead, she forced herself to sink further back into the shadows and bit the inside of her lip harshly to get her own attention. _It's not you,_ she snapped silently at herself. _None of that is yours!_

"And then Mom was turned into a monster…" Lloyd continued, the angel's tale for him, his shoulders slumping at the addition to the story that was inevitable.

Kratos hesitated… and finally nodded once. "Her Exsphere was removed. Lacking a Key Crest, the mana in her body went out of control, and she turned into a monster." His voice was still even, but it was almost _too_ even… every word sounding as if it was being dragged from his throat. "When it tried to devour you, Noishe protected you, and Anna regained control of herself… momentarily."

Claws painted with blood… searing pain that blasted relentlessly at every nerve, and a soul-deep knowledge that there was _no_ hope ambushed Liane for the first time in many nights. Her stomach contorted, twisting harshly on itself… and it was all she could do to force her hand to her mouth to contain a sob of breathless pain. The terrified screams of a child – _her_ child – _Lloyd_ – filled her ears as she clenched her eyes shut. Somewhere outside of the phantom pain, Liane heard Lloyd's voice – the voice of the young man she called 'friend' – not the child that a monster instinctively wanted to rip limb from limb. He had spoken again and, though Liane couldn't concentrate on the words, she pulled toward that voice. One breath… two…. The red haze behind her eyes faded and Liane blinked, never more grateful for the starkness of white, black, and all the shades of gray stone in between.

"That's probably when Noishe became sensitive to monsters," Kratos was nodding. But then, even the angel's shoulders sagged. "Noishe and Anna were both wounded. Your mother begged me to kill her."

Liane didn't have time to contain a soft gasp, even though she knew what was coming.

"_Kratos… please…."_

"I've heard enough," Lloyd stated sullenly.

"… _please kill me...."_

Liane's eyes welled and overflowed… she couldn't stop it. Torn between a memory and the present, sorrow began to overwhelm her.

"Anna went out of control again and turned on you. Then I…." Kratos continued, pressing through is story, every word bearing a heavier load of guilt.

Lloyd slammed the side of his gloved fist against the rail. "That's enough!"

The swordsman's anger echoed from the walls, filling the plaza area before fleeing into the night. For an instant, Liane's instincts demanded she cover her ears to the pain in Lloyd's demand, but then, she was certain – for just an instant – that Kratos' eyes slipped to meet hers.

"I… killed her."

Their connection was gone, his eyes back on Lloyd. But Liane still couldn't breathe. She felt every inch of the blade… the fire that exploded in her chest… and she could see the heart-shattering resolve in Kratos' eyes. Even years and a different life apart, she saw it… felt it… and felt it resolve into gratitude.

"_Kratos… please kill me."_

_He freed her, no matter that he destroyed himself in the process._

"I said, that's _enough!!_"

Lloyd's grief boiled over… and the angered shockwave left silence in its wake both in their small part of the city… and in Liane's thoughts. She suddenly could feel how cold the frozen tear streaks were on her cheeks… but more, she saw Kratos. He stood facing his son, his head hung low. Her ache for both of them was entirely hers… the maelstrom of violent memories receding to but a shadow in the back of her mind. Part of her was certain that Kratos knew she was there, but she still didn't move from her cold seat in the shadows. Perhaps he thought she needed to know the truth as well, but she had no desire to complicate the moment more for Lloyd. For better or worse, it was bonding between a father and son that may as well have been complete strangers… and she – as Lloyd's friend – had no place in it.

"After that, Kvar attacked," Kratos continued quietly once the echo of Lloyd's denial had long faded, "… then you and Noishe fell down the cliff along with the Exsphere. I fought off Kvar and his men, and descended the cliff, but all that was left were Desian corpses, half-eaten by monsters. I thought there was no way you could still be alive."

Liane swiped her sleeves past her eyes as she looked up to the twinkles of white falling from the black sky. The vague reminiscence of strength and support beneath bloodied green and white fur – and the sound of terrified sobs against her chest finally fit into the puzzle. _Noishe pulled them away before Kratos could find them, _she realized, welcoming the icy flakes as sensations to keep her grounded. _She was still alive… desperate to keep Lloyd safe. _But Kratos didn't know that.

The brown-haired swordsman remained silent for a few more heartbeats before a ragged breath grated into his lungs. "Is that when you returned to Cruxis?" he asked, his voice notably void of emotion.

"I am the Origin seal itself," Kratos answered. "Since killing me would break the seal, Yggdrasill couldn't just leave me alone."

_But that's not saying he wouldn't make you sorry for leaving._ Liane's head rolled back to touch the railing, but her eyes sought Kratos. She didn't know – she didn't _want_ to know – and she would never ask, but she doubted Yggdrasill would stop with the destruction of the angel's family. _After how he treated Yuan… it had to have been exponentially worse on Kratos…._

"And you were okay with that?" Lloyd demanded, his voice growing louder once again. "Even though you opposed what he was doing?!"

Kratos didn't flinch, but the strike was clearly felt by how he lifted his head to face Lloyd. Lloyd actually backed a step away before the seraph began to speak. "Everything felt meaningless. Mithos said he would reunite the worlds as soon as Martel was revived. I came to think that as long as the land would return to normal, that would be enough." He tilted his head, and the sway of his chopped bangs revealed a hint of a smirk. "Until I met you."

In spite of everything, the sincerity in Kratos' voice brought a smile back to Liane's lips – something she would have thought to be impossible after all that happened since Colette awakened her at Altessa's. Whatever had happened to the angel after Yggdrasill and Pronyma took him away – he was clearly well enough to move – and that meant he was probably risking more than he had before just to come and set things right with Lloyd. After one more glance back to the swordsman, Liane eased back from the top of the steps and carefully made her way back down to the next level of the city in a crouch. She had come to bring Lloyd and Zelos back, and – while Zelos seemed to be heading back on his own when she last saw him - she found that she was okay with letting Lloyd come back when he was ready._ It might not be what Raine would do, but it's what I want to do, _she decided with one more quick look up to the balcony.

_What I want…_ the dark-haired swordswoman mused before stepping into the shadows and starting back in the direction of the inn. If Kratos had seen her, it didn't seem like it had changed his story for Lloyd. He had been bluntly honest with his son – and indirectly with her. She wasn't trying to hide from the angel as she retreated, but Lloyd didn't need any further complications – especially ones that couldn't be explained even in the harshest of terms.

The snow continued to fall, making her footprints the first in the drifting layers on the street. It took a moment for the thought to register, but she liked it once it formed.

_No one's left me a path. Anna's footprints are long gone._ Liane had already pondered what it was that Kratos wanted… and what Lloyd would want if he knew what she had seen and how it fit into his forgotten history. It was impossible to answer for either of them. But there were two other considerations more pressing than Kratos or Lloyd – two others she would have to satisfy long before the needs of the swordsmen could be counted. _Anna…._ The first was the memory of a woman that had long before drawn her last breath. Other than powerful memories of physical pain and emotional heights, the memories had never taken her completely – worn her body to some unknown agenda. She wasn't even truly a presence – Liane could still feel utterly alone even in the midst of a view of the other woman's life. But what a life it was… how she treasured it and those in it. That depth resounded in every memory that revealed another fragment of who Anna had been in life. She loved fiercely… and fought until the end with every fiber of her being to protect those she lived… even if it was from herself. _What Anna would want from me… is somewhere in the memories of what had been the most important to her._

Did she want another chance with Kratos?

Did she want to pull Lloyd close and tell him how proud she was of him?

Liane sighed as her toe kicked into powder. _How could she not?_ But under it all – running beneath everything she had seen through her eyes, she couldn't say that Anna had spent her life looking backwards. She mourned lost family and friends, but her steps forward didn't falter. There was always a sense that her path continued ahead of her in each vision – hope subtly permeated everything… until the end, when she was wise enough to see that her path was at an end.

_I wish I could be that brave… at that point._

Pausing just out of reach of a streetlamp's illumination, Liane dipped her chin. _I may not understand completely… but this is a gift, isn't it?_ Anna loved her life… and Liane had only ever felt one instance where her memories reached for regret: her last. She couldn't fight any more… she couldn't protect her son… she couldn't see the world her husband sought to restore.

_She couldn't say goodbye._

Liane's vision blurred slightly. _She wanted to live. She didn't want her life decided by others – or it would never be hers._ The swordswoman closed her hand, her eyes studying the fist it formed for a moment.

And there it was… the answer for the only person she could actually satisfy.

_I just want to live my life._

She had made mistakes… and would make more. But if Liane was going to learn anything from what she saw of Anna's life, it was worth chancing the mistakes to know that her life was her own – that she had shaped it for reasons she chose for herself. However it was that she had come to be linked with Anna… whatever miracle that occurred to wake a girl given up for dead… it was all behind her.

The snowy road at her feet suddenly sharpened before her eyes even as the inn became a light in the hazy distance.

_Anna's life was her own. This one is mine._

Colette was asleep and snoring softly when Liane made it back to their room. It was as if nothing had changed.

_Maybe nothing has._

Her dreams and visions had only been proven as true as they felt by Kratos' words. That was enough to lessen the confusion, perhaps, but nothing was settled with Kratos or Lloyd – even though she knew it might never be truly settled. But the night felt more peaceful as she turned out the wall lamp and draped her wet cape over the hook by the door. It all felt familiar even as she settled in to the blankets on her bedroll and stared up at the ceiling – just like any other night in an inn.

_Tomorrow will be different,_ she told herself as she heard a single set of footsteps pass the door… and then, the soft closure of a nearby door. _Lloyd's back… alone._ She was disappointed, admittedly, but it didn't change her vow. _Tomorrow, I'll worry less of what Anna, Kratos, or Lloyd wants from me… and I'll make sure that from now on, I won't have any regrets when my path ends._

_* * * *_

Liane had to blink as she stepped out of the inn the next morning – it was still snowing, but the sun proved how light the cloud cover was as the sky was a dazzling white that made each snowflake sparkle as it floated down. Her night had been short, and while her dreams had been mostly silent and formless, she felt as if she had fought far more than a single angel the night before.

The others were gathered in front of the inn, leaving Liane to the task of checking out with the innkeeper. Lloyd looked at least as worn out as Liane felt, but everyone else at least wore a mild smile to meet the new day.

"Guys!" Lloyd suddenly brightened, turning to the city entrance. "How's Altessa?!"

The rest of the party that had stayed in Flanoir turned at the swordsman's excitement to find Raine, Presea, and Sheena topping the steps from the ice field that surrounded the city. Raine smiled, looking exhausted but the expression was still genuine. "He's doing well at the moment," she nodded, stopping as the ninja and the ax girl stopped at her sides. "We left the doctor there. Some people from Mizuho are there as well. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Colette clapped her hands together in happy gratitude as a small sigh of relief washed over the rest of the party. _It all worked out_, Liane told herself as her eyes closed for just a moment. _Despite everything else that happened, at least one good thing came of last night._ Another morning had come, no matter how their foundations had been shaken… but there was still unease in the air, a careful distance between each of them – particularly regarding Lloyd. While she wasn't sure if Zelos knew of Kratos' visit to his son, Liane couldn't think of a way to approach the young swordsman about it, either. _Leave it alone for now,_ she told herself, though it did nothing to dismiss the urge to talk to him.

"Good," Lloyd nodded his satisfaction to the Professor's report, but quickly lifted his hand to comb his fingers back through his hair. "I need to speak with everyone," he started after a moment, hesitating before he turned so that his gaze could slip over the entire party. Then he drew a long breath, puffing out his chest as he propped a hand on one of his sheathed blades. "The world is never gonna change if we just wait for Cruxis to make the next move, fight? he asked, the words rushing ever so slightly as if he had been rehearsing them in his mind. "So this time, we're going to strike them first."

Liane's jaw fell slack before the determination in Lloyd's declaration… but even more at the resolve in his eyes. She had to wonder – if she hadn't learned the truth of the boy's past – if she would have still seen the resemblance to Kratos so clearly at that moment. The boy lacked the dangerous calm that Kratos never seemed to shed, his energy simply too much to be contained. But there was no mistaking the fact that it was Lloyd's plan… and he had every intention of following through with it.

Zelos chuckled, his hands on his hips as he shook his head. "Well, so you're finally ready to do it!" he laughed… the approval sounding relieved, as if he had been waiting for that exact decision. "We're gonna raid Cruxis!"

"Yeah," Lloyd replied as his smile grew a little more confident. "I have two objectives: Prevent the establishment of Mithos' new Age… and release Origin."

The rest of the party exchanged looks, no one else joining in on the excitement of the swordsman just yet. Genis wore a worried frown as he approached Lloyd and stopped at his side. "But if you release Origin, what about Kratos?"

The light in Lloyd's eyes died back a little at the question, and he offered his young friend a shrug. "I don't really know yet," he admitted. "We don't know for certain that he'll actually die. We also don't know if he'll side with us or not." The swordsman shook his head. "We don't have the time to worry about things we're not sure of."

As Lloyd spoke, Liane was sure she heard his voice harden… and before her eyes, she saw him age… a little more of his innocence slipping away. Something told her Kratos would be proud of him at that moment, but it left her cold. "We can't turn a blind eye to our options, though," she insisted quietly, having to look away from Lloyd so that she could speak… but then she accidentally caught Regal's gaze from across the group. She hesitated, searching for the weary eye roll that would finally give away the end of his tolerance for her sympathies for the angel.

But it wasn't there.

Instead, the shackled man nodded ever so slightly… and she almost smiled. Just that small bit of silent support helped her remember her resolution from the night before as she lifted her chin and looked back to Lloyd.

I_ want Kratos to live. _I _want to give him the chance to see the return of the world that he stood against Yggdrasill to bring back. _

"We might not have a lot of time, but after everything else, we can't accept pointless sacrifice, either," Liane started, her voice a bit stronger. "We're not Cruxis… when we have a choice, we have to prove that there's another way."

Much to the swordswoman's relief, she saw a hint of Lloyd's smile return… and he nodded.

"What do you intend to do about the Eternal Sword?" Raine questioned as the swordsman had just opened his mouth to reply to Liane, the response going unvoiced as he shifted his eyes back to the Professor with a tilt of his head. "Even if you break Origin's seal, you can't wield it, remember?" She glanced down to her brother with a troubled frown. "And I doubt either Genis or I would be able to handle a sword…."

Once again, Zelos chuckled, a wave of his hand dismissing the silver-haired woman's concern. "Don't worry about that. I've got it covered," he stated and crossed his arms over his chest with a smug smirk.

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd asked as his eyebrows knit together, giving voice to the looks that the rest of the party had fixed on the redhead.

Zelos rolled his head back on his shoulders with an exasperated groan. "_Why_ do you think I can use magic swords?" He looked utterly bored when his eyes found Lloyd's blank expression again. "I received magic injections with the latest in Tethe'alla technology." The boredom slowly turned into blatant disappointment as the silence of the group drew out, leaving the Chosen to finally sigh and let his arms fall to his sides. "In _other_ words," he sighed, "I'm a _human_ with _elven_ blood in me." He lifted his eyebrows in a silent plea for understanding as he finally looked over to Raine. "That should work, shouldn't it?"

The Professor nodded slowly, and she finally looked back to Lloyd after a deep sigh. "Then I guess this will be the final battle," she murmured, her voice almost completely void of any further reaction.

"Understood," Presea's pink pigtails bobbed once as the girl agreed and squared her shoulders to Lloyd, as if she only waited for his final word. "Let us end this."

"Too many people have suffered… we _have_ to end it," Liane added to Presea's words. Her conditions had been stated, but she knew that leaving things as they were was absolutely not an option – not even if they had to go through Kratos to set things right, as much as she hated the idea.

Regal remained where he had stood throughout the conversation, his head bowed slightly so that his hair veiled his face. "For the sake of uniting the worlds."

"Yeah," Genis muttered somberly, nodding his acceptance, though even his posture betrayed how much he didn't want to fight, his normal good-natured enthusiasm nowhere to be found.

Colette paused, looking over around to her companions, her smile warming a little more with each friend she observed until her bright blue eyes found Lloyd once again. "I'll do my best, too!"

It was suddenly clear how much the others' support had encouraged Lloyd simply by comparison to how he seemed to deflate after Colette's words. "His smile once again gone, he shook his head. "Colette, I need you to stay behind," he stated after a moment, his brown eyes troubled.

The party's unified front crumbled as Lloyd and Colette stared at each other, the blonde girl's grateful expression from just moments before dissolving into hurt. "Why?"

The swordsman winced, but still tightened his jaw. "They want you as Martel's vessel," he stated, once again sounding as if he had been preparing to respond to her since he hatched his plan to take the battle to Cruxis. "We'll have either Mizuho or the Renegades hide you."

_It makes sense,_ Liane had to admit, chewing her lip as she realized how hard it was for Lloyd to make such a demand of Colette. It was Lloyd that never seemed to understand why Colette was treated differently from any other child in Iselia – never holding back on trying to drag her into the mischief of the day despite her family and handlers from the Church chasing after her in a panic. _For him to single her out after everything is like him admitting that they were right to treat her differently all along. _Colette _would_ be a target… Liane could see that – and understand his decision – but that didn't make it feel any better to splinter their group from the girl that had started their entire quest.

"If… that's what you want…" Colette slowly responded, her shoulders slumped as she hung her head. No one else moved – not even Lloyd – as she kicked the toe of a boot into the snow and twisted her fingers before her. But then – quicker than she had accepted Lloyd's decision, her head snapped up with a defiant shake. "No, I'm going, too!"

As surprise rippled over the party, no one looked more stunned than Lloyd. "But…."

Colette merely stared back at him – her quiet defiance needing no words. Finally, a dry chuckle upset the silence as Zelos shook his head and clicked his tongue in a playful show of disapproval. "I get it," he sighed knowingly. "You don't think you can protect her." The redhead's shoulders heaved. "That is _so_ sad…."

Lloyd's eyes went wide as his cheeks burned to a red that matched his shirt. "Wh… what did you say?"

"Don't worry, Colette!" Zelos crowed, completely ignoring Lloyd's indignation as he walked over to the blonde girl, stepping between the two as he took her hand and bowed deeply before her. "I, the great Zelos, swear to protect you!"

Liane stared at the show… just like everyone else, including Lloyd and Colette. _Lloyd… sweet Goddess… Lloyd's head is just going to explode, isn't it…?_

"_Zelos!_" Lloyd choked out, the word a precarious mixture of shock and anger.

But Zelos merely sighed as he straightened and released Colette's hand, rolling his eyes over to Lloyd with exaggerated effort. "Take her along, Lloyd," the redhead almost groaned, his previous amusement gone. They're gonna be after her no matter where she is. You ought to know that by now." Then he arched an eyebrow to the younger swordsman. "Be a man, show her what you're made of."

The brown-haired teen bristled at the challenge, but Sheena's unexpected chuckle of disbelief seemed to distract him from any defense of his plan that may have been brewing. "Wow, we actually have the same opinion for once," the ninja sounded surprised as she looked from Zelos to Lloyd, and offered the latter a helpless shrug. "Sorry, Lloyd, but I agree with Zelos this time."

"It's her fight, too, Lloyd," Liane nodded. "We've come this far together, and we all have a stake in what happens." It wasn't a matter of _liking _to fight… it was a matter of finishing what they had started.

All eyes fell on Lloyd. The crease on his brow proclaimed how little he liked it, but then he lowered his chin for just a moment… and then looked to the blonde girl without any hint of his previous hesitation. "All right, Colette will come with us, okay?"

"Thank you, Lloyd," Colette practically beamed, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she spun in a happy circle to look at each member of the party. "And everyone else, too."

Colette was happy… Lloyd at least looked happy for her. Liane shook her head and straightened her cape as she reached for her pack where it rested at her feet, stopping only when she saw Raine approaching. Swinging the strap back over her shoulder, she met the Professor's weary gaze. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

Raine's lips pressed into a thin line. "Altessa's condition wasn't stable until this morning," she finally sighed. "How's our stock of gels? We have to plan on Yggdrasill throwing everything he has at us if we're going through with this now."

"We've probably got just enough gels for us to wish we'd given you time to rest before we rushed off," Liane replied with as casual a shrug as she could manage before she had to sigh. "Raine, look… just because Lloyd says we have to take the advantage and push Cruxis to fight doesn't have to be this instant. Advantage is one thing, but rushing for the sake of rushing is another. We'll lose any advantage we might have had if we're not careful."

"Not a bad lecture," Raine murmured appreciatively as her expression softened. "I was hoping to check on Altessa once more, restock our supplies, find a safe place to rest for a bit, then I think we'll be ready. But no matter Lloyd's resolve, we would be throwing our lives away if we go into this fight with any hesitation." She glanced up as Lloyd began to approach. "Is he going to be ready? Fighting Cruxis and then undoing everything Yggdrasill did to the world won't be simple by any means."

Liane looked over her shoulder before she hid the glance with a shrug to push her ponytail back. "I haven't talked to him… but I think he's better today. I think he understands a little more."

_I think we all do._

Lloyd wasn't difficult to convince of the need to prepare – in fact, he seemed relieved at the idea of taking a small break. He was adamant about fighting… but even he agreed that the leap from curing Colette to fighting Cruxis was huge.

Yet no one – including Lloyd – mentioned Kratos again. Not even as the swordsman relayed their plan to restore their reserves and rallied everyone to prepare to leave Flanoir. It didn't mean that the angel felt like any less of a presence to Liane.

_Your son is bringing the fight to you, Kratos,_ the swordswoman thought as she and the others started out of the city. _It seems it's time to see what you'll do this time._ It felt like control was theirs for once… and it could be snapped away in a heartbeat.

_What will you do? Who will you stand with?_

But there was no one to answer Liane's silent question, even as Zelos' happy laugh spilt the relative quiet of the brisk morning behind her.

"All right, let's go kick some butt, Lloyd!"

* * *

Kratos cinched his swordbelt over the smooth panels of fitted purple and white, still surprised that he wasn't shackled to the wall in one of the cells that had once held Lloyd and his friends in Welgaia.

_He's still testing me._

And soon, that test would be failed irrevocably. There was immeasurable fury in the right hook that Yggdrasill had planted to Kratos' jaw upon their return to Vinheim as Pronyma had held him upright for the Cruxis leader. Kratos knew that he was lucky his head was still attached – but it hadn't kept him from using Yggdrasill's distraction of ordering the angels to hunt down Yuan and the Renegades to check on Lloyd for what might have been one last time.

_I never wanted Lloyd to learn the truth like that._ Yuan had robbed him of any other options though it appeared that his impatience in kidnapping Kratos from Vinheim had been just enough of a challenge to Yggdrasill that the auburn-haired angel had been granted the benefit of the doubt one more time. For that, Kratos was grateful enough to put off a certain little chat with the Renegade leader for a little longer – if Yggdrasill didn't find him first.

Noishe's presence had been a sentimental surprise, though it brought everything Kratos had gone to say to Lloyd into even sharper focus. He wanted his son to have the truth… so that he could make every decision that was coming for him with the fewest regrets possible. He had even pushed some of that truth on to the boy in hopes that it would simmer in his mind until the time came to release Origin – just a small seed of righteous resentment that would make it easier on Lloyd after the deed was done.

But he hadn't expected Liane to be there.

It was an enormous oversight in retrospect – it was natural to expect that the girl would seek out her friend away from the others. He could have stopped… he could have walked away. He felt her presence before she even knew that Lloyd wasn't alone – but she deserved the truth as well.

_What she does with it… will be interesting._

Glancing down at the orb on his desk, Kratos sighed. Waiting on the redhead was one of the more unpredictable elements of his remaining tasks… and uncertainty was a luxury he could no longer afford. For all the Tethe'allan Chosen's show of not caring, Kratos suspected that he cared all too much – the only true question was who or what he cared most for. The Church had done their utmost to make sure that he was the symbol that his position demanded he be for his world… but he was one of the more untamed individuals any of them had come up against in many generations. There would be no taking his actions for granted.

_Zelos… what will you do? Who will you stand with?_

Kratos closed his eyes and forced his thoughts away from the signal device, though the path they gravitated to was almost enough to make predicting Zelos' actions preferable.

_Does she really know? Does she remember?_

His thoughts showed him a flash of the girl from Iselia – a young woman with more focus… more discipline than the woman he had fallen in love with after his countless years of solitude. Yet she still seemed to carry every bit of the ferocious protectiveness… and more than enough of that maddening stubbornness to allow him even to entertain the improbability.

The things that all but crushed any doubt were her words… her questions. Liane didn't understand them, either… and that was practically the strongest piece of proof.

_She doesn't understand… but she keeps trying._ He shook his head with a single dry chuckle.

_Stubborn._

But it wouldn't leave her, no matter how she seemed to want to wish it away or how he had pushed her – challenged her resolve to either embrace or banish her claims. No matter how it appeared she would resent him for the times he had shrugged off her questions, Liane didn't let go. The burden wasn't hers, but she still wouldn't let it go.

_Anna… why can't you rest? You were supposed to be free._

There was a frown on his lips when he opened his eyes again. Kratos didn't want to think it had all been for nothing… but he wanted Anna's trials to be over.

And he most certainly didn't want any part of her to see what was coming.

The orb on the corner of his desk slowly came to life with a patient green glow. Kratos drew a long breath and let it out. _If there's a chance, I'll speak with Liane one more time. Perhaps there's still time to settle things for her._

He reached out and tapped the orb, setting it ablaze with a flash of light that bathed him from head to toe even as a transparent image of Tethe'alla's Chosen appeared before him. Even as he measured the redhead's expression, he made sure his own was an unreadable mask. "You're late, Chosen," he stated flatly.

"Yeah, well, this thing isn't exactly conducive to conversations from a Rheaird, ya know?" Zelos' image responded with a bored shrug. "This merry little band is fond of staying on the move and all…."

"Chosen, this isn't a social call," Kratos narrowed his gaze on the image. The redheaded swordsman's answer could change everything from the moment he voiced it – whether he knew it or not. Then, he saw Zelos' eyes dance with a mischievous light….

_Or maybe he knows all too well…._


	38. Chapter 38

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: With chaos lurking almost close enough to touch, the party indulges in one night to celebrate… and to remember what they're fighting for.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 38:

Liane barely recognized the woman that stared back at her from the mirror.

Sheena had rolled her hair elegantly onto the back of her head, allowing a few soft tendrils to escape the imprisonment of the two jeweled pins that held the rest to frame her face.

_For someone that considers a braid fancy… this is pretty amazing._

The summoner had then left her alone to change into her gown. The King had said that he would send special clothing for each of them to wear to celebrate Princess Hilda's safe return from the Pope's clutches, but Liane was certain that a mistake had been made. The dress left with her name on its tag was far too graceful to be meant for her. For one thing, it was long – long enough to start to puddle on the ground at her feet… a recipe for disaster in her experience with all things 'feminine.' It was blue – but just barely – it was the color of a clear sky through a morning fog. The wide neckline on its own brought a blush to her cheeks as it just barely clung to the tops of her shoulders with a band of the same soft fabric as the rest of the dress, set apart by delicately embroidered silver and white intertwined leaves.

It was easily the most elegant thing in the farmer's daughter had ever worn.

Rubbing her hands over her bare arms, Liane glanced to the nearest bed in the room, where Sebastian had left her freshly cleaned tunic and breeches while she had been in one of the mansion's luxurious bathrooms soaking away the cold of the previous night. Fighting the urge to change into the comfortable familiarity that her own clothes offered and flee the mansion, she forced herself to smile back into the mirror.

_Just for this one night…._

After checking in with Altessa, the next order of business for the party was to restock their supplies and gather their strength to confront Cruxis. Zelos had once again offered his home to them for the night, even though the redheaded swordsman seemed surprised by the stack of boxes that awaited them when they entered. More unnerving – at least to Liane – was the arrival of the messenger that bore their invitations to the party that evening. It was clear that the Royal Guard had been watching for the group's return – but the resources to throw a party on such short notice baffled the Iselian swordswoman. At first, she had considered that perhaps it was a simple dinner – small, informal… but then she saw the gown that was in the box marked for her. It reminded her of the finery worn by the girls that had been hanging from Zelos when they had first met him, but "her" gown was simpler… perhaps not as full… and in her opinion, far more elegant.

_No, we're not getting off with a dinner and a 'thank you,' are we?_

Liane knew it would be rude to refuse the gesture – and it would leave them with no choice but to be waited on… and simply relax. She could see no way around playing dress-up.

_One night to rest… and maybe forget that the fate of the worlds is on our shoulders for a little while._

She blinked, shaking her head to her reflection with a weak smile._ I think it's impossible to forget that._

Then, a sparkle of light on the top of the nearby dresser caught her eye, drawing her back out of her wishful thoughts. Liane turned, lifting her fingers to touch the bracelet that she had worn every day and night since _he _had given it to her. Since _he_ had been one of them. Since he –

_No. He had his reasons,_ Liane's thoughts insisted. _He'd never willingly hurt… Lloyd._

Liane lifted the delicate chain from the dresser, the small stone set between stylized silver wings winked at her in the light… and she looked back to the mirror….

The image in the reflection wavered – and for just an instant, a brown-haired woman with familiar brown eyes stared back at her. There was a plea in the depths of those eyes… though there was a faint smile on her lips…

… and the blue stone perched at the base of her throat glittered… as if it was laughing… as if it knew something that neither woman knew… as if it was simply biding its time.

Liane shook her head and the illusion fell away, though her free hand lingered at the base of her throat. The soft, warm skin there was bare and unmarred… but that didn't stop a shiver from racing through her.

_Anna…._

She sighed and shoved the thoughts of the phantom stone from her mind, instead dangling thoughts of running from the mansion and all of the finery that had been prepared for them. _No, we said we'd attend, _she reminded herself, drawing out the 'conversation' as far as she could to keep her thoughts under control. Taking a step back from the mirror, she straightened the almost painfully tight bodice where it flared out to the skirt at her waist. "And we certainly can't let royalty down, now can we?" she whispered wistfully and rolled her eyes at her reflection. Although, in all honesty, she really hadn't objected to attending the event all that vocally. As much as she wanted a quiet night to sort her thoughts, she doubted she'd ever be in a position to be the guest of a King again. Tucking an errant curl behind her ear, she turned her attention back to the floor, searching for the slippers that she was sure she had seen fall out of the box that had contained the dress. Spotting them and kicking them closer to the bed, she turned and sat lightly on the edge, almost afraid to sit out of fear for somehow damaging the gown – or herself when she tried to stand again. But once the soft-soled shoes were soundly in place, she managed to stand without incident and, in what was becoming a habit, tugged the bodice back into place… and as the finishing touch, she fastened the bracelet over her wrist. It didn't feel right to leave it behind… and it actually accented the finery nicely to her eye.

_I feel like I'm in someone else's clothes,_ Liane grumbled silently to her own reflection before she gathered her skirts and stated to the bedroom door. It only took her a few steps to begin chiding herself that it was better to be in someone else's clothes than someone else's life… and it was enough to silence the grousing thoughts. The impending party was entirely outside of her experience – and comfort – but in that, it would be _hers._

_It's just one night… then I can say I've done it and can swear off frilly dresses for the rest of my life,_ she assured herself as she began to descend the staircase to the lower level of Zelos' mansion. By the third step, she forced herself to recognize that a truce with the night and the dress didn't have to extend to the slick-soled slippers made for appearance with no concern for functionality. Every step became an exercise in concentration simply to avoid arriving at the landing of the stairs in a heap.

Trying not to let the crumpled image her mind showed her become a self-fulfilling prophecy, Liane distracted herself with an earlier conversation, and a thin smirk started to curl her lips. _At least I don't have to figure out how to walk again,_ she consoled herself, remembering what Sheena had told her about the heels on the shoes they had delivered for her. No, the slippers definitely weren't the practical and dependable slight heel of her boots – but at least she would be closer to the ground if or when they failed her.

_Honestly, all they would have had to do was rough up the sole a bit – _

"_There's_ my little Warrior Goddess!"

Liane's head snapped in the direction of the portrait of Zelos' mother to find the Tethe'allan Chosen nodding approvingly. She groaned slightly, cursing that she had been so distracted with simply walking that she hadn't noticed him standing on the other side of the room. Liane paused on the last step to watch Zelos cross the room with privileged ease, his normally unruly curls constrained into a long braid that swayed with each step. His formal attire – she had to admit – suited him perfectly.

Before the swordswoman realized what was happening, he stood before her, his white-gloved hand extended cordially to her. "My, but my Warrior Goddess shines when she's polished," he grinned as she took his hand with a sigh.

Zelos lifted her hand up over their heads and spun her away from the stairs, but Liane still couldn't think of a response to his greeting, especially once she realized there was a faintly embarrassed heat in her cheeks. It was an awkward moment, but it did leave her the room to recognize a gentle strength in his grip that – for some reason – made her believe that he wouldn't let her fall, despite the slippers.

"Nice… very nice," Zelos murmured his appreciation as he guided her slow spin to a stop beside a high-backed chair and waited for her to steady herself before withdrawing his hand. "It's a shame that you seem to favor boring old cloth when silk and satin clearly suits you so much better," he waggled his eyebrows playfully. "You can definitely be my honorary hunny for the night, though."

Perhaps it was her blush… or maybe it was just that she knew he was just being nice in his own way and she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Liane had received the attention of precious few men in her life – and she knew that she had never felt the need to go out of her way to be noticed. Even though she couldn't bring herself to trust the depths of the Chosen's sincerity, his reaction was… flattering. The swordswoman smiled and nodded. "Zelos, thank –"

Suddenly, the redhead's eyes snapped back to the stairs, looking over Liane's shoulder as a hungry gleam flared in his eyes, the intensity forcing a single word from his lips as he cut off Liane's gratitude. "Sheena…."

Liane blinked at the sudden shift, but as she turned to let her eyes follow the redhead back to the stairs, everything became clear… and he had summed it all up in one word. The summoner was slowly descending from the second floor, her wary gaze fixed on the Chosen as he began to prowl up the stairs to meet her.

_If that was my outfit – the heels would be the least of my worries…._

While Sheena didn't look comfortable in the dress that combined a short skirt and wrapped top that looked exactly like something she imagined Zelos himself would have requested for the ninja, Liane had to admit that the deep red ensemble was perfect for her friend. As the compliments began to flow and Sheena's eyes began to roll, Liane smiled and gathered her skirts as she started toward the door. The mansion had been quiet for a while, so it seemed that Zelos had simply been waiting for them to follow the others.

_Well, waiting for Sheena, anyway._

She was hardly offended as she pulled the heavy front door open and stepped out into the evening, carefully closing the door behind her. As gracious as Zelos had been to her, as flattering as it had been, the look in his eyes when he saw Sheena said everything that he didn't. But Liane knew no matter what she saw, it would be up to the two of them to say what would or wouldn't come of the evening.

_I just can't be a witness if he pushes too far too fast,_ the dark-haired young woman shook her head and reached for the railing with one hand and clutched her skirts in the other as she could just imagine the shades of the bruise Zelos would be sporting by the time he reached the palace if he wasn't careful.

_Be good, Zelos… prove to her that you can be…._

The silent plea faded as Liane turned her attention to trying to make it down the stone steps to the street that stretched between the mansion and the palace. _At least there's some traction out here, _she assured herself, trying not to picture the bloody mess she could be if she missed a step. _One foot in front of the other, girl. You know how to walk…._

"Do you need a hand?"

Liane hesitated, feeling a bit silly for being surprised by the presence of one of her friends for the second time just since she had left her room. It took a moment for that surprise to melt into curiosity as the only other person in sight stepped into the pool of shadow between the lampposts on the street, moving closer with both hands lifting toward her.

_Regal?_

The man that stepped back into the pool of light that illuminated the foot of the steps resembled her friend, though for just a moment, she wasn't entirely sure she would have recognized him if they had passed each other in a crowd. His hair had been tamed – _more like beaten into submission, _she corrected the observation – but when she finally met his eyes, she had no doubts of his identity. But so much seemed outwardly different, his familiar white and green clothes replaced by a suit as proper as Zelos' had been. He even wore a hint of a smile… which a small voice in the back of her mind told her should be enough to make her doubt her own eyes. She moved down another step and reached for his offered hand instead of clinging to the railing. "Thank you," she murmured sheepishly. "These shoes are slick," she tried to explain, feeling annoyingly 'girly' for her hesitance on the steps.

"I've never heard anything good about the shoes women are expected to wear to these sorts of occasions," Regal commented, slowly assisting her down the remaining steps. Without the cover of his bangs, it was obvious that he was watching her carefully, concern in his eyes until she was solidly off the steps. "But at the very least, you look stunning, Liane."

She paused beside him at the base of the steps, though her eyes sought the cobbled ground at her feet in the wake of the compliment. "Ah… thanks," she laughed nervously, curling the fingers of her free hand into her skirt. "Sheena's a miracle worker."

"No. Sheena is a summoner," Regal responded after a moment, though the correction had a chuckle in its tone. "And she had the perfect raw materials to work with."

Her cheeks flamed even hotter as she looked up to him. "Regal, I…" she started, already shaking her head before the light gave her a better look at her friend. The deep green of his coat complimented the hue of his hair and his eyes well. The suit made him look so different… and it was just another piece of the proof that the palace tailors were quite good at their trade. _So this must be Duke Bryant,_ Liane thought before she realized that she was staring. "You look quite dashing yourself, you know," she smiled, trying to will away the red she knew was still lighting her face.

The shackled man tilted his head to her, an eyebrow arched in question. "Forgive me if I do not exactly take that as a compliment," he sighed, the breath wavering with a chuckle as he released her hand to tug at his tie as if it was strangling him. "I have never enjoyed dressing this way, and never have been comfortable doing do. I don't think I ever would have put on a suit like this again if it hadn't been for His Majesty's insistence that I attend tonight's party."

"Ah… that must be why it looks like I caught you trying to decide if you were going to run or give up and attend with the rest of us," Liane nodded knowingly, only having to wait an instant for the slight widening of his eyes that told her she had guessed correctly. She stifled a giggle at his discomfort. She also managed to contain an offer to trade his tie for the cursed corset that had been forced on her for the sake of the dress, deciding such an offer would be distinctly un-ladylike on that particular evening. "I'm sorry… you just look so different," she sighed, dropping the banter in favor of honesty and punctuating it with an exasperated sigh. "Those people that brought the clothes _made_ you do your hair like that, didn't they?" she asked, arching an eyebrow to him and suddenly grateful that she and Sheena had opted to dress themselves for the evening, even if they had been slower than everyone else.

"Is it that obvious?" Regal chuckled quietly, shaking his head.

"The tie looks uncomfortable enough. I figured they might have tortured you a bit more before they were done with you," she laughed, relieved that he seemed to have taken her comment with a bit of amusement – as she had meant it. "I can't imagine you being happy about having to wear your hair that way… it's just not…" she fumbled for the words with a small huff, but when only one seemed to fit, Liane shrugged almost apologetically. "You."

He looked as if he might laugh. "Thank you… I think," the blue-haired man shook his head and glanced toward the palace. "Just be glad that you didn't have to dress this way yourself for over half of your life."

"I don't know," Liane shrugged, her eyes following his to the structure that towered over the Imperial City. "The dress is kind of fun. Granted, it could be shorter… enough to walk in? It really isn't fun to have to carry the clothes you're actually wearing."

Regal gave her a small smile and hesitated for a moment before he lifted an arm to her, the movement subtle thanks to the cuffs that hid slightly beneath the edges of his sleeves yet still bound his wrists. "I suppose we should get going… the others will be waiting for us." Then he lifted an eyebrow. "Unless you wanted to wait for Zelos and Sheena?"

For a moment, Liane stared at the offered arm. Then understanding dawned on her. It was something she'd heard of, but never really seen, much less had a reason to consider accepting. "No… I think we'll be able to make a slightly-less conspicuous entry without them," she shook her head and gingerly placed her hand over his forearm. _Ever the gentleman,_ she mused with a glance back to the mansion. He had to know that such a courtesy wasn't something she needed or expected… but he still offered. Then she laughed and looked back up to her friend, hoping he wouldn't notice how the offer of an arm had stumped her. "You clearly haven't seen her outfit, so I should probably take you up on your offer before she gets here, otherwise, I'll probably have to stumble by myself to the palace." One look at the summoner would no doubt send any male old enough – _or just with eyes - _falling all over himself to be at her side… Liane was certain of it.

"Do you think I would let you go on unescorted?" Regal asked with a shake of his head and a low chuckle as he began to lead her down the walk. "You must have forgotten who you are dealing with. I could not leave a lady like you alone… especially when there _are_ steps leading up to the palace?"

Liane rolled her eyes for show. He was making fun of her… and she was enjoying it. No matter how it seemed that neither of them truly wanted to attend the party, the mood felt a little lighter since she had caught him in what she was sure was a moment of consideration of escape. "Yeah, wouldn't want the guards to have to come removed the crumpled heap of common trash from the front steps on such a festive evening, would we?" she sighed in mock weariness before finally, shaking her head and chuckling as she walked by his side, their pace slow. They walked a short distance in comfortable silence before another thought drifted across her mind. "Did you see Lloyd? Did he ever come back with his suit?"

Regal shook his head, continuing to guide her down the path. "I'm sure some of the servants in the palace merely insisted on helping him get ready, he assured her without looking down.

"Probably," she agreed with a slow nod, though her smile fell a bit more. Liane hadn't had a chance to really even check on Lloyd since they left Flanoir that morning… and everything from Flanoir to Altessa's and then to Meltokio had been a blur, though she had probably given in to it a bit too willingly. The numb rush of activity kept her from thinking for long on Lloyd, Kratos, what would happen if Yggdrasill didn't kill them all… and how she would fit into the life that would be left after all the rest was in the past. "He's putting up a brave front, but I now there's more to it," she sighed, still all-too able to see his despair from the night before. _How much more can he take?_ Liane's frown deepened. "I wish I could have gotten him to talk."

"Indeed. But perhaps it would be better to give him some time," the blue-haired man replied to her concern, keeping their pace even and his eyes straight ahead. "When he's ready, he'll know he can come to any of us."

He was right. Liane could see that, but it did nothing for the knot that tightened in her gut at the possibility. As much as she wanted to help her friend, how much would she be able to do so before her own need for answers would bleed over? If she said the wrong thing… to _any_ of them… her relationship to any of her friends could change irrevocably. It was bad enough that she was already questioning how much influence Anna's experiences had on her… as little control as she had over those doubts – it would be worse with her friends. "I know," she finally agreed with a sigh and forced her eyes up from the ground, seeking _anything_ to slow the spiral of thoughts she had no hope of stopping – at least for the moment. When she looked up to her escort, though, she paused… her smile returning without effort. "Regal?"

The blue-haired man tilted his head just enough to shift his gaze down to her. "Hm?"

It was utterly mindless and bordered on childish… but that was what Liane wanted more than anything at the moment – 'pointless' seemed far more appealing than 'impossible to deal with.' "You're going to look more like… you… tomorrow, right?" she asked, holding back a playful grin only until she could get the question out.

_He's going to think I'm an idiot…._

But after a blink of confusion, the Duke's lips took on a wry twist. "I _hope_ I will still look like me, at the very least. I don't anticipate the party taking that strange of a turn tonight…."

Liane laughed softly. "Good. I think I can wait," she smirked. Soon, their lives would take them back to their war… would test their resolve to change things. But for the moment, they would have a chance to breathe and to maybe remind themselves why the fight was so important. She shrugged and grasped for the lighter thoughts once again. "I'm just having a really hard time not reaching up and messing up your hair," she finally sighed, trying to remain as serious as possible.

"For once, I curse your restraint," Regal replied with a roll of his eyes before his shoulders shook with a deep chuckle. "You know, I wouldn't stop you."

"Hmm… will they be serving wine tonight?" she asked, now struggling to remain serious after hearing his response. "That should help the restraint issue… and thus, help the hair issue," Liane's voice trailed off, trying not to think about her urge to test his declaration.

When was the last them they – _any of them _– had truly laughed? There had been one crisis after another… bringing tears, rage, fear, or despair. But when was the last time laughter had come for any of them? Liane could still picture Lloyd and Genis' silly grins… but it seemed like it had been so long since she had actually seen them.

"I have yet to be to a party thrown at the palace where there wasn't plenty of wine," Regal answered, his smile warming a little more as he arched an eyebrow to her. "Although, if you are going to let go of some of your restraint, it might be wise to not do so in front of Zelos…?"

Liane cringed, but still did her best to muffle a laugh. "I don't think it's _my_ restraint that he's waiting to waver. But, that's what I'll have you for, right?" she asked, turning a playful grin up to him.

The Duke appeared to take a moment to consider her question. "Help me make sure I can avoid as many nobles that I used to know as possible," he drawled with an amused gleam in his eye, "… and I think I can keep the Chosen at bay for the evening."

"That sounds fair enough," the swordswoman nodded, though his request slowly settled on her, dampening her amusement. "Regal…" she started, tugging on his arm gently to stop their progress toward the palace. "I don't want to make trouble or a scene… but… I've _never_ been to anything like this before. And… with all the nobles…." The thought made her disturbingly uncomfortable… how a simple location could shift how she had to see her friends. "Well, what am I… what do you want me to…" she tried to swallow the awkward lump in her throat, "… call you?"

Regal looked at her for a long, quiet moment as if he was trying to decide how serious she was. Then he sighed, his smile fading. "I didn't think you'd forget my name," he replied, turning to her and looking down into her eyes. "You may call me whatever you feel comfortable with, Liane. We're friends. And I believe just my being there might cause enough of a scene that you wont' need to worry about how you address me, in any case."

She drew a deep breath and nodded as he stepped back, but not out of reach. "Regal, we don't have to go," she offered, looking up to him finally. "The others aren't here to stop us. We can go somewhere else… maybe wait until Zelos and Sheena are at the party and go back to the mansion. We could have dinner with Sebastian or something," she suggested. Then, she was sure she saw a spark of interest in his eyes… and it encouraged her inner imp once again. "And I could mess up your hair." Liane huffed and flailed her free hand with a groan. "Seriously, Regal. _How_ could you let them do that to you?"

He blinked at the complaint, but his smile quickly returned along with a small laugh. "Alicia hated it this way, too," he shrugged, making no further comment to excuse the stiff-looking style that had been imposed on him.

Liane smiled when she saw his expression… particularly at the fact that he was speaking of Alicia and smiling. _He's come a long way since that night in Altamira…._ With a sigh, she forced herself to drop the continuation of that thought. "It's just not… Regal," she declared quietly, leaning into his arm a little more.

"I suppose it isn't anymore, is it?" Regal sighed and looked up to the pale building that rose up before them and slowly started ahead again. "Is it obvious that I'm nervous about this?"

The question and its underlying vulnerability brought a slow smile to Liane's lips as she squeezed his arm gently. "Why do you think I offered to go somewhere else?" she asked, her eyes following his. "I'm here… remember our deal? I won't leave you to their mercies," the dark-haired woman told him, all the while hoping he wouldn't see how the idea of being on display for Tethe'alla's nobility bothered her as well.

"I should hope not," Regal smiled again, though it was a weaker gesture than before. "Even though the Pope is being investigated and Zelos had them remove our fugitive status, I was released from the dungeon illegally. There are some that won't forget that." He looked back down to her, his eyes once again serious. "I can only hope that the King himself doesn't _remember_ tonight…."

Liane's lips curled into a half-smile as one hand patted her skirt… and the dagger Sheena had told her how to hide beneath all the finery. "They'll take you over my dead body," she declared with as much bravado as she could muster and still keep her voice low. The area outside the palace was a slow parade of men and women bound for the celebration, though none had seemed to take notice of them as of yet. "If they're going to make me wear all the trappings that go with all of this satin, you can be sure I'm going to be armed."

Regal dipped his chin to her, a faint ghost of his smile on his lips to attest to his sincerity. "Thank you," he whispered and then sighed. "Do you think the others would hunt us down if we disappeared?"

_He's actually considering it?_ Liane had to say she was intrigued. "Maybe," she whispered with a shrug. "If we hurry back and change clothes, we'll be able to run faster, though," she suggested, kicking at the cobbled street beneath her skirt. While the dress was beautiful, she had to admit it was even more of a hassle when she knew she was really just a fighter disguised for the night.

"Hmm, they might catch up if we take time to change," Regal replied, a playful note returning to his voice. "Although, to get a head start on them, I could just carry you."

Liane blushed, but tried to ignore it as she played along and nodded. "Hey, if you've got better balance and traction than I do, it's not going to take much to convince me." She shrugged and glanced up to the palace doors again. "I don't belong here, either…."

The blue-haired Duke sighed. "You belong anywhere you want to be, Liane," he corrected her firmly. He waited until she looked back to him before his smile warmed again. "Now, where would you _like_ to be?"

"With me… on the dance floor… spinning romantically beneath chandeliers of candlelight!" a loud voice swooned behind the Duke and the swordswoman, sending them both spinning to face the redheaded Chosen and the ninja that stood beside him. "Or maybe at the center of attention – and the envy of every other eligible maid in attendance? Those are fun places, too!" Zelos offered with a wide grin, his hands stuffed suavely into his pockets as he waggled his eyebrows at Liane again.

_Eeeep._

Liane saw Sheena cross her arms over her chest, her glare never wavering from Zelos. _Okay, this is getting ridiculous,_ the swordswoman forbid herself from groaning, but still found a glare that she hoped matched the ninja's even as her hand tightened on Regal's arm. "No, I'm not really a center-of-attention kinda girl," she huffed, tilting her head to Zelos. "Besides… how romantic can it really be when you already have someone to escort?" she asked, pointedly shifting her gaze to Sheena. _Come on, Zelos… you're only sinking yourself here._

Zelos huffed, shaking his head as his smirk grew even more smug. "Hunny, you can no idea how romantic it could be… more hunnies _always_ equal more fun."

The breath rushed from Liane's lungs as she felt like she just might burst into flames. _Ouch. Walked right into that one, I guess, _she mentally kicked herself as she saw Sheena's arms tighten… and her cheeks darken as well, though it only seemed to accentuate her glare. Then, the scene changed in a flash, the redhead suddenly at Liane's side, his arm hooked over hers and practically tugging her off her feet. "Zelos!!" she protested, shooting a panicked look to Regal… then to Sheena… before she finally managed to catch her balance. Regal looked as surprised as she felt, but Sheena looked amused by the turn of events. "What are you doing?" she hissed as the guards stationed at the doors dipped their plumed helms as they passed. "I thought you and Sheena --"

"Paws off," Zelos snapped, stopping her with a small smirk, his eyes glittering as they stepped into the palace.

Liane's mouth fell open. "Excuse me?!"

The redhead laughed, the sound mingling with the dull roar of a gathering down the hallway. "That's what she said," he explained, still chuckling though he did spare a quick glance over his shoulder. "She said she had way too much bare skin tonight and it would only end with the Princess' guest of honor being one big bruise, if she knew my lack of control and her low tolerance for it." The Chosen shrugged, still looking decidedly pleased. "But that means tomorrow…."

"Tomorrow…?" Liane prompted, still trying to figure out why he looked so happy.

"Everything goes back to normal – back to the fight – back to our normal clothes," Zelos explained with a wave of his hand before he turned to meet her gaze and arched an eyebrow. "Paws _on._" He laughed again. "It's like _permission!_"

_Ah. So that's the loophole._ Liane sighed and shook her head. "You're a dead man. You know that, right?"

Zelos chuckled and dropped his hand over hers where it rested on his arm. "Live fast, die young, and leave a pretty corpse. Works for me," he sighed as his gait brought him just noticeably closer to Liane. "See, death by Sheena doesn't bother me that much. Beats a lot of other ways to go, ya know?" he murmured, but kept his eyes straight ahead.

Liane spared a look back over her shoulder to see Regal and Sheena following a few steps behind, the ninja where she had been before Zelos had dragged her away. The summoner gave her a small wave, looking as if she might laugh at any moment, but the look Regal gave her was distinctly apologetic. With a sigh, Liane shook her head to him and turned forward again. "You're really going to let tonight slip by?" she asked the Chosen, keeping her question low.

"Did I mention that 'death by Sheena' is not really such a bad thing to me?" Zelos asked in return, though the mischievous sparkle in his eyes had died back, his smile dimmed to the point of bearing a hint of sadness. "'Paws on' is just Plan B. Everyone has to have a Plan B, you know."

"Or you could try showing her that you're better than that," Liane suggested with a shrug. "Take a chance. Show her that she means more to you than bare skin to paw at. Then maybe tomorrow won't have to go back to normal… and you can both have some good memories for a change."

The redhead began to chuckle again. "That's going to be up to her, too, you know, but thanks," he patted her hand and then turned in front of her, keeping the hand and bowing low before her, placing a light kiss on it before he rose and winked at her. "Not everything is always under our control – so we have to take the chances we get, right?" he murmured and then released her, flipping his braid over his shoulder with a wave as he walked to the guard-blocked doorway ahead. "Enjoy dinner, my Warrior Goddess – and I'll be coming to collect on that dance!"

_What dance?_ Liane frowned, not remembering promising _anyone_ a dance until she realized that she wasn't alone… Regal once again at her left side and Sheena now on her right. As she heard one of the guards clear his throat to announce the Tethe'allan Chosen's arrival, she heard Sheena laugh.

"Sorry… I probably could have stopped that, but I figured he probably needed the chance to assure himself that he's every bit as charming as he thinks he is before he gets to his big party," the ninja offered Liane an apologetic shrug as the unseen crowd on the other side of the doorway cheered for Zelos' entrance.

Before Liane could respond, Regal sighed heavily, stopping any words she had for the ninja from forming. "I, too, must apologize. It appears I've already broken my word…."

Liane looked between the two of them and did the only thing that felt right – she laughed. Shaking her head as she turned, she slowly placed her hand back on Regal's arm, giving him the chance to back away if his earlier offer was no longer good.

"_We have to take the chances we get, right?"_

She liked the light-hearted wisdom… knowing that it ran deeper for both her and for Zelos, whether he realized it or not. "It's okay… both of you. He didn't do anything wrong, though…" she looked over to Sheena even as she felt Regal's arm tense to keep her hand in place. With a smile that he'd accepted her back, she smiled knowingly for the ninja. "Although, I think that dance he wanted… is yours, not mine."

Sheena's eyes widened in slight fluster, but Liane could only laugh as Regal started forward again. "You're certain you're not angry?" Regal murmured, lifting an eyebrow as he leaned a little closer. "I did not expect him to grab you away like that."

"It's fine… really," she assured the Duke. "I'm not scarred for life, trust me."

"That makes you one of the lucky ones," Sheena sighed as she stepped up to the unguarded doorway with her friends. "At least he spared us from having to be announced to the entire hall."

On their way into the dining hall, Regal quietly informed Liane that it was customary for the arrival announcements to stop once the guest of honor and his or her escort had arrived. By leaving her at the door to wait for regal and Sheena, Zelos had taken the assembly's attention on himself… and Liane felt a strange sense of gratitude for the redhead.

However, the subtle favor did not release them from the custom of seating arrangements – and Liane found herself guided to a seat between two heavily jeweled older women while Sheena and Regal were escorted to their seats on the other side of the hall. Nodding to the curious pleasantries of the women, Liane gradually spotted all of her friends in the crowd – no two of them seated together – and Zelos seated at Princess Hilda's side. Twisting her fingers together in her lap beneath the table, Liane did her best not to fidget – or act on the urge to leave.

"Dale," the woman to Liane's right murmured as she reached out to pick up Liane's place card and turn it thoughtfully in her fingers. "My dear, are you one of the Sybak Dales?" she laughed, a full, throaty sound that lapsed into an exaggerated sigh. "Sweet Martel, I haven't seen them in _years!_"

"No, Isebel," the woman to Liane's left leaned forward with a frown. "The Dales took over that land east of Ozette, remember?" she chided and then turned to Liane with an eager smile. "Isn't that right, dear?"

Liane cringed at the attention, wishing the women had started the conversation with anything but her home. "Ah, actually, I'm one of the Iselian Dales," she answered them both with a polite smile. _Now go back to ignoring me… please?_

Both women's faces went blank for a moment, but then the silver-haired one on the other had called Isebel smiled with recognition. "Oh! That's the charming little keep on the mainland across from Altamira, isn't it?" She laughed, pleased with the recollection. "Such a secluded place… no wonder I haven't seen you before!"

"No," Liane laughed weakly even as Isebel's friend stared at her in confusion. "No, Iselia… is in Sylvarant," she answered carefully. Then she sat back in her chair and waited.

First, Isebel's eyes went wide and her friend's chair scooted ever so slightly away from Liane. Then Isebel's chair mirrored the movement, also scooting away from the dark-haired young woman.

"Oh. You're with the… Chosen…." The woman on the left smiled weakly. "How… nice…."

Liane nodded politely, noting that the statement that would have actually fit with the inflection of the words would have been something like, 'Oh, you made this soup with dirty mop water? I'm going to be sick.' It was just as well, she decided… the rest of the dinner passed with good food and relative silence, even though Liane still wished for the presence of at least one of her friends. While they might have been guests at the party – no longer labeled as fugitives - she knew that the Tethe'allans had no reason to be fond of Sylvarant. The idea of mixing the travelers in with the court was a progressive move on the part of the King, though she couldn't believe that the women on either side of her were any more comfortable with the arrangements than she was.

The night took a turn for the better when the King stood and declared that the celebration would be moved to the ballroom. At his word, the large doors at the end of the dining room were thrown open, allowing the sweet strains of a string orchestra to lure the guests away from their empty plates.

Swept along with a sea of silks and satins that chattered merrily and all but completely ignored her, Liane wandered into the ballroom. It was a breathtaking sight – and once again that night, something that she only could have guessed at in the scope of its grandeur – and even then, her imagination wouldn't have come close. The vaulted ceiling with gilded buttresses… the chandeliers lit by countless tiny candle flames… it was all amazing – and she knew that she wouldn't forget the night she wandered into such a fairy tale.

Liane glanced around the room, looking for her companions as she tried to stay out of the way of couples heading for the dance floor and those merely mingling. She spotted Genis and Presea first… the young pair sitting on opposite sides of a bench against the wall near a sweeping staircase that trailed up to a second floor. From the blush on Genis' cheeks, she could only guess that he was trying to summon the courage to ask her to dance. _They're so adorable_, she smiled with a shake of her head. Next, she spotted Sheena, who seemed to be content to chat with a tall man in a heavily decorated uniform…

… _and staying on the far side of his broad shoulders from Zelos' view_, she chuckled at the observation. The Tethe'allan Chosen was already on the dance floor with the Princess grasped in a surprisingly proper frame of his arms as he led her to a spirited tune. But in observing Zelos, it was impossible to miss the bevy of over-dressed women huddled near the polished wooden floor, hungry eyes following every step the redhead took. A dance with the Princess was to be expected, given the nature of the celebration, but Liane could tell that he wouldn't be alone for long when the dance was over.

Moving along the edge of the room, Liane finally spotted the Professor and Regal talking on the far side of the room. No one bothered them… and, if she wasn't mistaken, they were both smiling… perhaps even enjoying their time at the party?

But no matter how hard she looked into the crowd, Liane couldn't find Lloyd or Colette. _They probably slipped out,_ she sighed, only really reassured by the fact that she had actually seen Lloyd at the banquet – and he had been smiling. Granted, there was food – and lots of it – but he looked happy enough in his stylish suit that Liane had to make the effort to forbid herself from musing on its resemblance to the Cruxis uniform of his father. It wasn't that she was worried about the disappearance of Lloyd and the blonde Chosen – she couldn't believe either would misbehave that badly… she simply envied them.

_So, why can't I follow the example?_

Liane assured herself that she had dressed up, made her appearance, and eaten her dinner… no one need an explanation if she chose to leave. Her mind set, she started for the grand staircase, but when she passed an elegantly filigreed mirror, her reflection halted her escape. She paused as her plan shifted, but then she continued to the staircase.

_It would be a shame to waste this dress and all of Sheena's work,_ she reasoned as she left the party and the crush of people behind, attempting to tie herself to the idea of returning. At the top of the stairs, she saw a wall of windows along the side of the hallway – and couldn't help but sigh in relief at the sight of the world outside the palace. _Maybe I'll just get some air,_ Liane decided, making her way to the doors and offering silent thanks as the pair of glass-paned doors gave way to the cool night air.

She found herself on a paved terrace enclosed by the walls of the palace, with one wall consisting entirely of windows into the top of the ballroom. The terrace was surrounded by a lush garden of trees and flowers that almost hid the walls to the point that the light from within the palace did nothing to overpower the moonlight that flooded the garden in an almost supernatural glow.

_Mom would love this,_ Liane smiled as she wandered out into the garden, moving between pools of moonlight and shadow in a place that she could only imagine belonging to the Princess. The random thought warmed her, and the image of the sweet, simple woman in her garden a world away was a welcome reminder of her reasons for coming to Tethe'alla in the first place, much less staying for the fight.

The cool – but not cold – night air bore a heavy fragrance from the pale blossoms that inhabited the manicured planters as well as the delicate arches that occasionally crossed over the path. It was quiet… as if the ball as well as the battle that loomed ahead of them were both being held at bay by the tall walls. Indulging in the decadent peacefulness, she stopped beside a planter to cup a fully open rose in her hand, guiding it to her nose even as a shiver danced over her skin.

"You look very nice tonight."

Liane straightened and spun at the words, surprised even though she was sure she knew the voice as well as her own. "Kratos?" she whispered, her eyes searching the shadows around her until she spotted the dark figure in the shadows of a flowering tree in the corner of the garden. Another shiver assured her that her eyes were not lying to her even though he blended almost perfectly into the shadows. He came to her as she wanted to remember him, his indigo uniform far more subtle than the gold-highlighted uniform that marked him as Cruxis even as the dark color reminded her of the truth of his existence. He was a death-bringer, a hardened warrior – one that she was sure that if he wanted her dead, she would already be cold on the ground.

He moved closer, but stopped a few steps from her, still not completely emerging from the shadows. He watched her warily, as if expecting her to be alarmed by his presence. But Liane remained still, her mind spinning at the fact that he was even there – much less that they were actually completely alone. "Th… thank you," she stammered, somehow finding her voice, though no more words would form. Too many things competed to spill out… too many questions, accusations, and pleas.

The angel remained motionless, the shadows around him threatening to swallow him. "I can leave…?"

She stepped to face him before she even realized that she had moved. It had been so long since they had actually been face to face without weapons crossed between them that she had almost forgotten the warmth in his rich mahogany eyes. Swallowing a lump in her throat when she realized how close they were - and how neither had spoken, she began to feel a pulse of panic rising in her stomach… and she edged backwards.

_Why… is he here?_

Kratos tilted his head to her, the shift in his bangs uncovering a gleam of curiosity in his eyes. "Liane, I –"

Liane drew a deep breath, and – in a decision she refused to think about past the instinct – she reached for his wrist, tugging him out of the shadows and into the pale light. She saw his eyes widen, but it was the only thing she had time to notice before her arms wrapped around his waist and she pulled herself flush to him.

"I'm glad you're all right."

As the soft words faded, details slowly came into focus… as if time had slammed to a stop and was slowly recovering. _Goddess… what… am I… doing?_ her logical side demanded as she realized how painful the burn in her cheeks was. _Let go!! Let go now!!_

Unwilling to give in to the scorching panic that now only seemed to want to shove him away, Liane swallowed hard and loosened her grip on the hug, preparing to step away – especially when she realized how tense he was… she may as well have embraced a statue.

_Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid…._

Before her berating, silent insults could fade from her mind, she felt the angel shift… and before she could move far enough back to even look up to him in question, she realized that the movement was his arms closing around her.

_He…._

The moment he pulled her back against his chest was the instant her mind gave up and fell into dumbfounded silence. For Liane, there was no thought… there was simply sensation: An eerily familiar warmth… and something that sounded like a chuckle rumbling in his chest beneath her ear.

"And I wasn't sure you would want to speak to me."

She pulled away from him enough to look him in the eye, a frown already curling her lips down even as her mind began to grind back into motion. "Why?" she asked. _Count the reasons…_ the snide thought snapped at her, and she started to release him again. _He tried to hand Colette over to Cruxis, he's tried to kill us a few times now, he tried to box us up and hand us over to the angels. Pick one._

Liane grimaced. _He tried. He didn't._ Sometimes he had gotten too close to succeeding, but each time, he had stopped – they had escaped with Colette, he bested them but never finished them, and they had escaped before the angels could do anything about it. _He still helped us in his own way… we wouldn't have been able to cure Colette without him._

He closed his hands over her shoulders with a sigh and pushed her back to arm's length. "At the risk of reminding you, the last time we really met, we weren't exactly on the same side?"

She shivered slightly, the reason was still fresh in her mind. Facing him at the Tower of Salvation had been like a nightmare, if she was honest with herself. All of the doubts that she had of him became that much more justified, even though he had still somehow managed to keep her out of the battle in his own way. "Are we now?" Liane asked with a tilt of her head, freeing the stubborn curl from over her ear again.

Kratos sighed and took a step back from her, his hands falling back to his sides. "I can't stay, if that's what you're asking."

"Of course you can't," she sighed, a drop in her shoulders betraying disappointment she didn't want to show… until his fingers caught her gently beneath her chin, lifting her eyes to his.

"I have to go back. And…" Kratos let his hand fall away. His expression was clouded, even in the shadows. "I couldn't tell you about Lloyd. I couldn't tell any of you."

Liane nodded even as she was still studying the moment. Kratos' touch had been gentle, especially in contrast to the power she knew he possessed… and his embrace had been fond… but it wasn't what her hazy memories had shown her. There was fondness… but there was no fire. The realization both surprised and relieved her, though she knew she wasn't ready to let go of the comparison. She understood what he said, and on some level, Liane had to admit that it hurt. Long before she had accepted that he had his own agenda, but deep down, she could see that she always trusted that that agenda would bring him back to their group.

"What happened last night – Yuan placing Lloyd in harm's way because of what he is to me – is exactly why I couldn't tell anyone, even Lloyd," the seraph continued speaking, filling the silence with his explanation.

His voice was quiet but even, making his reasoning even _feel_ solid, but Liane still couldn't keep her gaze from sharpening on him. "Were you ever planning on telling him yourself?" It was the fact that she was sure she knew the answer that lit a spark of anger inside of her.

Kratos turned – not completely away from her – but enough that the shadows of the flowering trees shaded his expression. "It probably would have been better for him if I didn't."

The swordswoman's gloved hand curled into a fist before she even realized that anger's spark had been fanned into a flame. "He has a right to know about his parents," she stated, her tone hardening. She had watched the night that Lloyd had learned of his mother's fate, though she had barely been able to shrug off the effects of the Desian drugs to keep her own thoughts from exploding. Kratos had been there that night – he had seen what Kvar's tale did to the boy – and more, the angel had been one of _them_ that night.

Kratos sighed – a frustrated sound in the quiet of the garden. "He was happier when he knew they were dead."

Liane blinked at his answer… then she started to shake her head, a sad smile curling her lips. "You can't say that, Kratos," she chided him, clasping her hands behind her back. She had to stop there when she saw the flash of his eyes shifting to her… taking a moment to choose her words carefully. She had seen Lloyd grow… she had been there for the times when he had struggled with the absence of his parents, but she didn't need to remind him of that. "Lloyd came to accept it… but he was never happy about it," she responded slowly. "But you have to know that he's idolized you since he met you. Don't you think that there could be some recognition mixed into that? Kratos, _you_ share blood with him – don't you think there's strength in that tie?" the dark-haired young woman's smile melted slowly. "You need to talk to him." She swallowed, sparing only an instant for indecision. "More than you did last night. Don't leave him alone now. If you do that now, you really might lose him forever."

The angel remained silent… frozen as if measuring her words. Then he shifted enough to bring his gaze back to her. "And you? Now that you know?"

Her eyes widened as her mind raced to read into his question. _Is he asking…?_ Liane's throat went dry. Was she ready to make the leap – to admit to the truth she felt… was that his challenge? Her heart thumped painfully in her chest. _Lloyd. He's talking about Lloyd,_ she told herself firmly as the part of her that thrilled at the possibility of finally settling the questions that tormented her once and for all shrieked in defeat. "I… can't imagine what you've been though," she answered honestly, though she instantly felt as if she had betrayed herself. "But I also don't think that was how you wanted to be introduced to your son. He has a good heart, Kratos. I think you need to worry less about who knows what… and concentrate on him. Have faith that he can understand."

"He has his mother's heart," Kratos replied simply, turning to face her completely, staring intently back into her eyes.

His words shook Liane once again, churning inside her… making it easier than ever before to believe that he had all of the answers she needed. All she had to do was ask – to reach out to him. As sure as she'd been all along that he was the key… as much as she had wanted the chance to ask… to have him explain… they were alone and face to face at last…

… and the words she needed utterly failed her.

Liane frowned as she floundered – though, if he was waiting for her to say something, he gave no indication of it. She knew that he had essentially agreed with her… that by tying Lloyd to Anna's heart, he would have her forgiving nature. _I want to forgive him… I do… but…._ So much had happened. Kratos had taken a stand, fallen in love, and then lost everything. She ached for him in that – Liane couldn't mistake it for anything else. But what she couldn't forgive him for wasn't that he had turned on them or that he had deceived and fought them… it was that he had given up. In the face of his loss, he had surrendered. It felt cruel to judge him, but at that moment, she was sure that she had never wanted to be more removed from Anna. _If she knew… if she could see… it would break her heart._

Perhaps it was a flash of protectiveness for a woman she had never truly met. Liane was only certain that the gesture didn't feel malicious as she lifted her left hand out to him, the silver bracelet capturing the moonlight between them. "Here," she murmured, her hazel eyes seeking his. "I haven't let it out of my sight since you gave it to me, but you need it with you. After all, its Anna's isn't it?" Her eyes began to burn as she willed her tears away. She realized that the bracelet had been a promise of sorts – that he would return… even if it was just for one more time to reclaim it from her. It was important to him… a link to his lost love. It was more… but she just couldn't quite pull the extent of it from her memories.

Kratos watched her closely, his eyes burning into hers instead of moving to the pale shine of the bracelet. Then, after too many painfully silent moments, he lifted his hand to hers and gently pushed it back down to her side. "No. Keep it safe. It belongs with you."

As he withdrew his hand, she stared at him in surprise. Of course she had a fondness for the bracelet – it was beautiful in its simplicity… and the fact that she knew it stood for so much more left her unable to refuse his request. There was little doubt in her mind that he knew of her link to Anna, though how much he knew, she couldn't start to guess. So many questions still swirled in her head that she didn't know where to start – nor did she know which or how many of them it would take before she lost a piece of herself to the answers. Her eyes fell back to the bracelet… and she almost missed him stepping back into the shadows.

Almost.

"Kratos?" she murmured, frowning as she lifted her eyes again. There was a flash of relief as she saw him just a few steps away and moving closer again. _I… I have to ask _something_…_ she told herself sternly. _I can't waste this!_

But when he reached the edge of the moonlight and lifted his hand, finding a question to ask lost all importance.

Clutched lightly in his outstretched hand was a burn of dark pink and white that practically glowed in the cool light that filled the garden. Liane's eyes widened as she instantly recognized the flower. "A Stargazer Lily," she breathed out, her hand shaking as she reached out to take the bloom. "Why?"

His lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile as he lowered his hand away from her. "I believe Anna liked them for their name," he murmured his response. "The first time you described them, you described their color first." Kratos shrugged to punctuate the observation. "I thought you might like it."

Liane looked back to the flower, stunned. It was through Anna's memories that she knew the bloom, but her reaction – even through her daze at the time – had been to recall the blaze of color. A small breeze rustled through the garden as she looked up to the angel, amazed at the simple gesture that still indicated that he _knew_ – even as it showed her that she had her own restrictions to the things that crossed her experiences with Anna's. He had given her a single flower – well, actually _stolen_ – but she doubted the Princess would miss the single bloom. "Thank you…."

"Liane --?"

Another voice burst the quiet bubble of understanding in the garden, and Liane sucked in a breath as she whirled, once again not really having to look to know who had found her. "Regal?" she breathed out, keenly aware of Kratos' presence behind her as the Duke approached. _Oh, Goddess…._

Regal stopped short as he rounded the turn in the walkway, looking surprised that the swordswoman was not alone. Surprise quickly boiled down to a glare as his eyes narrowed on the agent of Cruxis. "I suppose it would have been too much to ask for you to keep your distance after all of the trouble you've caused," the convict muttered, his low voice bearing a painfully sharp edge.

Kratos' eyes glazed to an icy sheen the moment Regal stepped into view, glare sharpening after the shackled man spoke. He didn't move, allowing Liane to remain between them. "I hadn't realized that you had planned a meeting," he stated in a low growl. "Perhaps I shouldn't have come."

Liane wasn't sure who the angel was speaking to, but the tangible friction between Regal and Kratos robbed her of words. She remained frozen in place, staring at Regal… searching for some sign of what he would do or say after catching her with Kratos… no matter how innocent the situation actually was.

"I merely came to warn Liane that Zelos was looking for her," Regal responded, his answer clearly _too _measured in combination with his glare that never wavered from Kratos. "I did not expect to find you here – now – when you could easily be caught."

"I have no need to explain myself to you," Kratos replied icily, tilting his head in a hint of a challenge to Regal. "And I wasn't aware that Liane needed protection from the Chosen."

With a groan that weighed her shoulders down, Liane shook her head. At that instant, she wasn't sure she could absolutely define her relationship to either man, but she knew that watching them fight was definitely not what she wanted. "Look, both of you… please don't do this," she pled quietly. She was already far beyond her area of comfort at the formal party, but any chance of letting it simply be a small escape from their trials – even for the night – was quickly dissolving.

"How would you be aware of anything Liane wants or needs when you cannot even stay by her side?" the Duke challenged Kratos, advancing a step closer to where Liane separated the two, paying no notice to Liane's attempt to diffuse the dispute.

Kratos' lips pressed into a thin smirk. "I am far more aware than you think," he replied directly to Regal, the lightest touch of menace in his tone, ignoring Liane's request as well as he stepped out from behind her to face the convict. "At least when I come to speak with her, my intentions are –"

Liane stared at Kratos, her mouth falling open as her mind gleefully raced ahead to finish Kratos' statement. _He… he can't… he… he wasn't there…?!_ Logic wasn't keeping up with the stream of thoughts, though all it would have done was slow them. No matter the flash of panic that had already set fire to her cheeks, there was one destination for her thoughts. _He saw us…._

The angel's hesitation drew out over a long breath as his eyes flashed to the swordswoman – and she sighed. "Never mind," he continued with a small shake of his head as he looked back to the blue-haired man. "This isn't the place for this. Wouldn't you agree, Duke Bryant?"

Regal bristled slightly at the question. "That is up to Liane," he stated with forced civility, "… as I have given her my word that I would not stop her from seeing you." If he had any curiosity as to Kratos' lost comment, it didn't show in his even tone.

Liane saw the shackled man's eyes shift to her, the sincerity in the shadowed blue telling her that he truly was leaving the decision up to her. He would allow her to send him away… though even she knew that wasn't the best idea, given the circumstances. She drew in a long breath – a surrender to the fact that, once again, time had run out. Kratos was an intruder within the palace walls – and she refused to complicate matters any more than they already were – not when she was certain that the questions she needed to ask would only come if she was alone with the angel. Offering Regal a weak nod, Liane turned to the angel, silently praying that her words wouldn't be the end of her only chance to speak with him – to understand what he knew. "Kratos, if Zelos is on the way… please don't get caught here for my sake." She couldn't see any other reason for him to have come on that night… not considering that he hadn't had to make himself known to her… but he had.

Kratos nodded, his expression betraying nothing. "Be careful," he ordered gently, his voice firm as he kept her gaze. "This situation is getting more dangerous with every passing moment." Then he shifted his eyes to the convict and he slowly turned his head to catch up to the shift. "And if I can appeal to you to keep your urges in check to help keep her safe…?"

"Don't waste your breath," Regal practically snapped at the angel. "I would guard her life with my own and she knows it." The Duke inhaled – as if in a bid for calm, though his glare for the angel never dulled. "If you are so concerned with how dangerous things are becoming, why do you insist on leaving?"

_Regal…._ Liane's heart sank as her friend stood up for her, stating the hard truth because she didn't have the nerve to do it. For her, the specter of the chance that her own mind had spun a tale of impossible bonds that simply could _not_ be true was enough to not press the matter and try to keep Kratos around for long enough so that he would be able to laugh at her. Her friend trusted her though – he listened – and he knew that, in her heart, she believed Kratos held the only key.

As Liane stood frozen in the wake of Regal's challenge, Kratos squared his shoulders to the blue-haired convict. "If anything happens to her, I will be looking for you."

For just an instant, a flash of surprise that mirrored Liane's lit Regal's eyes. But then, it was gone… and the Duke drew himself up to his full height to look down on the angel's glare. "Nothing will happen to Liane under my protection – as, unfortunately, whatever other business you have makes you too occupied to offer her your own." The pointed words may as well have been a dismissal… but then Regal drew another breath. "It would seem that whatever else you might be, a guardian angel is not a role you have the ability to play."

"It is precisely your protection – and your motives – that I am questioning," Kratos replied, edging a small step that may as well have been a lunge closer to the Duke. "I have no need to explain myself to you."

Regal, however, did not back down. "Perhaps not. But have you ever done so to Liane? Have you ever told her just what you're doing? Or why you keep her at a distance when you must be able to see that it causes her pain?" He shook his head with a small huff of disdain. "Or do you just not feel the need to explain yourself to her either?" He shifted his eyes to Liane for just a moment, and his glare faded. "As for my own intentions, I have told her. She knows them." Then, with one more sigh, he looked to Kratos again. "Therefore, I do not feel the need to explain myself to you, either."

Above anything else, Regal had always been her friend. Even in confronting Kratos, he still kept both her secrets and his word to her not to separate her from the angel. Liane was grateful beyond words for both, but it had to be pushed away for the moment. She stepped between the two men with a heavy sigh and firmly planted a hand on each of their chests, the one that touched Kratos still bearing the flower he had given her. "Stop it. Both of you." She kept her eyes cast down. "Kratos, please go. Like you said, this isn't the place… or the time." They had agreed to leave the decision to her – and she made it. For a few impossibly long moments, neither man moved, neither acknowledging her wishes. A heartbeat before Liane was sure she would simply scream in frustration, Kratos nodded… and stepped back out of her touch.

"I'll go," the angel stated, his shadowed eyes fixed on Liane. "I will see you soon."

Liane cringed, knowing that the comment had enough bite to it that it was likely meant more for Regal's benefit than hers. But she still nodded, trying not to watch the angel retreat into the shadows. Turning to face her friend completely, she let her hand fall from his chest… and forbid herself to turn as a burst of blue-green light momentarily banished the shadows. She kept her back turned to Kratos' departure… the wings just one more reminder she didn't need or want. The swordswoman sighed, finding herself unable to look up to her friend. He had defended her… stood up for her… and she had let the opportunity slide through her fingers. "Regal, I'm sorry…."

"Liane…." Regal's voice was much softer, the agitation held behind his words for Kratos gone. He shifted his weight as he faced her in the uncertainty that Kratos left behind. "I…."

_He doesn't know what to say, either,_ Liane realized with a small bit of relief. Her pessimistic side expected at very least an 'I told you so' even though he had encouraged her to talk to Kratos all along. Whether or not he liked it – she could clearly see that he didn't – he accepted her need, even though she couldn't explain it and still sound sane. She shook her head and chuckled – a sound far more sad than she intended when she could finally look up to him again. "You know that he's not going to hurt me, don't you?" she asked with a helpless shrug, reason fueled by nothing more than instinct driving her words. "I don't think I've ever seen him like that. I would have thought he'd leave as soon as you arrived instead of pressing things…."

"I believe he dislikes me for the fact that you and I are close," Regal murmured, his eyes falling to the flower she clutched in her hand. "And while it seems that – in spite of everything – he doesn't mean you harm, I still cannot trust him."

The swordswoman accepted his statement with a sad smile, her eyes following his to the lily. "I suppose that's one thing I have no right to ask of you." Liane wanted to, though. She wanted someone to understand – to see something close to what she did… to prove to herself that she wasn't simply remaining stubbornly blind to the truth. "I didn't expect him… I just needed some air and…." Her voice trailed off. "I didn't want the night to end like this, though."

"Who said anything about the night ending?" the Duke asked with a shrug, concern etched into his face. "Are you all right?" he questioned before a long sigh slipped from his lips. "I should apologize. I did not mean to agitate the situation… or to intrude. I made things more difficult. Please forgive me."

"It's okay." Liane shook her head, almost surprised to feel the start of a smile tugging at her lips as she reached out with her free hand to place it on his arm. He was protecting her – no matter how much he wanted to believe she didn't need protection from Kratos. She sought his eyes… and when she caught his gaze, she actually found a small laugh for him. "I suppose it was a bit… flattering… in the spirit of the night and all." When he tilted his head to her in question, she laughed again and batted a hand at her skirt to use it as her exhibit. "You know… damsel in distress being fought over and all…" Then she bit her lip and glanced away as a ripple of heat rolled over her cheeks. _Did… I just call them fighting over me… flattering? Oh, Goddess…._ "Wow… _that_ sounded egotistical," she grumbled. "This dress is bad for me."

Regal chuckled in response, shaking his head as he leaned slightly to catch her eye again. "Not as egotistical as it would have sounded coming from someone like Zelos." He waited until she looked back up to him again before he continued. "He really was looking for you. I saw you slip up the stairs, but he must have missed it if he's not here yet."

"I thought he was just kidding about a dance," Liane groaned, feeling a bit more tension evaporate. "It looked like he had partners lined up to last all night… why does he want me?"

The Duke arched an eyebrow to her. Then a tiny sparkle of amusement betrayed his placid expression. "He might have wanted to try to make Sheena jealous after she got fed up with his roving hands and slapped him?"

Liane's mouth fell open as she stared at him. "Sheena… slapped him??"

"Indeed."

_Goddess, Zelos… are you really that stupid?_ She wanted to groan, but somehow, only a giggle came out – encouraged by how obvious it was that Regal was trying to hold back a smile. "And I missed it?!"

Her question broke the Duke's smile free. "Even the King himself laughed."

The levity felt like how Liane was sure a rain in Triet would feel – a balm to inflamed nerves… unfortunately, even the quiet laughter covered the sound of the glass doors, leaving only the smooth steps of Tethe'alla's Chosen to alert them to the presence when he was all too close.

"Whew… Regal, buddy… you found her!" The redhead made a show of drawing his sleeve across his brow in relief as he reached out to snag Liane's hand. He tugged her close enough to wrap an arm around her waist before she could protest. "C'mon, my Warrior Goddess – time to make all the blue bloods jealous, hunny!" he laughed and tossed a wave over his shoulder to Regal. "Thanks again, buddy!"

"And by blue bloods, you mean ninjas?" Liane asked as Zelos' insistent grip dragged her away for the second time that evening. "Zelos, I… I'm not really…" she stammered, glancing back over her shoulder to Regal. She wasn't sure if the amused smirk the shackled man wore was leftover from remembering the cause of the Chosen's noticeably red check or if it was to her reaction to Zelos. The redhead's overzealous displays of attention weren't things she knew how to deal with… either on the surface or simply being used to make Sheena jealous. She looked up to Zelos… and almost panicked that he hadn't even tried to recognize her protests. _This isn't good,_ Liane shook her head, trying to brace her feet against Zelos' momentum without making a scene that could only end with a ripped dress and skinned knees. _His other cheek's gonna match if –_

Suddenly, warmth closed over Liane's flailing wrist and gently pulled her out of Zelos' grasp. There was no one else it could be, but Liane still gasped as Regal offered her a quick wink and then turned his eyes up to meet Zelos' pout with an apologetic shrug.

"You'll have to find another dance partner, Chosen," Regal told the swordsman as he offered Liane his arm. "Liane has already agreed to be mine."

Liane had no hope of controlling her blush at Regal's claim, but she still slipped her hand onto Regal's arm and shrugged to Zelos. "Sorry, Zelos… we were just heading back in," she smiled as her blue-haired friend began to lead her past the Chosen and out of the garden. "But you could try apologizing to Sheena?" she suggested, hoping Zelos might somehow just _take _the advice.

"Yeah, she'll accept that… with a fist," Zelos rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You kids go have fun… I'll just throw myself on the mercy of some Duchess… or Countess… or… maybe Raine…."

Trying to hold back a laugh at least until she got back into the Palace. Liane let out a sigh of relief as Regal opened the door for her and she stepped inside. The laugh slipped away from her as the Duke let the door close behind them… and then moved to offer her his arm again. She stared at the arm for a moment and then looked back up to him. "Are you serious?" she asked in a dry whisper, her laughter gone. "You'll dance with me?"

Regal hesitated and began to lower his arm. "I'll understand if you do not want to…?"

Liane shook her head quickly, smiling without giving it another thought as she reached for his arm. "No, it's not that," she insisted with a nervous laugh. "I just didn't think you would want to…."

He looked surprised for just a moment, but then he brought his arm back up for her – a somewhat awkward position as he kept his shackles close to his body – but he still wore a slight smile. "I must admit, I haven't danced in quite some time… but I think I would still make an adequate partner to keep Zelos from claiming a dance you don't wish to spend with him."

"It's not that, really," Liane huffed softly, glancing ahead to the glow from the ballroom that filled the hallway ahead. "I just know that I'm not the one he wants to dance with – and I don't want to be his excuse." She then tilted her head to look up to her friend as he began to lead her toward the sounds of the celebration. "And I'm sure you'll be far more than an 'adequate' dance partner, Regal… it's not like ballroom dancing is taught in Iselia – or anywhere in Sylvarant, for that matter."

"Mmmm. Cozy."

The amused purr came from behind Regal and Liane, bringing them both to a stop to turn in unison to find Zelos a few paces behind. Liane's hand fell from Regal's arm as she stared at the Chosen's smug smile. _I didn't even hear him come in behind us…._

"_I just know that I'm not the one he wants to dance with – and I don't want to be his excuse."_

Liane frowned, wondering if Zelos had heard her… but it took her only a heartbeat to realize that she hoped he had. "Zelos…."

The redhead held up a hand to stop her. "Nope. My Warrior Goddess is right. It's the glorious Violent Demonic Banshee that I want, but I seem to have a problem with minding my hands," he murmured, tapping his chin thoughtfully as he began to stroll past them. "Hmm… maybe I can get points for my matchmaking skills? I mean, hunnies _love _an instinct for romance, right?" Zelos reasoned as he continued down the hall, sounding more pleased with himself with every step. "_Then_, I can show her my _own_ brand of romance! It's perfect!" He waved over his shoulder without looking back. "Thanks, guys!"

The swordswoman could only stare at the back of the Chosen's head as he turned and disappeared down the staircase. _Matchmaking…?_ It was impossible not to think back to the Tower, when Zelos had done his best to knock her into Regal… but… matchmaking?! _It's not like that… it's…._ Liane's eyes slipped up to Regal before she thought about it – and found herself caught by a look in which she found similar confusion. _Is… it?_ She blinked and quickly slipped her hand back onto his arm, making a very conscious decision to ignore the hurt she felt in her cheeks and muster a laugh. "Everyone has to have a hobby, I guess… looks like his is Sheena…."

Had both hands not been occupied, Liane would have smacked herself in the forehead. _Oh, that wasn't lame or anything… nothing like stating the obvious to show that you're _perfectly_ at ease…._ But it was in that moment of self-chastisement that she realized that she hadn't looked away from Regal – nor had he looked away from her. The Duke hadn't spoken… in fact, he seemed to be searching her eyes… and in his….

She had to look away.

_He… looks so sad._

Had Zelos' comment once again reminded Regal of everything he had lost? Liane fidgeted for a moment, wading in a slow swell of panic to break the painful silence.

_He wishes Alicia was here on his arm instead of me._

The thought almost stung with maliciousness as she had to fight to ignore a twist in her chest. Was her presence just bringing him more pain?

_Just like Kratos wishes Anna was here… instead of me._

Liane winced at that thought… and the flower in her hand suddenly felt impossibly heavy. The bite of both thoughts was entirely self-inflicted, but she couldn't deny either of them… because she couldn't blame Regal or Kratos if they were true. The dark-haired young woman dipped her chin and sighed. _No. It's not right,_ she told herself. _It's not right to them… and it's not right to me. I can't help what happened in the past. It doesn't have to be romance, Zelos. I just want a night to experience something new for myself… without someone else's shadow hanging over me._

Her eyes settled on the top of the staircase where Zelos disappeared… and Liane found her smile again. "Oh, no… we have to go back _down_ the stairs, don't we?" Falling was a much more immediate threat than Zelos' plans… and as much as she hated knowing she couldn't trust her shoes, it was still a fear… and a very real one at that.

Venturing a look back up to Regal, she saw one eyebrow slowly arch… and – thankfully – the glimmer of still-raw sadness faded just a little into the look he gave her.

"Would you like me to carry you?" the shackled man asked, an amused challenge coloring the words.

The swordswoman glared at him for the comment, though she couldn't keep a smirk from accompanying the glare as she rolled her eyes and once again placed her hand on his arm. It felt like a summer breeze had warmed the corridor… the shades of the past heeding her banishment at last. "Oh, wouldn't _that_ just make tongues wag."

Regal shrugged nonchalantly and began to lead Liane back toward the stairs again. "As if they weren't going to do so with Zelos reaching the ballroom first, anyway."

Liane couldn't help it… she giggled. And it felt good. While she still had the feeling that Regal would make good on the offer if she would only give the word, she still shook her head, giving his arm a small squeeze. "No… you might have to have a little patience, but I'll make it," she assured him, even though a glance to the stairs in question shook her confidence just a little. "After all, I made it up… I can make it back down, right?"

"When you say you can make it back down," Regal started, looking down on her, his face a mask of propriety except for a faint spark of amusement in his eyes, "… that plan doesn't involve falling, does it?"

"Well, that _would_ be the quickest way," Liane shrugged, the banter feeling both new and - at the same time – so comfortable. The levity would only keep reality at bay for so long, but it was a luxury she desperately wanted to afford – even if it was just for the night. "Wouldn't want Zelos' little rumor mill to have time to have us married off by the time we get back to the floor, after all, now do we?"

They paused at the top of the stairs, hesitating as they both looked down over the swarming revelry. "If that's what you'd prefer," the Duke shrugged, turning a little to watch Liane as she eyed the steps before her. "But I _did_ offer to carry you."

"I know," Liane sighed, shifting her grip on his arm as she caught the edge of her skirt in with the flower in her other hand. "Remind me again why I agreed to this tonight?" she asked as she met his gaze. "This… isn't me. I'd be able to run up and down theses stairs blindfolded if I had my boots…."

"I don't know what to tell you, Liane," Regal replied to her plea with a sympathetic shrug. "You and I both know that I'm not exactly happy with having agreed to come, either."

The swordswoman nodded slowly, her eyes seeking the dance floor and setting it as her goal. "One dance," she murmured without looking away from her destination, summoning her determination. "Then maybe we can leave?" A weary chuckle shook her bared shoulders. "I'm sure our reputations will be destroyed by then anyway – I'll be written off as a klutz… you'll be the poor guy stuck with the task of keeping me upright."

"I cannot speak for yours, but I don't believe there was much of my reputation left when I arrived tonight," the Duke murmured as he gave her a small smile and gestured for her to start down the stairs.

Liane sucked in a quick breath and stepped down with only Regal as support. As the fabric swirled against her ankles, she realized how truly patient he was being with her as he kept their progress slow… yet with grace mixed into his steady movements. He kept his arm at just the right angle… knowledge she could see could only come through experience. She glanced up to him, needing to see him in the opulent setting… as close as she could come to seeing him as he had been before his life had been altered so tragically. He was still recognizable… and even though she knew that the much-more defined class structure of Tethe'alla probably would have meant that they never would have met, had his life been different… she still thought that it suited him. _You deserved better, Regal,_ she declared silently and sighed, her eyes falling back to the steps –

- as her slipper suddenly slid out from beneath her weight.

"Oh…" Liane gasped as she felt the air suddenly rush past her. It all happened so fast that she barely had time to realize that she truly was falling, much less curse that her jokes about falling had become self-fulfilling prophecies. She barely had time to clench her eyes shut and brace herself for the tumbling part of her fall before she realized that she was no longer falling… or tumbling.

_Huh?_

Cracking her eyes open, she realized that she was cradled in the loop of Regal's arms, with one of her arms thrown back over his shoulder. For just an instant, they stared at each other in surprise… and Liane's blush blazed. He was suddenly so close… true to her word of watching over her. So close that her thoughts broke free of her control to wander back to a beach somewhere across the Tethe'allan seas –

_No!_

Liane's mind screamed at her, forbidding the memory to take her any further. She swallowed hard… and hastily chuckled. "So… I guess now you can see what you're up against with me as a dance partner," she managed, ducking her chin to break eye contact before he could see what she had been on the verge of remembering.

Regal remained for a moment longer before he tilted her back onto her feet and then hovered until she steadied herself. "I'm sure if you fall then, I'll be able to catch you again," he assured her with a shrug and then offered her his arm again.

As she reached for his arm, Liane heard a ripple of murmurs from the crowd below… and she grit her teeth in dread as she turned enough to look down and see that the incident had not gone unnoticed by at least the handful of nobles near the foot of the stairs. "Regal… I'm so sorry," she whispered with a frown for having made them a spectacle… that she had drawn attention to them both.

"What for?" the Duke asked with a shrug, keeping his arm out for her, his eyes never leaving her – and at least physically ignoring the whispers of the crowd. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you? You're not apologizing because we won't be able to have the dance you promised me?" he arched his eyebrow at her in a question that carried both concern and challenge.

Liane smiled at his response and shook her head. "Of course not," she assured him and took his arm. No matter what happened that night, their group would be under the court's scrutiny. She also knew that Regal would have probably rather have been anywhere but at the party… but he remained with her. It was enough for her. "Thank you… for the assistance," she murmured to him gratefully when they finally stepped off the staircase onto the polished floor of the ballroom.

The blue-haired man moved forward to turn and face her, offering her a bow before he extended his hands to her. "You're most welcome. And now, may I have this dance?" He straightened, smirking slightly at the surprised look she gave him as he shrugged. "I thought it better if I at least asked you properly."

She knew that she probably looked absolutely dim at that instant, but –

_A Duke… just asked me to dance…._

Any other time, she would have laughed at the absurdity of such a thing… but that was when such a thing was only the stuff of fairy tales – or the questionable novels Genis swore he found hidden behind the reference books on Raine's bookshelf at their home. Liane nodded her acceptance, but then remembered the flower that she still held after everything that had befallen her. It was a sturdy bloom… looking none the worse for wear even after her fall, but she didn't want to lose it in her perhaps-futile bid to impersonate a proper dance partner for Regal. She glanced around for a place to set it down… some place safe where it wouldn't be disturbed until she came back for it once the dance was done.

A gentle movement distracted her from her search as the lily disappeared from her hand. With a small frown of confusion, she turned and saw Regal lifted it and carefully tucked it into a bound curl behind her ear. Liane watched him with a curious eye as he withdrew his hands. Something flitted in his eyes… something in his gaze that didn't quite fit with the hint of a smile on his lips… something she couldn't read. "Thank you," she smiled for him, warmed by the tender solution he had found for her.

"You're welcome," Regal answered and squared himself to her again, this time extending both hands to her, but leaving her the decision to take them or not.

She could practically feel a buzz of interest from those that were crowded around them, but Liane ignored it and placed her left hand in his. The Duke lightly closed his hand over hers and turned to lead her through the sea of strangers, but as they approached the dance floor, she heard the orchestra start its next set… one particularly slower to her ear than earlier tunes had been… and she hesitated, almost pulling her hand from his. "It's pretty slow," she murmured as low as she could when regal looked back to her. "Do you want to wait for a faster song?"

The Duke blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"Well," Liane fidgeted, her weight shifting a little as she tried to find a way to explain. "A slow dance… means we'll have to be fairly… um… close…?" she shrugged, nodding toward the dance floor where a mix of couples swirled around, some clearly closer than others as shown by the rigidity of their hold on one another. If Regal had already been reminded of the one girl he probably wanted to share a dance with that night… _I can't force myself on him… I can't._

Regal's smile disappeared completely into his mask of calm, only that odd something from before giving any life to his eyes. "If you're uncomfortable –"

"No!" She answered perhaps a bit louder than she should have, if the looks she got from those around her were any indication. Biting the inside of her lip, she moved closer to him, pressing her side to his as she leaned up closer to his ear. "No… I just didn't know if you would want to," she explained quietly, inwardly cursing the tiny swell of panic that he would finally give up and leave her standing there. "I didn't know if _you_ wanted to be that closer to me in this crowd. I don't want you to be uncomfortable….." _It already has to be hard enough on you tonight…._

He leaned ever so slightly closer to her, a small bit of his smile returning as he took her hand again. "It isn't as if I haven't been that close to you before," Regal told her and tugged her hand gently to urge her to follow him forward.

Liane smiled in relief and followed without another question. His reasoning was comforting… and as he turned to her and lifted his bound hands for her to come closer, she couldn't help but remember how their friendship had truly started. It wasn't in the sewers of Meltokio… nor was it in Gaoracchia Forest where he had so easily disarmed her. It was in the simplicity of shared cooking duties… or just in a hug that they both needed. _He's right, _the swordswoman told herself as she stepped into the circle of his arms, ignoring the whispers of those that lined the edge of the dance floor as his wrists came to lightly rest at the back of her waist. _It's not that much different…._ Her blush suggested otherwise, though, as she struggled with what she would do with her own hands. The easiest thing would probably be to drape them over his waist, but as she looked to the other dancers, she saw that the women had their hands as high as the men, normally, one grasped high in their frame… and the other resting on his arm. "Ah…" she murmured, shifting a little to free her arms and reach to gingerly lace her fingers behind his neck. "Is this okay?" Liane whispered, looking up at him as she realized how close the position actually was.

"It's fine," Regal assured her with a nod… and a smile. "Just… follow my lead."

_Easier said than done,_ Liane's thoughts snapped as he took a small step backwards, taking her with him. Her eyes widened… waiting for the graceless fall she sensed waiting for her…

… but it never came.

With a few smooth steps, Liane found the pattern that he set for them and they moved into the flow of the other dancers. As amazed as she was, the world still seemed to fade away, leaving her in a moment of memory that she greedily assured herself was all hers. For a few precious notes and the steps that accompanied them, things _could_ be simple. Talking wasn't necessary… and Liane finally found a safe place to allow her thoughts to roam. She still felt safe with Regal, but there were things she had to settle with herself… things she couldn't ask him to help her understand. The question of Anna and Kratos was one thing… but the Duke himself was another.

She and Regal seemed to have been fully conscious of allowing each other their distance since…. Liane swallowed hard and her eyes slipped up to her dance partner with an irrational flash of fear that he would know her thoughts. But when he did little more than nod encouragingly, the swordswoman exhaled and returned his smile.

_Since that night._

It wasn't that they had been distant from each other… but it _had_ complicated things, as much as she didn't want it to. But even that knowledge didn't keep her from holding the memory close to her heart with a guilt that she simply couldn't explain to Regal. Liane still felt like she was treading on Alicia's memory with every stray thought she had of that night… particularly of those stolen moments on the beach.

Liane shook her head, reminding herself that that night was simply about two lost souls… and a bit of warmth that they both needed to remember that being lost didn't have to mean being alone. Still… even with the questions that about that night that still maddeningly demanded attention… it had solidified her knowledge that – no matter how dark her world became – all she had to do was reach out… and he would be among those that would reach for her hand. Regal had even proven it in the garden… carrying her frustration for her when she couldn't… taking Kratos to task when her instincts had left her second-guessing her every thought for the angel. Regal had been her voice –

_- and he protected me from Zelos._

She blinked in surprise at the thought that suddenly felt so much lighter set against the others. But, even though she was surprised, Liane still smiled… and curled a little more against Regal, her hold on him doubling as a hug as she closed her eyes.

_Thank you._

Marveling at the ease with which he led her around the dance floor, Liane began to write off his claims of being out of practice as just another facet of his humble side. He made it easy to believe that she _was_ dancing, though she knew that any grace found in that dance was his doing. At least as much as she heard the music, she felt it though Regal. And while she did her best to keep up, Liane knew that her lack of confidence had to show. Much like her yearning to trade her slippers for her boots, she knew she was better with her sword and daggers than she would ever be with the more cultured arts.

_That comes from growing up around Lloyd,_ Liane smirked, her tomboy tendencies all but impossible to link to her friend. No matter how out of her element she felt, she was happy, even if it was just for a little while. Happy to pretend she could dance… happy to let Regal take control of their dance… happy to simply let herself be. For even the space of a song, maybe their burdens could be a bit lighter… maybe the fights that waited for them could wait on a slightly more distant horizon.

The music died away with a haunting trill of strings, and polite applause beckoned Liane back from her comfortable escape. Regal lifted his arms as she released her hands and ducked out of his bound embrace, clapping softly a few times. She was aware of the Duke's presence at her side as a gentle pressure – steadying her as best he could where other men on the floor merely wrapped an arm around their partner's waist.

As a low murmur of conversation drifted over the dance floor while the orchestra shifted their sheet music, Regal leaned closer. "Would you prefer another dance or would you rather escape?"

There was a playful note even in the whisper, and Liane ventured a glance up to him with a knowing smirk. "I take it your arms are tired of holding me up?"

"And here I thought you were doing so well," Regal rolled his eyes with a chuckle as he offered her his arm again.

"I had a good teacher," the swordswoman replied and placed her hand on his arm. All around them, other dancers were preparing to launch into another dance – she had to decide. _I came to the party… I dressed up and I danced… no one can complain, can they?_ Before her pessimistic side could answer further, Liane shook her head. "Let's go." She knew that it would practically be begging Zelos to poke fun at them later… she simply didn't care.

Regal accepted her decision with a nod and smoothly turned them to exit the dance area. The crowd parted easily for them, but Liane refused to read into it. The nobles' approval of them didn't change who they were or what they would have to do once the Princess' party was nothing more than a memory, so therefore, as far as Liane was concerned, they were merely helping make sure that she and regal could get away without incident. The blue-haired man led her unerringly back through the now-vacant dining hall and to the exit of the Palace where the same pair of guards that had admitted them earlier opened the doors to allow them out into the freedom of the vacant Meltokio street outside.

Liane couldn't help but laugh as they paused and she looked back up to the Palace that now stood behind them. "You seem like you've done that before. You really hate these parties, don't you?" she challenged him with an arch to her eyebrow.

"Would you think less of me if I told you that I don't think I've ever stayed for the duration of any of them that I've ever been to?" Regal responded, the light of a nearby street lamp highlighting the smirk on his lips.

"No, I'd have to say that I wouldn't blame you, though," Liane shook her head and glanced to him as she let her hand fall from his arm. For just a moment, she was struck by the thought that he looked happy – perhaps amused, but definitely more relaxed than he had been inside the walls of the palace. That thought came just before one that he still looked the part of a noble… her friend buried under a guise resembling those that had followed her with curious and perhaps judging eyes inside. Instead of cringing at the likeness though, the thought twisted and turned, leaving her caught between the urge to laugh and blush as it turned into a plan. She clasped her hands behind her back and twined her fingers together. "Regal?"

The fighter cocked his head to her, his blue eyes narrowing in cautious curiosity. "Yes?"

_Was he serious?_ Liane had to hope he had been. "Um… close your eyes."

The confusion in his eyes grew almost troubled, but after a moment, he sighed and did as she asked. "All… right?"

Liane watched him comply and waited for a moment in silence, holding back a giggle but unable to contain a grin. She was tired of dark pasts and even darker futures… and he had somehow granted her a small window of reprieve. But even in that reprieve, she couldn't help but think that he looked miserable. She moved as quietly as she could, slipping up to his side and inching her arm around his back to grasp the tiny ribbon that restrained his hair just below the middle of his back. With one more cautious glance to his face, she tugged on the ribbon and gathered it in her hand as it fell free from the far-too tamed ponytail.

Then she waited again, backing a step from him and edging so that she faced him. While it might have been the shadows, Liane thought she saw the corners of his mouth twitch as if to smile. He remained still, patient, and true to the request she made of him.

_He has to know. He has to._

That only made her smile more as she pushed herself up onto the balls of her feet and pounced on his hair. Her fingers frantically ruffled the stiff-looking style that had obscured her friend from her vision all night long until it vaguely resembled the look she knew so well, all the while letting out the laugh she had been holding back since the idea had occurred to her. "Goddess, I've wanted to do that all night," she puffed in exasperation as she lowered herself back down, grinning even more when she saw that he, too, was laughing.

"And I insisted earlier that I would have liked you to do that then, but…" the Duke shrugged, still chuckling as he pulled his tie off and turned his smile on her. "Thank you."

_He's really smiling…._ Regal Bryant was smiling. Her friend that had to have had so many memories dredged up for him over the course of the evening… was actually smiling… and laughing. There was no doubting it – nor was there a chance it was a trick of the light. The fact brought another snicker out of Liane as she shook her hands as if to cling away the sticky coating that she had freed from his hair. "What did they use to do that? Eeeew…" she complained, making a face in hopes to keep his mood light.

_It's so nice to laugh with him for a change…._

Regal was still laughing when he stepped closer to her, leaned down, and pressed a kiss to the swordswoman's cheek. "Thank you."

Liane froze, barely able to collect enough thought to silently curse that she just _knew_ her stupid smile was still plastered to her face as she watched him move back. _Oh…._ So quick… so casual… but more than enough to break the last bit of control she had over her thoughts of the Altamiran beach. She blushed harder and forced herself to swallow a breath. "Thank you… for letting me do it…?" she stammered meekly, her voice wavering with what she could salvage of her laughter.

"I see you caught yourself this time," Regal murmured, tilting his head with an amused smile as he retreated one small step from her.

Her throat went dry, knowing there would be no banishment for the thoughts of the other kiss. Instead, she shrugged and turned to walk over to the half wall that lined the cobbled road. When she was sure her steps were slow enough… steady enough… she glanced over her shoulder to him and smiled as she turned to lean against the wall. "And I see you remembered not to say 'I'm sorry' this time." From the splash of color on his cheeks as his smile warmed again, Liane knew they were talking about the same thing… and the topic might not be so willing to be locked away again.

The Duke started to move forward to close the short distance between them, but before he reached the wall, he looked down the street to either side of them as if searching the shadows between pools of light. When his gaze fell on her again, the mirth that had lit his eyes before was gone… and he looked almost troubled. "Liane?"

"Hmm?" Liane answered simply, mainly because she didn't trust any words that might form from the way her chest tightened at the sight of his expression. _No… no… smile again… please…._ Her hand fell to the edge of the wall at her side and she leaned a bit more of her weight against it. Her doubts snarled at her… but she could only meet his gaze as evenly as she could… and brace herself for what he had to say.

Regal didn't move any closer… but his smile completely vanished as his lips lingered on the verge of a frown. "You don't doubt my intentions, do you?" he asked quietly. "Tell me that you believe me when I say that I want to help you… that I mean to aid you in piecing everything together as best I can… and that I will not fail you?"

She tilted her head to him, weighing his words. "I believe you," Liane answered, banishing her amusement to avoid the chance that he would doubt her sincerity. It was a test of her will, though… because with his question, the night once again grew heavy around her. "I know you won't let me down. You never have." She leaned to catch his gaze, needing to make her point even as a whisper of irritation flittered over her nerves. "I've never questioned that. Don't let _him_ make you question it, either." She knew it had to be Kratos' words that had finally festered in the Duke… and stolen the playfulness from the moment.

"He seems so confident that I will betray you… that I mean to hurt you," Regal sighed without bothering to refute her implication. He turned, leaning against the wall beside her, as his liberated hair fell as a curtain to shadow his expression from her. "He has no right to judge, considering all he has done." The Duke fell silent for a few moments, allowing the soft breeze to punctuate his statement while he drew another long breath and shook his head. "I know he cares for you, I can see that. But if he cares, why does he leave? If I had the same chance with Alicia – knowing what I do now – I would never leave her side."

His words struck her sharply – from more directions than she wanted to admit. _Is it the same?_ She hadn't shared her newest realizations with him – they were too improbable… almost too fragile for her to even wrap her own thoughts around. Liane knew that Regal would move the heavens themselves if it meant that he could have Alicia – _his_ Alicia – back in his arms. But what about Kratos? As certain as she was that the angel knew something, he still kept her at arm's length.

_Maybe he doesn't know._ Liane bit sharply on the inside of her lip.

_Maybe he does, but wishes he didn't._

For just an instant, her chest constricted, making breathing painfully impossible. But before the sensation could fade, the thought twisted, both changing and sustaining the pain.

_Maybe he does know… but he also knows that I'm not her._ No matter what miracle could have happened to prove her theories correct, Liane knew that she wasn't Anna… even if her memories wanted her to believe otherwise. She was Liane… she had family, friends… and a past of her own. _Even if he wanted me to be her… I'd only be a patchwork version of the woman he loved._

She closed her eyes in an attempt to distance herself from the thought that she was simply stirring painful memories for both Regal and Kratos just with her presence… her existence. Reaching over to place her hand over that of her friend, she drew another steadying breath. "Regal, I know he doesn't have the right. Please don't let him do this to you… you've done nothing to deserve it. You've done nothing to him."

"I'm sorry," Regal murmured without looking to her. "I don't mean to upset you or pit you against him." He shook his head slowly. "I know he is… important to you, and I would never make you choose."

Liane blinked. "Choose?" she asked, realizing too late that she had actually spoken the word. _Is he feeling guilty because I had to send Kratos away?_ "Regal… don't do that… the time wasn't right for us to talk. IF it had been anyone but you that found us, I wouldn't have even had the choice I did… and it might have meant that I wouldn't get to talk to him… ever." She scooted back onto the wall, absently kicking her heels back into it in a silent curse on the discomfort settling between them… and how he still wouldn't look over to her. "And you don't upset me…" she stated softly, hesitating for just a moment before she completed the thought. "Except… when it feels like you're slipping away." The last time it had happened had been in Altamira – and he had almost completely shut himself away. She fought him then… and she would do it again… but she never wanted it to be – directly or indirectly – because of her.

Regal shifted his hands so that his rested atop hers… and after a moment, he lifted his gaze to her. "Again, forgive me. I didn't mean to do this. And… I'm not trying to slip away from you."

She was almost surprised by the small smile she saw on his lips… but not as surprised as she was by the touch of color on his cheeks. Liane met his eyes, though she was sure that she didn't have a chance of hiding her curiosity from him. _Why…?_ The swordswoman managed to swallow that question in favor of finding her way back to the roots of their melancholy. "Well, at any rate, I suppose I should thank him the next time we bump into him," she sighed. "Goddess forbid we lose focus and have a peaceful evening without the chaos that follows him around." It had been a nice break… even if it had been annoyingly formal. _Why did I have to go out onto the terrace? None of this would have happened…._

"You were still having a peaceful evening until I interrupted the both of you," Regal stated, his voice gentle but still oddly flat as he held her gaze.

"No." She shook her head. "Nothing would have been settled… and chances are good that things would have only gotten worse." Liane had to repress a shiver. What if Kratos had confirmed everything right there in the garden – what if she _had _pushed? _Maybe I'm really _not_ ready for his answers yet…._ But Regal was still beating himself up for what he saw as an intrusion. Kratos – even as a topic – clearly wasn't helping them… no matter how honest she was with him. _No. There's more to it._ She didn't want to believe it, but it was nonetheless true. There was another wall between them… one that still seemed determined to reach for a link to the angel… though he truly had no place in it. Liane swallowed yet another lump in her throat. "Regal… may I ask you a question?"

The Duke's eyebrows knit slightly as interest brought a spark back to his eyes. "Of course…?" he answered without hesitation.

Somehow, it was the answer she knew she'd get, the answer she wanted, and the answer she feared all in one. Liane tried not to fidget as she realized that she hadn't actually decided _how_ to ask… much less what she really wanted to know. "Okay, well… I'll leave you an option. You can get up and walk away and we'll never speak of it again if you like," she offered, knowing that she was just babbling to stave off the silence between them.

_Keep it simple._

It was a good plan. A neat one. "But it's a simple yes or no. I won't hound you for more…."

_Just say it,_ Liane's thoughts groaned… and she drew a deep breath as she forced herself to meet his eyes. "Do you… ever think of that night on the beach?"

Liane's following cringe was involuntary… but she hoped that the blazing heat in her cheeks might be distracting enough that he might not notice both reactions. _He has to know what I'm talking about. He has to…._

Then, he blinked, the blue-haired Duke's expression going blank.

_Or… I can just crawl off into a corner and die…._

She didn't want to explain. Liane wanted it to be that simple… a moment passing between friends, but a moment nonetheless… one that stood out from those around it. A moment that she left an impression on in someone else's life.

Then… as she watched… his lips curled into a ghost of a smile that actually reached all the way to his eyes.

"Yes… I do…."

Liane felt her mouth go dry as he answered… and realized that he also wore a faint blush.

"Why do you ask?"

The swordswoman nodded, not letting her thoughts go past his answer – not after she had convinced herself that it didn't mean anything to him – a moment easily forgotten. Liane couldn't help it… she giggled… and her nod turned into a shake of her head as his question edged into the conversation for her. "Nope," she smiled, drawing her hands back together to twist her sheathed fingers together. "Questioning me wasn't part of the deal." _Could I tell him even if he really does want to know?_ She wondered even as she waited to see if he would push. _Isn't it enough to know that he didn't forget?_

After a moment, a dry chuckle crept from Regal's throat as he arched an eyebrow to her. "So you may ask questions while I cannot? That doesn't seem quite fair."

"Probably not," Liane shrugged her agreement in her attempt to stand her ground. For one thing, she wasn't sure she could… _should_… answer. _He didn't forget._ She smiled, but not at him. She fixed her eyes off into the distant shadows… and it was somehow easier to let the thought settle. They hadn't talked about it after that night… but it was still there… a memory for both of them.

He leaned a little closer, eyes narrowed playfully. "It's rather rude to not answer a question asked of you," the Duke stated in a chiding tone as he bumped his shoulder into hers. "And you did not inform me that when you ask me questions, I cannot do the same of you, so I think you can at least answer one before instituting your new rule." Regal straightened, watching her expectantly. "Why did you ask about that night?"

_Damn. Leave it to him to throw logic at me now…._

Liane twisted her gingers together in her lap, _almost _wishing she hadn't said anything. Almost – but not quite. "I…" she was surprised as she felt a weak smile curl her lips, but she took a moment longer to form her answer, knowing he wouldn't allow her to drop the topic. "We… never really talked. Maybe it's because we didn't need to… but…." She shrugged, bracing herself for the glare or silence that she feared might follow. "I guess I wanted to make sure that you weren't ashamed of it."

"Liane, I am not ashamed of having kissed you," Regal whispered before her words could disappear on the evening breeze, his brow furrowing with concern. "The only way I would be ashamed of kissing you that night was if you hadn't wanted me to. And you already insisted that you were not upset that I was your first…?" He reached out with his bound hands to place one of his lightly over hers. "Perhaps… if it would put you at ease, we should talk about it."

She glanced down to the hand that covered his… glad that he hadn't left, but unsure of what to say. _I don't want to bring up Alicia… or I'll end up being the one that's ashamed…._ "I don't want to pretend that it didn't happen," Liane replied thoughtfully after a moment, her gaze still lowered. If she looked him in the eye… she was sure he would see everything she didn't want to say. "That would be almost as bad as apologizing," she tried to keep her smile with a shake of her head.

Regal drew a quick breath as if to reply, but then stopped, his hand squeezing hers. "Liane, why would we need to pretend it didn't happen? It did, and we don't need to change that," he assured her, leaning forward in an attempt to catch her eye. But when Liane didn't look up, he sighed… and the firmness in his voice faltered with a note of concern. "What is it? There's something you don't want to say, isn't there? Why else would it seem like you feel guilty about what happened?" The Duke sat up. "I'm not fragile… you know that," he breathed out, his voice low. "You don't have to keep things from me because you think they'll hurt me."

_Goddess, he probably thinks I regret it… and after running into Kratos…. _Liane didn't like the possible places his thoughts might be going. "Yes," she finally answered, knowing she'd opened the door too far already… things would only get worse if she wasn't honest with him. He had an uncanny ability to read her – from the first word they had spoken to each other. Maybe he really could convince her not to worry… after all, it was a moment between friends. "I'm trying not to apologize for it, in all honesty." Her voice was shaking even though she finally looked him in the eye as she tried to smile for him. "I'm so glad that we've still been friends since then… but… I have the feeling that I was treading on something sacred… and I can't shake it." The swordswoman tried to swallow a stifling ball of nerves. "Tonight has been… a reminder of that."

"You feel like you're treading on Alicia's memory…?" Regal frowned, his expression going blank… his voice strained. Liane lifted a hand as if to stop him from saying any more, but the Duke shook his head and found his voice once again. "Liane, that isn't true," he told her with a sad smile. "I love Alicia. I always will. But… she's gone… and I know that she wouldn't have wanted me to cut myself off – to be alone – no matter what I decided to do with my life." He closed his eyes and sighed, waiting a long heartbeat before he once again met her eyes. "I am happy with our friendship. I never meant to make you uneasy about it when I kissed you."

Shifting her hand to rest on top of his, she smiled at how he had once again seen what she needed… and given her reassurance without her having to ask for it. "I should have known you would be able to read me," she chuckled and slowly shook her head, though she couldn't look away from him. "Regal, I never meant to corrupt anything about that night." Something inside her twisted at the memory of his pain… how he mourned for Alicia that night… and for how many before or since. But his presence in her life had been a stabilizing gift… strength through her confusion even if she wasn't certain how much to tell him anymore. His friendship was something she would hold dear forever… no matter what happened in the upcoming battles. "I'm not sorry, though."

Regal squeezed her hand. "Neither am I. I know you came to me that night because you knew what I was going through… that I was in pain. Do you have any idea what that meant to me? To have you appear when I was so certain that the only people that had come to accept me in eight long years were going to shun me?" His smile returned slightly. "Can't you see you are one of my dearest friends? Why else would I be ready to lay down my life for yours as I told Kratos?"

The mention of Kratos shook Liane for the briefest of instants. "I don't want it to come to that, though. I don't want to see you – _any_ of you – fall… and certainly not because of me." Leaning over onto his shoulder, she sighed. "And you are one of my dearest friends, too. I just don't want to lose you."

"I suppose that means I'm obligated to stay by your side, then," he chuckled and lifted his arms a little as he turned toward her. "Well, whatever my lady wishes, I suppose."

She accepted his warm gesture without a second thought, welcoming the closeness as she ducked under his arms and wrapped her arms around him in a loose hug. "'My lady'? Are you mocking me?" Liane couldn't help but giggle, taking comfort in the fact that he could lift her out of such an uncomfortable mood.

Regal's expression faltered for an instant, but then a laugh rumbled in his chest. "What? Do you prefer to be called Warrior Goddess?"

Liane cringed at the question, a groan slipping away from her before she could even think to stop it. "That was uncalled for," she grumbled, balling a fist and pounding it lightly into his chest. Then her pout broke and she laughed again. "That doesn't make me really want to get dressed up like this again anytime soon, though. It makes me sound stuffy like the women back in the palace." Then she sighed, glancing back to the structure itself… a new wave of gratitude just to be free of its walls washing over her. "Though, I think I like 'my lady' better than Warrior Goddess."

"Then 'My Lady,' it is." Regal gave her a small squeeze. "And if you don't plan to dress that way for a long while, does that mean that you don't expect me to do so, either?" The Duke huffed. "I don't think I can handle Zelos calling me a 'Dandy' anymore, either."

"I don't think I would ever expect you to dress that way, Regal," she assured him, smiling as she realized she could practically hear his eyes rolling when he spoke of the Chosen's nickname torment. "It's just kind of a shame… all this finery wasted on one night." Liane hated to admit it, but the dress was nice – hardly functional, but nice. _If only they'd let me choose my own shoes…._

He raised an eyebrow to her. "To be honest, I'm not sure if I should be offended by the fact that you'd never expect me to dress like this," the Duke shrugged, his expression flat until a twinge of a smirk caught the corner of his mouth. Then he sighed, releasing his hold on her with the breath. "Although, when you met me, you saw me as I have been for the last eight years… a prisoner. I suppose I can see why my being dressed like this would seem odd."

"Oh… no!" Liane was already shaking her head when she pulled back in his arms to meet his gaze. _Well, that was just plain insensitive,_ she chastised herself as she fumbled for an explanation to patch up her awkward honesty. "I… just know you hate it. I would never expect you to do so again… without good reason." It sounded a little better to her own ear… but she couldn't tell from his expression if she was actually making things better or not. "Truth be told," she pushed ahead with a shrug, "I kind of… like it. Just not how you had your hair."

Regal's chuckle was almost immediate. "Has anyone ever told you that you can be very sweet, my lady?" he continued to laugh as he leaned down and once again pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

She paused, frozen in place. For the second time that night, he had kissed her cheek. So much like a gentleman and just enough to utterly unbalance her. As he pulled back, Liane watched him… measuring… debating before she lifted her hand to his cheek, resting it there as she made sure she had his attention. "Regal…." _What does it mean to him? _she asked herself as she found that even blinking wasn't an option at that moment.

_What does it mean to me?_

"Yes?" The Duke responded, the single word somehow sounding hesitant as worry once again clouded his eyes.

Liane almost choked when she realized her hand was shaking, ready to rattle her out of what little thought she had left… and worse… to announce her nerves to him. "Please…." She heard the soft plea and part of her shrunk away out of absolute embarrassment. But another part of her had sensed something she had convinced herself she'd never feel again… that sweet moment of a connection. She couldn't ignore it… not once she recognized it… not once she realized that it was special… unique… something unlike anything in any of her experiences. He could turn her down… but she knew she had to try. One simple request before her nerve ran out….

"Liane?" Regal was frowning, his eyes searching hers for explanation. "What is it?"

That one little question was all it took to launch Liane's panic… for her mind to catch up to what she was doing. She quickly glanced away, cursing herself. But to her horror, her hand wouldn't move from his check… the appendage stubbornly mutinying against her – and all sense of propriety. She looked up to him, her face on fire with no way to hide it… and she realized what was happening. Words refused to form as she saw how close he was… how he wasn't moving away. It was too easy to close the distance… close her eyes… and press her lips to his. Liane held her breath… held back the knowledge that her panic would be back with a vengeance in a moment, but since words had failed her… she would show him rather than tell him what she wanted.

Again, time felt stuck between rushing and freezing completely, giving her just enough perspective to study the moment. Liane felt his form tighten in her arms when their lips touched… perhaps in surprise… perhaps in something she didn't want to name. But he didn't push her away… instead, he returned her kiss… and pulled her closer.

Then… it was over… and they parted in silence. Liane kept her eyes closed, trying to ease back into reality that she knew would come screaming back into her world soon enough. She had told herself it wouldn't happen again. She had almost convinced herself that she was fine with that. And she _knew_ she shouldn't have done it… just as she now knew that their stolen moments in Altamira weren't as private as she had thought. But for the moment, she simply didn't care. He kissed her back… perhaps as caught up in the moment as she was, but he didn't push her away.

_Not yet, at least._

Biting her lip at the vicious thought, she pulled away… enough to hug him once more, though seeking his eyes was out of the question. "Sweet Martel…" she muttered into his shoulder. "What kind of _lady_ would do that?"

"You are every bit the lady I have dubbed you," Regal whispered, keeping her close as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Liane, I hate it when you say things like that. Don't you know you can talk to me about this? About anything?" He sighed, his taut frame relaxing with the exhale. "Why does it seem that every time I kiss you… it does more harm than good?"

Liane stayed curled against him without moving. He hadn't rejected her… he had tried to soothe her… but it still felt unfinished… as if her punishment simply hadn't been decided yet. "Because, Regal… I like it. And I'm not sure that I'm supposed to," she answered, again with as much honesty as she could give him. "I wouldn't risk our friendship for anything… but…." She hugged just a little tighter for a moment. "I can't help it."

He sighed, the sound ever so slightly troubled. "Nor can I." The Duke replied as Liane shifted to look up to him and waited until she was still again. "There is nothing you could say or do that would stop me from caring about you, Liane. You are one of few precious people in my life. If what I have done is causing you distress, perhaps I should stop." He shook his head, the action freeing the pair of rebellious hanks of his hair that normally hung over his shoulders back to their rightful places. "I would never do anything to hurt our friendship, and I would rather die than hurt you. Ask me to stop… and I will."

She pulled back, careful to stay well within the circle of his arms to make sure there was no mistaking her movement for an attempt to flee. Liane sought his eyes…. _He had to understand…._ "No," she shook her head, her heart still pounding in her ears. "I won't ask you to stop. I don't want you to… I just… don't know what I can offer you." And there were too many questions that could only be answered after that. Her rush began to fade. _This is all it can be,_ she told herself, knowing that it was something she'd simply have to accept. Neither of them had a heart that could be offered without tethers. _And even if I could give it… he loves Alicia. He always will… he said so himself._ She sighed, pushing the gloom back a little more. They were friends… kindred spirits… a pocket of calm in the chaos that threatened to swallow them all. _That's what I need… more than anything… more._

"It's not something we have to figure out now, Liane," he assured her gently with a small smile. "There is so much more on your mind right now… I don't wish to add to that burden. I'm here if you need me… you should know that." He shrugged. "If you would like to talk now, we can. But if you need time to think… to sort it out on your own first, I will give you that, as well."

It was all too much like a fairy tale… something she never thought she'd live… or enjoy. She had always favored tales of adventure… a battle on the high seas or against a rampaging dragon… _I just never expected to be living a mix of them._ He was sweet… he always had been sweet to her… but on a night that had felt so unsteady, he had given her an escape – in more ways than one. "Tonight," Liane started to laugh, glancing to their side for something to focus on so that she might be able to explain herself to him, "… felt like something out of a story book. "This… is probably going to be one of the dumber things you've ever heard, but… tonight, I got to dress up and go to a ball… at a _Palace._ Regal, I had a _Duke_ that wanted to spend the evening with me. He danced with me… he… he kissed me, even." She looked up to him with another laugh, this time, one laced with dismay. "_Me!_ A tomboy farm girl from another world! It's… it's something girls from Sylvarant stop even daydreaming about at a very young age because it's just not going to happen." She brushed the fingertips of one hand over his cheek with a smile and a slow shake of her head. "I don't understand why you did, Regal. But I'm glad… and…."

As her words faltered, a warm smile came to Regal's lips… and his arms tightened around her in a careful hug. "Tonight… a beautiful woman danced with me," he murmured, his voice soft. "Me… a convict, a murderer. She knew what I had done… she knew how fresh my wounds still are… and yet she still saw me as a man. She still saw me as something worthwhile. And she let me hold her… she let me kiss her even though she wasn't sure how she felt about it."

"That's not the problem, Regal," Liane sighed, his words simply allowing the illusions of the night to continue. "I like it…" she admitted as her cheeks flamed even hotter. But she drew a deep breath and pushed on – over her doubts that screamed for her to just shut up. "I just don't know if I'm supposed to." _A kiss means something deeper… doesn't it? What if I can't offer him that?_ She bit the edge of her lip. _What if he can't offer that?_ Was it curiosity… was it simply reaching and finding that someone was reaching back… was it more? Liane had no answers. None at all. And as much as she knew it could come back to bite her, she pushed away her need to study her reactions. "I know that last time, I didn't want it to be the last. I think that's what's bothered me since… before."

"Liane…."

He spoke her name quietly… with a low rush of breath that could have been a sigh. Perhaps it was the start of yet more reassurance… or the frustrated lecture her pessimistic side told her was long overdue. Before he could put together whatever response it was, she rushed her own words to get them out first. _He didn't even laugh… he didn't push me away…._ "I didn't think I could – should – ask that of you. Another kiss, that is…." She huffed at the arch of his eyebrow, but more at her lack of anything resembling coherency – and the fact that it didn't seem like her cheeks would ever stop burning. She looked to their side, studying the pattern in the mortared rocks even though she couldn't banish her smile completely. "I'm still not sure it's fair… to you."

"The only way it would be unfair to me would be if you asked me to kiss you while you did not care for me." The Duke's answer to her worries was calm… genuine… as he leaned slightly to catch her eye. "Which, I do not believe to be true."

The dark-haired young woman considered his conditions. _Can it be that easy? That… uncomplicated?_ "I… I do care for you, Regal," she smiled, turning to face him again, her hand resting against his chest as it felt like some small bit of weight had lifted from her shoulders. He didn't resent her for what happened in Altamira… or that she had taken the choice from him and kissed him in the wake of their escape from the Princess' party. Her fingers worked absently to twist a lock of his hair around them as she spared half a thought to curse her need to fidget as she once again avoided his gaze.

What was it though? Regal was a dear friend… one Liane never wanted to hurt or see hurt. That notion extended to all of her friends… but somehow, even though she had dreamed of Kratos' kiss, Regal stood apart from the others in that he was the only one she could see herself sharing such a moment of calm with. He was right… she knew what he had done. But she also knew why he had done it. When she looked into his eyes, she saw a wounded soul… one on the brink of being utterly lost. It simply wasn't in her to ignore that. Kratos' eyes burned with an icy fire… his heart perhaps as shattered as Regal's… but his soul was savagely guarded… unwilling to reveal itself except in bursts that seemed to almost cause him pain.

Regal… on the other hand… bore no ice. He expected nothing… which made her heart ache for him. Liane felt like she could reach out to Kratos every day for the rest of her life and perhaps never earn even a glimpse of who he truly was. _He showed one person,_ she reminded herself… and the sudden memory of his smile actually stung her senses. For just a moment, Liane studied Regal's profile… and she couldn't help that her smile warmed again, the frost that touched her at the thought of Kratos' loss melting. _When I reach out… Regal reaches back. Kratos… walks away._ She couldn't fault him… she just couldn't blame the angel. But even as his ice threatened to consume her, Regal reminded her of the fact that she was alive… and never made her feel like she was trying to catch a ghost and shrug into its skin.

And in those moments that were private enough to allow Liane and the Duke just those precious instants that they had shared a kiss… her mind was quiet… studying the glimpse of how it felt to be so special… so treasured. It was her own moment… yet still one that left her envious of Alicia and Anna… and anyone else that found the other half of their soul.

_Maybe… when this is all over… we'll both find someone, Regal,_ her thoughts whispered because she couldn't bring herself to speak the words… perhaps not wanting to remind her friend that there might be someone out there for him, but it would never be Alicia. But no matter the despair that went hand in hand with that knowledge. Liane had to remind herself that she had seen the Duke smile that night… so maybe – just maybe – their closeness was still helping him… perhaps bringing him the peace – the touch of humanity – that it brought her.

It was what she needed to release her smile… not even bothering to stop it when she felt it slip to be just a bit mischievous. "So… do I always have to ask, then?" she somehow found a grin… her embarrassment at being so presumptuous only falling before her need to see her friend smile… even if it was to laugh at her.

"Now, that would just be ridiculous," Regal chuckled, shaking his head as he watched her play with her hair.

"Huh." It was Liane's turn to laugh as she huffed and let the blue silk slide around and through her fingers before she shifted her eyes back to his. "Well, I really wouldn't be much of a lady if I had to throw myself at you… you might start confusing me with one of Zelos' twit followers…" she rolled her eyes with a huff.

Regal threw back his head with a groan that was just a _little_ too forced… and then he was moving. Liane's eyes went wide as she squeaked with surprise, barely having time to realize that they were once again standing, his embrace keeping her tight against him as he dipped her back, his hands crossed to cushion her back from the bite of his shackles as his lips captured hers.

_Sweet Goddess…!_

Any hint of coherent thought was obliterated as her eyes slid closed and one arm snaked around his back in an instinctive bid for balance. He had taken her off-guard… she hadn't had time to think – or overthink – the moment, but only when she realized he was once again righting her on her feet did she realize the difference. They had four kisses between them… the first, his reaction to her peck on his cheek… the second a cautious reenactment that she requested… and the third was an embarrassing substitute for asking him to kiss her again. But the fourth…. Liane's eyes fluttered open as she wobbled on her own feet, still within the circle of his arms.

In the fourth, there was something… smoldering… something she wouldn't call a fire, but it was far from ice.

The realization came just before she was aware that she was staring up at him… and then came her recognition of a playful smile on his lips.

"Does that answer your question?"

Liane blinked at the question… and was certain he was going to be the death of her that night. _Death by blushing… how dignified._ She swallowed the mocking sarcasm in her thoughts as she drew a breath and forced herself to find her own balance. "I… think I can take that as an answer," she managed to stammer, her smile growing as she studded his expression… the subtle smile that glittered in his eyes. For a moment, she could only stare as her disbelief grew. Lifting a hand to his cheek, a soft laugh slipped from her lips. "You're… actually… happy, aren't you?"

Regal slowly straightened, his smile retreating to a ghost of itself in the next heartbeat. While he didn't lift his arms from around her, the expression that had been playful suddenly bore a weary sadness, though it was still technically a smile. "I am happier than I ever imagined I would be again, Liane."

She saw the flicker in his eyes… she knew it well. She tried not to react to it, but knew in her heart that he would see anything she did – or didn't – do. "Well, I like it when you're happy," Liane quickly tried to cover for her thoughtless words. _Witless idiot… you pushed,_ she silently chided herself, careful not to let her smile slip as she hugged him one more time. She had lost track of time since they left the party… their time had to be limited.

The Duke returned her hug as best he could, pulling her close for a few moments before he slowly released her. "And I only wish to see you happy, Liane."

"I am happy," Liane sighed as she carefully ducked out from under his arms and caught one of his hands as she turned. "Happier than I have been in a long time." It was no lie. For a few moments, she had been almost giddy… free of all the 'what ifs' and the shadows of both an uncertain past and future. For those precious moments, he allowed her to live in the moment… completely in the present for once. She was Liane and he was Regal – and for that tiny little bubble of time, that was all she needed to know. _Time can't stop,_ she reminded herself before the wish could form. A disappointed ache met the thought, but she still smiled as she tugged him in the direction of Zelos' mansion. "And as long as you never let anyone mess with your hair like that again…." She tried to keep a straight face, watching him out of the corner of her eye… grasping at any straw she could to see him smile one more time.

He chuckled after a moment, shaking his head a little. "Shall I take that as a hint?" He sighed just a bit too heavily. "Fine. I won't let anyone but you style my hair."

"That would be weird," she announced with a playful huff that mirrored his as she tried not to laugh. "We'd have a hard time explaining that to the others," Liane shrugged, still pulling on his hand. "You do fine… but for special occasions… you find the suit, and I'll do the honors."

Regal took an extra long stride to catch up to her, leaning down closer to her as he spoke. "Only if you will allow me to call you 'my lady' for such special occasions."

Liane cast a sidelong glance at him. "Only if you want to, Regal. Only if you want to." She knew as well as he did that they might be out of special occasions… but the notion was nice. Slowly, she began to notice others on the street behind them… and she could only guess that the party was ending.

The blue-haired man paused, followed her gaze, and then finally sighed with a small shake of his head. "I suppose we'll have to explain our absence to the others. Or… should we let them draw their own conclusions?"

She saw the arch to his eyebrow and had to stifle a giggle. "You know that anything they come up with – especially with Zelos' help – will probably be far more colorful than the truth." Then a sly smile curled his lips, his hand in hers somehow making her a little braver… a little more bold. "Maybe we should let them have their fun?"

"Are you expecting them to believe anything we tell them anyway?" Regal turned a questioning look on her.

"No, not really," Liane shook her head… and then paused. "Especially if I were to tell them that I was kissed by a Duke tonight," she shrugged, unable to resist. He said he wanted her to be happy… and, well… the thought made her happy… far happier than brooding over other elements of her life that seemed so beyond her control. "Hmm… maybe I should tell them," she added thoughtfully. "They'd get a good laugh… and I'd be telling the truth. They'd just never believe it."

Regal shrugged and turned to face her. "You wouldn't even have to tell them. I could just scoop you up like before and…."

He let his voice trail off… allowing her imagination to take over. And – at the sight of the sparkle in his eyes and the faintest of smirks on his lips, that was exactly what her imagination did. A tiny shiver slipped over her skin, but Liane still met his gaze… and laughed. "You do that again and I'm pretty sure I'll lose the ability to walk for the rest of the night. You wouldn't want that now, would you?"

"Oh, I'd be more than willing to carry you," the Duke offered helpfully, amusement saturating every word as Liane's cheeks darkened.

Liane propped her hands on her hips with a huff, enjoying the bickering more than she could say as she tried desperately not to back down from the glare she fixed on him. "And then what would you say for yourself, Duke Bryant? Would you be proud of yourself?"

Regal shrugged nonchalantly. "A gentleman does not kiss and tell."

"What, if you'd be proud or not?" she demanded, tilting her head to him with an arch to her eyebrow.

The blue-haired man smiled… and leaned a little closer to her, his gaze holding hers captive. "I'd be proud to sweep you off your feet, Liane," he murmured. "But if anyone but you asked, I would not be so callous as to boast."

She swallowed hard, her throat dry. _Absolutely… a gentleman…._ "Dammit, Regal," she groaned, seeing forms in the shadows between them and the Palace moving closer. Then Liane caught his gaze again. "You keep this up and I'm going to ask you to make good on your promise."

"Don't I usually?" Regal replied, still staring her in the eye… still leaning down toward her.

Liane debated for a moment as her heartbeat stumbled and cast one more semi-nervous glance over his shoulders. Others were approaching, but no one was boisterous enough for the group to include Zelos. She met the Duke's gaze again and clutched the fabric of her skirt in her hands.

_So, it's a challenge, then…._

She allowed herself a defiant smirk. _Time to prove it._ "Fine," she stated as sharply as she could, hoping the shake in her voice didn't show in just the one simple word. "Kiss me, then." Liane tried to remain serious, but found that it only took a moment to prove that she couldn't do it. They were almost to the mansion and the end of the night was close, but she couldn't resist one more time… one more tiny memory to keep as her own. With a weak laugh, she ducked her chin. "… please?"

If Regal groaned, he hid it well within a chuckle as he reached out to free her hand from her skirt and used that grip to pull her a step closer. "I thought I told you it was ridiculous to ask?" he breathed out before he pressed his lips to hers once more.

It didn't have the startling heat of the last kiss, but Liane still melted. Even with her eyes closed, she knew he was being careful… gentle… even his grip on her hand light as if she might want to pull away. It was a brief, tender moment, but she couldn't help that she giggled as they parted and her eyes drifted open. "Wow. It works," she whispered without moving back. "I might have to remember that."

"What works?" the Duke once again raised an eyebrow to her.

Liane winked at him and turned, shifting her hand in his to start to pull him toward the mansion again. "Oh, _nothing_," she smiled for him… for her friend that once again proved that he understood… that he cared. She knew that many other men might laugh at her inexperience… might push her for more. But Regal seemed to enjoy the closeness as well… an awkward night for both of them had been turned into a sweet memory… thanks to him.

The swordswoman felt lighter than she had in so long – before the journey, or perhaps even longer. Sparing him one more smile over her shoulder, Liane tugged him closer to the mansion, her hold on his hand gentle yet still insistent… she simply wasn't inclined to let go quite yet.

* * * *

He saw the Duke stand… heard Liane's startled yelp… but even as his hand closed over the handle of his sword, he saw the shackled man carefully shift her back… and kiss her.

Kratos' hand remained in place, even if his grip tightened as he turned back into the shadows of the columns of the Cathedral. He couldn't say who he was more irritated with: himself or the convict.

Worse, he couldn't say why.

A multitude of possibilities came to mind… among them being how even if Liane was a willing participant, the fallen nobleman was setting her up to be crushed. _War is no place for romance… no matter how innocent._

_I should know,_ he groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd seen it – Yuan and Martel stealing any moment they could – and, much to his dismay, he'd even lived it, even if he didn't recognize it at the time. Kratos had discovered all too late that leaving Yggdrasill behind hardly meant that his Vendetta wasn't war… it just changed the rules.

_But she was happy…._

He knew in his soul that Anna had been happy, even if there were times that she didn't seem to completely grasp how deep the corruption they stood against truly went.

The angel sighed and leaned slightly at the sound of another laugh in time to see Liane catch the shackled man's hand and pulled him toward the shadows on the other side of the plaza.

_Liane looks happy, too._

His first instinct was to condemn the observation as he leaned back into shadows of his own, a surly whisper demanding to know why it should matter. The girl was little more than a stranger to him… what did it matter if she was happy or sad?

Oh, the logic was so tempting… cold, honest… and almost impossible to argue with.

Almost.

Kratos' argument for why it mattered couldn't be measured, labeled, or truly examined… his only proof intangible. It was instinct… the same now-rusted instinct that had drawn him to Anna years before. And it was only stronger after Liane hugged him in the garden. The girl had no reason to care, not with what he had done to her… to Lloyd… to all of them – no matter what she knew or believed. But she did… evidenced by – once again – his observation that she looked happy.

Anna had always been quick to temper, but her capacity for forgiveness always struck him as practically supernatural. She simply always seemed to have a way of seeing past the moment.

Liane seemed more even tempered – _with exceptions,_ his memory added with a hint of a wince at memories of Triet – but that same capacity for forgiveness was there. She extended it to him – just as she did to the blue-haired man that held her hand as they disappeared into the darkness outside the Palace. He knew the Duke's pain all too personally, and while he could see perfectly well how gently he treated Liane, Kratos knew there were many ways she could be hurt. Regal Bryant was still a haunted man… and they were both fighters in a war that it would take a miracle to win. One way or the other, loss held the odds… and that meant Liane and her friends would be hurt… or worse.

Kratos hated so many things about the situation that he found it impossible for him to choose just one. Liane was one person… just as Lloyd or any of the others were. He couldn't worry for the well-being of any one in particular… not with what was coming.

_I will hold you to your word, Regal Bryant,_ he silently declared with a sigh and opened his eyes –

- to find Tethe'alla's Chosen standing before him, complete with a cocky smile.

Kratos let his hand fall to his side. "You're late, Chosen." He eyed the redhead a little closer. "Are those hand imprints… on both cheeks?"

Zelos chuckled and tossed his head so that his braid fell back over his shoulder. "What can I say? Ninjas are feisty… especially when you forget one or four of the rules they spontaneously made up," he shrugged innocently. "I think I'm wearing her down, actually. These might not even bruise this time." Then he raised an eyebrow to Kratos and nodded his head pointedly across the plaza. "But what I really want to know, Old Man, is when you're gonna stop sitting back and start putting moves like Regal's on Liane." He waggled his eyebrows. "'Cause really, you could do it… and… well, there's always money to be made in betting on the underdog." He shifted his eyes back to Kratos. "That would be you, by my estimation, right now, by the way." His grin widened. "I do have to say, that dip move… that was some fine work on Regal's behalf – I got a little choked up… really. I think I'm actually proud of him!"

The seraph bristled slightly and took an extra breath to keep it from showing in his tone. "As I said before," he started, deciding to ignore the redhead's needling. "You are late. You know what you have to do tomorrow, correct? We will not have another chance to talk."

"Talk, talk, talk," Zelos groaned and slapped a hand to his forehead. "I'm _over_ talking. _Yes,_ I know the plan, and _no_, I haven't changed my mind. And right now, you are _majorly_ cramping my style," he huffed, glancing over to see the group of his companions filing down the Palace steps, Sheena in the lead. His smile faltered with a dry chuckle. "You have to know as well as I do that I should take the time I can now while all she'll do is slap me. Tomorrow, she's probably going to use those cards of hers to carve me like a King's Festival roast boar." Then, his amusement faded as his eyes narrowed and slipped back to Kratos. "I should be asking you the same thing, you know. Are you going to be ready? As magnificent as I am, I can really only do so much, ya know…?"

_If everything goes right… after tomorrow, there won't be any going back._

Kratos nodded once. Everything somehow felt more final… it was a strange sensation after four thousand years. "All is in readiness. Don't let your guard down. And don't underestimate them."

Zelos chuckled and turned on his heel, tossing a casual wave over his shoulder as if to ward off the warning. "Hah. Don't have to tell me that, Old Man. What Sheena's gonna do with her cards is the least of my worries. She still has the spirits… and most of the others have either pointy things or blunt force working for them. I'm going out on a limb for you, here. And you only get one chance, got it?"

Kratos didn't reply. Not only did Zelos' jog take him out of range to hear too fast, but there was no need. The Chosen was notoriously mercurial, but he was the perfect ally for the upcoming stage of the war. He had everything he needed… all that was left was simply to complete the dance. They would all need to be strong… stronger than they had ever been…

… _and I am no exception._

More complications and distractions weren't an option… no matter how Zelos' words tried to gnaw irritatingly at that resolve. Kratos lifted a hand to the teleportation gem beneath the shoulder of his cloak and cast one more glance at the shadows across the plaza.

_Keep your word, Bryant. She may end up hating me along with the others, but she'll have to fight all the same. Lloyd and Liane… have to survive… and you might be her best chance._

Kratos tapped the jewel, and a flare of light swallowed his form.

_Underdog, indeed. Chosen, you have no idea how right you are._

:: :: :: ::

"_Forever, Kratos. I'm yours… and you're mine."_

Liane cringed as the flicker of memory skittered through her thoughts once again. It had already happened enough times since she awakened that she had already lost count… and the only thing that amazed her more was that she still blushed each time."

_Dammit, Anna… leave me alone._

The night before had ended perfectly… just like the sweet fable it had become thanks to Regal. He had walked her to her room, gallantly kissed the back of her hand… and then given her her first real good night kiss – without her having to ask for it. They had both retired to their respective rooms before the others arrived, though Sheena was waiting when Liane returned from her quick bath, foot tapping a rhythm for the summoner's demand to know what happened after the swordswoman slipped on the staircase. The barrage of questions that Sheena had readied weren't ones that Liane felt ready to answer, so, as she pressed her lily into the cover of a book from her pack, she evaded them carefully and maneuvered the conversation more to the topic of Zelos' behavior.

And that was how the night that was closest to her definition of perfect had ended. Frustration that lapsed into giggles… that eventually led to the ninja snoring her way through the night, and leaving Liane to face her dreams – once again – alone.

Liane told herself that any normal girl would have dreamed of her night with Regal. _But then, I've always known that I wasn't normal._ Instead, it was Kratos in her dreams – Kratos' touch, Kratos' kiss… all of it combining to leave her with the memory of a hollow fire that she was getting more and more used to, thanks to feeling such things through another.

It was just before dawn when Liane gave up, loaded her pack, and slipped out of the room she shared with Sheena. The coming day would be a trial in every sense of the word… and the incessant parade of memories wouldn't help her in the least.

_I get it, Anna… you loved Kratos with all of your heart,_ the dark-haired young woman groused silently at the memories she felt waiting for her at the edge of her consciousness… waiting for a moment to pounce and show her things she didn't want to see… make her feel things that would only cloud her judgment more. Kicking her foot into the pack at the base of the bench she sat on, Liane looked up at the sky over Zelos' garden. Strokes of feathery color no mortal artist could capture were creeping across the heavens, but even that beauty couldn't take her thoughts too far away.

_What am I supposed to do? Will it be this way every time I reach out to someone?_ Liane asked but didn't bother to speak the words… she knew no one that _could _answer… or would answer. She drew a breath and buried her face in her hands… her elbows on her knees.

_Do I care for Kratos?_ She swallowed hard, almost startled by how sure she was of the answer once she actually posed the question to herself.

_Yes._

Fighting him _hurt_ her… long before they had the chance to cross blades. Nothing about it felt right.

_Do I love him?_

The question was softer, even in her thoughts, as she braced herself for another answer. A twinge of longing pulled towards another 'yes,' but she quickly constructed a filter… a qualifier….

… _or is it Anna that loves him?_

The twinge remained for a few heartbeats… and then receded as if to lapse into a sulk of its own.

It wasn't a 'no,' but it felt like her own control had only delayed a 'yes.'

Which left Liane once again silent… frustrated… and without answers that eased anything. As much as she had spent her life railing against being seen as anyone else's appendage – as so many girls her age in Iselia seemed to dream of – or perhaps it was her mother's claim that there was someone 'out there' for everyone… Liane had always believed it would strike like lightning if it happened… it would wrap around her heart… and leave no doubt in either heart, mind, or soul of what it was. Some called it 'love at first sight.' Anna knew what it felt like.

Liane, on the other hand, couldn't say that she did. In fact, her first sight of Kratos Aurion had sent her world into a terrifying spin from which she wasn't certain she had recovered.

She couldn't name her reactions to Kratos… nor could she relate to him in the way her memories told her should feel natural.

The swordswoman straightened her back and twisted her fingers together in her lap with a sigh. Nothing felt right… it wasn't fair to her… it wasn't fair to Kratos…

… _and it's not fair to Regal._

Liane groaned, a wave of something that felt distinctly like guilt washing over her. Their friendship had grown before her eyes… almost every step making perfect sense…

… _but what if I'm just using him?_

She hated the thought enough, but she hated that it could be true even more. Liane was comfortable with him… but were they crossing lines that shouldn't be touched?

"_The only way it would be unfair to me would be if you asked me to kiss you while you did not care for me."_

Clenching her eyes shut, Liane shook her head to the memory. _I care, Regal… _her mind whispered as her thoughts continued to tumble. Maybe a kiss could really be just a kiss… a spontaneous statement of caring… but at which point did it become more - more that she couldn't promise and more that she couldn't ask of him.

_Even if there was more… Regal still loves Alicia,_ she reminded herself as a twisting ache in her chest for her friend made itself known again.

_And… what if… I am supposed to have something with Kratos?_

Liane set her jaw. It was all too tangled… with no answers in sight… and no one to give her those answers except herself. _Kratos still might die for his connection to Origin… his true love was Anna, anyway… and Regal… will miss Alicia the rest of his days._

_I… just don't know where I fit._

"Liane?"

It took every bit of her control not to jump at the voice… for the fact that she was no longer alone and because she didn't have any answers for herself – or for the Duke that slowly approached from the house. "Regal…" she smiled when she met his gaze… and exhaled with relief that – as he had promised – he was completely recognizable as her friend once again. "Good morning…." A cold finger of dread zipped down her spine at that point as she realized that the garden already felt awkward. "Are the others ready to go?" she asked… a hint of dread creeping into her voice. _It's all over… already?_

Regal stopped a few steps away and shook his head. "No. Not yet, but it won't be long now," he told her and slowly turned to sit on the other end of the bench… within reach, but leaving space between them. "Sebastian said you've been out here for a while. I just wanted to be sure you were all right."

Liane's heart sank. _Am I all right?_ She had to beat down the instinct to laugh. It had been a gut-wrenching fall from the heights of the night before to the mire of uncertainty of the morning. _No. I'm not. _Those were the words she knew she would offer him if she was being completely honest. She simply didn't have the heart. Instead, she wrung a bit of warmth from her memory of their time at and after the party and smiled for him. "Regal," the swordswoman started carefully. "Last night was… wonderful. I know you'll glare at me for saying this, but… thank you."

"If it will help, I'll refrain from glaring and just say that you are welcome," the shackled man replied quietly, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "It was wonderful," he finally agreed, though his smile faded with a tilt of his head, concern troubling his eyes. "Liane, is something wrong?"

"No… no…" she shook her head, perhaps a bit too quickly… knowing she was lying but unable to stop herself. Then, she sighed and looked back down to her hands clenched together in her lap. "I don't know. I realize nothing should feel right… not with what we're facing. It's just so different from last night. Looking back, it… felt almost too perfect. I feel like I should have known better…" Liane shrugged, feeling stupid for such a blundering response.

Regal sat in silence for a few moments before he sighed as well, his shoulders slumping along with the exhale. "I suppose it just adds to the confusion, doesn't it?"

With that comment, Liane knew that he understood… and that they weren't talking about the upcoming battle. "I wish I could say it didn't …" she frowned, locking her fingers into a knot in her lap. "I'm not sorry for last night – or for Altamira – not in the least. I just don't know what the right thing to do is… I don't know what to think." She knew she wanted it to be easy… clear… she knew how she wanted to feel… she simply knew it wasn't the time or place… and it wasn't right to ask anything like that of him.

The Duke drew a long breath and leaned his elbows on to his knees, his hands bound out ahead of him. "Liane, I am not sorry for anything that has happened… in Altamira or last night. Don't ever think that I am. But I don't want things to be confusing for you. You know I'd never try to hurt you… I hope?"

"You're not hurting me, Regal," Liane shook her head and lifted her eyes to look over to him. She reached out to put a hand over his. "But, I don't want to hurt you, either."

Regal turned a hand to catch hers. "I just mean that I don't want to complicate things more than they need to be. Life isn't entirely simple, so confusion is just natural, I suppose. I just don't want to ruin the friendship we have."

Liane's cheeks heated a little. She didn't want to assume what he meant, but… did he mean that he felt something… _more_… for her? Her head spun a little as her heart stumbled, but she still managed to smile for him. "Regal, you know I'm always going to be your friend, don't you?" _He doesn't mean… he couldn't…._

"Like you know I'll always be yours as well?" the blue-haired man murmured, his smile reassuring… yet sad at the same time. He drew another breath and squeezed her hand, his eyes searching hers. "Do you remember what we were talking about on the beach in Altamira?"

"On the beach?" Liane repeated, her mind quickly replaying the night she couldn't forget. _We talked about so much that night…._ But two things stood out… one making her ache as much as the other made her heart swell. "We talked about a lot that night, Regal…" she chuckled once and reached up to tuck a stray wispy curl back over her ear.

The Duke sighed and his eyes slipped to the flowering hedge across the walkway from their bench. "I meant about your feelings for Kratos." The statement was quiet… almost hesitant and definitely careful. "Liane, I don't want to overwhelm you now. Besides Kratos, you have other things to worry about… the dreams… all of the fighting…."

Liane's skin prickled like a winter wind wrapped around her. Any traces of her smile faded into a troubled frown as she clenched her hands in her lap. "Do… I have to know that right now?" she asked sullenly… and regretted it almost immediately. He was being sweet… considerate… he was being Regal. When given the chance, her heart was clouding everything. _If I worry about Kratos and what he is to me, I won't make it through these fights._ Each battle pushed closer to the possibility of the angel's death… and no matter whose eyes she saw through, it wasn't what she wanted. She shook her head again and set her jaw. "I'm sorry. That was a stupid question."

"I'm not asking you to know… or decide anything," he replied after a moment and leaned forward to catch her eye. "I know I'm distracting you," the Duke stated softly, his gaze boring into her. "I'm not helping you… I might even be making things worse for you. You obviously have a connection to Kratos, and you still need to know what that connection is. You haven't had a chance to talk to him… and you still need that."

"But…." Liane started to object, but then stopped herself. She couldn't tell him he was wrong. She knew she shared a connection with Kratos… no matter how it frustrated her or twisted her insides. _But… don't I have a connection to you, too?_ The swordswoman broke eye contact with the blue-haired man as her shoulders slumped. _Maybe that's too much to ask… we're friends... maybe we crossed a line after all._ Liane didn't want to believe it, but the proof was before her eyes. "Yes. You're right," she muttered, defeat ringing in her ears as she looked down to her hands.

Regal remained silent for a few moments… and edged just a little closer to her. "I am not trying to make your decisions for you… or even force you to make them. I merely wish to offer you space. I want you to have the chance to talk with him," he sighed and straightened his back, sitting tall beside her. "I know if I stay close, he might not give you the chance. I just don't want to make this any harder on you, Liane."

Liane frowned as she realized she was already going numb to what he was saying. "Of course," she murmured, trying to keep her skittering thoughts together. He was 'letting her down gently,' as she had heard it phrased… but it was the intangible ache that throbbed in her chest that took her by surprise. "Thank you…" she whispered, unable to look up. It had been a sweet dream, but he was right. Until she knew where she stood with Kratos, nothing would be quite right. What he was – or wasn't – to her could color any other relationship she had. Regal had given her a glimpse of what it could be like to simply be herself for someone without worrying about who they were looking for when they looked back into her eyes. But she knew she had been pushing things… maybe she should have stopped. But she continued… and she had still managed to trample on Regal's memories… on his memories of what he shared with Alicia.

"Liane, look at me, please," Regal asked softly as he caught her hand and held it tight in her own, one of his thumbs idly moving over the back of the hand. "I need you to listen to this part, all right?"

She looked up to him, focusing on a point just above his eyes because she didn't trust herself to meet his gaze without crumbling. "Sure," Liane nodded and tried to push a smile for him… at least for a moment. "What is it?"

"I'm not abandoning you. I'm merely stepping back," he stated in his calming voice. "I am trying to give you space, but if you need me, I'll be beside you. I care about you, Liane… I want to help you." Regal slowly shook his head and tilted his head, concern in his voice and in his eyes. "Do you understand? Say the word and I _will_ be beside you. I just believe it might help if you used the time you can find to gather some perspective."

"That's very thoughtful," she sighed and then drew a quick breath to brace herself for another smile even as she realized she suddenly felt more alone than she had in weeks. "You promised you'd be my friend. That's all I can ask of you. I can't ask anyone to do this for me – I know I have to do it for myself," Liane spoke and glanced down to where his hands still grasped hers, her shoulders drooping. "I'll talk to him as soon as I get a chance."

Regal nodded slowly, still watching her intently. "If you need me there… or before that time… just tell me. I will be here for you, Liane. I'll just be in the background a bit more." The shackled man scooted closer, his side touching hers. "I am your friend, Liane. I am doing this as your friend. I just can't be the reason you don't find answers."

Her heart twisted once again in her chest and she had to suck in a quick breath to keep from pulling away from him. _Stupid. So stupid._ There was biting anger in how her thoughts chided her. It was suddenly so obvious that it was embarrassing. She had been naïve… foolish… she had used their collective loneliness to construct some perfect alternative to everything else that was happening… a safe place where everything just _felt_ like it made sense. Perhaps it was a crush… some silly little trick her mind had played on her… but it was gone. She had pushed without thinking about the consequences… and it was gone. "Thank you. I'll remember that," she replied, pressing just a little bit of a laugh into her voice before she breathed out and willed herself to have enough control not to break down… not until she could be alone. "I'll let you know if I need help. Don't worry."

"I'm going to worry no matter what you say… you'll have to forgive me," he squeezed her hand one more time and leaned over to press a light kiss to her cheek. "You have been so kind to me," Regal murmured as he pulled back, straightening as he released her hand. "I don't think I could ever thank you enough for that."

_Then… why does this feel like goodbye…?_

Liane knew her smile just couldn't be a happy one. _He's right. I have to focus. I have to be sure I know why I've seen all these things… if I'm crazy or if I'm right… and Regal doesn't have the answers._ "You don't have to thank me. It's what friends do… right?" she offered with a weak shrug as she glanced down to her pack… wondering when their journey would have mercy on her and help her out of the awkward situation she had made for herself.

"Yes… it's what friends do," Regal nodded, sounding slightly distant as he stood up from the bench and glanced back to the Chosen's mansion before he turned a weak smile back down on her. "We should probably go… it will be time to leave soon…."

"I guess," Liane answered as her nerves began to churn with her ache and embarrassment. The words couldn't wait for her to decide what was real… she would have time for that later – _if_ they won… otherwise, it simply would no longer matter if they lost. The swordswoman knew she would have to lock it all away again, but even as she drew herself up to her feet, she looked up to him… and her hand flew out to catch her – maybe for one last time. _I owe you more… an apology… or… set things right…._ "Regal…?"

The blue-haired man looked down when she caught his hand, brow furrowing slightly. "Yes, Liane?"

"Thank you," Liane murmured, accidentally meeting his eyes and forcing herself to suck in a breath to press on… to finish it properly before there were no more chances. "I'm sorry… if I leaned on you too much." The words she spoke fell short of the ones she knew she should have given him… but her control was weak as it was.

_I'm sorry if I trampled on the memory of the girl you loved so much._

Before he could respond, she pulled herself up to place one more – one last? – kiss on his cheek. Like the very first – the one that had set off the uncertainty and possibilities made of smoke and imagination – it was quick, soft, and chaste… meant as a 'thank you.' But deeper, Liane knew it was her own quiet goodbye… one she hoped he wouldn't make her explain as she pulled back and offered him what she could of a quick smile. More words…_any_ words… would have broken her after the flash she thought she saw in his eyes. So she bent to grab her pack and then started back through the garden. She left Regal behind her without running or rushing her steps, knowing that she couldn't show him the tears that were starting to burn in her eyes.

_It's for the best. I… I have to talk to Kratos…. _


	39. Chapter 39

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: A foundation used to being shaken is cracked perhaps beyond repair by another betrayal. But in the shadows of loss, the truth shines like the sun… and the party at last faces their worst enemy… and their worst nightmares.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 39:

_I really don't think I have words for how tired I am of wings…._

Liane barely held back a groan where she crouched behind a pile of boulders with her friends outside Tethe'alla's Tower of Salvation. She knew it would be sheer idiocy for Yggdrasill to leave the Tower unguarded, but the presence of the troop of armored angels at the foot of the green steps almost made her want to curse. At one time, all of the angels had at least held a fascination factor, whether their wings were feathers or light. The journey had irrevocably tarnished the image she had once held in her mind of angels being incarnations of good and order.

_Stupid romantic drivel…._

For a moment, Liane's eyes widened at the silent snarl of her thoughts… then she buried her face in her arms where they rested on her knees, her groan finally winning its freedom.

_That's a word I need to scrub out of my vocabulary._

Since leaving Meltokio, Liane had made – no, _challenged_ – herself to stay close to Regal, even going so far as to offer him a ride on her Rheaird instead of riding with Lloyd as usual. The Duke accepted… Zelos grinned like a maniac… and Liane had a trip over an ocean to convince herself that their friendship could survive the aftermath of the combination of the heights of the night before and the morning that had torn it all apart. Neither she nor Regal had spoken once they left the Imperial City, but by the time they landed near the Tower, things felt easier… as if they were both settling back into reality. Even as the group huddled behind the strewn boulders to avoid detection by the silent angelic warriors, Regal crouched beside her… her friend, her ally. And Liane was grateful…

… but it didn't make her any happier about the angels.

"It's no good," Lloyd complained from his place at the edge of the boulders, his lean form slumping back against the stone. "It's blocked!"

Raine eased herself up to peer through an opening between a trio of rocks and slowly shook her head. "At this rate, our escape route will be blocked," she whispered, sparing a worried glance back down the narrow valley to where they had landed their Rheairds.

"Here come some more!" Sheena hissed, her eyes narrowed on a flock of winged warriors that circled the tower high above, swooping lower with every pass.

Liane bit her lip and lifted her head. "We could rush the Tower now before they get more… take out the ones guarding the steps… and hope we can block the door once we get in…?" she suggested half-heartedly, knowing that their options were dwindling when having Yggdrasill in front of them and a sea of armed angels behind them was their best hope. "If we're going to do this, it's not going to get any easier…."

No one replied, but worse, no one offered any other options. The angels above descended closer with every passing moment, strengthening Yggdrasill's hold and weakening the party's chances.

_The battle's going to be over before it starts,_ Liane frowned as she tightened her hand on her sword. Her nerves were raw, her pessimism building to a fevered pitch. She itched to do something – _anything – _other than to sit and wait to be discovered. Fighting would be doing something – perhaps moving forward, but definitely not leaving her room to think. Thinking was the last thing she wanted to do.

Before her complaint could form into words, there was a low, almost-silent grinding in the rock face beside the party's improvised hiding place. The party tensed as one, weapons all suddenly at ready as Liane realized they had lost their chance to choose between fight and flight. Each fighter froze in place, eyes fixed on the dark opening that slowly – and almost silently – revealed itself like some portal to the underworld inviting them closer.

_This is it,_ the swordswoman set her jaw and dropped a hand to the ground for balance. Zelos was the only sword-bearer closer, and if a flock of angels emerged from the darkness, he'd need backup. She watched as the inky blackness shifted, and Liane tensed, ready to launch herself forward, using her pack as a block for her foot.

Then the shadows solidified, taking on color… and then a familiar face as Yuan stepped to the boundary between the day and the dark of the cave. "Lloyd! This way!"

And then the half-elf turned on his heel without hesitation… and without looking back to see if his invitation was accepted, much less heard.

The party exchanged stunned looks, but Colette was quick to grab Lloyd's sleeve and tug him to his feet to pull him into the cave. "Lloyd, let's go!" the girl hissed, waving over her shoulder to the others to follow.

Liane blinked as she saw Genis scramble to his feet and hurry just fast enough to escape the hand Raine tried to use to catch his shoulder. _Yeah_, she silently grumbled as she rose at the same time as Raine, sharing an exasperated look with her mentor before she grabbed the strap of her pack and they followed the mage into the darkness. _No need to have such poor manners as to leave blood on Yggdrasill's doorstep now, is there?_ With only Raine and the shuffle of footsteps ahead of her, Liane felt along a rough, cold wall… edging her feet along the ground carefully until she found the edge of a step. _Stairs in the dark… this just gets better and better._

She didn't like any part of their situation, but as the pattern of steps became more familiar, Liane took a moment to pick what information she could. Ahead, there were no sounds of fighting… there were only soft footfalls. Behind, there was the steady pace of Regal directly behind her… and somewhere behind yet more feet, a dry grinding noise told her that the stony door closer behind them – perhaps locking the angels out…

… _and maybe locking us in._

Liane winced slightly, the sting of her foul mood only adding to her discomfort. What she wanted more than anything was to go back even just a day. _I should have cornered Kratos… I should have talked to him right there in the garden. I should have asked Regal how he saw our friendship… maybe I wouldn't have embarrassed myself… and him._

_Should have._

The swordswoman would have kicked herself if she could – and if she thought there was any way that it wouldn't backfire on her as well.

_He probably went back to his room last night and realized it was too much… that friends really couldn't be that closer… that comfortable._

Ahead, Liane saw a cool light starting to brighten their path, and her eyes fixed on it hungrily as she made out of the forms of Yuan, Lloyd, Colette, and Raine ahead of her. _It was too good to be real,_ she assured herself sullenly. Regal had seen her at her uncertain worst… and he accepted her even then. He even accepted that some insane need demanded that she couldn't call Kratos a traitor.

And, in return, she had lost herself in a girly fantasy woven by the presence of a palace, a Duke, and romance that she had all but completely given herself into for that night, casting him in the role that probably pushed his comfort to the breaking point.

Liane bit the inside of her cheek sharply. _You're lucky he gave you the option to stay friends, _she told herself. _You're lucky he's so forgiving_.

When the steps finally emptied into a wider and well-lit passage, Yuan stopped and turned to face the party, his arms crossed beneath his cape as he waited for all of the fighters to gather. That was when Liane realized she still clutched her sword, though she still wasn't inclined to sheathe it just yet.

"Why are you helping us?" Lloyd demanded once his companions gathered behind him, his hands anchored on his twin blades.

Yuan lifted an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't move… a tangible air of boredom falling around him as he drew a long, labored breath. "Now that the truth about me is known to Yggdrasill, the only way left to save Martel is to work with you," he explained as if he was talking down to a child. Then, he shook his head once with a soft snort. "Don't think that I want to be hour friend or anything."

Lloyd cocked his head to the Renegade, and then he chuckled, though the sound held no amusement. "You have a real negative attitude, you know that?" he grumbled and then shrugged. "Well, whatever. Thanks for helping us."

To Liane, the gratitude in her friend's voice was grudging… but she couldn't fault him for that. Yuan had pried the boy's eyes open to a truth he probably didn't want to see – she understood that all too well, as the half-elf had inadvertently done the same thing to her. "Lovely," she sighed. "Someone else to use us." The swordswoman hadn't actually intended to speak… but when Yuan's eyes flashed to her, she realized both that she had… and that she didn't really care if he had heard. "So, I take it this path takes us where you want us to go?"

A glare flickered in Yuan's eyes for Liane, but then he stepped aside, placing his back to the rock wall and clearing the path for the group to continue.

_Of course, you're not going to fight with us._ Liane rolled her eyes, though she kept tighter control on her tongue for that complaint. _It's better that way, _she decided._ It's one less person to worry about burying a knife in our backs in the middle of a fight._

"Let's go, everyone!" Lloyd called over his shoulder, waving to the others as he strode past Yuan without stopping… and without speaking to the half-elf again.

Liane followed Lloyd's lead, but she couldn't stop herself from glaring at Yuan, though she realized it wasn't entirely in anger. He had helped them for once, no matter his motives – but she couldn't help but wonder how much he knew… how much he was using them. She huffed and forced her eyes back to the path at her feet as the lighting began to shift from the cold white light of the secret passageway to an almost sickeningly familiar green.

"Liane?"

Regal's voice was quiet as he paced her, and she glanced up to meet his questioning look. She knew what he was asking simply by speaking her name. "Tired of being in the dark…" Liane answered, knowing that any interpretation of her answer was applicable.

The blue-haired fighter nodded and Liane knew he understood. With so many others, such a leap could be assuming much, but Regal did understand. And better, with that understanding, she knew that he also saw there was a time and a place to discuss it.

_And it's definitely not here or now._

The path began to twist into a slow spiral, gradually leading them into the green glow that could only be the Tower of Salvation. Every step felt more and more familiar until they found themselves on the transparent panels of the walkway that led to the warp ring at the center of the Tower. Liane refused to look anywhere but straight ahead… the same as Colette. But she realized she didn't have to see the wrapped bodies to know they were there – to feel their icy presence in her every nerve.

_We're not going to end up like them,_ Liane insisted to herself as she took her turn stepping onto the warp pad and turned to find her Tethe'allan friends waiting their turn. _We're not going to end here,_ she coached herself as the Tower flared and faded, leaving her with one more glimpse of warmth in Regal's eyes… and a ghost of an unsure smile on Sheena's lips. Both reassured her as her presence lurched away, though she realized she could have done without seeing the uneasy expression on Zelos' face as his eyes stayed down on the ghastly sight she had denied herself.

_They're his relatives,_ Liane told herself as she materialized on the platform alongside her Iselian friends. _This place has to be harder on him and Colette than it is on any of the rest of us._

The redhead was the last one to come through the transporter, but when he did, he stepped off without any sign of the discomfort Liane had seen on the other end of the warp ring and she moved aside to let him pass as he strode to the to the front of the group.

"Leave it to me," Zelos stated with a confident smile as he moved through the group to lead them up the steps to the platform where they first – and last – fought Kratos.

Sheena frowned as she watched the Tethe'allan Chosen pass. "Leave it to you?" she echoed back to him. "What are you gonna do?"

Zelos stopped at the top step and glanced over his shoulder to the summoner, winking at her as his grin brightened. "I figured something like this might happen, so I prepared a little something the last time we were here," he replied with a casual shrug.

As the others stepped onto the platform behind him, Zelos moved forward, his shoulders in a lazy slump as if he were out on a stroll. Liane watched him for a moment, envying him for his calm as her eyes inevitably slid to the upper rim of the platform where everything had started to crumble before their eyes – where they had lost Colette as well as Kratos – where their group had been shattered.

"Colette," Zelos suddenly turned, his eyes bright as they fixed on his blonde counterpart. "Come here for a second."

Colette jumped nervously when Zelos called to her… and again when his call repeated after ringing from the walls. "Huh?" the girl choked, twisting her fingers together as she quickly scrambled forward. "Oh, okay…."

Zelos crossed his arms as the blonde girl approached him, his smile unfaltering even when she stopped before him… and the air between her and the rest of the party wavered, finally taking the form of a trio of armored angels.

Liane tensed, gaping in disbelief as she tried to comprehend what she was seeing. _He… said he prepared something,_ she told herself. _Maybe… the angels were waiting for them… or… or…._ She frowned, realizing that Zelos' calm expression hadn't faltered in the least. _No…._

The air above the Eternal Sword suddenly flared to life, glowing and folding on itself until the form of Pronyma appeared perched on a spinning disc of green light.

Dropping her pack, Liane brought her sword up before her, unable to look away from the green-haired woman… nor could she stop a shiver from racing down her spine. "Pronyma…" she whispered, slowly shaking her stupor. "Colette… Zelos!"

Pronyma looked down on the party with a giggle that rang with taunting. "Good work, Chosen," she purred as her winged companions slowly drifted closer to Colette. "Now, bring her to me."

_What…? No…._

"Sure thing," Zelos shrugged and reached out for Colette's shoulder. In the next instant, the blonde girl disappeared and reappeared on the disk with Pronyma. Colette gasped, her eyes wide with fright, but the redhead didn't react. He merely turned a sly smile back to the others.

Liane watched, the shiver changing to a wave of ice that froze her to the core. _No. Please, no,_ she pled as she saw what was playing out before her eyes. She didn't want to see. She didn't want to understand. But she did. _No. Not again._

"Zelos!" Genis called out, alarm grating at the edge of his voice.

Again, Zelos didn't respond… he merely smiled.

Sheena stomped forward, arms tight at her sides as her hands tightened into fists. "What the _hell_ are you doing?!" the summoner demanded as she glared up at him.

Zelos yawned. Then he rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up," he groaned and glared down at Sheena. "I'm just putting myself on the winning side. What _you're_ trying to do is hopeless and meaningless." The redhead shrugged as Colette stepped back from him, her eyes wide with alarm. Zelos watched her with a smirk and then finally shook her head with a chuckle. "What's the big deal? Colette wanted to be a sacrifice, remember?"

"Zelos! You _traitor!_" Lloyd growled, both blades drawn back… and shaking.

Liane winced at the word… and the venom behind it. _Not again…_ she insisted despite the proof before her eyes. But her denial couldn't overrule the facts: another ally had walked them into yet another trap at the Tower of Salvation. _Zelos…._

"Aw, give it a rest, Lloyd," the redhead laughed cruelly, shaking his head in what looked like his own disbelief as he shrugged in the younger swordsman's direction. "Did you forget what I said in Flanoir? I side with the _strongest_. It was a simple matter of weighing the Renegades, Cruxis, and all of you."

"You were leaking information to the Renegades, too?!" Sheena blurted out, her fists tight at her sides as her face burned red. "I can't believe you! You were always a pervert, but I never doubted that you were a good person when it came down to it."

The hurt in Sheena's voice made Liane look over to her friend, her own feelings of betrayal fading on a wave of sympathy. It was clear that the summoner liked Zelos more than she wanted to admit… but Liane could see the ninja's disappointment as clearly as she could hear it. _Why are we so easy to betray?_ the swordswoman mused masochistically even as she knew no answer would truly help. _Zelos and Kratos both… they fought beside us… slept amongst us, ate beside us…._ Liane's thoughts trailed off as her memory snapped at her… she blinked as she saw Zelos take a mocking bow in Sheena's direction.

"Why thank you, my sweet Voluptuous hunny," the redhead purred as he straightened to offer her a sly wink.

_Zelos… was helping Cruxis…_ and_ the Renegades… the whole time?_

Liane's head spun as once again, the facts ganged up on her, slamming themselves together into forms she realized she never wanted to see. "You… it was you…" she breathed out as her mouth fell open. Why hadn't she seen it? It was obvious from where she stood looking back on the night the redhead had been so adamant that everyone needed to eat… the night a swift and dreamless sleep had taken her only to dump her into a waking nightmare of answers that complicated everything for her. "At Altessa's… you drugged us…."

Zelos threw back his head with a laugh. "What can I say? Comfort food isn't my strong suit. I had to use a little special ingredient," he shrugged innocently and laughed again before his amusement faded into a dramatic sigh. "But in the end, I choose this side, because Mithos promised to release me from my fate as a Chosen of Mana."

"You hate being the Chosen so much that you would betray your friends?" Regal asked quietly from where he stood beside Liane.

The placid resolve that had been in Zelos' expression twitched as a flash of anger leapt into his blue eyes. "Oh, _yeah_, I do," he snorted, his eyes narrowing. "It's because of that title that my life has been a total joke. I can't _stand_ it. I can't _wait_ for Seles to become the Chosen instead."

The party stood in stunned silence in the wake of the swordsman's declaration. Liane almost expected him to laugh… to tell them how stupid they looked as they stared up at him dumbfounded… what suckers they were for believing him. But he didn't. _I… can understand,_ she had to admit as she looked down to the floor. What the Church asked of the Chosens of both worlds was cruel – there was no debating that. _But… why couldn't he talk to us… does he have so little faith in us… are we that useless?_ The humiliation burned her… that she and her friends were worth so little to someone they considered a friend. And worse… that even after Kratos, she hadn't seen it coming.

"You're lying!"

The defiance in Lloyd's voice drew a gasp from his companions as he broke the paralysis of Zelos' betrayal and stomped forward. "I still trust you, you hear me?!" the swordsman yelled, his glare fixed on Zelos. "You're the one that told me I could trust you!"

Zelos' expression went blank for just an instant before he broke into a boisterous laugh. "What are you, stupid?" he sneered with a roll of his eyes as he looked up to the green-haired half-elven woman. "Let's get going, Lady, Pronyma!"

A flash of light filled the area one more time and Zelos disappeared from the ground only to reappear on the floating circle beside Colette and Pronyma. Colette stared at the redhead for a moment, her head shaking her denial until she clenched her fists together and fell to her knees, staring imploringly down on her companions. "Lloyd… Lloyd! _Lloyd!!!_"

Before the girl's voice could fade, the circle flared, engulfing both Chosens and Pronyma in green light and then vanishing, leaving no trace of itself or its three occupants. Only the angels remained… and they turned in unison, seeming to notice the party for the first time as the center one leveled his weapon at them. "Disappear unto nothingness."

Liane dropped the strap of her pack and widened her stance, her focus narrowing on the angels. _No. No, I won't disappear, _she swore as they floated closer, their demand grating on her nerves. But before weapons could cross or spells could be cast, a flurry of smoke billows burst around the party… and a group of hooded ninjas strode forward to stand with the party.

"Everyone!" Sheena gasped, her eyes shifting to each Mizuhoan in turn before they settled on Orochi and her eyebrows knit in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Orochi shook his head. "We'll explain later," he replied in a clipped tone as he lifted his hand to the angels. "Here they come!"

"Damn," Lloyd grumbled as he ran to the heart of the group and locked his blades before him as the angels dove at them. "Regroup!"

Liane saw the crimson-clad swordsman leap at the center angel, his blades cleaving at the air until they rang against the angel's broadsword. _Regroup_… she mused as she forced her eyes away and set herself on the closest angel along with Regal and a pair of ninjas. In one word, Lloyd reminded her how easy it had been… how they had gotten to the point of dividing themselves off in fights… an instinctive balance to their team that was now missing. Colette and Zelos' absence left a hole in their rhythm… taking away the balance between weaponry and magic. Any formation the party would find would be a chance without them.

While Lloyd and Orochi grounded the lead angel, Liane turned her full attention to her own adversary, trusting the third to Sheena and Presea and putting it out of her mind as she leapt, locking her Silver Sword at his hilt with that of the blank-eyed angel that came at her. For just an instant, her eyes found the angel's gaze… and the void she found in the hollow depths gave Liane a rush that helped her twist and throw the angel directly into the path of Regal's kick. She turned, blade still at the ready as she watched the ninjas pounce on the angel… and felt only the barest flicker of pity for her.

_You're already nothing more than a weapon. I won't be like you. I will _not _disappear._

It almost bothered Liane how cold she felt… like an icy film had crystallized between her and the angel… and perhaps even the world. Only when the angel's form dissolved into a mass of dying sparks did she come back to herself to find that the other two angels were gone as well. She frowned, unable to sheath her sword, but still drawing a long breath. "They were only meant to slow us down," she grumbled and glanced to where she had last seen Zelos and Colette. "Damn."

It took a moment for the party to regroup at the center of the platform, but the lull was enough for Liane to notice the space Regal left her as he followed a few steps behind. _He was betrayed, too,_ she reminded herself as it occurred to her that he might still be trying to find his balance, too.

_But this is twice for the rest of us…._

Liane's grip on the handle of her sword became painful in spite of the leather wrap. _Lloyd, Genis, Raine, Sheena… we all walked into it all over again._ There was venom in the thought, but even as its sting built, she saw Sheena approach Orochi… and her own bitterness faded.

_Goddess… poor Sheena._

From the set of the summoner's jaw, it was easy enough to read anger in her friend, but Liane saw more… a deeper betrayal… one nearly impossible to ignore… and even more impossible to put into words.

_Zelos… why?_

"Why are you all here?" Sheena asked as she stood face to face with Orochi, her voice almost too even.

"We received a message saying that you were about to head to the final battle," the blue-hooded ninja replied as he nodded his head pointedly in the direction of the nearby warp pad. "Right now, you must hurry and save Colette."

Lloyd glanced around to his companions as if taking stock before he started ahead. "Right," he murmured with a grim kind of determination. "Be careful."

"And you as well," Orochi replied as he turned toward the other ninjas.

But Liane couldn't quite bring herself to move just yet. "A message?" she questioned the ninja with a tilt of her head. _But who else knew we were leaving this morning?_ She hated that two names came to mind – two men that had traded their friendship to further their own goals – but it was all she could think of. _Dammit, am I ever going to learn?_

"We'll buy you as much time as we can, but the angels are fast," Orochi told the swordswoman. "It's all we can do. Please hurry and save the Chosen."

Before Liane could point out that he hadn't come close to answering what she wanted to know, Orochi and the other ninjas were already sprinting away. She frowned. _Kratos… was it you?_ she mused as she started to turn to the warp pad, though the thought was far from finished. _Or… Zelos? He knows where Mizuho is… but… why would he…?_

"I need to discuss something with you."

"With me?"

Liane hesitated with one foot on the transporter as she heard Raine's hushed request and Regal's equally hushed response. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Regal stop and turn to the Professor as they fell behind the rest of the group. _She should be able to talk to me, shouldn't she?_ Liane only had time for the thought to form before she mentally kicked herself. _Maybe she could… if I wasn't half as stable as he is._

Since Raine had taken her on as her assistant, Liane had tried to earn that place – to earn the trust and respect that went with such a position. But at that moment, Liane realized how thoroughly her doubts and visions had eroded her world… and her place in it.

_I'd trust Regal over me any day,_ Liane thought somberly and forced herself to turn and step up onto the warp pad. _One more thing to fix when this is done… I guess…._

The flurry of light allowed the swordswoman one more glimpse of Regal and Raine's conversation before replacing it with the sight of a reddish-colored corridor. A hum of power filled the air as Liane stepped down from the warp pad and rejoined the others, but between the remaining members of the party, there was only strained silence. No one spoke, but considering that only Presea's face was completely expressionless, no one else truly needed to speak.

Lloyd looked as if he was a heartbeat away from planting his fist in the wall.

Genis was shaking… and though he was turned to his side, it was easy to see his reddened face through the fall of his silver hair.

But Sheena worried Liane the most. The ninja stood with her back to the wall, shoulders slumped… chin dropped to her chest. Her hair almost completely obscured her face… but not enough to hide the wet trails on her cheeks that faintly glittered under the cold light of the hallway.

_Even Sheena, Zelos?_ Liane bit her lip, though even that couldn't send her scowl away. _The rest of us, fine… we're backwater… or maybe you… you just didn't have a use for us. But… Sheena?_ She knew she hadn't imagined what she had seen, but even if they were both too proud to give in, Zelos had still thrown it all away.

_Some people only get one chance, Zelos. Wasn't it worth the thought?_

The only answer that came for Liane was the whine of the transporter coming to life again. A moment later, Regal stepped from the pad and it flared one more time as Raine's form appeared quickly behind him. Both wore grim expressions that sent a wave of worry through Liane, but before she could find the words to ask, Raine strode past them all without sparing even a glance for any of them.

"Every moment they have Colette decreases our chances of getting her back as she was," the Professor stated sharply as she continued down the hall without waiting to see who was following. "We all know what has to be done… there can be no hesitation when we're asked to do it."

A strange chill wrapped itself around Liane as she exchanged glances with her friends – a tug in her chest deepening her frown when she saw Sheena swipe her hands over her cheeks. _Raine's tone… was scarier than even the worst of her angry lectures,_ Liane pondered as she realized that her feet were already moving to follow the Professor along with the others. _What did they talk about?_she couldn't help but wonder as she glanced up to where Regal walked beside her – his eyes straight ahead, his face a stony mask that looked as if he had never smiled in his life. Liane had to force herself to look away before the absence of the warmth she knew was within her friend could consume her and fixed her eyes on the distance ahead of Raine and Lloyd.

_Are we really losing already?_

Liane had no chance of keeping her shoulders from slumping. The battle had already taken three companions from their ranks... and the stakes were only getting higher. As the corridor before them twisted and turned, evidence of the gnarled Giant Tree was everywhere around them, cracking through walls and flooring, reminding the swordswoman of the power the tree had… and the destruction it had brought to Sylvarant.

"Did we ever really think about the true meaning of the things Zelos said?"

The party's pace slowed as Lloyd's voice filtered back over the group. It didn't sound like he had spoken to anyone in particular… not with how unsure the words sounded.

"What?" Sheena asked, irritation in the biting word. "Are you saying we should have been suspicious of every single thing he said just in case they sounded like the words of a traitor?"

Liane cringed as Sheena touched the nerve that Zelos had exposed with his actions. "I… don't think I could do that… even if we should have. Even after everything that's happened… I… I think I'd rather be surprised… than just be waiting for my friends to stab me in the back."

Lloyd turned, slowing as he took a couple more steps backwards before he stopped and shook his head. "No, I mean, maybe we never realized the true feelings behind the way he joked around all the time."

The party looked to one another as the swordsman's words seeped in. "I see what you mean," Genis murmured. "It's too late now, though...."

"Yeah, before it came to this, we should have paid a little more attention to him," Sheena muttered, starting to trudge down the hallway once again, the others following suit close behind.

_Does it have to be too late…?_ Liane couldn't help but wonder as they continued on, even though she knew the answer. _He handed Colette over to them… he practically slapped us all in the face. It… probably is…._

The condition of the passageway continued to deteriorate as they moved deeper into the Tower. Tree roots nearly blocked some hallways, though the Sorcerer's Ring burned through the dry wood with relative ease. Creatures wandered in the shadows that looked like walking plants and flowers… and avoiding them grew harder and harder. _The power of the Giant Tree did all this? _Liane found the thought repeating a little too often for comfort, but the wandering flora became the least of her worries when the path before the party broke under their weight, dumping them onto a lower level of the Tower. Just one more detour, the party soon found a counterweight and continued on, but even as the ceilings rose enough to suggest that they were at least in a different part of the Tower, a lone bell began to toll somewhere high above… a chilling sound that brought the party to a stop in the center of a circular hall.

"Wh… what's going on?" Lloyd murmured, turning to sweep his eyes around the upper reaches of the room.

Liane looked up, her sword in hand. The ringing bell began to echo, the sound multiplying from the walls and rafters. "It… sounds like an alarm," she murmured with a frown. Slowly, the group backed into the center of the room, shoulder to shoulder as their eyes scanned the room for movement. The swordswoman saw grand pillars and a raised platform that looked fit for royalty to sit there atop a throne, a fall of silken banners in a rainbow colors making sure that the area stood out from the rest of the room.

"Angels…."

One word. One little word. It was more than enough to set them all for battle, though as Lloyd pointed up. True to his claim, first one angel peeked over the balcony high overhead… then another… and more to either side of them.

Then… the flight of angels leapt over the balcony rail….

"Here they come!" There was a faint growl in Regal's voice as he brought his hands up before him and began to shift his weight into his battle stance.

The rest of the group followed his example, only breaking their formation enough to be able to fight as the angels swept down at them.

_There's too many,_ Liane frowned as she realized she'd never seen so many angels together in one place… there were easily enough to outnumber how many angels they'd fought since they first met Remiel. _We… we can't fight together…_ she shook her head and set her jaw as one of the angels seemed to single her out. Stepping forward to block the swing of the angel's sword, Liane did her best to forget the times when her friends had her back, and she had theirs. _The only way we can win… is to fight for ourselves… so our friends don't get overwhelmed if we lose._

The redheaded angel bounced back from the impact with Liane's blade, but only hesitated for a moment to gain her balance before she lunged again. This time, Liane was ready, her blade tip down and charging before the angel came into range of its sweep. "Demon Fang!" the young woman called waiting a little longer than usual to send the crescent of mana out at the airborne angel as her blade sliced through the air.

Taking the attack squarely to the chest, the angel faltered and dropped to the ground, landing awkwardly with one wing twisted beneath her. Liane felt a small flicker of sympathy for her, but it didn't slow down her leap at her fallen adversary. As the angel struggled to rise, Liane drew back her sword and thrust it down into the joint between the plates of the angel's armor. Some part of her was still horrified by what she had done as she felt the angel's struggle slow to a stop. But there was no pain… no reaction of any kind in the angel's face or eyes… as the angel faded into shimmering dust.

_It's as if… they really are already dead…_ Liane frowned, not liking the possibility beyond the fact that perhaps her blow hadn't actually been the one to end the being's life… she had simply ended an empty existence. It wasn't the first time… and Liane's stomach twisted as she realized it wouldn't be the last as she looked up to find another flurry of angels and loose-floating feathers descending on them.

"Dammit, there's no end in sight!" Lloyd exclaimed with a huff as the angel before him exploded into a rain of sparkling mana and he drew back his blades.

"Make a break for that passage!"

Liane looked over her shoulder to catch Regal's nod toward the doorway across the hall from where they had entered. The angels were getting closer… _and in a room like this, they're going to be able to overwhelm us before much longer… in a hallway, though… they'll be limited by how many they can send at us at once…._ It was a good plan…and Liane ran, the party grouping behind Lloyd as they ran through the pillared gateway and into the hall beyond.

Behind them, the bell stopped tolling… and there was the soft rush of feathers like knives against the wind…

… and then…there was the rumble of tumbling rock.

Liane's pace slowed as she turned back to the room they had fled. The doorway was blocked with a pile of stony debris that ensured the angels wouldn't be able to follow for a while. The swordswoman blinked, a relieved smile starting to curl her lips. "It worked…" she breathed out….

"Regal!"

Lloyd ran past Liane and back to the mass of rock before her mind could catch up. _Regal? What…._ Her mind fogged for a moment as if it was protecting itself, but the realization was cruel and it forced its way through. _Goddess…._

She looked around, her fears a growing fire as she couldn't find the Duke amongst her friends.

_No…._

"I'll hold them off here. Hurry!" Regal called, his voice filtering through the holes in the rubble as Lloyd pulled a few rocks out of the way.

_Hold them off…._ Liane's hands clenched shut and her knees shook. _He… knocked the pillars down… and left himself behind._

Lloyd shook his head. "You know I can't leave you behind!" he called through to the shackled man as his gloved hands continued to try to tug at the stone.

"There's no time," Regal insisted with a slight growl in his voice. "You _know _that. You're the only one who can save Colette."

"_We all know what has to be done… there can be no hesitation when we're asked to do it."_

Liane edged closer to the blocked end of the hallway, all of her senses dazed as she remembered what Raine had said. She caught a glimpse of the telltale blue of her friend's hair through the random holes in the rocks and she started to reach out to the blockage… until a hand on her shoulder held her back. She caught her breath as she looked back and found that Raine was the one holding her back… and Liane's frown deepened at the silent shake of her mentor's head. _It's done… it's over…_ she could practically read the thought in the Professor's eyes… and Liane couldn't fight her. She looked back at the rocks that no longer moved from Lloyd's grip. Her eyes burned. _Regal…._

"I _know _that! But I can't just leave my friend!" Lloyd yelled back through the hole, desperation creeping into his tone.

"That's not what you're doing," Regal called back, his voice still reaching all of them even through the blockage. "I… I once wasn't able to protect someone very important to me. So this time, I'm going to succeed. I'm going to protect my friends."

Lloyd took a step back from the rocks, his arms falling limply to his sides. "Regal…."

Liane squeezed her eyes shut and dipped her chin, though she did shrug out from under Raine's restraint. _Goddess… this is it. _He'd never know if she got a chance to talk to Kratos, like he wanted her to… she'd never get to see what he did with his life once he removed his shackles as he promised Alicia he would.

"Lloyd, save Colette."

Regal's command was softer, the preparatory anger that had been in his voice before gone, his voice just barely audible. "All right," Lloyd answered, slowly taking another step back and starting to pivot on his heel. Then he stopped and cast a glare of challenge back at the rubble. "Regal, _don't die," _the swordsman ordered. "Don't make me go through the same pain you did, you hear me?" Lloyd didn't give the Duke time to answer… he set his jaw and finished his turn to walk away from the rock.

Liane could only stare after her friend… seeing the torment on his face… but… _he… believes that Regal will come back… that… he can… win…._ She wanted to have that same faith, but she didn't know if she was that strong after everything that had happened. Then, she looked down to her side and saw Presea watching the rocks as intently as any of them. Liane studied the girl's expression… and surprised herself by actually finding what she would swear was deep, deep sadness in her eyes. Her lip didn't quiver, her eyes didn't overflow… but it was the most emotion she had seen in the girl for as long as she had known her. When the ax girl turned to leave, Liane heard the impacts beginning within the chamber….

_Regal… he… he's fighting… all by himself…._

It gnawed at Liane that she'd never get the chance to thank him… for everything… for being her friend…. "Win, Regal… please… I can't say goodbye like this," she murmured, swiping her sleeve back over her cheeks and trying not to wince at the sounds of the fight that was occurring out of her reach… one against _so_ many.

"You realize that if anyone can do it, Regal can, right?" Sheena murmured from where she walked just behind Liane. When the swordswoman glanced back, the ninja crossed her arms, her eyes troubled, but her expression flat. "He's already lived through his own personal hell… a few angels aren't going to stop him.

Liane knew she was right… he had endured what would have broken so many others. _But… if he fails… he'll finally be with her again… and forever._ It was a dark thought, and she had to turn to keep Sheena from reading how it troubled her. _He promised Alicia he'd stop punishing himself… that he'd take his shackles off. And Lloyd told him not to die. Regal is more honorable than to go against either of them._ It was a somewhat comforting thought, though the odds of his fight still haunted her. "I just wish he would have given us the option of helping," she finally sighed, deciding it was enough of a complaint for the moment.

Sheena snorted. "Well, the guys of our group do tend to be a bit bull-headed," she huffed as she sped up enough to pace Liane as the corridor constricted to a large spiral staircase in a cavernous dull gray room. "Think they have all the answers…."

"Hey, you know there are still two guys left, right?" Genis called back. "We're not all like that!" he declared, sounding vaguely annoyed by the summoner's generalization.

"Give it time, short stuff. Seems like you've got all the wrong role models," Sheena shrugged but managed a smile for the mage.

Genis grumbled something wordlessly indignant and began to stomp down the steps behind Lloyd and his sister and Sheena chuckled dryly. "It's not necessarily a bad thing, Genis – to be a little stubborn," Liane offered as she started down the steps, her hand trailing along the rail. She saw Raine cast her a sharply quizzical look, but it didn't even occur to her to back down. "It means you have the strength to stand up for yourself and what you believe. Without someone being stubborn… things would never change – for better or worse.

Raine's look softened and she turned her attention back to the staircase, her staff tapping out a rhythm that echoed in the room. "Stubbornness must be tempered by wisdom, though," she commented. "One must always keep their eyes open in the face of resistance – there's always more than one side to a situation, and you must be able to assess that… and make an informed choice."

"Like Yggdrasill," Lloyd muttered without looking up from the steps. "He's so sure his is the only way – that finding a vessel for Martel is the only thing that matters – that he can't see what he's doing to both Tethe'alla and Sylvarant."

"He's completely lost touch with the world," Liane frowned as they reached the bottom of the spiral and she glanced back up to the upper hallway for the friend she already knew wouldn't be there. "He lost someone he cared about," she murmured as she turned her eyes back to the bridge that spanned the pit beneath the staircase. "After that… nothing else mattered but getting her back."

Before anyone else could comment, the hiss of the splitting air sizzled in the room as a pair of branches struck the path in front of Lloyd, almost skewering the swordsman. "Whoa!" the brown-haired teen cried out as he leapt back, hands ready to draw his twin blades.

Liane's own sword was already in hand as she gathered with the others and watched the branches shake… and then retract back up into a gnarled mass of wood dotted with spots of green mana. "A tree…?" she whispered warily. _How did I miss that coming down the stairs??_ The wood hung at the center of the spiral, its limbs holding it in place as the two spikes that struck at Lloyd shook menacingly as if they were ready to strike again. Her mouth fell open. "It's… like it has a consciousness…."

"This thing won't let us through!" Lloyd shook his head and drew his blades as the vines rustled and threatened to plunge again.

Sheena reached out for Lloyd's shoulder and gently pushed him aside, her eyes on the tree above. "Hang on!" she glared at the thing for a moment longer as the vines shifted toward her – almost as if they noticed her presence. "This thing looks like leftovers from earlier."

Lloyd turned his disbelieving stare at the Summoner. "You mean… one of the Giant Tree's…."

"Yep," the summoner nodded as she edged closer to the narrow path beneath the staircase, her brown eyes fixed upward with a troubled frown, "… no doubt about it." Her hand suddenly snapped at the air as she threw her other arm out and advanced another step toward the bridge. "Just stand back and leave this to me!"

The others exchanged looks, but still backed away a step, opening the air between them and Sheena a bit more as the card in her outstretched fingers began to crackle with mana. Liane watched as the sharp tree roots appeared to take notice of Sheena, shaking with a dry rustle that sounded like an angered hiss.

"Disciple of everlasting ice!"

Sheena's voice rang without any sign of hesitation or sullenness. Liane once again found herself struck by the ninja's strength… by her confidence. As Celsius materialized from a burst of pale blue light, the swordswoman couldn't help but wonder if she'd grown as Sheena had… if she'd embraced her own gifts as much as she could… and used them for the sake of her friends and their goals. _I tried… but… Sheena's gotten so strong,_ Liane almost smiled as Sheena swept her card through the air again… and the room thrummed with the tingle of mana._"_

"Hammer of godly thunder!"

"Servant of Mother Earth!"

"Envoy from the dark abyss!"

Volt, Gnome, and Shadow all responded to the summoner's call in turn, each of them suspended around the remains of the Giant Tree and awaiting their pact-bearer's words. A moment of silence hung in the room as the tree's roots recoiled from the Tethe'allan spirits, but then Sheena shifted her weight, squaring her shoulders and setting her arms out before her. "I command thee! Gatherest before me and unleash thine power!"

What had been a tickle of power in the air turned into a deluge that pressed the breath from Liane's lungs as she watched the physical forms of the spirits dissolve into streamers of pulsing mana that flowed straight at Sheena. The summoner didn't flinch, though – in fact, to Liane's eye, Sheena gathered the power _into _herself, her own form taking on an aura of noticeable energy. While the sight served to tell Liane that there was no comparison between them in how much they had grown over the time they had known one another, she couldn't help but be happy for her friend, considering how grudgingly she had initially admitted to her Right of the Pact.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Lloyd asked as he cautiously approached Sheena's side.

"My impression of the Mana Cannon," the black-haired ninja responded with just a hint of strain in her voice as she kept her eyes on the tree. "Well, it won't be nearly as powerful, but it should be enough to take care of this thing." Sheena's breath hitched for just an instant as she glanced over to the swordsman, her jaw tightening. "Lloyd, when I give the signal, run underneath it. Got it?"

The swordsman cocked his head to her. "All right. But what about you?"

Lloyd's question shattered the air of admiration and brought Liane back into the moment with a blink. _She wouldn't…._ But it was already too late to stop the thought process. "Sheena, if you need help…."

_Hah. Like my puny spells can even compare to what she's about to do…._

"Don't worry," Sheena shook her head without looking away from the tree, "… I'll be fine." The last word cracked and she shifted her feet to move her weight onto her back foot. "Get ready, here we go!"

In the next instant, the roar of mana filled the room, rumbling more than thunder and being chased by a flare of light brighter and more constant than a lightning storm as Sheena gathered the spirits' power close and then unleashed it at the tree. The thing's woody appendages flailed noiselessly, recoiling from the blast that shook its grasp on the spiral stairs. "Now!" Sheena commanded, her teeth clenched as she pushed her borrowed power up at the tree.

The group didn't question the summoner's order –they simply ran over the trembling bridge, though all eyes were warily fixed on the embattled tree root. Liane could hear the rhythm of Lloyd's boots behind her as she ran with Raine, Genis, and Presea, all of them only slowing when they reached a small cave at the end of the bridge where the faint glow of a warp pad awaited them in the darkness. _We made it__,_ Liane puffed and turned to look over her shoulder. Even from where she stood, she could see Sheena's knees shaking, though she continued to assault the tree.

A deafening 'crack' split the air suddenly as the tree root lost its grip and fell against one sweep of the stairs before it began to tumble. Breaking off branches as it fell, the bulk of the root struck the bridge as the glow of Sheena's attack faded, but the stone path crumbled on contact with the falling root, shattering like glass under the wood's weight and falling into the black chasm below. Stone and wood could still be heard falling along after they disappeared into the blackness, but quiet crept back into control over the hall above the pit. Liane moved closer to the edge, hesitantly leaning out and shivering a little at the sight of the inky blackness.

"Sheena! Are you okay?" Lloyd called across the pit to the wobbling summoner.

The ninja leaned her hands down onto her knees as her shoulders heaved. "Yeah," she huffed just loud enough for her voice to carry across the pit. "I'm all right."

The swordsman laughed with relief. "That was amazing!"

Sheena looked up with a tired smile and pushed herself upright again. "Just don't ask me to do it again, okay?" she wheezed and shook her head. "That drained all my mana."

"Do you have gels?" Liane called out to her friend as she eyed the gap between them. "I don't know if I can throw any to you… or maybe…." She turned to look at the Professor. "Can you help her from here? I know it's a long way, but…." Her voice trailed off when she met Raine's gaze, almost shuddering at the frosty sadness she saw in the half-elf's eyes. _What…?_ Worry ripped through Liane's nerves as she snapped her head back to Sheena. _It's… too… far…._

Sheena shook her head, another tired laugh filtering across the gap to the others as she waved off Liane's offers. "I'm going to rest for just a –"

The ninja's words were cut off by the whip-like snap of a vine that flashed up from the black of the pit. The thing arched like a coiled snake for only a heartbeat before it wrapped around Sheena's leg and dragged her from the lip of the abyss.

"_Sheena!!"_ Liane screamed in horror as the understanding that all she could do for her friend was watch – another nightmare all her own. But before the vine could drag the summoner completely into the pit, she saw Sheena's hand wrap around another exposed root on the wall of the pit – and for the moment, there seemed to be a tense balance between hope and despair.

"Sheena! Hang on, I'll…." Lloyd called out as his eyes darted around the tiny bit of solid ground he stood upon with the others. But after a moment, his frantic search slowed as an unexpected noise bubbled up from the pit.

_Sheena's… laughing?_

Liane's eyebrows knit together as she watched her friend struggle with the grip of a single hand and the full weight of whatever was trying to drag her down from below. The sound was quiet, tired… pained. But there was no mistaking that it _was_ laughter.

"Wh… what's wrong with you?" Lloyd asked in confused disbelief. "Why are you laughing?"

Sheena's laughter died back to a strained chuckle as she shook her head and looked up to the group gathered at the edge. "No, I was just remembering the first time we met," she smirked, though it didn't last long as whatever had a grip on her leg seemed to tug again and she gasped in pain. The ninja quickly recovered, forcing her smile back to her lips. "It looks like I have a strong affinity for falling into holes."

An instant of silence filled the room before Lloyd laughed once, shaking his head. "Just hang on. I'll be right there!"

"Don't worry about me," Sheena snapped back, this time without amusement. "Just hurry up and go rescue Colette."

Liane's breath rushed from her lungs… the levity of the memory of their first meeting with Sheena evaporating as the leaden weight of her words settled. _I… have to leave another friend behind…?_ her thoughts whispered in dismay even as she knew how a rescue would slow them down – and what Yggdrasill might do to Colette in that time. She dropped her eyes to her feet, her hand closing into a fist.

"This is _not_ the time to act all tough!" Lloyd replied in irritation, his form twitching as his eyes once again scoured the edge of the pit.

"I'm not acting," Sheena retorted indignantly, glaring up at Lloyd with a defiant smirk. "It's just like the last time when I climbed up from the bottom of that pit and I took you on. And this time… I won't miss the main event."

Lloyd's shoulders were tight as his hands both clenched on the handles of his blades. "You better be telling the truth," he muttered with no sign of amusement… only a hollow ring of defeat creeping into his tone.

"Of course!" the ninja agreed quickly. "You better leave me a piece of the action!"

Liane glanced to the young swordsman beside her and found the darkness in his expression struck her as beyond sad. _We're both losing our friends… one by one. Another sad, common link…._

"Okay," Lloyd finally nodded and cast one more long look at the summoner before he started to turn and walk toward the warp ring. "I'll be waiting for you, you got that?"

The dark-haired swordswoman couldn't move yet, though… not even as she heard the teleporter whine to life and a flash of light brightened the dreary hall. _She's just hanging there..._ she frowned as her eyes insisted on facts she didn't want to think about. _She's struggling just to stay there… and we have to leave her… alone._

"Liane…" Raine lifted her voice from where she waited beside the warp ring.

Looking over her shoulder, Liane bit her lip and started to turn as well, no matter how _wrong_ it felt to turn her back on her friend… again. "I'm sorry, Sheena," she murmured as she walked away from the pit and past her mentor without chancing a look into Raine's eyes.

"_We all know what has to be done… there can be no hesitation when we're asked to do it."_

_Even if that's what Sheena and Regal did, there still has to be a better way,_ Liane frowned as the warp ring came to life beneath her feet and the world dissolved around her.

"— and this would be easier with everyone!"

Liane blinked as she solidified in another shambled hallway. She only caught the end of Lloyd's outburst, but the looks that Presea and Genis shot her upon her arrival forced her to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat after leaving not one, but two friends behind. _Time to be the adult_, she sighed, almost groaning at the thought as she approached behind Lloyd and placed her hand on his shoulder even as the warp ring came to life behind her. "That might be true, but… who's to say Yggdrasill doesn't have an even bigger army coming after us?" she asked, steeling herself against the memory of angels coming from every direction – and that Regal was the only one left to keep them from pursuing the party.

"More of us can hold them off better than one… or two," Lloyd replied sullenly and shrugged out from under her hand.

For a moment, Liane hesitated, tempted to let it drop. She agreed with him – but what she _had_ to say went against what they both believed. "And if we all stopped to fight every enemy, Colette could very likely be lost by the time we get to her," she sighed, her heart sinking as Lloyd turned his back on her – on all of them – and continued down the path ahead… clearly fuming.

"He needs to hear it," Raine murmured from behind Liane's shoulder.

"Doesn't make me feel any better for saying it," Liane grumbled and started to follow Lloyd. After a few moments, she realized that Genis and Presea were walking at her sides, something she couldn't help but take as a silent show of support. Their situation was getting worse the deeper into the Tower they went… and they all knew it. _Since we entered the Tower, we've lost three of our strongest fighters,_ she told herself. _Our chances are looking worse and worse…._

Raine offered no more guidance before they reached another warp ring and began to step on one by one, with Lloyd staying in the silent lead. As soon as both Genis and Presea were gone, though, the Professor sighed heavily. "None of us likes anything about this, Liane," the half-elf stated, her voice softer than before even if the words left little room for reassurance. "Lloyd has to reach Colette."

"And the rest of us are just along for the ride?" Liane couldn't keep herself from snapping at her mentor as she paused in front of the warp ring, not trusting herself to be able to look back without glaring. "Or better yet, cannon fodder?"

"If necessary."

There was only a slight hesitation in Raine's response, but the absence sent a chill down Liane's spine. "I won't believe that," she clenched her jaw. "Lloyd would hate this, you know? And beyond that, none of us have fought this hard just to give up and die."

"Lloyd's not here. And none of us want to die," Raine replied, her voice a bit softer than before. But rescuing Colette is just the start. You know as well as I do that Lloyd and his Exsphere are the best chance our worlds have."

_His Exsphere…._

Just the thought made the base of Liane's throat itch with a phantom chill, but she refused to lift her hand – to itch it, to cover it or to acknowledge it. _It's not mine. It never was._ "Maybe," the swordswoman answered and lifted her foot. "And if I have to die, so be it… but it's not going to be for nothing." Then she stepped onto the teleporter without waiting for further debate.

_Is that what she and Regal talked about?_

The thought followed her as her body was swept from one warp pad to another, but even as a new room and the sight of three of her friends materialized before her, it didn't change her mind.

_There has to be a better plan than whittling down our ranks… doesn't there?_

The small group had already started forward, approaching a dull metallic bridge that spanned a pit not unlike the one beneath the spiral stairs in the last room. Liane frowned as she started forward as well, her thoughts racing back to Sheena and Regal, unable to keep herself from wondering what had happened to them.

"H-hey… guys….?"

The swordsman's alarmed call snapped Liane's thoughts back once again… back into the room that was filling with a mechanical hum. She blinked, looking around for the source of the sound, her eyes tracing over the bridge to the pairs of waist-high anchors on either side –

"The bridge is retracting!!"

Raine's voice pointed out the slow parting of the bridge from their side of the room at the same time that Liane saw the slow turn of the large gear sandwiched between two plates of metal in the anchor structure ahead of her. _If the bridge is gone…._ The dark-haired young woman didn't spare the time to finish the through before she crouched to free one of her daggers from its sheath on her boot, drew it back, and let it fly. Liane didn't think about it, she simply shifted her fingers on the sides of the sharpened blade and threw it, only truly realizing what she did when the dagger's hilt wedged into the housing and brought the gear to a stop.

_It… worked…?_

"Whoa, Liane…" Genis breathed out, a surprised smile on his lips as he watched her stand. "I thought you'd given up on your daggers… nice shot…!"

Liane's first instinct was to breathe out in relief, but the angry groan of metal under tension quickly took that away. "It's not going to hold," she frowned, approaching the gap that had already opened as the panels of the bridge started to retract to the other side. What had initially looked to be a corded handrail was actually part of the retraction mechanism… and her dagger was pinned between the spool for the metal cord and the gear that drove it. "Lloyd… go," she called to her friend. "The gap isn't too bad yet, but it's too much for the dagger to hold for long."

Lloyd shot Liane a quick look, but then nodded and hopped across the gap, clearing it enough for a solid foothold, but not by much. "Whoa… it's shaking," the crimson-clad teen muttered as he turned and crouched to a knee, his hand out to the others. "Presea, give me your hand!"

Liane, Raine, and Genis followed the pigtailed girl to the edge of the bridge where Liane caught one hand and, without a backward glance, Presea reached out for Lloyd. A quick tug from the swordsman and a jump from the ax girl later, Presea stood beside Lloyd on the shivering bridge.

Genis was next, with Raine acting as his anchor as he reached for Lloyd. Once her brother was safe on the other side, the Professor looked to Liane. "Your turn…."

A resounding _snap_ answered the silver-haired woman before the swordswoman could as a bone-crunching rattle shook the bridge and sent Lloyd, Genis, and Presea scrambling for the other edge of the bridge. "Professor! Liane! Hurry!!" Lloyd called as he turned and shoved his younger friends toward the other side.

But Liane's attention was already on the gear housing - and the broken pieces of her dagger that it had spit out. The gear was wobbling on its shaft even as the spool of cable spun without resistance, loosening the support for one side of the bridge as the mechanism on the other side took over the retraction on its own. With a frown, Liane reached out to catch the uncoiling cable outside the housing, bracing her weight against the metal structure and waiting for the weight of the bridge to take up what slack remained. "Raine… go."

The Professor's eyes were wide as she surveyed her assistant's situation. "You can't hold the bridge up, Liane…."

Liane shook her head, noticing Lloyd and the others were almost across the bridge. "No, I can tie it off, but you have to go before the gap gets too big." The bridge was retracting slower than before, but it was still opening. "It's similar to the irrigation gates on Dad's farm –" She managed before a sharp tug told her she was out of slack. Drawing in a breath and stretching what cable she still had back over the smooth lines of the gear housing, Liane ground her teeth. "I just have to anchor it…."

The doubt she saw in Raine's eyes almost hurt, but even as the half-elf's shoulders slumped and she turned to leap the gap, Liane _understood_. What had been left on the cable spool was almost gone. If the cable fell, the bridge would be unstable… her friends would all fall. Wooden irrigation gates were one thing… a bridge of metal and machine was another. She knew the principal was sound, but she also knew that her own strength wouldn't be enough to keep the bridge from retracting.

_Lloyd… has to get to Colette._

"Liane! Hurry!"

The swordsman's call – the worry in his voice – made Liane look across the widening gap… and she knew what she had to do. _I don't want to die,_ she told herself and turned to brace her weight and that of her pack into holding the cable steady as it bit into her palms… and as Raine reached the other side. _But I'm slowing them down._

"Go ahead! I'll tie this off… and… catch up."

She heard the words fall from her lips and almost winced, realizing how easily she could be lying to her friends. Could they see through her plan through? Perhaps. Did they have time to debate it?

_No._

"Dammit, Liane, no! Hurry, you can still jump!" Lloyd shouted. "Hurry!"

It only took Liane a moment to look at the gap in the bridge to know that she couldn't make it even if she dropped her pack. The way Raine wouldn't look back at her only strengthened that realization. "It's too far, Lloyd… just go. It's going to take a little bit to get this cable –" she gasped at another bite from the cable, "… back onto the spool."

_Liar._

There was a quiet moment where there was only the mechanical grinding to comment on the acidic thought.

"You_ can_ fix it?"

Liane bit her lip at her friend's skeptical question. She didn't want to lie to him. _With time… tools… sure, maybe,_ she told herself and stopped there, knowing full well she didn't have either. "It shouldn't be that hard…."

_Shouldn't,_ Liane almost laughed, but the strain in her shoulders kept her from doing so.

Lloyd groaned… a pained sound alive with frustration. "Okay… just hurry."

The swordswoman couldn't look up –not even when she heard the sound of a warp ring coming to life over the mechanical complaint of the bridge. She didn't want to see them leave – but worse, she didn't want them – Lloyd in particular – to see the hot tears in her eyes. The slack in the cable was gone… and her strength against the magitechnology machine was nothing. Her feet slid as the thickened anchor end of the cable caught in her hands.

_Is this really it? How it ends?_

She didn't want to believe it, but her options were melting one by one. She had a dagger left, but the gears no longer had a part in the system… and she couldn't spare a hand to get it from her boot anyway. Leverage was nothing more than a dream.

_Stupid, Liane,_ she chided herself as she ground her teeth. _You weren't meant to be a hero._

The cable punctuated the criticism with a sudden jerk that pulled Liane from her feet and the ground out from under her. The swordswoman didn't have time to scream and barely had time to realize that she was falling at the end of the cable as she plunged down into the darkness before she slammed against the stony wall of the pit.

That was when she screamed - as pain lanced through her temple and shoulder.

_Sweet… Goddess!!_

Knowing the truth of Martel did nothing to change the thought. Her fate was but two shaking hands away.

_No…._ Liane insisted against the pain that was slowly creeping out from the places that she had struck the wall. _No… I want to help Lloyd…_ She ground her teeth together, bearing the searing pain of putting her weight on her injured shoulder as she struggled to shift her weight and shrug out of her pack. The injured arm was easy enough, and she managed to slip it out of the pack's strap – but the second…

… her grip in her wounded arm was too weak… and she wasn't fast enough to shift her good arm back up to the cable…

… and in a rush of cold air, Liane fell into the black.

For a moment, all she could hear was the air shoving past her… then she heard a soft impact that she realized was her pack falling below her, colliding with the wall. But all Liane could see was the peacefully swinging cable and the partially fallen bridge… and it only took a rushed heartbeat for even those to fade into the dull light of the room above.

_The rope… I don't need the rope… my angel…._

Liane's eyes flared open at the ghost of a thought that hadn't visited her in so long… _was it… when we met Remiel?_ The pain in her temple was slowly changing from a sharp sting to a dull burn… but somehow, she was already beyond it. The swing of the cable from which she had fallen ignited the memory again… falling from the ancient tree… not bothering to reach for the rope that could have saved her from a painful broken arm.

… _I was so sure he'd come._

It was so minor… something so easy to write off as childish whim… but… was it more…?

_Was it… Anna?_

Liane watched the light growing dimmer above her and finally gave in to the urge to let her eyes close. Up and down lost significance as she fell... she felt as if she was tumbling… falling faster and faster… or that's what her senses told her. She had no way to tell for sure… and opening her eyes wasn't an option.

_Should make hitting bottom more of a surprise, at least…._

Such a dark thought should have bothered her, but instead, she found the resolve relieving. _I don't want it to end… not like this… not alone…_

… _not again…._

The thought was but a mocking whisper in her mind. She knew what it was like to die… to feel her senses fade one by one…

… _to see the snow fall and not feel the tingle of cold on her skin…._

Is that… crying…?

_She heard it… soft at first, but it became louder as she realized who it was._

How could I ever… forget….

_It was her son… her precious Lloyd… and she knew every hint of inflection in his sobs._

_He was cold, he was in pain, he was hungry… and he was terrified._

_Her eyes slid open… the act requiring a disgusting amount of willpower… but she had to see him. He was there, nestled between her and a mass of bloodstained white and green fur. She could see him, but she couldn't pull her son closer… that strength was beyond her. But Lloyd had curled into her arm, tucking it around himself as he sobbed…._

My arm….

_She still had the capacity to be surprised… which in itself stunned her almost as much as the realization that it was her hand that Lloyd hugged to his cheek… not the horrific claw she had used to lash out at both Lloyd and Kratos in those dark moments where she had almost completely lost herself. Bloodied and torn as it was… it was _her_ hand._

I'll… die human after all….

_There was more comfort in the thought than should have been right, but she knew she was beyond such concepts of right and wrong – they no longer applied to her as she could no longer act to follow either. It was a mercy… one final mercy._

"_Merciful Goddess… what happened 'ere?"_

_The voice startled her… another presence adding itself to hers, to Lloyd's, and to Noishe's. Lloyd cried harder, but when her eyes fell on the bearded dwarf that cautiously crept closer to them, she almost smiled, though she wanted to weep in relief. Lloyd would have someone to stay with him until Kratos came for him._

Kratos will come… he has to….

_With a grimace, she found that her throat was almost too tight to speak. "Please…" she rasped, what was left of her voice no longer recognizable even to her. "Watch… Lloyd… and… Noishe…" she begged, her request disturbingly difficult to make as she realized it was her admission that she could no longer do so._

"_Lloyd?" the dwarf repeated as his bushy eyebrows knit together. "Aye, lass… but, what happened?"_

_She didn't have to consider her answer for long._

"_Desians…."_

_A long, pitiful wail from Lloyd actually made her wince at the volume. She wanted to cry with him… for all they were both losing… and for the fact that she knew Kratos had to still be fighting them. Noishe had dragged both her and Lloyd away… but he couldn't say how much time she'd lost._

He has to still be fighting… then he'll come….

"_Oh…" the dwarf answered, pity lacing the simple response. "Shoulda known the answer to that one, I guess," he grumbled in disgust, before his stony expression softened. "I can watch your boy, don't you worry about that, but… I… don't think I can do much for you, lass," he frowned. "I can hurry into Iselia… but…."_

_His voice trailed off, but she already knew how his sentence would end… he wouldn't make it back in time to help her. "I… know," she whispered before a nagging thought rolled over lazily in her mind. She did feel something… warmth in her hand… one that simply felt like life, though it no longer wanted anything from her. "This… is his…" she choked a little, gritting her teeth as she forced her hand that lay limp at her side to open its fingers. She didn't have to look to know what she showed the dwarf._

"_An Exsphere…" the dwarf breathed out, slowly reaching out to take the orb from her hand._

_She instantly felt the crystal's presence leave… the contact once again broken… this time willingly given up in hopes she could trust the dwarf… this time knowing she'd never have it back. "It's… his… not… _theirs_…" she insisted with as much strength as she could manage before something moved behind the dwarf – just enough to catch her attention, though her eyes couldn't focus. _A… person?_ The coloring was wrong against the slow falling from the sky to be her Kratos… leaving her heart to sink as she decided it was, nonetheless, a person. "Who's… behind… you?"_

_The dwarf's eyebrows lifted in surprise and he spun… but then he slowly looked back to her. "Lass, there's no one behind me… no one's gonna hurt you any more…" he assured her warmly._

"_But…" she started to object, still seeing the form lurking over his shoulder. _He doesn't see…?_ She could see a bit clearer as the form came closer – it was definitely a person… a woman in white as pristine as the snow decorated with green as dark as the trees around them… and a fall of long green hair that fell over her shoulder as she stooped to look the dying woman in the eye… and smiled._

"_Hello, Anna," the woman spoke in a musical voice, her green eyes alight with warmth._

_Even through the burn of her building pain, she felt confusion… and, strangely enough, the feeling that she should know the green-haired woman. "W-who… are… you?" she rasped, the dry words scraping in her ears._

_The dwarf crouched before her, his expression soft for a face made mostly out of angles. "I'm Dirk, lass. Dirk Irving. Save your energy… I'm not your enemy."_

He… really doesn't know she's there…._ She didn't have the heart – or the strength – to correct the kindly dwarf, even though the question wasn't meant for him. But a quiet laugh from the green-haired woman told her that she understood the question was hers._

"_I suppose we've never really met, but I knew you were coming for Kratos," the woman answered patiently. "I feel like I know you already. But… you can call me Martel."_

_She felt as if what little breath she had left was stolen by that one word – that one name. Her mouth fell open, though she had no idea what to say –and slowly realized that if the Goddess had come for her… it truly had to be the end. "Goddess…" she breathed out._

_There was another laugh as Martel slowly shook her head, her eyes dancing as she reached out to hold a finger up t the dying woman's lips. "I suppose so. But you shouldn't try to talk. I can hear you… you need your energy for a few more moments – you shouldn't waste it."_

_Anna blinked, feeling nothing but a wisp of warmth where the Goddess should have touched her lips. _You can hear me?_ her thoughts ventured skeptically, though it was admittedly easier than speaking._

_Martel smiled again and sat back on her knees with a nod. "Easier, isn't it?" she asked and tilted her head. "Now, I have a question for you. Do you want to live, Anna?"_

_The Goddess and her question suddenly became her entire world, with Dirk, Lloyd's sobs, and Kratos' absence all fading into the background. Her body was nothing more than pain that built with every passing moment, and her consciousness was fading, making even thinking of one thing at a time all but impossible. There was only one answer she could give._

"_Yes… I'm not ready to die…."_

_At the answer, Martel's smile faded, a shade of sadness touching her eyes. "Dirk is talking to you," she murmured. "Answer him… then, I will ask something of you."_

Dirk…?

"_Lass, oh, stay with me a little longer…" the dwarf muttered with a deep frown as he reached out to pull the hysterically crying little boy into his stubby arms. "What's your name, lass? I need it – for Lloyd 'ere if nothing else…."_

_Anna sighed, mustering her energy as her heart crumbled as her son was no longer at her side. _I want to live… I just don't think I can._ "Anna…" she whispered for the dwarf as she felt something frigid streak over her cheek. The sensation was but half of a hobbled heartbeat before her vision began to darken… and the cold closed sharply around her. "A-Anna… Au—"_

"_Anna, let go. Now… you have to trust me."_

_There was concern in Martel's voice as she lifted her hand out to Anna._

_And Anna Aurion reached for the Goddess' hand…._

_Suddenly, the cold and darkness were gone… and Martel's hand felt so warm closed around her own. Anna blinked in wonder at the change – how easy it was to move… to smile… to…._

_Somewhere in the distance, she heard an inconsolable wail… and a mournful howl… both of which she simply _knew. _Then she turned…._

"_No… Goddess, no…."_

_The sight before her was worse than her darkest nightmares. She saw herself… or what was left of her… slumped limply against Noishe… her pale skin bruised, cut, and bloody… wearing little more than the tatters of the cloth dress they had put her in at the ranch. She saw Lloyd… she heard him screaming for his mother as he struggled against the grip of the dwarf. And Noishe… her husband's faithful companion… a being she had come to call a friend… howled a mournful dirge…_

… _all the while the creature's too-wise eyes never left hers._

"_But... I wanted to live," Anna whispered as she felt despair begin to fill in her momentary amazement at her false recovery._

_Martel stood at her side, her head bowed for a moment longer before she placed her hand on Anna's shoulder. "I'm glad… but there is nothing left here for you now," she murmured quietly before she gently turned the woman's shoulder. "We are needed elsewhere… come along. I promise, Lloyd and Noishe are both in good hands."_

_Anna looked over, so many thoughts running through her mind that it was overwhelming after struggling so desperately to hold onto a single thought. _I'm walking beside a Goddess…_ she thought in amazement as she cast one more look over her shoulder to the heartbreaking scene in the snowy woods. "What about Kratos…?"_

_Martel had laughed softly at the woman's dismayed thought, but she continued to lead her through the bright dreamscape that only partially resembled the woods that had witnessed the end of Anna's life. "He lives," she answered carefully. "It may take him a while to realize it, but he does… and he will."_

"_But you asked me if I wanted to live," Anna insisted as she lifted a hand before her… staring at the smooth perfection of her skin in contrast to the shell she left behind._

"_And you said you did," Martel answered casually as they continued down a spring like wooded path. "But you couldn't do that in your body… the crystal drew out too much of your life energy from your body to keep your soul anchored there any longer." She turned her head just enough to look over to the woman. "One cannot survive without the other."_

_Anna frowned in spite of the idyllic scene around her that simply radiated peace. "So that's all I am now? A spirit? A ghost? How is that living?" Then she blinked. "If one cannot survive without the other, I'm still going to die, then? I… I mean… die more?" The brown-haired woman clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Is that even possible??"_

_Martel looked amused to the point of almost laughing. "Your soul is strong, Anna… but you will have to make one more choice before that question can be answered."_

"_A choice?" Anna retorted as she found that even a spirit could be frustrated. "I chose to live! What more is there?"_

_The green-haired woman fell silent as they passed beneath a quaint wooden arch and moved into a small cluster of buildings, walking amongst bundled townsfolk without notice. "There's… a price," she answered carefully and led Anna to a cabin set apart from the other buildings of the town. "It will be up to you if it is one you want to pay."_

_Anna almost groaned with impatience, but the reaction was cut short as they strolled through the front door of the building – literally _through_ the door – and continued to walk past a handful of white-clad men and women and even a pair of men clad in the robes of the church. No one made a move to acknowledge them. "So… just saying I want to live isn't enough of an answer to take care of that question, too?"_

_Martel shook her head slowly and stopped at the foot of a simple, narrow wooden bed. When Anna stopped at her side, the Goddess gestured for her to move closer to the bed._

"_Where are we? A hospital of some sort?" Anna muttered as she sighed and followed the silent direction. But her impatience began to melt when she saw the slight figure that inhabited the bed. It was a girl… older than Lloyd, but not much… her face was so thin… and she was almost as pale as the bed's white sheets, especially set against her long dark hair that looked to have been lovingly brushed to curl over her shoulders. Once again, a flash of familiarity struck Anna… this time when she saw the girl's features, though she couldn't name it further once she realized that the girl was barely breathing. "Who is she?"_

"_She's dying, too…" Martel answered somberly. "But unlike you, her body still lives – for the moment – while her soul has passed on." She turned her green eyes up from the slumbering child and fixed her gaze on Anna. "You can save each other."_

_Anna sat down on the edge of the bed without disturbing the coverings. She started to reach out to touch the girl's cheek, but pulled her hand back at the last moment. "What's wrong with her?" she asked without taking her eyes from the girl. "She doesn't have an Exsphere…."_

_Martel shook her head. "An accident. Her body mended itself, but her soul wasn't strong enough to stay. It happened a while ago. Her life energy is weak now without a soul to anchor it to the world." The green-haired woman clasped her hands before her. "She doesn't have long. This morning, the doctors told her parents that she'll be lucky to live until tomorrow's dawn."_

_Glancing to the window at the end of the room filled with beds similar to the child's, she saw the colors of sunset through the trees. "Her parents…" she murmured thoughtfully, her phantom heart aching for them… being told their child was dying… that they couldn't save her. In her mind, she could see her own son's happy smile – so like his father's – and her tears came easily. This time when she reached out, she touched the gentle curl of the girl's hair. "Her mother… brushed her hair…" she mused knowingly… because it was something she would do. After a long moment… and a deep breath, she drew her hand back into her lap. "What do I have to do? Some good deed? Avenge her somehow?"_

"_You have to become her soul… and her body will provide your life energy," Martel stated softly. "Both halves resonate with each other… not as perfectly as how either of you were born, but you are compatible. Neither one of you will be the same as you were before, but together, you will live."_

_Anna looked up even as her hand reached out for the girl's on its own. "I'm going to be in the body of a six year old?!" she demanded. "But… I can't go to Kratos or Lloyd… like that!"_

_Martel smiled. "I knew you would be compatible… you can already sense her energy, can't you?" she asked with a pleased note in her voice. "You can even sense her age. The merger won't be perfect… but it will work." She moved around the foot of the bed and sat on the side opposite from Anna. "You will both start your lives over from today."_

"_I won't be… me..." Anna murmured with a frown. _But what choice do I have?_ "I'll fade away like I am… and she will, too."_

"_You won't be the same, but your soul will only change as much as it has to in order to accept her life energy. Your personality… your friendships… your identity will form from the new combination. As for Kratos and Lloyd…" Martel shrugged gently. "They are a part of you. Some things change, but they'll never go away."_

It's a gamble then._ She'd never been a fan of gambling – chance was too uncomfortable for her. "I… won't wake up knowing I'm a wife and a mother? Because…." Anna frowned. "That would just be weird."_

_The Goddess tilted her head in thought. "If you do, it won't last for long. Your new existence will be different from any fate either of you had before. As separate and unique as you both were before – you will be just as unique together. It may not be a perfect merger… Your soul and life energy won't have been born together, but you will have your own future because of it."_

_Anna studied the girl's face. "Apart, we're doomed. Together… we're someone new," she whispered, trying to grasp what it meant to be someone else. She bit the edge of her lip and looked over to Martel. "Why are you doing this?"_

_Martel's smile warmed, almost brightening the room. "I consider Kratos a friend. He needs someone to believe in him… to care about him," she answered. "You may not remember him, but your soul will. Even if it's not the same, your fate is intertwined with his." Then she raised an eyebrow. "Why are you considering it?"_

"_For Kratos… and for Lloyd," Anna answered without hesitation. "I have your word that I'll see them again… even if…" she tried to swallow the lump in her throat, "… even if none of us… know each other?" It was unfathomable… but it was important._

"_As I said, nothing will be the same, but some bonds can't be broken," Martel nodded. "You will all gain strength from each other." Then she lifted her hand, holding it palm-up over the sleeping girl between them. "Will you save her... and let her save you?"_

"You will both start your lives over from today."

_Anna studied the patiently waiting hand for a moment and then sought the girl's face again. _I'll be gone… so will she… but we'll live on through a new person… someone with a new destiny. Two fall… one rises from the ashes. _She had always loved the story of the legendary fire bird that Kratos told her – especially since it shared its name with the inn in her hometown – but she never dreamed she would follow its example. Placing her hand in Martel's, she closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered and closed her eyes. "Will… it hurt?"_

"_You've had enough pain," the goddess whispered. "You'll simply wake up… with a new life before you."_

_Anna felt a warmth spreading through her, emanating from where their hands joined. "Will I see you again?" _

_Once again, the musical laughter came. "One day. Someday… when you understand that we're all just parts of a whole."_

_The heat built, and a light that Anna could see even through closed eyes engulfed her and any more questions she might have had._

"Wake up, Liane Dale. You will not die this day."

The words of the Goddess faded in her ears and the light of the other side of her eyelids was once again absorbed by blackness… and then – slowly – the rush of air from beneath her became her only physical sensation.

_It's all true…._

It's was so close to being too fantastic to believe… but with everything Liane _knew_… everything she had felt and seen… it made sense. As impossible as it seemed… the touch of a Goddess had saved parts of two dying beings – preserving them as one.

_The Goddess… is real._

Despite the fact that she was still falling, a slight smile found its way to her lips. As impossible as it was, perhaps she wasn't crazy after all – and perhaps her life truly was her own.

_What's left of it…._

The warmth fled her, filled in by a renewed rush of panic.

"No…" she whispered against the darkness that seemed to tighten suddenly around her as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

_This is it…._

Liane tried to relax… recognizing that her fate was no longer in her hands. No matter the chances she had been given without even realizing it, her choices were gone as she plummeted down the dark hole.

_All that's left… is a quick death when I hit bottom… or a lingering one if the drop doesn't finish me._

"Liane."

The voice from the voice made her gasp, filling her lungs with one more breath she wasn't sure she'd get to take. But the surprise wakened her other senses that had gone numb….

… she was no longer falling…

… and her arms were desperately clutched around something warm… someone warm.

_What?!_

Hesitantly, Liane cracked her eyes open… eyes that were instantly assaulted by the bright sight of patiently fluttering feathers of blue and green light that seared the blackness. "Kratos," she whispered, realizing she was hugged to his shoulder… one arm wrapped around his arm and the other around his neck… clinging to her salvation like a small child.

_An angel really did come for me…._

"You can't give up now," he murmured quietly as one arm came up under her knees and he shifted his hold on her, gradually lowering them both into the darkness. "You have to see Lloyd through this. He still needs you," he told the young woman just loud enough to keep his voice from echoing back from the pit walls.

"Lloyd…" Liane repeated the name, her cheek now resting against the seraph's shoulder with the way he cradled her. Somehow, the name felt so much more familiar. Her oldest friend… the boy who was practically a brother to her…. She bit her lip as she tightened the arm that had been moved to loop around the back of his neck. The truth couldn't have been clearer – it had been there all along… but now, it simply made sense.

_Kratos… Lloyd… and Anna._

"He's continuing on… but the others are falling just as you did," Kratos grumbled without paying any particular attention to his passenger's daze. As they continued downward, a pale light began to paint the dark walls around them. Once the ambient light began to overpower the shine of his own wings, he tilted his head to glare down to her, meeting her eyes for just a moment as concerned flickered in his. "Liane?"

It was her name that he spoke… she knew that, in spite of everything her fall had shown her. But it still grated on her nerves… making her cringe as she pushed the suffocating memories away. "You saved me…?" she murmured as she clenched her eyes shut in a bid to control everything that was rushing through her mind. All of her dreams… all of her nightmares – all of the things she simply _couldn't _know but still somehow did – they all laced together with a deep grief for how much she had lost without realizing it. Though, even as the truth wove itself together for her, she felt a warm trail of tears wandering down her cheeks, it was her most recent losses – truly her own losses – that assaulted her. _Regal… and Sheena…._

Kratos chuckled once as his feet touched down in a dim corridor that finally ended the drop through the pit. "Lloyd would never forgive me if I hadn't. I think I've almost done enough to make him hate me. I couldn't let him hold losing you against me, too," he shrugged and kept her in his arms for a few more moments before he carefully shifted her to lower her feet to the floor. "Are you all right?" the auburn-haired man asked as his wings dissolved into a faint rain of sparkles and he steadied her with one arm around her waist and placed a gloved finger under her chin to raise her gaze to him.

Liane couldn't speak. As she stared up into the mahogany eyes that had tormented her both awake and asleep… she finally knew the truth – and she still couldn't speak. He was Anna's husband… the love of her life. He was her soulmate… something so strong, she had carried it over when she gave up her own existence to merge with the fading life energy of a little girl she had never met before. But even knowing that, as Liane looked back into his eyes, she saw concern she simply _knew_ was genuine… but it wasn't the same look that made Anna's heart swell.

_Or… maybe… it just doesn't make my heart swell…._

"… _nothing will be the same, but some bonds can't be broken."_

She drew a long breath as Martel's words whispered through her mind. "I will be," she answered quietly, closing her eyes to break the contact and dropping her chin. There was something undeniable between them – she felt it… and she was sure he did, too. The only question was _what _it was. Liane moved her hands to his arms, steadying herself against how she realized her legs had begun to shake.

_No vision – no memory – will tell me that._

"Liane…??"

The swordswoman heard the new voice in the narrow passageway – one she recognized even over the protests in her head that she was wrong… she'd never hear _his_ voice again. But she still sniffled and looked up to Kratos once more, her hands keeping her steady against his arms as she turned. "R-Regal…" she breathed out as she realized the ghost that was quickly drawing near was all-too solid. Another hot tear rolled down over her cheek as she wondered how much more she could take before her weakened grip on reality finally snapped. "You… you're…."

Kratos remained still and steady for Liane, though he cocked his head as the convict approached. "You're still limping?" he asked, one eyebrow arching ever so slightly.

"I… am too low on mana to use a healing spell," Regal responded, his eyes drifting over Kratos before settling on Liane as he stepped closer and then stopped. There was a long moment of silence before he finally sighed and lifted his bound hands to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes. "You're all right."

Liane stared up into her friend's blue eyes… eyes she never thought she'd see again. "I…." With so many thoughts rattling chaotically in her head, it was hard to grasp one to listen to… one to act on. Suddenly, before she could even think to control the urge, she pushed herself away from Kratos and spun to face the blue-haired man. The angel's arms followed after, second-guessing her balance, but she shrugged them off and – unable to stop herself – she drew back her hand to slap Regal solidly across the cheek. You… you were just going to… to _die_???" she demanded with an angered, choked sob as another wave of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Kratos' eyes widened at the young woman's action, but his hand quickly snapped out to catch hers when it looked like she might be taking a backswing at the convict. "Liane," he murmured firmly. "This is _not_ the time," he told her as the tension left her arm, though he kept his gaze on the shackled man's reaction.

Regal remained in place, his head turned only slightly from Liane's blow. For a few moments that followed Kratos' quiet chiding, only Liane's sobs could be heard in the passageway. But then the fighter edged a small step closer… a sad smile touching the corners of his mouth as he reached out to take her free hand… and pull her ever so slightly closer to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Liane gasped, sucking in the breath as she bit her lip and realized what she'd done. She stared up at her friend as he backed a step away, already hating what she'd done – horrified that her anger at what he'd done had overpowered the relief that he had survived. Lurching forward, she threw her arms wide around her friend, ignoring the throbbing complaint in her shoulder. She could small the dust in his shirt from the collapse he had caused, but she didn't care. "You're alive… there were so many of them… you… you…."

The angel watched how Regal shrugged off Liane's punishment… and sighed. Pressing his lips into a thin line, the air around him came to life in bands of pale green rune bands. "Don't overdo it," he chided softly before gesturing with his open hand to release the spell's mana onto the blue-haired convict. "First Aid." He waited a moment… until Regal's surprised blue gaze snapped up onto him to clear his throat. "Are you in any shape to take care of her? I need to keep moving, but if neither of you can defend yourselves…."

"I can take her," Regal answered, though there was clearly surprise in his voice as he stood tall before Liane, still allowing her to lean against him. "We'll be all right, but –" His voice broke as he sucked in a breath. "What is Zelos doing here?"

For just a moment, the fog in Liane's mind cleared… one more set of words had been strung together that somehow sent every other question to the back of her mind as she spun. The passageway wasn't lit very well… and it was littered with chunks of what had to be both walls and the Giant Tree… yet, out of their shadows came two figures… one with unmistakably flaming red hair in the lead as they picked their way through the debris. "Zelos… and…" she blinked again as the smaller shadow took shape behind him. "Sheena??"

"Zelos would be thinking he's a big hero now," the summoner sighed, approaching from behind Zelos to stand at this side and observe the others with a bit of a shrug. She reached up to tuck a chunk of black hair back behind her dirt-smudged ear and smiled weakly for the others as her eyes settled on Regal. "Hey, big guy… you're done playing hero, too?" she raised an eyebrow playfully, though there was a weariness beneath her amused tone.

"Zelos would do well to keep moving… the others are still in danger as well and our work here isn't done yet," Kratos murmured, turning away from Regal and Liane, the tails of his indigo cape snapping at the air as he began to stride down the passageway. "The rest of you should catch up as soon as possible. Yggdrasill won't wait to give Lloyd any advantage."

Liane steadied herself with a hand to Regal's shoulder as she stared at Zelos and Sheena. She hadn't expected to see either of them again – certainly not after she had fallen into the pit. The ground swayed beneath her feet for a moment and she clenched her eyes shut, her free hand moving to cover the painfully tender and abraded spot at her temple. "You're all right…" she breathed out, the relief coming first but the hurt coming after as she forced her eyes to open and find Zelos. "Zelos… why…?"

"Um, I'd explain, but the old man might smack me like you just got Regal, so I think I should get moving, but…." He glanced from Kratos as the angel passed by him and then back to Regal and Liane as green light flashed in the air around him. "Ready for this? First Aid!" He waved off the spell that settled on the Duke and the swordswoman and started to turn with a dramatic sigh. "At least when you play hero, you look good for the pretty hunnies of the group," he shrugged and then winked at Sheena as he started to turn. "I gotta go, my lovely banshee, but I'll be seeing you soon." Without another word of explanation, the Chosen set off into a jog, passing Kratos with a laugh and disappearing around the bend in the corridor.

Chewing her lip and unsure of what to say, Liane carefully touched the side of her head again. She could still feel the tingling energy of Zelos' spell… but the pain was fading… even the tender skin there didn't feel quite as ripped, though she didn't prod it too much. _Zelos… isn't a traitor? But…._ She wanted to believe it… she truly did. Looking over to Sheena, she sought her friend's tired brown eyes. "Zelos… rescued you?" she asked carefully, almost afraid to speak too loud.

"Yeah… out of nowhere, he just swept in and saved the day," Sheena huffed. "I'm never going to live this down," she sighed and looked over to Kratos. "The others… they're still in danger?" she asked with a frown. "Can we still get to them?"

"If we hurry," Kratos nodded, his voice taking on a sharper edge as he glanced back to Liane and Regal once more. "We'll go ahead. You'll need to hurry and catch up when you're ready. Lloyd will want you both there with him," he murmured, gesturing for Sheena to start ahead of him before turning his back on the other two and running in the direction Zelos had gone.

For a moment, there was only the sound of retreating footsteps in the dim light beyond them. _Kratos… rescued me. _Liane slowly looked to her side… to her friend that waited patiently beside her. "He… helped you get out of the room with the angels… didn't he?" she asked, remembering how Kratos had spoken to Regal before.

Regal nodded. "He arrived when I thought I was truly going to be overwhelmed. He helped me finish off the angels… and cleared the tunnel for us to follow after the rest of you and then led me to this passage system," he told her quietly. "He says it leads to where Yggdrasill is holding Colette… and gives us access to the other traps that may slow down the others." He tilted his head to the swordswoman, concern etched into his features even though his hair shadowed his face. "I could carry you if you need me to…?"

"I think I'll be okay," she replied, squeezing his arm gently, though his offer warmed her. "I thought it was over. I thought we were all going to die here," Liane finally whispered, giving voice to the pessimism that had left a dark scar on her world. She hung her head, her mussed hair veiling her face. "I didn't think I was going to see light again…." _I thought I was really going to die… again._

Regal shook his head and lifted his arms up over her head to pull her close. "We're not finished. Everything is not over… and we're both right here," he told her quietly. "Liane, we have a second chance. We can't waste it. We have to help Lloyd put an end to this."

_Lloyd._ She shivered at the sound of his name… suddenly so clearly seeing the determined fighter her friend had become at the same time that she could see how he used to be… a baby wrapped in his father's arms… a wide-eyed, accident-prone toddler… and wonder-stricken little boy that would watch the stars in rapt fascination with his parents. Liane simply _knew _that she was only truly entitled to her memories of the mischievous imp from Iselia and the young man he had grown into before her eyes… but the others were under her protection… entrusted to her along with everything that went with them. "He's still trying. We have to get to him," she whispered, finally looking up to her friend like he had asked. Lifting a hand to his cheek, she frowned. "I thought… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have slapped you."

"It's all right," Regal smiled a little, giving her a small squeeze before he lifted his arms and released her from his arms. "I know this is a lot to take right now… that everything seems so out of control, but I promise you, we'll have time to sort it out after we help Lloyd. Come with me now… so that we can have that time once things are made right."

Liane remained looking up into her friend's face. There was an uncontrollable urge to tell him everything she had seen during her fall. She wondered what he would think… how he would look at her… but she didn't know how to tell him… or even if she could. "You're right. We have to help him. The rest… doesn't matter now," she murmured, feeling numb. _Maybe I'm the only one that needs to know…._

"It matters," Regal corrected her gently, catching her hand once again. "We just don't have time to focus on it yet," he glanced pointedly toward her pack a few steps away against the wall. "Can you focus?" he asked softly as she followed his gaze and moved to pick up her pack. "Liane, you're drifting… I won't let you fight like this…" he remarked as he squared his shoulders and watched her.

Liane blinked and tightened her hand around the handle of her sword that still hung faithfully at her side before she looked down to her pack. _Focus… he's right. I'll be a liability if I stay like this._ It was truly a physical effort to make herself turn and crouch beside her tumbled pack, but she knew she had to return to the moment – to _her_ life and not one that she had no control over. "I'll be okay," she murmured, wishing she could sound just a little more confident as she hiked the straps of the pack over her shoulders and pushed herself back to her feet. "By the time we get there, I'll be ready. I promise."

_Please let that be a promise I can keep…._

"Tell me if you don't feel you are," Regal insisted as the swordswoman turned and started to walk, his feet moving to carry him just a step behind, as if trying to give her everything he could for her to gather herself.

She nodded, sure he would see when she knew that anything she said would have just been repeating herself. Drawing a deep breath as they reached a slow bend in the hallway, Liane began to recognize the uncomfortable silence between them. She knew she owed him more, but she truly had no idea where to start. "I'm… sorry." The words slipped before she truly even knew how to name the regret behind the words.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Regal asked as his pace quickened to reach her side as he looked down to her.

"I don't know," Liane answered, though she knew immediately that it was a lie. It was an apology for the slap… for leaving him behind… for letting him walk away from her… for not telling him what she knew was the truth after all of his patience and kindness. She shook her head to clear the procession of reasons she wouldn't speak and drew another long breath. Lloyd's life was in danger – so were those of her friends. It was no time for regrets of the past – neither distant nor close. "Let's… just keep going."

The shackled man sighed, but easily kept pace with her. "I'm keeping you close," he insisted firmly as they began to pick up speed in the rock-strewn passageway. "You're still shaking."

_Am I?_ Liane knew better than to split her concentration too much to check, but she still frowned. Regal knew her better than she liked at that moment… she knew he would hear any lie she told. "Please… don't worry about me," she sighed… a request. "I'll be okay by the time we get there." _Hopefully._ "There are bigger things to worry about… like saving Colette from Yggdrasill. It could change everything… this could be it, Regal." _Truth._

"True. But you're still in a daze. I'm not letting you fight if your heart is anywhere but in the fight," Regal shook his head.

_Where… is my heart?_ It so neatly summed up the core of her distraction that Liane almost laughed. His protectiveness was sweet, but it only made her feel guiltier. She couldn't tell him – there wasn't time and it certainly wasn't the place. It was as she had preached to him before: the past didn't matter… but the future hinged on the very moments they were living now and those immediately before them. "I won't sit out because I'm a little shaky. I won't watch my friends fight without me," she stated as they rounded another corner and saw some dark shapes looming ahead. Her instinct was to stop… to draw her weapon… but after a couple more steps, the forms took shape – Sheena, Raine, Genis, and Presea. _They're all safe… we all made it…._ Liane found her smile for Regal. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

And for the first time since her fall down the pit… she truly believed it.

Genis caught her around the neck in a flying hug that almost knocked her off her feet, but Liane returned it with a laugh. As she looked around her friends, she realized Lloyd wasn't among them. Squaring Genis back on his feet, she patted his head and turned to Raine, looking her mentor in the eye. "Lloyd went on ahead?" she asked, though the words didn't quite cover what she wanted to ask – something she probably really didn't want the answer to.

_All of you fell… so Lloyd could go on alone?_

"I think he understood that we were placing our faith in him," Raine answered quietly, guilt saturating every quiet word.

The silver-haired mage kicked at the floor of the passageway, his hands clasped behind him. "I… don't really know how he would have thought that I would have been that much help to him," he mumbled.

"But he must have gotten through," Presea added as she moved to stand beside Regal in the small circle that they had all formed. "Lloyd is not here…."

The observation was somehow equally encouraging and devastating. Liane looked away from the Professor… to Sheena… and to Regal. In their own ways… for their own reasons… no matter what they thought their futures held… they had each made their bid to give Lloyd the chance to move ahead. "He made it, then. That's the only reason he wouldn't be here," she stated, though she couldn't lift her voice too much for fear the cracks in her tone would show.

There was a painful moment of silence that passed between the friends as they all looked to one another… ended only by the cracking split of the doors at the end of the hall. Bright green light flooded into the passageway, sending a wave of surprise through the small group.

"Let her go!"

_Lloyd._

All doubt passed from Liane's mind, though worry instantly replaced it. There was no discussion as Raine pressed ahead, pushing the door aside and stepping through into the light with the rest of the small group following behind. _Please let him be okay… please let him be okay._ She knew her friend couldn't be in the best mindset after losing his companions one by one… _now if we can only make it in time…._

"Lloyd?! How did you get in here?!" The all-too-smooth voice showed alarm, though not enough to betray that the swordsman's presence had truly changed anything. "The lock to this room can only be opened by a member of the Cruxis high order!"

Liane pressed forward, stepping to the side of the others and finding herself at the edge of an observation deck overlooking an array of stylized machines that proclaimed exactly how deep into Cruxis' territory they truly were. A surreal mix of sculpted metal and gleaming mana held the swordswoman in place at the sight of the delicate petals of what had to be the Great Seed. She stared, side-by-side with friends she thought she had lost as the dull creep of horror began to chill her – starting with how the seed seemed to be 'bleeding' mana into a banded pod that held Colette… and then with the realization that Lloyd stood facing Yggdrasill and Pronyma both…

… _alone. Lloyd…._

"None of your business!" Lloyd snapped one blade snapping at the air in silent challenge to the Cruxis leader. "What matters is that your selfish dream ends here!"

The corner of Yggdrasill's lips curled into a sneer, but other than that, he didn't react in any way to Lloyd's armed demand. "A futile effort…" he scoffed with a dry laugh.

Liane saw Lloyd tense… bristle… at how the half-elf that had deceived them all had volleyed his challenge… and she saw his feet shift – a battle stance if she had ever seen one. In an instant, she saw him through so many eyes… as a friend, a sister, and a mother with pride at the courage he showed… and through those same eyes, so much fear for what he faced alone. One hand tightened painfully on the railing that bordered the balcony. _He thinks he's alone… that he has to face them –_

A blast of red against the ambient green of the room and its accompanying heat dissolved the thought as a fireball formed in the air beside Liane and flew at Yggdrasill. She blinked as it struck, her breath hitching as she looked down to Genis… wondering for an instant at the dark determination in the mage's expression.

"We won't let you lay a finger on him!" the silver-haired boy's anger crept into his voice as Yggdrasill, Pronyma, and Lloyd all turned their surprise up to the second level of the room.

The relief was obvious in Lloyd's smile as his face lit with realization. "Guys! How…?" he stammered and edged a small step back from Yggdrasill and the Grand Cardinal. "You're okay?"

Sheena was the first to respond, a laugh building into her words. "I told you I wouldn't miss the main event!" the summoner grinned as she stepped up to the railing between Genis and Liane.

Regal moved forward enough to step out of the shadows, but not quite enough to stand at Liane's side. "You did not want to share the same pain I do, correct?"

"I told you I'd catch up," Liane smiled, raising an eyebrow to the brown-haired teen that fate had seen fit to weave so tightly into her life. She managed to summon a note of amusement into her tone –for him. "I can't believe you'd doubt me!" _Even though I doubted myself… even though it seems nothing has kept me from your side yet…._

Raine edged a step closer, her keen blue eyes falling on her student below. "I can't possibly miss seeing the new world that's about to be made."

"I can still fight," Presea murmured, though somehow, even her small voice took on a power all its own in the rounded walls of the room. The pigtailed girl propped her ax on her shoulder and approached the balcony's edge. "As long as I can fight, I will stay by your side."

Genis grinned and cocked his head at his friend with a laugh. "Pretty good, huh?"

Lloyd's grin echoed that of his young friend. "Everyone! All right!" he cheered before he once again squared himself to the blonde Cruxis Lord before him. "Let's take him on together!"

One by one, the group that had separated themselves from the swordsman accepted his invitation by stepping off the balcony and running to join him. Liane caught a quick, unsure glance from Regal, but she answered it by sucking in a breath and leaping with everyone else, touching down to the floor in a crouch that was stable enough that it almost even surprised her. It took her a moment to realize that –while her body still shook from her fall and everything that had happened since she lost her grip on the cable – her confidence might have never been steadier. She was with her friends… and she knew – even if she didn't entirely understand how – that she _belonged_ there. Dropping her pack, Liane drew her sword and advanced to join the others as Raine and Regal landed beside her.

Yggdrasill merely watched Lloyd's gathering force and made a show of rolling his eyes. "What a sorry lot," he shook his head mournfully and then snapped his eyes to the green-haired woman over his shoulder. "Pronyma, it's your fault they're still alive. Kill them!"

The Grand Cardinal's eyes snapped wide, but she nodded quickly. "Y…yes, sir!" Pronyma answered… and she suddenly stood between Yggdrasill and the others, her golden staff already spinning in her hand. "I shall expel you of your flaws," she snapped and slammed the staff into the ground. "Bloody Lance!!"

"Move!!" Lloyd yelled as the ground beneath the group's feet darkened and the shadows snapped to resolve themselves into five circles. As the party scattered, the central circle exploded with darkness while four lances darker than any night pierced the outer four circles, narrowly missing Lloyd's headlong tumble. The crimson-clad swordsman rolled to his feet as his eyes locked on Pronyma. "All right, let's go!" he called and launched himself at the Cardinal, his blades blurring around him as he struck her ring of metallic 'feathers' and went higher, dragging the startled half-elf up with him. "Omega Tempest!"

For a moment, Liane watched Lloyd, adrenaline starting to pump through her as she drew back her sword when Pronyma began to fall. She didn't like battles, but in an instant, she knew that she _needed_ this fight – this beyond-a-doubt reminder that she was alive and that it was her life, those of her friends, and those of their worlds were on the line. Hers. Such a simple truth, but she needed the black-and-white nature of it: Pronyma would kill them if she got the chance.

_That will not happen._

The thought was over before Pronyma hit the ground, but it was enough to widen Liane's attention – Yggdrasill had retreated to the pod that held Collette to observe like a tyrant waiting to be entertained… and the shadows beneath the balcony shifted to allow a pair of slowly turning and bladed mechanical constructs into the room. Liane started to turn, ready to place herself in the path of the things to keep them from reaching Pronyma's side… but an instant later, one of them slammed back into the wall that had admitted it into the room, batted there by the flat of Presea's ax while Sheena ran after the other.

_Guess it's Pronyma for me, then…._

The Grand Cardinal struck the ground roughly where she had been lifted by Lloyd's attack and quickly scrambled to her feet, anger blazing in her eyes.

"_You're not worthy…._"

The memory of the woman's words had been linked to a terrifying vision – but the fight had boiled it into something new for Liane as a shiver of anger ripped open her mana reserves to pour down into her blade as she dipped its tip low and swung. "Double Demon Fang!" she practically snarled as she let both her carried-over fear and her own fury strengthen both arcs that struck the Cardinal while she was regaining her balance.

The Duke rushed in when the green haired half-elf stumbled from the swordswoman's strikes, using his momentum to go into a spinning jump kick which slammed his heel into the Cardinal's jaw. He swept the same foot back again, his greave cutting into the vulnerable skin of her cheek, before he twisted into a back flip by pushing off her collar bone. "Dragon Dance!"

The green-haired half-elf took a few small steps backward, every step's balance clearly a struggle even though she still wore a self-assured smile. "What a wretched lot… you are nothing to Lord Yggdrasill," she snapped and swept her staff out at Lloyd. "Poor deluded boy with tainted blood… you can't win…" Pronyma purred as the air around Lloyd darkened, crackling with blue-purple mana. "Dark Sphere!"

Before Lloyd's clenched howl of pain had even truly started, Liane backpedaled a few steps and swung her blade up before her. With the group split and Genis helping Presea and Sheena, they just had to hang on until they could regroup. She saw Regal moving toward the black bloom that obscured Lloyd from sight… and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Raine wrapped in shining runes just behind her. _Distract her… fast!_ Liane commanded herself and opened her mana to the first runes that came into her mind as Pronyma's gleaming eyes flashed around the party. The rune pattern formed before she realized it… and then a shock of purple raced through them. _All right…_ Liane almost smirked as she turned her blade to direct the spell. "Try this… Lightning!"

Pronyma's eyes widened the instant before the bolt of crackling energy dropped on her, her body tensing for a few moments as the energy dissipated. But when it did, the wild touch to her gaze sharpened – flashing first to the cool green light that passed between Regal and Lloyd… taking on more anger as it touched Liane… but then snapping in alarm on Raine as a burst of blindingly pure white mana washed the room. "Light!" the Professor commanded. "Ray!"

A blazing ball of white-blue light answered Raine's call, building only until surprise drew Pronyma's painted eyes up before it exploded into a rain of light streaks that fell down on her, battering the Cardinal to her knees.

"Thanks, Professor!" Lloyd called as he dashed around Regal and threw himself at Pronyma. Every step he drew closer brought the Cardinal a little closer to upright… just as every step built the waves of green mana that rippled back over his blades. "Hurricane Thrust!" the teen commanded, pushing his blades out before him as a gale of brutal wind blasted Pronyma back, her footing once again failing her.

"_Vermin_!" Pronyma spat bracing one hand on the ground as her artificial wings drug over the seams in a broken clatter as she rose. "You underestimate me…" she stated, her voice irritated even beneath the velvet of her words as she stood and swept her hand toward Raine. "Prism Sword!"

Raine's scream filled the room as Pronyma's spell struck her from every direction in a blaze of light brighter than the Professor's own spell had been. _Oh, Goddess…_ Liane stared, struck motionless at the sight and its implications. _She uses dark _and_ light mana? _She turned her eyes back to Pronyma as the Cardinal's laughter grated in her ears. _Not good,_ she frowned as she carefully backed to Raine's side, taking an arm to try to help her back to her feet.

Pronyma was too busy reveling in the destruction her spell had unleashed to notice the convict spring at her once again, spinning on his left leg and throwing out his right three times in rapid succession. "Triple Kick!" He leapt backwards, stretching his left leg out to catch the half-elf under her chin. "Crescent Moon!"

The Cardinal was still upright but swaying badly as Lloyd ran at her, angling his approach to keep himself between Pronyma and where Raine was slowly climbing back to her feet. "Okay," the teen murmured as he dropped his blades low, crouched, and sprung at the half-elf. "Tiger Rage!" The upsweep of his blades pulled her up from her feet and gave him the opening for a blur of strikes that rang from her golden 'feathers' before the downswing slammed her back to the ground.

"I'm okay," Raine reassured Liane as she slowly pulled her arm away and struggled with her balance. "Just… buy me a little time?" she asked her assistant before she exhaled and shifted her staff between both hands, her eyes sliding closed.

Liane understood the request and the trust behind it… and it sent her running past Regal… past Lloyd… all the while feeding mana to her hungry blade as she grasped it in both hands and hauled it up over her head. "Beast!" she called on Lloyd's lesson and slammed the mana-encased blade to the ground, unleashing a snarling blast of mana at Pronyma and dropping her to a knee under the assault.

Pronyma gasped as she slid back across the floor, her free arm over her face. "You little flea…" she grumbled when she finally peeked over her arm to glare at Liane. "You are _nothing…!"_ In one fluid motion, she was back on her feet, her staff whispering against the air in a blazing diagonal cut at Liane. "Leonazium!"

_Too… close…!_

The swordswoman didn't have the time or the room to defend herself beyond drawing her arms up just before the golden mana-lion struck and threw her backwards in an out of control tumble. She clenched her eyes shut as she rolled and finally settled on her side, her ears ringing with the roar of mana. "Oww…" she groaned and ground her teeth as she started to push herself up. She heard a mass of voices… but the words wouldn't come out of the blur of sound. She heard concern in some tones… shrill defiance in others… and then… she finally heard words:

"I call upon the light of the heavens. I summon thee, come, Luna!"

Liane smiled as the room filled with white-gold light around her. Lifting her head, her vision cleared to show her Pronyma… the woman's eyes fixed upward as the glow continued to brighten. Liane looked up as well, and found herself unable to look away even when she felt her upper arm grasped as she was pulled back from the Cardinal.

_Luna…._

The summon spirit sat on her crescent moon at the core of the light… a vision of elegance as she swept her staff toward the ground. "Light!"

At Luna's command, the light that filled the room seemed to solidify, falling like all-too solid pillars onto and around Pronyma. While the half-elf's cries were drowned out by the crash of light, Liane's view was suddenly cut off by a solid shadow before her… one her mind didn't truly recognize until a hand cupped her chin and brought her eyes up.

"Liane? Are you all right?" Regal asked as she began to make out the deep-set frown on his lips and his hand slowly fell away.

"Yeah, that was a solid hit," Lloyd agreed from Regal's side, watching the swordswoman for a long moment before he glanced over his shoulder to the still exploding light and back to Liane. He pushed himself up into a crouch and held his hand out to her. "I could use a little help… if you're up to it…?"

Liane blinked, looking at the offered hand for only as long as it took to clear her head and reach out. As Lloyd pulled her to her feet, she met Regal's concerned gaze. "I'm fine… just got knocked around a little," she told him. She saw the blue-haired man lift a skeptical eyebrow and quickly spoke again. "I got in three good hits before she got one… trust me, okay?" While her friend's concern was sweet, Liane realized that she was telling the truth. Perhaps it was the adrenaline – or just that they were fighting Pronyma – with Yggdrasill probably ready to step in and try to swat them at his first opportunity – but her focus was where it should have been: fighting for her life and for those of her friends. "Thanks, though…?"

Liane saw the shackled man's expression relax a little as the light in the room began to fade… then she turned along with both of them to watch as Presea ran past them, her ax drawn back over her shoulder as she closed in on where Pronyma was still crouched to the floor. _Looks like Pronyma's little pets didn't last,_ she thought, recognizing a flicker of hope at last. _Seven to one, Pronyma… we're not going to let you win._

"Resolute Infliction…." While the ax-girl's call lacked the enthusiasm with which the rest of them named their attacks, the results showed no such weakness. Planting her feet, Presea's ax was already mid-swing, ringing from the connecting halo of Pronyma's imitation feathers even as the girl angled it for a second swing that sent the unbalanced Cardinal tumbling back across the floor.

"Reduce these evil souls to ashes!" Genis' small voice carried throughout the room as the red rune bands seethed around him, giving his silver hair a crimson cast as he thrust his kendama up into the air. "Explosion!" The spell answered the mage's call instantly, barely waiting for his voice to finish its name before a massive fireball slammed down on Pronyma with enough force that it might as well have been falling for days instead of just having been created. The Seed Room shook with the impact… and a wave of heat reached out for all of the other occupants of the room as Pronyma cried out.

Lloyd suddenly nudged Liane in the side. "Here we go!" he grinned. "Lighting… now!" And then he was off in a full-out run at Pronyma.

_Lightning?!?_

Liane didn't have time to question or even to think beyond the fact that she had her order. She lifted her sword before her, noticing that Regal stepped in front of her as Lloyd dashed away, the shackled man's back to her. Once again, the runes came to her easily… but – while she was grateful – the need to feed it more mana replaced her urge to be surprised. _He has to be close…_ she ground her teeth together and lifted her Silver Sword into the air. _Here's hoping…._ "Lightning - !"

"- Tiger Blade!" Lloyd's completion of their collective call came as the upswing of his attack caught her bolt and slammed it down with all the strength of his own attack, dropping Pronyma back to the ground before she had even been able to fully rise and sending a few of her golden feathers skittering across the floor.

The Duke waited for Lloyd to back away from their opponent before charging at the Cardinal, gaining speed as he neared her, his stride eating up the short distance between them. Her eyes widened as he neared her and pushed his legs for even more speed, not hesitating the closer he came. The second he would have barreled into her, he passed through her as if he were a phantom. "Mirage!" Not even one step behind her, he pivoted to kick the Cardinal in the small of her back.

Pronyma's ragged and pained cough rattled through the room as, once again, the coloring of the room shifted… this time, subtly. "Root of all creation, grant us the breath of life!" Raine's voice sang, pure and strong as the cooling green-white runes beneath her feet began to race across the floor in an intricate, expanding pattern. "Revitalize!"

Liane gasped as a rush of mana flooded through her, banishing her aches from her encounter with Pronyma's spell. As she heard sighs of similar relief slipping from her friends, she caught the smallest hint of movement out of the corner of her eye… a shift of white… and a glint of anger in narrowed blue-green eyes. _Yggdrasill…._ He remained beside the pod, though his arms were tightly folded – and amusement had all but completely disappeared from the expectant gaze he pinned on Pronyma. _But he's still not helping…?_

"_Fools!_" Pronyma exploded as she shoved herself up from the ground, her arms stretched wide as the air around her churned with red crackling over churning shadows. Her face was contorted, but the dark runes only seemed to respond by careening even more wildly around her. "Acid Rain!"

The room immediately filled with a black mist streaked with shooting trails of blood-red mana. _What?!_ Liane threw her arms up over her head, though the assault seemed to come from everywhere at once… stinging sharply even through her clothes. "Ow --!" she complained and clenched her eyes shut as she sacrificed a moment of protection from one arm to feed her mana into the sweep of that arm. "Guardian!" Cracking her eyes open, she saw her protective field sparkle where each streak of red struck… and an assortment of other dull green glows in the dark around her told her that the others had done the same. _What was that??_ Not only did her skin sting, she felt sluggish and weak… and a flicker of fear of the green-haired woman that now stood laughing before them grated on her every nerve. _What did she do?_

As the dark rain finally slowed and then faded all together, Liane's Guardian suddenly broke, dissolving into shimmers around her without her command. But before her alarm could truly settle on her, she heard Genis laugh… and it wasn't the normal, happy laugh she knew so well from the boy.

"Taking me on with magic?" the boy grinned as he lifted a small, crystalline bottle to his lips and swallowed the purple liquid inside. No sooner did he slip the empty vial back into his pocket and thrust his kendama up over his head did green bands of runes widen and brighten around him, tossing his hair with the wind of their growing speed. Pronyma only had a chance to turn her head to him before he lifted his voice again. "Gentle winds, gather before me and transform into waves of air. _Cyclone!"_

The air in the Seed Room immediately responded to the mage's call, suddenly whipping and spinning around Pronyma and building into a column of green wind that stretched up beyond the walls of the room. As Liane noticed even Yggdrasill retreating behind the protection of the pod, she realized what had happened: Pronyma's spell had cursed them… and judging by how the Cardinal was once again tossed through the air like a rag doll, she simply wasn't ready for Genis to have a Panacea bottle in hand and ready. The swordswoman's hand felt so heavy as she reached to her belt, seeking the pouch where she kept a small assortment of medicines and gels, but before she could unfasten the flap, the air around her began to glitter with a perfectly white sheen.

"I'll help… Nullify!" the Professor called, her words punctuated by the sound of her own empty Panacea bottle falling from her hand as she lifted her staff into the air. The spell reached out for all of her companions, though, wrapping them up in the spell's cleansing aura as Genis' Cyclone began to dissipate.

Lloyd was the first to shrug off Pronyma's curse, his boots beating a rhythm over the floor as he sprinted away from the Professor's side. "Thanks!" he called as his eyes focused on the Grand Cardinal and he leapt up to meet her in the tumble back to the ground. He swept his blades wide out to his sides. "Rising Falcon!" the teen called as his blades crashed together like the wings of the technique's namesake, dislodging a few more feathers from the half-elf's golden halo as he drove her into the ground and he skidded to a stop a few paces behind her crumpled form.

No sooner was Lloyd clear, Sheena stood before Pronyma, her spellcard drawn back across her chest and over her shoulder. She waited only long enough for the green-haired woman to start to lift her head before a finger of dark mist drifted around her card. "What's the matter?" she asked tauntingly. "Afraid?" The summoner didn't wait for an answer, her card snapping out and just touching the Cardinal's forehead before the black mist billowed out and wrapped tightly around Pronyma. She gave a gasping choke as the mist withdrew into Sheena and the ninja flipped into a neat handspring that took her out of Pronyma's reach in a heartbeat…

… and cleared Liane's path. The swordswoman had begun charging her blade as soon as Raine's spell lifted the group's curse. Gaping at Lloyd's attack had made it impossible to move for a few awestruck moments… but she had started running even as she saw Sheena taking her turn at the Cardinal, knowing her friend well enough than to think she would be there for any longer than necessary to deal her damage. Liane lifted her sword as she ran, willing her mana to gather and fold back over its blade – and she almost smiled when she realized that Pronyma had staggered back to her feet. _Lloyd did this with a wind element… and so did Zelos before… _her thoughts whispered. _I wonder if I can…._ But it was a thought for another time as she was face-to-face with Pronyma. _Now…._ "Sonic Thrust!" the swordswoman called as she released the mana she had stored and it snapped out on the wide-eyed Cardinal, the woman barely crossing her arms over her face before the blast caught her and forced her back to a knee. Liane knew better than to think it was simply her attack that pushed Pronyma down again… but there was hope in the knowledge that they were wearing her down.

Rushing in once Liane was clear, Regal spun on his left leg to deliver three powerful blows before he crouched low and swept Pronyma's feet out from under her. As she began to fall, he sprung up into a back flip, his outstretched left leg colliding with her nose. "Wolverine!"

Presea slowly edged closer as Regal attacked, her wide blue eyes studying every motion of both the shackled man and Pronyma, though her focus clearly was squarely on the Cardinal as she reeled when Regal retreated. The pigtailed girl began to move with precise steps to pace Pronyma's… gauging her distance to draw her ax up and slam it down into the floor right at the half-elf's feet. The glowing golden mist that had enveloped the ax on the downswing flared out at Pronyma, even as the force of the blow pulled the girl off her feet. "Mass Devastation," the girl spoke, her words almost lost as the golden mana blasted in a shimmering wave of landslide at the Cardinal.

Pronyma crouched low under the punishing wave of earth magic, but no sooner did the assault begin to wane, she pushed herself to her feet with an angered groan. "You will _not_ win!" she crowed, though the waver in her voice spoke almost as much of desperation as it did determination. Swinging her staff out before her, its head fixed at Presea… and a black-purple crackle of mana seethed over the golden shaft. "Take this! Agarazium!"

The Cardinal's spell didn't hesitate, showing none of the signs of weakness that its mistress did as it enveloped Presea in a column of purple-ringed blackness. There was a small, strangled cry of protest as the rings flew skyward, lifting the veil of darkness with them in time to reveal Presea collapsing to her knees.

"We have to end this!" Raine called to her companions from the heart of a churning spiral of white rune bands. Regal was already moving, scooping Presea into his arms as he carried her to the outer fringe of the battle area and knelt there as a green spell circle flared beneath him. The Professor's runes, by contrast to the calming green, were a brightly flickering white by that point… and the silver-haired woman held them back for only as long as it took for her to be sure the remaining fighters were squared to the Cardinal. "Acuteness!"

"Got it!" Lloyd responded as he burst through the spell that sought him out and drew both blades to one side before a quick series of steps sent him spinning at Pronyma. "Raging _Beast_!" he growled, with the last word accompanying the slam of his blades down to the ground that unleashed the snapping visage the attack summoned.

Pronyma staggered back a step, her hand out before her and a faint green glow seeming to deflect some of the blow as she clenched her eyes shut. But in that one long blink, Sheena was suddenly there at her side, a smirk on her lips as she waited for realization of her presence just to start to touch the Cardinal before snapping her card out into the air between them. "Pyre Seal!"

"Blast –" Pronyma cursed with a surprised gasp as she was pushed back against the machinery that held Colette's pod, her footing failing her as she fell.

But it was an opening… and one Liane knew she could use. Her oldest spell – one that was truly hers because she had taught it to herself when no one would bother to teach her – responded faster than the others in her arsenal. Her lips curled into a smirk. _Oh… I can do this…._ She knew how the spell _felt_… a breathy whisper that slipped through her as she tapped her mana and formed it… making sure she remembered it exactly before she released the spell on Pronyma. "Wind Blade!"

The spell was over faster than those of her companions, but Liane at least got the satisfaction of seeing all three strikes hit their mark, leaving Pronyma to attempt to swat them away with annoyed desperation. _It's not huge, but…._ The swordswoman tensed as the Cardinal made the obvious effort of steadying herself, though it _was_ with the aid of her staff against the floor. _Hopefully, it won't take much more…._

As if an answer to Liane's hope, there was suddenly a flash of pink and silver at Pronyma's side. The half-elf's eyes widened as the first spinning strike of Presea's ax dislodged her staff from the ground… and the second sent the Cardinal into an odd contortion to avoid being cleaved in two. "Finality Punishment," the girl spoke with no hint of the angered retaliation she could have carried for Pronyma's last attack. That retaliation showed itself, however, in a vicious upswing that sent the Cardinal's staff skittering across the floor.

"No!" Pronyma's voice cracked as she dove for her staff, only a few of her artificial feathers still clinging to the battered golden ring that wrapped around her shoulders. "I'll show you!" she declared, rolling up to a knee and swinging her staff out at the group, a trail of sparkling blue mana trailing after its head. "Spread!"

The storm of mana-spawned water surged down over the room, battering against the group of green protective barriers that popped up as the water fell and rocked against them. But as soon as the water level dropped, Genis was the first to drop his Force Field. Water sloshed around his ankles and slowly evaporated into the blue sparkles as the young mage began to work his kendama once again. "So, so sad," the boy muttered with a shake of his head and a wicked grin as the bits of mana from Pronyma's spell began to flow into the blue-red rune bands that blazed around him. "Raging Mist!"

The floor of the Seed Room suddenly burned with a gigantic red rune disc that heated the room, merging with the remainder of the Spread spell and changing it into a dense mist that wrapped tightly around Pronyma. The Cardinal gave a strangled cry as she staggered back a step… though it wasn't fast enough to do more than remove her from the direct impact of Presea's ax as the girl slammed it to the ground at her feet. "Beast!"

Pronyma flailed helplessly as her feet were pulled out from beneath her and she was blasted back to slam into the back wall of the room. The ring that had suspended her artificial wings hung around her shoulders as she pushed herself to her feet and wobbled, her eyes almost wild until a bloom of smoke placed Sheena directly in front of her. "This is just getting annoying now," the summoner huffed and snapped her spellcard out into the air between them. "Cyclone Seal!" The card became a blur of green copies of itself as they swirled around Pronyma, whipping around her and lifting her from her feet as it carried her back into the center of the room and deposited her before the group.

The Duke was already in motion before the Cardinal even made it back to her feet, pushing off the ground to throw out his left leg for one blow, and then sweeping back to add a second. "Swallow Dance!" When he pushed off her once again in a graceful back flip, Regal changed his momentum, charging it into a shockwave when his feet landed back on solid ground. "Eagle Dive!"

The Cardinal collapsed to shaking hands and knees as all but one last stubborn metal feather clung to its frame. She coughed, a decidedly ragged sound as her elbows faltered… and she almost collapsed.

Almost.

Instead, the half-elf ground her teeth and shoved herself back to her knees, one arm braced out in front of her. "You really just need to stay down," Lloyd groaned and ran at the Cardinal, twisting into the air a few paces from her, his blades spinning with his rotations. "Tempest Beast!" the swordsman called as he landed only far enough from Pronyma to slam his blades to the ground and release the mana that they had collected in his leap to lash out at her.

"Wretched… boy…" Pronyma gasped, propping herself with a bloodied hand against the control panel beside the pod and glaring at Lloyd with every bit of hatred she seemed to be able to muster as her last etched feather dropped to the ground and bent sharply on impact. "I should have gutted you… in front… of both of them… when I had… the chance…."

At that moment, something snapped inside of Liane. She had been ready to hope that the fight was over… her hand was even reaching into her pouch for gels in anticipation for Yggdrasill to sweep in and take advantage of Pronyma's fighting. But the look in Lloyd's eyes… the hateful words the Cardinal spoke… and the memories of a woman desperate to live all collided and banished the thought that she wasn't needed in the fight anymore.

She drew her sword up before her… Pronyma paying her no heed whatsoever.

_Kratos and Lloyd finished Kvar…._

Liane didn't even try to contain her anger, instead, channeling it to her mana… and almost reeling at the flood that rushed to her blade as she began to run, sparing only enough focus to constrain the mana to the wind runes.

_But you're mine… for Kratos, for Lloyd… and for Anna!_

"Hurricane Thrust!"

Pronyma's eyes shifted to her, but it was too late. Liane thrust her sword forward, its tip biting at the flesh beneath the tattered fabric of the Cardinal's bodysuit as the wind element she patterned on Lloyd's earlier attack struck and blasted the half-elf back to land in a curled heap at Yggdrasill's feet as the wing frame finally fell from her.

For a moment, only the hum of mana filled the air, all eyes on Pronyma's shuddering shoulders as the woman struggled to lift her head. "I can't believe I lost twice… to this wretched lot," she choked quietly, her voice weak.

Liane straightened, staring at Pronyma as Yggdrasill casually turned to the fallen Cardinal. _We beat her_… her thoughts whispered, a tiny breath of relief creeping into her lungs until she saw Pronyma turn, struggling to reach out to her lord… and the swordswoman saw the bloody gash her own weapon had made. She had only delivered the final blow… a punishment for all the cruelties the woman had delivered upon Liane and those she cared for… but she couldn't forget the anger that fueled that blow. Even if it was deserved, Liane's stomach churned.

"Lord Yggdrasill," Pronyma rasped, her arm stretched toward the blonde Cruxis Lord imploringly, "… it hurts. Please… help me…."

Yggdrasill watched the woman for a moment, disgust playing across his delicate features until his head suddenly snapped up in surprise. A soft, high-pitched hum that had filled the room until that point disappeared. It left the Seed Room just a bit more quiet – and a look of nothing short of rapture on his face as he stared at the pod. "I've succeeded!" he declared breathlessly, turning his back on both Pronyma and the party. "Martel is awake!"

The bizarre scene held Liane's attention captive until someone pressed a gel into her hand. Blinking, she lifted the gel to her lips as she turned to her side, though she wasn't honestly surprised to find Regal watching her pointedly. _I'm okay,_ she answered him silently with a nod as a burst of tangy lemon danced on her tongue for a moment before the tingle rushed out over her limbs. The swordswoman shifted her weight uneasily between her feet as she looked forward again… finding Pronyma still pulling herself across the floor until she caught Yggdrasill's leg. _I can't feel sorry for her… I can't, _she set her jaw tighter.

"Lord Yggdrasill… _Mithos_…" Pronyma moaned desperately, craning her neck to look up to the blonde. "Please…."

Yggdrasill stiffened as the Grand Cardinal spoke… and slowly… _slowly_… he turned, looking down on Pronyma with frigid contempt as his hand began to glow. "Only my former companions can call me by that name!" he growled, his voice low and dangerous as he suddenly crouched and slapped the ball of light to the woman's forehead. "Get out of my sight!"

Pronyma gasped, her body going rigid for a few moments before a ripple of tremors shook her battered form. Then… slowly, she went limp… her form going dark and evaporating into a shadowy mist that lingered for only a moment before dissipating… leaving no sign Pronyma had ever been there.

Liane felt her mouth fall open in shock – both for how angrily Yggdrasill had dispatched the Cardinal… and for how callously he turned away as if nothing had happened… his attention falling on the pod and the metal bands that were retracting from its shell. A cold lump formed in her stomach. _Goddess… do… we really have a chance?_

"That's so cruel…" Presea whispered, the tiniest hint of horror in her voice singing out simply by its presence in her normally unshakable tone.

Yggdrasill continued to pay no attention to his audience – much less their reactions – as he stepped aside for the pod to slide open. Eagerness danced in his sea-green eyes as he reached in and tenderly took Colette's hand, guiding her as she blinked and slowly sat up. "Dear sister… you've finally come back to me!" he breathed out in undisguised joy as the blonde girl slowly climbed from the pod and turned to face him.

"No… Colette… it _can't _be true!" Lloyd breathed out, shaking his head as his shoulders slumped and he started to take a step forward.

"Lloyd…" Liane murmured, dropping her hand onto her friend's shoulder, halting him from moving, though it didn't take any true force. But she didn't watch him… her own eyes were fixed on Colette. Her heart sank lower with every heartbeat… the girl still _looked _like Colette… and her eyes weren't empty as they had been when the party first brought her to Tethe'alla for help. But her eyes were still the biggest change… undeniable wisdom, a hint of confusion… and heartbreaking sadness swirled in her crystal blue eyes as she stared at Yggdrasill. _That's it, then? Colette's gone?_ She swallowed a choke as another image flashed in her mind… the gentle smile of the green-haired goddess that offered a chance at salvation. _This is… Martel…?_

"Mithos… what have you done?" the girl that had been Colette asked in a new voice… a gentle voice that wavered softly as her eyebrows began to knit together.

Liane shivered… the jolt racing to her very core. _That voice… it really is her._ She let her hand fall from Lloyd's shoulder. _She said we'd meet again… but… why like this?_

Yggdrasill tilted his head with a small frown. "Martel?" he asked, puzzled until his smile finally began to return. "Oh, you mean my body," he breathed out, his happiness returning with what almost sounded like an embarrassed chuckle. "I hastened my growth to have an appearance befitting the leader of Cruxis." He released her hand and stepped back. "Wait just a moment. I'll switch back to my old form," he offered eagerly and let his arms fall to his sides as a bright light enveloped him and contracted, finally fading to leave the form of the boy that the party had found in the ruins of Ozette.

"No, Mithos, not that," Colette shook her head, the sadness in her eyes creeping into her voice. "I've been watching all this time. Unable to move, unable to do anything, I watched all those foolish things you've done," she murmured mournfully before fixing a pleading look on him. "Have you forgotten everything? We stopped the Ancient War because we dreamt of a world where humans, elves, and those in between could live in harmony."

The room fell silent as Mithos' smile faltered and he took a half step back. "What are you saying?" he asked hesitantly. "_This_ after all the trouble I went to to prepare a new body for you?" he continued, anger beginning to color his tone. His hands tightened into fists for just a moment before he laughed once… and then once more. "But I see… you don't like that one, do you?"

Even as she saw sadness flicker in Colette's eyes, Liane still couldn't fight a shudder… and a disturbing sense of familiarity. Mithos was obviously losing shreds of what was left of his sanity before their eyes. But if what she had seen – remembered – was true… _am I that much different from Colette right now?_ Weren't they both just one being wearing the shell of another? It was true that Colette had been bred by Cruxis to house Martel and had had her body stolen from her while Liane had merely been convenient for Anna… was there any real difference?

_Yes._

Liane set her jaw. _Anna had a choice… Liane… the girl… would have died if they hadn't done… this. Colette and Martel weren't given the choice._ She didn't remember her life before Anna… and she wouldn't have had one after without her. She was someone new… not Anna, nor the original Liane. _Colette must still be in there…_ she told herself, watching Mithos interact with Colette – with his sister – a little closer. _Come on, Colette… fight._

Colette shook her head, one hand stretching for Mithos in pleading. "Mithos, please. Listen to me," the blonde girl begged in the voice that wasn't hers. "What you have done… is wrong. It is not what we strived for."

Mithos looked like he had been struck. "Wrong?" he repeated. "Are you rejecting me?"

"No, I want you to remember," Colette answered, her voice a bit more firm. "Please stop this and become your old self again…."

"Martel, even you reject me?" Mithos asked, sounding lost as he clenched his eyes shut and began to shake his head. "No… Martel would _never_ say something like that…." His denial faded into a chilling laugh. "I won't allow that, do you hear me?!"

Mithos threw back his arms, his laughter growing… cracking… filling the room as light began to gather around him. Liane shifted her weight back, lifting her sword before her. _He looks like he's going to explode,_ she decided, only part of her wondering if it would be such a bad thing as long as she and her friends could get away.

"You okay, Lloyd?"

The call came from above them, and even though there really was no one else that the almost too-cheerful voice could have been from, the party still looked up… just in time to watch Zelos vault from the balcony. Liane almost smiled – especially when she saw the surprise on Lloyd's face as the redhead dashed past all of them.

But only 'almost.' Zelos had clearly been keeping his motives to himself, but he had just as clearly helped to save her friends. _Deal with it later,_ she commanded herself as she realized Zelos had placed himself into a run at Mithos and Colette. _Mithos won't let us walk away without a fight… no way._

"What are you doing?!" Mithos snapped at Zelos as his head snapped to the swordsman's arrival so fast that his fine golden hair almost became a halo of light. Without waiting for an answer, the boy's face contorted in even more anger… and he pushed his ball of light out at Colette.

Zelos' pace didn't change… he merely turned his shoulder and threw his weight behind it, shoving Colette out of the way of Mithos' attack and stopping just short of the blast of light's path himself.

Liane saw Colette stumble and Lloyd tense, but she also saw that 'what are you gonna do about it?' look on Zelos' face as he tilted his head to Mithos. _He's either trying to get us all killed – or he really is trying to help us…._ The lack of gray area between options was unnerving, but it still managed to give her hope.

"I _thought_ you wanted me to set you free of your fate as a Chosen!" Mithos snapped, his fists shaking in anger as he glared at Zelos.

Zelos chuckled once and tossed a handful of red curls over his shoulder with a smirk and a shrug. "Oh, you know what? I changed my mind," he sighed, sounding cheerfully casual. "That won't matter after we beat the snot out of you anyway."

At that moment… at that declaration and the look of indignant shock on Mithos' face, Liane found herself wanting to cheer. But she heard Lloyd's laughter first, and she turned the smile she couldn't hold back to her friend.

"Zelos!" the brown-haired swordsman called, his grin obvious even in his voice. "I knew you'd come back to us!"

The redhead's smile faded a little as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to stroll back to the group, turning his back to the red-faced child-Cruxis Lord. "Sorry about all that," he stated, his amusement waning along with his impish grin. "It was the only way I could get my hands on this. Here." Zelos' hand flicked from his pocket, sending a chunk that caught glints of metallic light as it tumbled through the air to land in Lloyd's outstretched glove. "Refine that with dwarven arts, and it'll let even a human use the Eternal Sword."

Lloyd lifted the substance, eyeing it for a moment before he looked back up to the Tethe'allan Chosen. "You… are you saying you did all that just to get this?"

Zelos nodded and his eyes swept over the party, lingering on each of them for a moment before they returned to Lloyd. "But it is true that I deceived you. I held you guys back for a long time," he sighed and then shrugged to accompany the weak smile he gave Lloyd. "I figured I'd at least have to do something like that to make up for it."

The note of sincerity in Zelos' voice should have made Liane feel better… she knew that. But it actually had the opposite effect – the feeling of betrayal from when they had entered the Tower reared its head again. _Even if he's apologizing… even if he's trying to make up for it… it still happened… and none of us could – would – see it._ It was difficult for Liane not to notice how Sheena kept her eyes pointedly on Mithos and Colette… not even glancing to Zelos during the conversation. The only sign she gave that she heard what was being said was the tightening of her jaw. _What he'll have to answer to us for is nothing compared to what she'll hit him with… probably literally…._ As bad as it sounded, there was some vindictive satisfaction in the thought… and she forced herself to follow the summoner's wary gaze to Mithos. The boy was trembling, his hands now twitching as if they were imagining strangling each of the foes before him… while Colette simply kept her hands clasped behind her… her expression still sad as she kept her eyes fixed on Mithos. _He finally got what he wanted – after all this time – and it's all falling apart. _If it were anyone else – just about any other circumstance – Liane knew she would probably feel sorry for Mithos. But his mad quest had affected them all – stolen from the entire world and everyone in it. Her expression hardened. _Not anymore. Not –_

Liane's silent declaration shattered at a burst of movement from above again, as noticeable against the dark as Zelos had been with a dash of white, violet, and gold as the form leapt from the balcony and rushed directly at Colette. _Kratos…?_ She knew he couldn't be far away, but part of her had expected him to remove himself from them – as he always had where Mithos or Yggdrasill were involved. When he stopped before Colette, though – when his hand snapped out to affix a crest to Colette's Cruxis Crystal and Mithos' jaw fell open in shock – another shiver ran through her. _This really is different,_ she told herself as the room fell silent and Kratos turned, crossing his arms in calm defiance as he looked down to Mithos. _This is it… everything changes now._ "Kratos…" she whispered softly….

"_Kratos!_" Mithos spat angrily. "You betray me… again?!?" he demanded as his eyes flashed between Kratos and Colette.

The auburn-haired angel didn't even flinch at the venom in the blonde boy's accusation. "I do not mean to betray you," he stated, his hair betraying only a hint of a shake of his head as it shifted over his eyes. "I am full of regret. Regret that I could not stop you."

Liane's breath caught in her throat. She _knew_ that Kratos had stood against Cruxis in the past – by removing himself from its ranks during his time with Anna… and in his own subtle ways during Colette's journey – but the pretense was gone… in her heart, she knew – she could see – that Kratos was casting it all away this time. It was a thrill to see it for herself – and perhaps even for Anna. The games were finally over.

"Kratos!" Lloyd gasped, his grin beaming as Zelos chuckled smugly at his side.

Raine dropped her hand onto Lloyd's shoulder and drew his chocolate gaze up to hers. "He and Zelos saved us from the impossible situations we were in," she told him with a warm smile.

"We owe them our lives," Liane added in quiet agreement, certain now that she had seen the bottom of the pit that she would have died without Kratos… that Regal may have as well… and that the others likely at least partially owed Zelos their lives. "Even if their methods… hurt… they have both helped us all." She glanced to Zelos and then to Kratos as the angel approached. _Please… please don't betray us again._ The silent plea was to both of them though she knew she made it because the group simply _couldn't_ be splintered.

_We can't face an enemy worried about the allies that surround us stabbing us in the back._

Kratos stopped a few steps in front of Lloyd, his gaze locking with that of the younger swordsman and no one else for an impossibly long heartbeat of time before it swept over those around the teen. "I wish to atone for my sins alongside you."

"Damn you! _Give me back my sister!!_"

The furious howl shook the attention of everyone in the room back to Mithos. The boy stood between the party and Colette… rage seething in his thin frame. Liane saw how he trembled… how his eyes practically glowed with anger for all of them… and her instincts screamed at her to defend herself.

Colette's eyes drifted closed with a long sigh. "Goodbye, Mithos," she spoke quietly, the words slipping out as quietly as his had been world-shatteringly loud. The boy spun to face her, his jaw slack as she slowly shook her head. "This is my final wish. Please, return this twisted world to its original form."

Mithos stared at the blonde girl for a moment before panic jolted his form and his arm shot out toward her. "No! Martel! _Don't go!" _he cried out… anger shifting to anguish as Colette's form began to radiate a pale green aura.

"If things were going to end up like this, perhaps the elves should never have left Derris-Kharlan," the voice of Martel murmured, though it no longer seemed to be coming solely from Colette. The girl's glow began to pulse and stretch, reaching up for the Great Seed. "If they hadn't, people like us would never have been born…."

No one spoke… no one moved… not even when the glow faded completely from Colette's form and the girl collapsed to the ground. The gently turning seed held everyone's attention… and Liane was no different. _Is that what she meant? That we would meet again… like this?_ Her frown deepened in the silence, her thoughts running rampant. _And if the elves hadn't come, then Raine and Genis wouldn't be here… Martel and Mithos would have never lived. Goddess, everything would have been different…._ She couldn't bring herself to call it 'better'… she couldn't even comprehend how different life would be.

Mithos' slowly building laughter made wondering about it a lost cause.

"So that was it," the boy chuckled knowingly, his laughter growing a sharper edge with every gleeful note as his head rolled back on his shoulders. "Martel, you just wanted to leave this filthy world and return to Derris-Kharlan." Mithos laughed again… harder, this time a mocking note of understanding coloring the chilling lilt. "Yes, of course. That world is the homeland of all elven blood."

Genis took a hesitant step away from the group. "Mithos?"

The laughter slowed, but the blonde boy didn't turn… he simply kept an adoring gaze on the Great Seed. "Yes, dearest sister… let's forget these filthy creatures and return home together," he murmured, weariness weighing down every word. "To Derris-Kharlan…."

With a small groan, Colette stirred from the floor. She pushed herself up into a seated position as she blinked her unclouded blue eyes and twisted a little to look up to the seed. In the next instant, she was on her feet and stumbling back towards the party. "Everyone, we have to stop Mithos!" the girl cried out in a voice all her own. "Martel is calling to me! Martel wants us to stop him!"

Mithos spun, his rage returning in less than a heartbeat. _"Shut up!"_ he demanded. "Martel would _never_ say something like that. You…" he shook for a moment, a wash of red coloring his face, "… _miserable_ failure!"

Colette winced, but she still shook her head in response, her jaw set stubbornly as a tear rolled down her cheek. "She _did_ say it!" the Chosen insisted. "She was crying! She said, 'Please don't make everyone suffer any longer!"

Liane's breath hitched… both at the stand Colette had made on her own behalf and at the thought of the tears of a Goddess. The gentle smile that had eased Anna's passage from one life and guided her to a new existence with Liane… the being that had defied what she knew of as the laws of life and death to not only return to the world – but to do so for the sake of a friend. "We have to do it… we have to stop this now. For Martel and for the world," she stated, tightening her grip on her blade.

"Lloyd, do you understand?" Kratos asked insistently to draw his son's attention from Colette. "If we lose the Great Seed, we'll betray _everyone's _hopes!"

Sheena's cards bit at the air as she snapped them between her fingers. "And we of Mizuho won't stand it, either!"

"Without it, the Giant Tree will not germinate," the Professor added as she edged to the back of the group even as her eyes remained on the seed.

Presea moved forward to take Raine's place, her eyes set on Mithos. "Without Mana, the land will die," she stated softly.

"If your goal is the reunification of the world, then…" Regal added, his voice a low rumble from the core of the group.

"I _know_!" Lloyd lifted his voice, answering all of his friends at once as he stepped around Kratos and leveled one of his blades directly at Mithos. "We're gonna stop Mithos with everything we've got! Let's go!"

Mithos turned at that, his gaze somewhat hollow with only the mildest of interest for a moment until his eyes narrowed. "I won't let you interfere," the boy rasped the instant before he threw his arms wide once again, and a blinding flash of light filled the room. The burst only lasted an instant and faded to leave the adult form of the Cruxis leader before them, suspended above the ground by graceful wings of purple-pink light. "I will kill you _all_!"

The form of the blonde angel lifted up higher into the air as his arms flexed, but his piercing green gaze never wavered from Lloyd. "Why can you not accept the ideal world I have envisioned?" he asked with a menacing edge to his voice, the air around him sparkling with mana.

_Sweet Goddess_... Liane's mind whispered as she stepped back, trying to banish each ache from Pronyma's fight – knowing that any weakness could be deadly. "He really believes it's for the best… to kill everyone…."

"There is a point at which it is impossible to return from madness," Kratos murmured beside the swordswoman though he watched Lloyd and Yggdrasill. "We must all be stronger than ever before."

"How can your world be ideal when you've killed countless innocent people?" Lloyd demanded of Yggdrasill, his words stony and unyielding even in the face of the angel's growing display of power.

_All those Chosens… Anna… Alicia…._ Liane swallowed hard. Those lost spanned centuries already… lives stolen than never truly touched hers, though that didn't make their loss any less real. In the edges of her vision, she saw Colette drop her chakrams into her hands and a golden expanse of deep golden runes forming at Genis' feet. _So many that only left their memory with their friends and family… those that never knew anything of the truth of their world… we're fighting for all of them…._

"Human," Yggdrasill growled, the word derogatory poison on his tongue. "Don't tell me what's right and wrong!" The angel plummeted back to the ground of the Seed Room and slammed a hand down to the ground a few steps from Lloyd. "_Perish_! Death Eater!"

Instantly, the ground around the young swordsman erupted with blooms of light that sent the boy into a pained contortion as the others around him scattered.

"Follow my orders!" Kratos called as he lunged at Yggdrasill before the Cruxis lord could fully stand. His sword was already a blaze of light as he leapt up in a spiral, the strikes of his blade slicing at the floating angel and dragging him up into the air. "Victory Light Spear!"

_Don't hold back…_. Liane understood completely and found it easy to trust her blade to Kratos – at last. A quick glance to Lloyd told her he had survived Yggdrasill's first strike – it was all she needed to see. Drawing back her sword, she began to run where Yggdrasill was falling, her sword tucked to her side as her mana rippled back over the blade. "You won't win," she ground out, unsure if he would hear and not really caring as she pushed her sword out just before he could touch the ground. "Sonic Thrust!"

Yggdrasill tumbled backwards with the force of the blast until his feet found the briefest of contact with the ground and he righted himself. But before the anger could truly register in his eyes, Colette was there before him, her lithe form already spinning, enclosed in a glowing garland of spinning mana as her chakrams bit at him with each spin. "Ring Cyclone!"

"It's pancake time!" Genis called, though his voice lacked the ring his call normally carried with the words. The spell's reaction was no different, though, as the ground at Yggdrasill's feet shimmered with brown-gold mana that almost outshone the Cruxis Lord's own aura. "Stalagmite!!" the mage commanded… and Yggdrasill's eyes widened in the instant before the spell slammed shut around him.

They weren't holding back – none of them were. _We have to keep him off balance, _Liane told herself along with the realization. Everything mattered… _anything to keep Yggdrasill from –_

Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the dimming shimmers of the spire of Genis' spell – and the blonde male was suddenly at the core of their group… a small opening left by Kratos, Liane, and Colette's advances. "Outburst!!" Yggdrasill called as he again slammed his hand to the ground and a bloom of blue mana flared in a billowing half-sphere that raced out over the party.

Liane had only started to crouch when the wave of mana struck her and sent her to the ground. She thought she heard _something_ crack with the impact, though no pain registered. _Damn… he teleported… he…._ Liane lifted her head, her eyes seeking Yggdrasill even as she realized her friends were scattered much as she had been… but Lloyd was moving….

"Not a chance!" the brown-haired swordsman called as he leapt from Yggdrasill's side, flipping into a forward somersault that knocked the angel to his side with a rush of breath before his slashing spin pulled the half-elf up with him. "Omega Tempest!"

The convict took advantage of the Cruxis angel's descent when Lloyd's somersault carried him out of range and back to the stone floor, leaping into the air and twisting to channel his energy and the force of his momentum into the instant of his impact with the ground. "Eagle Fall!"

"Ooh, yeah!" Zelos whooped as Yggdrasill slammed back to the floor, shoulder first. In the instant that the angel's wings drooped over his back, the redhead leapt up, his sword swept up over his shoulder encased in angry sparks of red mana. "Burn, baby! Hell Pyre!"

The trio of fireballs flew from the Chosen's blade and struck in progression from Yggdrasill's knees to his torso, hand the angel slumped slightly with the impacts. He clenched his eyes shut for an instant, but it was enough of a blind spot for Presea to run and jump at him, her ax leading the way through the flip to bury itself at the angel's feet. "Devastation." The hit unleashed a blast of mana that once again pushed the angel out away from the group.

"How sad," Yggdrasill rasped as he righted himself in a crouch, with Zelos being the first one his angered gaze fell upon. "I thought even you could have honor where there was a benefit to you," he sneered and stood, sweeping his hand out at the redhead, the gesture following the swordsman as Zelos braced his sword before him and edged toward the side of the room. "Holy Lance!"

Liane winced as the diamond of rainbow-hued light formed at Zelos' feet and drew the piercing beams of light to the Chosen. She hoped it really was a flicker of protective green she saw at the heart of the blinding light before the last beam struck… but…

… _was that a smirk?_

Somehow, the thought was unsettling… the swordswoman was not understanding how Zelos could be so smug to the point that she just knew it had to be a trick of her eyes… until she heard Sheena's voice rise from the other edge of the group furthest from Zelos.

"I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss!" the summoner called, her incantation melting the ruthless smile on Yggdrasill's lips into surprised anger as he spun to face her. "Shadow!"

_He… was playing decoy…!_ Liane almost smiled as the air in the Seed Room darkened, the light fleeing the appearance of the Summon Spirit of Darkness. She saw Zelos hunched, his hands on his knees but a smile on his lips as he watched Shadow appear from the dissolving black-purple shimmers of Sheena's summoning runes. _He drew Yggdrasill's attention,_ Liane's mind almost cheered for the redhead as a black circle formed at Yggdrasill's feet and wrapped him up in a churning boil of black that completely enveloped his form.

"Follow me!" Kratos barked, breaking the moment of disturbing quiet as Shadow and his assault gradually faded from sight. The auburn-haired angel lifted his sword before him and a storm of purple runes answered immediately, setting Lloyd running with a nod of agreement. "Thunder –"

"—Tiger Blade!" Lloyd completed his father's command as he hopped from the edge of the dimming black field that surrounded Yggdrasill. His blades whisked through the black as they swept up – trailing tendrils of black – and intercepted the lightning bolt that Kratos sent, redirecting the blast to Yggdrasill with the downward sweep of his blades.

Yggdrasill's arms were wrapped around his middle as the blackness finally evaporated, and he had only started to lift his head when Raine lifted her voice from the back of the group. "Help is on the way! Nurse!"

Even as streamers of human-shaped mana danced out around the enclosed battlefield, a burst of pink-purple light threatened to drown the calm green. "Thy faithful servant asketh for thy blessing," Colette's voice rang solemnly as the girl floated a few paces from the Professor, her wings pulsing with mana, her eyes closed in prayer. "Honor us with the splendor of thy song. Holy Song!"

A shockwave of mana that shared the color of Colette's wings swept over the party, drawing out the sighs of relief that Raine's spell had brought on. But the light glinted maliciously in Yggdrasill's eyes as she glowered… and disappeared in the next heartbeat.

In the next instant, the Cruxis lord appeared beside Raine. "Perish," he ordered, no emotion whatsoever coloring the single word as he swept his hand at the silver-haired teacher. "Prism Sword." Beams of light began to rain down over both of them, though it was only Raine that cried out while delight danced in Yggdrasill's eyes… delight that only grew when a final beam struck, dropping the Professor to her knees at his feet.

As the angel's focus rested on the group's healer, Yggdrasill did not know of the shackled convict's approach until a steel greave was thrust into his side, knocking him off balance. Regal lunged forward before the angel could react, mana rippling around him and carrying him through the leader of Cruxis as though neither of their bodies were solid. Planting his feet, the battle artist threw his weight behind him, slamming his elbow into Yggdrasill's side and launching him towards the swordswoman nearby. "Heaven's Charge!"

Liane had only the quick glance that she shared with her blue-haired friend as he ran by her to comprehend what he wanted. _Got to get him away from Raine_, her mind snapped at her as she quickly discarded her skills one by one for what she had time to do before Regal slammed the angel back at her. But as she accidentally caught the careening angel's gaze, she knew. _"Demon_," she hissed with a quick sidestep as she dipped her blade and shifted her weight onto her back foot as she drew the sword up into a sweeping double arc. "Double Demon Fang!" she glared, releasing each arc to strike and further deflect Yggdrasill away from Raine as Sheena ran to her side.

"Nice hit, my Warrior Goddess!" Zelos grinned from the heart of his deep golden rune bands, his eyes following Yggdrasill until he came to a stop. "My turn! Grave!" the redhead called with a strange note of glee in his voice as he thrust his sword up into the air and a spire of mana-rock speared the blonde half-elf from below.

"This is for _my_ sister!" Genis called, sounding far less torn and far angrier than his last spell. The ball of his kendama danced frantically above the mage on a storm of purple runes as Yggdrasill looked up to the boy he had not long before called his friend. "I call upon thee in the land of the dead to unleash thy fury of thunder. Indignation!!"

Yggdrasill's expression went disturbingly blank as a ring of lightning formed around him and began to spin wildly. His arms fell limply to his sides… and his head rolled back on his shoulders as the rage of Genis' spell fell on him, lightning filling the ring and almost completely hiding his form in the blaze of light.

_He… didn't even try to protect himself..._ Liane breathed out, squinting at the roiling lightning storm. It took a moment for any further thoughts to form, but slowly… slowly, they did. _He… attacked Genis' sister… when all of this started over his own…._

But when the angry purple light was gone, so was Yggdrasill. Only the sound of the Cruxis lord's voice revealed his position behind Genis… too late. "That was wrong of me," the half-elf stated, his voice low… dangerous… as he glared down at the mage. "But you should have been protecting her." Another sweep of his hand and the air above Genis ripped open. "Ray."

Genis' ragged scream of pain was almost lost in the rush of blue-white rain that crashed down over him. Yggdrasill watched for a moment before he snapped his wrist and the spell vanished, but the light returned a heartbeat later as Colette threw a bright mass of mana into the air above Yggdrasill. The blonde angel only got the chance to begin to glare over his shoulder to the Chosen before the girl glared back, her jaw tight.

"Hammer Rain!"

Much as Yggdrasill's spell had spilled down on the silver-haired boy, Colette's star-like mass exploded into a fall of shimmering hammers, each of them seeking the Cruxis lord. Liane wasn't certain she had ever seen such intensity in Colette's eyes before… but she was glad for it. The girl's journey had no doubt stolen a great deal of innocence from her, but the frail flower that had been so willing to die for Sylvarant seemed to finally be gone… and the dark-haired swordswoman was glad for that.

In the blink of an eye, the battlefield erupted in what looked like a choreographed dance – Yggdrasill lifting his arms to push away at the torrent of hammers that continued to fall and Zelos was a streak of red as he sprinted across the floor and gathered the mage that had collapsed to the his hands and knees. The rescue took only a moment, and the Tethe'allan swordsman was running again, simple rune bands of healing green wrapping around him and his passenger. But the pigtailed ax girl waited with the patience of a predator for the last hammer to fall to draw back and slam her ax to the ground at Yggdrasill's side. "Beast."

The blonde angel tensed, but could do little to defend himself from the blast from his side as he tumbled with the wave of fanged energy – directly at Lloyd. "Come on," the brown-haired teen grumbled as he jerked his blades, blurred into a pair of twin mana arcs that stopped Yggdrasill's tumble in front of him before he leapt up, his blades leading the way. "Demonic Tiger Blade!" he named his attack with the downswing that dropped the half-elf to the floor.

"Root of all creation, grant us the breath of life!" Raine's voice rose over the lull in the fight and the floor of the Seed Room once again danced with a ripple of healing runes. "Revitalize!"

Relief of several forms flooded through Liane – that Raine was all right, that her spell would help her – and her brother – and that they could all press on again against the angel that was – maddeningly enough – already pushing himself up to his feet. But her frustration darkened when she saw Yggdrasill's eyes… they were fairly glowing, the anger in them literally crackling –

- before he disappeared.

_Oh, hells._

"Death Eater."

The lethally-cold voice came with Yggdrasill's appearance between Raine, Presea, Regal, and Sheena – and the winged half-elf gave them neither warning nor chance to run as a blast of light erupted at their feet and threw them into the air.

"_Now,_ I'm mad!" Genis declared, his face red even as he stood at the heart of a vortex of blue-purple runes that grew brighter with every movement of those runes. "Thunder Arrow!"

Three balls of sizzling mana blinked into existence around Yggdrasill immediately at the mage's call. A thin tendril stretched between each of them, locking the angel in in less than the blink of an eye – and then the rune bands were gone, crashing down on Yggdrasill within the tight boundary of the lightning balls and turning him into a column of furiously crackling lightning.

The strike made Liane's mouth go dry… though her eyes were quick to seek those struck by Yggdrasill's last attack. She saw them all stirring, even if it wasn't quickly.

"Liane. I need you to focus."

The swordswoman glanced over to Kratos, his low voice sending a small shock over her nerves as she sucked in a breath. He already stood at the heart of a churning lattice of red rune bands, but his eyes were on her. "I need a Beast when the lightning is over."

Liane swallowed hard, but still nodded, turning into a run as she saw the cold light of Genis' spell beginning to flicker. She ran faster the instant she could make out Yggdrasill's silhouette… and when she was in range, she leapt, both hands wrapping around her sword to lift it high into the air as she pictured the result she wanted – a frightening visage… a combination of creatures, really –

"Fiery –"

She heard Kratos like his was the only voice in the room. Liane braced herself as she felt his spell strike her blade… and steeled herself as she felt it mix and shift with her own mana – forcing it together as she slammed her sword back down in front of Yggdrasill. "—Beast!"

The mana creation blew away the remaining tongues of lightning as it pummeled Yggdrasill to the ground. The half-elf gave a furious growl as he settled in a crouch on the ground, but Liane was already backing away, her sword braced in front of her and adrenaline singing in her blood. _I did it… I didn't mess it up…._

Yggdrasill rose to his feet in a fluid motion, his eyes still seething, but even as his lips parted as if to speak, the hiss of air stopped him. "Grand Chariot!" Colette called after her paired weapons with determination in her voice as the paths of the chakrams crossed in front of the other blonde angel, their metal clash calling down another thick bolt of lightning down on Yggdrasill's head.

The blonde Chosen spun, suspended by her wings as each hand caught one of the chakrams, but when she faced forward again, she found herself face to face with her target. She gasped and faltered backward as Yggdrasill lifted his hand.

"That's all?" The Cruxis lord asked with a cruel sneer, hatred smoldering in his glare. "Holy Lance!"

Once again, the spell responded immediately, skewering Colette in place as a final beam of light fell from above with ruthless precision, driving the girl to the ground before she could even cry out, leaving only Yggdrasill's laughter as the spell crackled into nothingness.

"Zelos! Are you ready?" Sheena demanded as she ran, paced only a step behind by the redhead as they ran at Yggdrasill from behind. The blonde turned from his gloating over Colette's crumpled form, an interested arch to his eyebrow as the ninja swept her spellcard out before her, leaving a mist of black to billow in its wake. "Dark –"

"—Serpent!" Zelos completed the invocation as he burst from the dark mass, the blackness clinging to the mana that rippled back over his blade as it snapped out at Yggdrasill, the force of the blast sending him backpedaling and almost tripping over Colette.

Rushing in and having to hop over the blonde Chosen, Regal sent the Cruxis angel teetering in the other direction with a spinning jump kick that landed hard on the other's temple. He pushed off Yggdrasill's chest to go into a graceful back flip, his left leg extended to add a second blow to the attack in order to keep his enemy off balance. "Dragon Fury!"

The sway of Yggdrasill's lean form looked to Liane like the only thing that kept the angel upright – a fact she exploited as she ran in and hooked her hands under Colette's arms to drag the girl out of Yggdrasill's reach. _With the way he can teleport, it won't matter much, but…._ It was the best she could do, even as she heard a weak protest whisper from the girl's lips. "No, you're not okay," Liane murmured with a sigh as she propped Colette against the wall and reached for her pouch to find another lemon gel. She caught a worried glance from Lloyd and answered it with a quick nod as she pressed the gel into Colette's hand. "You will be if you take this and stay here, though, okay?" she asked, wondering at how exhausted the girl had to be between her ordeal with Martel and the strikes she had taken from Yggdrasill.

"Mass Devastation," Presea's voice preceded a deep rumble that filled the room and blasted Yggdrasill back to the curve of the wall opposite Colette, pinning him there under the barrage for a few moments longer until the rumble faded into the quick rhythm of a pair of running boots.

Lloyd's breathing came in time with his steps, but it was the only sign of weariness in the young swordsman as he launched himself into the air. "Rising Falcon!" he called out as he dove down at Yggdrasill, his blades awash with mana as he collided with a green shimmer that separated him from the angel.

Yggdrasill lingered for a moment behind his protective shield, a thin grin on his lips before he again vanished and reappeared at the center of the room, close to no one and everyone all at once. He lifted his hand and slammed it to the ground, again triggering the racing shockwave of blue mana that swept out over all of them. "Outburst!"

Liane crouched over Colette, cringing as she swept her hand back when she saw the wall of mana coming –

"Guardian."

The swordswoman squinted at the form that stood between them and the blast as the blue mana licked hungrily over the protective green. "Kratos?" she breathed out in relief even as she could see the other colors of mana shining around the room – all covered with blue and most of them green, though there were two that blazed brighter than the others.

"He can't have much left," Kratos hissed over his shoulder. "I'll heal Colette… help the others, but I'm going to need a distraction – he'll know what I'm doing."

Liane nodded and rose as the storm of mana passed. She traded places with Kratos, her sword lifted before her – ready, even as a rage of shimmering, multi-hued mana rose from the side of the room.

"Get ready!" The voice came from half of the blinding plume, the Professor's voice cracking with strain.

"Go!" Genis answered from the other half of the blaze, his form as invisible as his sister's and his voice at least as tired.

"Prism Stars!!"

Their voices joined as the attack shrouded the room in shadows set afire as the mana the siblings expended seemed to crystallize the air itself and send it pelting at Yggdrasill in a relentless storm that tore a scream from his throat.

The light hadn't even started to fade when Sheena ran to the battered angel and swung her card at him, wrapping him up in a spiraling cone of cards and wind. "Cyclone Seal!"

"Don't run!" Zelos laughed as the Sages' spell started to fade and Sheena's cyclone deposited the half-elf back to the ground on his knees. Yggdrasill lifted his head to reveal a fine lace of cuts across previously perfect skin and anger in his eyes as Zelos' purple rune bands exploded around him when the Chosen thrust his sword through them. "Thunder Blade!"

While Liane had seen the spell before, it still held her attention raptly. Perhaps it was the enclosed room… or perhaps it was the lethal beauty of the crackling sword of lightning that dropped from the air to spear the rune circle at Yggdrasill's feet. Whatever it was, Liane felt a flash of hope as the blonde angel's form jolted upright at the strike, his mouth frozen open in a silent scream until the spell flashed to darkness. _He can't take much more… he can't... _she told herself and lifted her blade before her, bracing the flat of the blade against her palm.

"_Perish!!"_ Yggdrasill demanded angrily when he fell back to the floor, the motion of his fall adding speed to the weakened slam of his fists to the ground. "Outburst!!"

Liane cringed at the invocation and started to drop her sword to protect herself from the rush of the mana shockwave – until she realized there was a form before her.

"Bastion…!" Regal's voice came on the edge of the oncoming howl of mana as Liane stared. The green shield crept over them even as the blue mana of Yggdrasill's attack licked at its edges. "Keep casting," the shackled man told her through clenched teeth, sparing barely a glance back over his shoulder to her. "We can't lose our momentum…."

With a nod, the swordswoman tried to block out the roar of mana as it crashed against Regal's shield. "Appropriate spell…" she grumbled under her breath as she pieced together the string of purple runes in her mind. "Especially with a tantrum from a brat." Liane knew she couldn't possibly comprehend what so very many years of festering loss could do to the psyche of even the mightiest of beings – in heart and soul both – but allowing Yggdrasill to have his way without fighting as hard as they could was unthinkable. _It's not Thunder Blade, but if I can keep him even a little off balance…._ She pulled deeply from her reserves with a quick breath and thrust her sword up into the air. "Try this! Lightning!" Any other time, Liane knew she would have been embarrassed by the comparison of her spell striking with its single, thin finger in the wake of Zelos' considerably mightier blow, but the way Yggdrasill jerked and barely kept his feet beneath him pleased her. _That's it… no more magic,_ she chided herself, backing away one shaky step as she fumbled for a gel in her pouch.

The Duke rushed in while the air was still crackling around the angel, diving in low and spinning in a crouch before throwing his right leg up into Yggdrasill's chest. "Rising Dragon!" The second that his feet touched the ground once again, Regal let the momentum carry him into another rotation, his right leg flying out in three furious kicks. "Triple Rage Kick!"

Yggdrasill backed away, his eyes wild and his steps unsure as his footing failed him once to the point that he almost fell to a knee. But even as the half-elf fought for his balance, Lloyd advanced. The swordsman moved forward only as fast as Yggdrasill retreated at first, but the filmy glow of mana that coated the teen's twin blades blazed violently as he swiped them through the air. Once… twice… each slice sent a pair of mana arcs flying at the Cruxis Lord – and Lloyd capped them with one final and incredibly more powerful arc that struck the half-elf squarely. "Demonic Chaos!"

Yggdrasill crumpled with a strained cry, pitching forward onto his hands and knees. His hair spilled to the floor while his wings drooped, flickering weakly over his sides. For just a moment, there was only silence… and Liane, like the others, could only stare warily. _Is that it? Is – _she ventured the thought as she started to straighten herself… only to have her own legs buckle beneath her and her vision darken for just an instant.

_What?!_

The dark-haired young woman managed to clench her teeth tight on the cry of surprise – and barely caught herself with a hand to the wall before she could completely fall. _Now I black out? _she demanded angrily of herself and pushed back to her feet, her eyes scanning the others quickly.

_Did anyone see? I know I'm tired, but that was –_

A pale blue glow stopped the thought with nothing more than the enticement of fascination.

_Lloyd's Exsphere…._

The stone gleamed brighter than she could ever remember seeing it – a churning bit of sky blue light far away from the sky it seemed to be reflecting – pulsing brightly as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

Liane's breath caught.

_Anna's crystal…._

But the spell was broken an instant after the thought formed for Liane, the room darkening again. _Not again,_ she cringed, one hand flailing for the wall again before she realized that it wasn't just her – that the room actually was growing darker – at least in comparison to the nimbus of light that was growing around Kratos.

A shiver of memory raced down Liane's spine and she backed against the wall, though she couldn't look away for anything. She knew what was coming – Kratos standing just barely out of reach of Yggdrasill… mana whipping in an angry storm around the auburn-haired angel.

"Sacred Powers, cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls," Kratos spoke the words as a reverent prayer even as his gaze fell on Yggdrasill. "Rest in peace, Sinners!" His voice took on a bite as he pushed his sword up into the air. "Judgment!"

The room seemed black in comparison to the ringing clash of light beams that rained down from above. For what could have easily been moments or days, the light fell in an unrelenting rush on Yggdrasill. Ever so slowly, the fall began to fade to a trickle… and finally retreated all together… leaving the party standing and Yggdrasill once again on the floor.

_Goddess…._ Liane exhaled, trying to grasp that the fight was over… that they had actually won. Then there was one more weak blink of light… and Yggdrasill's older form evaporated – leaving the boy they all knew as Mithos behind.

"I won't die… until I save Martel…" the boy rasped, his voice barely a whisper as he pulled his legs beneath him… and slowly – painfully slowly – pushed himself to his feet, his face a grimacing mask of pain as he clenched his arms around his middle. "How?" he murmured as his eyes that weren't quite focused looked up to Kratos. "I cannot lose," he shook his head and shuddered again as he shuffled his feet to turn and look up to the Great Seed. "I'm going home… I'm going home with my sister…" he declared weakly.

His voice was that of a lost child… and the way he opened his arms imploringly to the petaled seed made Liane frown. His body slowly vanished – much as Alicia had on the Sky Terrace. After all he had done, Liane knew she couldn't pity him. But she still lowered her eyes. She had witnessed the passing of a tragic hero… one twisted by time and loss… whose intentions had started so simply… so innocently.

_He just wanted to live in peace._

The silence of the room was finally broken a few moments later when Lloyd breathed out a long sigh. "It's over."

"No, it's not."

Kratos' correction brought a snap of tension back to the room. The swordsman stood watching Lloyd, his gaze unwavering as the party looked to him. "The worlds are still split. The Giant Tree has still not germinated. You must release… Origin."

Liane's reality wavered once again.

"_I am the Origin seal itself. Since killing me would break the seal, Yggdrasill couldn't just leave me alone."_

A wave of cold rolled through Liane, pressing the breath from her lungs as she forced her eyes to open, a silent prayer in her thoughts that she would wake up from the nightmare. _Martel… no… please._

"Do you know what that means?" Lloyd shook his head in disbelief. "You might die!"

Kratos didn't blink and he didn't look away… he didn't react in any way to Lloyd's words. "I tried to run from everything," he stated in stony calm. "I still need to pay for my past sins. For the sake of releasing Origin's seal, as well as for the sake of settling my past, Lloyd… you must defeat me."

"_I'm so sorry, Anna… he'll never let me go."_

The words were barely a memory for Liane… a ghost of a ghost… but the brush of lips against the throat of that ghost sent a soul-rending shiver through the swordswoman.

"_But I can't let you go, either. It's… beyond selfish. I'm sorry… but I can't let you go."_

Liane realized that the memory was through a sleep-haze… one more tender, intimate moment that she had no right to… but she also knew beyond a doubt that Kratos' wife wouldn't have let him go, either.

_And now… I… have to watch her husband and son fight… to the death?_ Liane felt absolutely sick.

"You think I'm just gonna go along with that?!" Lloyd snapped back at the angel, the despaired crack in his voice ringing from the walls around them.

Kratos hesitated as if he might speak, but then he turned on his heel, a pair of doors sliding open at his approach and flooding the room with bright white light. Just before the light could swallow his form, he looked back at the others, his form only a fuzzy silhouette against the white. "I'll be waiting for you before the seal."

And then he was gone, leaving only silence in his wake. Liane's knees shook, but she was aware of her friends' presence around her… and it allowed her to keep her own focus on Lloyd. The boy stared at the empty doorway, his eyes wide… pleading… even as his arms hung limply at his sides.

_This is wrong… so very wrong._

Liane knew it was wrong in every way… to let it happen… to not reach out to Lloyd and tell him there was another way – because a sad voice inside her… one of logic… told her it would be a lie.

_Why did it have to come to this? There is finally hope… and now…._

Colette broke the quiet gently as she placed a hand on the swordsman's shoulder and waited for his eyes to come to her before she spoke again. "Let's head back first, okay?"

Lloyd blinked, staring at the girl as if it took him a moment to recognize her. Then, with a slow nod, he trudged forward, shrugging out from under her hand and leaving the others to follow the way Kratos had gone.

It was one more waking nightmare Liane didn't want, but her feet betrayed her, carrying her forward along with the others, as if hesitating would slow or stop the headlong rush to the tragedy she couldn't see any way around.

"Liane."

She knew the voice and the unspoken question in the single word – in her name. But she didn't have anything to say – there was nothing to say. Liane turned to glance over her shoulder to her shackled friend and shook her head, though she couldn't bring herself to force even the weakest of smiles for him. She could see in his eyes that he understood, and in the small nod he gave her, that he accepted it. None of it helped Liane felt like each step did anything but bring her a step closer to a goodbye that no part of her was ready for.

The hallway from the Seed Room was mercifully short to a warp ring that brought them to the very entryway of the Tower… and to the doors that released them all to the afternoon sun outside.

"By the way, Zelos," the Professor finally broke the morbid silence as they descended the stairs that were no longer guarded by angels, "… where did you learn a method for humans to equip the Eternal Sword?"

The redhead glanced back over his shoulder with a slight shrug. "I really think it'd be better if I didn't say," he answered with no sign of his usual amusement in his voice – only a slightly apologetic smile on his lips.

Lloyd stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to watch Zelos descending, the younger swordsman's head cocked in question. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah," Genis agreed plaintively when he reached Lloyd's side and turned a wary look to the redhead. "That's a strange thing to say."

Zelos shrugged and stopped in front of Lloyd when he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Go to Heimdall," he answered. "Everything should become clear there."

Lloyd huffed and ran a hand back through his hair as he pivoted and began to lead the others back through the narrow valley. "All right."

Liane fell in step with the others, her thoughts still dazed, though Regal and Sheena walking behind her made certain that she didn't fall behind.

_Can I watch this? Can I stop it?_

The swordswoman's eyes trailed the ground while one hand closed on the handle of her sword as her other tucked itself beneath the strap of her pack that she had barely remembered to grab before leaving the Seed Room.

_Is this how it has to be? Maybe Zelos knows a way… a different way?_

It was a flicker of hope as her eyes lifted to watch the redhead walking near the front of the party. But that flicker died out as she realized how meek he had been compared to his 'normal' self. It was clear he had been working with Kratos – but in that, he didn't seem to have any options to offer even with that insight.

"What are you going to do, Lloyd?" Raine asked as the passage through the mountains opened to a clearing wide enough for the Rheairds. "Are you going to… fight Kratos?"

The Professor's tone was quiet… nudging the boy as gently as she could with the question. As much as Liane hated it, she understood it. Lloyd had to make the decision… he had to be the one. She reached for her own wing pack, though her ears strained for Lloyd's answer as the flying machines were released from captivity all around her.

"I don't know," Lloyd answered after a moment, his voice calm and even… restrained, even. As his Rheaird formed before him, he sighed and squared his shoulders, though he turned his eyes to the sky instead of to his companions. "At any rate, I'll go to Heimdall."

Liane stepped onto her Rheaird and pressed the button that started its engine. _Lloyd hasn't decided. That means he's still looking for another way… right?_ She knew she should hold on to that tiny ember of hope… but only one thought would truly form as she felt the engine building its strength beneath her:

_If it was all going to end like this… Martel, why did you help Anna in the first place…? She wouldn't want to see this any more than I do… it would kill her…._ Her chest tightened sharply at a flash of the image her mind constructed of Kratos fighting Lloyd.

_Goddess, it still might kill me…._


	40. Chapter 40

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: A fight that no one wants to see is inevitable. But is that fight to be an ending, or yet another beginning? Knowing the truth had always seemed so important to everyone for their own reasons, but is the difference between knowing and accepting that truth what really matters?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings -- I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 40:

_After all that – they're just leaving us on our own?_

Liane stared at the backs of the retreating Elf Elder of Heimdall and those of his lightly armored guards in dismay. It was just one more shock… the first coming upon their arrival at the town gates, where the Elder waited to tell Lloyd that his 'visitor' was waiting in Torrent Forest. Throughout the flight from the Tower, Liane had tried to find a tiny bit of hope that Kratos hadn't gone to Heimdall – that they would have time to find another way that father and son wouldn't have to fight to the death.

Fate seemed to have both other plans _and_ a very dark sense of humor.

Gathering only curious looks from the elven villagers as they passed through the impossibly green glade, Lloyd slowly came to a stop and turned to face his companions with a sigh heavy with resolve.

"Then let's go to where Kratos is…."

Liane's stomach clenched painfully as her heart almost stopped. Of all the words the young swordsman could have spoken, those were the last she wanted to hear. Not only had almost all of the group had their own personal brush with doom that day, they had also fought – and won – against angels, Pronyma, and even Yggdrasill himself. It was only after all of that that Kratos - who Liane thought had finally reclaimed his place amongst them – declared that Origin had to be released to finally end the disastrous cycle that linked Sylvarant and Tethe'alla.

_But… to do that…._

The thought refused to form for the swordswoman.

Lloyd had grown so strong before her eyes… and Kratos had always been strong. But Kratos' very life was Origin's seal. His own mana protected the summon spirit as well as the bond that the spirit had to Mithos and the Eternal Sword. The seal had to be broken to right the world.

Kratos had to be broken.

Lloyd was probably the only one strong enough to do it… and then use the Eternal Sword to heal the damage Mithos had done to the world.

Liane breathed out and had to look away from Lloyd… she had to remove herself from his words.

_I'm going to be sick._

"Lloyd, wait!" Colette shook her head and reached for the brown-haired teen's shoulder. "You should relax a little first," the girl insisted before her hand fell away and her chin dipped to her chest almost mournfully. "You're about to fight your father, remember?"

Something dark flashed in the normally warm depths of Lloyd's eyes. "I know that!"

The boy was walking a tightrope suspended above infinite black… Liane knew it all too well, though she still questioned her right to the feeling. Her own brush with death had shaken a pivotal memory into place for her… finally put order and explanation – if not reason – to her visions, her nightmares, and her flashes of knowledge that simply weren't hers.

Kratos' wife and Lloyd's mother – Anna – was a part of her, an arrangement made possible by a goddess that called Kratos 'friend' – and one that allowed parts of both Anna and the critically injured little girl named Liane Dale to live on as a new person. It left Liane to grow up with no true memories of either past when she woke up, but Kratos' appearance in her life years later awakened something from Anna. Liane had grown up with Lloyd, claiming a place in his life in her own right as she grew to see him as her oldest, dearest friend – practically a little brother. But from glimpses through Anna's eyes, she could so clearly see how he had grown… and how he was so very much like his father. It would have been a reassuring through in any other situation – but in the case of Origin's seal… it was a tragedy that made her heart want to break.

"Colette is right," Regal moved closer to the swordsman using the calm, even authority his voice carried so well to draw Lloyd's attention to him. "Don't be hasty, Lloyd."

"Just because Kratos seems to be ready to settle everything right now doesn't mean that it's the only way," Liane added with a deep exhale, wishing she could convince herself. "We're all tired… rushing into this would be bad – for everyone."

Raine sighed, wrapping her hands around her staff where it propped against the ground before her. "The fate of the world rests on your battle with Kratos. Let's rest here tonight and you can sort out your feelings." She let her eyes drift shut and bowed her chin. "This will be the end of our journey."

Lloyd's jaw tensed in indecision for a moment before his shoulders slumped. "All right."

With that, the swordsman pushed his hands into his pockets and turned his back on the group, wandering off the path and across the lush grass with no clear destination and no word to anyone. Genis started to follow, but was held back when Zelos' hand fell on his shoulder. "This is big, kid," Zelos spoke with none of the bite his voice normally carried when he spoke to the young mage. "He's gotta be the one to decide when and if he wants to talk."

It was strangely insightful advice coming from Zelos, but Liane easily agreed with him. Though her eyes followed Lloyd until he disappeared from sight and she wished she could offer him help of any sort, she knew the decision had to be his – and his alone. "We… should get rooms," she finally sighed, offering the option to distract herself more than anything.

"And we can go set camp near the creek since the facilities here are too good for us," Genis grumbled and reached out to tug on his sister's sleeve.

Liane winced, realizing she'd probably been the one to rip that particular wound wider open. "Genis, I didn't –"

Raine waved off her assistant's words with a weak smile as she allowed her brother to lead her away. "This will be fine. There will be someone for Lloyd to talk to whether he wants to be inside or out, if he so chooses. We all need rest after today."

It only eased Liane's guilt a little, but Raine did have a point – if Lloyd needed someone to speak with, they had to give him every opportunity. _He has to make his choice for the right reasons – he'll have to live with it, considering that I don't think Kratos is planning on winning._

"_I still need to pay for my past sins. For the sake of releasing Origin's seal, as well as for the sake of settling my past, Lloyd… you must defeat me."_

The thought chilled her from that moment, not even releasing her from its grip while they checked in… not while she put her pack in the room she would share with Sheena… and it even drove her out of the inn, almost afraid that one of the others would stop her.

_I can't let Lloyd hear that… that his father could possibly be willing to give up._ She didn't want to believe it – and she could almost convince herself that it wasn't true with how many times over their journey that Kratos had appraised Lloyd's skills.

_Maybe… he wants to lose… but he simply wants more that Lloyd can earn the victory._

The path her feet had found suddenly dead-ended at a creek, and Liane frowned as she looked down at the gently dancing water.

_But… how can he expect his own son to be the one to kill him?_

Liane squeezed her eyes shut and crouched on the bank, her arms looped loosely over her knees.

_He finally knows what happened to his parents… now he's going to lose Kratos all over again…_

… _if he wins._

The swordswoman's jaw tightened.

_And he has to win._

Even her thoughts fell into stunned silence for a few moments, only the whispering babble of the water itching the edges of her hearing.

_I guess this just proves I'm not Anna… a mother would know what to tell her son._

The dismal thought kicked sharply at her already-foul mood. _I wish I did have the words that could guide him to the right path… that I could find another way for both of them._

Liane's eyes slid closed as that wish faded.

_Huh… that almost sounded like a wife and mother after all._

She was sure she could see her own mother doing just that if she and her father disagreed - Dora Dale, with her unassuming homemade dresses and dark hair lightly streaked with wisdom's silver, wouldn't let her husband and only child feud without at least attempting to intervene… to make it known that she didn't want them fighting.

_Anna would want nothing less._

'Winning' and 'losing' were such hollow concepts in what Kratos and Lloyd were facing. Liane chewed on her bottom lip and shifted, releasing her knees to sit on the bank. _No matter the winner, something will be lost… it's just a question of magnitude._

A sudden rustling in the leafy foliage along the bank to her right startled Liane from the bleak thought, but before she could gather her wits enough to scramble to her feet and reach to her sword, she found herself exchanging surprised looks with Lloyd. The boy stopped, jerking slightly as he clearly wasn't expecting company along the creek that bordered the village.

"Liane?" the crimson-clad swordsman frowned, blinking as he glanced around the narrow clearing, perhaps expecting others nearby. "What are you… doing?" he asked with a frown. "Where are the others?"

The dark-haired young woman knew her friend well enough to hear how hard he was fighting for his focus, dragging his thoughts from whatever mire had pulled them so far away. She shrugged and reached up to smooth the frayed edges of her braid back over her ear. "They're around," she answered, unable to give him a more precise answer. "Everyone's got a lot on their minds right now." Liane took a moment to measure his expression – and decided to press on. "How are you doing?"

To Liane's surprise, the swordsman turned and sat down on the bank beside her.

"I guess… I just don't know how we got here," the teen huffed and ran his hand back through his hair before he shook his head. "I don't mean _here_ Heimdall… I mean…_ here_. This is all completely different from what we left Iselia to do."

Liane almost smiled at the glimpse of the boy she knew so well surfacing from the shell of the fighter he had become. "I know," she agreed with a nod and her eyes trailed back to the creek, trying to find that string of familiarity that might tie them both to all the time they spent in similar positions as they grew up. They had always been able to talk about anything… dreams, fears, triumphs, and defeats… though none of them compared to the scales those same factors had grown to over the course of their journey. "It's all kind of a blur, isn't it?"

Lloyd nodded. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to help Colette save Sylvarant like the Chosen is supposed to do. The land was supposed to get healthy again… the Desians were supposed to go away… and we were all going to go home legends. It all sounded so… cool…."

"Even legends have to start somewhere," Liane shrugged and hugged her knees to her chest again. "And the world will still be saved… just… not like we originally thought." Then she sighed, her logic faltering. "It's kind of mind-boggling, huh…?"

"Nothing is what it was supposed to be," Lloyd stated, his voice barely more than a whisper. "All the legends were what Yggdrasill wanted them to be. Colette was supposed to die, and saving Sylvarant meant cursing Tethe'alla. And we almost let it just… continue."

Liane shook her head at that. "But we didn't," she insisted and tilted her head back to him. "It's been more complicated than if we would have just gone along with what we were 'supposed' to do, but it just would have continued… a problem for the next generation… and the one after that… and so on… until someone finally opened their eyes and did what we are doing now… if the worlds lasted that long." He still wouldn't look over to her. "Lloyd, this has to happen. It's hard, it's dangerous, and too much of it is too sad… but we've come this far. We… can't back down." She swallowed hard, her thoughts catching up to the words that flowed from her lips after a moment. _So… forward really is our only option. There can't be any going back… or stopping._

"I… know that." Lloyd's chin dipped to his chest with the quiet words. "I just hate that it's too late now," he murmured, the soft words fading on the gentle flow of the creek until he finally spoke again. "Was I the only one that didn't see it?"

Her first instinct was to ask what he meant, but there was no need to drag the words from him. "No," Liane answered honestly, forcing herself to answer without looking through the frame of Anna's memories. "Kratos kept his secret well."

Lloyd's frown deepened. "No. He didn't… I just didn't see it, but I don't know why." He paused for only long enough for Liane to turn her eyes to him, but he didn't look up. "He knew who I was when we first met him at the Temple… the way he asked my name. Then when he went to Mom's grave… when he asked about my parents… when he trained me…." He shook his head and closed his eyes with a sigh. "All the times he could have killed me… but didn't. I… feel so stupid."

"Lloyd…" Liane reached out for his shoulder, unable to stand the distance between them anymore. "Don't do that," she frowned, willing her words to get through the dark cloud that seemed to be solidifying around her friend. "So much happened since you were last together… he… he probably saw that you had grown strong and happy – he didn't want to take any of that from you…."

"When we fought Kvar… I… I should have _known_ then," Lloyd continued without acknowledging her words. "And then I was going on and on about how he was like a big brother - ! Stupid! So stupid!"

"Lloyd!" Liane lifted her voice and squeezed his shoulder tighter, finally bringing his gaze back to her. She saw the warring emotions in his eyes… and she absolutely ached for him. "Stop. This… is exactly what he didn't want to do to you." She was sure of it. Staring into Lloyd's eyes until she saw a flicker of understanding there, she finally released his shoulder. "Don't, Lloyd. In his own way, he was trying to do the right thing… he was trying to protect you."

Lloyd's lip quivered for a moment… and then he looked back to the creek. "By making me strong enough that I would have to be the one to kill him to save the world?"

Liane shook her head. "You made yourself strong, Lloyd," she stated softly, yet firmly enough that she hoped he'd hear her. "And… I hope… his goal was just that you could help save the world." _I don't want to believe he wants to die… I don't… but it's getting harder._

"I wouldn't be stronger… without this," Lloyd murmured, turning his hand so that the blue crystal mounted on the back of his hand caught some of the light of sunset that filtered down through the trees.

Liane sat up a little, tensing at the sight of the stone that seemed to be at rest now – versus how light had churned within it during the fight with Yggdrasill. A shiver touched her spine as she remembered – but she pushed it away. "Lloyd…" she sighed, trying to piece together what she wanted to say. "It doesn't take much strength to fight, as long as you don't care about the outcome. It takes more strength to win against the odds… but I think maybe it takes the most strength to have faith… that maybe things don't have to be as black as they seem? To see that sometimes, we can't control everything… and maybe it just has to be that way?"

The teen looked up, his eyebrows knitting together. "So, I should just give up and kill my own father?" he asked with a twinge of horror at the suggestion.

"No," Liane shook her head. The words had flowed so easily that she had to take a moment to consider them herself. "I'm saying you should keep your eyes open, even if you do have to fight. 'Fighting' and 'killing' are two different things. I can't see a way around a fight, either. But until it's over… you can still look for another way." She reached for his shoulder again. "Don't give up, Lloyd… after everything that's happened, you know you can't give up." It was all she could offer him… how many times had fate twisted on them already? None of them could have predicted how their path would unfold on that fateful day at the Temple in Iselia… just like no one would have thought that the last-moment touch of a Goddess would take two beings back from the embrace of true death.

Lloyd pushed himself to his feet after a moment. "I can't give up," he repeated the words as if trying to convince himself. Then his eyes went back down to her and he offered her a hand. "I won't give up."

It was the flicker of steel that she knew was inside her friend… a glimpse of exactly what she wanted to see. Liane took his hand and let him help her to her feet. "Neither will I… however you need my help, I'll do my best," she told him with a smile. "I have faith in you, Lloyd."

The swordsman laughed once and ran his hand back through his hair again. "Thanks," he murmured bashfully and sucked in a quick breath before he met her gaze again. "And… I'm sorry for when I got mad at you for defending Kratos. Maybe if I'd listened… things would be different now."

His apology took Liane off-guard. The tension had been painful, but she had done what she thought was right… and it hadn't cost her Lloyd's friendship after all. "It's okay," she accepted the apology, but still shook her head. "But no more 'what-ifs,' okay? Looking back will only distract us."

"Right," Lloyd answered, though he still didn't sound entirely sure. "Did… you want to go back? I can walk you back to the inn if you want?"

Liane considered the offer for a moment, finding it sweet, but finally shaking her head. "I can't think I'm ready to go back just yet, but thanks." Lloyd released her hand and took a step back… and for just a heartbeat, the swordswoman had to stare at the young man before her.

_How did I miss it?_

In that moment, the resemblance was uncanny – the way the light from above cast a shadow over Lloyd's face, setting off the angles of his face… and the determination in his eyes something she recognized on a soul-deep level. _Both Lloyd… and Kratos… so determined to do the right thing._ Liane shook her head, trying to clear the daze before Lloyd caught it and – in a flash of timely inspiration that the boy was inexplicably prone to – cornered her on it. "Take the time you need, Lloyd," she told him with a smile. _I know you'll do the right thing._

Lloyd chuckled once and waved as he turned from the swordswoman. "It's gonna be a long night," he sighed and glanced back over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods. "Thanks, Liane."

She had to smile, though it was touched by sadness at what still might happen.

_I am so proud of you, Lloyd._

It didn't come from any one place in her – not Anna's influence nor Liane's fondness for the boy that still felt like a brother to her. She was proud of him… and she believed if there was a way to salvage the situation, he would be able to do so.

"Wow, you hicks take your drama seriously, don't ya?"

Liane sucked in a breath at the voice that seemed to come from the tree beside her, though it was impossible for her to mistake the speaker for anyone else. Crossing her arms as her breath came out with a sigh, she refused to look over. "At least we _can_ take things seriously, Zelos," she replied with only the slightest of shrugs. As a flash of red caught the corner of her eye, she set her jaw just a little tighter. "Eavesdropping? There's nothing going on here that's any big secret. You might want to check somewhere else." Only a tiny part of her felt guilty for snapping at him… the rest still keenly remembered the sting of what he had done.

Zelos strolled out of the shadow of the tree, his hands crossed protectively over his heart. "Ouch, hunny, watch the barbs there," he chuckled quietly as he walked and pivoted to a stop facing her since she wouldn't turn to him. He smiled for a moment and chuckled again, his blue eyes never leaving hers. "Aw, c'mon, Liane. How am I supposed to kiss and make up when you won't even look at me?"

The swordswoman's gaze narrowed on the redhead. "Maybe you should be asking Sheena that question?" she suggested, her tone clipped. _Seriously, does he _not_ see what it did to Sheena when he turned on us?_

"I would," the redhead waggled his eyebrows before dipping his gaze pointedly to the sword at Liane's waist and then back to her eyes, this time with one eyebrow cocked above the other. "But she's armed. So I figured I'd practice my apology on you."

"What…?" Liane's jaw dropped at the thinly veiled jab. Suddenly, her fist was curled into the salmon fabric of his jacket. "You insult me… you insult my friends… and you want to 'practice' apologizing?" She stared at his grin for a moment before she shook her head and shoved him away. _It's all a game to him…._

And, as if to prove her right, she heard him laugh quietly as she turned away. "Go away, Zelos. I'm not in the mood right now," Liane grumbled and started back to the creek, even more disappointed in him than before, much to her own surprise.

"Naw," Zelos continued to chuckle as he fell into step beside her with casual ease. "I still have to apologize to you… and I think I know a way to do it that will leave you begging for more."

Liane stopped and pinched the bridge of her nose with a groan. "Zelos… seriously… go talk to Sheena!" she growled when she finally tipped her head back to him.

Zelos grinned again. "I like the way you think, hunny… and I will. But… I think I'm going to make you just a little more dangerous before I do, 'kay?"

"What are you talking about, Zelos?" Liane exhaled in frustration, her arms falling to her sides. "I've got a lot on my mind, and –"

"Yeah, yeah. We all do," the Tethe'allan Chosen waved off her words and leaned just a little closer. "I'm talking about Thunder Blade." Zelos waited for the words to sink in before leaning back and smiling at her suddenly blank expression. "Oh, come on. I saw how your eyes lit up. You want it… especially considering how you claim you don't want me…." He sighed dejectedly before smirking once more and winking at her.

"Thunder Blade?" Liane repeated numbly as the image of the spell flashed through her mind. She knew he had continued to speak after that, but that was where her thoughts froze. Sure, she hadn't seen it before… and she had, of course, envied it, but that's where it stopped.

_Isn't it?_

"Zelos," she shook her head with a frown. "I appreciate the thought – I really do – but, I think you're giving me a little more credit than I deserve." He was still smirking when she looked into his eyes… and that shook her objection a little more. "I don't have an Exsphere… it's… a fluke I can use magic at all –"

"But you_ can_," the redhead cut her off with a shrug, still smiling at her. "And you can cast Lightning. Sure, you might not be strong enough to cast Thunder Blade as often as… say… _me_. But if you can get worked up enough to be as mad as you just were at me after the day you've had, then just a little more memorizing and putting your mana behind temper like that should be more than enough to juice up a spell you already know."

Liane considered his words for a moment, the thrill of possibility tickling her nerves. She was beginning to get comfortable with the spells she could already call hers to the point that she could _feel_ how much mana they needed – and then knew when she fed it just a bit more that the result would be that much stronger. It was a conscious act to push the requirements of the spell – so why not just make that push to a different spell – a stronger one? "You… think it's enough… to cast Thunder Blade?" she asked, halfway hoping he wouldn't see how much she wanted it to be true. Even if she couldn't cast it often… even if her need for the spell would probably only continue to decline after they defeated Yggdrasill… she _wanted _it.

"Hunny, between how you smacked Regal and how you were ready to throw down with me for flirting with you just now, I don't think I'd put Indignation past you. You know… if you had a pile of gels handy for after and all…" Zelos grinned and drew his sword, keeping its tip down as his expression mellowed. "But this is the condition: This is my apology to you. No more holding the Tower against me. I have eight people I have to set things straight with… I know that." When she opened her mouth to reply, he quickly clapped his hand over it. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a bad boy and not in a good way. But look at it this way: if you agree to drop it this time and I teach you the big bad sparkly spell, you'll have it to zap me if I stray again, right? It really is a win-win for you, you know?"

Liane kept her gaze narrowed on him as he slowly lowered his hand and waggled his eyebrows at her. "'Forgive' is one thing. 'Forget' is another," she told him evenly, trying not to back down even at how he had silenced her objection. Honestly, she didn't want to remember much of what had happened at the Tower. While it put the truth into better focus for her, it still hurt that much more to know that there were so many things in her life that weren't what they seemed. But when she saw the playfulness in his expression melt, Liane sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't pout," she shook her head. _One more leap… could be one more fall or one more flight._ "Just… don't do it again, Zelos," she requested as seriously as she could. "Don't do it again, or I won't hesitate to use your own spell on you." Liane tried to return his earlier smirk as she made the threat, though the honesty that drove the words made it almost impossible.

Zelos smiled and held his free hand up in a sign of peace, his shoulders slumping in submission. "Ah, the return of my fiery Warrior Goddess… I was wondering what happened to her," he sighed sentimentally and moved to step around her, his chest to her back, his arms stretching around her sides – all without actually touching her. "If I err again, I give you permission to fry my sorry hide. But until then… save this one for a special occasion?" the redhead spoke quietly, a note of warm amusement in his tone as he brought his sword ump before her, bracing the flat of the blade against his palm.

There was only a moment of discomfort for Liane when she found herself within the circle of the swordsman's arms, but when the purple bands of runes began to crackle to life around them, she understood what he was doing – and began to relax. _Genis teaches by explanation, _she absently reasoned as her eyes followed the rune pattern, _the method of a scholar…_

… _Zelos teaches by example… the method of a warrior._

For a moment, she actually felt honored… that he had enough confidence to try to teach her in the first place… and then that he gave her the credit to think she could learn that way. Liane set her jaw, her determination picking at the pattern until she recognized the sequence that called upon lightning for a foundation… and then the runes that drew the additional power for the spell and shaped it.

"See it, hunny?" Zelos asked, for once without his usual air of flirtatiousness. "That sequence there draws your mana faster, but cranks up the potential damage."

Liane watched the runes float by, trying to burn their sequence into her mind until they disappeared and then seeking them again as the band continued to spin around them. It was something of a test for herself, but when she was certain she saw the new sequence again, she nodded. "There," she dipped her head toward the runes. "Those three… expand the capacity of the spell… and the next clause… shapes it?" she asked, frowning a little. While she understood the base runic patterns for the spells she knew, anything beyond was merely recognition and memorization, as much as she wished otherwise. "So… the expanders… link the base to the new instructions…? For the more powerful spell?"

"Very good, hunny," Zelos murmured appreciatively as he remained still, allowing his spell to seethe for her benefit. "Thunder Blade is a mid-level spell that builds on Lightning. So the base spell sets the element and shapes it… then you add the multiplier… and then you finish with instructions for what you want the spell to do with the extra power," he explained. "Same thing holds for high level spells – another multiplier… another formation direction."

"Makes sense," Liane nodded, her voice still quiet as she watched the sequence. "Each level requires more mana than the level before… and the skill to form the spell."

"Yup. Once you understand that, it gives you an appreciation for folks like the runt and his sister… and how they can cast the big spells, huh?" There was a smile in his voice as he pushed his sword up into the air. "Thunder Blade!"

The dimming woods flashed brighter than daylight as the blade of lightning slammed down into the ground before them and the force of the strike reverberated up from the ground and through Liane. Her eyes were wide, but there was a smile on her lips. _I get it… I might not be able to push beyond mid-level… but… I really get it…._ She slowly turned, looking up to the redhead with an arch to her eyebrow. "Did… you… just compliment Genis?" she asked as her smirk continued to curl her lips.

"Yeah…figure I'm gonna have to swallow some pride to apologize to the brat, too… might as well practice for that, too, y'know?" he winked at her. "Don't tell him, though, okay? Gonna have to keep him on his toes somehow, after all…."

Liane shook her head with a half-hearted chuckle as she turned back to see the ground where the spell struck still faintly dancing with residual energy. She understood the concept he had taught her – deceptively simple, though she knew that theory and practice were two different things. Her first teachers hadn't even wanted to teach her magic, claiming her family tree gave no indication of talent – therefore, it would be a waste of time. Yet even when she had proven them wrong, they still taught her no more than they _had_ to – basic control and no more, really – and cautioned her not to rely on such an 'unstable' gift. There was redemption in the fact that she had proven them wrong and even added to her set of spells… working her resistance up to be able to use more than one in a fight, even. But despite the thrill, Liane still had to wonder at Zelos' faith. She glanced over her shoulder to him, the evening breeze tossing pieces of her frayed braid across her face. "You _really_ think I can do that?"

"I know what I think," Zelos shrugged and flicked his wrist at her, sending a pale yellow gel arcing through the air to her hand. "But ultimately, you're the one that will prove me right or wrong."

_He's right,_ Liane told herself as she looked down to the pineapple gel, considering it for a moment before she popped it into her mouth. _I may never be the strongest magic user… but the one time I would need it would justify any training…._ Even a weak gift was still a gift, and Liane had already seen too many examples of how the world could turn in an instant. Turning her back to the swordsman as the tingling gel rippled down her throat, Liane drew her sword, exhaling as she raised it horizontally before her. "Start with Lightning," she coached herself in a whisper as she closed her eyes and opened her mana reserves to the rune sequence that formed in her mind.

"Keep it steady," Zelos murmured in her ear. "Don't get ahead of yourself… one piece at a time until you've built the spell you want."

There was almost a hesitation of surprise when Liane realized that the Tethe'allan Chosen had stepped into her rune circle, just as he had built his around her. It was yet another test… to keep her concentration, as well as to trust him again at a time when that concentration left her most vulnerable. She drew a deep breath and nodded – to his instruction, to his presence, and to herself. _I choose to trust you, Zelos._ Some – even some of her friends – might call her a fool, but she would accept the consequences of her choice. In the next instant, she felt her spell stabilize and fill with the mana it needed. Liane exhaled without opening her eyes. "Now… the multiplier…."

"Don't stop there, hunny," Zelos cautioned and placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's like opening a valve. Giving it mana without thinking ahead to the direction could make you lose the mana you've already invested. As you feed it, at least keep a picture in your mind of where you're taking it. That should be enough direction to keep it in check until you have the proper runes to restrain it."

Liane's first instinct was to panic, but the logic in Zelos' words won out in time to keep the spell from disintegrating. Her jaw tightened as she drew the images of the linking runes from her memory, balancing those images with one of the crackling blade she had seen the redhead summon twice that day. The formation sequence was the hardest, her memory stumbling over the new sequence until it simply _felt _right. "I… think that's it…?" she murmured, hearing the bit of strain in her own voice.

"Let go and find out, hunny," Zelos replied evenly in her hear. "Time to prove one of us right…."

"All right," Liane exhaled and searched the pattern in her mind once more, checking the mana level one last time before she swallowed hard and lifted her sword to the sky. "Thunder Blade!"

Her eyes flew open as she felt the mana rush from her, only vaguely aware of her knees threatening to buckle and the hand that closed over her upper arm to steady her. She watched her rune bands explode and reform on the next heartbeat as a crash of solid-looking lightning slammed into the ground before them. While it looked more like a dagger than a sword to her own eye, Liane's smile quickly grew at the realization that she'd done it. "It worked…."

"And now I get to say, 'I told you so,' right?" the redhead laughed and leaned down to take her free hand before drawing it up along with her attention as he pressed a kiss to the back of her palm. "You're stuck with the nickname, you know," his eyes sparkled with mischief as he released her hand. "You totally earned it."

"You're… a really good teacher, actually," Liane blushed a little and carefully pulled her hand back to help guide her sword into its scabbard. "I know it wasn't the strongest, but –"

Zelos rolled his eyes and waved off her words with a casual flip of his hair. "So practice. Make it stronger. You're stronger now than you were when you first came to Tethe'alla… you're the only one that can really know where your limits are."

The comparison made her stop and consider his response. "You… were actually paying attention?"

"Let's just say I'm really observant and leave it at that, okay?" the redhead sighed and glanced back toward the town. "Sooo… we're good? If I throw in follow-up lessons if you really think you need them? I would offer to stay a bit longer, but… if things go the way they might tomorrow – I've got a whole lot of amends to make tonight."

Liane almost smacked herself in the forehead. _Of course he's observant… he was keeping tabs on us all along. _Some insidious little whisper in the back of her mind pondered how anyone could back them against forces that both fought and fueled the worlds' warped existence for countless years. _There wouldn't be any use in him saving us… getting the Aionis… and coming with us – no one paranoid enough to make him be with us now could have much value for the information now, right…?_ The swordswoman forced a long, slow breath out of her lungs and finally met Zelos' gaze. For just a moment, she saw a flicker of doubt… and she knew her hesitation had put it there. "Just be yourself, Zelos. You said you didn't want the mantle of the Chosen. So, be who you want to be," she shrugged and tried to smile for him. She couldn't absolve him of what he had done, and she knew it would linger in their group's memories…

… _but he could help us do a lot of good… with a second chance, right?_

"Wear the title… don't let it wear you," she finally sighed. "And… our deal? I… I won't forget." Liane's smile brightened a little and she held her hand out to him.

Zelos blinked, his eyes fixed on her hand for a few long moments before he reached out to wrap his hand around hers. But instead of a simple grasp to seal their agreement and set their friendship back on solid ground, he used his hold to pull her toward him, using her surprise to keep her off balance as he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek… and then, just as quickly, let her go. "Ah, if my heart was mine to give, you'd forget about any other guy, my sweet Warrior Goddess…" he sighed dramatically and winked at her stunned expression. "But as it stands, I'll do my best to earn your trust."

Liane couldn't ignore how he flustered her, but she still managed a weak laugh. "Don't break her heart, Zelos," she pushed past the heat in her cheeks. "She can do way more damage than I can."

"And I'm sure I have the bruises to prove it," the redhead grinned and pivoted on his heel to start back into the woods. "Rest up, Liane… big day tomorrow and all that…!" he called with a carefree laugh. "Oh, and if you hear screams of pain soon… or maybe you see a pissed off summon spirit or four hanging around... a rescue would be nice, okay?"

She wanted to ask what he thought she could do on her own against summon spirits, but before she could manage, he was gone, leaving her alone once again with her thoughts.

_I want to trust you again, Zelos, _Liane thought as she stared at the darkening path back to the town. Only time would make that wish come true – she knew that… and that was one thing out of her control.

_One night… to set things right._

It all came back to that – how very different things might be after just one more sunrise and sunset. They had all fought for that difference in their own way, but Liane realized that none of them had ever been able to anticipate the price. Their goal was a world that didn't have to fight itself for existence anymore… the key to that goal was Origin… and the only way they could gain Origin's aid…

… _Kratos… has to die?_

A numb ripple danced over her nerves, only the warmth of a tear on her cheek contrasted to the chill. They had broken seals regularly since their quest began – first to aid Colette in becoming an angel, and then to help Sheena pact with the spirits that could help set the world back to how it had been… how it was supposed to be.

_But… 'breaking' Kratos…._

Liane had seen enough through both her own eyes and Anna's to know how Kratos had tried to do the right thing. Where time strengthened Yggdrasill's madness and bitterness, it had strengthened Kratos' resolve – no matter the price. He'd seen it as his duty and his punishment to end what he had allowed to happen before his eyes.

_And now, he's ready to let it all end? After everything?_

As angry as she wanted to be with the swordsman, a part of Liane that told her she should be able to understand. _After four thousand years… it would be so hard to have a connection to the world… knowing everything that truly mattered to you… would fade away._

She chewed her lip. _He's tired. But he wants to leave things on a good path._

It didn't matter what she wanted… what Lloyd wanted… and along with those realizations came one more: None of them could truly judge Kratos Aurion. Viewing him as a friend or an enemy was a moot point when it all boiled down. Liane tightened both empty hands into fists.

_Tonight is it, then. My first real chance to get the truth... and possibly my last._

Her heart shriveled at the thought as her eyes burned with tears. But she began to walk back toward the town anyway… forces far greater than the whispers in her mind that even if she rebelliously tried to stand still, the world would merely continue around her. While the events of the coming day weren't set in stone, Liane knew she had to consider them as such.

_No regrets. I can't have any regrets when it's all done._

Liane considered Kratos a friend… she cared about him, even when she had to be honest with herself and admit that there had been times that he terrified her. She had no idea where her storm of reactions to the angel spilt – she had seen his tender side from both Anna and her own view… but, she had seen the terrible power he commanded through both sets of eyes as well.

_I need to know what he sees when he looks at me. I just need to know how much of me… is her. _He could set her free from her doubts… or show her how much of her belonged to someone lost from the world years before.

_His acknowledgement… or rejection… could settle so much. And who better to ask than my soulmate?_

She had known the term could mean several things for a long time… but at the heart of it was a simple connection she knew she couldn't deny.

_I won't back down this time, Kratos,_ Liane swore silently to both herself and Kratos. _It all has to come out tonight._

As if fate decided to add mocking punctuation to the dark-haired young woman's determination, the breath fled her lungs as she walked into something decidedly solid in her path, her distraction stealing any warning and sending her stumbling to a knee before she caught what was left of her balance. "Wha—?"

Regal looked down at Liane, surprise in his shadowed eyes even as a faint smile touched just the corners of his mouth. "Distracted?" he asked quietly and extended his shackled hands to her. "It's a dangerous time of evening in the woods for that…."

Liane stared up at the Duke for a moment as she gathered her wits and her breath, her cheeks slowly heating as she realized that she had been so drawn into her thoughts that her eyes had been only on the path at her feet… not looking for anything – or _anyone_ – else on that path with her. "S-Sorry," she stammered weakly, offering him an apologetic smile as she accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"That much, I guessed," Regal responded with just a hint of a chuckle in his tone. He held her hand for a moment longer before he finally released her, as if judging her balance. "Zelos said you were still by the creek. I didn't want to intrude, but… it is starting to get dark…."

The swordswoman looked up, and a strange mix of dread, eagerness, and panic bubbled in her gut as she realized that the stars were beginning to burn through the colors of sunset. "It's okay… thanks," she nodded and looked back to him. Even with the forest shadows shading his eyes, she could still see concern behind his gentle amusement… and suddenly a dose of guilt joined the other uncomfortable demons inside her. _He's been so kind… so sweet._ It made her ache, really – there was such a gentle, wounded soul within the heart of the warrior before her. He had given her a glimpse of a fairy tale without asking – or perhaps wanting? – anything in return. He had extended a hand of understanding to her when she was afraid everyone else might shun her for the so-very-private truths she kept inside. But even as her relationship with Regal seemed so fragile… like precious glass she was afraid to examine too closely, she knew that speaking with Kratos had to be her priority. _If I lose this chance… if he dies… I'll always have doubts. I'll always second-guess myself._ "Regal…" she started, almost surprised by the shake she heard in her own voice. "I… I have to go. I'm sorry," Liane shook her head. She knew if anyone would understand, he would… but as much safety as he offered her in their friendship… Liane knew she would have to take the steps on her own.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Liane's mouth fell open at his offer… first for the words, then for the sincerity she saw in his eyes. He wasn't forcing his presence on her… she was sure he didn't expect her to accept from his tone. But he was still offering. _Regal…._ A sad smile curled her lips – as much as she wished she could accept, she knew she could only proceed alone. "No… thank you," she answered softly… politely. "I… might not be gone too long. If anyone notices," she swallowed hard. "Please. Don't tell them where I've gone." _But you'll know, Regal…._ She put her hand on his arm. "You don't have to lie… I just… don't want everyone to come running," Liane explained, though the blue-haired fighter merely watched her patiently. "I need to do this."

Regal leaned down and placed a light kiss on her cheek. "If he hurts you, he will answer to me. No matter if you care for him… or that he's Lloyd's father."

The oath hung in the air between them… and Liane had to smile. "Thank you…" she answered and pulled herself up to return the careful kiss. She wished she had more words for him… wished she could put how much his support meant to her into those words. He had always offered her kindness… and while she just couldn't bring herself to read into it, part of her had to wonder what it would have been if their situations would have been different.

Stepping back, Liane started to turn. "I'll be back when it's done," she told him with as much of a smile as she could muster. Before she could fully register the flicker in his eyes, she gave him a quick wave and headed into the village. _He's just worried. It's what friends do for each other, _she told herself as she forced a deep breath into her lungs. _He's wanted me to do what I needed to do…_ she argued against a tug that saw his expression as sad. _He told me that I had to be honest with Kratos. That if I believed so strongly that he had answers, then I had to talk to him._

_That was the night he kissed me._

Liane tightened her jaw on the errant thought. _That… has nothing to do with tonight…._

She didn't like the urge to laugh that rippled tauntingly through her mind. Forcing her eyes to the woods that bounded the back of the village, her steps slowed. _The Elder said Kratos was in Torent… but where? _A moment of dismay later, Liane sighed and started toward the Elder's stilted home. _I'll ask… and hope he'll tell me._ The idea of wandering aimlessly in the woods all night did nothing to help her nerves.

Liane knocked gently on the Elf Elder's door, recognizing that it was getting late into the evening. A subtle shuffling inside gave her hope that she hadn't come too late. When the door opened, the bearded elf peered out at her suspiciously at first, but a moment later, recognition dawned in his eyes and he fully opened the door.

"Ah… I thought you might come," he smiled, sounding almost pleased with himself as he motioned for her to enter.

His comment was strange, but the swordswoman ducked her head gratefully and entered nonetheless. "Thank you," she turned to him and dipped her chin once again. "I am Liane Dale –"

The old elf chuckled and closed the door behind her. "I know who you are," he stated, cutting off any more of her introduction with a wave of his hand and a knowing smile. "I assume you're here for early passage into Torent Forest?"

She could only gape as he settled into his wooden chair with another satisfied chuckle. _But how…?_

"I have known Kratos for a long time, child," the Elder explained as if she had spoken. "Long enough to recognize a soul entwined with his, no matter how you both resist it."

Liane's nerves twisted as she stared at him. "Elder, I…" she started, but had no idea how to finish.

The elder shook his head and moved to rest against the back of his chair like a king on a throne. He watched her with a quizzical glimmer in his eyes. "Oh, I'll allow you to pass, rest assured. But the boy... what will you do for him?"

_Lloyd._

"Allow him the space to make his own decision," she answered after a long moment and with a sad shake of her head. Where Lloyd was concerned, she had done all she could.

"I see," the elf nodded thoughtfully, his sharp gaze never leaving her. "Then you realize that you will have your own decision to make as well…?"

_To embrace Anna… to live in the shadow of a woman that died… or to walk ahead as Liane, the girl Anna brought back from the grip of death with her gift of becoming part of that girl. _Liane slowly nodded, her eyes falling to the wooden floor. "I do."

"Good," the Elder answered with a satisfied nod and rose to his feet once again, brushing past her as he strode to the door and pulled it open once again. "Then let's get you on your way. I'm sure he's waiting."

Liane felt as if her feet had been nailed to the floor as she stared at the Elder. "He knows I'm coming?"

The elf shrugged and lifted a carved medallion from around his head. "He's hoping, I believe. But he will _know_ soon, won't he?" He waved her closer and pressed the medallion into her hand, smiling kindly as he met her curious gaze. "Give this to the guard at the end of the path. He will give you instructions. Beyond that, just follow your instincts."

She thanked him, though the visit somehow made her journey that much more important.

_The Elder could sense it? And Kratos knows I'm coming?_

Liane's thoughts were so fragmented that she remembered nothing of her walk from the Elder's house to the end of the path. As promised, the guard there traded a torch and somewhat cryptic instructions of following the sound of movement through the forest for the Elder's medallion before he stepped aside…

… and she was alone in the darkened forest. The patchy bursts of the moon's first rays added an otherworldly sense of awe to her surroundings… yet somehow, the promised sound of movement in the shadows wasn't particularly frightening. Her leather-soled boots were silent on the pine-needled path, though her steps fell in time to how her own heartbeat thumped in her ears. Strangely, Liane found that the forest path did not confuse her – her feet seemed confident in their path on their own.

_I have to know. I have to hear it from him._

Doubt flickered in her mind for a painful instant that disrupted her pace.

_What if he doesn't believe me?_

Then, a new thought rebuffed that doubt.

_No. This night… everything has led me here. He'll see. He has to. If anyone can… he will._

Suddenly, the path widened, and the moonlight flooded the clearing before her. Liane's breath caught at the sight of a stone monolith, carved with runes that fairly glowed in the pale light. "Origin's seal…" she whispered. She moved forward, the stone drawing her in almost hypnotically. As she drew closer, she was certain she could feel the stone… it made her skin prickle. _It… even feels like him…_ she realized as the knot in her stomach twisted tighter. A finger of despair ran down her spine and she slowly crouched to place the torch on the ground at the base of the stone, the burning end of it casting an almost sinister glow over it. She stood and took a step back, still unable to read the symbols even with the lighting change. Liane could only stare. She didn't have to be able to read the markings to know she should fear them.

_Maybe there is no other way._

"Origin won't accept a pact easily. He'll have to be convinced…."

Liane froze at the voice from the shadows. She hadn't seen him… Origin's stone had stolen her attention as soon as she saw it, but at the sound of his voice, her pulse stumbled violently.

_This is it_… She shut her eyes and tried to force a breath into her lungs. _It's happening… he's here._

Slow footsteps crunched lightly over the mix of dried and fresh pine needles on the ground. "Why aren't you with Lloyd?" Kratos asked, his voice was quiet and cool, only faintly colored by curiosity. "He needs you –"

"He has the others," Liane quietly cut him off without looking back to him. "I need to talk with you."

At first, there was no response – no heavy sigh, no words, and no movement. Then she felt his hands close firmly on her shoulders and turn her to face him. She had to clamp her jaw tightly to keep from gaping as he stared down into her eyes with an intensity she didn't think was possible. "This has to be done, Liane. And he is the one to do it. You know what I am to him."

She nodded, willing herself to meet his stare evenly and praying her voice wouldn't fail her when she finally mustered the courage to speak. "I do," Liane answered finally, keeping her answer simple as a test. Relieved when she realized her voice hadn't shaken, she swallowed hard and steeled herself as she allowed her gaze to narrow ever so slightly on him. "And you know what I am… and what I was... to both of you."

His eyes softened slightly under the shadows of his spiked bangs as his grip all but disappeared and he released her shoulders. "I see."

Then he turned his back to her.

Liane stared at his back. He hadn't even moved out of reach… he simply turned away. _Oh, Goddess… am I wrong? _ Her doubts roared back to life with a cold surge that left her questioning her sanity all over again – even though even the most improbable of realities had suddenly felt so real after the Tower. She took a step back from him and felt her knees wobble. _No. I know this is right. There is no other way…._ In one last bid for recognition, she tried to swallow the ball of nerves that threatened to steal and keep her breath. "Kratos?"

"So… you feel it, too," the angel stated quietly, almost as if he was speaking more to himself than to her. "You understand. I… didn't think I could trust my own instincts…."

She sighed, a sting of relief that she didn't quite know what to do with. Just with the words that seemed to be merely a voiced thought on his part, everything solidified. But Liane knew she had to push… _just a bit more_…. "Kratos," she whispered, fighting the urge to reach out to him, not trusting her reactions in the wake of the confirmation. "I - I'm not her. I'm not, Anna…" she choked on the name that part of her once bore. "Not anymore. I'm Liane… someone you've only known for a few weeks. I don't expect anything from you. I just needed to know… I need to hear it from you."

He remained silent, staring into the woods. "Why did you come here?"

She blinked back tears. "A lot of reasons. I… I know you're the only one that could ever tell me if I was right," she whispered, a smile forming on her lips before she really thought about it. The answer flowed so easily, but there was more. "I wanted you to know… that whether you realized it or not – whether you _realize_ it or not – what you did that day… saved both Lloyd… and Anna."

Kratos half-turned, watching her with a deadly calm that honestly frightened her. Liane knew he had torn his own heart out the day he lost his wife and son, grief and guilt working together to decay what was left of his heart and soul day after day. Perhaps she didn't have the right to speak… but then again, perhaps she was the only one that did. He freed Anna of the torment of formless existence… and of knowing that she had turned on those she loved most in life. Lloyd was given the chance to grow without being hunted… and the chance to be happy… and loved even after such a devastating loss to one so young. Her words hung in the air around them as she weighed his lack of reaction before she decided to continue. "Whatever happens tomorrow… please, Kratos… please, don't throw your life away. And don't let what happened in the past convince you to do so. There has to be some way…."

He finally shook his head, a crisp denial. "Lloyd needs Origin if he is to beat Mithos," Kratos stated, his voice distant.

Liane frowned as her heart fell. _He has already decided…. _"Kratos…."

The angel finally fully turned to her, the picture of calm as his hand rested on the handle of the sword at his hip. "Liane, I know the consequences of what could happen tomorrow. But living in the past is something you shouldn't do either. Even if there is another way, we would both have lives to live." He paused – so briefly she doubted anyone else would have noticed. "As long as I know that somewhere, you and Lloyd are safe… and happy, I will be grateful – no matter where I am."

She tried to respond, but no words would come to her. When he reached out and took her hand gently in his, her breath hitched and the thought of any response at all fled her.

"It's like you said… you're not Anna. But Anna wasn't you, either. Make your decisions for yourself – those of us who care for you… will understand."

Liane gaped at him in disbelief. Was it that easy? Was the way the weight lifted from her shoulders right? He included himself with those that cared for her… and admitted that his instincts recognized her. He had both linked her to Anna… and set her free from Anna at the same time. _Sweet Martel…._

Her reaction seemed to amuse him as a slight chuckle rumbled in his chest

"So… you and Regal, eh?"

Liane felt her cheeks burn, much to her dismay, as she blinked away the storm of thoughts for a moment. _Regal? He… couldn't. He loves Alicia… he always will…. _"I don't know…" she flustered at even the possibility, no matter how much of a reach. "Maybe. He's a good man, Kratos…."

There was a hint of a smirk on his lips as Kratos took a small step to close the distance between them and leaned to place a chaste, brotherly kiss on her forehead. "You deserve a good man when you are ready," he nodded. "He's probably waiting for you back in the village. You shouldn't worry him anymore."

Willing away the sad dears she felt coming, she knew that his acceptance of her was exactly what she wanted all along – exactly what she needed. Liane knew how devoted the man that stood before her was – to what he thought was right and those he valued – and there was no doubt in her mind that there was still a bond between them… that, true to the Fortune Teller's claims, he was still her soulmate. _I… just don't know how you can do this to Lloyd._ She caught her lip in her teeth, weighing the emotional ache before she spoke again. _It… it's between them, isn't it? _The truth felt cold… like something falling helplessly beyond her reach. _Anna might have had the right to try to stop them… demand that they stop… but I don't…. _ It went against everything in her, but she realized that she had to let it go. _I have to trust them – that neither of them wants it to end this way, either._ She exhaled, willing the tension away… but she couldn't banish her frown. "Kratos…."

"Liane, I would fight to the death without a second thought for Lloyd… for you. You may take that any way you wish," he spoke as he reached out to lift her eyes to his with a finger beneath her chin. "But you have to remember, you have a life worth fighting for as well… and a future that may well depend on what happens tomorrow." His quiet sincerity drifted between them for a few moments. "I think… he could be good for you – and you for him – one day."

_Regal… he's talking about Regal?_ Surprise swept at her as she realized he had brought the topic back to her… to a future where she had a choice… and Liane realized how hard Kratos was trying to settle things. _But I don't want to say goodbye… I'm not ready…_ her heart protested as she nodded miserably and moved to wrap her arms around the indigo-clad warrior, drawing herself to his chest. She felt him tense, but then – slowly – he responded in kind, his arms pulling her close for a few moments of silence.

No, she couldn't say 'goodbye.' It wasn't in her. Instead, she squeezed him one more time, and carefully stepped back to look up to him. "Thank you," Liane whispered. "For everything." It would have to do… it was the only thing she could say that would leave her without regrets, even if it did still leave some things unsaid.

Kratos released her, watching the swordswoman for a long moment of silence before moving past her to pick up the torch that she had placed on the ground. He moved back to her and held the wooden handle out for her to take. "Liane…."

She accepted the torch and looked up, hearing the edge in his voice. The angel had once again assumed the cross-armed stance she knew so well… and the torch set fire to the determination in his eyes.

"If he ever hurts you… there won't be a place for him to hide."

For a moment, she could only stare… but then the implications began to seep from his words. _For Kratos to defend me… he'd… have to be alive…._ Liane couldn't stop a small smile – or the weak chuckle that escaped her lips. "Funny," she tilted her head and slowly turned from him as she forced herself to move back to the forest path. "That's what he told me, too."

Liane didn't like leaving Kratos behind – alone in the clearing where he would face his son the next day. Where Lloyd had all of his companions to look to for company if he so chose, Kratos had only the ancient stone marker that declared Origin's presence. Part of her still protested that he shouldn't be alone… but another told her that Kratos didn't have to stay there… that there were other places he could go… even Heimdall – with the rest of them.

_He has a lot of demons,_ the dark-haired young woman told herself as she walked. _Not many get the chance to truly reflect on their lives… before the end._ The thought stung her with its pinch of defeat, but she knew it was true. The possibility was very real that it could be Kratos' last night.

_I just hope Anna's death isn't one of the demons that will hound him tonight._

She ached for the possibility, telling herself that Anna would never have left him alone in the clearing. But Kratos had made it clear that he didn't mistake her for his lost wife… _and if he doesn't, then I can't either. Kratos would want Anna with him… not a substitute._

Liane didn't want to live in anyone's shadow. No matter how fate had dabbled with the girl born to Ben and Dora Dale, she still had a will of her own… and a path of her own. Trying to take over where Anna had left her life wasn't something she could do – not without reasons of her own… and not without losing herself in the process.

The edge of the forest was suddenly before her, the same guard as before standing watch and accepting the torch from her without question. But before she could completely turn her back on Torent Forest and the man waiting within it, Liane paused, bowing her head for a moment.

_Kratos… please don't die. Find a way that you and Lloyd can walk away from this together._ She lifted her eyes and fixed them into the heart of the green-black forest, as if – if the trees weren't there – she'd be able to look directly at the fighter. _I still have more questions… more I need to know. _Liane had said what she had to, and Kratos had confirmed the truth he felt as well. It was enough for the moment.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liane left the guard to his duty and walked back into Heimdall, only the occasional lamp brightening the places between pools of moonlight. It was utterly peaceful… a tranquil haven from the storm that awaited along with the sunrise just beyond the horizon.

_Or maybe it's just me._

Liane knew sleeping was going to be a tall order that night, but she also knew that things that had to be said were said… and peace was made with the past and present.

_All that's left now is the future._

Rounding the last gentle curve of the beaten footpath beside the inn, Liane paused… and found an easy smile curling her lips.

Patiently sitting on the steps of the inn was Regal Bryant.

The swordswoman took a relieved step forward and the faint grind of pebble on dirt brought his hand up, his gaze snapping onto her. For just a moment, he seemed to be measuring her, but before she could move a full step closer, he slowly stood and turned, nodding to her solemnly before he pivoted and started up the steps into the inn.

She hesitated when she saw him get up. _He… waited?_ But he was leaving. A mocking tickle of guilt taunted her conscience. Liane hadn't expected his company… not after she had distanced herself from him after the Tower, but it hadn't been just him – she had had a bad enough time processing what she had learned without trying to frame it in words for others. _Regal seemed to understand earlier… but…._ Chewing her lip, she watched him start into the inn.

_He deserved better… after everything he's done and been for me… he deserves the truth…._

"Regal? No, wait… please?" she called softly, moving closer and trying not to shatter the quiet of the night too much.

The blue-haired fighter stopped and turned to watch her. By the light of the lamp beside the door, she thought she saw him tense just a little… and she was sure she saw his fists tighten.

"Are you all right, Liane?" Regal finally asked, his voice low with just a hint of wary anger.

At first, her heart sank at his tone, but then she realized what was happening: he thought Kratos had hurt her. She moved to the foot of the steps so he could see her clearly – that she was unmarked – and quickly nodded to him. "I'm fine… but, I…." Liane sighed and glanced away. _Maybe I lost my chance to explain… maybe I spent it on how I treated him in the Tower…._ Nevertheless, she forced herself to draw a breath and pushed ahead. "Since you're still up… do… do you have a moment?" she asked apologetically. "If you're tired, I understand… but…?" He could easily turn her down, but she knew she had to try.

Regal seemed to consider her request for a moment before finally turning and moving back down the steps toward her. "I'm not tired," he answered – though cautiously – and came to a stop at the foot of the steps to look down at her. "What is it?"

"Ah," she murmured, her eyes darting to the darkened windows of the inn and then back out over the sleeping village. Chewing her lip nervously for a moment, she finally met his eyes again and held her hand out to him. "Let's take a walk… please?" If any of the others heard what she wanted to tell him, she still wasn't sure how she'd react… what she would tell them.

The shackled man seemed to consider her request for a few long moments before he offered her his arm. "Lead the way…?"

Liane paused for only as long as it took for her to realize that – once again – her friend was treating her like a highborn lady before she hooked her hand around his elbow and glanced around the shadowed town… partly to hide the blush in her cheeks. "There's a bench down near the creek… maybe we can go there?" she asked, remembering spotting the bench as they entered the town earlier. She saw him nod and begin to walk… and she continued to watch him, her guilt for how she had shut him out gnawing at her. "How… how's your cheek?" she murmured dismally, hating how all the 'small talk' she could think of were apologies.

"It's fine," he answered with a tilt of his head so he could meet her gaze. "I… never meant to worry you."

"I didn't want to lose you," Liane sighed, hanging her head. Not that she hadn't lost her own hope of leaving the Tower alive herself. "I've lost enough. But still… I'm sorry," she whispered and led him into the clearing she had pictured. "I can't believe you waited up for me. I've been awful to you."

Glancing off into the nearby trees, Regal shook his head a little. "I waited because I wanted to be sure you were all right," he told her softly. "And you really don't need to apologize."

Liane nearly cursed his graciousness, the sick knot in her gut giving her the impression that the only way it would fade was if he would even just snap at her. "I do, though," she frowned, watching his expression by the flitting moonlight between the tall trees. "And… I wanted to explain something to you, too," the young woman stated softly as her hand twisted into the hem of her tunic. "It's part of why I had to talk to Kratos… why I tried to the other night… why I had to tonight – in case tomorrow…." She couldn't push to the end of the statement… she couldn't think like that – she just couldn't. _There has to be a way that Lloyd and Kratos will walk out of that clearing…._

"Liane, nothing is final," Regal spoke after a few moments of her floundering silence, his tone gentle. "But if you wish to tell me something, I will listen. You know that." He waited when she didn't respond right away… and then finally leaned forward just a little. "What is it? Did you finally tell him about your dreams?"

Spotting the bench and guiding her friend to it, Liane couldn't look up to him. When she sat down beside him, she finally released his arm and twisted her fingers together in her lap. "Kind of," she finally answered his question and huffed a little in frustration… mostly because she really couldn't hope to guess how he would react. "Back at the Tower – when I was falling – I saw something. I finally figured out what it all meant," she sighed, feeling only slightly less crazy since speaking with Kratos. "I had to be sure… Kratos is the only one that can confirm it…."

… _seeing as how cornering Colette while she was possessed by Martel probably would have been bad form_, her thoughts added with a bitter tone.

"That what you've been seeing in your dreams was real?" Regal asked carefully, coaxingly.

"Um-hmm," Liane nodded, only barely noticing that her knuckles hurt under her grasp. _Just tell him – get it over with,_ she coached herself. _If he's going to think you're making it all up and write you off as crazy, get on with it._ She'd told him so much already… based an argument that had changed their friendship on her belief in what her visions had shown her… _I can't just drop it now._ "Regal… my memories… and the things I've seen… they're all Anna's." Oddly, the fact made more and more sense the longer she stewed on it… and even more in speaking it. "It's why I can't remember before my accident… the night I woke up was the night Lloyd's mother died."

Regal drew a long breath. "So, the day you woke from your coma… is connected to Anna's death?" he asked cautiously. "How is it possible that you have her memories…? She died before you woke up… yes?"

Nodding once again, Liane knew her friend was genuinely trying to understand… to believe. "I don't remember anything from before my accident. I don't remember _anything _from the first three years of my life. Granted, I was young, but there should be _something_. But all that's there… are pieces of Anna's memories. Somehow, I think she managed to live on through me… in me," she sighed, shaking her head. Adding Martel into the equation would likely only make it more fantastic… and she knew she was on shaky enough ground. "I know how crazy it sounds… trust me, I do. But, it explains so much. And Kratos… he… he feels it, too."

"So… part of her spirit… is in you? Her memories?" the shackled man asked, clearly struggling with the idea.

"I think so," Liane agreed softly, still not able to look up to him. "From what I've… seen… when Anna's body died, her spirit escaped being trapped by the crystal… it got her life energy, but her spirit found another vessel – one that didn't have a spirit of its own anymore," Her hand moved on its own to rest over her heart as her eyes drifted shut. "That was me… that was why Lloyd's sobs are the first thing I remember… they're what woke me up. Then, everything went dormant… until Kratos showed up on the Day of the Oracle." She sucked in a breath and finally forced herself to look over to her friend with a weak shrug. "The Fortune Teller in Triet said he was my soulmate… I guess she was right after all."

The blue-haired man looked unsure, his hands absently clenching in their bonds as if he was trying to physically grasp what she was telling him. "Liane, I…" he started, shaking his head a little. "You think… Anna's spirit entered your body… because it didn't have one?" He moved, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That can't be… maybe Anna found something in common with you. Your body could not have been soulless… or you would have always been Anna, not Liane. Kratos… he must have just stirred something up, could that be it?"

"Maybe. Or…." _Maybe it was Martel that chose me… for her own reasons._ Liane looked down and sighed again. "But my body was still alive, even it was weak. Hers was gone – destroyed by the mutation of her crystal and her life energy taken by that crystal. I think… my life energy drew her spirit in… each part needing the other? In some way… the combination let us both live on?" she shrugged before her mind found another twist to choke her with. _He… he's probably wondering why part of Anna could survive… while Alicia was trapped… not given a second chance…._ She could barely bring herself to meet his gaze again. "I'm… I'm not Anna… even if a part of me was hers at one time. But I'm probably not who I would have been if I hadn't been in the accident, either." The words were flowing easily now – almost too easily – and dragging new and unwanted thoughts with them. Her eyes welled as she looked back down to her hands that were once again clenched in her lap. "I… I guess I don't know exactly who I am."

The bound man reached out to free one of her hands and pull it into both of his, giving it a squeeze that brought her attention back to him. "No, you know who you are," he insisted, his voice firm, but not harsh. "You have always known who you rare. You are Liane Dale. You are the Liane Dale I first met in the sewers of Meltokio and then in Gaoracchia Forest. You are the Liane Dale that grew up in Iselia, friend of Lloyd, Genis, Colette, and Raine. You are not Anna, maybe not even the Liane that you would have been that you not had your accident, but you are who you are meant to be now. You are Liane. This Liane… is fine – is wonderful – just as she is."

Liane was startled by his insistence, but still found a smile creeping over her lips. "I… really don't deserve all that… but thank you," she sighed, turning her hand in his so she could squeeze in return. After a moment though, she sighed again. _Finish what you started, _she told herself. _You wanted to set things straight with him._ "But… Kratos…" she huffed, turning the topic back to its course, wanting her friend to understand. "I couldn't let him.…"

_Die._

She cringed and forced another breath into her lungs. "I had to talk to him. I had to tell him that I remembered. I had to tell him that he needs to live." Liane bit her lip for a moment and turned her eyes back to her friend, searching for his eyes in the shadows. "I'm sorry if I've been avoiding you. I just didn't know how to tell you – especially if there was still a chance that I was delusional. I knew that Kratos was the only one that would be able to see – or feel – if she is really here."

"He's seen from the beginning, then… it's one of the reasons he was protective of you," Regal nodded after a moment and drew in a long breath. After a shake of his head, he met her eyes again. "I don't blame you. I don't think I would have been prepared to learn what you have in the past few days… along with everything that happened with Mithos, Yggdrasill, and the others. It's a lot to take in. You needed space. I tried to understand."

The cold lump that had formed in her stomach turned again. "But you didn't, did you," she murmured, not really expecting an answer. She left her hand in his, though part of her marveled that he kept it at all. "Regal, I haven't understood why until now – but I'm still trying figure out how, too. I know… Kratos and I have a bond." Liane's shoulders drooped. "I don't want him to die. I haven't been trying to keep anything from you… I just… don't know how to explain what he is to me."

Regal's grip on her hand tightened, bringing her out of her floundering explanation, but not bringing her eyes back up to his. With a defeated sigh, he shook his head. "Liane, you are my friend. I might not completely understand, but I tried to give you time and space… hoping you would find your answers… and that you might want to talk to me again – like you've done tonight – when you were ready."

"But… Regal…" she started to object, but fell silent again. _How can I tell you… that I know I lost something precious the morning after the party in Meltokio… that I know I should have fought harder? I just… didn't want to lead you on…._ "I just wanted you to understand why I had to go to him. He… was so much a part of Anna's life… and he's become a part of mine. He's not all of it though. I wanted you to know that."

"I know he isn't all of your life… I know that Kratos hasn't consumed everything that you are," the blue-haired man told her with a frown. "But you needed him to tell you about Anna and your connection to her… I can see that." His voice faded into a sigh as he looked down to her, his head tilted thoughtfully. "I just don't know why it's been so hard to talk when it wasn't before."

_Before the party… before the beach._ He didn't have to say it. Liane carefully withdrew her hand and sighed. "I don't know. After we got closer… after everything I heard Kratos tell Lloyd about what happened to Anna came back to me as well…." She turned her eyes down. Kratos hadn't really told her anything about her connection to Anna – what he saw in her… she hadn't pushed him for that, though some part of her still needed it. "I guess I just didn't know if I was allowed to have something like that. It didn't seem fair to you…."

Regal straightened on the bench beside her. "What do you mean?" he asked in confusion. "Why would you not be allowed something like that?" When she didn't look up, he nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Why do you think it's not fair to me… why are you so worried about me?"

Liane realized that, in any other situation, she would probably laugh. So many questions… all with the same answer. Glancing over to him, her eyes came to rest first on the shackles that bound his wrists… and bound him to his past… to Alicia. "Because… I care about you," she stated and looked back to her own hands. "Because I don't want you to think that I was just playing with you."

There was a moment of silence before he moved again, this time turning and lifting his hands so that he could brush a stray curl from her face. "I have never thought that you were playing with me, Liane," he murmured. "I care about you, too – you have to know that. Tonight, I waited for you… because I was worried… even when I wasn't sure you'd want to talk to me."

"Why wouldn't I talk to you?" Liane's eyes widened as she lifted them to her friend. The tender brush of his fingers was enough to pointedly remind her that she wasn't done… _but he thought I wouldn't talk to him?_ Tears burned her eyes, but she wouldn't shed them… not yet. "Regal, it's not like that, really. I wanted to talk to Kratos… and I want…." Her voice trailed off. She thought she knew what she was going to say. _What do I want? What's fair to Regal… and Kratos?_ Perhaps neither cared in that same way… both men had known love in their lives… but how much of the pain of those loves' losses did she remind them of – just with her presence?

"Liane, shh. You don't have to say anything," Regal insisted with a whisper and a small smile. "You've already proven that you do want me around. That's what matters." He shrugged and sat back. "You needed time, which I might not have been happy to leave you alone for, but I am still glad you got the answers you needed. That's what's most important – after all this time… you know why."

Warmed by his smile, Liane sighed, trying to release some of the tension that had built in her shoulders. "I guess." There were so many other uncertainties surrounding them that she had to wonder if even _she_ was allowed to consider that 'most important' at the moment. She sagged against his side, letting her eyes drift to the patch of stars over the small clearing. Allowing herself just a moment for her mind to wander, the swordswoman wished they could go back to their night in Meltokio… how precious and uncomplicated things had been for that one evening. "But knowing doesn't change much… we're still chasing one lead after another…."

"Everything will work out, you'll see," the shackled man murmured reassuringly. "If there's anything I've learned, it's that when Lloyd is involved, things have a way of working themselves out. Have a little faith."

His voice was smooth, even… reassuring. Liane would have liked nothing more than to crawl back into his arms and hide there from what the next day might bring. But she knew that might never be her place again… if it ever truly was. Regal's heart was still wounded from a loss that could never be replaced. "Lloyd has a way of doing that," she agreed as the silence started to stretch out. "I should know that by now, huh?" Lloyd was her friend… and he was so much more, but their friendship was what mattered most… what truly bound them together… and the same could be said for Regal.

_Maybe that's all it was ever supposed to be._

"See, my lady? Everything will be all right," the Duke whispered and leaved over to kiss her cheek before he suddenly drew back, his eyes widening. "Liane…."

Liane looked up – stunned – in time to see his eyes dart away… and just the barest touch of color in the cheek he turned to her. He still felt that close to her? While she knew it could just be a sign that she hadn't damaged their friendship as much as she feared, she couldn't ignore how her heart stumbled. "Don't," she spoke quietly and his eyes snapped back to her. She quickly shook her head when she saw the flash of alarm in the blue. "Don't say it," she added with a smile. "You were going to apologize. Don't. I… I just wish we could go back. I wish I could be her – your lady – again," she shrugged. Liane had never tried to be much of a lady for anyone – including her parents… which she could see, looking back, had driven her mother to distraction. But for that one night, the guise had been easy… a sweet escape from a confusing reality. She wanted him to know how precious it was to her… no matter what else happened.

"What are you talking about, Liane?" Regal asked softly, his shoulders relaxing a little. "You're still my lady. That hasn't changed. There's no reason for it to change… unless… someone else wishes to claim you as their lady?"

His voice lowered into the careful question… and for a moment, Liane could only stare at him as her mind went blank. "Regal, there isn't anyone else that would ever accuse me of being a lady…." She kicked herself for talking without thinking as realization hit her. _Kratos. _Her chest constricted. "You… think that's why I went to him."

"There was the possibility that that was part of it," Regal answered evenly and offered her a shrug.

Liane breathed out, a thoughtful frown curling her lips down. "Regal, I'm _not_ Anna… I'm not," she insisted, trying to believe it more every time she spoke the words. "He was hers… and Anna was his… but I'm not. I'd like to think that I have my own path… that I'm not here just to pick up where she left off." She looked down to the ground. "I want to think that I have my own future."

"You wouldn't necessarily be picking up where Anna left off," the blue-haired fighter stated slowly. "You would still be making your own choices. You would be making your own decision if you cared for him that way… I know that. You have always just seemed… connected… to him."

"I can't help it," she hung her head, her eyes starting to burn. "I care for him. I'd be lying to say anything else. And I don't want him to die… not him and not Lloyd." The thought clenched at her heart, and she didn't even try to stop herself from leaning over onto his shoulder, needing the contact. "But, I won't be a slave to someone else's path. I have my own. I have to believe that."

Regal remained silent for a few moments without moving, allowing her to rest against him. "I do," he finally stated. "You're not Anna, and you won't be living anyone's life but your own." Then he drew a breath and his voice was just a bit stronger when he spoke again. "Now, you can't assume anything will happen to them… that there isn't another way. If it's there, we'll find it. We need to support Lloyd for now… and hope for the best. Beyond that, if you care for Kratos, you will only have to worry about if he feels the same for you. You owe it for each other."

"He said that those that care for me… would understand… when I made my decisions for my own reasons," she murmured softly. _He also seems to think that there's the chance of something between you and I… but… you don't need to hear that right now._ Liane felt a bit warmer at the thought, but she also knew that if it could ever come to pass, it wouldn't be entirely her decision, either. She glanced back over to his shackles to ground herself and sighed as she ran a hand back through her hair and the braid that there was no longer any point in fixing. "There has to be a way. We'll find it. We have to."

"We will," Regal agreed, though he didn't move, continuing to allow her to lean on his side. "And then we will just have to worry about when we are finished – when the worlds are reunited - what we will do then." He drew a long breath. "Will you return to Luin?"

"Luin?" Liane blinked, shoving other, darker thoughts away as she saw what he was doing. The future was more than their next few steps… the next few heartbeats. "I suppose that would be a good place to start. Once they've rebuilt, families will come back. Maybe I can be worth it as a teacher this time," she shrugged before checking her smile and looking up to him. "And you? Perhaps… more suits and endless court drabbling…?"

Regal took a moment to consider her question. "Perhaps… but I was thinking that many cities have been affected by what we have been doing. I thought that perhaps Lezareno might be able to help Ozette, Palmacosta, and maybe even Luin rebuild," the Duke replied before arching an eyebrow at her. "I don't think the court would want me back after everything. Though, I suppose if they do, I will need to go back when summoned, but…."

Liane smiled in spite of how different their lives could be when the journey was over. "Maybe… if I see you again, I can at least loosen your tie a little for you?" she suggested, intending for it to be playful, though it still simply felt sad to her. "Luin might not be a place a Duke would want to spend a great deal of time for a while, but if you wanted to visit, I'd still be happy to see you."

"And you'd be welcome to visit me as well, Liane," Regal told her, tilting his head a little. "I can't stand those ties. I would welcome the assistance." He nudged her with his shoulder and chuckled quietly. "You'll see me again. Even if I have to come disturb a class or two of yours."

"I'd like that… really," Liane managed to give him a steady smile. _Will it really be that easy? After everything?_ To find her own life away from everyone else? Wasn't it her responsibility? If she wanted to have her own life… wasn't that the way to start? "You know, you could probably even help me… be my guest?" she offered, voicing the thought as it formed. "The world's going to change…" _I hope…._ "The kids will want to know about Tethe'alla… and who better to tell them than one of its citizens…?"

The blue-haired fighter slowly nodded. "If you'd like, it wouldn't be a problem. I'd enjoy it," he replied, though another chuckle chased the acceptance. "What will you do if your students are more like Lloyd than Genis?"

"Tie them to their seats, maybe? Or keep a supply of blackboard erasers for throwing? That seemed to work for Raine," Liane managed a shrug before she had to laugh at the thought. Then, without thinking, she reached out to place her hand over his, her fingers brushing the cool metal of the bands on his wrists. "Just… promise me something? Please?"

"Promise you what?" the Duke asked, his smile sobering a little as he watched her, but it was still warm.

Liane tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "That I really will see you again… and that, if I have to find my way to make my own life… you'll do the same?" she asked, trying to hold both his gaze and her smile. She had to know – even if she never did see him again – that he would try to live… and find a way to be happy again. "No matter what happens tomorrow. And… never – _never_ – do what you did at the Tower today again… okay?"

He smirked and leaned down to kiss her cheek as if sealing his word. "I already had the idea that you didn't approve of what I did in the Tower," he rasped softly and then straightened a little to meet her eyes. "We will both live, Liane. And you will see me again. You know I am a man of my word."

"I know," Liane agreed as a tear she didn't want to shed slipped down her cheek and she nudged his arms up to duck under them and wrap her arms around him in a hug. "You're my friend… a dear friend… and I know I can count on your word," she told him, squeezing him tightly. "I just needed to know – I might not have said it before… or said it right… but I'm saying it now: You matter to me." It didn't feel like enough to say, but she hoped it would be enough to stave off a hoard of regrets.

"You matter to me, too, Liane," he replied, his voice barely more than a whisper as he tightened his own hug as best he could, given his bound hands. "Surely, you already know that." They remained quiet for a few moments, soaking in the night and moonlight similar to how their bond had been forged in the first place. He dipped his head and placed a light kiss on the crown of her head. "Liane, you know that it really will be all right in the end? I won't let anything happen to you… I won't fail to protect someone important to me ever again."

Liane tried to smile, checking her control before she hugged him one more time and slowly released him, ducking out from under his arms so she could look up to him. "I never doubted you, Regal." She willed her smile to warm, though she wasn't sure how convincing it was. "It will be all right. Everything works out as it should in the end, right?"

"Everything will be all right," he repeated with a nod, his eyes never leaving hers. "You'll see."

The swordswoman nodded, accepting Regal's word before she sighed and settled back against his side, content to sit in the silence of the night with him. It seemed like there would always be questions – too many for one night. Only time would remedy that feeling. But she wasn't ready to surrender the night just yet. Until her mind stopped churning, she decided silently that she would stay beside Regal as long as she could. He would keep her demons and doubts at bay…

… and she would do her best to not dread the coming sunrise with every fiber of her being – both for everything it might bring… and everything it could take away.

* * *

Kratos let his eyes slide closed as he leaned back against Origin's stone, his legs stretched out before him, his Flamberge on the ground at his side. He wasn't sure what he would give to be able to let the primal quiet of the forest dull his senses – to ignore all the voices in his mind that told him that he wasn't done, yet… that no matter his planning, his role still wasn't over.

_That can't be,_ he retorted silently, almost angrily. _The seal guardian must be defeated to break the seal. And… if he doesn't have the strength to beat me, he won't have the strength to win Origin's pact. _Origin had to accept Lloyd so that he could use the Eternal Sword… and that acceptance would have to be won.

The angel sighed… and a smile _almost _touched his lips.

_I still got to see my son grown… strong… protective._ Lloyd carried the blood of a long line of warriors… and a fire inside of him to fix the world that could never be buried – even in being raised so far from the front lines of a battle he didn't even realize was raging. The boy was still growing – into his life and into his true power…

… _but tomorrow, he will have to grow into reality._

Not everyone could be saved. It would be perhaps the harshest lesson of all… and Kratos would be the one to deliver it… the final piece of cold, weary wisdom he could offer his son.

_Anna would be so proud of him… and so disappointed in me._

He could still see her when he closed his eyes… if he listened hard enough to the precious memories he kept locked deep in his soul, he could still hear her voice. Kratos saw so much of his wife in Lloyd… far beyond the warm chocolate of the hair and eyes she had given him… more than the indominatable spirit that he shared with her. The spirit that had combined with everything else that made her Anna and drew Kratos to her like a moth to the flame was there, too. The boy was the embodiment of the dream Anna shared with Kratos of wanting to make the world better – and being willing to fight to fight to make it happen.

Kratos could only spare a sliver of gratitude that she wouldn't see them cross blades one more time – one last time… and it was only that much because the rest of his gratitude had been filtered into comfort. As much as he loved Anna… as much as it had destroyed him to have her ripped from his life… as much as he cherished her as she was – human, stubborn, and loving beyond definition – there was a sense of peace in knowing that there was still a spark of her left in the world.

Sensing it from the day he met Liane, he'd only been able to tell himself that it was just a trick of his lonely, weary heart for so long. Her spirit was muted by the struggle it waged with her life energies to maintain the balance that all beings were born with… a splintered being, but one still an individual thanks to that desperate meshing. He saw how the girl struggled at reminders from Anna's past… trying to reconcile them to her own life and failing because it wasn't something she had lived.

Kratos thought he had outlived a belief in miracles… but what he saw in Liane shook that cynicism even as it made him certain that if she had been given a second chance, she had to take it. She had to live out her life… experience what Yggdrasill's madness and his own weakness had stolen from Anna.

"Stubborn girl."

The whisper had formed as a curse, though his lips still curled a bit more. He had tried to run her off, to leave her behind, to make her hate him – all for naught. Every attempt brought them back together eventually… and proven to him the true depth of the bond he shared with his wife.

_Anna's gone,_ he told himself solemnly and drew a knee up to rest his wrist. Even if he earned rest in the eternal garden reserved for the bravest of warriors, his wife wouldn't be waiting for him. _Between Lloyd's Exsphere and Liane, she's still a part of this world… which is as it should be._

_I will pay for my part in what has befallen the world… Lloyd will finally put things right… and Anna will get to live the life she should have had through Liane._

Kratos couldn't help but wonder what that new world would be like – how much brighter it would be outside the shadow of Mithos' madness. But he chalked it up to the core of humanity in him that he probably had no right to claim after so long.

_The old world… the way it twisted into the present… will finally be gone… along with me.

* * *

_

As hard as Liane fought, she couldn't hold sleep at bay – not after the fighting, the training, and not after the toll speaking with Lloyd, Zelos, Kratos, and Regal had taken. She had awakened halfway back to the inn, draped carefully in Regal's arms, much like he had caught her on the stairs in the palace the night of the party. It had taken her a moment to beat down her fluster before she could insist that she could – and should – walk on her own. But he still walked her to the door of the room she shared with Sheena and wished her sweet dreams with a polite kiss to the back of her hand before he disappeared down the quiet hallway to his own room.

Unfortunately, that was the closest she had come to a sweet dream for the rest of the night. The summoner had been snoring in a not-so ladylike manner when Liane entered the room and prepared her bedroll, but the next time she saw Sheena, the black-haired young woman was shaking her shoulders to wake her. The ninja said Liane's sobs were getting louder… more frantic… and she wanted to help.

But Liane knew of nothing that would help. The dream had played out repeatedly, and this time, she couldn't blame anyone but herself for the images. Lloyd, broken and bloody… gasping for breath at Kratos' feet… the auburn-haired angel's eyes shadowed and haunted behind his bangs… his sword dripping red. And then the roles reversed, leaving Lloyd victorious but still shattered as the last true link to his past faded at his feet. They were her dreams and hers alone – they weren't memories… they were harbingers of a horrific future that was just barely out of reach.

_I can't avoid it… I have to see this through. For both of them. And for myself._

The dreams were dark enough to cast an ominous shadow over everything, despite the bright sunlight that brought Heimdall to life with the new day. Liane was used to trying to tuck her dreams away, but the one of Lloyd's failure had been particularly vicious – going on to show her how Lloyd's companions would be forced to step in… Origin's help wasn't optional. Once again – in her dreams – they stood against Kratos… this time without Lloyd… this time with no hope if they didn't defeat him.

Liane knew that Sheena continued to watch her without comment as they packed and readied themselves as best they could for what was coming. She was grateful – and hoped that the ninja could allow her the excuse of nerves, as that was all the swordswoman could offer most of her companions.

_But not Regal._

As the group slowly - perhaps grudgingly – assembled outside the inn with Raine and Genis, Liane caught the Duke's gaze as soon as she and Sheena stepped out the door. The concern she found in the crystal blue seemed amplified by the odd hush that held them all along with Colette's pacing.

She nodded to Regal, but didn't try to smile – there was no point – and made her way down the steps to stand beside him, finally chancing a look around to all of their companions… and the unease that seemed to tie them as tightly together as their friendships. As soon as Liane realized that Lloyd wasn't with them, but once she did, her thoughts exploded.

_Goddess… no… he wouldn't have gone by himself?_

Liane drew a quick breath as the venomous pessimism contorted her stomach… her thoughts latching far-too-easily to the image of walking into the clearing… and finding –

The click of the door latch behind them evaporated the grizzly imagery her mind seemed to _want_ to construct for her… but when her eyes slid up to find Lloyd standing on the inn's porch, the rest of the scene evaporated from her mind. _Lloyd._ She almost smiled… _almost_… her eyes were clear… focused… and he radiated a calm that Liane could almost feel creeping into her own psyche.

_He's decided… he's ready._

Lloyd's smile was less than cheerful as he looked around his friends, but it was still present. He paused for only a moment before he started down the steps… and the group parted for him to take the lead. "C'mon," he waved for them to follow. "Kratos is waiting."

There was no excitement in his tone, but there was resolve. It answered Liane's suspicion… and she noticed that her friend's steps didn't slow to wait for the rest of them, but he didn't run ahead to leave them behind, either. _It's our choice to follow him,_ she realized, even though there was no real debate for her. There was no discussion as they began to walk with the young swordsman – no debate as they flanked him on his way through the town. Once – when she looked up to the blue-haired man that walked at her side – Liane thought he was going to speak. She could practically hear him telling her that she didn't have to go – but she shook her head once when she heard him start to draw a breath. _No. I need to be there…._

Regal's eyebrows dipped together for the blink of an eye – and then he nodded… a subtle statement of acceptance.

Liane wanted to reach for his hand… give him a sign of gratitude for his understanding… but she had to believe that he knew that as well. It wasn't about her – they all had to be there for Lloyd… no matter what happened. She wasn't part of the equation, no matter how much the situation made her ache. She was a side note… an observer… one that would have to watch two dear friends fight each other for the fate of their world – that reality hurt enough without allowing Anna into the equation.

As the party turned a bend in the path, Lloyd's steps slowed… and Liane looked up to find the Elf Elder waiting at the crossroad of the path that would lead into Torent Forest. His hands were wrapped loosely around his staff as he watched them approach and his eyes glinted with knowledge that made Liane wonder if he ever asked a question to which he didn't already know the answer.

"Are you going to the Torent Forest?" the Elder asked, tilting his head to the young swordsman.

Lloyd squared his shoulders and his hands found the handles of his blades as his steps brought him to face the Elder and stopped. "Yeah."

The Elder nodded slowly, but otherwise didn't move, his gaze firmly on Lloyd. "Kratos traveled the world in search of the legendary ore, Aionis," he stated quietly. "He came here, too, of course. Do you know why?"

Liane's mind flashed to the day that Kratos met them at the gate between Ymir Forest and Heimdall… how he had given them no indication that he wanted to fight. _That was before we knew who he really was… before the Storyteller started giving us the truth. Before any of us realized how huge this really is…._

"In order to allow a human to wield the Eternal Sword, right?" Lloyd answered the elder with a frown, but without hesitation.

"So that _you_ can wield it," the Elder corrected the brown-haired teen and turned toward the forest, staring into the trees as if he could see something beyond the dense foliage. "But in the end, Aionis could not be found in this world. It had to be taken from Derris-Kharlan."

On the other side of the group, Zelos shifted his weight on the dirt path as he lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck. It was subtle discomfort, but the silence of Heimdall made it stand out almost like a cry. Lloyd looked over to the redheaded Chosen and slowly nodded in dawning understanding. "So that's why he sent Zelos to get it."

From the weak shrug Zelos offered without looking up to Lloyd, Liane could only guess that the two had talked… that the Tethe'allan Chosen had at least tried to mend things with his side of the story. Considering that she couldn't find hurt in Lloyd's tone – only enlightenment – she guessed and hoped things had gone well, though she knew Zelos' methods wouldn't soon be forgotten.

The Elder turned back to Lloyd, neither confirming nor denying the boy's theory. But, where his expression had almost been amused before, he was now somber. "Even if you cannot avoid the battle, do not forget… Kratos was your tenth companion."

Lloyd sighed and bowed his head, tightening his grip on his blades. "I won't."

"Torent Forest lies this way," the Elder responded, dipping the gnarled wooden head of his staff down the path to the trees. "Speak to the watchman."

The crimson-clad swordsman only hesitated long enough to pull a long breath into his lungs before nodding to the Elder and starting down the path. The others followed him as the Elder stepped back out of the way to let them pass. But Liane had to stop… offering the Elder a grateful nod as her companions continued. She couldn't stay behind – she had resolved herself to that – but without the Elder's help, she might not have gotten what might have been her last chance to speak with Kratos. "Thank you," she murmured quietly, caught under the wise elf's serious-yet-somehow amused gaze. It was all she could say – she simply hoped it would be enough for him to understand. _He sensed that Kratos and I are connected… he knows how important what we're doing is… he was to understand._

"Fear not, child," the Elder nodded in return, his expression unreadable other than a curious glint in his eyes. "Fate will have its way… and it rarely feels the need to announce or explain itself to us. There is always hope."

Liane only allowed herself to nod to the words that might have been comforting in any other situation. Then she turned and hurried to catch up to the others, choosing retreat over voicing what she truly wanted to say: _I'm tired of fate having its way with us. I just want things to make sense…."_

She caught up with the rest of the group just as the watchman moved out of their way. Walking beside Regal and just behind Presea, Liane let her eyes wander over the forest transformed by daylight – marveling at how green everything was… and wishing she could let her mind wander without the fear that it would drag her back into her newest nightmare.

At the front of the party, Lloyd led them deeper into the woods… and occasionally, Liane once again heard the scampering noises from the night before. When she finally caught a glimpse of motion, she stopped, watching as a big-eyed, furry bush baby dove into a hollowed tree stump. Her lips started to curl. _So that's what was leading me last –_

A sudden puff of fire shot into the stump, sending the bush baby scampering deeper into the forest. Liane stared, her jaw slack for a moment until a snicker from the front of the group brought her eyes up to Lloyd and Genis.

"C'mon, Lloyd, give me the ring! I want to try it next time!"

"What… are… you doing?" Liane choked, drawing everyone's eyes to her. _And why is everyone looking at me like _I'm_ insane?_

Lloyd blinked… and then slowly grinned, offering the swordswoman an innocent shrug. "The watchman said the forest would guide us, but this guy is being difficult," he defended himself.

Liane forced her mouth to close, though she still glared at Lloyd in disbelief. "So you're burning him out of his hiding spots?"

"Aw, come on, Liane… it's not like I'm using Fire Ball on him," Genis groaned and swiped for the ring again… sending the boys back down the path.

_Wow… I need to start paying attention… don't I?_ Liane started walking again, trying not to notice the smirks that Zelos, Sheena, and even Colette wore… even _Colette_ wasn't complaining about the bush baby's treatment!

"I take it you received different directions last night?" Regal asked softly beside her, though even his quiet tone couldn't hide the tiny note of amusement in the words.

Liane's cheeks heated slightly and she shook her head without looking up. "They told me to follow the movement in the forest… it was creepier, but…" she sighed. "I probably would have burned down the forest if I had tried Lloyd's tactic."

A low chuckle rumbled in the shackled man's chest… and Liane realized that her surprise combined with the use of the Sorcerer's Ring was probably the only levity they would be allowed that day. Lloyd and Genis seemed more like themselves for those few moments – and… for just that heartbeat of time, it was almost possible to forget what… _who_… awaited them on the other side of the forest.

The reprieve didn't last nearly long enough, though. Suddenly, the path began to widen… the tree canopy opening to the morning sky above. Liane only had enough time to start her lament of how much shorter the trip seemed to be that morning versus the previous night before _his_ voice smashed any such reflection….

"So you've come."

Liane looked up, though she didn't want to… knowing seeing Kratos would make it all too real. But there he was – at the center of the clearing – his arms crossed over his chest as if he had been kept waiting. _Dammit… why did it have to come to this…?_

Lloyd approached the angel, leaving the others behind. When he stopped, he squared his shoulders and remained silent for a few moments. "Is there no other way?"

Liane couldn't have been more proud of him if she had tried. Lloyd made no move for his swords… making one last plea for another path… and giving Kratos the chance to help him find it. But even from where she stood at the edge of the clearing, she saw anger flash in the angel's eyes… and her heart sank.

"Are you still thinking like that?" Kratos fairly growled as his eyebrows knit together and his hand fell to the handle of his swords. "You'll die if you fight me with any doubt left in your heart," he slated, his rich voice icy with malice. "If you want the pact with Origin, then you _must_ defeat me."

The younger swordsman didn't respond right away. He didn't move... he didn't speak or sigh. He merely stared at the man he knew to be his father until he finally nodded and allowed his hands to find his own blades. "So… that's your way," he finally murmured and turned to look back to the others. One by me, he sought their eyes… slowly… confidence building in the deep brown depths of his eyes with every one of his companions that they swept over. "Everyone. Leave this to me."

Liane bit her lip sharply. _Goddess… no…._

Kratos merely arched an eyebrow as the boy turned back to face him. "You're going to fight alone?"

"Why do you sound surprised?" It actually took Liane a moment to realize that the words were her own, the frustration that had been building within her finally snapping. She saw Kratos' eyes slip to her, but silence no longer seemed to be an option. "You yourself have trained him… have pushed him. You knew all along that this was where it would all lead. He doesn't need us… Lloyd is – always has been – stronger than you ever gave him credit for." She caught a quick glance from Lloyd, but she couldn't look away from Kratos. That was the moment she realized she had drawn the line… for herself and no one else. _I… I stand with Lloyd._ Even if the fight came to her… she knew… she would stand against Kratos… it was her only choice.

Zelos watched Liane along with the others for a moment before he smirked and strode forward to drop a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "This guy's really stubborn, simple-minded, and tough as nails. So he's more than a match for you all by himself," the redhead crowed as he faced Kratos with an easy smile. "But anyway," he shrugged, patted Lloyd's shoulder and slowly stepped back, "… try your best."

_I… think… that was a compliment…?_ Liane spared a moment for the thought, but only until she could only find a vote of confidence in the Chosen's words – delivered in his own way, of course. But even though the gesture almost made her smile, she couldn't look away from Kratos and Lloyd and their standoff that seemed completely unchanged by the encouragement.

"If it's your wish to settle things with your past," Lloyd spoke, his voice unshaken and carrying no sign of the light-heartedness his friends knew him for, "… then it's my duty as your son to see it through."

And he drew his blades.

Kratos shifted his weight back and drew his own blade in a smooth stroke, readying it before him… his face a mask of stone.

"Get ready!" Lloyd demanded and lunged at Kratos, the cross of his twin blades locking to the hilt of the flame-scalloped blade of his father's.

The angel's jaw tightened at the impact, and he flexed his arms, bringing the swordsmen eye to eye for a moment. "I'm not going to hold back this time," Kratos rasped before shoving Lloyd back, a flick of his wrist unlocking their blades and setting Lloyd on the defensive.

"I know," the younger swordsman replied and dipped his blades down to his sides. "I won't, either." The oath had only barely left his lips before Lloyd threw himself at Kratos, his blades sweeping up into the air between them. "Tiger Rage!"

Kratos jerked backwards, avoiding Lloyd's mid-air slashes, but staying within range of both the opening and finishing shockwaves that left him crouched to the ground. There was barely a flicker of dark gold in the air around the angel before he swept his free hand out. "Grave!"

Liane barely caught herself to keep from crying out at the spell that erupted at Lloyd's feet and tossed him into the air. But as much as it was a searing reminder of the stakes of the fight, her horror turned to awe as mana flared around Lloyd and the brown-haired swordsman turned his falling momentum into his own attack.

"Rising Falcon!"

Lloyd gave Kratos no time to dodge or defend, turning his fall into both an explosive blast and a tackle that sent both warriors tumbling across the clearing. Liane's hands curled into fists that begged to strike out against her helplessness, but she held her ground. "They really aren't holding back, are they?" she murmured softly to herself.

"They can't," Sheena replied, her quiet comment drawing Liane's eyes to the young woman standing beside her. "You heard them… Kratos is, for all intents, a seal guardian… his very life bound as protection for Origin and his bond with Mithos. Seal guardians are a test for a potential pact-maker… as much as proving him or herself to the spirit itself." When Liane's frown deepened but she didn't respond, Sheena leaned in closer. "There's nothing you could have done," she whispered, the sounds of the forest and the battle keeping her words confined between them. "A guardian is rarely forced into his duty… Kratos made his choice a long time ago, knowing this could happen. Once it was done, no amount of… friendship… or family could sever it."

Liane couldn't reply… there was nothing to say. As the clearing exploded with a shockwave of heat from Kratos' spell, she realized that – even though Sheena had only spoken out on the swordswoman's weakness for the angel that betrayed them – the ninja was hardly blind and had probably seen or put together more than Liane liked. _She and Zelos… they were in the Tower with us after Kratos rescued me…._ She had honestly been beyond caring who saw what at that point – balanced precariously between the pulls of an old life and her present – but both Sheena and Zelos had let her have her moment of weakness without question.

_These… truly… are my friends._

Liane looked back to the fight as Lloyd charged at Kratos once again, massive waves of mana rippling back over his blades and almost obscuring his lean form. She heard Sheena straighten at her side, and, though her eyes burned, the swordswoman was grateful. Watching what could be a fight to the death between Lloyd and Kratos tore at her, but no matter their differences, she stood with her friends, and they stood with her.

When Liane gaped as a swipe of Kratos' sword and a blast of light tossed Lloyd almost back to his companions' feet to land in a crumpled mass, she felt something warm close over her forearm. It took her a moment to recognize its presence, but when Lloyd hopped back to his feet and ran at Kratos again, she drew a breath… and her senses slowly crept back to her. It was a hand on the skin bared by her short-sleeved tunic and she looked up over her shoulder – though she realized she really didn't have to do so.

_Regal…._

He was checking on her, but stood close enough that the contact wasn't obvious. But the concern in his eyes didn't need words… he knew her well enough to know what she wanted to do was throw herself between Lloyd and Kratos and make them stop – or just knock their heads together to achieve the same result. As much as she wished she could indulge in either option, Liane knew she couldn't… so she did the one thing she could. She breathed out, willing herself to draw on her strength and that of her friends to have faith in Lloyd finding the right path… and turned her hand to slip it into Regal's as he let it fall from her arm. For just an instant, she thought she felt him tense, but he offered no resistance as she pressed on, gingerly lacing her fingers with his as she turned to watch the fight that may as well have stumbled out of her nightmares.

Any possibility that he was repulsed by the gesture evaporated a moment later when his hand squeezed hers in a silent offer of strength.

"Lloyd really has to win, doesn't he?" Colette murmured miserably from the edge of the group as a blade of Lightning fell from the sky, nearly skewering the younger swordsman and forcing him into a desperate roll of evasion as he tried to close the gap between himself and Kratos. "Kratos helped us, though… even after everything. He… he couldn't have done it all just so Lloyd could kill him!"

"As bad as it sounds," Raine answered the blonde Chosen's distress calmly, "… might does sometimes equal right. For a long time now, Yggdrasill and his forces – including Kratos – have had the right because no one knew enough to question what they were told… or cared to get strong enough to open their eyes and stand against it. The world hasn't seen a hero like Lloyd… in too long."

"Since Mithos… and his companions ended the Ancient War," Presea added softly, her eyes following every movement of the duel. "The world changed then, too. I wonder what it will be like this time…"

"It's got to be better," Sheena replied, her voice trailing off for a moment as Lloyd pressed Kratos back with a Double Demon Fang and continued to charge after him with another swipe to keep the angel from using his magic. "The world's a mess right now, even if Tethe'alla is prospering. If Sylvarant withers and dies, Tethe'alla won't be far behind. Together is the only way anyone will survive… and Lloyd and Kratos both know that."

Liane tried to swallow her nerves as Kratos met Lloyd's advance with a Hurricane Thrust that threw the teen high into the morning sky. "Both of them deserve to see the new world, though," she insisted. "They've both fought for it in their own way… they've both lost things precious to them because of it… they've both sacrificed for it." She squeezed Regal's hand because she needed to. "It shouldn't have to end for either of them here."

"Just the fact that they are here shows how strong their resolve is, though," Regal lifted his voice and shifted a little to keep the clasped hands between them. "They both know this can't go on… and recognize that they not only want to stop it… but also that they have the power to do so. They are both heroes."

Lloyd skidded to a stop near the edge of the clearing and waited only as long as it took to get his footing before charging Kratos again, red-tinted mana dancing along his blades as they seemed to melt the air around him. Zelos crossed his arms and chuckled, the sound almost obnoxiously calm even as his eyes followed every instant of the fight. "Yeah, too bad most of the world will never know how it really went down," the Chosen sighed as Lloyd's attack lashed out at Kratos in the form of a roiling, snarling beast. "Yep. Too bad. Most hunnies just _love_ a hero… they'll line up for even a chance to get into –"

"Aaaaand… Lloyd's not like you," Genis snapped, glaring at the redhead, his hands hovering over his ears in what seemed to be a precautionary measure. "Lloyd doesn't care about that – he's a good person… he doesn't care if someone's an elf, a human, or a half-elf. He… he's a _good_ example… that's what a hero really needs to be…" the silver-haired boy's glare softened and he looked back to the fight in time for Kratos to meet the swing of his son's blades with a stroke of his own before turning and blasting him back with a sizzling mana-arc. The boy's hands fell to his sides as Lloyd's Guardian spell shimmered in the morning light. "But… Kratos… he didn't care either. He's fought alongside half-elves… and been friends with elves… for a long time…."

"_They are both heroes."_

Regal's words rang in Liane's ears as she saw Lloyd begin to run again. It took her a moment to realize what was different in his attack – the two swordsmen had fought relentlessly, each of them clearly pushing to keep their word to each other at the start of the fight – but this time, she realized the trail of mana that chased after the crimson-clad teen wasn't a trick of the light. The flames were real… as real as Mana made them… and as Lloyd leapt up into the air, they overtook him, cloaking him in an aura of fire.

"Rising Phoenix!"

No one moved… no one breathed… not even Kratos, who stared directly into the oncoming attack.

Liane's heart stumbled in her chest. For just an instant, everything seemed to stop: Lloyd was suspended in mid-plunge, his blades pushed out before him and driving for Kratos… his Exsphere far from the passive blue it was at rest as it blazed as bright as the flames around the boy… and Kratos….

… _Kratos…._

Kratos didn't move his blade… and he didn't summon his Guardian sphere.

She saw it all in perfect detail… before time recoiled before her eyes and sped back to its normal flow… and Lloyd pummeled into Kratos with a flare of what may as well have been the blazing wings of the legendary creature.

"No…."

It was just a whisper, but it was all Liane heard as silence clouded the clearing, Lloyd's attack died back… and a tear rolled down her cheek. Lloyd stood… his shoulders heaving, but he still stood… and at his feet, Kratos knelt, his head bowed, and his hand closed over his side, crimson coating his fingers.

_Lloyd did it… he… he… won…._

Liane slowly realized that she was moving… walking along with the others to where Lloyd and Kratos were before Origin's stone. There was no celebration. Liane was only aware of the sight that so closely mirrored one of her nightmare scenarios… and of the warm hand that remained closed with hers.

Kratos coughed as the others drew close and lifted his eyes to his son. "You've grown strong," he stated quietly, his strained voice revealing a struggle that he was barely containing.

"Thanks to you," Lloyd answered as he slid his blades back into their scabbards and took a small step toward his father. His hands twitched at his sides, but he didn't lift them as if uncertainty weighed them down.

Kratos grimaced and his jaw tightened over what might have been a gasp of pain had he lost control. "Aren't you going to finish me?"

The question actually forced Liane back a step, placing her squarely against Regal's chest as she had to bite sharply on her lip to keep from sobbing. Nothing about what she was seeing was right… a son forced to battle his father… fate denying them the depth the bond should have carried. It took her a moment to realize that the rolling mass of ache inside of her reached equally for both of them. _It… has nothing to do with me… or with Anna… not now… not… when it's gone this far wrong…._

But Lloyd merely shook his head, moist eyes refusing to spill as his expression continued to fall. "I defeated Kratos, the angel, the one who betrayed us," he answered softly, though his words filled the clearing. "And I forgive Kratos, the hero of the Ancient War, who helped us. That's all."

He was so sure of his answer. Liane blinked at the logic behind the words… and slowly realized the thought behind them. The differentiation was much like the boy's need to distinguish between Mithos and Yggdrasill… but it was still insight that was stunningly simple. _That's what he decided,_ she realized slowly as her eyes began to burn once again. _That's what he decided last night… that was why he could come here today… knowing he'd have to fight._ All through the fight, Lloyd's opponent had been _Lord_ Kratos of Cruxis… and his goal had been to defeat him… leaving Kratos the hero behind.

A harsh rattle in the auburn-haired man's chest answered Lloyd's declaration as Kratos clutched at his side again. "… and I thought I'd finally earned the right to die," he rasped, shaking his head as he lowered it again. "But you're as softhearted as ever."

The words hung in the air for a few moments… so able to carry disgust, yet still somehow… not. _He… really did want to die?_ Liane had suspected as much – _known_, if she was honest with herself. It wasn't just a reckless death wish, though… it was weariness… the toll of years taken on a human soul. She knew that he had chosen his life… and she really couldn't grasp everything that he had seen, done, and endured over his years… but she also knew that he lived a far different life than any other human ever had… one that taxed his heart and soul more than his body. _Can I blame him?_

Before she could answer her own question, Kratos lurched to his feet, his hand still clutched to his side. For just a moment, he swayed… and the party drew a collective breath as he lurched forward a step… toward Origin's stone. The breath pressed from Liane's lungs as she silently cursed what she hadn't wanted to see. _It's not over. Lloyd's forgiveness won't stop this._

"H… hold on!" Lloyd choked out, lifting his hand to stop his father just an instant too slow. "You can't be… are you going to break the seal?"

Kratos hesitated before the stone, swaying for a moment before he glanced back over his shoulder. "That is what you desire, is it not?"

Lloyd edged forward one shaky step. "But then, you'll…."

A burst of blue-green light from Kratos' back cut off Lloyd's objection as the angel's wings illuminated the clearing.

Kratos pitched forward… his hands striking the stone… and a thrumming shockwave of power rippled out from the stone.

And Liane had no prayer of holding back a sob as Kratos' wings flickered and faded… leaving him to collapse against the seal. Time seemed to slow to a stop… as if trying to prove some sadistic point. She could only hear the pounding of her heart and ice crept through her veins, freezing her from the inside out – save where her hand squeezed tightly around Regal's. _Kratos…._ It was over. The only peace they had made was tentative – but at that instant, she knew it wasn't enough. Even if she had inherited a bond with Kratos from Anna, it was still hers – after everything, he was still her soulmate and her friend…

… and he was dying before her eyes.

"Kratos!" Lloyd called out, his choked voice breaking the morbid stillness of the clearing and setting time back into motion as a blur of dark blue and aqua rushed past the group to catch the angel's limp form before it could crumple to the ground.

Liane couldn't help but doubt her own eyes as she saw Kratos' head loll back over Yuan's arm until the brightness of a mana flare between the two apparent-former agents of Cruxis chased the shadow of doubt away. She couldn't guess how long the Renegade leader had been there, but his timing was too good to have arrived by chance. As the group crowded closer, Liane bit her lip at the way Yuan continued to support Kratos' back. _He's still not moving,_ she argued against the optimism that wanted her to believe that they had found their 'other way.' _Was… was it still too late?_

"Don't worry," Yuan finally lifted his eyes to the party as if noticing their presence for the first time, "… he's alive. I gave him some of my mana."

Lloyd edged forward, his attention solely on Kratos as a frown continued to crease his expression. "Da…" he started, blinked, and quickly shook his head. "Kratos. Are you really okay?"

Liane lifted a hand to her mouth in case something like the choke she felt boiling inside of her forced its way to the surface. _Dad. He almost called Kratos 'Dad'…._ At Altessa's, in the fallout of the revelation, Lloyd said that he wouldn't call him by that name… and the swordswoman didn't have it in herself to blame him. Kratos himself said that the teen had grown strong… but she could see clearly that a great deal of that strength had come since the night Yuan had forced Kratos' hand. Quickly blinking to hold the warmth that was welling in her eyes back, the swordswoman almost smiled… and even that control began to falter when she saw Kratos begin to stir.

The auburn-haired angel's eyes drifted open as he groaned, looking from Lloyd to Yuan and back. "Looks like I failed to die once more."

The sense of victory that had so cautiously begun to creep into Liane fled like a wounded Mandragora… and a pair of tears escaped her control as she clenched her jaw. _He… did intend to die. Dammit, Kratos…._ A spark of anger ignited in her… and she felt Regal tense behind her as if he was anticipating it, but before her outrage could grow to coherency, Lloyd's hands tightened into fists, the strained leather of his gloves heralding his response.

"You stupid _jerk_!" Lloyd blurted out, stomping his foot as he swept a hand to his side as if it would shove Kratos' words out of the way. "You can die any time! But when you die, that's the end."

Kratos' eyes widened at the chastisement, but it was Yuan that looked up to the young swordsman in open dismay. "You _want_ him to live in eternal damnation?"

"Who said anything like that?" Lloyd snapped back at the half-elf before dropping his gaze pointedly – angrily – to his father. "What will you accomplish by dying? _Nothing!_ There is no meaning in dying!"

The clearing once again fell into stunned silence as the teen's shoulders heaved. Liane knew that her friend was prone to moments of startling insight… but his rant was anchored firmly in one of his finest examples to date. _There's already been so much death over our journey,_ she told herself as her admiration for the boy continued to churn. _But death is the end of a journey… you can't go back._ Liane tried to swallow a lump that was growing in her throat as she watched Kratos exhale and sag back into Yuan's arm. _Anna's death… was the end of her journey… but … it really was just the start of mine. _It was a truth that was growing on her. Something inside her had urged her to be true to what Anna had wanted in her life… but if her fuzzy memories of what happened after Anna's heart had beat its last were true, she had entrusted all she had left to the sleeping girl in the small Iselian clinic… with no conditions. _My path may cross with hers… but it doesn't have to be hers._ Drawing a shaky breath, Liane felt a weight lift from her shoulders and she looked back to Kratos. _Live, Kratos. Your son needs you… and… because I want you to live, too._

A dry chuckle rattled in Kratos' chest as his eyes slid closed. "You're right," he rasped, his bloody hand falling to the ground at his side. "To think, I had to have my son teach me such an obvious lesson." His voice slowly faded with each word until he once again sagged against Yuan's arm.

Lloyd's feet shuffled him a step closer. "Kratos!"

Yuan shook his head once at the teen, his expression hardening. "Kratos will be fine. Form the pact with Origin."

Liane watched as Yuan took a moment to adjust Kratos' weight over his arms and stood, carrying the other angel a few steps away from Origin's stone. She still didn't like it… not when she could still see the bloody gash in Kratos' side, but she also knew that Yuan no longer had any reason to lie to them – and certainly not about Kratos' health. As the party moved to surround the face of the stone, Liane realized she still held tightly to Regal's hand – so tight that her hand complained with a blooming ache when she released it. She turned as her nerves began to coil – knowing what forging a pact with a summon spirit would entail – and as she shifted her pack to the ground at the edge of the clearing, she cast Regal an apologetic smile. "Sorry… I didn't mean to squeeze so hard," she murmured quietly, her words almost buried by the sounds of the others readying for the potential battle.

Regal shook his head. "It was what I could do for you… what you needed from me. Don't apologize," he replied, just a hint of a smile touching the corners of his lips. "And… for the record… I told you things would work out," he raised an eyebrow to her, "… where Lloyd is involved."

Liane opened her mouth, more than happy to admit he was right, but the instant before she spoke, a ripple of energy raced through the clearing, sending a shiver down her spine and dissolving anything she meant to say. All eyes turned to the now-glowing stone… and how the mana that radiated from it in visible waves of light seemed to be twisting on themselves to solidify into a humanoid figure suspended in the air above the stone.

_Origin._

The group slowly gathered side by side as the spirit materialized into the form of a bare-chested, fair-haired man… a man with four arms wreathed in a ring of spinning blades. The spirit's glare was on the party before him – something that was obvious before he had fully formed… and one pair of his arms was crossed tightly over his chest. Even as the other summon spirits had clearly been powerful, Liane couldn't help but feel that Origin was beyond even them in terms of his power. And if that wasn't enough to properly irritate her already-frayed nerves…

… _he just looks annoyed. This... is not going to be easy._

"You who lack the right," Origin spoke in a rich voice cull of somber power as he looked down on Lloyd. "I have lost faith in all things. Have you come here to disappoint me as well?"

Lloyd took a small step forward without shying away from the spirit's dark, piercing gaze. "Origin," he breathed out and then pulled the air back in as if it was courage. "Are you bound by a pact to Mithos?"

Origin was silent for a moment longer, as if considering Lloyd's question. Then he shook his head once from side to side… a slow motion in which his eyes never left Lloyd. "My pact with Mithos was broken the moment I was freed," he answered. "Never again shall anyone make use of my power."

Sheena moved to Lloyd's side. "Even if we make a vow?" she asked with a note of desperation. "We need the Eternal Sword!"

"I want to use the Eternal Sword to reunite the two worlds and revive the Giant Kharlan Tree!" Lloyd announced to the spirit, lifting his voice just a bit from before to draw Origin's attention back to him. "Unless we do something, the worlds will never stop vying for mana and everyone will suffer!"

"That situation was born from the weakness of creatures who are unable to accept those that are different," Origin stated, almost as if he had been ready for Lloyd's words.

_Not good…._ Liane frowned. No summon spirit had refused to pact with them before… put it off like Luna – yes – but not flat out refused them. It hadn't even been a consideration. _Without Origin, it's all over._

Lloyd cocked his head at the spirit's response. "That may be true," he ventured with a nod, "… but mistakes can be corrected."

"Some things cannot be corrected," Origin insisted, his eyes narrowing on Lloyd.

Colette shuffled forward, but the hesitance in her steps didn't show in the defiant gaze she had fixed on Origin. "Even so… we have to do everything we can."

"If we don't, we're just adding to the problem," Liane murmured, only realizing she had spoken when she felt eyes shift to her – including those of Origin. _Finish it, _she insisted to herself. _If you back down now, it'll only prove his point._ "We've all fought too long and too hard to let things stay as they are."

Lloyd nodded, sparing a quick flash of a smile for his friends before he looked back up to Origin. This time, his stance was stronger… and he simply stood taller. "Exactly. I'm not gonna give up. From the moment they are born, _everyone_ has the right to live. I want to reclaim that." Origin's eyes flickered down at the swordsman in interest, but Lloyd merely drew another breath. "Humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves, and even Summon Spirits… everyone has a right to life!"

The Summon Spirit's brow furrowed as the teen made his case… looking almost troubled for a moment before he tilted his head, looking to be on the verge of speaking.

"Origin…."

Liane caught her breath at the voice that suddenly seemed so out of place – yet still so welcome. She looked over to see Kratos not only awake, but also on his feet and moving toward the hovering spirit. Yuan followed a step behind the other angel, but made no move to stop him. Yet Kratos' eyes were up, his focus completely on Origin. _We're… all going to make it out of this clearing after all?_ She felt the weak tug of a relieved smile at her lips, but she didn't – _couldn't_ – give in to it just yet. Yuan's presence and aid had been the wild card they had so desperately needed, but Origin was becoming more of an obstacle than they had anticipated. _But… were any of us planning beyond fighting Kratos?_

When Origin turned to the auburn-haired angel, Kratos nodded once in recognition of Origin's acknowledgement and drew a shaking breath. "For almost an eternity, I thought that the only way to save this world was to cling to Mithos' ideals," he stated, his voice quiet and almost _too _controlled. "Just as you once agreed with Mithos' ideals, I, too, thought his was the only way." Kratos paused and slid his gaze pointedly to his son. "But Lloyd is different. He taught me that in order to change something, you must do it yourself. It is not enough to merely rely on someone else and go along with their ideals."

Origin's expression was stony, but slowly, he turned from Kratos back to the others. As his eyes searched them one by one, Liane felt as if he was measuring each of them by the words Lloyd and Kratos had spoken. _He's deciding if we're worth the chance, _she realized, trying not to shiver or break down in any way when the spirit's eyes passed over her. _He's had a long time to find reasons not to trust us… not to trust anyone…._

Finally, Origin's shoulders tightened and his gaze settled on Sheena. "You who possess the right of summoning, make your vow."

Sheena hesitated for just a heartbeat, blinking in surprise, but Lloyd found his voice first. "Origin!" he started to smile. "Then…."

Origin looked to the brown-haired swordsman, his gaze still wary, but the hostility gone. "I will try once more to believe in people. I shall do my duty in order to create a world you speak of – a world in which everyone can live equally."

Liane suddenly had an all-new appreciation for the relationship between spirit and summoner. _It's not just about the summoner proving their strength to wield the spirit's power… it's a trust that goes beyond that. _The vow had always made sense… a goal that the spirit could understand and lend their power to attaining. But it was also the basis of that trust… a measurement of a partnership. _Origin was betrayed by Mithos when his version of a better world twisted… he's… taking a big chance with us._

"I, Sheena, have but one vow," the ninja spoke, her voice strong and clear as she looked up at Origin from Lloyd's side. "To reclaim a world in which everyone can live freely… a world in which no life is sacrificed meaninglessly!" She bowed her head humbly as her words faded. "That's all."

The spirit nodded sharply, uncrossing his arms in a stretch that looked like it was ending a long sleep. "Then we shall create a pact upon that vow," Origin stated and swiped his four arms through the air, a double-bladed spear appearing in each hand as he rose in the air. "Now, fight!"

The spirit's blades slashed down at the party – and at those that had dared to come closest to him. The battle began as soon as he commanded them to fight and his weapons reinforced the order as they tore fiery fingers in the air and blasted them out at Lloyd, Sheena, and Colette. "Spiral Flare!"

As the trio of fighters was sent flying backward into the others, Zelos sidestepped the moment of chaos and placed himself directly before the imposing spirit. "Not wasting time, huh? I can respect that," he grumbled as he swept his sword back down to his side and then drew it up before him, leaving a spiral of mana in its wake as he spun up into the air, slashing at Origin. While the spirit's weapons deflected most of the strikes, the redhead quickly dropped back to the ground and grabbed its still-glowing sword in both hands, leveling its tip at Origin. "Light Spear Cannon!"

Origin's eyes widened at the pulse of golden mana that blasted at him and sent him into a backward tumble similar to what he had inflicted on Lloyd and the others moments before. Liane sucked in a quick breath and started to run at the spirit, drawing her sword up with both hands as she ran. _Got to get to him before he gets his balance…_ she coached herself as she ran, adjusting her path as she got closer to intercept him when he came to a rest. A heartbeat later, she met the challenge in the spirit's eyes… gulped down any nerves she had left, and plunged her Silver Sword to the ground. "Beast!"

Regal lunged in while Origin was knocked off balance, throwing out his left leg to catch the spirit in the side. "Swallow Kick! Twisting in midair, the convict used the momentum to drive his right leg out on each rotation. "Triple Rage Kick!"

"Root of all creation, grant us the breath of life! Revitalize!" The floor of the clearing jolted to life as Raine lifted her voice and her staff. Runes that shifted between the cooler hues of the spectrum raced over dirt and foliage alike with their healing energies.

"Excellent," Origin nodded approvingly, both looking and sounding as if he hadn't just had to pick himself up from the ground – not once, but three times. In fact, he looked as if he might be on the verge of smiling…

… and then the spirit vanished. There was no rain of light, no sound, no magical fanfare whatsoever.

"What… the…" Liane whispered, her skin prickling as her eyes swept the once-again peaceful clearing.

And then Origin was back. He hovered just out of reach or Raine's back… and his blades were already in motion towards her before his form had fully materialized.

"Professor!" Lloyd called as he rushed at Origin from the spirit's side and launched himself into the air, his blades spinning through the air with him. "Omega Tempest!" He collided with Origin, mana-sparks filling the air as the bare-chested spirit moved a pair of his weapons to black the assault. But the fact that he was hovering bowed to Lloyd's momentum and they both tumbled together higher into the air.

"Genis…" Presea spoke, her soft voice carrying to the mage a few steps away just barely over the clash between Lloyd and Origin. The silver-haired boy had time to look over to her, but no more than that as the pigtailed girl pivoted, drew her ax back over her shoulder, and threw herself into a run at Origin. "Go."

"H-Hey!" Genis started to protest, but then quickly clamped his jaw shut and pushed his kendama into the air. The ground at his feet immediately blazed with rings of purple runes. His scrunched expression revealed his strain, but his spell grew with a new ring of runes for every pair of steps the girl took until he finally threw the ball of his weapon out at Origin. "Lightning –"

Presea's weapon dropped from her shoulder and swept back with grace that seemed out of place for such a brutal weapon, but the curve of the swing caught Genis' bolt of lightning as she began to spin, releasing her attack against a hastened block on the part of Origin. "Punishment."

Origin's feet actually touched down to the ground as Presea continued to spin against his resistance, and Liane realized that she had been holding her breath. Even the three that the Spirit had attacked to open the fight were back on their feet – and so far, everyone that had attacked him had at very least forced the four-armed being into defense. Lloyd had protected Raine and practically dropped Origin into Presea's path, Colette hovered at the back of the group with her eyes closed in prayer and encased in a purple-pink glow, and Sheena….

Liane blinked when she spotted her friend at the nearby edge of the clearing, surrounded by an intricate series of seething black-red-blue runes of her own. The swordswoman smiled and turned to watch Presea nimbly leap over a retaliatory swipe of Origin's blades to retreat. _Come on, Sheena… show him what you can do…._

"I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss!" the summoner called, her voice filled with a calm authority as the entire clearing seemed to darken, as if the rune circles were drawing the morning light in. She swept her spell card up into the air, her gaze fixed so solidly on Origin that there was no room to doubt her target. "Shadow!"

Even as wisps of black began to swirl into the vaguely humanoid shape of the Spirit of Darkness, a circle of even darker black formed around Origin and quickly obscured the blonde spirit's form. "Crumble…." Shadow's breathy rasp seemed to come from everywhere that his darkness touched before his physical form wavered and then drifted away on the morning breeze.

It took a few moments for the orb of blackness to dissipate as well, but when it did, Origin's weapons were already in motion, ribbons of lightning chasing after their bladed tips. "Are you ready?" his rich, smooth voice asked, untroubled by any attack, though his eyes clearly chose Sheena as his target. "Thunder Arrow!"

Sheena jerked backwards, her weight shifting as she started to flip away from the spirit, but a trio of balls of crackling lightning suddenly surrounded her, linked together by chains of snapping energy that contained her and brought the ninja to her knees before she could escape. The summoner didn't cry out… she simply collapsed, convulsing slightly on the ground as the spell faded and slowly released her.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory!" Colette called even as Zelos and Lloyd dashed in to each take one of Sheena's arms and drag the ninja out of Origin's reach. "Angel Feathers!"

Sparing a moment to watch the flurry of pink-purple lash out at Origin, Liane then turned to watch that the other swordsmen had Sheena safely out of the battle before she lifted her own blade before her. _Okay, Anna… this was your spell… but I need to borrow it again…._ Anything she had to use ran the risk of Origin shrugging it off – either for element or just weakness. _But neither fire nor lightning get along well with water… so…._ She closed her eyes and drew on her mana, feeding it tentatively into runes that she still only vaguely knew. The mana became cool… tingling as it stirred a slight breeze around her. It would only slow him down, at best, but if it even did that, it would still be something. "Try this!" she spoke as she swung her blade out to Origin, the edge slicing through shimmering blue rune bands around her. "Aqua Edge!"

The runes dissolved and reformed into a trio of discs that rushed at the spirit on Liane's command. Origin merely shifted his eyes and spun a pair of his blades, exploding all three of the discs. But it was just enough of a distraction that Zelos could approach from his side, purple mana rippling over his blade. "So you like lightning? Cool. So do I," the redhead drawled, though the glare he kept on the spirit lent an edge to what might have otherwise been playful words. He slid to a stop and thrust his sword out, the waves of mana lashing out at Origin as a stab of lightning crashed down on him. "Lightning Blade!"

Origin's weapons crossed before him as the charged blow struck, sending a shower of angry purple sparks into the air. But Lloyd was there when the glare faded. "Watch this," the teen smiled grimly, his blades thrashing the air around him as quick footwork spun his body and forced Origin back before he suddenly drew both blades up high into the air and slammed them down at the spirit's feet. "Raging Beast!"

The blonde spirit touched down to the ground under the howling force of the mana beast Lloyd unleashed, but even as his muscled form tensed under the worst of the attack, the air around him began to crackle again. "I see," Origin's voice echoed through the clearing, calm and strong. "Now, you will open your eyes," he stated patiently and lifted a hand to the group. "Rameesh."

It was a thought for Liane to summon her Guardian shield, but that was all the time she could spare. A flood of lightning washed away from Origin, reaching for all of them like a roiling tide. It was too fast… it caught them all in less than a heartbeat… and Liane's skin seared with stinging pain that even stole her ability to scream. _Goddess… that… that hurts…._ She clamped her jaw shut even as she was sure she was falling to the ground. Origin was so composed… so unshaken even by the aid of Shadow… and, in spite of the burn that slowly started to fade after the crackling ring in her ears, Liane shivered. _He could end this… end US… whenever he chooses… if he decides he doesn't want a pact, we're as good as dead._

"Help is on… the way…." Raine called to her companions, though her voice cracked with the strain. The Professor stood near the back of the group, surrounded by rings of pale green runes. Even with her shoulders slumped, she still kept her staff aloft in one shaking hand. "Nurse!"

The instant that the healing energies rippled through him, the blue-haired battle artist charged forward, ducking past the sweep of two blades before throwing one heavy boot up under the Spirit's chin. Regal then pushed off the ground into a back flip, his left leg stretched out to strike while Origin was still stunned. "Crescent Moon!"

"Nice shot, Regal…." Sheena dodged around the shackled man as she ran in to take his place before the spirit. Her gaze never wavered from Origin, and she kept her arm folded over her chest as she ran, her card catching the wind over her shoulder. "As for you, I'm tired of lightning. It's getting annoying… so… try… _this!" _ The ninja swept her spell card out at Origin, the edge of the paper slicing the air and leaving a trail of coiling green mana behind it. "Cyclone Seal!"

The mana trail snapped into the form of a storm of shimmering green cards that reached out and wrapped around Origin, spinning him up in a violent cone of wind. Green flashes of light brightened the morning as the phantom cards crashed into the spirit and kept him tumbling out of control. A sudden flash of pink twined with silver stood out against the bursts of green. With an upsweep of her ax, Presea leapt up at Origin as Sheena's vortex began to slow, a delicately dangerous arc of mana ripping the air between them. "Resolute…" Presea practically whispered before she dropped back down to the ground and swung her ax to cleave another arc in the air. "Infliction."

Presea's final blow forced Origin back down to a knee… and for just the blink of an eyes, a grimace passed over the spirit's unconcerned expression. In the next instant, Origin was again gone. A tense jolt rippled through the group as weapons shifted in anxiousness, but the spirit once again didn't give them time to do any more than worry before he reappeared behind Lloyd, all four blades converging on the teen.

"No way!" Lloyd barked out, pivoting on his heel as the spirit materialized. As he turned, his gaze locked on Origin even as his twin blades crossed before him, stopping all of Origin's weapons at their juncture with a scream of metal on metal. "You might have surprised us once with that, but we're ready for you now!" the swordsman growled and flexed his blades to throw Origin back.

Genis laughed, the sound more taunting than amused as the boy stood at the heart of crossing rings of pale blue runes. "It's a nice trick and all, but… why use the same trick twice?" the boy shrugged and thrust his kendama out at Origin, shattering the rune hands and sending them rushing out ward with the faintest whisper of crackling ice. "Cool off! Ice Tornado!"

Liane's arm itched to rise protectively as the rune-generated ice shards swirled around Origin, picking up speed as they spun and occasionally collided with the spirit's weapons. Ice was a new addition to the fight, but she couldn't help but notice that spells like Genis' or techniques like Sheena's at least occupied Origin and his weapons for a few moments. _The attacks where he has time to plan or deflect are the ones he shrugs off… like mine…._ The dark-haired young woman bit the edge of her lip. _But one solid strike…._ It was taking a chance… something so new that it couldn't carry confidence with it. But as she glanced to her side to see Regal just a few steps away, she made her decision. She saw Colette lurch at Origin as Genis' spell began to wane, her chakrams drawn back and ready to launch.

… _and there's my distraction._

The swordswoman touched the back of the shackled man's shoulder as she moved behind him, and the glance and quick nod that he responded with told her she had everything she needed – defense, and at least the time it would take Colette for her attack – the rest was up to her.

_Lightning runes…._

She could still remember the night at Hima when Genis had so patiently drawn the pattern in the dirt for her even as she closed her eyes and lifted her blade before her. _And then Zelos…._ Where the memory of Genis' lesson charmed her, the memory of Zelos' further tutelage still felt raw on her nerves between the mix of anger and disappointment that had preceded his offer. That irritation opened her mana reserves wide, sending her mana surging into the original rune sequence and overpowering it as she struggled to complete the new chain that would guide the spell. _Runes to draw out the mana… runes to shape it, _she told herself silently as she hesitated in uncertainty of the unfamiliar pattern for a few more moments.

And then she felt the spell stabilize… and her eyes flew open in surprise. _That's it…?_ It felt right… and a quick survey of the crackling rune sequence that orbited her reinforced the feeling. Liane looked up as Colette caught her last returning chakram and began to retreat. _Now._ "My turn… Thunder Blade!" she called – louder than she had intended, but she still pushed the tip of her blade up into the air and watched as the mana that blasted out of her reformed and fell directly down on Origin in the form of a gigantic sword of lightning. Her eyes widened as she saw Origin's muscular form go rigid… a silhouette against the fury she had called out. "It worked…" she whispered, almost smiling… and almost missing that the only reason she stayed upright was that Regal turned and caught her arm before she could collapse. "He was right…."

"Hell yeah, I was right!" Zelos whooped where he stood a few steps away. "I call 'em like I see 'em, hunny… and I've called you Warrior Goddess all along!" the redhead laughed and winked at Liane as he started into a jog. As Liane's spell snapped at the air around Origin one last time and winked away, Zelos' almost-casual gait changed into an all-out run. "And as for you, speaking of hell…." He leapt and his sword blazed to life, cutting a fiery swath through the air and launching a trio of fireballs at the spirit. "_Burn_, baby! Hell Pyre!" As the fireballs struck in quick succession, Zelos landed beside Sheena with an easy flip of his hair over his shoulder. "See? I'm a good teacher. Anything you'd like me to tutor _you_ in, my voluptuous hunny?" he purred over the gagging noises made by the nearby silver-haired mage.

"You are… arrogant," Origin muttered before the flush-cheeked ninja could respond, sounding more observant than accusatory as one hand and the weapon it bore flashed out toward Regal and Liane. "Absolute."

Liane's legs had only just started to stop shaking when she saw Origin gesture. Her hands tensed on Regal's arm, but an instant later, the gentle wind that swirled around them became a viciously frigid vortex of wind… and the blue-haired fighter shoved her away so hard that she only avoided stumbling flat to the ground by being caught by Presea. "Regal –" she breathed out, steadying herself as she looked back in panic to find a spire of ice where her friend had been.

The circle of light at his feet flared menacingly as the Duke threw his weight forward, rolling out of range of the spear of ice that shot forth where he'd been standing only seconds before. He carried that momentum to charge at the Spirit, pumping his leg muscles for speed, and just before he could collide with his opponent, his entire form flickered. He passed right through Origin as if he were the apparition. Regal spun the instant that he stood behind the Summon Spirit, his right leg a blur as he delivered three strong kicks in succession before dropping into a crouch to sweep the same leg out in another kick, and then he sprung into another back flip, his greave catching Origin beneath his chin. "Wolverine!"

"You _gotta_ teach me that…" Lloyd laughed in relief as he dashed past the convict to take his place before Origin, both blades already pulsing with mana. "You can call us whatever you want… but we're strongest together… and that's why we're going to win! Sonic Sword Rain…." The swordsman lashed out at the spirit with a building barrage of strikes until he leapt up into the air, his blades leading him up and then down as they slammed into Origin's hastily-crossed weapons. "… Beta!"

Presea calmly turned to Liane, looking up to the swordswoman as she allowed her to steady herself on her shoulder before she held a pineapple gel to out to her. "Here. I should help," the pigtailed girl stated softly, but she still waited for Liane to withdraw her hand before setting into a quickening run at the spirit. As she drew her ax up into the air, dark golden sparks began to collect along the edge of its blade. "Mass Devastation." No sooner had the girl named her attack did she leap up and slam the ax into the ground, sending a shockwave radiating away from her strike that loosened a flurry of dirt and rock directly at Origin.

"We need to end this," Raine announced from the back of the ground, where she stood at the heart of a storm of light. She pushed the head of her staff up into the air. "Ray!"

Liane swallowed the last of the pineapple gel as a ball of blue-white light appeared over Origin's head and tore itself apart in the next instant. Her sword was still tight in her hand as she watched the rain of light beams, but as Regal edged closer, she glanced over to him. "You know, if you would have been hurt after tossing me away, I would have been angry, right?"

"Better than dead," Regal shrugged, keeping his eyes on the Professor's assault. "And I was fairly sure I could avoid it… I just didn't think I could safely do so carrying you."

Arching an eyebrow, Liane turned her head to watch him. "You were _fairly_ sure?" She _thought_ she saw a hint of a smirk tug at the corner of the Duke's lips, but she definitely saw him shrug… though he still wasn't looking at her. Liane started to speak to press the issue, but a tickle of a shock danced through the air a heartbeat later, and chiding Regal became the least of her worries as she saw Origin begin to rise into the air once again… and once again wrapped in a film of seething lightning. "Oh, hells…" she grumbled and swept her hand out before them. "Guardian!"

"So you can fight… but can you learn…?" the spirit mused quietly and swept all four of his weapons out at the party. "Rameesh!"

The horizontal lightning storm rushed away from the spirit again, but this time, it met a group of pale green shields not unlike Liane's. Through her own shield, the swordswoman saw the others had reacted in time with her… and even as the lightning ravaged the outside of her Guardian, its searing touch didn't reach her… or Regal. She turned, almost as if putting her shoulder to the shield would reinforce it, but she realized that the spell was probably supporting her more than she liked. Her knees began to shake again, and she had to remind herself that the spell she had chosen to use had drawn far more to cast than her other spells… and as soon as her Guardian was released, that mana would be lost too. "I think I'm going… to need a few more gels…" she muttered and looked back through the shield, wondering when the torrent of lightning would stop.

"You should have let me…" Regal started, but sighed at the look Liane shot him over her shoulder. "We'll move closer to the packs as soon as we can. Look… Genis is already casting again. We'll get our chance soon."

"All right!" Genis' voice rang out as Lloyd's Guardian sphere dropped down in front of them and the boy raised his arms over his head, red runes that flickered to blue and back around him dancing angrily. "You want to see what I've learned? Raging Mist!"

The ground beneath the hovering spirit responded to the mage's command by erupting into a hissing circle of churning runes, tendrils of steam rising and grasping for the spirit even as licks of flame swirled on the mist. Origin's eyes widened, but he merely tightened his arms around himself as the spell wrapped around him. But while the spirit didn't move, Colette did… sweeping across the clearing at Origin with her arms outstretched, her shining golden chakram slicing the air around her. "Ring Cyclone!" the blonde Chosen spoke, the name of the spell ringing along with the rapid strikes of her weapons against his in time with her spin.

"Lloyd, are you ready?" Sheena called to the crimson clad swordsman as she passed him in a run. The ninja had barely taken another step before Lloyd fell in back and to her side, his pace matching hers, but leaving a small distance between them.

"Are _you _ready?" the swordsman responded, the thin smile on his lips edging into his response.

Sheena chuckled and slid to a stop at the edge of Origin's reach. "Oh, yeah." With a blurred swipe of her spell card, the summoner set off a swirl of black mist with dancing blue lights inside it. "Power –"

"—Thrust!" Lloyd completed as he surged through the dark mist that almost completely obscured Origin, both blades pushed out before him and both rippling with massive folds of mana as he surged into the darkness.

There was the clash that announced Lloyd and Sheena's collective attack had struck – at least against the spirit's weapons, but then… there was nothing but silence. Liane paused to look up, the gels she pulled from the pouch in her pack no longer her highest concern. _What… happened…?_ she asked silently, even though she wasn't sure she wanted the answer. It was too quiet too suddenly. But when the mist wafted away on the breeze to reveal Lloyd and Origin simply staring at each other… a flicker of hope took over… one that only grew when she realized that the spirit's weapons were no longer at the ready, but resting at his sides.

"Extraordinary," Origin nodded as his hands released their respective weapons to allow them to fade back into the nothingness he had summoned them from to start the battle. He crossed his arms again and his eyes swept over the fighters before him. "I will believe in all of you."

At Origin's proclamation, Liane pitched forward, bracing her hands on her knees with a wheeze. She could still feel the crackling mana of the spirit's last attack dancing over her skin, but it was done – Origin himself had stopped the fight and declared them worthy. _He could have kept going,_ she suspected as she lifted her eyes to the spirit, who looked no more affected after the battle than he had before._ He could have run us into the ground._ It was an odd realization that began to wrap itself around the memories of all of their other Summon Spirit fights. While only Gnome had actually commented on Mithos fighting on his own, none of them had ever focused solely on Sheena during a fight. _They were testing all of us?_ Liane knew it would probably only ever be a hunch, but the thought – along with the fact that Origin said he would believe in 'all' of them – filled her with a warm sense of pride that maybe she really had proven herself – even in the eyes of the powerful and ancient Summon Spirits.

"Pact-maker Sheena… and Lloyd," Origin spoke and drew the weary eyes of the clearing's occupants up to him. "I place my power in your hands." Then his shoulders rolled a little… and it almost looked like the spirit heaved a sigh of relief as he looked down on the summoner and the swordsman. "With that power, transform the Eternal Sword into a blade to save all life!" His arms shifted – both sets – to cross over his chest… and then his expression darkened a bit. "However, the Eternal Sword remains, as by Mithos' pact, unusable by those who lack the blood of elves. You must master the sword by your own power and forge a new bond with it."

Without any further elaboration, the spirit's form flared, practically a miniature sun in the forest-shaded clearing. Then the blaze collapsed on itself, shrinking into a shining diamond that lowered gently into Sheena's outstretched hand. "You did it, Lloyd…" Genis breathed out as the group slowly closed around the summoner.

Liane saw Lloyd's smile… and for the first time in so long, she _felt_ the depth of it. The boy was able to construct a smile and confidence to go with it for his friends – it was a skill he had honed to an art over the years, but this time, she knew it was for him as well. _Just like Regal said… things just work –_

"A…ahhh!"

Genis' cry shattered the quiet of the clearing as well as the mood that had been lowering them all down from the rush of battle. Liane's head snapped back to the young mage, but not without skimming over the alarmed expressions of her companions. Before her eyes could even reach Genis, a shiver ripped down her spine - just at the fleeting glimpse of shock on the faces of both Yuan and Kratos – and then she saw the angrily glowing red gem hovering before Genis. As the silver-haired boy shook his stupor and swiped a hand at the orb, it danced out of his reach….

_A… Cruxis Crystal…._

The thing moved with a life of its own as it shot at Lloyd as if someone had thrown it. Even as Lloyd threw his hands up to catch it, the crystal slammed into him, doubling the teen over as the air behind him began to flicker and resolve slowly into the form of the blonde boy that had befriended them – and then revealed his true nature. "Mithos…" Liane breathed out as the ghostly image opened its eyes… and its face contorted with anger.

"There's no time," the hollow echo of Mithos' voice stated as he lowered his cruel gaze to the swordsman doubled over before him. "I'll take your body!"

Lloyd's body convulsed sharply as Mithos' image began to dissolve into shimmers that seeped into the brown-haired teen's body. "N... n… _no_!"

"No! It's Mithos!" Raine shook her head as if trying to clear it from a dream before her eyes snapped clear. "He survived in the Cruxis Crystal… Lloyd's body will be taken over unless we do something!"

Panic tightened every nerve and muscle in Liane's body as she watched Lloyd struggle against the invasion. _After all of this… we're going to lose him to Mithos?_ The thought shocked her – mind and body – and her head whipped to the Cruxis agents that stood as frozen as any of the rest. "How do we stop this?"

"Lloyd!"

Before Kratos or Yuan even seemed to hear Liane's demand, the blonde Chosen cried out and lunged at Lloyd, her hands closing over his and ripping the seething Cruxis Crystal from his grasp. The glow that had been creeping over the swordsman's form trailed after the crystal as Colette pulled it close to her heart… and then the sickly glow began to spread over her. Her head hung low for a moment as the glow began to subside, but as soon as it was gone, she looked back up, her eyes filled with rage. "Damn," the girl snarled, her arms tightening at her sides. "You interfered!" Then the girl's gentle features twisted, a sneer curling her lips as she looked at Lloyd and took a small step back. "Fine. I'll just take this body."

Liane's mouth fell open as the truth settled on her – one made obvious beyond denial by the voice Colette used. "Mithos…." After everything… after all their fighting, Colette had sacrificed herself.

"Mithos, _stop_!" Kratos called out, only to be fixed with a contemptuous glare from the boy that wore the shell of Sylvarant's Chosen.

"Kratos… you never really understood me," Colette purred in Mithos' slightly rasped voice, a hollow echo chasing every word. Her expression then hardened, betraying no hint of amusement. "I _won't_ return this body."

Lloyd shook his head violently, his eyes squeezed shut to the scene playing out before his eyes. As the blonde girl began to back away from the group with taunting slowness, the swordsman suddenly opened his eyes and thrust a hand out toward her. "_Colette!_ Wait! Let her go!"

For just an instant, Colette appeared to consider doing as Lloyd asked… only to have the thoughtful expression melt into a demonic sneer as her head fell back with a laugh that was _all_ Mithos. "What do I care?" the blonde girl snapped in her borrowed voice. "I'm leaving this filthy world behind!"

Colette started to laugh again… that horrific laugh that chilled Liane to the bone… until a flash of light cut if off and stole the form of the Chosen out of the reach of Lloyd's lunge for her at the last possible instant. Lloyd slid to his knees in the dirt… and they all stared at the space where Colette had been. _Just… like that?_ Liane's chest tightened as the fact that Colette was gone – that Mithos had possessed her and taken her – and none of them had stopped it. A flurry of guilt-ridden thoughts began to hatch…. _What if I had gotten the stone from Lloyd… what if I hadn't just stood there… what if I had knocked her out of the way…._

_It could have been me… it should have been me…._

Liane's gut tied itself into a knot at that thought, what little breakfast she had eaten that morning threatening to revolt at the thought of such a dark, twisted soul being inside her with no hope for escape… but it was something Colette was living – somewhere – at that exact instant.

_Goddess… Sweet Martel… how can we fix this?_

It was somewhat easier to invoke the Goddess again, after everything the swordswoman had learned, but before despair could creep deeper or any flicker of hope could answer her, a low rumble began to fill the air. Liane lifted her head, wondering if the sound was just the growl of her own guilt, but the possibility vanished with the looks on the others' faces… and with the realization that the noise was growing louder… coming from everywhere… but from nowhere else as strongly as up.

Without further thought, Liane lifted her eyes as her companions did the same….

_No…._

The Tower of Salvation – the soaring white structure of legend that brought hope to worlds just by its simple presence – was visibly shuddering. The rumble that had been only in the air a few moments before it moved into the ground, shaking the footing of the party as well as the woods around them. The link was obvious, but Liane didn't to see it… until the earth-rending groan that she both felt and saw as a ripple of jagged light scarred the surface of the Tower, racing from its base to its tip.

Then, the Tower began to fall apart.

"The Tower of Salvation is collapsing!" Genis choked out as he stared up, his shaking voice almost lost to the cracking sounds that mimicked the rip of lightning strikes.

The exterior of the structure began to shatter from the ground up, sending chunks of every size blasting away and plummeting to the ground with a fiery trail like a meteor shower gone horrifically wrong. When the debris struck the ground in a hellish rain, the ground shook with every impact.

It was an all-new nightmare… and as the Tower began to crumple on itself, Liane felt her arms fall limp at her sides. In the cloud that built at the base of the tumbling structure, she saw fingers of energy churning… and with growing frequency, they struck out at the darkening skies like angry lightning. "Not the end I saw coming," she murmured numbly as a chunk of the Tower fell so close to the clearing that she could make out the dark veins in the smoothed marble. The forest rocked around them, and the party ducked as the shockwave from the impact raced over them. "Why now? After everything else… why is it falling now…?"

"It's Mithos!" Yuan snapped from over the swordswoman's shoulder where he crouched with Kratos. "He's sealed off the route to Derris-Kharlan!"

Liane frowned and pushed herself to find her balance to rise with the others. "But… if that's where he took Colette…."

"Damn!" Lloyd growled, his glare set on the remains of the Tower that still loomed ominously over the Tethe'allan landscape. His eyes pinched shut for a moment, and then he thrust his hand back towards Heimdall. "We'll evacuate the elves for now! The entire village will be destroyed unless we do something!"

The party didn't take the time to question their leader's direction – it was the only productive thing they could do at the moment – there was no point in debating. _The world's falling apart… starting with the Tower,_ Liane's jaw tightened as she started to turn with the others….

"I _can_ walk…."

The dark-haired young woman glanced back at the agitated declaration to find Kratos and Yuan glaring at one another.

"You stubborn bastard, you can barely breathe!" Yuan snapped at the other angel.

Liane tilted her head, realizing that Kratos was upright, but he had one hand braced on Origin's stone. Some tiny part of her wanted to laugh – _how inappropriate is that?_ – at the flash of imagery that her mind constructed for her to interpret their argument: Yuan carrying Kratos out of the forest – either draped over his arms or hefted over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. But the options were just enough to distract her from the fact that she was moving… something she didn't fully grasp until she was lifting Kratos' arm over her neck and ignoring the look it earned her from the auburn-haired angel to set a stony gaze on Yuan. "I've got him. You're faster and stronger. Go help the others."

Even Liane didn't recognize the authority in her own voice, but Yuan didn't argue. He merely rolled his eyes and stomped into the woods –

- past Regal.

The shackled man waited a few steps away, his expression unreadable even as he turned and started back towards Liane and Kratos. "Liane… here. Let me –"

"No," she shook her head, invoking whatever will had stoked inside of her to dismiss Yuan before. "Regal, go. We'll meet you at the village," she told him as she led Kratos to the edge of the clearing and bent to catch the strap of her pack. "You can help Heimdall more than I can," she sighed when she lifted her eyes and met the uncertainty in the Duke's blue gaze once again. She sighed. "_Please,_ Regal." It wasn't a choice, she told herself. It was practicality.

And it was all Liane could do to home that Regal understood that as well as he tightened his jaw after a frustrated sigh… and turned, breaking into a run as he disappeared into the woods. The swordswoman shoved a budding jab of guilt away and shifted her weight and that of Kratos to sling her pack over her back and anchor his arm over her shoulder again. _The world's falling apart… I'll ask for forgiveness later._

"You should go," Kratos told her as Liane bean to help him down the trembling wooded path. "I won't be of any use to Heimdall in my shape –"

Liane ground her teeth and turned her head to glare at the angel. "You're of _use_ to me… and to Lloyd," she told him with a slightly harder edge than she intended. She dropped her eyes back to the path at their feet. "There are still things I need to know, and you're the only one I can ask – and Lloyd needs his father –"

"Lloyd has a –"

The swordswoman jerked his arm over her shoulder sharply. "If you finish that statement, I'll rip this arm off and beat you with it," she grumbled and continued to push them both back in the direction of the village. "It's not the same. Lloyd has a right to his past… to his heritage. You're his only true link, and I'm not letting you take that away from him – not after everything. He deserves better."

A strange silence fell between them – one broken only by the howl of debris overhead and the rumbling complaints of the ground beneath their feet until a chuckle that drew out into a choked cough sounded from Kratos. "If I had any doubts before…" he mumbled, clearly to himself as he hung his head, his hair falling in an auburn veil over his gold-strapped shoulder and between them.

Liane shivered at the meaning the words could potentially hold. "What's that supposed to mean?" she retorted, though even she heard more fear than anger in her words now.

Kratos shrugged and finally lifted his head to watch the trail ahead of them after a moment. "Anna rarely held back when she had a strong opinion… particularly when it clashed with mine," he stated evenly without looking over to her. "It was as if she couldn't contain herself."

"I've contained myself plenty," Liane replied, bristling a little even over the insecurity his words encouraged in her. "I'm not Anna… and it's not my fault you can be infuriating." It only took her an instant to wish she could take the words back.

"I never said you were." The angel's words were weary… and perhaps just a bit wistful. "I'll just say… I think the two of you would get along."

Liane sighed, spotting a babbling little creek that spilled over a cascade of worn rocks in the hillside and ran over the path… a landmark she remembered from the night before and one that told her the village wasn't far. _I'd have to say we already do…_ she answered his observation silently. Even though she knew she should take his observation as a compliment – she _knew _how much he loved his wife – she still hated the flash of helplessness that raced through her. It was almost a physical effort to turn her thoughts away from it, but then she finally drew a steeling breath. "I think you know more about me than you're letting on," she stated, surprising herself by how easily the suspicion found words.

_Well, I did tell him there were things I wanted to know…._

Kratos glanced over to her with a subtle shift of his eyes. "Theories more than anything," he stated, but didn't elaborate any further.

_Aren't we past the point of these half-answer games?_ Liane drew in a long breath… and caught the scent of burning wood. The village was close. She met Kratos' gaze. "I want to hear them, Kratos. All of them," the swordswoman stated… and then her shoulders drooped. "Please. Your theories… and a lot of fuzzy memories are all I have to figure out where I stand."

The angel didn't react at first… then he offered her a deep nod… one that looked meant to accompany an oath. "If you are still sure of that when the opportunity arises, you have my word."

Liane couldn't remember if she'd ever gotten a more sincere response from him… but it didn't matter – it was the one she needed. "Thank you." It was all she could say – all she had time to say. Through the trees ahead, she could see flames… she could hear the cries of the trapped in Heimdall. "We have to hurry." But before they could take another step, Liane felt his weight shift into more of an anchor. She looked over to Kratos in confusion. "Kratos?"

"Gels," he stated with a grimace as he straightened, leaving a hand on her shoulder for balance. "There's still too many trapped… you can hear them," he sighed and clamped his other hand over the wound in his side. "We both need to help."

"But… your wound is still…" she tried to object… but then saw the look in his eyes that told her the man that had promised to help her had retreated behind the shell of the angel that she had opened the group's eyes to the true nature of the worlds. Liane rolled her eyes instead of investing time in reliving the uncertainties he had give them along with that truth and lowered her pack to the ground. She removed the small pouch that kept her gels in easy reach and pressed it into his hand. "Yuan was right. You are stubborn," she grumbled as she remained still for his balance and watched him open the pouch. "Take what you need…."

A handful of apple and lemon gels later, Liane was fairly confident in his ability to stand on his own, and he handed her back the pouch as another chunk of the Tower grazed the treetops over their heads. His hand was instantly on the top of her head, pressing her to the ground as he turned his back to shield them from the heat and blast of earth from the impact on the other side of the trees. When she lifted her head, her ears ringing, she watched him rise before her. Crimson still stained the white and purple of his uniform, but he looked steady enough.

"Head straight for the town gate," he stated, his eyes on the town through the trees. "Do what you can for those you find along the way, but keep moving. Understood?"

Liane nodded, pushing herself to her feet with a frown as he started to walk away. She knew he wasn't healed… but she knew he was right. "Hey –"

Kratos glanced back, his eyes shadowed, but just the corner of his mouth quirked into a bit of a dry smirk. "I remember my promise. And you even lowered yourself to agree with Yuan that I'm stubborn. I'll be at the gates. Go."

And then he was gone… without another word and with speed that told her he was pushing himself. _But he's pushing himself to help others,_ Liane amended the thought to herself as she settled the pack on her back and set off herself. It was one more bit of proof that she had been right all along – that he was a good man. But even that vindication couldn't negate the fact that if Kratos didn't need her help – others still might. Others like the wide-eyed girl she found huddled beneath a piece of the Tower that had demolished the side of a dwelling – or the elven woman clutching her infant close under the protection of the fallen roof of a well shelter. Liane knew the hushed, reverent words that drew her in the woman's direction had to be a prayer, though she couldn't understand the words. From the shock in the woman's eyes when Liane stooped and reached out to her, the swordswoman knew that the young mother wasn't anticipating living through the fall of the Tower and her village. Yet, she still accepted help… braving the rain of debris along with Liane and the others as they struggled through the rest of the village. _Even if it is all ending… hiding won't help…._ Liane told herself as she reached the town gates and spotted a few of her companions – including Regal, who started over to meet her as soon as she met his eyes. _We have to fight… after everything else, we have to fight to the end._

"Are you all right?" Regal asked as Liane leaned her hands down to her knees and wheezed. "Where's Kratos?"

Liane almost smirked… imagining the answer of 'he was too stubborn, so I left him there,' would probably amuse her blue-haired friend, even though the hostility between the men ate at her. "He took some of my gels and went to help," she answered honestly, realizing as she spoke that the truth might help Regal see that Kratos was – finally – on their side. "I take it he's not here yet?" she sighed and lifted her head to look around.

"Not yet," the Duke answered with a shake of his head. "And Lloyd and Genis went back in to check the buildings one more time."

As if to emphasize the urgency of the moment, the ground shuddered beneath their feet once again, and Liane looked up to see the skeletal finger that had been the Tower of Salvation trembling against the stormy sky. But when she looked back down, her gaze caught on the familiar form of the Elder of the town moving past her along with a thinning stream of villagers… and Lloyd and Genis behind them. Raine, Presea, Zelos, Sheena… they were all there as well, stepping out of the milling elves to gather as the swordsman and the mage rejoined them. Before anyone could speak, though, Kratos was suddenly behind the boys. Liane saw the slump in his shoulders, but it was the only sign of weakness in the angel as he approached with his normal, self-assured stride, save for the hand still clamped to his side.

"It appears that was the last remaining elf in the village," Kratos stated with a nod to the pack of villagers that was disappearing into Ymir Forest. "Lloyd, you should get out as well."

There was no argument… with the elves gone, there was no reason to linger in the ruined village. Lloyd led his group to the village gates… and Liane couldn't help but spare a glance back on the abandoned town – it had been so peaceful, but that had been destroyed by the fall of the symbol of salvation. A lump formed in her stomach as she wondered if the same thing had happened in Sylvarant – if towns like Hima or Asgard or Luin had been caught in a similar catastrophe… or if it would be like the Giant Tree where Tethe'alla got only reactionary earthquakes.

The Iselian swordswoman's reflection took only a heartbeat. But on the next, the ground beneath her feet lurched… and she froze in horror at the sight of the Tower of Salvation swaying… and then collapsing down on itself. One tier after another fell, and the Tower released its grasp on the skies, falling to the ground in a terrible cloud of dirt and destruction… and an unholy death-cry that rang with twisting metal, shattering stone, and snapping wood was almost lost to the vortex of lightning and storm clouds.

She could see the cloud of devastation coming, rolling like a behemoth over the land… and Liane knew there was nowhere to run. But before she could decide on her own final prayer… before any regrets could solidify and order themselves to haunt her final moments… she looked up…

… and found that breathing was no longer possible.

The dirt cloud swarmed over Heimdall, but it was merely choking wind that threatened to make the ancient trees of Torent and Ymir bow. It was a lesser terror, though, compared to the seething mass of purple mana that broke through the turbulent, dark skies to glare down on the world. For every bit of retreat that the skies gave, the rolling mass regained it… until the sky itself was nothing but an endless, angry sea of blazing purple.

"Sweet… Martel…" Liane whispered as the world fell disturbingly silent… and the swordswoman stared down a horrifying reminder of just how small she was… how small they all were.

"What is that?" Lloyd blurted out, finally finding his voice as he stood at the heart of the group.

Kratos sighed heavily, the sound teetering on the edge of being a groan. "That… is Derris-Kharlan."

The revelation was enough to make Kratos –at least momentarily – more interesting than the terror looming in the sky above as the eyes of the party snapped to the angel.

"Impossible!" Regal shook his head, his expression a stony scowl. "How can a planet exist in such close proximity?"

_A planet?_ The concept was difficult for Liane even to reach for. It wasn't as if the lore of the world she had been born to hadn't already been torn to shreds over the course of the journey already… but all the stories of the home of the elves… the 'holy ground'…it was all an actual different planet?

"It is the Eternal Sword that makes the impossible possible," Yuan stated as he stepped out of the shadow of a tree that had been snapped in half by the fall of the Tower.

Liane's hand clenched into a fist as her head snapped to the aqua-haired half-elf. "This is a _bad_ time for riddles," she grumbled as her jaw tightened on the words. She thrust her finger up to point at the purple thing in the sky without losing the edge to her glare. "_How_ is _THAT_ _there_ and no one has ever noticed it before?"

Yuan raised an eyebrow to her and then rolled his eyes with a shake of his head. "It was hidden by the protective barrier projected from the Tower of Salvation," he sighed as if humoring a petulant child. "But it has always existed there, for four thousand years."

"Yes."

The placid female voice was soft, but still stood out in the quiet that rushed in in the wake of Yuan's explanation. The entire group – including Yuan and Kratos – turned as one to find Tabatha standing just beneath the town's archway entrance. But her green eyes were on Derris-Kharlan. "And now, Mithos, with the Greet Seed in hand, is trying to leave this land and take Derris-Kharlan with him."

"Tabatha!" Presea breathed out and trotted over to the girl with the long green braid. "You're feeling better?"

Tabatha tilted her head to look down to the pigtailed girl, her flat expression softening just a little into the ghost of a smile as she nodded. "Yes."

Liane, on the other hand, felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her feet… and this time, it had nothing to do with the collapse of the Tower. _Tabatha?_ With a blink, the swordswoman once again saw the comforting smile that a goddess offered a dying woman… she blinked again and saw the woman trapped at the heart of the out-of-control Giant Tree…and then once more took her back to the first time they met Altessa's assistant. The memories of unfounded familiarity brought a wave of vertigo with them even as Mithos' voice whispered over the thoughts, providing _almost_ enough push to turn that vertigo into nausea.

"_Tabatha! That doll looks so disturbingly like my sister… I never could stand her! She's a failed vessel who couldn't accept my sister's soul! Just looking at her makes me sick!"_

_Martel. _Liane swallowed hard. She recognized the woman in the tree as Martel… and she had seen Tabatha's resemblance without ever considering why. The memory of Anna's last moments had been there all along… a bed of coals not quite ready to flame…. _Even her voice sounds like Martel's…._ There was no way Liane could contain a shiver.

"Wait a minute," Sheena shook her head, moving toward Tabatha with a frown. "Derris-Kharlan is a mass of mana. And the Great Seed is the seed of the Giant Tree, right?" The ninja paused and looked back to Kratos and Yuan, her gaze narrowed. "If he takes both of them, what's gonna happen to this world?"

"It will wither and die from mana deprivation," Raine answered before either angel could, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

Liane finally looked away from Tabatha, frowning deeply. "So that's it? Mithos can't make this into the world he wants anymore… so he just picks up his toys and leaves… and our only choice is to sit and wait to die along with the world?"

"This is a much bigger problem than reuniting the worlds!" Genis lamented as he looked back to the churning mana that stained the sky.

A strangled groan drug itself from Zelos' throat as he slapped himself in the forehead. "What the hell are you guys talking about?" He thrust his hand up to Derris-Kharlan. "Our friend just got kidnapped!" The Chosen turned his scowl on the younger swordsman at the heart of the group. "What are we gonna do, Lloyd?"

It almost surprised Liane to hear Zelos voice his concerns… and that rescuing Colette seemed to be at the top of his list. But when she saw Lloyd turn to the redhead's challenge, she saw the teen's smile… as if he already had his answer for Zelos.

"What else?" the crimson-clad swordsman shrugged. "We're going after Mithos!"

"Save Colette… stop Mithos once and for all… reunite the worlds… it all falls into line, doesn't it?" Liane mused as the simple beauty of Lloyd's plan came into focus. "We have Origin on our side… Mithos is underestimating us if he thinks we're out of options."

But Regal was already shaking his head. "But The Tower of Salvation was destroyed."

The fact was solid… and a moment of silence rushed in where hope had just stated to grow. Kratos and Yuan exchanged looks… and finally, Kratos turned to his son. "Use the Eternal Sword," he stated. "If you really made a pact with Origin, with its power over time and space…."

"But Altessa is not well enough to move," Yuan grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Who is going to craft the Ring of the Pact?"

Lloyd's confident smile had faded with the reminder of the Tower's destruction, but enlightenment suddenly blazed back to life in his eyes as Yuan's words disappeared on the wind. "Dad!"

"Dirk?" Liane blinked even as she saw Kratos lift his head. _Oh. Ouch…_ she inwardly winced, realizing that Kratos wanted the title… but wasn't about to demand it… and she had probably just rubbed salt directly into that wound. "He should have the ability, right?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, through his smile slipped a little. "He's our only hope." With that, Lloyd reached for his Wing Pack and started to walk to the relatively clear area beside the archway. "We'll go to Sylvarant!"

The brown-haired swordsman tossed his Wing Pack out ahead of him, releasing the Rheaird just in time that it fully expanded by the time he reached it and lifted his foot to step up onto its deck.

"Wait."

Lloyd, along with all of his companions, turned as Kratos began to follow his son. "I'm going with you."

"All right," Lloyd nodded as the elder swordsman approached and climbed up onto the Rheaird, firing its engine as Kratos stepped on behind him. Only Lloyd glanced back to the others in a silent urging to get moving – Kratos merely kept his eyes forward.

Liane knew she would have to have been blind to miss how careful Kratos' stride was – how precise each step was. _He's not in any shape to be traveling,_ she realized with a grimace as she reached back for her own Wing Pack. _It's not as if he – or any of us – can stay here. Nowhere is safe – not now._ For the few moments it took for her Rheaird to take shape, Liane glanced around her companions, taking in their actions and their expressions one by one. Friend or acquaintance – no one looked pleased… in fact, it was the closest she had seen all of them to collective apprehension. But of all of them, it was Yuan that held her attention – and her curiosity. Yuan… and the wistful look he cast Tabatha before he was once again gone, vanishing with all the speed he had used when he swept into Origin's clearing to save Kratos. Tabatha herself merely waved as Presea walked away, clasping her hands behind her back as she remained in the shadow of the archway, paying no particular interest in Yuan's departure as she observed the party's preparation to leave.

_Maybe I imagined it anyway…._

With a sigh, Liane shook her head to clear the thoughts and stepped onto her Rheaird, firing the engine before a familiar glimpse of blue out of the corner of her eyes made her turn. "Regal?" she murmured thoughtfully as the cry of the engine grew.

"May I…?" the Duke asked, raising his voice just enough to be heard.

Pleasantly surprised, the swordswoman found a small smile and nod as she moved forward so that the shackled man could step on behind her. Everything seemed so complicated… with more and more difficulties falling together with every turn of their journey. Liane felt her friend's weight settle behind her and she turned the controls of the Rheaird to rise into the air along with her friends.

_I have to sort things out as I can,_ Liane told herself as she squinted against both the wind and the seething purple that seemed close enough to touch. _Kratos… Regal…._ She had to come to terms with her past – and what it meant to her future… and that was only the part she could control.

_It might all be a moot point,_ Liane told herself with one more grudging glance up to Derris-Kharlan. _We all might be out of time. But if there's a chance to straighten any of this out, I have to take it._ Her grip tightened on the flyer's controls.

_After everything… I don't want to die with regrets… I have to know that I tried._


	41. Chapter 41

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: Father has fought son… and the path that lies before the party is now clear. Clear hardly means easy, as the group knows all too well. Will the trials that await them break them… so close to their goal of saving the worlds?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings - I just bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 41:

"So you want me to forge the Ring of the Pact?" Dirk asked skeptically, his shaded eyes narrowing on Lloyd, though the dim light of the wooden house revealed that they darted occasionally to the swordsman at his son's side. A dwarf who's losing his skills by living on the surface?"

Liane stood back with the others, watching as Kratos unpacked the small satchel that he had hidden in Heimdall while Lloyd made the request of the dwarf that raised him. She couldn't help but see how deliberate Kratos' every movement was… how he only ventured out of reach of something sturdy when he had to. She had felt how shaky he was as she had helped him out of Torent Forest. Yet once they reached Dirk's, Kratos had refused all offers of help. _Too damn proud_, she silently groused and rolled her eyes as she tried to tell herself he was being unreasonable.

_Unreasonable… here in the home of the man that raised his son… that gave him a home and values… that loves him as his own… sure._ Liane sighed softly and felt some of her irritation melt away. _Standing before the dwarf that left his own element behind to provide a proper home for a boy… a human boy. Sure… unreasonable._ She almost felt bad for even her unspoken chastisement of Kratos… no matter how well she knew him, she couldn't possibly grasp how he felt – especially in the face of the dwarf that had taken his place in his own son's life. And, while she knew she couldn't just assume that Dirk had given up his subterranean dwarven habits just for Lloyd, she knew she couldn't dismiss the idea. Dirk was a wonderful father made even more so by his willingness to even consider taking care of Lloyd in the first place… a boy… with no family – save Noishe – left.

_Or so everyone thought…._

Refusing the burn in her eyes with the stubborn reasoning that she'd already cried enough since she had discovered the truth, Liane tried to turn her focus back to the conversation – but only truly hearing the words once she relented and promised herself time to come apart in the near future. With so many seams in what had been her reality frayed… she knew she would have to deal with all of it before she could ever feel stable again.

"There's no one else," Kratos stated grimly, looking down at Dirk. "The dwarf that has the skills is unable to move."

Dirk drew a breath to reply… but immediately deflated, his shoulders slumping with a shake of his head.

"Dad… please!" Lloyd took a step towards the dwarf with his plea, drawing Dirk's gaze back up to him.

Oddly, it was Kratos' lack of reaction to what Lloyd called Dirk that drew Liane's attention – no reaction whatsoever. She had only half-heartedly considered what it would feel like to have Lloyd call her 'Mom' and found it too bizarre for her. No matter the memories she carried, she and Lloyd had grown as friends that spent more time together than most siblings for too long… anything else… just _couldn't _feel right. But for Kratos, it had to be different. Even with years of coping however her could with the loss of his wife and son, he could still see Lloyd as his son. _But… in the clearing… Lloyd almost called you 'Dad,'_ she told the angel silently, barely containing a small smile. Lloyd had the biggest heart – and she knew him well enough to see that if anyone could handle the arrival of his father in his life and balance it with the presence of the father that raised him, it was Lloyd.

Kratos swept his hand over the table and the items he had unpacked when Dirk didn't respond. "I've gathered all of the necessary items," he stated, watching the dwarf.

Dirk looked from his son to the auburn-haired swordsman and back before he finally sighed and approached the table. His eyes fixed on each item, studying it for a few moments before his gaze continued to the next. "This is adamantite for polishing," he nodded slowly, but then his eyes rose to a sharp peak. "Hmm? What's this piece of wood?"

Lloyd stepped up to Dirk's side with a thoughtful frown before he lifted his gaze to Kratos. "Is this… sacred wood?"

"This must fuel the fire," Kratos answered, bowing his head so that his hair fell into a spiked curtain before his eyes.

Liane's eyes slipped to the pigtailed ax girl, replaying their encounter with Kratos in Meltokio… and the angel's bizarre question. One that was no longer… so bizarre.

"Is that why you were traveling all over Tethe'alla?" Lloyd asked his father with only a hint of surprise in his tone. "To prepare all of this?"

Kratos' silence spoke louder to Liane than any words he could have actually spoken. _He really was trying to help us._ Her instincts had told her so all along… but the confirmation after everything that had happened was almost a rush.

"I see," Dirk finally sighed, his stubby arms moving to prop his fists at his middle. "So everything is set. I can't very well refuse after you've gone through so much trouble, now can I?" He shook his head with what might have been a quiet chuckle. "And I suppose it won't hurt me to help out my dearest son." The dwarf leveled his gaze on Kratos. "After all... I'm his father, too."

Lloyd's smile was immediate, though Liane saw how the words stiffened Kratos' frame. She knew Dirk well enough to know that the dwarf wasn't issuing a challenge – he was simply stating that blood didn't matter to him. Anything could be a painful barb to Kratos by that point – she could see that clearly. All she could do was hope the swordsman would keep his eyes open… would see that he and Dirk were too much alike to take offence… that he would see how loved his son was. But when she saw Dirk's chest puff up a little – and what she knew to be a smile curling behind his beard, she almost laughed… sure she knew what was coming.

"Dwarven Vow #1:" Dirk announced with a firm nod of his head. "Work together for the sake of a peaceful world." Ten e turned back to Lloyd and reached out to gather Kratos' materials. "All right. Let's do it."

As Dirk tottered back to his forge with his arms full of the items he would need, the party began to disperse to allow the dwarf his room to work. It occurred to Liane to stay where she was as she saw Kratos edge backwards until he could slump down onto a bench at the side of the room, but after a moment, she decided slipping out with the others was a better idea. _He needs some time to rest,_ she told herself, chewing her lip as she as she moved outside with the others and found her way to the covered shelter against the side of the house. It was a peaceful spot out of the sun on warm summer days… but for Liane, it was a place out of sight of the bright purple sky that had taken over Sylvarant as well as Tethe'alla. Sitting down on the bench built into the side of the house, Liane closed her eyes and exhaled, embracing a precious moment of peace and quiet.

Colette was gone… taken by Mithos.

Kratos was wounded… and still carried secrets she had convinced herself that she desperately needed.

Derris-Kharlan was threatening to strip both worlds of their fragile mana supply and leave them dry, withered husks.

And Regal was being a perfect gentleman – not pressing her for answers, or her time… or anything. She had a feeling that he was still maintaining the distance he had decided she needed in Meltokio… and while she couldn't name what the alternative would be, it was more that she _wouldn't_ name what she wanted it to be because there were simply that many more factors she simply had no control over.

The familiarity of hammer on anvil began to fill the clearing around the cabin with a rhythmic chime and Liane sighed again.

_The worlds… have to come first._

It was absolutely logical… it absolutely had to be the first step. Sylvarant and Tethe'alla had to come above all other trials and tribulations. The swordswoman's eyes drifted open… and saw glowing purple through the slats that covered her shelter.

_Sylvarant… has no idea what's happened,_ she frowned. _The Tower is gone… now the sky is an angry mass of unnatural purple._ Liane's frown deepened as her thoughts continued to slide.

_Mom… Dad._

Liane had tried to keep in contact – to stop and see them when they came close enough to Iselia… but their work in Tethe'alla hadn't permitted much along those lines. _They're probably as terrified as anyone else,_ she told herself and chewed the inside of her lip, mimicking how guilt gnawed at her heart.

"You think she's okay?"

Starting at the quiet question, Liane barely remained on the bench as her eyes flew to the wood-framed arch that formed the entry into the shelter to find a slumped-shouldered Lloyd standing there, her eyes downcast. "Lloyd?"

The swordsman trudged in and sat heavily on the bench beside her, clasping his hands before him. "Do you think she's okay? Colette? Do… you think we can get her back again? Or… are we out of chances?"

The way he voiced the question told her that he was ready to believe the worst… and Liane's heart twisted for her friend. "I think… Colette is fine," she answered carefully. "Mithos took her because he needed her…."

"But he almost took me," Lloyd countered quietly without lifting his eyes. "She took my place. It should have been me."

The smile he had worn inside the house was gone without a trace… and Liane couldn't stop herself from reaching out to wrap an arm around his shoulders. "Colette made her own choice, Lloyd," she told him. "It's something she's had precious little opportunity to do in her life. We have to believe that she's okay."

Lloyd nodded, though the gesture looked hollow. "When we get the ring, we're going after her," he muttered, his voice distant. "We're going after Mithos."

"It's the only way," Liane nodded and slowly released the half-hug. "People everywhere have to be terrified right now. If the sword is the only thing that can bring back balance, that has to be our next step."

"Yeah," the brown-haired teen agreed as he lifted his gaze to focus somewhere in the trees beyond the clearing. "But the people here… in Iselia… and all over Sylvarant and Tethe'alla… they won't know what's going on… that anyone is trying to fix…." He gestured with a weak sweep of his hand over his head, "… _this_."

Liane looked up, still only seeing slits of the purple sky, but she understood completely. "I guess it is a little different from when Colette started her journey," she mused. "People knew that the Regeneration had begun by the appearance of the Tower. They expected it… saw it as a sign of the promise of prosperity. This…" she shook her head and leaned back against the house. "No one could have expected this."

The teen remained silent for a few moments… and then sighed heavily, the exhale deflating his shoulders. "Liane… I want you to stay here."

Liane turned to stare at Lloyd's profile, considering he wouldn't look at her. "What…?" she whispered, though she wasn't sure she wanted him to repeat himself. There had been times over the journey where such a dismissal would have been a relief, but that was when she had been unsure of herself and her abilities. But understanding – and accepting – that 'help' didn't mean she had to be the strongest or most powerful had shown her that she did have something to offer, even if it was only to lighten the burden on the stronger fighters and casters. "Lloyd… why…?" she finally managed, though she cut herself off before hurt could bleed into any more words.

At first, Lloyd only shook his head… then – when he finally lifted his eyes to hers – he offered her a sad smile and a weak shrug. "Ben and Dora… all of Iselia… they have to be scared," he stated quietly. "You can help them. You can tell them what's going on. The mayor would probably listen to you – or at least to your parents – long before he'd consider listening to me. And the kids trust you. It might not keep the world calm… but Iselia is our home, you know?" Then he sighed and his shoulders fell again. "I think… if you'll stay here… tell your parents what's really going on, and they'll help the others… I think that will help a lot."

The swordswoman teetered on the edge of being hurt and touched by Lloyd's thoughtfulness. "So… because my parents are there… in our hometown… I'm the one that should stay?" she murmured, trying to accept the thought. "But… Colette –"

"We'll get her… we'll bring her home," Lloyd quickly countered. "I just want her to have a place to come home to… one that knows what she's going through for them – for all of us." Then the boy chuckled once… just once… and it sounded more sad than amused. "Dad… knows what's going on… Raine and Genis are their own family and they're both with us… and Frank and Phaidra deserve to know what's happened. It… just makes sense… that it's you, Liane."

Liane wanted to argue… even more when the specter of an old and pessimistic thought reared its head: _But _I_ won't know what's going on…._ But she could see his reasoning… and she did understand. It was the responsible thing to do… and it would be the end of her journey. _I'm tired of fighting for my life… but…._ It was still an end… and she couldn't bring herself to be happy with any finality after all she'd seen and experienced. "If you think that's how I can help the most, I'll do it," she told him. Then, she sighed, the thoughts in her head refusing to be quieted by her acceptance. "But… I don't like it. I might be telling _them_ what's happened… but I won't know what's _happening_."

Lloyd's smile warmed little as he looked over to her. "Sure you will. You'll know we're getting the Eternal Sword, taking back Colette, and putting an end to Mithos' mess once and for all!"

"Oh, well if that's all…" Liane rolled her eyes and shook her head, though she was unable to keep her lips from curling into a small smile – she simply couldn't help it. Lloyd had that effect on people, and she was no different. "I'm serious, Lloyd. I'm going to worry… and second-guess myself… until you _all_ come back – not just Colette."

"Then I guess we'll have to come right back when we're done," the teen huffed playfully before pushing himself up from the bench and turning to face her. "Liane, we've got this right. Mithos is the one holding on to his grudges and not letting the world move forward. But we have to do it right as much as we can… helping as many people as we can."

Liane hung her head and closed her eyes. It was another burst of insight that she couldn't argue with. She really was the logical choice to remain behind…her absence wouldn't rob the party of any essential skills, while her presence could help those that she loved that weren't fighting. "All right," she finally sighed, though each word sent a searing jab through her chest – like she was admitting defeat. "But I won't forgive you… if _any_ of you don't come back."

Lloyd laughed quietly and threw his arms around the assistant teacher's shoulders in a tight hug. "I promise. We're gonna win. And when I say win… I mean all of us. You helped us get this far… and this is still helping, Liane," the teen told her as she pulled back, his smile already mellowing. "It's gonna be weird, though…."

Before Liane could decide between laughing, agreeing, or giving in to her urge to beg him not to ask her to stay behind – to take it back, there was a shadow in the wood-framed doorway. Frowning as the purple-tinted afternoon light dimmed, her heart sank a little more when she saw who it was. "Regal…?"

The shackled man ducked his head in acknowledgement, but his eyes sought Lloyd. "Pardon the intrusion, but Dirk has the ring cooling… Lloyd, he says he needs you to be sure it will fit."

Lloyd was instantly on his feet. "Already? Cool!" the swordsman grinned and patted the convict on the back of the shoulder as he passed him to head back into the house. "Come on, guys! This is what we've been waiting for!"

_Is it?_ Liane's eyes followed Lloyd until he disappeared around the corner of his home… but she was far slower to rise to her feet. "That was… quick," she murmured, glancing up to the Duke that took a step back to allow her to follow the swordsman.

"Liane…? What's wrong?" Regal asked, keeping his voice low as he lifted his hands to rest one on her shoulder. "Did I interrupt something?"

Liane shook her head, though she couldn't find the half-hearted smile she had tried to construct for Lloyd just moments before - she knew Regal would see through it, anyway. "I'm not going," she told him with a shrug as she tried to block the still-blooming hurt from her voice. "Lloyd wants me to stay… to go tell my parents and Iselia what's really happening." Feeling her lip quiver a little, she fell silent and dropped her gaze to the floor. "This is it for me."

Regal removed his hand from her shoulder, but used it to gently cup her chin and bring her eyes up to his. "It is an important request, Liane. The people have to be frightened," he told her evenly. "What we are doing… is for all of us… for all of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. You may not be fighting with your blade or with your magic, but you will be fighting against the panic… at least for those you care about."

She nodded, though his grip didn't allow her to look down before a tear crept free of her eye and slid down her cheek. "But… if something happens to any of you or if the worlds end up splitting apart… or… or…." Liane knew she was letting her pessimism run rampant, but she couldn't stop it. Not yet. "Regal, if any of that happens… then… when you all leave… it's… goodbye."

"My lady," the Duke's lips curled into the faintest of smiles as he used his grip to pull her closer, lowering her chin to place a kiss on her forehead. "You don't know that. Have faith."

It was as close to reassurance as he could give her… she could see that. There were too many unknown factors in what they would be facing to rescue Colette… if Regal said anything more than what he had, it could become a lie all too easily. Liane knew debating would only put a finer point on the situation… so she simply lifted her hands to rest them on his forearms as she dared herself to look back up to him. "Be careful, okay? All of you? And…." She swallowed hard. _No. Say it. If this is goodbye, you didn't want any regrets, right?_ "If you can't make it back here… promise me… you'll find a reason to smile again." She tightened her jaw. "Promise."

The smile he had almost worn disappeared completely. "Liane…."

"No. No excuses," she shook her head and took a step back. "That's all I'm asking you to promise me," Liane told him and took a step back. He had promised Alicia that he would stop torturing himself… and she was his soulmate… he loved her. Asking him to find some joy in his life was a small favor for a friend, though it did imply that he would have to survive as well.

Regal sighed and let his hands fall before him after a moment. "You have my word, Liane. But you will see for yourself that I will keep it."

Liane exhaled and nodded, though she instantly hated the distance between them. Even a hug would seal his word that much better for her, but she also knew that the others were gathering… and no matter how she drug her feet, it wouldn't delay the march of time until she accepted it. "Thank you, Regal," she murmured and glanced out of the shelter. "Come on… I… want to see this ring," she sighed and started out, only to feel the sudden press of his side to hers. It took only a moment longer for her to realize that he was offering her is arm. When she looked up, she saw that his gentle smile had returned, though he didn't speak… didn't make her offer any promises to match his own. It drew out her own smile, even though it felt sad to her… and she hooked her hand over his arm, allowing him to escort her the length of the front wall of the Irving's home until he slipped out of her grasp to push the door open for her.

_A few more moments… as his lady…_ Liane realized, swallowing the lump in her throat as she nodded to her friend and stepped through the doorway to find the others gathered around Lloyd at the small dining table. She heard the door close behind her… and felt the subtle shift of floorboards that told her that Regal was just behind her, but she couldn't look back. Instead, she focused on the ring Lloyd wore over his glove… and found herself drawn into the swirling glow that clung to the newly forged metal. _The Eternal Ring…._

"With this, I'll be able to use the Eternal Sword, right?" Lloyd asked, inspecting the ring up close and then stretching his arm out, fingers splayed… only to draw it close again.

Kratos, who stood beside his son started to respond, but a gasp pressed over his lips before any words could form… and his expression tightened in pain as he lowered himself to one knee, bracing himself with one arm on the top of the table. _His wounds… Goddess…._ Liane's eyes widened in realization as Lloyd scrambled to catch his father's shoulder. _Oh, no._

"Da… Kratos!" Lloyd sputtered as he tried to help Kratos back to his feet and then finally crouched down to steady the auburn-haired swordsman's form. "What's wrong?"

A dry rasp of a laugh accompanied a strained groan as the angel pushed himself back to his feet with Lloyd's help. "Lloyd, you've really grown stronger," he murmured, breathless as he looked over to his son. "I never expected you'd be able to inflict such a serious wound on my angelic form." He shook his head for a moment, falling silent as he steadied himself and then carefully drew his Flamberge from his side to lay it on the table before his son. "Take this… and stop Mithos," he stated and took a slow step back to lower himself down to sit on the bench along the wall. "I don't think I'll be able to help you anymore."

_Kratos won't be with them, either?_ Liane's hand clenched at the hem of her tunic as a tumble of thoughts played across her mind. _He won't be there to help them get Colette back._ That thought sent a chill through her. _He's wounded that badly?_ Liane's eyes sought the swordsman only to be drawn to how he grasped at his side again – something he hadn't been doing before. Then… there was the tiniest whisper amongst the thoughts that were fighting to find words.

_Maybe it's a sign… maybe I'm truly not meant to go with them._

And then, she turned her head just enough to glance over her shoulder – and met Regal's gaze. It was so easy to believe that he could read her mind in that instant… and while she was grateful for that understanding… it was tainted with a lash of guilt. Liane sighed and turned forward as slowly as she could. _Maybe… it is a sign…._

"That's a marvelous blade," Dirk murmured approvingly, easing the silent tension in the room as he looked down at the Flamberge. "I doubt you have a sword in your possession to match it."

Lloyd turned away from Kratos, his concern melting into interest as he seemed to pay attention to the sword with the flame-swept blade. "Really?" he asked, arching an eyebrow as he watched the father that raised him turn to a long, thin box on the other end of the bench from Kratos.

"Take this with you," Dirk stated, a soft edge to his normally gruff voice as he opened the lid of the box and reverently lifted a sword from within. He slowly turned back to Lloyd and held the sword out to him, presenting it to the teen almost sheepishly. "It's a present I promised you. Now that you've grown all up, I can entrust you with the greatest sword I ever forged."

Liane edged to her side to see around Sheena, needing to clearly see the sword that a dwarf as humble as Dirk would proclaim his 'greatest,' but then Lloyd lifted it up into the air… and what she had thought was a silver weapon before caught the room's light – and Liane drew an amazed breath.

_It's… beautiful…._

Where the Flamberge was clearly fire, Dirk's sword was flawless ice. While Kratos' blade seemed to write with golden flames in the light, the sword the dwarf called his greatest shone like ice of deepest winter… its crystalline blade shimmering as if there was water trapped just beneath the surface. But when Liane watched Lloyd reach out to take the Flamberge in his other hand, lifting it to cross with the ice blade… a shiver danced over her nerves at the sight… and she was suddenly more sure than ever that Lloyd would be the one to lead the worlds back to their true path.

"Wow…" the swordsman breathed out, his eyes dancing between the swords. "I'll become even stronger with these two swords." Then, Lloyd looked back down to Dirk, his grin firmly in place. "Thanks, Dad." With a blink, he then turned to the slump-shouldered swordsman on the bench behind him. "And… Kratos."

Zelos chuckled softly and walked around the table to hook an arm under Kratos' shoulder to help him to his feet. "Come on, old man. We can't just leave you in a heap on Dirk's floor," he continued to laugh as he looked over his shoulder to Lloyd and adjusted his balance under Kratos' weight. "Lloyd, can we take him to your room?"

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded and moved to slip under Kratos' other arm.

The auburn-haired angel lifted his head, almost banishing a grimace of pain before he locked his eyes on those of his son. "I'm sorry I've forced everything upon you."

The sincere regret in Kratos' voice shook Liane more than she wanted to admit. She was still used to the distance… the ominous half-answers he gave them that were just as much riddles. But the man that was now supported on the shoulders of Zelos and Lloyd was also familiar… someone she had seen only in dreams and – by accident – in the wake of his attempts to push them all away. _Dammit, Kratos,_ she swore silently at the man. _This is when you should be the one fighting at your son's side…._

But Lloyd closed his eyes and shook his head. "I have great Dads," the teen replied after a moment with a small smile as he and Zelos slowly started toward the stairs to the second level. "One made a ring for his son using the lost arts, and another risked his life to protect his son… in secrecy."

Dirk propped his hands on his hips as the procession passed and barked a small laugh. "Yeah. You've got great parents!"

The declaration was sweet, but Liane suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe as a massive weight closed over her heart. _He has wonderful fathers,_ she corrected the dwarf silently as she slowly backed toward the door, moving as slow as she could to not draw attention to her retreat. _But what's left of his mother can't even stand at his side in the end._ Pulling the door open only as far as she had to in order to slip out, the air outside was only marginally less oppressive. _I'm not his mother… I'm not,_ she shook her head to reinforce the conviction. _But he's still family to me… they all are… and… I just get to be the bearer of bad tidings for Iselia?_ Liane approached the small footbridge and stopped. _I can do more! I want to fight! I should –_

"Did you want to be alone?" Raine asked quietly, smiling just a little when Liane spun to face her. The silver-haired woman held up a hand in a gesture of peace. "Looks like you've got a lot on your mind. If you need space, this is probably the best time you're going to get…?"

Liane exhaled, shaking her head as she tried to let go of her surprise. She hadn't had a clue Raine was behind her until she spoke, leaving the swordswoman grateful that she wasn't prone to venting aloud to herself… particularly when it came to Anna. "I'm going to have more space than I can handle soon," Liane told her and pushed her ponytail over her shoulder with a bitter sigh. "Lloyd wants me to stay… to go back to Iselia and tell the villagers what's going on."

Raine tilted her head as she lifted a delicate finger to tap her cheek. "Hmm. That's very insightful of him, actually," she commented quietly before her eyes refocused on Liane again. "And you want to go with us, I take it?"

"It… doesn't feel right… after everything," Liane answered with a frustrated sigh, sensing that – in the Professor's mind – there was already a right and a wrong answer. "I don't _enjoy_ fighting… it just feels like… quitting now. It may as well be failure."

"Battles are fought on many fronts, Liane," Raine murmured, her voice taking on the scholarly edge of the Professor. "It's a good plan – a kind plan – on Lloyd's part. Someone should let the people know what's really happening… blind fear can be even more damaging than a dark truth," she shrugged and walked closer to her apprentice, her expression sobering. "And… though you don't want to hear it any more than any of us want to think it… if we should fail, the truth of what we're fighting will disappear with us… if there's no one left to carry the truth behind us."

Liane's stomach churned at the possibility… and it resurrected all of the nagging doubts about how she simply _wouldn't_ know what was happening – not until it was too late to help… and maybe not at all.

Raine squeezed her shoulder again. "Stop. You can't think like that," she chided her assistant. "Your task is as important as ours… and your relationship to the town makes you the best one of us to do it. You're not a stranger like the Tethe'allans, you willingly joined in Lloyd and Genis' exile instead of earning it as they did – at least in the eyes of the Mayor, you're seen as more a member of the town than Dirk, and you're not a half-elf like Genis and I," she reasoned. "It won't be a surrender or a failure, Liane. You need to see it as making sure what we've done isn't lost… and keeping the home we want to come back to calm."

For a few long moments, Liane couldn't be anything but ashamed of her resistance, but then she slowly let go of the shame… seeing that Raine and Lloyd were both right. Like it or not, it truly did make sense. She looked up to her mentor's placid blue eyes, but before she could find words that carried enough resolve, the door of the Irving dwelling opened and Lloyd and Dirk led everyone – except Kratos – out into the purple-hued daylight. Both Professor and apprentice turned, and Raine's hand fell away as Liane realized that her companions were all ready to go.

"Kratos is asleep in my room… Regal and Zelos both used a healing spell on him, but…" Lloyd explained as he ran a hand back through his hair. "But we have to go get the sword and Colette. We… really have to go."

Liane's eyes widened as she sought Regal in the group. _You… healed… Kratos?_ she wondered when she found the fighter's familiar blue eyes… and found just a trace of an amused smirk on his lips. She cleared her throat softly and nodded. "That's okay. I'll check on him once he gets some rest," the swordswoman told Lloyd. "I'll head back to Iselia. There's still time before dark… I can at least get to talk to Mom and Dad… and Phaidra and Frank… so that the real story can start getting out."

"Thanks, Liane…" Lloyd threw his arms around her in a quick, tight hug before he stepped back, wearing the cheerful grin he was known so well for. "And don't worry... I'm gonna keep my promise, okay?" Then he waved over his shoulder to the others. "Come on, guys! Mithos isn't gonna know what hit him!"

Standing back as her friends filed past to follow Lloyd to the clearing beside his home, Liane could guess that Lloyd had told them all what her job was going to be. Sheena offered her a small smile, Presea offered her a nod… Genis – like Lloyd – hugged her with a laugh before continuing. Zelos ruffled her hair and gave her a playful wink… and Regal paused before her for only long enough to meet her eyes and touch a hand to hers before he continued forward and stepped up on the back of Lloyd's Rheaird. None of them spoke, though… _no goodbyes,_ she realized as her eyes began to burn and the flock of Rheairds fired their engines. Lloyd had said the only things she wanted to hear, though, so she could only clasp her hands behind her back until her friends began to lift into the late afternoon sky. That was when she allowed herself to free a hand to wave to them, sending them off as best she could even as tears rolled over her cheeks for the fact that she no longer had any hand in any of them coming back safely.

"Hey, Lass, none of that now," Dirk murmured soothingly as the Rheairds disappeared. "You know how that boy of mine is when he gets his mind set on something," the dwarf told her proudly as he handed her her pack.

"I know," Liane nodded in agreement as she swiped at her eyes and looked down to the kindly dwarf. "And I have to hold up my end of the deal, too," she told him and settled her pack over her shoulders before she realized that she had removed her swordbelt along with her pack when they arrived at Dirk's. "Oh, I must have left my sword inside," the dark-haired young woman sighed and tried to tamp down the already-building flames of worry. "I'll just grab it and –"

Dirk caught her hand with a gravelly chuckle. "I've got your sword, lass," he grinned beneath his bushy beard. "You traded up from that rusty ol' short sword you started out with, but the edge is pretty banged up. It'll be ready for you when you need it again."

Liane was speechless for a moment… but it was how the dwarf had always been to her… and, she realized, even longer now that she knew how he was intertwined with Lloyd's life – and her own. "Thank you, Dirk," she smiled and stooped to hug the stout little man, though she knew that those three words could never convey all they should. When she rose again, she thought she saw a hint of pink on the dwarf's cheeks, though the purple cast of the world made it impossible to be sure. "I'll be back to check on you and Kratos in the morning," she told him with a glance back to the house. "Let me know if you need anything… please?"

"Aye, Lass," the dwarf waved her off. "Don't worry about us. Just tell your mother an' father hello for me."

And with that, Dirk turned to start back into his house, leaving her alone with the babbling brook and her like-churning thoughts. _We all do what we can,_ she told herself as she forced her feet to turn to the wooded path that she knew so well. The prospect of passing the Human Ranch didn't add speed to her steps, but she still pressed on.

_I can't hold Lloyd to his word if I can't keep my own_, Liane sighed with another glance to the sky. _And I'm not letting him off on a technicality like that.

* * *

_

_There's not even any stars…._

Liane leaned her head back against the side frame of her bedroom window and hugged her knees to her chest where she sat on the window ledge and looked out at what passed for a night sky under the glare of Derris-Kharlan. Everything was indeed dark, but cast in a sickly shade of purple just as the daylight had been. But it wasn't just the lack of stars that kept her awake… she just couldn't turn her thoughts off. She kept imagining what the others were doing – what they were facing. But Iselia itself wasn't sleeping, either. Her parents had been the first to hear her story… followed by Frank and Phaidra.

She bristled a little at the thought of the Brunels… and how calmly they had accepted word of Colette's predicament. Once again, Liane had to remind herself that they had always borne the truth of Colette's fate in silence, so she couldn't _really_ fault them for being less than shocked.

But by the time she returned to her home, there was already a steady stream of villagers – all seeking Liane's story for themselves. Over and over again, she related the story of the severed worlds and the Tower… and explained how the purple mass over their heads had always been there. Over and over, she had assured them that Lloyd and the others were fighting for all of them… and that they were going to bring Colette back. The stories were repeated late into the night when Ben Dale finally shooed a living room full of nervous Iselians and locked the door… and sent his wife and daughter to bed to try to sleep.

_Good thought, anyway, Dad…._

Liane sighed again. She wasn't tired in the least. Her mind was too busy. Even the looming chance of nightmares seemed to be a reasonable gamble to be able to let go of all the worst-case scenarios that gnawed at her. But sleep didn't seem to want anything to do with her.

When movement on the street in front of her house caught her eyes as someone passed beneath the street lamp, she thought for a moment that at least she wasn't the only one.

But when the figure stopped in front of the steps that led up into her yard, she blinked… and the person went from being a casual note to a familiar flicker at the edge of her nerves as she was suddenly sure his eyes were on her.

_Kratos…?_

The first coherent thought that would form past recognition was what he was doing in front of her house in the night. But before Liane could even start to give in to exasperation at the thought of _ever_ knowing why Kratos Aurion did anything, she was already on her way downstairs, her quilt wrapped around herself. Slipping out the front door of her home as quietly as she could, her eyes instantly sought the street. _I don't want to be imagining this,_ she told herself in the moment it took to search the shadows. What would it mean if she was seeing Kratos waiting for her when he should be on the other side of the forest nursing his wounds?

The knot in her stomach loosened when she saw the silhouette of the angel – as solid as the trees that he stood beneath. Liane stopped a few steps away, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. "Shouldn't you be at Dirk's?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "Resting? So you don't damage yourself more?"

Kratos shrugged and turned to lower himself to sit on the middle stone step. "One can only stare at the ceiling for so long," he murmured to her, though he kept his eyes on the road before him. "I would guess you understand that as well?"

"Sleep seems overrated when everything you've ever cared about is in danger," Liane answered in agreement edging closer and chewing her lip a little as she decided to sit beside him. The wind was calm but it was still cool, and she pulled her quilt a little tighter around her. _It's like before,_ her mind whispered tauntingly. Before… when the visions were particularly brutal and confusing… when the truth wasn't something she could have ever imagined. Liane also kept her eyes forward, almost feeling as if she should brace herself to wake up suddenly even as she carefully kept distance between them.

"Agreed," the swordsman replied and fell silent again. Just when the silence became almost painful, he drew a breath. "It's strange… not knowing what's happening."

Liane chuckled dryly. "Welcome to my world," she shook her head at the irony, though she could see where it probably could bother him more than it even bothered her. He was used to knowing what was happening on both sides – both Cruxis and the worlds it held sway over. She glanced over to him before she had the chance to talk herself out of it… and found that looking away wasn't even an option. It wasn't that he had caught her – that she could tell, anyway. It was that she had never seen him look so… normal. He wore neither uniform she knew him for… neither the indigo wool he wore when they met nor the gold-belted uniform that marked him as an agent of Cruxis. Kratos wore a simple, loose, white cotton shirt over dark breeches… the laced neck left undone as if he simply didn't care to tie it shut. It might have been Lloyd's clothing… but it was just so… _normal_. She had never seen him without his air of formality…

… _but Anna did_

The taunting whisper in the back of her mind was enough to shake her out of her stupor and allow her to look away. Liane hoped she wasn't blushing like she feared she was –or at very least, that he didn't notice. Once again, she felt like an unwilling voyeur… and cursed herself silently. _You have no right… those memories aren't yours._ She twisted her fingers together within the folds of her quilt. _But… they are… aren't they?_ Memories like a Kratos at ease in precious moments of calm existed in the fuzzy area between 'Anna' and 'Liane' whether the latter liked it or not. Drawing a long breath, she slowly released it and tried to retreat to reality. "So… you couldn't sleep… so you came here?"

Kratos shrugged, giving no indication that he had noticed any lapse in their conversation. "Dirk said you were still here… that you hadn't gone with the others. I've left much unsaid… undone. Nights like this make those kinds of things creep out of every corner of your mind… especially when you didn't expect it to be a night you would live to see."

It was a sobering comment that brought a lump back to her throat. "You really had no intention of leaving Origin's seal alive… did you?" Liane asked, though she already knew the answers.

"Fate demands payment. Collection can't be put off forever," Kratos murmured, his voice distant.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Liane closed her eyes and shook her head. It wasn't a straight answer, but she had already known the answer, so she wasn't sure she could hold it against him. "So…" she started, trying to shift the conversation, though she wasn't ready for what came rushing out to fill the conversational void. "You wanted to talk… to me?"

Kratos was silent for a few moments until a soft sound that might have been a chuckle drifted from him, and his hair betrayed a gentle sway of his head. "It's probably only fair," the angel answered quietly, though he still wouldn't look over to her. "I thought you might need it as well after Torent, but… I may as well start, I suppose." He almost sounded amused as his voice drifted off into a long exhale. "What do you remember?"

Liane swallowed hard at the broad nature of the question. It made her squirm… facing both Kratos and the multitude of facets to his question. She knew she could give in to her nerves and make him clarify himself, but that would most likely only make them both more uncomfortable. _Answer him,_ she told herself and lowered her chin, trying to hide behind her own loose, lazy curls. "A lot of different things," the swordswoman began cautiously, though she forced her explanation to continue so he wouldn't think she was dodging the question. "It wasn't ever in any particular order. Some of it comes back… with more detail." She chewed her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. "I've… _seen_… you returning to Luin… and how happy she was to see you. I've seen you rescuing her from the Ranch… and you bringing her Stargazer Lilies to your wedding in Izoold." Liane continued until her cheeks burned uncomfortably.

Kratos huffed quietly… the exhale carrying a hint of amusement. "And you remember Lloyd's birth," he stated rather than asked.

There was no way Liane could stave off the fiery blush at that. She dipped her chin tightly to her chest and reminded herself of her vow to be honest if she could ever really _talk _with him. "It was… a terrible snowstorm," she whispered as the remainder of the vision danced behind her eyes. "And you named him after your father."

The swordsman fell silent and the sound of distant crickets and a slight breeze in the tall trees wrapped around both of them. Liane knew it couldn't possibly have been as long as it felt, but when her fingers began to complain of how they were twisted together, she finally released her lip from her teeth and looked over to the man beside her. "Look, if you don't want the answers –"

"Did you have any of them – the memories – before…?" Kratos cut off her frustration with his quiet question. "Before we met at the Temple?" he asked, finally facing her.

The light from the streetlamps cast jagged shadows over his face, but the one eye she could see was haunted. Liane took a moment to berate herself for thinking she could claim all of the discomfort of the conversation… and then she drew another deep breath. "The memories, no," she shook her head and finally allowed her eyes to fall back to the steps. "My first memories… were really not much. I remember Lloyd when I first woke up… and then I remember basically learning _everything_. I was very weak. It took the doctor a while to start to let go of the idea that I was too weak to survive, even if I had woken up," Liane murmured, her eyebrows dipping with a frown. "If I look back now, I have to say that when I first woke up, there was _more_… there was something that drew me to comfort Lloyd… something so urgent that the fact that I could barely move didn't even occur to me. But then, it was just gone." She heard him sigh and couldn't help but hear what sounded like a note of hurt in the exhale. "There were little things over the years, though," Liane pushed ahead, hoping to defuse what may have been a jab to him with the recollection of the last moments of his wife's consciousness. "I remember one thing vividly. I was still young… climbing trees with Lloyd. Colette was there, too. I fell… but I didn't even try to save myself." She frowned at how stupid the words sounded spoken aloud. "I still think I could have caught the rope… but I was so sure… that my angel would save me. It wasn't anything solid… but it was more than just a whim. That's when I broke my arm." She ran her hand absently over her left arm just above her elbow and shook her arm. "I think… I lost my faith in any thought I had like that after, though."

"Liane…" Kratos started, but whatever was going to follow it faded off for a few moments until he drew another breath. "So… I triggered it, then?" he asked, with no hint of pride. "I didn't know. I didn't intend for that to happen."

Liane's hand closed over his arm before he realized she had moved. "There was no reason for you to know," she shook her head without shrinking away, even when his eyes met hers. "There was no reason for you to look for… _her…_ in… me."

He looked surprised at her touch, but then… slowly… a touch of a weak smile curled the corner of his lips and he shook his head. "How did this happen?" he asked quietly, though it truly didn't sound like he expected an answer. "None of this should be possible."

"Tell me about it," Liane almost laughed with a wave of her hand to the sky above. "Derris-Kharlan shouldn't be hanging over our heads, and I should be long dead and gone instead of sitting here in the middle of the night talking to a four-thousand year old man." She shook her head and withdrew her hand to tuck a stray curl over her ear. "Besides… I was really hoping you could tell me how it was possible."

"It's not… not really," Kratos shook his head. "That's what I started trying to tell myself when I could see you reacting to places that – on their own, meant nothing more than a coincidence, but together – tied me to… Anna." He spoke her name carefully, as if he had to force it to form on his lips. "But then, you were so sure in Torent Forest." He kept his gaze even on her… boring into her. "You denied it until then, didn't you? What changed?"

Liane flinched at the question… the truth he was requesting cutting deeper than she anticipated it would. "Things I suspected started proving themselves true," she answered softly with an awkward shrug. "When I saw things… so many of them revolved around you from the beginning. I… I knew… I was tied to you. I knew that. I knew that we had a son… but it was only a peripheral thing." She frowned as she tried to find the right words to explain. "I didn't have any frame of reference for time… the visions were so… scattered… especially once we heard the Storyteller's tale. I realized… what I had seen could have happened at any point in the last four thousand years." Then she sighed and lowered her eyes. "Until the night at Altessa's. Suddenly, you were Lloyd's father… and once I heard what you told Lloyd in Flanoir, it all fit. Everything. It was so strange… hearing the story I had been seeing in my nightmares. But there it was. I could see it all then… but I didn't understand until I fell at the Tower."

"You thought you were going to die," Kratos murmured his interpretation. "You seemed to be in shock when I reached you," he continued. "It was understandable. You and the others were all facing odds stacked impossibly against you."

"It wasn't that," Liane shook her head. Her heart was throwing itself against the wall of her chest. She knew what she had seen… it fit too well and answered too many questions even with its improbability… but Kratos was the only other person that could probably comprehend all of the implications. It was different finding the words for him – especially when it so tightly knit their lives together. "Not all of it, anyway." She exhaled, trying to calm her nerves, but it somehow made it all worse. _Say it. Just… say it._ She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat wouldn't budge. "One moment, I was falling… I knew that I couldn't save myself. And then… I was in a forest. It was snowing. I heard Lloyd crying… and… I knew I was dying."

Liane heard Kratos choke… such a soft noise… but she knew she had thrown the first punch in a fight for the truth that he had started simply by arriving at her home that night. Stopping… _running_… was a momentary option… until she clenched her eyes shut. _No. More than anyone else, he deserves to hear this. _"I was… her. I knew where I was… I knew what was happening. There was blood everywhere… Lloyd and Noishe were both with me. And… I wanted to see you one more time before it was over. I wanted to know they'd be safe, but –

"Liane…."

There was no way she could have missed the crack in his low voice, but she still pressed on. "I wanted to see you. I wanted you to know that you set me free. But… then Dirk was there. He appeared out of nowhere… he said he'd take care of Lloyd… and…." Liane summoned the nerve to look up to him. Kratos was still watching her… but his expression was absolutely unreadable. She wanted to stop… to apologize. _But this is the part he needs to hear._ "And then… I saw someone behind him. She had long green hair… and the warmest smile." Somehow, her own lips had started to curl into an impression of that smile… but that wasn't important in the least when she realized that Kratos' eyes had gone wide… and that he had stopped breathing. "Kratos?"

The auburn-haired man did nothing to respond for a few long, deep breaths. Then… his eyes blinked quickly… once. "Martel," he breathed out, the word a whisper of disbelief.

It wasn't an oath or a prayer. Liane's heart leapt as she nodded. _He understands!_ It was an instant of precious vindication… if he was willing to venture far enough to just make the guess… her story took one more step toward possibility… and she could back away from the edge of hopeless insanity. "Dirk couldn't see her… but she talked to me. She told me she could help me if I could trust her." Then, her excitement faded as quickly as it had found her. "I couldn't hold on, though," she whispered, shrinking back into her guilt again. _Tell him… I have to tell him._ "She told me to let go… and… I did." Liane's voice was quiet as she spoke and they both fell into a mournful moment of silence. "I wanted to live more than anything, but she told me that it was impossible in my body. I'd lost too much of my life energy to the Exsphere. If I wanted to live, I had to do it another way." The swordswoman bit her lip and forced herself to look up again. "Then she took me to Iselia… to the doctor's... to… Liane." It felt so awkward to say her own name… to truly speak as the lost woman.

"Martel did this?" Kratos rasped, his expression marred by his struggle to comprehend what the dark-haired young woman told him.

"If what I saw is real… which I'm having trouble not believing at this point," Liane answered sheepishly, twisting her fingers together. "She said Liane… was dying. She said she didn't have long… that her spirit had passed from the world and her life energy wasn't enough to keep her alive on its own. Martel said my soul could become hers… and her life energy could be mine. Together… we'd live… apart, we'd both truly die."

Kratos shifted, and the shadows once again hid his expression. "That… makes sense… on some level," he commented under his breath as if he was talking to himself. "Your mana levels are low… almost too weak." A small flicker of reflected streetlight told her that his eyes had shifted back to her. "I tried to figure out what it meant… I searched Cruxis' databases of research and theory. The Church noted the weakness in your mana stores when you were young, but when you taught yourself magic, it made you an object of interest to Cruxis and the Desians. But it's not really that it's weak, is it? It's that your mana is consumed with binding you together."

Liane frowned, wondering if he really meant for her to hear any of what he had said. "Kratos, what…?"

His gaze sharpened on her. "A being is born with a soul and life energy to sustain it," he stated evenly. "They are in sync with each other… a balance where neither is more important… and neither can exist without the other. It's been a fundamental point in Exsphere research since the beginning. But, if what you've told me is true… that… _Martel_… somehow combined parts of you and Anna… then it makes sense that your energy is being consumed just by trying to tie a soul to life energy that it wasn't born with."

"Martel said we were compatible," Liane blinked and chewed the edge of her lip. "She said neither of us would be the same as we were before… but we would at least be alive," she sighed and frowned as she allowed her mind to move forward a step. "And… what did you say about magic? The priests said I had no talent for it by their records… but I can still use some…?"

A hunch in Kratos' shoulders betrayed a sigh. "Anna… couldn't use magic before she became a… host," he spoke, his voice again a bit lost. "She began to develop some skills while we were travelling. It surprised us both…."

He _almost_ sounded as if he could chuckle.

"Aqua Edge…" Liane whispered, instinctively knowing what he was talking about even without a firm memory behind it.

Kratos nodded, a faint smirk curling his lips. "She… was angry with me for ambushing a team of angelic trackers while she was asleep… and getting a sword to the shoulder for my effort. Anna soaked me when she woke up and found me trying to bandage myself… right in the middle of her tirade on what if something had happened to me… and how she might never have known."

A lump formed in Liane's throat at how easily she could understand Anna's complaint – and reaction. "I… I don't remember that…" she murmured along with a weak smile. "But… I know I never really studied the spell. I guess it had to come from somewhere…."

"The only thing we could figure out was that the process of creating the crystal changed her," Kratos sighed. "But perhaps it wasn't just her body that changed to accommodate magic. Perhaps it carried over into her spirit…."

Liane's smile faded again. "It's times like this that I wonder… what's really mine," she murmured. She knew it was something no one could answer for her, but she had let down her defenses for Kratos in order to clear the air… to make him understand maybe hoping he could help her do the same in turn. But it still left her weak… and more lost once she admitted it. The swordswoman looked down again. "So what am I?" she asked softly, afraid of the answer. "Am I possessed? Am I –"

She was cut off as his hand curled around her chin and lifted her eyes to his. "The combination of life energy and its soul makes a unique being," Kratos told her as his eyes bore into hers. "You are just as unique as Anna and Liane ever were on their own. Your fate is your own… just as this life and the choices you make in it should be."

"_You're not Anna."_

Her eyes began to burn, and she bit harshly on her lip. Was that it? Was it that easy? The simple – and improbable – combination of the soul and energy of a pair of strangers was enough to set her free of both of them? Of course she would carry parts of both… but she was the one that had to live for both of them. Even Kratos could see that. "Thank you," she whispered and carefully backed out of his light grip.

"There's nothing to thank me for," Kratos shook his head and withdrew her hand. "But… I do have two questions for you… if you don't mind?"

The quiet request took her by surprise, and Liane quickly swept her hand over her eyes. He was bearing himself to her as well… just in extending the hand of belief to her, she realized. In spite of everything else that had happened, they were still soulmates – she could feel it more not that she had started to understand – and she still owed him at the very least all the honesty she could muster. "Only two?" Liane tried to chuckle, though to her, it still sounded sad. "Sure…."

Kratos sighed and leaned his elbows forward onto his knees, lacing his fingers together before him. "Martel… why did she do it?"

Liane's smile softened as she fidgeted with the binding of her quilt. She could answer him… she remembered Martel's answer to that question clearly. "Because you were her friend," she replied. "Because… you needed someone to believe in and care about you." Her cheeks warmed slightly, but there was no part of it that wasn't true. Even after everything she saw and experienced over the journey… she had believed in him and cared about him… it had been easy.

"Hm," the auburn-haired man murmured and fell silent again. He seemed to be digesting her reply even as he turned to face her, his one visible eyebrow arching slightly. "My next question… is why are you still here?"

She had expected something at least related to the first question… and Liane was immediately caught in the mental spin of that mistake. "I…" she choked, trying to answer before she truly had one. "Lloyd asked me to stay… to help my family… and Iselia." He kept his eyebrow arched… and she swallowed hard. "And… when you decided to stay… I guess… it seemed like something I could do for Anna, too. That she wouldn't want you to be alone… if the world was going to end." The swordswoman looked over to him, but fought the urge to reach out for his hand – as if the contact might make everything _too _real. "Kratos… she _chose_ this. She chose to stay a part of this world, even though she knew she _couldn't _be the same. Martel promised that she would see both you and Lloyd again… that's why she said 'yes.' And because she said that, I got to live." Liane twisted her fingers together again, even though it was getting painful to do so. "I… owe her."

Kratos remained still, never looking away from her. "But what do _you_ want?"

Liane considered the question as she carefully separated her thoughts from those that felt as if they should be Anna's. It was uncomfortable… it was like admitting someone else had control. The dark-haired young woman huffed and pulled her knees up into a hug absently. _I don't want Kratos to be alone… _I_ don't want to be alone._ She forced her thoughts to conform to her challenge – to _his_ challenge. _I don't want to lose my friends or my family._ Liane swallowed hard as the silent declarations gathered their strength. _I don't want to just let whatever is coming happen. I want a part in it. I want –_

"Liane?" Kratos prodded gently into the silence.

She blinked, jolted by even the soft call of her name. But it was all she needed – a nudge into clarity. "I want to fight," Liane answered, completing her thought aloud and almost surprised herself by how easily the words slipped from her lips. She met his gaze steadily. "I want to fight."

Liane thought she saw him smile at her response, but before she could be sure, he stood in one smooth flow of silent motion… one that blurred in a wave of pale light that left her momentarily blinded. But when the flecks of light began to fade from her vision, her eyes widened. Kratos stood before her, his hand outstretched to her. Kratos – as she remembered him from the day they met at the Temple of Martel – in his indigo uniform… the sharp tips of his cape floating on the night breeze behind him. She felt like an idiot as she stared first at him and then at his hand. But he didn't miss what he was offering. "Kratos, your wounds…" she murmured, shaking her head a little as she tried not to jump at the possibility – not after admitting what she wanted. What _she_ wanted… for her own reasons.

"I've lived through worse," the swordsman replied with just a hint of amusement behind the words as he kept his hand outstretched to her. "But I haven't come this far to be a spectator. Neither have you."

The swordswoman's frown deepened, and her hands curled into anxious fists. She _wanted_ to take his hand… almost every fiber of her being begged her to do so. _I talked to my parents and to Colette's family… and the others that came on their own… so I've kept my word to Lloyd. He wanted me to stay to let people know what's happening. I've done that. He didn't say I couldn't follow…._ To try to follow alone was suicide… but if Kratos was going…. Liane bit the edge of her lip and freed a hand from the confines of her quilt to place it in his. He closed his hand around hers and pulled her to her feet, but she couldn't banish her frown… not entirely. "But… the others are already on their way… if they're not already there," she stated, looking up into the auburn-haired man's shadowed eyes. "We don't have the Eternal Sword –"

A faint chuckle rumbled in Kratos' throat as he released her hand and moved his to a small jewel set in the design of his cape at his collarbone. "These teleporters are powered by the Eternal Sword. The sword exists, and regardless of its master, the items – or effects – tied to it exist as well… until they are stopped or destroyed. I can get us to Derris-Kharlan." He nodded to her house in the night shadows of the forest behind them. "Go get your things."

Liane knew that there had to be a million reasons why she should object… but she couldn't – or maybe wouldn't? – find one bold enough to voice. _I want to go… I have to go. _He was offering her one last chance… she could see that. If she refused, she would truly be done with her journey… and she might never know what truly happened to her friends.

_Oh, that's a cheerful thought,_ she chided herself as she nodded and turned back to her home. _I'm not going just to watch them die… or to die myself._ Liane forced her fear into coherent thoughts, dragging them from the shadows of her mind to confront them. _I'll help them. I'll help them free Colette… I'll help them stop Mithos. Then we can all go home._

She decided it was a simple enough goal as she slipped back into her home and headed up to her room as quietly as she could manage. The stream of visitors to the Dale household that evening had made unpacking the least of her worries at the time, but she found herself grateful to them when she realized how easy it made her packing. It was only a matter of changing into a comfortable tunic, vest, and breeches before she scribbled a quick note in the dark to her parents and tied her pack down after sparing only a moment to regret that she hadn't bothered to restock her gels. Tugging her boots on, the guilt of slipping away from her home in the night was already eating at her, but the swordswoman knew that she could only hope that they would forgive her when she returned.

_When. Not if._

Liane pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she descended the steps, trying not to think about how the knowledge she brought to her parents would probably only make them worry more. _But if I don't go…_. She refused to give in to the guilt. The decision to follow the others was hers… it was what she had to do.

"… _those of us who care for you… will understand."_

_I hope so. Because I just can't worry about it now._

At the bottom of the steps, the swordswoman stopped in mid-step with a groan and an overwhelming urge to slap herself in the forehead.

_My sword…._

She could see it in her mind's eye… snug in its scabbard and leaning in the corner of Dirk's humble kitchen… right where she had left it. Liane had planned to go back for it the next day when she went to check on Kratos… and there, in the dark kitchen of her parents' home, she couldn't help but silently snarl at her own shortsightedness. _It's not like I can go into this with just magic… I'd be next to useless._

The realization did, however, make it at least a little easier to slip out of the house and back to the street where Kratos still waited for her, his arms crossed over his chest. Liane tried not to groan as she approached him, attempting to keep her grumbling to herself. "We have to go back to Dirk's," she exhaled and tried to meet his hidden gaze evenly. "My sword –"

The auburn-haired swordsman's hand moved in the shadows of his cape… and her explanation faltered as she realized that he had unbuckled a belt… and the scabbard attached to it… and held it out to her. "Dirk honed it for you. It should be ready."

For a moment, Liane could only take the sword into her own hands, gaping at it as a small smile curled her lips. "I take it Dirk knows I'm leaving?" she murmured, pulling the sword out just a little before tucking it away again and wrapping the belt around her waist.

"Dirk is… incredibly insightful," Kratos replied and offered her a small shrug before he patted the hilt of the sword at his own hip. "It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't know that we would be going even before the others left."

Liane had to laugh a little at that. "Sounds like Dirk," she smiled at the thought of the kindly dwarf. _He gave Kratos a sword, too…._ It was all completely believable of Dirk Irving… and as much as she knew she didn't have to check her blade's edge, she knew that the sword he had armed Kratos with would be a blade worthy of a master as well. "So… how do we do this?" she asked with a glance over her shoulder and one more silent apology to her parents sleeping within before she squared herself to Kratos and tried to tell herself that she was just a bit braver than she felt at the moment. "I still have my Wing Pack… so do we just fly back to Tethe'alla? Or do we head for Hima?"

The swordsman remained silent for a few moments and then took a step forward to place himself face to face with her. Liane _felt_ his gaze… and she was certain he was measuring her – one last challenge to her to follow through. She still couldn't see his eyes in the shadows… but she didn't allow herself the step backward that she wanted to take. "I want to go. I want to fight," she told him, answering what she was certain he was silently asking her. "I'm not changing my mind."

The soft puff of air that answered her declaration might have been a snort if it had been any louder – or it might have even been a chuckle. But Liane didn't have the time to reflect on it further before he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Her breath fled and any coherent thought that had been in her mind shattered. With that one arm, he kept her close and kept her from giving in to how her knees buckled a little. _Sweet… Goddess…._ The oath only started to form in her flustered mind before he moved his free hand to the small jewel on his cloak.

"We go to Derris-Kharlan."

The words were little more than a rumble in his chest – one that she heard as well as felt. An instant later, a curtain of iridescent light wrapped around them both. Liane sucked in a quick breath and clamped her jaw shut as memories of the nausea-inducing warp pads danced through her thoughts, but before she fully realized that his arm tightened around her, the white light rippled away – only to be replaced by an ambient purple glow that washed over both of them.

"The Eternal Sword is still necessary to undo Mithos' damage," Kratos explained quietly as he released the dark-haired young woman and took a step back. "But I still have the right as a member of Cruxis to enter this place. Tethe'alla or Sylvarant's entrance… would be a waste of time at this point."

Liane absently nodded her acceptance of his explanation as she turned her back on him and moved to the edge of the marble pathway. Her gut twisted as she looked over and realized how very wrong she had been on her first visit to the Tower of Salvation. _I thought that was staring into the abyss… but this…._ The drifting purple mist spiraled to the deepest black she had ever seen… a color she could only describe as hopeless. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she carefully straightened and turned back to Kratos. "So… where are the others?"

Kratos didn't answer right away, but his gaze finally drifted to the path that sloped gently out of sight before them. "They still have a head start on us, but there's still only one path to Vinheim. From this point, we'll have to proceed behind them. We should catch up before long." He waited for a moment and then strode to face the swordswoman. "But we can't linger here – it's too dangerous."

Liane frowned. "Vinheim? But I thought Derris-Kharlan was…."

The auburn–haired man cut off her confused question as he reached out and swept her up into his arms as his wings exploded into life in a burst of light behind him.

"Kratos!" the young woman choked out as she found herself cradled against his chest – again. She still didn't like to think of the situations behind her other visits to that spot… especially her short stay at the human ranch – and usually did anything she could to distract herself out of the fear that the memory would light the fuse on Anna's memories. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

"It will be faster to fly if we wish to catch up to the others,' he stated, looking down to her and shifting his arms to accommodate for her pack. Then, the angel blinked, a flicker of realization glittering in his eyes. "Are you afraid?"

Liane's mouth fell open.

_Oh, so many ways to answer…._

"No," she shook her head, though she had to look away from the intensity of his gaze. "Not really. I've just… I've never…." The swordswoman huffed at her own fluster. "I… thought… you weren't an angel any more…." It was just one thought tumbling in her mind, but it was honest enough for the moment.

Kratos regarded her for a moment longer before his wings flared and spread wide to lift them from the marble beneath his feet. "Breaking Origin's seal should have drained me… it should have killed me," he stated as they swept over the twisting paths that turned and joined with others with practiced ease. "When Yuan gave me some of his mana, it gave me a point to start recovering from. But being an angel… the only thing that would change that really would be my death," he explained, keeping his eyes on the pale stone pathway. "You've never flown with me before," he quietly added. "I understand."

Liane felt a wave of heat in her cheeks as she kept looking down, catching occasional glances of nightmarish things skittering in the dark below them. "I… fell… with you," she mused, remembering what she had been sure was the plummet that would end everything for her and how her angel had finally come for her. "But flown… no."

The swept into a sharp bank to follow a spur of the path and Kratos tightened his grip on her. "Anna didn't like to fly," he stated, his voice barely audible over the wind.

It took the swordswoman a moment to realize that his comment didn't hurt or sting… that it didn't feel like a comparison. It felt more like reassurance… an offer of a reason if she was afraid. But she wasn't. Liane closed her eyes and hesitantly reached for the memories that hid behind a misty veil from her – something she had been scared to do, before… as if opening the door to the other woman's experienced would be something she couldn't undo.

She was met by a rush of adrenaline that quickened her pulse… a whisper of the feel of wind in her hair that overlapped what she truly was feeling… and a rope of stubbornness that took Liane a few moments to understand. _Oh… _she pulled back, silently talking herself out of the hint of a memory as she grounded herself in her own senses and sought her own breath… her own words. "No… she loved to fly," she stated softly, choosing her words carefully. "Anna… loved to fly with you… she just didn't want to see your wings. I think she always remembered the first time she saw them above everything else. They reminded her of when you took her from the ranch… so…" Liane shrugged and smiled weakly, though she couldn't look up to him. "So… she just wouldn't look."

Kratos looked down to his passenger. "You know that? You've… seen it?" he asked with a slightly strained whisper, though their speed never wavered.

"More like… I put it together," Liane shrugged and lifted her eyes away from the things slinking in the gloom below them. "Not much that I've… _seen_… has been very coherent. Some have been have been pretty clear… but the rest are just flashes. Sometimes… they feel like they fit together, though," she tried to explain even as she fidgeted with her hands, finding herself at a loss for what to do with them. "I think… she loved to fly with you… she just didn't like the reminder of the ranch… or…." She drew as long a breath as she could to find a way to frame what she wanted to say. "Or… of the time when she realized how deep the secrets you kept were."

The angel didn't respond right away, but the grip he kept on her tightened for just a moment. "She never said anything," he murmured quietly as they swept through the darkness.

Liane could feel that they were slowing and drifting closer to the stone path below. Fighting the urge to curl closer into him, she swallowed hard. Without a definitive vision, she couldn't be certain of her interpretation… but it simply felt like Anna's experiences with flying were locked down tightly… almost like a precious secret or a deepest fear. But she still felt like she understood… after all, Kratos had done nearly the same thing to her. The main difference was that Anna was already head-over-heels smitten with her mercenary… where Liane was still struggling with how to interpret what she felt for him when he had revealed his true nature.

_Hells, I'm still working on that…._

"I think… maybe… she didn't want to," the swordswoman finally shrugged. She looked up as Kratos shifted and lightly touched down to the ground, his eyes scanning the area before he let her down as well. "I think she probably just wanted to move on. The past can't be changed, so she probably tried not to think about it. That's… what I'd do. I think."

Kratos watched her for a moment, his eyebrow arching in interest. "So, you think she wanted to just forget it? Ignore it?" he asked, his tone oddly flat. "Is that what you've been trying to do?"

Liane didn't have to consider his question for long before she shook her head. "It's not a matter of forgetting. It's more… forgiving. Forgiving myself for not seeing it… for letting the truth blindside me… and forgiving you for deceiving us. The rest of it is a leap of faith that letting it go and forgiving is the right choice." Then she shrugged and pushed a loose curl back over her ear. "That's _my_ interpretation. _My_ experience." The dark-haired young woman glanced around as the silence started to become heavy. "Is that a warp pad?" she asked as her gut knotted slightly. "I thought you said we were going to fly?"

Her question seemed to snap him from his musing and Kratos gestured to the stone ring that churned with a pale light on the ground before them. "Derris Kharlan is unlike the physical world below. The way the mana shifts, the warp pads are the only way to be sure of your destination. We can fly between them, but…."

Liane held up her hand with a resolved sigh. "Just get on the warp pad, right?" she grumbled and took a step forward. "Come on… let's get it over with…."

The swordswoman found herself holding her breath when she materialized on another warp pad… on another platform. It did nothing helpful for her stomach, but the queasiness quickly faded as she looked around. The area seemed brighter in places – perhaps a little more light seeping from the purple fog than before. Bu tit only made the black that lingered in the fog that much darker… and it made the shadows that the purple haze cast behind the arching stone claws that encircled the platform that much more menacing. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as the warp pad whined to life behind her, but she didn't look back, not even when Kratos swept her back up into his arms. "And what are you talking about, Vinheim? I thought we were going to Derris-Kharlan? Isn't that where the others were going?"

"The Tower of Salvation acted as a conduit through what you see here… a short cut of sorts," he explained as they lifted from the ground again. "Derris-Kharlan is as much a place as Sylvarant or Tethe'alla, while specific places such as Welgaia or Vinheim exist within it… much like the cities and towns of the worlds below." The angel swept along the paths with assured speed. "Mithos wont' be here… the others will discover that. He will be in his seat of power… Vinheim. I'm sure of it."

It was good enough reasoning for Liane, so she remained quiet, noting how the liquid black shadows and figures beneath them fled the light of Kratos' wings. It wasn't really a thought any more to trust him… it simply _was_. But everything else felt like limbo… everything that she would have to decide later pressing against her will simply to keep it at bay until the time was right. When that time came, Liane knew she would need every truth and every fact she could scrounge… not only did she need to know about Anna's life, she needed to grasp her own as well. When a sudden turn flashed a glint of blue green light from her wrist, the swordswoman blinked… and the question solidified in her head. "Her bracelet… why did you give it to me?" she asked, the piece of delicately sculpted jewelry holding her attention. "Tell me about it?"

Kratos flew past another junction of paths, continuing their headlong rush into the dark. "I gave it to you… because I was sure of what I felt in you," he answered, though his voice sounded uncertain, as if he was forcing a thought into words. "I didn't understand… and I wasn't sure how dominant her presence was. And it was too late for me to change my path without further endangering all of you. So, I gave that to you. I hoped that… it was a bid for… it…."

It shocked Liane how he stumbled over his explanation even though those same fumbles answered her better than words could have. "It was a promise," she finished for him, their speed no longer an issue for her as the bracelet kept her attention. "That you were still fighting. That you hadn't forgotten," the swordswoman continued. "That was for me… if you weren't sure how much influence he had." She closed her eyes. "But the promise for her… when she wore it…."

"A token of our vows," Kratos completed the thought quietly and without looking down to her. "Shopping for traditional tokens was… difficult, at best. Gald was a secondary concern to being caught in a town as we were pursued, so, in Izoold, I gave her the bracelet. It was originally a gift from Martel… when she insisted that one day, I would meet someone." His breath shook with what might have been a chuckle. "She made it. Insisted that I had no taste and needed all the help I could get."

The delicate silver chain and scrolled metal suddenly felt so very heavy on Liane's wrist – not only for its true significance, but also for its origins. _I'm wearing something Martel herself made?_ Gradually, the rest of his explanation trickled over her surprise and she looked up to him. "Izoold… so… it _was_ a wedding," She had known it all along, if she was honest with herself… but the visions had been so new at that time… and few had taken her awake and washed her to a place and time so vivid.

He nodded, but his lips pressed into a thin line that looked satisfied – perhaps that she had picked up his hint and confirmed it. _Another test?_ she wondered and carefully absorbed the answer. "But… she wouldn't have removed it… how… did you have it?" Liane asked, curiosity overpowering sensitivity. Perhaps she could have found the answer if she truly sought it… but it simply _felt_ like a memory she didn't want to awaken.

Then, in the next instant, she would have given anything to take the question back.

_You don't want the memory, but you make him face it? Nice…_ she berated herself and quickly tried to ready an apology… until she heard his sigh over the rushing air. Liane looked up, unsure of what she would find in his expression… only to find a mask of calm. "Kratos, I'm –"

He shook his head, but didn't look down to her. "She lost it in the struggle when she was taken from us – the chain was broken," he told her oh-so-evenly. "I fixed it… kept it. But it was always hers… from the time Martel gave it to me."

And with that, the bracelet's weight doubled again. "Kratos…."

"Don't," he cut her off with a shake of his head as their flight began to slow. "It is safest with you. Perhaps more so now. What you do with it is up to you. But now that you know its story, I know it will always be where it is meant to be."

The faith he had in her threatened to press the air from her lungs, but even under that weight, she found a smile. It seemed to be something that he had genuinely come to terms with, and she would see to it that his faith was never misplaced. _I… I know where it should be… _she told herself as she tucked the bracelet back up under her sleeve and glanced back down to the ground that was slowly drifting closer. _Not now, but when the time is right… I know where it needs to be._ Though the thought and the explanation that would have to go with such a transfer tightened the nervous knot in her stomach, she knew that someday, she would have both the strength and the words for Anna's son.

_Just… not now._

Kratos tilted his head a little to glance down to her… almost as if he was measuring her for just a moment before he spoke again. "She was never fond of jewelry. She said it was a danger – that it could get caught on things… or a stray flicker of light could give your presence away," the angel ventured, almost as if he was simply musing on the memory. "She always wore clothes that covered her bracelet… and her crystal. But, once she had a crest for the crystal… I decided I would change that." He paused, and for a moment, it seemed like the words were becoming more difficult for him. "I had a friend make a locket for her. She hated necklaces above all other jewelry for bringing attention to her crystal… but I know she would have worn it. I meant it as a celebration of the crest, but she never got to see it." He sighed. "She would have laughed."

Liane's heart stumbled at the declaration and she looked up to him as he gently landed on another platform and lowered her to her feet. "A locket?" she repeated, her hand moving on its own to catch his forearm before he could pull away. "Did it… have a picture in it?" she asked, her mouth suddenly feeling as if it had been stuffed with cotton.

"Of Anna, Lloyd, and me," he answered and took a step away, examining the side of the platform that bore sweeping arcs of stone, almost as if they were framing something… something like the warp ring at the center. "That was why I knew she would wear it."

_A picture… of Anna?_ The knot in Liane's throat was almost painful as she watched him edge away from her. "Do you still have it? May I see it?" The questions were almost breathless as her curiosity got the better of her. She remembered a face in the mirror… but it had shaken her so much in the context of its vision that she hadn't taken –or wanted – the chance to truly see the woman…. But with Kratos' revelation, Liane knew it was the one thing that would bind all of the impossibilities. All the memories… all the visions… tied together with a single glimpse into the past.

Kratos paused and looked back over his shoulder to her, his visible eyebrow arched in question. "I gave it to Lloyd in Flanoir, "he answered with a puzzled note in his voice. "You… _want_ to see it?"

The nervousness that the request had stirred in her left in a rush, leaving a ripple of disappointment in its wake… and she turned so he wouldn't read it in her expression. "No," she answered, though she knew immediately that it was a lie. "I was just curious. I can ask him about it sometime," Liane shrugged, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt. She took a few steps back toward the stone path that led back into the darkness as she tried to lock the disappointment away. "Sorry, I was just –"

"Liane! _Stop_ -!"

The swordswoman jolted out of her thoughts at his call, but it was too late. A flash of green ripped a circle beneath her feet, and a high-pitched whine filled the air as the circle closed and began to grow up from the ground. Liane froze, staring at the green light of the cylinder that was climbing around her. _A… trap?_

Before the reality of the thought could truly hit her, Liane found herself tackled to the ground. "K-Kratos-!" she choked out as she identified the blur that barely cleared the wall of the trap and crashed down on her as panic added to the pressure on her chest. "What…?"

The swordsman's weight pinned her to the ground as the green light of the roaring walls of the trap laced the ground beneath her cheek with runes. _What's going on? What happened?_ Her mind screamed as she struggled for breath – and then….

Then there was nothing but the solid feel of Kratos against her. There was no light, no sound, no wind… nothing.

"Kratos…."

Liane heard a labored huff, and the weight she knew was his shifted away from her, allowing her lungs to inflate greedily again. She knew he was there in the dark beside her, his presence tickling her senses ever so slightly, but even though she was sure her eyes were open as she pushed herself up from the ground, she still saw nothing but black. "Kratos?" she reached out blindly and found his arm. "What happened?" Even though she kept her voice low, she still heard a hollow echo back from somewhere – maybe everywhere – around them. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure," Kratos answered without moving out from under her grasp. "That trap can send its victims to any number of places. It can only be disarmed with the Derris-Emblem, Dammit," his voice took on an edge of anger. "I didn't think to mention it to you… I wasn't paying attention. Forgive me…."

"I tripped a trap… and you're apologizing to me?" Liane asked with a weak laugh. "You threw yourself in after me… I think that puts the apology squarely back in my court," she huffed and turned to sit beside him, her side pressed to his in the dark. "So… what is it? Some kind of sensory deprivation room?"

Kratos snorted softly. "Hardly. What I know of the trap's destinations would make that a paradise. Be ready for anything." He fell silent for a few moments and then sighed again. "If the others came this way, they might have been caught as well… but Lloyd should be safe if he made the bond with the Eternal Sword. I just hope he figures out how to disarm the trap."

Liane tightened her jaw, fighting back the urge to take back her speech about apologizing. "You… really forgot?" she breathed out, trying not to lash out at him as the image of all of her friends choked in the grip of the trap flashed in her mind, her panic building again. "This wasn't something you could have warned them about?"

A shuffling in the gloom beside her told her that Kratos had climbed to his feet, but she could only hug her knees to her chest. _They would have sought the end of the path, they would have come the same way we did,_ she told herself as a chill washed over her. _Will Lloyd know what to do? Are the others here?_ The last thought pushed her to stand as well, but before she found her voice to call out into the darkness, she heard Kratos shift his weight.

"It has been many, many years since I had to go this way," the angel stated, his eyes starting out on her and then shifting to look past her shoulder. "My only excuse is that I wasn't thinking beyond arming… preparing Lloyd for the fight ahead." He sighed and turned his side to her as he continued to sweep the dark. "No matter what you and the others think of me… at my core, I am still just a man… and apparently as fallible as any other."

The dismal note in his tone immediately had Liane kicking herself. The wounds and the mana loss would have killed any other normal person, but she knew she was still being unreasonable in lashing out at him. _He should still be resting… but here he is… still trying to help me… to help us…._ "I… I'm just worried," she offered quietly, minding her tone and deciding to push past the topic. "So the others… if they got caught… they're here...?"

Kratos shook his head. "No. This is _our_ trap. The others will be elsewhere," he answered as he glanced back to her. "There is no one other than us here."

"That's what you'd like to believe, isn't it, Kratos?"

Liane almost missed how Kratos' breath hitched over the deafening stutter of her own heartbeat in her ears. The voice was soft… sad… and it reached out to them from the darkness before them…

… and on a level deeper than she had words for, Liane _knew_ the voice.

And then, the darkness lifted, receding like a veil as it brightened, but only enough to reveal shapes in the oppressive gray mist.

"No… no…." Liane shook her head, her denial slipping over her lips before it was even a consideration to stop them. She clapped a hand to her mouth – far too late – but the sights emerging from the shadows froze her to the bone.

A smooth metal table… metal-edged arm, leg, and neck straps hanging loose from the edges and swaying to an absent breeze… a small, too-subtle cart with an array of syringes… and the only color to the vision was the glowing sky-blue of the liquid within the syringes.

Liane's knees buckled and she clamped her eyes closed as she braced herself up on shaking hands. _Wake up… wake up… wake up…._ "Wake up… wake up…." The chant bled over from her own silent demand. The pressure in her chest wouldn't fade… it simply squeezed harder. "Oh… Goddess…" she choked out. She knew where they were – no matter how impossible – and the nightmare refused to release her.

_Asgard… Human Ranch. Oh, Sweet Martel, no…._

"Liane… Kratos knelt beside her, his wary gaze slipping down to the swordswoman after sweeping the misty vision before them one more time. "Get up… don't let the trap have this power over you," he urged as his hand closed over her upper arm.

The dark-haired young woman heard the subtle shake in his voice… and found just a spark of relief in the thought that maybe it wasn't all in her head. She caught her breath and struggled with her legs to do as he asked, but the quivering muscles refused her. It was too much… it felt too real… and the voice…. _Goddess, the voice…._ Had he heard it, too?

"Stand up, Kratos," the voice pled again with a bizarre mixture of misery and exasperation. "Surely you can't believe her act. You _know_ she's never experienced such a place."

Liane winced as the voice sounded again, something in her chest twisting to the point she thought it might tear loose… and it only got worse when she felt the swordsman's grip vanish. Sucking in a ragged breath, she steeled herself against the vision that had somehow become real and lifted her eyes. She simply meant to look up to Kratos… to ask for help to find her own footing. But then she saw the mist at the end of the metal table thicken… shift… darken… lighten… twist… sharpen… soften… and take the form of a woman with long, straight brown hair… her lean form wrapped in a white robe where she sat on the foot of the table. Her hands were clasped in her lap, her large brown eyes – so full of sorrow – fixed squarely on Kratos.

"Anna…" Kratos breathed out, the word carrying lifetimes of torment.

Liane didn't need the confirmation. She knew the woman from that first disembodied question from the dark. She knew her from her visions… from the glancing image in a mirror of a girl so very much in love. The woman that sat on the table was older… wearier… her hair longer. And then there was the pulsing blue stone set in the angered skin at the base of her throat. But before the ice could completely still Liane's blood, she saw the woman's eyes peering out from the shadows of her side-swept bangs… eyes that also belonged to Lloyd… eyes that carried infinite sadness instead of the thrill of anticipation of reuniting with her lost love.

No matter how she wished, Liane knew it was no mere vision… that it was real to both her and to Kratos. She ground her teeth and stood, her legs threatening to drop her back to the floor for her disobedience, but she still stood. _How…? Is she trapped? Like Alicia? _Her thoughts tumbled over each other as she tried to grasp the situation – to see how even Kratos still wasn't moving. _No… Anna isn't trapped, _she reminded herself as she wrapped her arms around her middle. _She's… here…._

"I should hate you, Kratos," the woman lamented with a slow shake of her head, though her eyes never left the angel. "Everything we planned… everything we hoped for and fought for. You threw it all away." She dipped her chin and lifted a pale hand to cover her eyes. "You killed me… and ran back to Mithos. Kratos…." Looking up again, she lowered her hand to reveal tear-streaked cheeks. "Kratos… how _could_ you?"

Kratos edged forward, leaving Liane behind him as he stared at his accuser. "I didn't have any other choice," he stated, his calm voice strained. "I lost you... you and Lloyd. You both became my reason for fighting. Without you –"

Liane forced herself to draw a deep breath… filling her constricted lungs with the sterile smells of the room that made her stomach flip angrily. As wrong as everything about what was happening before her felt, it was still overwhelming… and Kratos was losing himself to it.

"_This is _our _trap…."_

As the swordswoman forced her feet to start forward, she wondered if even Kratos had understood the depth of his own exploration. _Yggdrasill tailored this for Kratos,_ she told herself as she braced against the foggy sight of the room and the woman that sat patiently before them. _Damn him,_ she cursed and reached out for Kratos' shoulder, all the while never allowing her eyes to stray from the apparition before them. "You're not Anna," she stated, voicing her accusation directly at the woman. "You _can't _be." Liane felt Kratos tense under her hand and she stepped to his side. "Kratos –"

"No. You're the one who can't be Anna," the woman on the table spoke, her voice taking on an indignant edge as she seemed to notice Liane's presence for the first time. "You're the pretender… the echo. I am bound here… because thanks to you, I was forgotten by the world… by my own husband and son…."

Liane's hand slowly slipped from Kratos' shoulder. They were the words her own psyche had whispered to her since she started to understand the truth behind her life – and hearing them spoken aloud was like a physical blow.

"You were _never_ forgotten."

Her retort held an almost dangerous edge that Liane barely heard over her own heartbeat. She managed a short glance to the unreadable expression that the swordsman wore for the woman before movement once again drew her attention.

Anna gracefully slid from the bed with only the sound of silk sliding over metal and approached Kratos slowly. The doe-eyed innocence that had been in her eyes when she first appeared was burning away into nothing short of a wrathful glare with every step. "Was I worth so little to you?" she asked, the question aimed at Kratos by her glare. "Was I so disposable that it was easy to kill me when I became too much of a burden? You had to have known about the healing technique! You could have _found_ a way to save me… if you had wanted…."

The swordswoman's stomach twisted again. She had already had the discussion – or something too close to it – with Regal. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Stop it!" she demanded of the brow-haired woman as she reached out for Kratos one more time to pull him back. "Kratos, don't listen! I don't know how this is happening, but I know this is an illusion –"

"No, _you_ are the illusion," Anna cut off the swordswoman with a soft growl. "_You_ are _nothing…_ a sad being clinging to a life that wasn't yours to have… a _nobody."_ She stopped her advance, her arms settling at her sides as a smile stole across her lips. "You are the one that should have been forgotten."

Liane froze as the venom in the other woman's accusation began to sink in. She felt Kratos draw another slow breath, but she couldn't move… couldn't bring herself to drop her hand from his shoulder. It was as if he was a lifeline… her only lifeline. _Forgotten… to fade away…._

"An illusion… pulled from our own minds," Kratos murmured, keeping his gaze fixed on the form of his lost wife.

Anna continued to advance, her bare feet peeking out beneath her rippling robe as she moved, this time, to face Liane. "What gives you the right to live?" she asked, a desperate sadness lacing through her tone. "We both should have died that day. Yet here you are… living alongside _my_ husband and son while I'm nothing more than a name carved into a stone?"

It didn't matter that Liane knew the woman before her was an illusion – she asked the same question that Liane herself had been asking with no one to give her an answer. _Does that mean… I have _no_ right…?_ It was so easy to believe when she knew of no reason other than the whim of a Goddess that she was even alive after the fates that had befallen both Liane and Anna before she had awakened.

"Give up," Anna crooned in a reassuring tone as her expression softened with sympathy. "Go back into the darkness… give me back my life. You know it's the right thing to do. You were so close to letting go before… but I was the one that had everything to live for. _My_ family… they still need me. Even you can see that…."

Liane felt cold… so very cold. It horrified her that she could understand what Anna was asking… and more that she was even considering the truth in her words. Her mouth dry, she could only stare back into the pleading chocolate-brown eyes… eyes she was so used to seeing set in Lloyd's expression… and that only fueled her guilt more. Finally tearing her gaze away, she looked to Kratos in desperation… only to find his head tipped down… his hair an unbreachable veil… his shoulders slumped. She tried to swallow the impossible lump in her throat as she just couldn't look back to Anna's expectant gaze.

_Is… that the only way things can be put right? Give Anna back her life… give her back to Kratos and Lloyd…?

* * *

_

Kratos couldn't look up, and it made him curse himself that much more.

She was right there… at his side… and every fiber of his being screamed for him to just reach out and touch her… prove to his damned voice of reason that she was back… that his sacrifices hadn't been in vain.

He couldn't… he simply couldn't.

Seeing her again… wrapped in an ethereal white robe… it brought everything back. How precious she was… how strong, yet how fragile his Anna was. The girl that had probably only meant to steal a kiss and ended up stealing his heart… something he had thought to be long withered and dead.

He hadn't known either definition until he had drawn his blade on her.

But even as he heard the things the beautiful creature was speaking with her mournful voice – her tearful words for him… her guilt-laden ones for Liane – his voice of reason snarled at his control.

Had he forgotten? No. Never. Even if another hundred – or even a million – lifetimes came his way, he would _never _forget. Kratos would never forget her smile… the touch of her hand… or the fact that he had been the one to take those very things from the world in a chain of events that only ended with her death. He had been the one to start that chain the day they met.

_But… she's right there…_.

Kratos couldn't look… and a jab of annoyance raced up his spine. Oh, he wanted to believe… he _ached_ to believe that, after everything he had done, redemption was right there… the promise of his world at last set right for the small price of just reaching out and proving to himself that Anna was real.

_I can't._

It was too neat… too simple. The price had to be so much larger.

And then there were her words.

It wasn't just her voice. Her voice was perfect… that of a true angel. It was what that voice said… all of the guilt in the plea for Liane to surrender.

He tightened his fist. It was a sickening game that used their own doubts against them… a parasitic draw from the darkest corners of their minds… and Anna embodied those fears and doubts for both of them. Kratos knew he should be stronger… he hadn't heard Liane respond in a while… and he knew he should stand up for her… but Anna was his weakness, too….

"Kratos, come back to my side," another voice… that of a child on the verge of manhood… slipped through the room like the wind. "Stand with me again… like you always have before. As a reward… I'll give your Anna this vessel…."

Though it was the presence Kratos had been expecting since diving into the trap, it was enough to finally make him look up… and a ripple of anger licked over his nerves. A few steps behind Anna stood Mithos Yggdrasill… the boy revered as a hero by the modern world… the boy that was lost to madness even as tales of his heroics left out that fact. _It's part of the trap… it's part of the test,_ he told himself and clenched his hand around the handle of his sword. "I won't stand with you again. Ever," he stated, though the boy's wide blue-green eyes ate at his resolve. "And you couldn't give Anna back to me. That's not a gift you can give."

_Martel help me… I almost wish it was._

As if sensing his unspoken prayer, Kratos felt the hand on his shoulder tighten. He looked back over his shoulder to find that Liane wasn't watching him at all… her eyes were set on Anna… and her expression could only be described as lost. It took him a moment to process the depth of the look… and to begin to understand what had to be a surreal situation for Liane.

_She's never been face-to-face with Anna before…._

By all rights, they should have been strangers with no reason to be anything more. But Liane had more than reason… she had experienced parts of Anna's life… and he knew that some of those experiences were vivid enough to eclipse her own. Kratos moved over a step, effectively placing himself between Liane and Anna and braced what little was left of his heart as he hardened his glare on the apparition of his wife as well as that of his old friend. "Liane will be no one's vessel," he stated, his voice low with challenge. "Her life is her own… to do with as she chooses… just as mine is my own." His eyes flashed away from the hurt in Anna's gaze to meet the cold amusement that danced in Mithos' eyes. "I kept my eyes shut for far too long, but I will do so no longer."

Kratos heard a gentle gasp from behind him, but he didn't turn. Liane would need what time he could give her to gather herself… but beyond that, even he wasn't sure how long his own resolve would hold out – considering that he faced the embodiments of two of his life's greatest losses.

Anna moved first, such sadness building in her eyes as she reached to cup his cheek that it made his knees threaten to buckle. "You turned a blind eye to what Mithos did before. All you have to do is turn away once more time," she urged in a quiet plea. "Then the world will be saved. Mithos will save it."

Her hand was warm! The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning… and before he realized it, he was leaning into that warmth.

_It's not right… it's not… but… Sweet Martel… it feels so familiar…._

"Take your place at my side, Kratos," Mithos spoke with just enough childish need that his voice matched his appearance. "I've forgiven you once… I can do it again…."

"Kratos. Please don't…."

The auburn-haired angel's eyes snapped open at the quiet whisper from behind him… the presence that all the reminders of his mistakes had almost erased from him for a few moments. Such a simple request… three words that were still shaky, but they were enough to remind him to lift his head. _No more excuses…._ He drew a deep breath and pulled his shoulders back.

"I am ashamed for giving up and running away," Kratos stated, using every bit of his crumbling control to keep his voice steady. "I convinced myself that there was nothing I could do."

Mithos' expression twisted with a cruel laugh. "There is nothing you can do! How do you plan to stand against me? You couldn't do it in the past… and you won't ever be able to do it in the future. Give up, Kratos…you were never that strong."

Anna took a step back, her hands clasped before her once again. "We could be together again, Kratos," she whispered. "Mithos can make it happen… I can be real again… I can be at your side… in your arms. All I need… is her body," she nodded over his shoulder. "Mithos can do it… he _would_ do it… for you." Then, she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes never straying from his. "Please. We deserved so much more than this. After everything… don't we at least deserve another chance?"

Kratos opened his mouth to reply, but no sound would form… but an instant later, he realized how glad he was for that fact. The plea in her voice had left him ready to accept anything… had given him visions of life beside his wife again. He had sacrificed enough… did his life truly have to be just one pain after another?

The angel closed his eyes… closed his mouth.

_After all I've seen… wouldn't it be… possible?

* * *

_

Liane felt the silence more than hearing it. Kratos hadn't answered… but that only told her that she knew what his answer was.

Worse, she didn't blame him.

_For that one person… that one great love… are there really any limits to what a person should be willing to do?_

Kratos was dear to her… she couldn't deny that. Liane also knew that her very existence was an anomaly. If her sacrifice would right some cosmic wrong… what right did she have to cling to the world?

She closed her eyes and realized that Anna and Mithos were awaiting Kratos' answer… but… slowly… slowly… she realized that his answer meant nothing. Liane dipped her chin… and a hint of a smile curled her lips. Their tormentors had already proven themselves illusions… that they knew nothing of what was going on in Kratos' mind or in hers.

"You can't give Anna back," the swordswoman murmured quietly as she lifted her eyes first to Mithos and then to Anna. "Her body is gone… her energies live on in Lloyd's Exsphere… her spirit has… passed on." Anger flashed in the boy's eyes, but Liane pressed on, even taking a step forward to stand at Kratos' side. "Anna isn't yours to give back."

Mithos advanced, his fists tightening at his sides as he smiled menacingly. "You would _dare_ tell me what is mine? The world is what I _say_ it is. It only exists because of me!"

Liane felt her skin prickle at the anger behind his words, but she still shook her head. "It exists as it is because of you… but it will go on after you… after any of us." Her confidence built with every word… and she could only hope she was doing the right thing. "Your power is transient at best… and limited. Even you can't bring back something – or _someone _– lost to the past. They would only be hollow imitations… and even you know that."

"Bringing Martel back in Colette's body… or Mom in Liane's… won't work. Ever. They'll never be the same."

The voice came from behind them, and though Liane knew who it was beyond a doubt, she still turned. _Lloyd?_

The crimson-clad teen moved slowly from the shadows behind Kratos and Liane, the darkness serving to etch the scowl on his face. His footsteps echoed hollowly in the dimly lit room until he stood between his friends. The swordswoman couldn't help but watch her friend's expression, taking in every flicker of his eyes as he studied the image of his mother. Every instant of hesitation nibbled at the confidence she had managed to cobble together.

_Anna is his mother… how could he not want her back…?_

"The past is over," Lloyd stated, though the irritation that had been in his voice before was gone, leaving a lingering hint of apology in his tone. "People are lost… people that can never be replaced," he stated, his brown eyes set on Anna for the space of a few heartbeats before they shifted to Mithos and hardened on him. "The best we can do is carry on for them… with the memories they gave us… and make them proud that way. You really think your sister would want people to die so she could live again? I know Mom wouldn't…."

Liane's eyes slipped closed, her thoughts whisking back to the memory of a choice. _Anna knew she wouldn't be coming back,_ she told herself, fitting the woman's decision to live through Liane to Lloyd's words. She came back so Liane could live… with no conditions made for her own continued existence. _She knew everything would be different. Yet she still chose to stay._

Mithos' expression twisted with rage as Lloyd's words faded. "Who do you think you are to lecture me? I am the savior of this world because I'm the only one that can see its disease! My sister didn't deserve to die! She should be here now!" He clenched his fists and shook his head with a low laugh. "Your idealism is so misplaced, it's pathetic…."

"Did I deserve to die, my son?" Anna asked, her voice shaking as she reached an elegant hand out to touch Lloyd's cheek. "Mithos can set the circumstances right… he can bring me back… all you have to do is stop fighting him… and we can finally be a family again."

Anna was answered by the snap of flesh on flesh as Kratos' hand flashed out to slap her hand away from Lloyd. All eyes fell on him, but his own were downcast. "I was the one that stopped fighting," he stated, his voice low. "Lloyd is not like me. Lloyd as perspective that I don't… one that I never had." He looked up… and the steel in his gaze betrayed no uncertainty. "We can't go back. We can only go forward."

And he drew his sword.

Anna gasped and staggered back a step, her eyes wide with fear. "You would strike me down again?" she whimpered, nearly stumbling over Mithos in her haste to back away.

"There is no 'again,'" Liane answered in Kratos' place and drew her own sword, calm returning to her once again after hearing from both Lloyd and Kratos. Neither of them was willing to offer her for the chance of Anna's return to the world of the living. And while only one of them actually knew of her tie to Anna, their answers had been the same. "You're not Anna. You're a pale imitation of her. A tool."

Lloyd's form straightened and he drew both of his own blades as he squared himself to Mithos. "Stop messing with the memory of my Mom!" he demanded, his jaw clenched. "Let her rest in peace… she knows we never forgot her!"

At first, Mithos didn't respond. Then, as the form of the brown-haired woman in white melted into shadow, his smile widened. "Forgive and forget… you all make me sick," the blonde boy sneered. "This world is built on the wrongs of past… wrongs that must be set right… _avenged_… before there can ever be a future!" He threw back his head with the grating laugh of a madman as he, too started to fade from sight. "You're all pathetic. I tried to help you… but you're not worth it. Die along with this filthy world and your bleeding heart ideals."

His laugh lingered long after his image, sending chills down Liane's spine. As she looked around, the room was dark and empty, the images of the lab gone. Being face to face with Anna had shaken her deeply, but on some tiny level that was barely a spark in her consciousness… she was glad for it. _I can still fight for the world Anna wanted... but I will be the one to live in it._

"Are you guys okay?" Lloyd finally asked, breaking the silence as he looked from Kratos to Liane. "What are you doing here? I thought you were both staying in Iselia…." Then his voice trailed off, a glint of confusion in his eyes catching the room's sparse light. "Um… you guys… you're real… right?"

Kratos sheathed his sword with a sigh as Liane laughed and reached out to pull her friend into a quick hug. She knew the encounter would haunt her… but that would be for later. For the moment, she felt more accepted than she had since her visions had gained the strength to make her question her own place in the world. "We're real," she answered as she stepped back and tilted her head to the young swordsman. "Iselia's been warned and Kratos is apparently a very bad patient." Liane smirked a little when she heard a small huff and the shuffle of the angel's boots beside them. "We couldn't let you have all the fun."

Lloyd rolled his eyes and laughed weakly as he ran a hand back through his bangs. "I don't think anyone would call it fun. After I got Colette back, I had to go get everyone else out of their traps. I just happened to hear you guys when I was taking Regal and Presea back to the others…." He leaned to see around Liane as his voice faded into curiosity. "What's that, Kratos?"

Liane turned partially to see Kratos as well, but she barely contained a shiver. _If the traps were just for us, then I know what – who – they saw._ Doing her best to swallow the knot in her throat for the moment, Liane focused on the item that Kratos carried in the palm of his hand as he walked back to them. It was a small, five-petaled flower that shone equally of silver and gold by the dim light of the room. "Where was that…?" she asked, staring down at the flower when the swordsman stopped at her side.

"Where she stepped down from the table… on the ground," Kratos answered quietly, shifting to hold the flower by its delicate stem.

"Maybe it's a symbol of the past," Lloyd offered and took a step back, sweeping his eyes over the dark around them. "You know, something that's only there for a short time… but it kind of last forever as long as you remember it?"

Liane heard the unease in her friend's voice, but she couldn't look away from the flower. Its color and sheen were unnatural, but it was so easy to set it to Lloyd's explanation. "That's the only way something – or someone – can truly live as they were after they're gone…. In the memories of others," she whispered and closed her eyes. _I'm sorry, Anna,_ she spoke silently._ I wish there was another way…._

Then she felt the gentle touch to her hand, guiding it to turn… and as she opened her eyes, Kratos placed the flower in her hand. "What…?"

"You've seen her now," the angel stated and withdrew her hand. "Though it wasn't her… maybe you can put that with what you know of her… and you can have your own memories of her."

Feeling tears begin to burn at her eyes, words absolutely failed her. She could only nod as she shifted her pack, digging into its loosened flap to find her book to carefully place the flower between two clean pages at the end. _I will. I will remember…._

"Ah, guys… I'd love to find out what happened… why Mom was here… but…" Lloyd spoke up and shifted a step back, his grip on the handles of his blades creaking slightly. "When the others –"

"The past is forever present but always intangible…."

The low voice seemed to ooze from the dark around them, cutting Lloyd off from the point he was getting ready to make. "Aw, man…" the young swordsman groaned and drew his blades. "Get ready…."

The voice sent yet another shiver down Liane's spine, but she did what she was told, shifting her pack to the ground and drawing her own sword. The voice didn't belong to Anna or Mithos – it was a deep baritone that seemed to rattle the very air around them. _What now…?_

"Will you see the things that I can no longer be changed and accept them forever into your hearts?" the voice demanded without emotion from the dark.

Lloyd glanced to each of his friends, and then he moved to stand ahead of them, his chin lifted defiantly as he answered for all three of them. "Yes."

Kratos drew his sword and eased his weight into a wide stance as Lloyd and Liane both moved to his side. "Our trial isn't over yet…."

"Then feel the weight of the Forgotten."

The declaration set the shadows of the room into motion… first almost like the sway of ocean waves and then as a swirl that drew in the darkness. The room around them began to lighten as the vortex drew in the black and reformed it, resolving it into an object that hovered in the air before them. Liane's eyes widened at the thing she could only liken to an overgrown dragonfly with broken wings. There was nothing natural about the object, though… its skin was plates of steel blue metal that glinted in the pale light while its wings swept toward the ground with the same metallic sheen along their razor-sharp edges. The room was eerily silent as the thing seemed to silently challenge them, its simple presence pointedly glaring at them from the green glowing orb set in its body that could have been an eye as easily as a head. _That thing is the Forgotten…?_ "Funny thing is how you sound like you think it'll ever be over, she sighed and cast a weary glance to the angel that launched himself into motion just as her gaze touched him.

Kratos' only answer came in the form of a slightly disgruntled huff as he broke from their small formation and charged at their metallic foe, his sword tucked back to his sides as waves of green collected and folded back over their silver blade. "Hurricane Thrust!" he called as he braced a boot and slid to a stop before the thing, the green waves rebounding and blasting out at it.

The construct rocked back under the force of the wind, almost completely tumbling over backwards before it suddenly – and almost violently – righted itself. Its winds bit at the air as it snapped upright again… just in time for Lloyd to leap up into the air directly in front of it, both of his blades carving into the green orb on the arch of their upward swing. "Tiger Blade!" the teen swordsman called as his blades changed directions and struck the metallic beast again, his boot bracing on the metal just below the green orb as he turned his fall into a back flip and leapt away.

Liane's sword tip was already on its way to the ground when Lloyd's feet touched back down. It felt strange that the armored thing hadn't attacked… as if perhaps it was measuring them as much as they were measuring it. But the fight oddly didn't worry her. _Maybe it's just the contrast to facing down Anna,_ she reasoned as she finished the first sweeping arc of her blade and released it to start its partner arc. _Or maybe… it's because they both stood by me…_. "Double Demon Fang!" The swordswoman watched as both arcs struck, the first sending the thing swaying to one side and the second _almost_ righting it again. _Lloyd and Kratos… they both saw her… they both turned down Mithos' offer – _

The dark-haired young woman's reflection was cut off abruptly as the Forgotten was suddenly before her – so close she could lift her hand to touch it. It moved so fast that she hadn't realized it had even started to move… and before her mind could truly grasp that it had, a blast of dizzying white light bloomed and exploded before her.

She heard a scream as she felt the ground disappear from beneath her feet… and the world went black around her….

"Liane! _Dammit,_ Liane, wake up!"

Liane heard the angry words that still somehow sounded more concerned than mad… and recognized Kratos' voice as her mind and senses slowly checked back in from the fog.

"Ow… stop yelling," she groaned as her eyes slid open and tried to focus. _The scream… that was me…_ Liane realized numbly as she tried to piece the blank spot in her memory back together so she could catch up. _That thing… blew up… and…._ She saw Lloyd standing a few steps ahead… his green Guardian in place as he glanced over his shoulder to her. _And Kratos…._ Liane blinked again to comprehend that the angel was so close… hovering beside her and almost over her… even as she began to realize that it was his arm around the middle of her back that kept her up off the ground. "That… hurt…" she grumbled and started to pull her legs up under her.

"Lloyd, go… we don't have time for this," Kratos rasped and followed Liane up to her feet, steadying her as she found her balance.

The brown-haired boy nodded and scissored his swords through the air to dismiss his shield. "Right," he nodded, stomped forward and jerked his swords up with the first step, unleashing a pair of mana fangs as he shifted his weight and swords for another step and another upsweep. "Demonic…" he ground out and took another step forward before twisting his blades for one more large overswing of a slice to release a twin pair of waved double the size of their forerunners. "… Chaos!"

Liane watched the thing teeter under the onslaught of Lloyd's attack and gripped her own sword tighter. The dizziness was still there from her blackout, but she knew it could be worse. She could only guess Kratos had caught her before she could fall, as her only true pain was a screaming headache that didn't carry the specific pain of bruising with it. "Go all out, right?" she asked with a sideways glance to Kratos, who remained close at her side. "Okay. Got it," she nodded and shoved the headache, shifting her sword to both hands as she approached the lethal looking dragonfly and lifted the sword high up over her head, feeding it as much mana as she could. "Beast!" She slammed her sword down, encased in its aura of mana as the howling blast tore out at the hovering thing and pushed it back almost to the limits of the vaguely illuminated area. Her shoulders heaved for a moment before she stood and pushed her ponytail back over her shoulder, satisfied but still cursing herself for her distraction. _Think about it later… this doesn't have to take long… we can finish this,_ she coached herself even as she felt a tickle of energy in the air dance over her skin and she turned to find Kratos charging after their mechanical foe. _Wow…._

The auburn-haired swordsman dashed forward, the hilt of his blade once again tucked close to his body. But that was where the comparison stopped. This time, his sword was wrapped in wave after wave of crackling lightning that cast harsh shadows over his profile that made him look nearly demonic. When he approached the hovering thing, though, he didn't slow, he merely extended his arm to thrust his sword inside, releasing the built up lightning as the sword pierced the armor. "Super Lightning Blade!" the swordsman called, thought the name was almost lost to the chaotic fall of lightning and thunder that crashed down at the same time as his strike, dropping their foe to the ground with a scream of tearing metal.

Lloyd let out a cheering whoop as the bug-like construct struggled on the ground, a shower of sparks still spraying from the gouge Kratos' sword left behind. "Okay, I gotta learn that next!" the young swordsman laughed out even as his father cast an arm out in his direction.

"Back off," Kratos barked out as their adversary began to rock on the ground and slowly – _slowly_ – lifted back up into the air. "It's not done yet."

As the thing rose, its gray-blue armor plates shook, the sound growing to a chattering roar by the time it reached its previous height. Then, for just a moment, it was still… silent… just before a deafening, shuddering quake shook the plates one more time… and a blinding blue glow exploded out from its insect-like form.

"Guardian!" the sword-bearers chorused as the spell built into wave after wave of sparkling mana water, each more vicious than the last as they crashed down over the three defensive barriers. _Tidal Wave…._ Liane thought numbly as she braced her sword over her head from her crouch, feeling every pulse of the waves that threatened to crush her under their weight. _Being thrown by a blast of light is one thing, but this thing can attack with water, too?_ It took a few more moments, but when she finally felt the spell begin to calm, she had the start of a theory. _It reacted to Kratos' lightning… I wonder…._

Liane stood before the attack was completely done, releasing her Guardian and bracing her sword up before her, her palm to the flat of her blade even as the mana-waters lapped at her shins. She turned the mana she had channeled into her defensive spell back into the air around her, constraining it to the series of purple-tinted runes she had first learned in Hima. It seemed like so long before – before their group had been shaken by betrayal and ugly truth… but before they had met new friends and realized how big their world truly was. It was a turning point and even though she had grown past the spell, it was a test she hoped would pay off without draining her completely.

"Try this! Lightning!"

The swordswoman pushed her sword up into the air with her command, shattering the rune bands that floated around her at the same time that an angry finger of lightning stabbed down on the hovering thing. The lightning seemed to collect and seethe around the wound Kratos' sword had left behind. She couldn't help but smile over her shoulder to Kratos. "I don't think it likes lightning much…."

"Maybe," Kratos answered under his breath as he shot past Liane. The construct wobbled in midair as if it was trying to recover from the second lightning attack, but it was well within reach of the angel as he turned his momentum into an upward spinning leap. "Victory Light Spear!" Kratos named his attack as his sword spiraled up into the air, each flash of silver leading a trail of silver-gold that connected noisily with the armor plates.

Once again, the bug-like thing teetered back as Kratos' attack batted it away and the angel dropped back to the ground. But long before it could come close to the ground, Lloyd intercepted it with a somersaulting leap of his own. He connected with a rain of sparks that trailed away as the young swordsman's trajectory changed and he drove the armored creation even higher into the air. "Omega Tempest!"

This time, the construct slammed into the ground hard enough that a few of its smaller plates flew off and skittered across the ground. A decidedly mechanical whirring noise complained of the damage as the Forgotten rolled over onto its side and slowly turned as if trying anything to right itself. When its cracked green orb faced Lloyd, the thing began to shake, and a shimmering green haze filtered through the air. A moment later, the haze began to twist, slowly only at first and quickly building into a towering funnel that centered on the crimson-clad teen.

"Wha…? Hey!" Lloyd screamed out in alarm as he was swept from his feet and sucked up into the growing vortex.

Kratos groaned and a moment later, his wings burst from his back. "Liane, watch yourself… but hit it hard," he directed, leaving no room or time for debate as he shot into the heart of the Cyclone and tackled the younger swordsman from its grasp in a blur of blue-green light that shone even brighter than the spell.

_Hit it hard…?_ Liane's eyes fell back to the mechanical monster in a glare as she watched it once again rise from the ground. _Sure… easy for the all-powerful angel to say_, she groused silently as she saw Kratos and Lloyd land safely on the other side of the dissipating column of air. But as she saw the elder swordsman's boots touch the ground, she saw him release Lloyd from under his arm and spin, his swords already in hand and glowing with a dark gold as he faced off against the construct. _He makes it look so easy… effortless,_ her mind whispered din a moment of envy. There was no doubt in her mind that Kratos and Lloyd were bearing the weight of their trial more than she was… and the realization stirred a stubborn fire inside her as her eyes flashed back to the armored foe. _The Forgotten, huh?_ she glared at the thing and swept her blade up before her. She trusted Lloyd and Kratos without doubt… and there was no point in holding back. _You won't forget this,_ she declared defiantly as she closed her eyes and drew on her lightning runes again… her mind already reaching to place the amplifiers into the pattern.

"Take this!" Kratos commanded as the Forgotten drifted closer, its path betraying tiny hesitations. "Grave!"

The ground beneath the winged construct immediately responded to the swordsman as jagged cuts of golden mana ripped over the ground and exploded into a spire of sharpened rock that jutted up into the thing's underbelly. Once again, a shower of sparks rewarded the angel's attack, but even as the summoned rock began to dissolve to release the thing, Lloyd took to the air once again. The teen's blades led the way, a burning blaze of mana cloaking him like backswept wings as he dove at the enemy before it could start to fall. "Rising Falcon!"

The brown-haired swordsman drove his blades deep into the green orb and planted his boots on its metallic scales as he rode the Forgotten to the ground, leaping off the instant before the collision smashed one of its wings completely from its body. Liane opened her eyes just in time to watch the impact, her pulse tripping as she saw her friend wait until the last possible instant to escape. _They're doing all they can…_ she told herself as a plume of black smoke burst from the orb… and she opened the last of her reserves to her spell. The purple rune sequence that spun around her flared angrily at the addition, but she barely noticed. _I have to do the same._ After one more quick check of the pattern, Liane swallowed hard, braced herself… and swung the tip of her sword out at the hobbled construct. "My turn! Thunder Blade!"

Her spell obeyed, taking all the mana she had forced into it and falling on the Forgotten in a brutal strike of a lightning sword that drove down through its target. But Liane felt her knees threaten to buckle even as she knew her attack had struck true. She braced herself for the black that swam at the edges of her vision to take her, set her jaw, and staggered a small step forward to hold tight to her balance. _No!_ she demanded of herself. _Not this time! This is your trial, too!_ While another spell like Thunder Blade was well out of reach, she clung to the strength she needed to finish the fight – she hoped. _I won't let the past win… I won't!_

The Forgotten's frame jerked violently even after the strike, its once-green orb now nearly black with char. Where the thing used to be silent, the sounds of gears could be heard over the crackling and hissing of its internal damage. But the broken whirring continued to grow louder – angrier – and the construct struggled to rise back into the air. It hovered slightly sideways… and it spun slowly as if surveying its prey. It jerked suddenly, dipping in the air as a shower of red sparks erupted from the top part of its body. But instead of falling, each spark began to multiply in mid-air… and those sparks actually began to rise in the air.

"This isn't good!" Lloyd called to Liane and to his father. "It's still attacking!"

Liane had hoped – apparently in vain – that she could end the fight, but she could easily see Lloyd was right from the blazing mass of fire that was growing over their heads. _Explosion?_ she cringed as she pushed her sword up over her head. It was another spell she had seen Genis use, and she knew she couldn't take even the fringe of such a strike in her state. "Guardian!"

The world erupted into a firestorm outside of the green reach of her shield, one that she could still feel the withering heat from in spite of the fact that she had the time to actually defend herself. Liane hadn't gotten the chance to see if Kratos and Lloyd had been granted similar chances, but she had to guess that if she had, they _definitely_ had as well. _If that thing can still attack like this in the shape it's in…._ Her eyes widened at the thought. _It was struggling, though. It has already taken massive damage… it _has_ to be close to finished…._ It had to be… because Liane knew that she was. Machines had limits, just like humans. But only humans had true will… and the ability to push past a breaking point if their will was strong enough.

_If I'm strong enough._

Liane tightened her jaw. She was exhausted… physically and mentally, but stopping wasn't an option. _I want to live. This is my fight, too._ The past didn't matter… who parts of her had been in that past didn't matter. She was the only one that could forge ahead, though. The Forgotten was her challenge, too… and the memories that triggered her trial might never go away… but she didn't really want them to. They were part of her… and wishing them away was as good as admitting defeat.

_No way._

Her focus came back to her as the fires began to recede, the last vermillion tongues lapping over her Guardian sphere as she finally saw two others like it through the haze of the wake of the fire. Reassured that her friends had been spared, Liane waited until the room finally began to darken again, and drew in a breath. _I can do this. I have to do this,_ she coached herself and dropped her shield. She immediately felt the loss of mana, but she was ready for it… and already gathering all she could still find to feed into her sword. She forced her feet into a run, though her balance was only a matter of luck. The Forgotten was right in front of her – just a few steps away – and it was hovering just barely off the floor. The ripples of mana that washed back over her blade were bigger than she had hoped, but the observation barely had time to form into a thought before it was time.

"Sonic Thrust!"

Liane jerked her sword back, releasing the shockwave of mana before her legs gave out and dropped her to her knees. But she never looked away from the strike, embracing a rush of satisfaction as she saw the construct reel and another burst of sparks erupt from inside. _That's it… that's all…._

"Lloyd! Follow me!" Kratos' voice rose through the room, his tone leaving no room for debate.

The swordswoman looked back over her shoulder, and her eyes widened. The angel stood at the heart of an angry flurry of purple rune bands… and Lloyd was already in a dead run at the Forgotten, both blades out in front of him.

"Thunder –"

Lloyd leapt up into the air, led by his swords… and he perfectly timed their collision with the falling stream of lightning, redirecting it into a downward slash that ripped into the construct. "… Tiger Blade!"

As the young swordsman hit the ground and rolled away, the Forgotten shook… and then broke into two along the cuts Lloyd's charged blades had made in its metal casing. It fell to the ground with a hiss of its frying circuitry and a muted explosion as its insides blew open, scattering wires and bits of metal in a rain around it. Lloyd climbed to his feet, looked over to his foe and breathed out with a tired chuckle as he sheathed his swords and started to dust off his sleeves. "That was _way_ too easy."

Liane gaped at her friend as she pushed herself up to sit back on her heels, though she still had to brace herself on her hands against the floor. "Your idea of 'easy' needs some work," she complained, though she couldn't help but laugh quietly and shake her head at the boy's bravado. She knew they had – and still could – face stronger foes. The Forgotten had simply come on the heels of a psychological fight as well. "But I guess as long as we won, it doesn't matter much."

Then, the sound of a breeze filled the area, but the air didn't stir as a wind would. Liane reached up to brush a thin tendril of hair from her eyes, but her gaze caught on the indigo-mitted hand that waited before her, an orange gel in its palm. She glanced up to offer Kratos a grateful nod, but before she could voice her thoughts, the voice from before drifted through the room, freezing her in mid-reach.

"You will forever walk with the past as your shadow," the voice started, drifting on the phantom wind. "Yet, even as it will always be present, it will never eclipse the light that is the possibility of the future."

Liane swallowed hard as her eyes locked with Kratos' patient gaze. _The past… shouldn't get in the way of the future_, her mind whispered to her and encouraged her hand to move again to take the gel. She found a weak smile for the angel. "Thanks," she murmured as he took a step back to place her pack at her side. The orange gel would be only the start of what she needed, but considering they hadn't had time to restock after Origin, it would be the best she could ask for the moment. _That wasn't Anna,_ she assured herself again as the tart flavor of the medicine burst on her tongue. _Anna would never say those things. To any of us._

"Man it was just luck I found you guys," Lloyd breathed out, glancing around the shadows one more time as he approached Liane and held his hand out to her. "Yggdrasill seemed to have something waiting for everyone," he shrugged, waiting for the swordswoman to reach for his help before pulling her to her feet. Then, he laughed a little. "Guess he didn't have anything to hold against you, Liane… no deep dark secrets or anything if all he could come up with was becoming a vessel." The teen gave her a weak smile and patted the back of her shoulder. "Like we'd let that happen to any of us after seeing what he tried to do to Colette…."

The dark-haired young woman blinked and her eyes flashed to Kratos. Anna was as much her trial as she was Kratos', but for different reasons. The angel met her gaze with an even expression. _He's leaving it up to me_, Liane realized, though she knew that it simply wasn't the time to explain her part in the twisted game Yggdrasill had pulled from their minds to torment them. _I can't even say how active a part he played in it. _Anna's words had come from her own fears… had played on them… but Mithos' talk of vessels didn't suggest that he knew of the link between her and Anna. With a deep exhale, Liane tried to shrug and turned back to Lloyd. "That was still enough of a threat, thanks. He didn't have to personalize it any more for me," he answered honestly, though she still felt Kratos' eyes on her. _It's not time,_ she told herself – and Kratos – silently… and she felt some small bit of tension slip from her shoulders. _Maybe someday… but not today._

"Lloyd, where are the others? It isn't wise to linger here any longer than necessary," Kratos commented as he crouched to lift Liane's pack from the floor and stood to hold it out to her.

Liane paused for a moment without allowing herself to look up to the angel before she shrugged under one of the straps and settled the pack over her shoulder. It didn't matter if he agreed with or disappeared with her decision not to tell Lloyd, though she couldn't tell which way he was leaning from his tone or his words. _I need to figure out what it means to me before I can explain it to Lloyd. Right now, I'm not ready for him to look at me differently._ "I won't complain," she sighed and shook her ponytail free of her pack. "Let's get out of here."

Lloyd nodded and pivoted on his heel, waving to Kratos and Liane over his shoulder. "They're all waiting this way," he told them. "Back on those weird pathways in Welgaia."

"We're in Welgaia?" Liane murmured with at frown. "The trap pulled us out of Derris-Kharlan and into Welgaia? But if the Tower's gone now… how are we going to get home?" They weren't stocked for any kind of trip that ended in confrontations. Rescue? Yes. Fight? No. Definitely not.

Kratos walked at her side, but kept his eyes straight ahead of them. "There is a way. It will take a little work, but I know how to do it."

The swordswoman knew better than to argue, much less ask… there were things she still didn't want details of in the angel's life. It was enough to know that he was on their side… and that he was probably one of a small handful of beings that knew where they were – and how to get out.

Their pace was quick but careful as the hallway they were in slowly brightened, revealing its link to the Welgaia of Liane's memory. But there was no doubt left once the hall spilled out into a large, open plaza with a starfield for its sky.

"Sorry!" Lloyd called as he jogged ahead of Kratos and Liane. "I found them stuck in another one of Yggdrasill's traps…" he declared as he approached the small gathering in the corner of the plaza – away from most of the drifting angels.

Liane's breath caught as she saw her friends –_ all_ of her friends – together again… all of them looking at very least healthy, if not tired, after whatever ordeal had been chosen for them. As she and Kratos drew closer, she saw looks of surprise pass over her friends' faces before they melted mostly into smiles. But before she could notice any more – any signs that any of them had been hurt – Colette reached up to her and threw her arms around Liane's middle.

"You're here! You both came, too! Are you okay? Everyone else got trapped, too…" the blonde chattered as she pulled back from the hug and looked over to Kratos. "And you're better? Raine said you were resting!" she gushed, worry creeping into her tone as she twisted her fingers together before her.

Liane couldn't help but smirk at how Kratos appeared to be at the target of Colette's concern. "We're okay, Colette," she offered. "And, in all fairness… he did rest for a while." She didn't miss the small glare she got from the angel for her defense of him, but the blonde Chosen's ensuing lecture stole his attention away even as Zelos slid up to her side.

"So you didn't miss out on all the fun after all?" the redhead asked as he reached out to playfully flip her ponytail. "Tell me you at least got to try your new trick again?"

"Yeah, I did," Liane nodded and ducked her chin with a laugh. "Kratos can even vouch for me… Lloyd, too," she shrugged as she finally looked into the redhead's eyes… and saw the same weariness that the rest carried. "You're not going to let me live it down, are you?"

Zelos shrugged and winked at her. "As long as we remember we had a deal, I think we're square," he told her. "I just think you happen to look badass doing it, that's all."

"She _looks_ exhausted," Raine sighed and pulled the Tethe'allan Chosen back by the shoulder so she could take his place. She swept her gaze over her assistant and sighed as her hand slipped into the bag slung over her shoulder. "Here," the professor murmured and pressed a pineapple gel into Liane's hand as she glanced over to Lloyd. "Lloyd, we're not in any shape for a big fight… we have to find some way out of here that has the least chance of running into resistance."

"Follow me," Kratos spoke before Lloyd could respond and started across the platform. "We'll have to work fast, but I know how to get us back to the surface." He glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes sweeping over all of them. "But if this is to end… we will have to fight. Soon."

Liane frowned as the pineapple gel burned its way down her throat. _So that's where we're at… a final fight?_ That meant all of their fighting… all of their hard-learned lessons… were going to finally be tested. If they were found wanting, that was it. The end. No one would hear from them again. Not that the worlds would survive long enough without mana to mourn even if it did notice their absence.

_No. There's only one way this can end,_ Liane tightened her jaw and swallowed the last of the gel as she walked with the others. _And it can't be with Mithos winning._

Kratos started to lead the group across a narrow bridge that they had avoided earlier due to the fact that armed angels guarded it. But midway across, he stopped… his eyes on the carved disc at his feet.

Lloyd stopped at the other swordsman's side and looked down as the others gathered to their sides. "Wh… what is this?" the teen breathed out.

"This is…" Colette murmured, dropping to her knees and reaching out a hand to brush her fingertips over the ridges of the intricate carving.

Zelos leaned over Colette to see over her shoulder. After a moment, his blue eyes widened. "This is… the Derris Emblem!"

"Derris Emblem?" Lloyd repeated, looking up to Zelos as the redhead straightened and then turning to Kratos.

The angel nodded and looked to the raised platform at the end of the bridge ahead. "It's a seal Mithos created to block the path to his castle," he stated calmly. "He created it by linking his soul with the fabric of space by the power of the Eternal Sword."

Lloyd's hands crept to the handles of his swords. "So that's why the trap didn't affect me."

Some part of Liane was relieved by her friend's words… though the reality settled in quickly after. _He didn't face his own trap… but he had to help the rest of us._

"With this, the path to Mithos' castle is now open," Kratos stated and cast an expectant look at Lloyd.

The younger swordsman nodded and started over the emblem. "Okay, let's go!"

Liane found herself walking beside Kratos as they crossed the bridge with the others. As they approached the end, she glanced to him out of the corner of her eye. "So, to get out… we have to go through Mithos' castle?" she asked as quietly as she could. "Are we going to have to go through him to do it?" In Origin's clearing, Mithos had been little more than a ghost, but she knew the power ghosts – real and figurative – could hold.

Kratos shook his head. "It should be possible to manually reset the transporter system to go straight from Vinheim to the base of the Tower. We will be able to get out… but we will have to come back as soon as we can to keep Mithos from deploying further measures to stall us."

"Transporter?" Liane almost groaned. "Okay… one ride from his castle to the Tower… one back… and then one to get out?" She sighed in defeat. "Three more times. Okay. I can handle that."

The angel smirked as they started up the set of marble steps at the end of the bridge. "Four."

Liane's head snapped up to him. "Huh?"

"Four," Kratos stated again and nodded pointedly ahead of them.

Liane followed his eyes to the large circle that spread out at their feet… and her stomach twisted as she recognized the oversized device. She understood. _Four._

_Oh, hells….

* * *

_

The swordswoman had to admit warping with her friends was better than facing the feeling of being ripped from one place only to appear in another alone. Not that she planned on making it a habit past the remaining three times she would have to do it, but it was bearable.

Much moreso than sitting in the dark corner of a cavernous hall filled with black marble pillars… armed angels patrolling the upper staircases… and the huge black shadow that shifted menacingly at the top of the main staircase.

_Kratos said the dragon guards the door to Yggdrasill's throne room_… Liane thought and hugged her knees to her chest… her eyes fixed on the form that sometimes shifted enough to display a pair of leathery wings to prove the angel's claim. Every so often, she caught a glimpse of the doors beyond the beast… and that was when her pulse stumbled.

_That's where this is all going to end…._

Liane sighed and tried to sink back into the shadowed corner. Kratos had chosen a small team – Lloyd, Raine, and Sheena – to see to his plan to get them back to the surface and instructed the others to stay out of sight as best they could. While it was a little unnerving when a set of large, colored boxes had appeared on the other side of the room shortly after the group left, nothing had sprung from them… so she had to hope it meant their job was going well. She knew for sure that it bought her time to gather her wits. She heard bits of soft conversations around her… Colette and Zelos comparing what they had been taught of the Derris Emblem… Genis' quiet attempts to reassure Presea – and himself. The sometimes-wordless chatter soothed Liane's nerves a little – enough that she could let her own thoughts drift a little – tentatively poking at her defenses.

_I was ready to apologize to her_, Liane's thoughts whispered to her as she tried to remember the meeting that should have been impossible. _But I'm not. I'm not sorry for living. And… she wouldn't want me to be. _She clenched her hands tighter together. _That would negate everything she did… her last act… her last choice…._

"Perhaps it's selfish of me, but I'm glad you're here…."

Liane's eyes flashed open at the barely-breathed statement to find that Regal had crouched down beside her, his back to the same wall as hers, his side almost close enough to touch hers. The shackled man had gone to the other side of the room the last time she saw him – an effort to secure their position until their group was whole again. When they had met back on the platforms of Welgaia, he and Presea both had remained quiet, no doubt fighting back their own demons once again after Yggdrasill's trap, much like Liane was doing. But with him coming back to her side, Liane couldn't ignore the spark of warmth his presence brought back to her… and she carefully leaned over just enough to rest her shoulder against his. "Thanks," she whispered, almost as softly as he had spoken. "We might have made a little more trouble for Lloyd, but… it didn't feel right to not be with everyone else."

Regal nodded, making no move to get away from how she moved closer. "You were safer in Iselia," he stated. "But having everyone together is a reminder of why we're fighting in the first place."

Liane nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, nibbling at the edge of her lip. She wanted to ask, but without tearing any wounds her friend wore beneath his calm exterior open more if she was right. "Are you… okay?" She settled with the general question, knowing that he could choose his answer without being pinned to the memory of his trial.

"I believe Presea is still having some difficulties with it… but I've heard Alicia's voice in my mind for years… reminding me of what I did to her," the Duke sighed quietly. "I've just never had to see her at the same time." He fell silent for a few moments. "But I will be fine. I know that wasn't her. I know she's at peace now. And my place is to try to make the world better… how she would want it."

"I can't say how much I envy your perspective… already," the swordswoman smiled weakly. She had been right. And as much as she hated that Regal and Presea had to face Alicia's twisted imposter, she hoped they would be stronger for it.

Regal shifted, turning a little closer to the dark-haired young woman. "Anna?" he murmured the one word, his tone voicing his guess and his questions all at once.

Liane nodded, seeing no reason to deny it. "It was strange… seeing her… hearing her…" she replied softly. "I think it was harder on Kratos… and then Lloyd, after he arrived," the swordswoman continued, still sure that there was a mass of ache boiling inside the angel and his son that she had no idea how to help.

"From what I've seen and heard, Yggdrasill's trials haven't been easy on anyone," Regal responded after a moment. "Whatever she wanted of either of you, she must not have gotten it. That means you're stronger than your doubts. That's probably all I can offer you." He sighed again. "One cannot seek a new world while dragging the past along. Living in the past is what brought Yggdrasill to what he is today."

"Anna gave me a future. I'm not going to throw that away," Liane whispered and looked up to her blue-haired friend.

Regal gave her a weak smile even as the appearance of another set of boxes in the area ahead of them drew their attention for a moment. Once again, no foes appeared… and the Duke looked back down to her. "Please don't," he asked. "A future without someone you care about … loses its luster."

Liane's eyes widened a little at his quiet words… but she still saw the hint of warmth in his eyes… and that brought on an answering touch of heat in her own cheeks. A future with her friends… her family… a future where she could truly choose her own path? _That was Anna's real gift,_ she told herself as she smiled for him and nodded, allowing herself to sag against the fighter's side a little more.

_We just need to finish this… then –_

"Guys! Hey! If you wanna help, we can get out of here faster!"

Lloyd's hissed call snapped Liane out of the enticing haze she had been weaving for herself and she sat up quickly, her cheeks flaring. "Um… yeah…" she murmured and scrambled to her feet, though she was sure she heard a weak chuckle from the man that rose at her side. _Say something,_ her mind demanded, almost like a desperate reach for some grip on that future that sounded so nice…."Regal, I –"

"C'mon… kiss her already!"

The playful whisper shattered anything Liane might have said as the redheaded Chosen sauntered by, trailing slightly behind the others as they fanned out to the blocks. She had no retort… couldn't even bring herself to do anything other than gape at the grin Zelos shot them both before starting into a jog. "Um…" she mumbled again and twisted her fingers into her ponytail until she realized she could distract herself with her pack. "Wow," she laughed through her embarrassment. "That was –"

"A good idea. Maybe… soon?" Regal finished for her quietly, bringing her gaze back up to meet his. He chuckled and shook his head a little as he gestured for her to start ahead of him. "After you, my lady…."

Liane knew she had to look like an idiot as she could only nod, her cheeks still blazing hot. But she still walked, aware that Regal was behind her… and that Kratos was only a few steps ahead… and so was the still-grinning Chosen.

_Isn't that what the future is all about?_ the swordswoman asked herself as she took her place behind a gold-colored box and saw Lloyd wave her closer to where he stood near a warp pad… and disappeared a moment later with the box Presea had brought to him. _Maybes… possibilities…_ she mused and stole a quick glance to the blue-haired fighter. He wasn't watching her… so she allowed her gaze to linger for a little longer than a casual look.

_Maybe…?_

She smiled a little and continued to push her block. A future of family and friends was all she knew she could reasonably hope for, but Anna's gift of a future felt so open at that moment. While it was true that the woman she and Kratos had faced wasn't Anna… it proved to Liane that she wasn't, either. No one could replace her… no one could live her life.

_I like 'maybe,'_ Liane told herself. _Maybe… doesn't have limits. We just have to stop Yggdrasill. Then… maybe…._


	42. Chapter 42

Heart of the Phoenix

Author: Shaddowind

WARNING: Kratos and general game spoilers aplenty! You have been warned! Also, if you haven't beaten the game, you may wish to revisit this fic later….

Summary: The final battle is but hours away. The party has gone their separate ways to take care of any loose ends and to find their focus before they end the madness that has held Sylvarant and Tethe'alla in its grasp for so very long. A swordswoman struggles to find her own balance before she rejoins her friends so that she can finally find the future that was given to her by a stranger long before….

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings - I just adore them and bend them to my will in this story._

Chapter 42:

Two days.

Two days to restock supplies and to rest.

Two days to convince themselves that they would have no regrets.

But with the better part of a day left of her time allowance, Liane was beginning to fancy ripping out her hair.

The group decided after their return from Vinheim that it would be best to split up to recover and prepare – to make sure their reasons for pressing ahead with their quest were their own. Kratos was convinced that – at least for a short time – the worlds would remain stable while Yggdrasill made his preparations to take his final revenge on the world that had taken his sister from him. Of course, panic amongst the people of both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla grew with every passing hour. Two days was really all they _could_ take… the chaos had to end.

Genis and Raine decided to go to Heimdall… gambling that their aid during the village's darker days might open the door to some bit of understanding – both for them and for the elves that shunned them before.

Presea opted to spend her time in Ozette. While the town was still ruined, she voiced her plan as one to help her make peace with her lost time as well as her lost family. Liane hadn't missed the tiny drop in Regal's shoulders when the pink-haired girl announced her decision, but she was glad when he didn't give in to the gesture, instead telling the others that he wanted to seek out his old master, Levin, who had taught him the Traubel fighting style. The Duke stated that the skills the man passed on to him had not only saved his life, but also those of his friends… and that he thought that the aging master deserved to know that they would be put to use on behalf of the world itself shortly.

Sheena would return to Mizuho to make certain her home was informed of what was happening… as well as what still could happen. Her worry for her people showed in every word of her decision, though Liane knew that the ninja's home had never been far from her thoughts – not considering everything she had done – and put herself through – for the good of her village.

Zelos had looked absolutely bored when he stated that he'd return to Meltokio. He said he was curious how the place was running without the Pope to twist everything to his advantage, but Liane suspected that his time would also be touching on the welfare of his sister. She knew the redhead had a soft side that he usually almost savagely hid and protected… and she knew that the politics of Meltokio would likely be the least of his worries if they lost and the worlds died. Seles was just the swordswoman's guess, but if it came to a bet, she was sure she would risk at least some gald on the wager.

Kratos also separated himself from the party shortly after deciding on the two-day timeframe. Lloyd had been the one to question the angel's destination – a fact for which Liane was infinitely grateful. While she was only slightly surprised by his departure, she fully understood his need for space – she shared it… and she knew Lloyd did as well, even if his disappointment was easy to read. The elder swordsman set off first, his destination the Renegade's Sylvarant Base to coordinate with Yuan.

The splitting of the group left Lloyd, Colette, and Liane to return to Iselia – each to their respective families. It was the right thing to do, Liane told herself… when there was someone waiting for her to come home, there was nowhere else she should want to be.

But after a full day of Dora Dale's flip-flopping between waiting on her hand and foot and then _begging_ her to stay home and out of the fight, Liane found herself at wit's end. Her father – as always – was the quiet strength of the house, asking her only once – and prefacing it with stating that he knew it wouldn't happen – to stay behind. But her mother was closer than her shadow… leaving the swordswoman no time whatsoever to try to shore up the foundations of her world after the cracks that her meeting with Anna had formed.

She wanted a destination of her own – a step _beyond_ fighting a being that was already technically _beyond_ death's reach. Liane knew she wanted to keep her friends – _all_ of her friends – in her life, but _beyond_ that, her direction would be her choice.

Liane could only pray that she would have the wisdom to recognize the opportunities meant for her.

But that prayer was all the time she could spare for her mother's constant pressure.

And that pressure was what made the wind that whipped her braid against the back of her neck as she piloted her Rheaird out of Iselia during the afternoon of her second day feel so amazing. Liane knew that her excuse of a supply run to Triet was weak – she saw that even in her father's knowing smirk when she told her parents she'd be back for dinner. It wasn't a lie – the market in Triet was better than the single shop in Iselia… though Triet's only draw wasn't supplies.

_If I can't get time to sort things out at home… I still need something… anything. I need to know what I'm fighting… and what I'm fighting for._

She knew that no one person could give her that, even if – when she was honest with herself – she was already sure of at least those directions. But the reinforcement could strengthen that knowledge and at that moment in Liane's life, she knew she had to be stronger than ever before – in both mind and body.

The desert heat hit the swordswoman long before her Rheaird touched the sand, but she was pleased to find that it didn't bother her all that much. _I've seen both extremes now… I guess I just know now that I can handle it,_ she reasoned as she held out her Wing Pack to collect her flyer and tucked it into her backpack to start into the desert oasis. Walking through the walled entry corridor of Triet jabbed Liane with another spike of déjà fu – and a flicker of realization of how she had grown since her last visit. Somehow, Triet became a cornerstone in her own journey – the first place that answered questions she hadn't known to answer… even if it had been mostly a riddle.

Liane paused at the crystal-clear oasis at the edge of the city, stepping into the shadow of one of the palm trees to gather her thoughts as she spotted the striped slopes of the top of the tent that held the woman she sought.

_She saw that Kratos and I were soulmates,_ the dark-haired young woman mused as she pushed a thin curl back over her ear. _I… have to know if she saw more._ The thought twisted in her chest for a moment and she considered returning to the market… getting her supplies… and just returning to Iselia. Liane chewed her lip for a moment as her indecision drew her eyes back to the town.

_If she tells me what she saw – if she saw something – is that going to influence my decision?_

The moment the question formed in her mind, Liane wanted to kick herself.

_No._ She shook her head and set her jaw. _No. My future will be the result of my own steps… my own decisions._ Liane turned back to the striped tent and began to walk again. _I just want to know what she saw when she looked at me like she did that last time…._

The knot in the swordswoman's chest had worked its way up to her throat by the time she stood before the tent's opening… and made it a true struggle to reach out and push the silken flap aside.

"Excuse me… Madame Fortune Teller?" she spoke before her nerves could silence her – and before her eyes could adjust to see into the darkened interior of the tent. "If I could trouble you for a little of your time…?" she asked, already hating the unease in her voice.

A rich chuckle answered her almost immediately.

"I've been saving a chair for you, child… come in," the fortune teller laughed as her jewel-bedecked hand slipped into the light that flooded into the tent and beckoned Liane to enter.

Liane swallowed hard and nodded, feeling as if she had to remind herself how to walk just to enter the tent. The flap slid back into place with a whisper of fabric on fabric… and the swordswoman once again found herself in the lamp lit realm of the woman that had opened her eyes to the fact that there was more to the dreams and visions that had come to life for her the day the Oracle came to Iselia. "Th-thank you," she murmured, pushing away the shiver that danced up her spine at the thought that the fortune teller sounded like she was actually expecting her. _It's probably just one of the things she says to everyone that comes to visit her,_ she reasoned, though the knowing smile that Liane could just barely make out in the pale light of the tent unnerved her further. Trying to cover her unease, Liane reached into the pocket of the vest she wore and removed a small pouch of gald that she had set aside for the visit. "Of course, I can pay… I just had a few questions," she spoke respectfully and placed the pouch on the table before the turbaned woman as she sat down on the edge of the chair across the table from her. "I was in before… it's been a while…" she started to explain as she lowered her pack to the ground beside her chair. "Not long after the Chosen began her –"

"I remember you, Liane Dale," the fortune teller cut in to the young woman's explanation, her tone warm as she let her finger trace the bulge of the coin pouch. Dark eyes flickered up at the gasp her statement drew from the swordswoman… and her smile widened. "I see you understand more not than you did when we last spoke. That is good. I… worried for you."

The rest of Liane's introduction died on her tongue as an icy shiver slipped down her spine. The fortune teller spoke so casually… as if they were old friends. _This is why I came,_ she told herself as firmly as she could and finally managed a weak smile and a nod. "That's kind of you," she murmured and met the woman's piercing eyes. "But I've gotten stronger… and I have good friends."

The fortune teller blinked, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks even in the darkened tent… then another rich laugh bubbled from her throat. "Indeed, you do, child," she agreed and leaned forward in her chair, bracing her elbows on the small table and lacing her fingers to cradle her chin. "You said you have questions. Ask."

Liane's breath hitched at the pleasantly spoken command… but it only took a moment for her to force the air back out. Of all the questions she had, one stood out – one that the fortune teller could answer. "You told me I was broken," she spoke softly t defend against any waiver that might creep into her voice. "I need to know what you meant."

Silence closed in behind Liane's statement, practically smothering the room until the fortune teller smiled, one elegant eyebrow arching in interest. "If you are here asking, I suspect you know the answer already."

"Madame, please," Liane frowned, shaking her head at the riddle in the woman's answer. "I need to know why you called me that," she insisted. "Broken… it implies flawed… imperfect," the swordswoman sighed and twisted her hands together in her lap, finally speaking the nagging fears that ate at her. She wouldn't allow herself to look away from the other woman's eyes, though. "I know… _what_… I am. But I want to know why you called me broken… and if it's as bad as it sounds." She knew for certain that she wasn't a natural being… but did that mean her candle's wick was shorter than a normal person's? Did it mean her future was limited?"

"Child…" the fortune teller's smile melted into a sympathetic frown as she reached a hand across the table, palm out in offer for the swordswoman. "That's what you fear?"

Liane considered the hand for a moment and then lowered her own over it. "I fear… my future being out of my control… following someone else's star," she replied quietly, though her eyes remained on the joined hands. "I don't know if I'll see the line… if there even is one."

The fortune teller sighed and closed her eyes as her hand closed gently over Liane's. "Child, I called you 'broken,' not shattered…" she breathed out and reached her free hand to rest it on top of the crystal orb at the center of the table. The ball began to glow slightly at her touch and the woman lifted her chin. "That which is broken… can be put back together… can be healed… sometimes even stronger than before," she stated, her voice once again like velvet. "Your soul and your spark may be mismatched, but they still cling together. Your future is no less real and no less a possibility than anyone else's."

The swordswoman released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. The fortune teller had seen the truth – long before she had – and she could only guess that it was before Kratos saw it, too. But that opened another troubled door in her thoughts… and she lifted her eyes to the other woman again. "You told me that Kratos is my soulmate," she started quietly. "But… he was Anna's… and she was his…" her voice trailed off.

"Oh, child," the fortune teller crooned and slipped her other hand over on top of Liane's. "He is yours, too," she spoke softly, though a smile warmed her tone. She waited for a moment, searching the younger woman's eyes. "As are the companions you have traveled with… those you trust with your life just as they trust you with theirs. Today, as you sit before me… all of those that are close to your thoughts… I would call them all your soulmates after how your experiences have bonded you."

Liane's eyebrows rose in surprise. _Was that it? All along? _"Then… Kratos…."

The other woman drew her hands back with a sigh and clasped them before her on the table. "The mercenary shares a deeper bond with you than some of the others… you are not wrong about that. But I think you misunderstand me. With all of them, it is a matter of resonance. You are a most fortunate being, Liane Dale. Not only for the unusual circumstances of your existence, but also for how those close to you have gathered around you. Few can ever hope for such a thing."

The swordswoman's first instinct was to feel ashamed for the flash of what she could only describe as disappointment. "I know how lucky I am," she murmured, dipping her chin. "I just didn't expect that all of them –"

"You wanted to know if there was still that one special soul out there," the fortune teller completed soothingly. "When your thoughts turn to the future, the question is in the shadows for you, isn't it?"

Liane chewed the inside of her lip for a moment before she decided there was no point in anything less than honesty. "Someday… it might be nice to know that there might be someone… even if I am broken." She let her eyes fall. "I care for Kratos, yes, but it didn't seem right to assume that we had… _that_. It seemed… disrespectful," the swordswoman shook her head.

The turbaned woman nodded her head slowly as she once again stretched her hand out for her crystal orb. "A spirit and its energy make a person special – unlike any other," she stated as her eyes reflected the glowing swirl within the sphere. "It also changes how that soul reaches out to others." With a tilt of her head, the fortune teller looked back across the table to Liane. "It is possible that one that may have been your heart in another existence may still be tied to you, but the new combination of soul and energy may still seek its match in another heart." Once again, she waited for Liane's gaze to rise before she spoke again. "Broken can be fixed… it can be healed. It doesn't have to be how you define yourself. Being alone will be an option for you, Liane, but it will only be one option. You will have a choice. Your future will be your own."

The darkness that had been twisting in the dark-haired young woman's chest suddenly brightened… and she found drawing her next breath easier as a smile began to tug at her lips. It was the best answer she could hope for… even if, in her heart, it was the answer she had already given herself. It was what she wanted to fight for the most: the same open door to the future that everyone else had. "I hoped you would say that," she finally chuckled and pushed her braid back over her shoulder.

"But you didn't need me to do so," the fortune teller smiled and swept her hand over the orb again. "Have faith in yourself… open your eyes… stand up and take what you want for your life. I see family of both blood and heart in your future… but beyond that, I believe you will be ruining your own journey if you ask me for more."

The possibility of what the fortune teller said tickled her curiosity, but Liane grudgingly pushed it away. "So… the fight… then…."

The fortune teller shook her head and drew her hand back to cross her arms. "The future is any moment that grows from the present. I cannot place limits on it. I believe the battle you will fight is set – but knowing the outcome will not change that you have never had to fight harder than you will in the coming days. That must be your focus… not my prediction for the fight, for the worlds, or for a future."

Liane sighed, but nodded a moment later. _The future might be two days, a few weeks as the worlds die… or many years. What matters is that I'll face it… with family. _"Thank you," she murmured sincerely and stood from the chair – not truly enlightened, but definitely reassured. "I hope we will have the chance to talk again," she dipped her head and collected her pack to leave.

"Wait, child," the fortune teller stopped the swordswoman with a sweep of her hand as she picked up the coin pouch and loosened the drawstring. Her bejeweled fingers dipped into the pouch and withdrew only a pair of shining coins before she tightened the ties again and tossed the pouch – still heavy with its remaining gald – back to Liane. "You'll need this for a little longer. And I'm sure if you want us to meet again, you'll find a way to make it happen.

The swordswoman caught the pouch easily, though the gesture puzzled her. _I'll need the gald for a little longer… for shopping?_ She ventured a rushed guess as she smiled and tucked the pouch away. "Thank you, Madam. I will do my best to find a way, then… and you can tell me then if I've managed to surprise you."

The fortune teller only laughed, genuine amusement painting her tone. "I look forward to it, child," she nodded and waved Liane toward the door of her tent. "Be well…."

Liane nodded and offered the woman a smile before slipping out of the tent and into the late afternoon sun. Taking a moment to shield her eyes from the light to allow them to readjust, she drew in a deep breath of the scorched air… and somehow found a way to savor even its desolate warmth as she began to walk. _She's right, Anna,_ she told the lost woman silently, feeling her as less of a guide and more of a guardian of sorts… the strength to anchor her to her world. _I'm going to do this for my world… and for my family._ Liane wanted to believe that the declaration would please Anna… that her own values would be satisfied… that she was still making a difference in both her presence and in her inspiration.

_And they _are_ my family…._

It almost embarrassed the swordswoman how easily the definition was met… yet how she hadn't really seen it before. Definition was never needed, but it had been there all along. _"… family of both blood and heart…."_ It was how she had always thought of Lloyd… and then Colette and Genis… but after everything that had happened, losing any of her companions had become unthinkable. They were _all_ family… and she would fight for them just as she would fight for her parents.

"Hey, Liane!" a familiar voice called from somewhere to her side, drawing her attention from her thoughts enough to make her stop and turn. "Dora driving you crazy already?"

Liane had to laugh at the knowing grin on Lloyd's face as he trotted up to the packed-earth path from the oasis, Noishe padding along behind him. "You could say that," she shrugged, glad to see her friend and loyal companion, even though it was a very active effort to not see the long-vanished crimson streaks in the creature's snowy fur that her most vivid visions had shown her. "Come to stock up on supplies," she offered and shook off the ghost of the past as Noise continued past Lloyd to nuzzle Liane's hand affectionately. For just a moment, she looked down into the creature's eyes… and had to wonder what he knew – what he understood – before she laughed softly and looked back to Lloyd, knowing her curiosity would likely never be answered. "What about you? Dirk doesn't seem the type to mother hen you to death."

Lloyd shook his head and fondly patted the white and green creature's head. "Nah. Dad's good. I went to get Noishe from Altessa's and saw Da – I mean, Kratos – when I came back through the gate. He said to meet him here. I guess he wants to stock up, too."

"Hmm…" Liane murmured, her eyes flashing to the square ahead of them. _ Kratos is here, too?_ She couldn't stop her mind from reaching back to the last time she had run into the swordsman after meeting with the fortune teller, but it was easy enough to let go of… especially considering that she now knew that he couldn't have been expecting her, either. "Lloyd, don't push yourself so hard," she told him with a smile as she reached out to ruffle his hair. "I don't think Dirk – or Kratos – will mind if you call him that…."

The swordsman's smile dimmed slightly – though it didn't completely disappear – and he shook his head. "They might not mind, but I don't know if I'm ready for it to be that easy," he shrugged almost apologetically as he lifted a hand and attempted to smooth his hair. "Maybe once this is all over, I can figure it out."

Liane took a step back and let her hand fall to her side. "I understand," she nodded and found a smile for him. _More than you know… I understand._ Her own direction was still vague, but she knew she couldn't spare any more time to worry… and she certainly couldn't break down on Lloyd. As much a part of her life the boy was and as much as his quirky wisdom always seemed to make things clear at the best possible time, she knew answers wouldn't come from him this time… and worse, it could only make things more complicated for him. "We'll have time later. But for now," she smiled for him. "Anything you need from the market? I can grab it for you before I head back to Iselia."

"Naw. Noishe and I are just going to have dinner and wait for Kratos. I think he'll come back to Iselia with us… than, we'll be ready to go in the morning," Lloyd shook his head to her offer and slowly started back into the Triet market square, though from his slow pace and the glance over his shoulder, he made it clear he was waiting for her. "Unless you want to wait with us? I don't think Kratos will be too late…?"

"I would, but considering the only reason I made it out of Iselia is that I promised Mom I'd be home for dinner, I'm pretty sure she'd hunt me down if I didn't show up," Liane laughed and walked to catch up to her friend. "Thanks, though. Besides…" she laughed half-heartedly, "… sounds like it's supposed to be guys' time, anyway. That's important, too."

Lloyd rolled his eyes, but chuckled anyway. "I guess he might want to talk, but I don't think it'll be anything big." When they reached the corner of the inn, he motioned for Noishe to follow him and turned back to Liane after a few steps. "Don't be too hard on Dora. She's worried over all of us for years… and this is the biggest thing we've gotten into yet," he tilted his head and gave her a smirk. "Maybe soon, we won't have to give her reasons to worry anymore?"

Liane had to laugh again. "Have you _met_ my mother?" she shook her head, even though Lloyd's thought was still sweet. "I know. That can be one of the things we work on… after… right?"

"We'll add it to the list," Lloyd grinned and nodded in agreement. "Well, if you change your mind, I'm just gonna eat at the inn. Otherwise, I guess I'll see you at Dad's in the morning?"

_In the morning. Sounds so close…._

Quickly recovering her smile, Liane nodded once. "I'll be there. Don't leave without me," she told her friend with a wave and watched him continue to the inn for a moment before turning to the market area. Everything they fought for was finally going to bring them to a final battle… and losing wasn't an option. If they lost, everything they learned, won, lost, and sacrificed… all of it would mean nothing as the world faded to nothingness. _No. The world has gone on like this for too long. This is bigger than our efforts. The world deserves to take back its rightful form… and its people deserve the truth. _The swordswoman knew it would be hard on everyone… even if – no, _when_ – they _did_ win. But at least the future wouldn't be based on a lie.

… _and Sylvarant and Tethe'alla can work together._

Even though she knew the thought was a bit idealistic, it brought a smile to Liane's lips as she began to gather a collection of gels from the vendor's tent. _Our group is proof that we're not so different. The people will be the ones that will really bring the world back together._

The rest of her restocking ended up being pleasantly dull… idle chitchat with merchants that made Liane wonder if it was what passed for a normal day for a normal person… and if it was something she would be able to do once the chaos was over. She did her best to reassure the vendors when the topic would change to the writhing purple sky without revealing her role in it – or she knew she'd never get home in time for dinner – but time still managed to slip away from her. By the time she had all of the items on her list – and a few extras to share with the others that might not have gotten the chance to shop – the sun was just beginning to set.

_Good thing it's a short flight to Iselia,_ Liane told herself as she fastened her pack shut over her new treasures and reached for her wingpack. But as she lifted her pack to her shoulder and brought her eyes up, she found herself caught in an all-too familiar mahogany gaze.

_Kratos…._

Liane froze for a moment, but then slowly smiled. Across the square, the angel stood quietly talking with Lloyd – whose back was to her. Only his eyes and a ghost of a nod betrayed that he noticed her… and she was content with that. _You two need all the time you can get,_ she told the swordsman silently as she started toward the city gates. Anything she had left to settle with either of them could wait… and it warmed her even as the icy fingers of the desert night began to grasp at her.

_Your boys found their way back together,_ she once again addressed Anna as she released her Rheaird outside the city gate and stepped on to fire the engines. _I know that's what you wanted… I know it has to make you happy…._

* * *

_A/N: I realize that it has been a horribly long time since my last update, and for that, I do deeply apologize. I am still struggling with a _horrible_ block that struck Heart of the Phoenix, and it truly makes me so very sad after how hard Liane and the gang have worked to get this far. I wrote this not long after Chapter 41 was complete – and just as the block was solidifying. Thus, I also apologize to Phoenix's fans for it being so short… an interlude, really… but I am going to post it anyway in an attempt to revive the firebird and perhaps find the inspiration to finish Liane's version of the last battle of Tales of Symphonia._

_To my supporters… to Yama, Aio, Millenia-the-wings-of-valmar, Amaya Night Rain of the Dragon, Angel JeM, Kat.R.777, and Inferni… and everyone else that has taken the time to review for Heart of the Phoenix over its run so far… thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so very much for your encouragement – especially when I worried that no one cared about massive chapters and the story of a character – of _characters_ – that have come to mean so much to me. Thank you for your kind words… your gentle nudges… and for caring enough to let me know that the story was being enjoyed and that it hadn't been forgotten._

_So… please don't give up on me or on the Phoenix… or even on Liane. I want to follow her to the end of this story… and give her the future she's fighting to find for herself. So if I can beg for your patience… any encouragement you might humor me with… it would all be so very much appreciated. It means the world to hear your reactions to how Liane fits into the group… what struck you about her relationships or her trials… every bit of that encourages me. And every little kind word might help me fan the fires of inspiration again._

_I can't promise an update this week or next… but I can promise I'll work hard to get through this block and update as soon as I can, even if it's a small one. Even small steps can be progress, right?_

_Again, thank you for reading… for your patience… and for your time. I look forward to having more to share with you soon._


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